[Pulmonary aspergillosis in an immunocompetent and previously healthy patient]. / Aspergilose pulmonar em paciente imunocompetente e previamente sadio.

Pulmonary aspergillosis includes one of the forms of fungal infection due to the genus Aspergillus, and has several modes of clinical presentation that depend on the immunity and comorbidities. The aim of this study was to report on the case of an immunocompetent and previously healthy patient who developed a form of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis, and to make a brief review on the subject.

Aspergilose pulmonar em paciente imunocompetente e previamente sadio / Pulmonary aspergillosis in an immunocompetent and previously healthy patient

A aspergilose pulmonar compreende uma das formas de infecção por fungo do gênero Aspergillus, tendo diversos modos de apresentação clínica a depender da imunidade e comorbidades. O objetivo deste trabalho é relatar um caso de paciente, imunocompetente e previamente hígido, que desenvolveu uma forma de aspergilose pulmonar crônica e fazer uma breve revisão sobre o assunto.

Pulmonary aspergillosis includes one of the forms of fungal infection due to the genus Aspergillus, and has several modes of clinical presentation that depend on the immunity and comorbidities. The aim of this study was to report on the case of an immunocompetent and previously healthy patient who developed a form of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis, and to make a brief review on the subject.

Tracheal lipoma mimicking obstructive lung disease.

Tracheal tumors are rare and can be difficult to diagnose due to their capacity to mimic other obstructive lung diseases, such as asthma and COPD. We report the case of a female patient with a tracheal tumor. She had previously been treated for asthma and COPD, with little response to the treatment. The onset of infectious complications prompted further investigation. Chest CT images suggested the presence of a tumor, which was confirmed by fiberoptic bronchoscopy. The tumor was endoscopically resected. However, the patient evolved to death due to pneumonia and septic shock.

Lipoma de traqueia simulando doença pulmonar obstrutiva / Tracheal lipoma mimicking obstructive lung disease

Os tumores de traqueia são raros e podem ser de difícil diagnóstico, por mimetizarem outras afecções pulmonares de caráter obstrutivo, como asma e DPOC. Relatamos um caso de lipoma de traqueia em uma paciente que fora tratada para asma e DPOC, sem resposta adequada, até apresentar complicações infecciosas. A presença do tumor foi sugerida por TC de tórax e confirmada por fibrobroncoscopia. A paciente foi submetida à ressecção endoscópica do tumor; porém, evoluiu para o óbito por pneumonia e choque séptico.

Tracheal tumors are rare and can be difficult to diagnose due to their capacity to mimic other obstructive lung diseases, such as asthma and COPD. We report the case of a female patient with a tracheal tumor. She had previously been treated for asthma and COPD, with little response to the treatment. The onset of infectious complications prompted further investigation. Chest CT images suggested the presence of a tumor, which was confirmed by fiberoptic bronchoscopy. The tumor was endoscopically resected. However, the patient evolved to death due to pneumonia and septic shock.

[Prevalence of asthma and asthma symptoms among 13 and 14-year-old schoolchildren, Brazil]. / Prevalência de asma e sintomas asmáticos em escolares de 13 e 14 anos de idade.

OBJECTIVE: Before the use of the ISAAC (International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood) questionnaire in epidemiologic surveys, little could be told about the comparative occurrence of asthma in the world due to differences in employed methods. In Brazil, the ISAAC questionnaire has been used in some urban regions. In this study it was applied in both, urban and rural areas, in order to estimate the prevalence of asthma among schoolchildren living in Montes Claros, Brazil. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out using the ISAAC written questionnaire with four questions added on exposures of interest. The questionnaire was self-applied in 3,770 randomly selected schoolchildren aged 13 and 14 years. RESULTS: The prevalence of "wheezing in the last year" was 15.8%, and "asthma or bronchitis ever" was 23.8% with no statistically significant difference between boys and girls. There were significant differences between girls and boys regarding "wheezing ever" (37.8% and 33.6%), "sleeping disturbed by wheezing" (13.7% and 9.5%), and "nocturnal dry coughing without respiratory infection" (36.6% and 28.7%), respectively. "Wheezing in the last year" was found to be positively associated with "pet contact" (OR=1.27; 95% CI: 1.03-1.56), and "family history of asthma" (OR=1.79; 95% CI: 1.50-2.14), and negatively associated with "rural school" (OR=0.63; 95% CI: 0.44-0.91). But no association was found with sex, age, private/public school, and passive smoking. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of asthma in Montes Claros was high and some symptoms were seen mainly among girls. The occurrence of "wheezing in the last year" showed to be associated with family history, contact with pets and urban schools.

Prevalência de asma e sintomas asmáticos em escolares de 13 e 14 anos de idade / Prevalence of asthma and asthma symptoms among 13 and 14-year-old schoolchildren, Brazil

OBJETIVO: Antes do uso do questionário padronizado ISAAC (International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood) em inquéritos epidemiológicos, pouco se conhecia sobre a ocorrência comparativa de asma no mundo, dados os diferentes métodos empregados. No Brasil, outros estudos utilizaram o questionário ISAAC em regiões urbanas. Realizou-se estudo utilizando esse questionário nas zonas urbana e rural com o objetivo de estimar a prevalência de asma em escolares. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal com o questionário escrito ISAAC, acrescido de perguntas sobre exposições de interesse, auto-aplicado em 3.770 escolares de 13 e 14 anos de idade do município de Montes Claros (MG) selecionados por sorteio. RESULTADOS: A prevalência de sibilos no último ano foi 15,8 por cento, e de asma ou bronquite alguma vez na vida 23,8 por cento, sem diferença significativa entre sexos. Houve diferença estatística (p<0,05) entre sexos (feminino e masculino, respectivamente) em sibilos alguma vez na vida (37,8 por cento e 33,6 por cento), sono alterado devido à crise de sibilos (13,7 por cento e 9,5 por cento) e tosse seca noturna sem infecção respiratória (36,6 por cento e 28,7 por cento). Houve associação nociva entre sibilos no último ano, contato com animais domésticos (OR=1,27; IC 95 por cento: 1,03-1,56) e história familiar de asma (OR=1,79; IC 95 por cento: 1,50-2,14), e associação protetora entre sibilos no último ano e localização rural da escola (OR=0,63; IC 95 por cento: 0,44-0,91), mas não houve associação com sexo, idade, domínio escolar e tabagismo passivo. CONCLUSÕES: A prevalência de asma na amostra estudada foi elevada, com alguns sintomas predominantes no sexo feminino. A ocorrência de sibilos no último ano mostrou-se associada à história familiar, contato com animais domésticos e localização urbana das escolas.