Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the quality of referrals for a first Rheumatology consultation at a tertiary care center in a southern Brazilian capital (Porto Alegre, RS), having as background findings from a similar survey performed in 2007/2008. Since then, our state has implemented referral protocols and a triage system with teleconsulting support exclusively for referrals from locations outside the capital, permitting a comparison between patients screened and not screened by the new system. Methods: Physicians of the Rheumatology Service at Hospital Nossa Senhora da Conceição prospectively collected information regarding first visits over a 6-month period (Oct 2017 to March 2018). We recorded demographic characteristics, diagnostic hypotheses, date of referral, and the municipality of origin (within the state of Rio Grande do Sul). We considered adequate referrals from primary health care when a systemic autoimmune inflammatory disease (SIRD) was suspected at first evaluation by the attending rheumatologist. Results: Three hundred fifty-seven patients/appointments were eligible for analysis (193 from the capital and 164 from small and medium towns). In 2007/2008, suspected SIRD occurred in 76/260 (29.2%) and 73/222 (32.9%) among patients from the capital and outside counties, respectively (P = 0.387). In 2017/2018, suspected SIRD occurred in 75/193 (38.9%) and 111/164 (67.7%) in patients from the capital and outside counties, respectively (difference: 28.8, 95% CI: 19.0 to 38.9, P < 0.001), indicating a marked improvement in referrals submitted to the new triage system. Conclusion: The quality of Rheumatology referrals in our state improved over the 10-year interval under study, particularly among patients from locations submitted to referral protocols and teleconsulting support.

OBJETIVO: Investigar os efeitos morfológicos da exposição crônica à inalação de fumaça do tabaco e o do consumo de álcool nos pulmões e no crescimento de ratos. MÉTODOS: Sessenta ratos Wistar machos foram distribuídos em quatro grupos: controle, tabaco, álcool e tabaco + álcool, e acompanhados por um período de 260 dias. No final do periodo foi realizada análise morfológica dos pulmões por microscopia óptica e eletrônica. O crescimento dos ratos foi investigado através da medição do comprimento focinho-ânus, peso corporal e índice de massa corporal. RESULTADOS: Os três grupos expostos às drogas apresentaram peso e comprimento significativamente menores que os do grupo controle. As percentagens de bronquiolite e alveolite, e o diâmetro alveolar médio foram maiores nos grupos expostos à fumaça do tabaco, mas sem significancia estatística quando comparadas ao grupo controle. A microscopia eletrônica revelou apoptose mais intensa e lesões degenerativas no grupo de fumantes, enquanto lesões degenerativas nos corpos lamelares foram mais intensas com a associação de ambas as drogas. CONCLUSÕES: Este modelo experimental mostrou alterações morfológicas observadas por microscopia eletrônica, principalmente devido à exposição ao tabaco. Tanto o alcool como o tabaco prejudicaram o crescimento dos animais, o tabaco mostrando um efeito maior sobre o comprimento e o álcool sobre o peso corporal.

