Liver biopsy is the gold standard method for the grading and staging of chronic viral hepatitis, but optimal biopsy specimen size remains controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of liver specimen (number of portal tracts) and to evaluate the impact of the number of portal tracts in the staging of chronic hepatitis.Material and Methods: 468 liver biopsies from consecutive patients with hepatitis C virus and hepatitis B virus infection from 2009 to 2010 were evaluated. Results: The length of fragment was less than 10 mm in 43 cases (9.3%), between 10 and 14 mm in 114 (24.3%), and ≥ 15 mm in 311 (64.4%); of these, in 39 (8.3%) cases were ≥ 20 mm. The mean representation of portal tracts was 17.6 ± 2.1 (5-40); in specimens ≥ 15 mm the mean portal tract was 13.5 ± 4.7 and in cases ≤ 15 mm was 11.4 ± 5.0 (p = 0.002). Cases with less than 11 portal tracts were associated with F3, and cases with 11 or more portal tracts with F2 (p = 0.001). Conclusion: this study demonstrated the good quality of liver biopsy and a relationship between the macroscopic size of the fragment and the number of portal tracts.

ResumoA asma é uma doença crônica e intervenções psicológicas podem melhorar seu manejo. Este estudo objetiva correlacionar características clínicas e psicológicas dos asmáticos. Foram avaliados vinte e quatro adultos asmáticos em Ambulatório de Pneumologia, sendo administrados questionários de controle e qualidade de vida em asma, escalas de Otimismo/Pessimismo, Satisfação de Vida, Esperança Disposicional e Esperança de Staats. Controle da asma apresentou correlação estatisticamente significativa, com escore total (r=-0,69, p<0,01), domínios sintomas (r=-0,64, p<0,01) e emoções (r=-0,53, p<0,01) do Questionário de Qualidade de Vida e com o domínio estímulo ambiental (r=-0,42, p<0,05). Observou-se, também, que a dimensão hope-self (Esperança Staats) obteve correlações estatisticamente significativas com o Questionário de Controle de Asma (r=-0,45, p<0,05). O controle da asma apresentou relação importante com qualidade de vida. Os resultados mostraram que pacientes com maior controle da asma apresentaram maiores escores de esperança, mas não de otimismo. Palavras-chave: Asma; Qualidade de vida; Esperança. Clinical and psychological characteristics of asthmatic patients of a pulmonology outpatient clinic AbstractAsthma is a chronic disease and psychological interventions can improve its management. This study aims to correlate clinical and psychological characteristics of asthmatic patients. Twenty-four patients were evaluated in the Pulmonology Outpatient Clinic of Santa Casa, in Porto Alegre, and were surveyed with asthma control and quality of life questionnaires, Optimism/ Pessimism questionnaires, Satisfaction of life, Hope trace and Staats Hope scales. Asthma control demonstrated statistically significant correlation with the total score (r=-0,69, p<0,01), the domain symptoms (r=-0,64, p<0,01) and emotions (r=-0,53, p<0,01) of the Quality of Life Questionnaire and with the ambient domain (r=-0,42, p<0,05). The hope-self dimension (Staats Hope) showed statistically significant correlation with the Asthma Control Questionnaire (r=-0,45, p<0,05). Asthma control has an important relationship with quality of life. The results showed that patients with greater asthma control had higher scores of hope, but not optimism. Keywords: Asthma; Quality of life; Hope. Características clínicas y psicológicas de pacientes asmáticos de un Ambulatorio de NeumologíaResumen El asma es una enfermedad crónica e intervenciones psicológicas pueden mejorar su gestión. Este estudio pretende correlacionar características clínicas y psicológicas de los asmáticos. Se evaluaron veinticuatro asmáticos del Ambulatorio de Neumología de la Santa Casa de Porto Alegre, siendo administrados cuestionarios de control y calidad de vida en el asma, escalas de Optimismo/Pesimismo, Satisfacción con la Vida y Disposición de Esperanza e Esperanza Staats. El control del asma mostró una correlación estadísticamente significativa con la puntuación total (r=-0,69, p<0,01), el dominio síntomas (r=-0,64, p<0,01) y emociones (r=-0,53, p<0,01) del cuestionario...

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