In-hospital mortality of disseminated tuberculosis in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) is a cause of significant morbidity and mortality in patients with AIDS. The goal of our study was to determine predictors of in-hospital mortality in patients with AIDS and disseminated tuberculosis in a middle-income country. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study in a tertiary care center, for patients with AIDS in southern Brazil. From 1996 to 2008, all patients with the diagnosis of disseminated TB were included. RESULTS: Eighty patients were included. In-hospital mortality was 35% (N = 28). On multivariate Cox regression analysis, low basal albumin (P < .01) was associated with death, and fever at admission was related to better survival (P < .01). CONCLUSION: Albumin levels or fever are independent predictors of survival in patients with HIV and disseminated TB. They can serve as indirect markers of immunodeficiency in patients with disseminated TB and AIDS.

Comparative radiological features of disseminated disease due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis vs non-tuberculosis mycobacteria among AIDS patients in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Disseminated mycobacterial disease is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with HIV-infection. Nonspecific clinical presentation makes the diagnosis difficult and sometimes neglected. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study to compare the presentation of disseminated Mycobacterial tuberculosis (MTB) and non-tuberculous Mycobacterial (NTM) disease in HIV-positive patients from 1996 to 2006 in Brazil. RESULTS: Tuberculosis (TB) was diagnosed in 65 patients (67.7%) and NTM in 31 (32.3%) patients. Patients with NTM had lower CD4 T cells counts (median 13.0 cells/mm3 versus 42.0 cells/mm3, P = 0.002). Patients with tuberculosis had significantly more positive acid-fast smears (48.0% vs 13.6%, P = 0.01). On chest X-ray, miliary infiltrate was only seen in patients with MTB (28.1% vs. 0.0%, P = 0.01). Pleural effusion was more common in patients with MTB (45.6% vs. 13.0%, P = 0.01). Abdominal adenopathy (73.1% vs. 33.3%, P = 0.003) and splenic hypoechoic nodules (38.5% vs. 0.0%, P = 0.002) were more common in patients with TB. CONCLUSION: Miliary pulmonary pattern on X-ray, pleural effusion, abdominal adenopathy, and splenic hypoechoic nodules were imaging findings associated with the diagnosis of tuberculosis in HIV-infected patients. Recognition of these imaging features will help to distinguish TB from NTM in AIDS patients with fever of unknown origin due to disseminated mycobacterial disease.

Disseminated nontuberculous mycobacterial disease in patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome in the south of Brazil.

A retrospective cohort was studied in order to evaluate mortality of patients with disseminated non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) disease in Brazil. This diagnosis was neglected in 44.4% of patients, and in-hospital mortality was 41.7%.

[Use of bevacizumab (Avastin) in KID syndrome: case report]. / Uso do bevacizumab (Avastin(R)) na síndrome KID: relato de caso.

KID syndrome is a congenital ectodermal dysplasia characterized by the association of keratitis, hyperkeratotic skin lesions and neurosensorial hearing loss. Ocular involvement occurs in 95% of patients. Although KID syndrome cutaneous manifestations have been studied in-depth, the treatment and prognosis of ophthalmic impairment have not been described in detail. At present, the treatment of the ocular damage caused by the syndrome is symptomatic and there are no studies defining a treatment that could change the disease course. In this case, ophthalmologic findings of a patient with KID syndrome and the use of subconjunctival bevacizumab to treat corneal neovascularization are described. In spite of the absence of improvement in this patient and the few reports of this disease, additional studies with bevacizumab to treat corneal deep neovascularization are suggested.

[Margin eyelid reconstruction with hard palate graft]. / Reconstrução marginal de pálpebras utilizando enxerto de palato duro.

PURPOSE: To investigate the advantages and the complications of the use of hard palate graft in the reconstruction of the inferior eyelids with large basocelular carcinoma. METHODS: Review of specialized articles and report of the technique used in the Oculoplastic Department of the "Hospital Santa Casa de Porto Alegre". RESULTS: The hard palate graft is an excellent replacement for posterior lamellar defects in eyelid reconstruction, because it presents the benefit of a mucous layer in addition to a semirigid support. CONCLUSION: The sandwich technique using hard palate was shown to be efficient, with good functional and esthetic results.