PURPOSE: Investigate the morphological effects of chronic exposure to tobacco smoke inhalation and alcohol consumption on the lungs and on the growth of rats. METHODS: Sixty male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: control, tobacco, alcohol, tobacco + alcohol, for a period of study 260 days. Morphological analysis was conducted by optical and electron microscopy. Rat growth was investigated by measuring the snout-anus length, body mass index and body weight. RESULTS: The three groups exposed to the drugs presented lower growth and lower weight than the control group. The percentages of alveolitis, bronchiolitis and the mean alveolar diameter were greater, particularly in the groups exposed to tobacco smoke, but were not significantly different from the control group. Electron microscopy revealed more intense apoptotic and degenerative lesions in the smoking group, while degenerative lesions in the lamellar bodies were more intense with the association of both drugs. CONCLUSIONS: This experimental model showed morphological alterations observed by electron microscopy, principally due to tobacco smoke exposure. Alcohol and tobacco hindered the growth of rats, such that tobacco showed a greater effect on body length and alcohol on body weight.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar as alterações morfológicas no epitélio traqueal de cães expostos à inalação de gases pouco condicionados, sob ventilação com tubo traqueal (TT) ou máscara laríngea (ML). MÉTODOS: Doze cães adultos foram divididos aleatoriamente em dois grupos: grupo TT (n-6) e grupo ML (n-6), submetidos à anestesia venosa e ventilação mecânica, em sistema sem reabsorção de CO2. Foram registrados parâmetros hemodinâmicos e ventilatórios, temperatura timpânica, temperatura, umidade relativa e absoluta do ar ambiente e dos gases inalados durante 3 horas. Ao término do experimento, os animais foram submetidos a eutanásia e realizadas biópsias ao longo do segmento traqueal para estudo morfológico. Três cães saudáveis foram utilizados para controle morfológico. RESULTADOS: A temperatura dos gases inalados manteve-se entre 24ºC e 26ºC, a umidade relativa entre 10% e 12%, e umidade absoluta entre 2 -3 mg H2O.L-1 sem diferença significativa entre os grupos. Em ambos os grupos a análise histológica evidenciou processo inflamatório epitelial e congestão no córion, e a microscopia eletrônica de varredura mostrou agrupamento e desorganização ciliar. A microscopia eletrônica de transmissão detectou maiores alterações no grupo TT do que no ML, como alargamento das junções intercelulares, desorientação ciliar, vacuolização citoplasmática, alterações nucleares como pcinose e condensação da cromatina. CONCLUSÃO: A máscara laríngea determinou alterações menos pronunciadas no epitélio traqueal de cães expostos à inalação de gases pouco condicionados.

PURPOSE: To study morphological findings in the tracheal epithelium of dogs exposed to the inhalation of poorly conditioned gases under use of an endotracheal tube (ET) or laryngeal mask airway (LMA). METHODS: Twelve dogs randomly were allocated to two groups: ET group (n-6) and LMA group (n-6), anaesthetized and mechanically ventilated, without CO2 reabsorption. Haemodynamic and ventilatory parameters, tympanic temperature, temperature, relative and absolute humidity of the ambient and inhaled gases were analyzed during three hours. The animals were submitted to euthanasia and biopsies were carried out along the tracheal segment to morphological study. Three healthy dogs were used to morphological control. RESULTS: Inhaled gas temperature was maintained between 24ºC and 26ºC, relative humidity between 10% and 12%, and absolute humidity between 2 - 3 mg H2O.L-1 with no significant differences between groups. In both groups, histological analysis showed epithelial inflammation and congestion in the corion and scanning electron microscopy showed ciliary grouping and disorganization. Transmission electron microscopy showed higher alterations in ET group than LMA group as widening of cell junctions, ciliary disorientation, cytoplasmic vacuolization, nuclear abnormalities, picnosis and chromatin condensation. CONCLUSION: LMA determined less pronounced changes in the tracheal epithelium in dogs exposed to the inhalation of poorly conditioned gases.

OBJETIVO: Estudar os padrões clínicos, radiológicos e histopatológicos da biópsia transbrônquica (BTB) utilizados para a confirmação diagnóstica em pacientes com suspeita clinica de doença pulmonar intersticial (DPI) atendidos em um hospital universitário de nível terciário. MÉTODOS: Os prontuários, laudos radiológicos e de biópsias transbrônquicas de todos os pacientes com suspeita de DPI submetidos a BTB entre janeiro de 1999 e dezembro de 2006 no Hospital das Clínicas de Botucatu, localizado na cidade de Botucatu (SP), foram revisados. RESULTADOS: Foram incluídos no estudo 56 pacientes. Desses, 11 (19,6%) apresentaram o diagnóstico definitivo de fibrose pulmonar idiopática (FPI), que foi significativamente maior nos casos nos quais DPI era uma possibilidade diagnóstica em comparação com aqueles nos quais DPI era a principal suspeita (p = 0,011), demonstrando a contribuição da BTB para a definição diagnóstica dessas doenças. O exame histopatológico dessas biópsias revelou que 27,3% dos pacientes com FPI apresentavam o padrão de pneumonia organizante, o que pode sugerir doença mais avançada. O padrão histológico indeterminado foi o mais frequente, refletindo a característica periférica da FPI. Entretanto, o padrão fibrose apresentou alta especificidade e alto valor preditivo negativo. Para os padrões sugestivos de FPI em TC, a curva ROC indicou que a melhor relação entre sensibilidade e especificidade ocorreu com a presença de cinco alterações radiológicas, sendo o aspecto de favo de mel fortemente sugestivo de FPI (p = 0,01). CONCLUSÕES: Nas DPIs, a TC de tórax deve ser sempre realizada e a BTB usada em situações individualizadas, conforme a suspeita e distribuição das lesões.

