[Hepatitis C serum prevalence in hemodialyzed patients]. / Soroprevalência da hepatite C em pacientes hemodialisados.

The objectives of this study were to estimate the serum prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in a dialysis center in the greater Recife region, and to correlate HCV serum positivity with some risk factors. Analyses were performed on 250 patients of both sexes, with ages ranging from 17 to 92 years old. Epidemiological data on these patients were obtained in order to determine the risk factors for this infection. Anti-HCV antibodies were investigated using fourth-generation ELISA. Statistically significant associations (p<0.05) were observed in relation to the risk factors of hemodialysis duration, number of blood component transfusions and time taken for transfusions. The prevalence was low (8.4%) in relation to other Brazilian studies. However, more studies in other centers are needed in order to estimate the real prevalence of HCV infection among patients undergoing hemodialysis in the State of Pernambuco.

Histopathological and Digital Morphometrical Evaluation of Uterine Leiomyoma in Brazilian Women.

The current study aims to evaluate histopathological and digital morphometrical aspects associated with uterine leiomyomas in one hundred and fifty (150) patients diagnosed with leiomyoma. Uterine tissues were subjected to the histopathological and digital morphometric analyses of the interstitial collagen distribution. The analysis of medical records indicates that most of the women diagnosed with uterine leiomyomas (68.7%) are between 37 and 48 years old. As for the anatomic location of the tumors, approximately 61.4% of the patients had intramural and subserosal lesions. In 50% of the studied cases, the patients developed uterine leiomyomatosis (with more than eight tumors). As for the morphometric study, the average size of the interstitial collagen distribution held approximately 28.53% of the capture area, whereas it was of 7.43% in the normal tissue adjacent to the tumor. Another important aspect observed in the current study was the high rate of young women subjected to total hysterectomy, a fact that resulted in early and definitive sterility.

Soroprevalência da hepatite C em pacientes hemodialisados / Hepatitis C serum prevalence in hemodialyzed patients

Os objetivos deste estudo foram estimar a soroprevalência da infecção pelo vírus da hepatite C em um centro de diálise da grande Recife; e associar a soropositividade para o vírus da hepatite C em relação a alguns fatores de risco. Foram analisados 250 pacientes com idade variando de 17 a 92 anos e de ambos os sexos. Dados epidemiológicos desses pacientes foram obtidos para a determinação dos fatores de riscos para esta infecção. A pesquisa de anticorpos anti-HCV foi realizada pelo ELISA de 4ª geração. Foi observado que em relação aos fatores de riscos, como o tempo de hemodiálise, número e período das transfusões de hemocomponentes, foi encontrada uma associação estatisticamente significante (p< 0,05). A prevalência encontrada foi baixa (8,4 por cento) em relação a outros estudos do Brasil. Entretanto, seriam necessários mais estudos em outros centros a fim de estimar a real prevalência para infecção pelo vírus da hepatite C em pacientes submetidos a hemodiálise em Pernambuco.

The objectives of this study were to estimate the serum prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in a dialysis center in the greater Recife region, and to correlate HCV serum positivity with some risk factors. Analyses were performed on 250 patients of both sexes, with ages ranging from 17 to 92 years old. Epidemiological data on these patients were obtained in order to determine the risk factors for this infection. Anti-HCV antibodies were investigated using fourth-generation ELISA. Statistically significant associations (p < 0.05) were observed in relation to the risk factors of hemodialysis duration, number of blood component transfusions and time taken for transfusions. The prevalence was low (8.4 percent) in relation to other Brazilian studies. However, more studies in other centers are needed in order to estimate the real prevalence of HCV infection among patients undergoing hemodialysis in the State of Pernambuco.