Gestação heterotópica espontânea: relato de caso com diagnóstico e manejo oportunos / Spontaneous heterotopic pregnancy: a case report with appropriate diagnosis and management

Introdução: A gravidez heterotópica é um fenômeno obstétrico muito raro em concepções espontâneas no qual gestações tópica e ectópica coexistem. O diagnóstico é difícil, mas, se realizado precocemente, o prognóstico é favorável. Descrição do caso: Paciente do sexo feminino, de 35 anos de idade, admitida com quadro de dor abdominal e pequeno sangramento vaginal. Diagnosticada precocemente e tratada cirurgicamente por gravidez heterotópica naturalmente concebida. Como resultado, a gravidez tópica seguiu sem intercorrências. Conclusão: Esse caso enfatiza a necessidade de considerar esse diagnóstico diferencial e analisar clínica e ecograficamente as características globais da pelve, mesmo na ausência de fatores de risco em gestações tópicas.(AU)

Introduction: Heterotopic pregnancy (HP) is a rare obstetric phenomenon in spontaneous conceptions in which intrauterine and ectopic pregnancies coexist. The diagnosis is difficult, but, if performed early, the prognosis is favorable. Case description: A 35-year-old woman was admitted with abdominal pain and light vaginal bleeding. She was early diagnosed and surgically treated for a naturally conceived heterotopic pregnancy. As a result, the intrauterine pregnancy went on healthily. Conclusion: This case emphasizes the need to regard HP as a differential diagnosis and analyze the global pelvis characteristics both clinically and in ultrasound scans, even in the absence of risk factors when dealing with intrauterine pregnancies.(AU)

Genetic or pharmacological superoxide-hydrogen peroxide imbalances modulate the in vitro effects of lithium on glycogen synthase kinase-3ß.

INTRODUCTION: Lithium (Li), a mood stabilizer used to treat bipolar disorder (BP) symptoms has important anti-inflammatory effects by downregulation of glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK-3ß). However, sometime Li effect is not efficient in some patients suggesting genetic interference. Previous investigations described association between a genetic superoxide­hydrogen (S-HP) imbalance caused by a superoxide dismutase manganese dependent gene polymorphism (Val16Ala-SOD2 SNP, rs4880) and differential anti-inflammatory response of some drugs and bioactive molecules. Therefore, we postulated here that S-HP imbalance could present some effect on GSK-3ß modulation by Li. METHODS: to test this hypothesis, a genetic and a pharmacological S-HP imbalance protocols were performed. In the two protocols, immune cells were activated by phythohemaglutin (PHA). The first one, used peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) cultures carrying different Val16Ala-SOD2 genotypes, and the second used a commercial macrophage cell line RAW 264.7. Macrophages were exposed to paraquat to induce high S levels (VV-like cells) or porphyrin, that is a SOD2-like molecule that increase dismutation of S into HP (AA-like cells). In both protocols the Li effects on GSK-3ß gene and protein modulation as evaluated in 24 h cultures. The inflammatory activation was also analyzed by cellular proliferation in 72 h cell cultures. RESULTS: as expected PHA exposure triggered a strong upregulation of GSK-3ß gene expression (p ≤ 0.001), and Li exposure showed GSK-3ß gene downregulation from 0.7 mEq/L concentrations. However, Li modulatory effects on GSk-3ß gene and protein expression was directly influenced by basal S-HP balance. Presence of high S-basal levels (VV genotype and VV-like cells) induced attenuated Li anti-inflammatory effects in comparison with balanced and AA and AA-like cells (p < 0.001). Despite methodological limitations related to in vitro assays, the whole of results suggested that Li anti-inflammatory effects is influenced by S-HP basal state and is plausible that its influence could contributes to resistance of some patients to Li treatment or to increase of intensity of some side effects Li-associated.