Correlation between the values of circulating blood elements with the size of spleen in the presence of schistosomal splenomegaly

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate a possible relationship between the size of the spleen and values of circulating blood elements in patients with schistosomatic splenomegaly. Methods: ixty one patients with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis mansoni underwent a clinical exam and peripheral venous blood was collected for a hemogram. The erythrocyte, hemoglobin, hematocrit, leukocyte, and platelet values were determined. All patients underwent abdominal ultrasound to measure the spleen. The hematological test results were compared to the size of the spleen. Results: The size of the spleen varied from 14.0 to 28.4 (19.9 ± 3.7) cm according to the ultrasound image. Thrombocytopenia was observed 58 (95%) patients, leukopenia in 55 (90%) patients, and anemia in 32 (52.4%) patients. Leukopenia was proportional to splenomegaly. Conclusion: Schistosomal splenomegaly leads to leukopenia in direct proportion to the size of the spleen.

Correlation between the values of circulating blood elements with the size of spleen in the presence of schistosomal splenomegaly.

PURPOSE: To evaluate a possible relationship between the size of the spleen and values of circulating blood elements in patients with schistosomatic splenomegaly. METHODS: ixty one patients with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis mansoni underwent a clinical exam and peripheral venous blood was collected for a hemogram. The erythrocyte, hemoglobin, hematocrit, leukocyte, and platelet values were determined. All patients underwent abdominal ultrasound to measure the spleen. The hematological test results were compared to the size of the spleen. RESULTS: The size of the spleen varied from 14.0 to 28.4 (19.9 ± 3.7) cm according to the ultrasound image. Thrombocytopenia was observed 58 (95%) patients, leukopenia in 55 (90%) patients, and anemia in 32 (52.4%) patients. Leukopenia was proportional to splenomegaly. CONCLUSION: Schistosomal splenomegaly leads to leukopenia in direct proportion to the size of the spleen.

Influência da icterícia colestática na variação ponderal em modelo experimental / Influence of cholestatic jaundice on the weight variance in an experimental model

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a influência da icterícia colestática na variação ponderal. MÉTODOS: Foram utilizados 64 ratos adultos, distribuídos em seis grupos: F1 (n=6) - fêmeas normais, F2 (n=6) - fêmeas laparotomizadas, F3 (n=20) - fêmeas ictéricas, M1 (n=6) - machos normais, M2 (n=6) - machos laparotomizados, M3 (n=20) - machos ictéricos. A icterícia foi obtida com ligadura e secção do ducto biliopancreático. Os pesos dos animais foram registrados semanalmente, durante sete semanas. No 14º dia de experimento, dosaram-se as bilirrubinas séricas e os hormônios gonadais. Após a sétima semana, realizou-se estudo histológico do fígado. RESULTADOS: Os animais dos grupos F3 e M3 apresentaram bilirrubinas elevadas e diminuição da massa corpórea, quando comparados com os demais grupos. As diferenças ponderais foram significativas a partir da quarta semana entre as fêmeas e da quinta semana entre os machos. Nos animais ictéricos houve aumento do estradiol e diminuição da progesterona e da testosterona total. Septos de fibroses perivenular e periportal, colangite e hiperplasia de ductos biliares ocorreram no fígado dos animais ictéricos. Nenhum animal apresentou cirrose. CONCLUSÃO: Ocorreu redução do peso corpóreo murino em presença de icterícia colestática em ambos os sexos.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of cholestatic jaundice in weight variation. METHODS: We used 64 adult rats divided into six groups: F1 (n = 6): normal females; F2 (n = 6): laparotomy females; F3 (n = 20): jaundiced females; M1 (n = 6): normal males; M2 (n = 6): laparotomy males; M3 (n = 20): jaundiced males. Jaundice was obtained by ligation and section of the biliopancreatic duct. The animal weights were recorded weekly for seven weeks. On the 14th day of the experiment, bilirubin and gonadal hormones were assessed. After the seventh week a histological study of the liver was performed. RESULTS: The animals in groups F3 and M3 showed elevated bilirubin and decreased body mass when compared to the other groups. The weight differences were significant from the fourth week on amongst females and from the fifth in males. In Jaundiced animals there was increased estradiol and decreased progesterone and testosterone. Perivenular septa and periportal fibrosis, cholangitis and bile duct hyperplasia occurred in the liver of jaundiced rats. No animal showed cirrhosis. CONCLUSION: There was decrease in murine body weight in the presence of cholestatic jaundice in both genders.

