Fernando Antonio de Abreu e Silva

Clinical course of postinfectious bronchiolitis obliterans.

We performed a prospective observational study to define the clinical course and the prognostic factors of 31 patients with postinfectious bronchiolitis obliterans. All patients presented with an episode of acute bronchiolitis in the first 2 years of life, and respiratory symptoms and signs persisted since then. Other diseases which may cause chronic airflow obstruction were excluded. The patients were followed after their inclusion in the study and the clinical findings were recorded in a standardized questionnaire and form. Repeated chest radiographs and lung perfusion scans were obtained in all 31 patients and semiannual spirometry was performed in 8 older patients. Eight patients had lung biospies.

Tabagismo em estudantes de Medicina: tendências temporais e fatores associados

BACKGROUND: Although the prevalence of smoking among medical students declined steadily between the 1960s and 1980s, it seems to have stabilized in recent years. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate temporal trends, over the last 17 years, in the smoking habits of medical students at the Universidade Federal de Pelotas, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and to identify some possible risk factors for smoking. METHOD: Cross-sectional surveys with comparable methodologies were conducted in 1986, 1991, 1996 and 2002. Self-administered questionnaires were used. Smokers were defined as those who were smoking at least one cigarette per day for at least one month. Descriptive analyses were carried out, as well as crude evaluations using chi-square tests for heterogeneity and linear trend. In addition, Poisson regression, adjusted for age, was used in order to evaluate the effect of medical school class year on the incidence of smoking. RESULTS: The prevalence of smoking among UFPel medical students was 10.1%, statistically similar to values found in 1991 and 1996. No differences in smoking frequency were found relating to sex, age, or parental smoking. The prevalence of smoking was found to increase progressively over the course of medical school. CONCLUSIONS: The downward trend in smoking prevalence among UFPel medical students is being replaced by a stable rate of approximately 10-15%. Anti-smoking campaigns are still necessary in university environments, especially in medical schools.

Fibrose cística no adulto: aspectos diagnósticos e terapêuticos

Once considered a childhood disease, cystic fibrosis is now also a disease of adults. Increased longevity has resulted in the aging of the cystic fibrosis population. The consequent age-related medical problems among adults with cystic fibrosis have increased medical care needs. These needs are being met by a growing number of non-pediatric pulmonologists and other non-pediatric specialists. The objective of this review was to summarize the current knowledge about diagnosis and treatment in adult cystic fibrosis. In most cases, the diagnosis is suggested by manifestations of chronic sinopulmonary disease and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. The diagnosis is confirmed by a positive sweat test result. Adult patients may, however, present pancreatic sufficiency and atypical clinical features, sometimes in combination with normal or borderline sweat test results. In such cases, identifying cystic fibrosis mutations and measuring nasal potential difference can have diagnostic utility. The standard therapeutic approach to pulmonary disease includes the use of antibiotics, airway clearance, exercise, mucolytics, bronchodilators, oxygen therapy, anti-inflammatory agents and nutritional support. Appropriate application of these therapies results in most cystic fibrosis patients surviving into adulthood with an acceptable quality of life.

Cystic Fibrosis Patient with Burkholderia pseudomallei Infection Acquired in Brazil

ABSTRACT Burkholderia pseudomallei is rarely isolated from cystic fibrosis patients outside known areas of endemicity. We report the recovery of B. pseudomallei from the sputum of a cystic fibrosis patient who lives in Brazil. We highlight the importance of careful attention to unusual nonfermentative gram-negative rods in cystic fibrosis patients.

Bronchiolitis obliterans in children

OBJECTIVE: To review the literature on general aspects of bronchiolitis obliterans, with emphasis on childhood postinfectious bronchiolitis obliterans.METHODS: The most important publications on bronchiolitis obliterans were selected, using basically the Medline database (January of 1966 to September of 1999).RESULTS: This review is organized as follows: introduction, general aspects of bronchiolitis obliterans (terminology, histopathology and classification), and postinfectious bronchiolitis obliterans (etiological agents, clinical and radiological aspects, diagnosis and investigation, and treatment).COMMENTS: Bronchiolitis obliterans is a clinical syndrome wich is more common than previously believed in the pediatric population, thus deserving pediatricianś attention.

Preditores da dessaturação do oxigênio no teste da caminhada de seis minutos em pacientes com fibrose cística

OBJECTIVE To identify the predictive factors of oxygen desaturation during the six-minute walk test (6MWT) in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). METHODS Prospective cross-sectional study involving clinically stable patients with CF aged > or = 10 years. The patients were submitted to nutritional evaluations, oral glucose tolerance tests, pulmonary function tests, chest X-rays and 6MWTs. RESULTS The study included 88 patients (43 females and 45 males; mean age, 19.9 + or - 7.2 years; mean FEV(1), 65.4 + or - 28.4%). We observed oxygen desaturation in 13 patients (OD+ group) and no oxygen desaturation in 75 (ODmicro group). In comparison with ODmicro group patients, OD+ group patients presented higher mean age (p = 0.004), worse clinical score (p < 0.001), worse radiological score (p < 0.001), higher incidence of glucose intolerance (p = 0.004), lower incidence of methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus infection (p < 0.001), higher incidence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus infection (p = 0.016), higher incidence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection (p = 0.008), lower mean resting SpO(2) (p < 0.001) and lower mean FEV(1) (p < 0.001). In the logistic regression analysis, oxygen desaturation during the 6MWT correlated with resting SpO(2) (OR = 0.305, p < 0.001) and FEV(1) (OR = 0.882, p = 0.025). The parameters maximizing the predictive value for oxygen desaturation were resting SpO(2) < 96% and FEV(1) < 40%. In this sample, 15% of the patients with CF aged > or = 10 years presented oxygen desaturation during the 6MWT. CONCLUSIONS Resting SpO(2) < 96% and FEV(1) < 40% can predict oxygen desaturation during the 6MWT.

