Association study of AFF1 rs340630 polymorphism with genetic susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis in Chinese population

This study was performed to examine whether the AF4/FMR2 family, member 1 (AFF1) rs340630 polymorphism is involved in the genetic background of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in a Chinese population. Two different study groups of RA patients and controls (328 RA patients and 449 healthy controls in the first study group; 232 RA patients and 313 controls in the second study group) were included in our study. Overall, there was no significant difference in either genotype (P=0.71 and 0.64 in the first and second study group, respectively) nor allele (in the first study group: A vs G, P=0.65, OR=1.05, 95%CI=0.85-1.29; in the second study group: G vs A, P=0.47, OR=1.10, 95%CI=0.86-1.40) frequencies of AFF1 rs340630 polymorphism between RA patients and controls. Our study represents the first report assessing the association of AFF1 rs340630 polymorphism with RA risk. No significant evidence was found for the dominant or recessive models. Further case-control studies with larger sample sizes and fine-mapping studies are needed to clarify the role of AFF1 in the genetic basis of RA.

Letramento em saúde de diabéticos tipo 2: fatores associados e controle glicêmico / Health literacy in type 2 diabetics: associated factors and glycemic control

Pacientes com diabetes mellitus requerem um autocuidado extenso, com tratamentos complexos e comportamentos de saúde adequados, sendo, essas habilidades, fator chave. Frente a tal complexidade surge a importância do letramento funcional em saúde. O objetivo do estudo foi analisar fatores associados ao letramento em saúde e sua relação com controle glicêmico em pacientes diabéticos. Este estudo foi realizado com 82 pacientes diabéticos tipo 2, atendidos em um ambulatório de endocrinologia de um hospital público, de ambos os sexos e com idade entre 19 e 59 anos, que responderam à versão abreviada e traduzida do Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (b-TOFHLA). Valores de glicemia de jejum e hemoglobina glicada foram coletados dos prontuários dos participantes. Foram realizadas correlações, comparações de médias e modelos de regressão linear. O letramento inadequado foi encontrado em 65,9% dos pacientes. Foram fatores associados à pontuação do b-TOFHLA, a idade e os anos de estudos. O letramento global não explicou o controle glicêmico, mas o numeramento apresentou associação com tal controle. Nossos resultados apontam para a necessidade de melhorar o numeramento em saúde dos pacientes para obter seu melhor controle glicêmico, principalmente naqueles com maior idade e menos anos de estudo.

Diabetes mellitus patients must concentrate on self-care, with complex treatments and adequate health behavior in which such habits are a key factor. Due to the complexity of this issue, the importance of literacy in health arises. The goal of the study was to analyze factors associated with literacy in health and its relation with glycemic control in diabetic patients. It involved a study with 82 type 2 diabetic patients of both sexes and aged between 19 and 59 attended in the outpatient endocrinology ward of a public hospital, who filled out an abbreviated and translated version of the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (b-TOFHLA). Fasting glycaemia values and glycated hemoglobin were collected from the clinical history of the participants. Correlations, mean comparisons and linear regression models were tested. Inadequate literacy in health was encountered in 65.9% of the patients. The issues involved factors associated with the b-TOFHLA point scores were age and years of schooling. Global literacy did not explain the glycemic control, but the level of numeracy presented an association with this control. The results point to the need to improve the numeracy in health of the patients to obtain enhanced glycemic control, mainly in those with more advanced age and less years of schooling.

Evaluation of Cellular Proliferative Activity in Patients with Oral Lichen Planus and Hepatitis C through AgNOR Method