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical, radiological, and histopathological patterns of transbronchial biopsy (TBB) used in order to confirm the diagnosis in patients with clinical suspicion of interstitial lung disease (ILD) treated at a tertiary-care university hospital. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records, radiology reports, and reports of transbronchial biopsies from all patients with suspected ILD who underwent TBB between January of 1999 and December of 2006 at the Hospital das Clínicas de Botucatu, located in the city of Botucatu, Brazil. RESULTS: The study included 56 patients. Of those, 11 (19.6%) had a definitive diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), the rate of which was significantly higher in the patients in which ILD was a possible diagnosis in comparison with those in which ILD was the prime suspect (p = 0.011), demonstrating the contribution of TBB to the diagnostic confirmation of these diseases. The histopathological examination of the biopsies revealed that 27.3% of the patients with IPF showed a pattern of organizing pneumonia, which suggests greater disease severity. The most common histological pattern was the indeterminate pattern, reflecting the peripheral characteristic of IPF. However, the fibrosis pattern showed high specificity and high negative predictive value. For CT scan patterns suggestive of IPF, the ROC curve showed that the best relationship between sensitivity and specificity occurred when five radiological alterations were present. Honeycombing was found to be strongly suggestive of IPF (p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: For ILDs, chest CT should always be performed, and TBB should be used in specific situations, according to the suspicion and distribution of lesions.

A traqueopatia osteocondroplástica (TO) é uma desordem idiopática, incomum, caracterizada pela presença de nódulos osteocartilaginosos na submucosa das vias aéreas, causando rigidez e estreitamento da árvore respiratória. Afeta principalmente homens acima dos 50 anos com manifestações clínicas devidas à obstrução e/ou a infecções locais. Sua patogênese é desconhecida. Relatamos um caso de TO encontrada acidentalmente em autopsia de mulher com 73 anos de idade, que apresentava carcinoma ductal biliar extra hepático (tumor de Klatskin).

Tracheopathia osteochondroplastica (TO) is an unusual idiopathic disorder, characterized by osteocartilaginous nodules in the submucosa of the respiratory airway, which causes rigidity and narrowing of the respiratory tree. It affects mainly men over 50 and clinical manifestations are due to obstruction and/or local infections. The pathogenesis is uncertain. We report a case of TO found incidentally in an autopsy of a 73 year-old woman, who had an extrahepatic biliary ductal carcinoma (Klatskin tumor).

