Right ventricular myocardial performance index (Tei) in premature infants.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the right ventricular myocardial performance index) based on echocardiography in very low birth weight premature neonates, close to hospital discharge. METHODS: This was a prospective cross-sectional study that included premature neonates with birth weight <1,500 g and gestational age <37 weeks at the Intermediate Neonatal Unit of Bonsucesso Federal Hospital from July 2005 to July 2006. The infants underwent two-dimensional color Doppler echocardiography, being the right ventricular myocardial performance index evaluated close to hospital discharge. We compared the neonatal and echocardiographic variables in neonates with and without bronchopulmonary dysplasia. RESULTS: A total of 81 exams were analyzed. The mean birth (standard deviation) weight and gestational age were 1,140 (235) g and 30 (2.2) weeks, respectively. The incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia was 32%. The mean right ventricle myocardial performance index (standard deviation) of the sample was 0.13 (0.06). We found a significant difference in aortic diameter [non-bronchopulmonary dysplasia 0.79 (0.07) vs. bronchopulmonary dysplasia 0.87 (0.11) cm, p=0.003], left ventricle in diastole [non-bronchopulmonary dysplasia 1.4 (0.19) vs. bronchopulmonary dysplasia 1.59 (0.21) cm, p=0.0006], ventricular septal thickness [non-bronchopulmonary dysplasia 0.23 (0.03) vs. bronchopulmonary dysplasia 0.26 (0.05) cm, p=0.032], and "a" measurement [(= sum of the isovolumetric contraction time, ejection time, and isovolumetric relaxation time) when calculating the myocardial performance index (p=0.01)]. CONCLUSION: Higher "a" interval in neonates with bronchopulmonary dysplasia suggests right ventricle diastolic dysfunction. We conclude that the right ventricle myocardial performance index is an important indicator both of ventricular function and for serial follow-up testing of very low birth weight premature neonates, especially those with bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Right ventricular myocardial performance index (Tei) in premature infants

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the right ventricular myocardial performance index) based on echocardiography in very low birth weight premature neonates, close to hospital discharge. METHODS: This was a prospective cross-sectional study that included premature neonates with birth weight <1,500 g and gestational age <37 weeks at the Intermediate Neonatal Unit of Bonsucesso Federal Hospital from July 2005 to July 2006. The infants underwent two-dimensional color Doppler echocardiography, being the right ventricular myocardial performance index evaluated close to hospital discharge. We compared the neonatal and echocardiographic variables in neonates with and without bronchopulmonary dysplasia. RESULTS: A total of 81 exams were analyzed. The mean birth (standard deviation) weight and gestational age were 1,140 (235) g and 30 (2.2) weeks, respectively. The incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia was 32%. The mean right ventricle myocardial performance index (standard deviation) of the sample was 0.13 (0.06). We found a significant difference in aortic diameter [non-bronchopulmonary dysplasia 0.79 (0.07) vs. bronchopulmonary dysplasia 0.87 (0.11) cm, p=0.003], left ventricle in diastole [non-bronchopulmonary dysplasia 1.4 (0.19) vs. bronchopulmonary dysplasia 1.59 (0.21) cm, p=0.0006], ventricular septal thickness [non-bronchopulmonary dysplasia 0.23 (0.03) vs. bronchopulmonary dysplasia 0.26 (0.05) cm, p=0.032], and "a" measurement [(= sum of the isovolumetric contraction time, ejection time, and isovolumetric relaxation time) when calculating the myocardial performance index (p=0.01)]. CONCLUSION: Higher "a" interval in neonates with bronchopulmonary dysplasia suggests right ventricle diastolic dysfunction. We conclude that the right ventricle myocardial performance index is an important indicator both of ventricular function and for serial follow-up testing of very low birth weight premature neonates, especially those with bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Gastric pythiosis in a dog.

BACKGROUND: Pythiosis is caused by the agent Pythium insidiosum, an aquatic oomycete of the kingdom Stramenopila. AIMS: To describe the symptoms, pathological changes and diagnosis methods of gastric pythiosis in dogs. METHODS: A three-year-old female German shepherd, with access to wetlands, was attended due to vomiting and recurrent diarrhea of 30 days of duration. A palpable mass in the abdomen filling the left epigastric region was identified in the clinical examination. Simple and contrasted radiological examination and ultrasound of abdominal cavity were performed. The animal was referred for exploratory laparotomy for the removal of the mass. The extent of the mass prevented from the excision and the animal was euthanized. Samples of the tumor mass were collected and sent for morphological study and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The changes observed in imaging studies were consistent with gastric pythiosis. In cytology and histopathology, non-septate hyphae were identified, and in immunohistochemistry a strong positivity of anti-Pythium antibodies was observed, confirming the diagnosis of pythiosis. CONCLUSIONS: Pythiosis in dogs is diagnosed late and tends to evolve in the animal's death. The definitive diagnosis is by cytology, histology and immunohistochemistry.