Influence of cholestatic jaundice on the weight variance in an experimental model.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of cholestatic jaundice in weight variation. METHODS: We used 64 adult rats divided into six groups: F1 (n = 6): normal females; F2 (n = 6): laparotomy females; F3 (n = 20): jaundiced females; M1 (n = 6): normal males; M2 (n = 6): laparotomy males; M3 (n = 20): jaundiced males. Jaundice was obtained by ligation and section of the biliopancreatic duct. The animal weights were recorded weekly for seven weeks. On the 14th day of the experiment, bilirubin and gonadal hormones were assessed. After the seventh week a histological study of the liver was performed. RESULTS: The animals in groups F3 and M3 showed elevated bilirubin and decreased body mass when compared to the other groups. The weight differences were significant from the fourth week on amongst females and from the fifth in males. In Jaundiced animals there was increased estradiol and decreased progesterone and testosterone. Perivenular septa and periportal fibrosis, cholangitis and bile duct hyperplasia occurred in the liver of jaundiced rats. No animal showed cirrhosis. CONCLUSION: There was decrease in murine body weight in the presence of cholestatic jaundice in both genders.

Further evidence that the expression of CD38 and HLA-DR(+) in CD8(+) lymphocytes does not correlate to disease progression in HIV-1 vertically infected children.

BACKGROUND: In adults, an increase in CD8(+)CD38(+) T cell levels is a strong indicator of disease progression in HIV infection. However, in children, data are conflicting. Slow-progressing children (SPC) provide an exceptional resource for the investigation and clarification of the immunological and virological mechanisms of natural control of HIV infection and can be used to investigate prognostic indicators of disease progression. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the immune activation status and T regulatory (Treg) cell levels in SPC. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 28 children 8 years old and older who were vertically infected with HIV. The children were stratified into 3 groups according to their clinical outcome: SPC (anti-retroviral-therapy-naïve; ≥8 years-old; CD4 ≥20%; viral load <25,000 copies), IF/VF (anti-retroviral-therapy but with no therapeutic response), and IS/VS (anti-retroviral therapy with good therapeutic response). Uninfected children (NI) were assessed as healthy control group. RESULTS: A higher percentage of activated CD8(+) T cells were found in all HIV infected children, regardless of the evolution of disease. The activation of CD8(+) T cells was not associated with either viral load or the percentage of CD4(+) T cells. In addition, Treg cell levels did not show any correlation with the clinical outcome or the activation status of CD8(+) T cells. CONCLUSIONS: HIV-1-infected children presented an increased percentage of activated CD8(+) T cells and an unaltered percentage of Treg cells, regardless of their clinical evolution. Thus, these immunological parameters should not be used for prognostic evaluation.

Alterações da morfologia hepática após ligadura do ducto biliopancreático em ratos / Alterations of the liver morphology after ligature of the bile-pancreatic duct in rats

Para avaliar a progressão de lesões no parênquima hepático após a ligadura do ducto biliopancreático em ratos, foram utilizados 40 ratos Wistar adultos, distribuídos nos seguintes grupos: F1 (n=5) - fêmeas normais, F2(n=15) - fêmeas ictéricas, M1 (n=5) - machos normais, M2(n=15) - machos ictéricos. A icterícia dos grupos F2 e M2 foi obtida com ligadura e secção do ducto biliopancreático. No 14º dia de experimento, dosaram-se as bilirrubinas séricas em todos os animais. No 50º dia do experimento, todos os animais foram mortose submetidos ao estudo morfológico macro e microscópico do fígado. A avaliação da histoarquitetura hepática foi conduzida de forma semi-quantitativa. Os resultados foram analisados pelos testes ANOVA unimodal e de Kruskal-Wallis, considerando p<0,05. Todos os animais dos grupos F2 e M2 apresentaram aumento das bilirrubinas sáricas em relação aos dos grupos F1 e M1. Em presença da icterícia obstrutiva ocorreu hepatomegalia e alterações na histoarquitetura hepática, com septos de fibroses perivenular e periporta, colangite e hiperplasia de ductos biliares em todos os animais ictéricos. Cirrose não ocorreu nos animais deste trabalho. A ligadura do ducto biliopancreático provocou hepatomegalia e alterações da histoarquitetura hepática murina