OBJETIVO: Analisar os principais tipos histológicos, estádio, tratamento e sobrevida dos portadores de câncer de pulmão. MÉTODOS: Estudo retrospectivo a partir da análise dos prontuários de pacientes acompanhados no Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu, num período de seis anos. RESULTADOS: De janeiro de 2000 a janeiro de 2006, foram acompanhados 240 doentes com câncer de pulmão, com predominância do sexo masculino (64%). O tipo histológico mais freqüente foi o carcinoma escamoso (37,5%), seguido pelo adenocarcinoma (30%), carcinoma neuroendócrino (19,6%) e carcinoma de grandes células (6,6%). Apenas 131 pacientes (54,6%) foram tratados. Destes, 52 pacientes (39,7%) foram submetidos à quimioterapia exclusiva, 32 (24,4%) realizaram quimioterapia associada à radioterapia e 47 (35,9%) foram submetidos à cirurgia associada ou não à quimioterapia exclusiva e/ou radioterapia. Somente 27 pacientes (20,6%) foram submetidos à cirurgia exclusiva.Em relação ao estadiamento, 34,4% apresentavam, no momento do diagnóstico, estádio IV, 20,6% estádio IIIB, 16,8% estádio IIIA e os outros 28,2% pertenciam aos estádios I e II. A sobrevida em cinco anos foi de 65% para o estádio I e 25% para os estádios remanescentes. CONCLUSÕES: O tipo histológico predominante foi o carcinoma escamoso e o de menor freqüência foi o carcinoma de grandes células. A maioria se encontrava em estádio avançado ao diagnóstico, estando nos estádios iniciais menos de 30% dos casos. Isto justifica a baixa sobrevida e a pequena quantidade de pacientes submetidos ao tratamento cirúrgico exclusivo, em comparação à maioria que foi submetida à quimioterapia exclusiva.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze principal histological types of lung cancer, as well as the staging, treatment and survival of lung cancer patients. METHODS: This was a retrospective study based on the analysis of medical charts of patients treated at the Botucatu School of Medicine Hospital das Clínicas over a six-year period. RESULTS: From January of 2000 to January of 2006, 240 patients with lung cancer, most (64%) of whom were male, were treated. The most common histological type was squamous cell carcinoma (37.5%), followed by adenocarcinoma (30%), neuroendocrine carcinoma (19.6%) and large cell carcinoma (6.6%). Only 131 patients (54.6%) were treated. Of those, 52 patients (39.7%) received only chemotherapy, 32 (24.4%) were treated with chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy, and 47 (35.9%) were submitted to surgery alone or surgery accompanied by chemotherapy, with or without radiotherapy. Only 27 patients (20.6%) were submitted to surgery alone. Concerning staging, 34.4% presented stage IV at the time of diagnosis, 20.6% presented stage IIIB, 16.8% presented stage IIIA, and the remaining 28.2% were classified as stage I or II. Five-year survival was 65% for those in stage I and 25% for those in the remaining stages. CONCLUSIONS: Of the various histological types, the most common was squamous cell carcinoma and the least common was large cell carcinoma. Most cases presented advanced stages at the moment of diagnosis, and less than 30% of the cases presented early stages. This accounts for the low survival rate and the small number of patients submitted to surgical treatment alone, the majority being submitted to chemotherapy alone.

Entre 6.316 necropsias realizadas, no período de 1969 a 2000, no Departamento de Patologia da Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu da Universidade Estadual Paulista (FMB/UNESP), foram encontradas 240 necropsias com diagnóstico de tuberculose, sendo 117 registradas como doença principal (grupo tuberculose/doença principal) e 123, como doença associada (grupo tuberculose/doença associada). No grupo tuberculose/doença principal, 100% apresentavam tuberculose ativa, com 80 ocorrências em homens e 37 em mulheres e média de idade de 47,7 anos. Caquexia (37,2%) e cor pulmonale (23,7%) foram as co-morbidades mais prevalentes nesse grupo. Os pulmões estavam comprometidos em 95,7% dos casos, seguido pelos linfonodos (38,9%) e pleuras (27,1%). Os padrões morfológicos das lesões pulmonares foram: 1. miliar, 58,4%; 2. cavernas, 56,6%; 3. fibrose, 41,5%; 4. bronquiectasias, 26,5%; 5. enfisema, 19,4%; e 6. cistos, 1,7%. Cavernas foram observadas em diferentes áreas, com discreto predomínio no pulmão direito, sendo a localização apical preferencial (100%) e quase sempre bilaterais (94%). Lesões miliares, bronquiectasias e fibrose estavam distribuídas, de forma difusa e aleatória, nos pulmões. No grupo tuberculose/doença associada também houve predomínio de homens (70,8%). Nesses casos, a AIDS e o alcoolismo crônico foram as doenças principais mais freqüentes, representando 22% e 16,3%, respectivamente. Os pulmões estavam acometidos em 85,2% dessas necropsias (100% nos casos de AIDS), seguidos pelos linfonodos (31,9%) e baço (28,6%). Nossos dados corroboram a importância da necropsia no estudo e no conhecimento da tuberculose, fornecendo subsídios para uma melhor abordagem clínica e epidemiológica dessa doença em nossa região.