Diagnóstico laboratorial da raiva no Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil / Laboratory diagnosis of rabies in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Neste trabalho apresentam-se os resultados dos diagnósticos de raiva realizados pelo laboratório de raiva do Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias "Desidério Finamor" e do Laboratório Regional de Diagnóstico da Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária da Universidade Federal de Pelotas, no período de 1979 a 1984. Examinaram-se, ao todo, 4.587 materiais, com uma média de 764,5 espécimes recebidos por ano. Desse total, 971 tiveram diagnóstico positivo, correspondendo a 21,2% das amostras sendo 367 caninos (8,0%), 539 bovinos (11,7%), 41 felinos (0,9%) e 24 de outras espécies (0,5%). As técnicas utilizadas para os diagnósticos foram a pesquisa de corpúsculos de Negri, pelo método de Seller, imunofluorescência direta e inoculaçäo em camundongos. A média de detecçäo de positivos das três técnicas se situou em 69,5% para o método de Seller, 97,85% para a imunofluorescência e 99,6% para a inoculaçäo em camundongos. Apresentam-se ainda a distribuiçäo mensal dos casos de raiva durante os seis anos de estudo, por onde se pode observar uma tendência à diminuiçäo dos casos de raiva canina a partir de 1982 e um grande aumento de raiva bovina a partir de 1983, revelando uma alteraçäo da situaçäo no campo caracterizada por uma epizootia na zona serrana do estado, embora de dimensöes bem menores do que as grandes epizootias observadas em anos anteriores

Manifestaçöes pulmonares da malária por Plasmodium falciparum: a propósito de dois casos / Pulmonary manifestations of P. falciparum malaria: report of two cases

Säo relatados dois casos de manifestaçöes pulmonares de malária pelo Plasmodium falciparum. O caso n§ 1 mostra paciente com quadro grave de malária acompanhado de sintomas respiratórios que evoluiu para edema pulmonar, apesar do tratamento efetivo. Näo foi evidenciada descompensaçäo cardíaca ou renal, na fase inicial do quadro, e o paciente foi a óbito em insuficiência repiratória aguda. O caso n§ 2 mostra paciente com quadro benigno de malária e com diagnóstico clínico-radiológico de pneumonia e derrame pleural. Feito tratamento com antimaláricos, havendo rápida melhora clínica e involuçäo das lesöes radiológicas apresentadas. A fisiopatologia das manifestaçöes respiratórias pelo P. falciparum säo aqui discutidas, após revisäo bibliográfica sobre o assunto. Notamos que diversos autores chamam a atençäo para as alteraçöes a nível da microvasculatura pulmonar, causada direta ou indiretamente pelo P. falciparum. Concluímos que há necessidade de melhor estudar tais alteraçöes para que sejam esclarecidas estas manifestaçöes respiratórias pelo P. falciparum

Associaçäo entre sintomas respiratórios e tabagismo na populaçäo de 10 a 60 anos na cidade de Araputanga - MT / Respiratory symptom and tabagism in a population of 10 to 60 years old in Araputanga - MT

O presente trabalho estuda a associaçäo entre os sintomas respiratórios e o tabagismo na zona urbana de Araputanga-MT, no período de 03 a 10 de outubro de 1983, nos indivíduos de 10 a 60 anos de idade. O levantamento de campo foi feito em uma amostra probalística estratificada por múltiplos estágios. O estudo foi desenvolvido baseado na aplicaçäo de formulários em que eram avaliados os sintomas respiratórios e o uso ou näo de cigarros. Após análise destes dados säo apresentados os resultados mostrando a associaçäo existente entre sintomas respiratórios e a exposiçäo ao fumo. Nesta populaçäo a prevalência de sintomáticos respiratórios foi de 37,2%, sendo maior, nos fumantes quando comparados aos näo fumantes. A prevalência de tabagismo foi de 40%, sendo 27,7% fumantes e 11,5% ex-fumantes. Concluímos que nesta populaçäo estudada existe uma nítida associaçäo entre tabagismo e sintomas respiratórios