Comparação entre provas de função pulmonar, escore de Shwachman-Kulczycki e escore de Brasfield em pacientes com fibrose cística

OBJECTIVE To study correlations among pulmonary function, chest radiology and clinical status in cystic fibrosis. METHODS A retrospective cross-sectional study was performed to evaluate chest X-rays and clinical charts of patients treated at the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre. Spirometry findings, Shwachman-Kulczycki (S-K) scores and Brasfield scores were analyzed. RESULTS The final sample consisted of 40 patients (mean age 9.72 +/- 3.27). The following mean S-K scores were obtained: total, 80.87 +/- 10.24; general activity, 24.75 +/- 1.1; physical examination, 18.87 +/- 4.59; nutrition, 21.87 +/- 4.18; radiology, 15.37 +/- 5.23. The mean Brasfield score was 18.2 +/- 4. The pulmonary function test results, in percentage of predicted, were as follows: forced vital capacity (FVC), 82.99 +/- 14.36%; forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), 83.62 +/- 18.26%; and forced expiratory flow between 25 and 75% of FVC (FEF25-75), 74.63 +/- 2.53%. The S-K score correlated moderately with FVC, whereas it correlated strongly with FEV1 and FEF25-75. The Brasfield score correlated strongly with the S-K total and radiology score, whereas it correlated moderately with pulmonary function. Physical examination correlated moderately with FVC, FEV1 and FEF25-75; as did nutrition with FEF25-75; and radiology with FEV1 and FEF25-75. General activity was the domain that had the greatest influence on the total S-K score. CONCLUSIONS These two scoring systems are complementary, correlating with each other, as well as with pulmonary function tests. The radiology domain of the S-K scoring system is a good alternative to the Brasfield score.

Bacteriology of the middle meatus aspirate in patients with cystic fibrosis

UNLABELLED The combination of factors, such as abnormal viscosity of the paranasal sinus secretions, decreased sinus drainage, and impaired mucociliary clearance may account for the establishment of a suitable and opportune environment for the colonization of bacteria in the paranasal sinuses of patients with cystic fibrosis. AIM The goal of the present study was to assess the bacteriology of the middle meatus aspirate in patients diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS Through a cross-sectional prospective study, a sample consisting of 23 patients evaluated for 2 years, was assessed. Firstly, we established the relationship between the middle meatus culture and the maxillary sinus x-ray. In second, we studied the relationship between the middle meatus aspirate bacteriology and the sputum bacteriology. RESULTS In total, 42 aspirates of the middle meatus were carried out. In 17 (73.91%) of the 23 patients, the aspirates were negative; and in 6 (26.08%) they were positive. Out of the 42 aspirates,31 (78.8%) were negative, and 11 (26.2%) were positive. The presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was observed in 18.18% of the positive cultures, and Staphylococcus aureus was observed in 27.28%. CONCLUSION The great majority of the middle meatus aspirates of the patients with cystic fibrosis were negative.

Bacteriologia do aspirado do meato médio em pacientes com fibrose cística

The combination of factors, such as abnormal viscosity of the paranasal sinus secretions, decreased sinus drainage, and impaired mucociliary clearance may account for the establishment of a suitable and opportune environment for the colonization of bacteria in the paranasal sinuses of patients with cystic fibrosis. AIM: The goal of the present study was to assess the bacteriology of the middle meatus aspirate in patients diagnosed whit cystic fibrosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Through a cross-sectional prospective study, a sample consisting of 23 patients evaluated for 2 years, was assessed. Firstly, we established the relationship between the middle meatus culture and the maxillary sinus x-ray. In second, we studied the relationship between the middle meatus aspirate bacteriology and the sputum bacteriology. RESULTS: In total, 42 aspirates of the middle meatus were carried out. In 17 (73.91%) of the 23 patients, the aspirates were negative; and in 6 (26.08%) they were positive. Out of the 42 aspirates,31 (78.8%) were negative, and 11 (26.2%) were positive. The presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was observed in 18.18% of the positive cultures, and Staphylococcus aureus was observed in 27.28%. CONCLUSION: The great majority of the middle meatus aspirates of the patients with cystic fibrosis were negative.

Low‐level resistance and clonal diversity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa among chronically colonized cystic fibrosis patients

A prospective study was conducted in Brazil to evaluate antimicrobial resistance patterns and molecular epidemiology of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from cystic fibrosis (CF) patients with chronic lung infection. All isolates were obtained between May 2009 and June 2010 from 75 patients seen in four reference centers in Brazil: HCPA (20 patients) and HEOM (15 patients), located in southern and northeastern Brazil, respectively; IFF (20 patients) and HUPE (20 patients), both in southwestern Brazil. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing, PCR for detection of carpapenemases, and pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) were performed in 274 isolates. A total of 224 PFGE types were identified and no clones were found circulating among the centers or within the same center. Despite the chronic infection, most patients were colonized by intermittent clones. Only three patients (4%) maintained the same clone during the study. The resistance rates were lower than 30% for the majority of antimicrobials tested in all centers and only 17% of isolates were multiresistant. Isolates (n = 54) with reduced susceptibility to imipenem and/or meropenem presented negative results for blaSPM‐1, blaIMP−1, blaVIM, and blaKPCgenes. Our results indicate an unexpected low level of antimicrobial resistance and a high genotypic diversity among P. aeruginosa from Brazilian chronic CF patients.