[IL-6 anti-inflammatory activity in pleural effusion post-coronary artery bypass graft surgery]. / Comportamento anti-inflamatório da IL-6 nos derrames pleurais pós-revascularização do miocárdio.

INTRODUCTION: The local inflammatory reaction aspects of pleural behaviour post-coronary artery by- pass graft surgery (PCABG) are not completely evident, demanding further study and observation. AIM: To evaluate the behaviour of some cytokines and the possible anti-inflammatory activity of IL-6 (a protein involved in cortisone synthesis) on acute PCA- BG pleural fluid, since this cytokine is usually considered as an acute phase reaction protein associated to high concentrations of TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta in immediate inflammatory reactions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The concentrations of the TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, VEGF and TGF-beta cytokines in 16 transudates and 43 exudates in acute PCABS pleural fluid of patients were analysed by the ELISA method 2, 24 and 48 hours after surgery at the Instituto do Coração and Serviço de Pneumologia da USP, Brazil. RESULTS: While no increase was seen in either TNF-alpha or IL-2 in any of the three tests, IL-1 beta increased after 24 until 48 hours, coinciding with the TGF-beta curve decline which fell from the beginning to reach the transudates levels. IL-8 reminded higher from the beginning and through the two subsequent tests while VEGF levels were elevated from the first test and continued high for the following 24 and 48 hours. IL-6 had high concentrations from the beginning, suggesting an anti-inflammatory activity at the three times of testing. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that IL-6 seems to play an important anti-inflammatory part which is superior to the anti-inflammatory activity of TGF-beta in PCABG pleural effusions. This performance of IL-6 breaks with the traditional idea of it being a pro-inflammatory acute phase reaction cytokine, at least in this type of pleural effusion. This seems to be the first study involving the favourable behaviour of IL-6 in the inflammatory reaction of pleura in the acute phase of PCABG surgery.

[The proliferative cytokines TGF-beta and VEGF in pleural effusions post-coronary artery bypass graft].

UNLABELLED: Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgeries can impact on the pericardium and pleural space, leading to inflammation which can cause effusion. AIM: To study the role of the proliferative cytokines TGF-beta and VEGF in the fluids of 16 transudates and 43 pleural effusions of patients who underwent CABG at the Heart Unit and Pulmonology Unit of the University Hospital of São Paulo. Levels of cytokines were assessed 2, 24 and 48 hours post-surgery. RESULTS: The pleural effusion after CABG is an exsudative mobilizer of TGF-beta and VEGF cytokines immediately after surgery. The TGF-beta concentrations were elevated 2 hours after surgery but started to fall soon after, reaching transudate levels after 48 hours. VEGF levels were high in the first 2 hours post surgery and tended to maintain the same concentrations for at least 48 hours after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the results obtained, TGF-beta is a cytokine that seems to work as a trigger, leading the pleural mesothelial cell to express VEGF a cause of pleural effusion in CABG surgeries.

Papel da célula mesotelial pleural nos processos inflamatórios / Pleural mesothelial cell and inflammation

O autor descreve os aspectos morfológicos e funcionais da célula mesotelial pleural assim como seu comportamento e as reações que a mesma desenvolve frente às diferentes agressões que sobre ela incidem. São assinaladas as principais citocinas envolvidas nos processos pleuríticos e o perfil reacional da célula mesotelial a cada uma delas através a mobilização de outras citocinas de resposta. Por fim são abordadas sucintamente as conseqüências pleurais decorrentes destes fenômenos inflamatórios.

[Pleural thickening and tuberculous effusion: searching for predictive data]. / Sequelas pleurais dos derrames tuberculosos: em busca de parâmetros preditivos.

Tuberculosis is a very common disease usualy related to bad social-economic conditions and sometimes with associated pleural effusion. Pleural sequelae are referred by some authors as a consequence that may interfere with lung function provoking respiratory failure in some critical situations. Some experts try to find clinical and biochemical parameters in order to detect possibilities that could predict future pleural thickening and necessity of closer vigilance to avoid lung function disability. This study is based on the post-treatment roentgenological pleural findings and their correlation with the initial pleural fluid biochemical data, the volume of the effusions and time of patients complains.

Pneumoconiose em trabalhadores de laboratório odontológico / Pneumoconiosis in dental laboratory technicians

Descreve-se a investigação clínica de 2 casos de pneumoconiose em trabalhadores de laboratório odontológico, associados à exposição profissional e, adicionalmente, à investigação mineralógica dos materiais utilizados por um dos pacientes descritos. É apresentada uma revisão bibliográfica sobre a ocorrência de pneumoconioses em trabalhadores de laboratório odontológico associadas a exposições ocupacionais a diversos agentes presentes nos locais de trabalho

Cotrimazina no tratamento das infecçöes broncopulmonares: estudo de 30 casos / Cotrimazine in the treatment of bronchopulmonary infections: evaluation of 30 cases

Trinta pacientes adultos, de ambos os sexos, com infecçöes broncopulmonares, foram tratados por 10 dias com cotrimazina (sulfadiazina + trimetoprima). Os resultados mostraram uma eficácia terapêutica de 83% entre excelentes e bons resultados e uma tolerabilidade muito boa. Os autores recomendam a cotimazina no tratamento de broncopatias infecciosas e nos processos pneumônicos