Uso do bevacizumab (Avastin®) na síndrome KID: relato de caso / Use of bevacizumab (Avastin®) in KID syndrome: case report

A síndrome KID é uma displasia ectodérmica congênita rara, caracterizada pela associação de lesões hiperceratóticas de pele, surdez neurossensorial e ceratite. O comprometimento ocular ocorre em 95 por cento dos portadores da síndrome. Embora as manifestações dermatológicas tenham sido bastante estudadas, sabe-se pouco sobre o manejo e o prognóstico do acometimento oftalmológico. Até o momento, o tratamento ocular da síndrome KID inclui tratamento sintomático, não havendo na literatura drogas ou tratamento cirúrgico que possam modificar o curso e prognóstico da doença. Neste relato de caso, descrevemos os achados oftalmológicos de um portador de síndrome KID e o uso de bevacizumab (Avastin®) subconjuntival como sugestão para o tratamento da neovascularização corneana. Apesar da ausência de melhora e da raridade da doença, os autores acreditam que a utilização do bevacizumab subconjuntival possa ser útil para o tratamento da neovascularização corneana que se estabelece na síndrome KID e incentivam os pesquisadores a se aprofundar neste tema.

KID syndrome is a congenital ectodermal dysplasia characterized by the association of keratitis, hyperkeratotic skin lesions and neurosensorial hearing loss. Ocular involvement occurs in 95 percent of patients. Although KID syndrome cutaneous manifestations have been studied in-depth, the treatment and prognosis of ophthalmic impairment have not been described in detail. At present, the treatment of the ocular damage caused by the syndrome is symptomatic and there are no studies defining a treatment that could change the disease course. In this case, ophthalmologic findings of a patient with KID syndrome and the use of subconjunctival bevacizumab to treat corneal neovascularization are described. In spite of the absence of improvement in this patient and the few reports of this disease, aditional studies with bevacizumab to treat corneal deep neovascularization are suggested.

Uso da dorzolamida tópica em paciente portador de retinosquise juvenil ligada ao X / Use of topical dorzolamide in patient with X-linked juvenile retinoschisis

A retinosquise juvenil ligada ao cromossomo X é uma degeneração vítreorretiniana hereditária e recessiva. Sua manifestação ocular é a maculopatia cística bilateral e a delaminação das camadas de fibras nervosas da retina. Nenhuma intervenção terapêutica se mostrou eficiente para estabilizar a acuidade visual nestes pacientes. O artigo relata o caso clínico de um paciente portador de retinosquise juvenil ligada ao cromossomo X, que foi tratado com o uso tópico da dorzolamida, um colírio inibidor da anidrase carbônica.

X-linked juvenile retinoschisis is a hereditary and recessive vitreous-retinal disease. The main ophthamic manifestation is the bilateral macular cystic-like stellate maculopathy and splitting of the retina between the nerve fiber and ganglion cell layers. There were no treatments with efficacy in order to estabilize the visual acuity in the affected patients. This article presents a clinical case of a patient with a bilateral X- linked juvenil retinoschisis who was treated by the use of topical dorzolamide, a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor.

Reconstrução marginal de pálpebras utilizando enxerto de palato duro / Margin eyelid reconstruction with hard palate graft

OBJETIVO: Avaliar os benefícios e complicações do uso do palato duro na reconstrução de pálpebras inferiores acometidas por carcinomas basocelulares extensos. MÉTODOS: Revisão da literatura e descrição da técnica utilizada no Setor de Oculoplástica do Hospital Santa Casa de Porto Alegre. RESULTADOS: O enxerto de palato duro é um excelente substituto da lamela posterior na reconstrução palpebral, pois apresenta os benefícios da superfície mucosa, associado ao fato de atuar como suporte semi-rígido. CONCLUSÃO: A técnica de sanduíche utilizando palato duro mostrou-se eficiente, com um resultado estético e funcional bastante satisfatório.

PURPOSE: To investigate the advantages and the complications of the use of hard palate graft in the reconstruction of the inferior eyelids with large basocelular carcinoma. METHODS: Review of specialized articles and report of the technique used in the Oculoplastic Department of the "Hospital Santa Casa de Porto Alegre". RESULTS: The hard palate graft is an excellent replacement for posterior lamellar defects in eyelid reconstruction, because it presents the benefit of a mucous layer in addition to a semirigid support. CONCLUSION: The sandwich technique using hard palate was shown to be efficient, with good functional and esthetic results.