Among 6,316 necropsies performed in the period 1969-2000 at the Department of Pathology of Botucatu Medical School UNESP, 240 were of tuberculosis. Among them, 117 were registered as the principal disease (tuberculosis/principal disease group) and 123, as associated to another disease (tuberculosis/associated disease group). In the tuberculosis-principal disease group, 100% had active tuberculosis, 80 patients were male and 37 were female, with mean age of 47.7 years. Cachexia (37.2%) and cor pulmonale (23.7%) were the most prevalent comorbities in this group. The lungs were affected in 95.7% of the cases, followed by lymph nodes (38.9%) and pleura (27.1%). The morphology and frequency of pulmonary lesions were: 1. miliar: 58.4%; 2. caverns, 56.6%; 3. fibrosis, 41.5%; 4. bronchiectasias, 26.5%; 5. emphysema, 19.4% and 6. cysts, 1.7%. Caverns were observed in different areas of both lungs, with discreet predominance in the right lung, were located mainly in the apices (100%), and the great majority (94%) was bilateral. The others lesions were distributed randomly in both lungs. In the tuberculosis/associated disease group, 70.8% was male, and the two most frequent principal diseases were AIDS (22.1%) and alcoholism (16.3%). Also, the lung was the most affected organ (85.2%), followed by lymph nodes (31.9%) and spleen (28.6%). In 100% of AIDS there were pulmonary lesions. This study in necropsies reinforces epidemiological data that tuberculosis is an important disease, and, also, constitutes an invaluable tool to gather information for a better understanding of the pathology and the epidemiology of tuberculosis in our region.

Um homem, de 45 anos, com infecções pulmonares de repetição havia quatro anos apresentou-se com tosse, secreção amarelada, escarros hemópticos e dor torácica não pleural. A tomografia revelou nódulo calcificado ocluindo brônquio lobar inferior direito. Realizada bilobectomia inferior e média, o exame histopatológico revelou condroma endobrônquico, bem circunscrito. O condroma pulmonar é um tumor raro, em geral associado à tríade de Carney (condroma, leiomiossarcoma gástrico e paraganglioma extra-adrenal), sendo o menos freqüente dos três componentes. No presente caso, os outros dois componentes não foram observados. Podem, entretanto, se manifestar tardiamente, sendo, assim, necessário seguimento clínico em longo prazo do paciente.

A 45-year-old man presented with recurrent pulmonary infection for four years, cough, bloody sputum, yellowish excretion and nonpleuritic chest pain. Tomography of the chest revealed a calcified nodule occluding the right lower lobe bronchus. A right lower and middle lobectomy was performed, and the histopathological examination of the bronchi revealed chondroma, a rare pulmonary tumor usually associated with the Carney triad (pulmonary chondroma, gastric leiomyosarcoma and extra-adrenal paraganglioma), being the less common of the three components. In the present case, the other two components of the triad were not observed. Since these components may appear years later, long-term follow-up care is necessary.

