New insights at the interface between leprosy and immune-mediated rheumatic diseases.

Leprosy is an infectious and contagious disease of slow evolution, triggered by Mycobacterium leprae. Arthritis is its third most common manifestation, after cutaneous and peripheral nerve involvement. Since musculoskeletal symptoms may be the initial presentation of the disease, it is important for health professionals to recognize its rheumatic manifestations for early diagnosis and appropriate treatment, especially in endemic areas. In addition, cases of leprosy have increased globally, notably in patients undergoing treatment with TNF-α blockers and due to the increase in migration and travel of people from developing countries to developed countries. This review proposes to discuss the main scenarios of mimicry of different rheumatic diseases by leprosy, as well as the role of immunosuppressive drugs used in rheumatology practice in the treatment of reactional states and in the risk of developing the infection.

Inflammatory Biomarker Responses to Whole-Body Vibration in Subjects with Different Clinical Status: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Inflammation is considered to be a vital defense mechanism for health, acting as a protective response of the immune system through a satisfactory inflammatory biomarker response (IBR). IBR, as well as being beneficial to the organism, can be also responsible for a variety of chronic inflammatory diseases. Whole-body vibration (WBV) exercise is a type of physical exercise that can act on inflammation responses due its capacity for stimulating the sensory components that promote systemic responses. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of WBV on IBR in different clinical status. METHODS: This is a systematic review that includes randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the effects of WBV exercise on IBR. The methodological quality, risk of bias, and level of evidence were rated. RESULTS: Four RCTs met the selection criteria. The studies showed benefits associated with IBR (e.g., cytokines, adipokines, and C-reactive protein) in various clinical conditions, including healthy populations and some chronic diseases (such as obesity, aging disorders, and knee osteoarthritis), using several WBV protocols. CONCLUSIONS: WBV might be useful in the management of inflammatory conditions.

RELEVANCE OF WHOLE BODY VIBRATION EXERCISE IN SPORT: A SHORT REVIEW WITH SOCCER, DIVER AND COMBAT SPORT.

BACKGROUND: Whole body vibration exercise (WBVE) has been used as a safe and accessible exercise and important reviews have been published about the use of this exercise to manage diseases and to improve physical conditions of athletes The aim of this paper is to highlight the relevance of WBVE to soccer players, divers and combat athletes. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study was made through a systematic review of publications involving WBVE and the selected sports in two databases (Pubmed and PEDRo). RESULTS: It were identified 10 studies involving WBVE and sports (6 of soccer, 2 of diving and 2 of sport combat) with 156 subjects (80 soccer players, 32 divers and 44 combat athletes), with age from 17 to 44 years old. CONCLUSION: The use of WBVE has proven to be a safe and useful strategy to improve the physical conditions of players of different sports. These findings may have clinical relevance and should be considered as a strategy to be used to try improve the physical conditions of players.

ANTI-VIRAL EFFECTS OF MEDICINAL PLANTS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF DENGUE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW.

BACKGROUND: Dengue is considered as an important arboviral disease. Safe, low-cost, and effective drugs that possess inhibitory activity against dengue virus (DENV) are mostly needed to try to combat the dengue infection worldwide. Medicinal plants have been considered as an important alternative to manage several diseases, such as dengue. As authors have demonstrated the antiviral effect of medicinal plants against DENV, the aim of this study was to review systematically the published research concerning the use of medicinal plants in the management of dengue using the PubMed database. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Search and selection of publications were made using the PubMed database following the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA statement). RESULTS: Six publications met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final selection after thorough analysis. CONCLUSION: It is suggested that medicinal plants' products could be used as potential anti-DENV agents.

EFFECT OF MECHANICAL VIBRATION GENERATED IN OSCILLATING/VIBRATORY PLATFORM ON THE CONCENTRATION OF PLASMA BIOMARKERS AND ON THE WEIGHT IN RATS.

BACKGROUND: Whole body vibration (WBV) exercise has been used in health sciences. Authors have reported that changes on the concentration of plasma biomarkers could be associated with the WBV effects. The aim of this investigation is to assess the consequences of exposition of 25 Hz mechanical vibration generated in oscillating/vibratory platform (OVP) on the concentration of some plasma biomarkers and on the weight of rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Wistar rats were divided into two groups. The animals of the Experimental Group (EG) were submitted to vibration (25 Hz) generated in an OVP with four bouts of 30 seconds with rest time of 60 seconds between the bouts. This procedure was performed daily for 12 days. The animals of the control group (CG) were not exposed to vibration. RESULTS: Our findings show that the WBV exercise at 25 Hz was not capable to alter significantly (p<0.05) the weight of the rats. A significant alteration in the concentrations of amylase was found. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate a modulation of the WBV exercise with vibration of 25 Hz of frequency (i) in the pathways related to the weight and (ii) in the concentration of some biomarkers, such as amylase.

Insuficiência cardíaca secundária a lúpus eritematoso sistêmico / Heart failure secondary to systemic lupus erythematosus

O lúpus eritematoso sistêmico (LES) é uma doença sistêmica, de etiologia desconhecida e multifatorial. Está associado a diversas manifestações cardiovasculares como aterosclerose acelerada, pericardite, miocardite, valvulopatias, endocardite de Libman-Sacks, entre outras, contribuindo para a morbidade e mortalidade dos pacientes. Conclui-se, então, que tal colagenose deverá ser lembrada como causa de cardiomiopatia.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multifactorial systemic disease of unknown etiology. It is associated with several cardiovascular manifestations, such as accelerated atherosclerosis, pericarditis, myocarditis, valvulopathies and Libman-Sacks endocarditis, amongothers, contributing to patient morbidity and mortality. It thus follows that this collagenosis should be recalled as a cause of cardiomyopathy.

Infliximabe no tratamento de uveíte posterior refratária em paciente com doença de Behçet / Infliximab treatment for refractory posterior uveitis in Behçet's disease

Perda visual permanente, resultante de inflamação ocular recidivante, ocorre freqüentemente em pacientes com doença de Behçet, apesar de tratamento imunossupressor crônico e intensivo. Os autores relatam o caso de um paciente masculino, com 35 anos de idade, apresentando uveíte posterior, crônica e bilateral, refratária ao tratamento com corticosteróides e imunossupressores. O tratamento com infliximabe mostrou um efeito benéfico na uveíte desse paciente.