The objective of this study was to evaluate the cellular proliferative potential of oral lichen planus (OLP) lesions from patients without hepatitis C virus (HCV) by means of AgNOR method, as well as the cellular proliferative potential of the normal oral mucosa from patients with HCV, treated or untreated by interferon and ribavirin. A cross-sectional study was developed to investigate four groups: 10 HCV+ patients without clinical signs of OLP who had never been treated for HCV infection - Group 1; 10 HCV+ patients that were under interferon and ribavirin treatment - Group 2; 15 patients with reticular OLP lesions histopathologically confirmed, without HCV - Group 3; and 15 blood donors without HCV infection and no clinical signs of OLP GROUP 4 Control Group. The cytological material of all groups was collected by the liquid-based cytology technique. Then, the sedimented material from each patient was filled with the Nucleolar Organizer Regions impregnation by silver method (AgNOR). The count of NORs was performed on 100 epithelial cell nuclei per patient using the Image Tool(tm) software. The Tukey HSD test was used to compare the median value of NORs among the groups and showed that the oral mucosa of HCV+ patients previously treated with anti-HCV drugs (GROUP 2), presented a higher average number of NORs in relation to others (p<0.05). The anti-HCV treatment may be related to increased cell proliferation of oral mucosa, indicating a possible relationship between OLP and HCV+ patients treated with interferon and ribavirin.

O propósito deste estudo foi avaliar o potencial proliferativo celular das lesões de líquen plano bucal (LPB) de pacientes sem vírus da hepatite C (VHC) por meio do método AgNOR, comparando-o ao potencial proliferativo celular da mucosa bucal normal de portadores de VHC, tratados ou não com interferon e ribavirina. Um estudo transversal foi realizado para investigar 4 grupos: 10 pacientes VHC+ sem sinais clínicos de LPB que nunca haviam sido tratados para a infecção por VHC - Grupo 1; 10 pacientes VHC+ que estavam sob tratamento com interferon e ribavirina - Grupo 2; 15 pacientes com LPB reticular histopatologicamente confirmado, sem VHC - Grupo 3; e 15 doadores de sangue sem infecção por VHC e sem sinais clínicos de LPB (Grupo 4 - Grupo de Controle). O material celular de todos os grupos foi coletado pela técnica da citologia em base líquida. Então, o material sedimentado de cada paciente foi submetido ao método da impregnação das regiões organizadoras nucleolares pela prata (AgNOR). A contagem das NORs foi realizada em 100 núcleos celulares epiteliais por paciente por meio do programa Image Tool(r). O teste Tukey HSD foi utilizado para comparar o valor médio de NORs entre os grupos e mostrou que a mucosa bucal dos pacientes VHC+ previamente tratados com fármacos anti-VHC (Grupo 2) apresentou maior número médio de NORs por núcleo em relação aos outros (p<0,05). O tratamento anti-VHC pode estar relacionado ao aumento da atividade proliferativa celular da mucosa bucal, aventando uma possível relação entre LPB e pacientes VHC+ tratados com interferon e ribavirina.

As causas das internações no Hospital Adauto Botelho (Cariacica, ES) na segunda metade do século XX / The motives for hospitalization at Adauto Botelho Hospital (Cariacica, ES) in the second half of the twentieth century

Discutem-se aqui as formas de encaminhamento de pacientes ao Hospital Adauto Botelho, localizado em Cariacica, Espírito Santo. A pesquisa se deu por meio de prontuários médicos datados desde a inauguração em 1954 e de depoimentos de pessoas que trabalharam lá durante a segunda metade do século XX. Foram analisados 102 prontuários e entrevistadas quatro pessoas. A pesquisa dos prontuários mostra forte inserção da Chefatura de Polícia no processo de internação. As falas dos entrevistados reiteram esse ponto, mostrando também a longa duração das internações. São as histórias de vida dos internos que dão o tom deste trabalho. Conclui-se, a partir delas, que o Hospital Adauto Botelho, mais que uma instituição de tratamento, era um espaço de confinamento.

This paper discusses the procedures for referring patients to Adauto Botelho Hospital, in Cariacica, Espírito Santo state, Brazil. The research is based on the medical records since its inauguration in 1954 and statements by people who worked there in the second half of the twentieth century. One hundred and two records were analyzed and four people were interviewed. The records revealed the active involvement of the Chief of Police in hospitalizations. The interviews corroborate this, while also showing the long duration of the hospitalizations. The tone of the paper is set by the life stories of the people hospitalized there. The conclusion is that this hospital served not so much for treatment as for confinement.