Validation of the ACR/EULAR classification criteria for systemic sclerosis in patients with early scleroderma.

The aim of this study was to validate the 2013 ACR/EULAR classification criteria for systemic sclerosis (SSc) in patients with SSc, including patients with early SSc. Fifty-six consecutive patients with early SSc (2001 LeRoy and Medsger criteria), 122 patients with established SSc (1980 ACR classification criteria), and 141 patients with SSc-like disorders were included in this cross-sectional study. The diagnostic performance of the 2013 ACR/EULAR criteria was compared with the 1980 ACR criteria in several subsets of patients. The performance of individual variables was also obtained. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and optimal cut-off values were computed. The sensitivity and specificity in the whole cohort of 178 SSc patients were 77.6 and 98.5%, respectively, using the 2013 ACR/EULAR criteria and 68.5 and 100%, respectively, using the 1980 ACR criteria. Twenty-eight percent of the patients with early SSc met the 2013 ACR/EULAR criteria. Among the patients with early SSc, 53% of those who had Raynaud's phenomenon, abnormal capillaroscopy and positive SSc-related antibodies met the 2013 ACR/EULAR criteria. The area under the ROC curve was 0.975 (95% confidence interval 0.962-0.987). The best cut-off value for the total score was ≥8 (sensitivity 82%; specificity 97.9%). The individual variables with the highest specificity values were proximal skin thickening, sclerodactyly (specificity 100%), telangiectasia and SSc-related antibodies (specificity 98.6%). Raynaud's phenomenon had the best sensitivity (99.4%) but had low specificity (4.2%). In conclusion, the 2013 ACR/EULAR classification criteria showed high accuracy and increased sensitivity in the classification of patients with early SSc.

Tuberculose endobrônquica simulando neoplasia: relato de caso / Endobronchial tuberculosis simulating neoplasm: case report

Tuberculose endobrônquica (TE) é definida como uma inflamação específica da árvore traqueobrônquica causada pelo bacilo da tuberculose (TB) e se desenvolve como complicação dessa doença. Trata-se de entidade patológica de curso clínico variável e com peculiaridades em relação ao seu tratamento e suas complicações. O objetivo deste estudo foi descrever um caso de tuberculose endobrônquica cujas manifestações broncoscópicas assemelhavam-se a neoplasia pulmonar, além de permitir revisão bibliográfica sobre o tema. Paciente do sexo masculino, 65 anos,casado, lavrador, apresentando tosse com expectoração do tipomucosa, dispneia, perda ponderal, astenia e hiporexia, além de quadro mal especificado de disfagia, principalmente para sólidos.Apresentou, em radiografia de tórax, moderado derrame pleural em hemitórax esquerdo e infiltrado pulmonar com padrão acinar bilateralmente. Tabagista em abstinência. Etilismo crônico.À fibrobroncoscopia: lesão vegetante em brônquio principal esquerdo sugerindo câncer de esôfago invasivo e lesão em traqueia.Endoscopia digestiva alta sem alterações. Biópsias de traqueia e brônquio esquerdo mostrando processo inflamatório crônico granulomatoso com necrose de caseificação, sugestivo de bacilo da tuberculose. Foi iniciado esquema padrão para tratamento de bacilo da tuberculose pulmonar, com melhora gradativa dos sintomas.A tuberculose endobrônquica pode ser encontrada relacionada à forma pulmonar do bacilo da tuberculose, e os achados clínicos podem variar de inespecíficos a intensas manifestações de obstrução das vias aéreas secundária a estenose brônquica. É preciso que o profissional de saúde esteja atento à investigação de disfagia e que não se esqueça de colocar a tuberculose endobrônquica como diagnóstico diferencial entre as disfagias associadas a sintomas respiratórios.

Endobronchial tuberculosis (ET) is defined as a specific inflammation of the tracheobronchial tree caused by the tuberculosis bacillus, and develops as a complication of this disease. It is a disease entity with variable clinical course and some peculiarities regarding its treatment and complications. The objective of this study was to describe a case of endobronchial tuberculosis whose bronchoscopic manifestations resembled lung cancer, and to allow a review of the literature on the subject. Male patient, 65 years old, married, farmer, showing cough with mucus, dyspnea, weight loss, asthenia and hyporexia,as well as a poorly specified case of dysphagia, especially for solids. On chest radiograph he showed moderate pleural effusion in the left hemithorax and pulmonary infiltrate with acinar pattern bilaterally. Smoker in abstinence. Chronic alcoholism. In fiberoptic bronchoscopy: a vegetative lesion in the left main bronchus suggesting invasive cancer of the esophagus and lesion on trachea. No alterations at upper endoscopy. Biopsies of the trachea and left bronchus showing chronic granulomatous inflammatory process with caseous necrosis, suggestive of tuberculosis. Standard regimen was initiated for the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis, with gradual improvement of symptoms. Endobronchial tuberculosis can be found related to the pulmonary form of tuberculosis, and clinical findings can vary from nonspecific to severe manifestations of airway obstruction secondary to bronchial stenosis. It is necessary that health professionals are aware of the investigation of dysphagia and do not forget to put endobronchial tuberculosis as a differential diagnosis among dysphagias associated with respiratory symptoms.

[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.