Os antígenos nucleares extraíveis (ENAs) são encontrados no soro da maioria dos pacientes com doença reumática sistêmica. Os principais ENAs estudados são SS-A/Ro, SS-B/La, RNP, Sm, Scl-70 e Jo-1. Objeti-vou-se neste trabalho: a) padronizar a técnica de contra-imunoeletroforese (CIE) para a detecção de ENAs; b) padronizar o substrato antigênico (ENAs) para a CIE a partir de baço de cão; c) comparar os resultados da CIE com as técnicas de imunofluorescência indireta (IFI) e Elisa para esses antígenos. Para tal foram estudados 40 soros de pacientes com doença reumática sistêmica confirmada por exames clínico e laboratorial (sorológico e biópsia). Como controle negativo foram utilizados dez soros de doadores de sangue normais, e, como controles positivos, seis soros-padrão anti-Ro, anti-La, anti-RNP, anti-Sm, anti-Scl-70, anti-Jo-1, para caracterizar os antígenos presentes no extrato de baço. Neste último foram detectados vários ENAs, exceto RNP e Scl-70. A técnica de CIE apresentou boas sensibilidade (70%) e especificidade (100%) em relação às outras técnicas (IFI e Elisa). A titulação dos soros pela CIE revelou positividade até diluições de 1:16 em 32,5% dos casos. Concluímos que a CIE e os antígenos extraídos de baço de cão podem ser utilizados na rotina laboratorial para triagem destes ENAs, com a vantagem, em relação à IFI, de poderem ser titulados.

Extractable nuclear antigens (ENAs) are detected in the sera of the majority of patients with rheumatic systemic disease. The main ENAs studied are SS-A/Ro, SS-B/La, RNP, Sm, Scl-70 and Jo-1. The aim of this work was: a) to standardize the counterimmunoelectrophoresis technique (CIE) to detect ENAs; b) to standardize the extration of ENAs from dog spleen as a substract for CIE test; c) to compare the results obtained by CIE with those of indirect immunofluorescence (IFI) and Elisa for these antigens. Forty sera from individuals with rheumatic systemic disease confirmed by clinical and serological tests and by skin and/or kidney biopsies were tested. Ten normal sera from blood donors were used as negative control, and as positive control to check for ENAs in the spleen extract, six positive sera for anti-Ro, anti-La, anti-RNP, anti-Sm, anti-Scl-70, anti-Jo-1 were tested. The spleen extract contained many of the ENAs antigens, except RNP and Scl-70. CIE showed good sensitivy (70%) and specificity (100%) in relation to IFI and Elisa. Also, by CIE the positive sera could be diluted up to 16 dilution (32.5%). We concluded that CIE, together with antigens extracted from dog spleen, could be used in the laboratorial routine to detect ENAs, and compared to IFI, with the advantage that sera can be titulated.

Introdução: A maioria dos estudos experimentais sobre a toxicidade pulmonar induzida por amiodarona tem sido realizada em ratos machos da linhagem Fischer-344. Objetivos: Investigar o efeito da amiodarona sobre o peso corpóreo e sobre determinantes morfológicos e citopatológicos do pulmão em outras linhagens de ratos de ambos os sexos. Métodos: Grupos de ratos machos e de fêmeas das linhagens Wistar, Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) e espontaneamente hipertenso (SHR) receberam, por gavagem, durante quatro semanas, 175mg/kg/dia de amiodarona em suspensão salina. Os grupos controles receberam apenas salina. Foram estudados ganho de peso corpóreo, celularidade total e diferencial do lavado broncoalveolar (LBA) e histopatologia dos pulmões. Resultados: Mortalidade pela amiodarona foi observada nos ratos WKY tratados, sendo maior em machos. Animais SHR tratados de ambos os sexos apresentaram o menor ganho de peso entre as linhagens estudadas. Ratos machos Wistar e SHR tratados apresentaram maior ganho de peso do que as fêmeas das suas respectivas linhagens. O LBA de ratos SHR tratados de ambos os sexos era hemorrágico. A celularidade do LBA foi maior em machos tratados (WKY > Wistar > SHR). Entretanto, nos machos e fêmeas WKY a contagem diferencial mostrou o menor percentual de macrófagos e o maior de neutrófilos entre as três linhagens. Macrófagos do LBA de ratos Wistar tratados apresentavam fosfolipidose, enquanto a maioria dos macrófagos de ratos SHR tratados eram normais. No exame anatomopatológico dos pulmões, não houve diferenças entre os sexos e não foi observada pneumonite. Em ratos Wistar o exame foi caracterizado pela acentuada quantidade de macrófagos "espumosos" intra-alveolares, em ratos WKY, por inúmeros abscessos intraparenquimatosos e em ratos SHR, pela hemorragia alveolar. Conclusões: 1) a amiodarona induz em ratos Wistar maior quantidade de macrófagos espumosos do que nas linhagens WKY e SHR, embora no modelo utilizado eles não desenvolvam pneumonite; 2) a amiodarona tem maior efeito sobre os determinantes morfológicos e citopatológicos do pulmão em animais do sexo masculino.

