Several studies point to the increased risk of reactivation of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in patients with chronic inflammatory arthritis (CIAs) after using tumour necrosis factor (TNF)a blockers. To study the incidence of active mycobacterial infections (aMI) in patients starting TNFa blockers, 262 patients were included in this study: 109 with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 93 with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), 44 with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and 16 with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). All patients had indication for anti-TNFa therapy. Epidemiologic and clinical data were evaluated and a simple X-ray and tuberculin skin test (TST) were performed. The control group included 215 healthy individuals. The follow-up was 48 months to identify cases of aMI. TST positivity was higher in patients with AS (37.6%) than in RA (12.8%), PsA (18.8%) and JIA (6.8%) (p < 0.001). In the control group, TST positivity was 32.7%. Nine (3.43%) patients were diagnosed with aMI. The overall incidence rate of aMI was 86.93/100,000 person-years [95% confidence interval (CI) 23.6-217.9] for patients and 35.79/100,000 person-years (95% CI 12.4-69.6) for control group (p < 0.001). All patients who developed aMI had no evidence of LTBI at the baseline evaluation. Patients with CIA starting TNFa blockers and no evidence of LTBI at baseline, particularly with nonreactive TST, may have higher risk of aMI.

CONTEXTO: A síndrome do anticorpo anti-membrana basal glomerular (anti-MBG) é caracterizada pela deposição de anticorpos anti-MBG em tecidos afetados, associada à glomerulonefrite e/ou ao envolvimento pulmonar. Essa síndrome já foi descrita em associação a outras doenças autoimunes, mas até onde conhecemos, não há relatos de sua associação com dermatomiosite e psoríase. RELATO DE CASO: Um homem de 51 anos com antecedentes de dermatomiosite e psoríase vulgar apresentou quadro de polineuropatia sensitivo-motora de mãos e pés, perda de 4 kg, adinamia e febre. À admissão estava em uso crônico de ciclosporina e de anti-hipertensivos há três meses devido a hipertensão arterial leve. Exames laboratoriais mostraram anemia e leucocitose, creatinina e ureia séricas elevadas e urina com proteinúria, hematúria, leucocitúria e cilindros granulosos. A proteinúria de 24 horas foi de 2,3 g. A biópsia renal revelou uma glomerulonefrite crescêntica necrotizante com depósitos lineares de imunoglobulina G (IgG) na MBG à imunofluorescência, sugestivos de anticorpos anti-MBG. O paciente foi então tratado inicialmente com metilprednisolona e com ciclofosfamida mensalmente na forma de pulsoterapia.

CONTEXT: Anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) antibody syndrome is characterized by deposition of anti-GBM antibodies on affected tissues, associated with glomerulonephritis and/or pulmonary involvement. This syndrome has been described in association with other autoimmune disorders, but as far as we know, it has not been described in association with dermatomyositis and psoriasis. CASE REPORT: A 51-year-old man with a history of dermatomyositis and vulgar psoriasis presented with a condition of sensitive-motor polyneuropathy of the hands and feet, weight loss of 4 kg, malaise and fever. On admission, he had been making chronic use of cyclosporin and antihypertensive drugs for three months because of mild arterial hypertension. Laboratory tests showed anemia and leukocytosis, elevated serum urea and creatinine and urine presenting proteinuria, hematuria, leukocyturia and granular casts. The 24-hour proteinuria was 2.3 g. Renal biopsy showed crescentic necrotizing glomerulonephritis with linear immunoglobulin G (IgG) deposits on the glomerular basement membrane by means of direct immunofluorescence, which were suggestive of anti-GBM antibodies. The patient was then treated initially with methylprednisolone and with monthly cyclophosphamide in the form of pulse therapy.

OBJETIVOS: Avaliar a incidência, a mortalidade e os fatores de risco no desenvolvimento de insuficiência renal aguda (IRA) após cirurgia de revascularização miocárdica com o emprego de circulação extracorpórea (CEC), no serviço de Cirurgia Cardiovascular do Hospital Universitário da Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, de janeiro de 2002 a novembro de 2004. MÉTODOS: Estudo retrospectivo de 74 pacientes submetidos à revascularização miocárdica com circulação extracorpórea, distribuídos em dois grupos segundo o desenvolvimento ou não de insuficiência renal aguda, diagnosticada por critérios laboratoriais. Foram realizadas análises estatísticas bivariada e multivariada, com significância de 5%. RESULTADOS: A incidência de IRA foi de 24,32%, sendo que 5,56% necessitaram de diálise, correspondendo a 1,35% do total de pacientes avaliados. A mortalidade por IRA foi de 5,56%. O uso de drogas inotrópicas ou vasoconstritoras no pós-operatório (p=0,048) e o IMC maior que 25 kg/m² (p=0,004) foram fatores determinantes para o desenvolvimento de IRA. O tempo de circulação extracorpórea foi baixo, não influenciando um aumento significativo de IRA pós-operatória neste estudo. CONCLUSÃO: O tempo de CEC não esteve associado a um aumento estatisticamente significativo da incidência de IRA pós-operatória na cirurgia de revascularização do miocárdio.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate incidence, mortality, and risk factors related to the development of acute renal failure (ARF) after on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), between January 2002 and November 2004. METHODS: Seventy four patients who underwent on-pump CABG were analyzed retrospectively and distributed into two groups according to the development of ARF. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to analyze. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: During the period analyzed, 18 patients (24.32%) developed acute renal failure (ARF); 1 patient (1.35%), who required dialysis, died. Associated risk factors identified in-between the development of ARF was: the postoperative use of inotropic or vasoconstrictor drugs (p=0.048) and body mass index greater than 25 (p=0.004). The CPB time did not determine the ARF increase (p=0.0668). CONCLUSION: The CPB time was not associated with an increased of ARF following on-pump CABG.