Abstract Finasteride is a 5α-reductase enzyme inhibitor that has been approved for the treatment of male androgenic alopecia since 1997. Over time, it has been considered a safe and well-tolerated drug with rare and reversible side effects. Recently there have been reports of adverse drug-related reactions that persisted for at least three months after discontinuation of this drug, and the term post-finasteride syndrome arose. It includes persistent sexual, neuropsychiatric, and physical symptoms. Studies to date cannot refute or confirm this syndrome as a nosological entity. If it actually exists, it seems to occur in susceptible people, even if exposed to small doses and for short periods, and symptoms may persist for long periods. Based on currently available data, the use of 5α-reductase inhibitors in patients with a history of depression, sexual dysfunction, or infertility should be carefully and individually assessed.

FUNDAMENTOS: A incidência do melanoma cutâneo aumentou nas últimas décadas. Embora represente 3% dos tumores cutâneos, é responsável por 75% dos óbitos. O diagnóstico precoce constitui a principal chance de cura. OBJETIVO: Descrever os aspectos epidemiológicos do melanoma em hospital universitário em 20 anos. MÉTODOS: Avaliaram-se 166 pacientes no período de janeiro de 1990 a janeiro de 2010, quanto s variáveis epidemiológicas, histológicas e óbitos relacionados ao melanoma e suas correlações. Adotou-se nível de significância de 5%. RESULTADOS: A maioria dos pacientes era brancos (74%), mulheres (61%), com média de idade ao diagnóstico de 55 anos. O tipo histológico predominante foi o lentigo maligno/lentigo maligno melanoma (35,7%) e a localização mais frequente foi a cabeça e o pescoço (30,7%). Entre os não-brancos, a região acral foi a mais acometida. Quanto espessura tumoral, a maioria dos melanomas era in situ (41,1%). O crescimento da lesão foi a queixa mais frequente (58%) e o sangramento foi mais associado a melanomas espessos. Ocorreram sete óbitos (4,2%), com maior risco de morte em menores de 20 anos e naqueles com história de sangramento, após análise multivariada. CONCLUSÃO: Esta casuística difere da maioria dos estudos em relação localização (cabeça e pescoço), ao tipo histológico (lentigo maligno/lentigo maligno melanoma) e ao maior risco de óbito em menores de 20 anos, o que pode ser devido variação regional. Estudos mais amplos são necessários para validação destes resultados.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of melanoma has been steadily rising in past decades. Although it accounts for only 3% of all skin cancers, it is responsible for 75% of deaths. OBJECTIVE: to describe the epidemiological aspects of melanoma in a university hospital setting over a period of 20 years. METHODS: A total of 166 patients were analyzed between January 1990 and January 2010 for clinical and histological variables and correlations between them. A 5% level of significance was adopted. RESULTS: The majority of patients were Caucasians (74%), females (61%), with a mean age at diagnosis of 55. The predominant histological type was lentigo maligna/lentigo maligna melanoma (35.7%) and the head and neck was the most affected site (30.7%). Among non-Caucasians, the acral region was the most affected. Most tumors were in situ (41.1%). Growth of the lesion was the most frequent complaint (58.1%) and bleeding was most frequently associated with melanomas with a depth > 4mm. There were seven deaths (4.2%), with a high risk among men, non-Caucasians and those under 20 years of age, with a Breslow's depth > 2mm, with lentiginous acral melanoma and with a history of growth and bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: Our sample differs from most of the studies in the predominant location (head and neck), histological type (lentigo maligna/ lentigo maligna melanoma) and a major risk of death under the age of 20, which could be with a reflex of regional variation. Broader studies are necessary for validation of the results.

A síndrome de Muckle-Wells é doença autossômica dominante rara, incluída no grupo das síndromes febris hereditárias. Caracteriza-se por episódios recorrentes e autolimitados de febre, urticária, artralgia, mialgia e conjuntivite, desde a infância, relacionados com a exposição ao frio. Mais tardiamente, há perda auditiva neurossensorial progressiva. Amiloidose, a principal complicação, desenvolve-se em cerca de 25% dos casos. Associa-se a mutações no gene NLRP3 (antes CIAS1) que codifica a criopirina, proteína reguladora da produção de citocinas pró-inflamatórias, como a interleucina-1beta. Relata-se a ocorrência dessa doença incomum em quatro membros de uma única família.

Muckle-Wells syndrome is a rare autosomal dominant disease that belongs to a group of hereditary febrile syndromes. It is characterized by recurrent and self-limited episodes of fever, urticaria, arthralgia, myalgia and conjunctivitis since childhood, which are related to exposure to cold temperatures. Lately, progressive sensorineural hearing loss occurs. Amyloidosis is the main complication and can be found in about 25% of the cases. It has been demonstrated that there is an association with mutations in the NLRP3 gene, which codifies cryopyrin, a protein responsible for regulating the production of proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-1Beta. The authors report four cases of the disease within a family.