Introduction: Most of the experimental studies on amiodarone-induced pulmonary toxicity have been performed in male Fischer-344 rats. Objective: To investigate the effect of amiodarone on body weight and on lung morphological and cytopathologic parameters in both genders of other rat strains. Methods: Groups of male and female Wistar, Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats received, 175 mg/kg/day of amiodarone suspended in saline by gavage for four weeks. Controls received saline alone. Body weight gain, total cellularity, and differential of the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and lung histopathology were studied. Results: Mortality due to amiodarone was observed in treated WKY rats, mostly in males. Treated male and female SHR animals had less body weight gain among all strains studied. Male Wistar and SHR treated rats presented more body weight gain than females of the respective strains. BAL of treated SHR rats were hemorrhagic. BAL cellularity was higher in treated males (WKY > Wistar > SHR). In WKY males and females, however, the differential count showed a lesser percent of macrophages and higher of neutrophils than in the other strains. BAL macrophages of treated Wistar rats presented phospholipidosis, whereas most macrophages of treated SHR rats were normal. In lung anatomicopathologic examination, no difference was found related to gender and no pneumonitis was observed. In Wistar rats, the examination was characterized by a marked quantity of intra-alveolar "foamy" macrophages, numerous intraparenchymal abscesses were found in WKY rats, and alveolar hemorrhage was present in SHR rats. Conclusions: 1) amiodarone induces more foamy macrophages in Wistar rats than in the WKY and SHR strains, although they do not develop pneumonitis in the model used; 2) amiodarone has greater effect on lung morphological and cytopathologic parameters of male rats.

In spite of the grate experience accumulated in vascular repairing, the ideal number of sutures for vascular anastomosis remains controversial. It is generally thought that the more stitches applied in a vascular anastomosis, the lesser resistant the anastomosis will be. The purpose of this study was to test this hypothesis in 20 rabbits, in which both carotid arteries were cross sectioned and repaired by end-to-end anastomosis with 8 interrupted sutures in one side (G1) and 16 in the other side (G2). After 3 and 15 days, the animals were randomly allocated for tensile strength, hydroxyproline determination (7 animals) and for histologic analysis of the anastomosis (3 animals). Conventional staining procedures (hematoxylin-eosin and Masson methods) and the picrosirius red polarization (PSP) technique for collagen type determination were used. From 3 to 15 days, the tensile strength increased in both groups, from 265.0±-44.4g to 391.2±-49.0g in G1 and from 310.0±-71.5g to 348.7±-84.0g in G2 (p<0.005), with no statistical difference between the groups in each period of study. The hydroxyproline content, expressed as hydroxyproline/protein ratio, varied from 0.04±-0.01 to 0.05±-0.02 in G1 and from 0.05±-0.01 to 0.05±-0.02 in G2, with no significant difference between periods and groups. The histology showed similar inflammatory and reparative aspects in both groups. In both groups and periods the PSP technique demonstrated predominantly type I collagen in relation to type III collagen in the anastomosis. We concluded that even doubling the number of stitches, the healing process and strength did not change in the arterial anastomosis.