No abstract

Background Renal fibrosis is the result of the interaction of cellular and molecular pathways, which is induced by sustained glomerular injury and involves the podocytes and multiple profibrotic factors. In this study, we investigated the correlation of the mRNA expression of podocyte proteins and profibrotic factors with renal fibrosis measured in renal biopsies of patients with primary and secondary glomerulopathies. Methods Eighty-four adult patients with primary or secondary glomerular diseases and 12 controls were included. Demographic and clinical data were collected. Seventy-two percent of the renal biopsies were done less than one year from clinical disease manifestation. The quantification of the podocyte-associated mRNAs of alpha-actinin-4, podocin, and podocalyxin, as well as of the profibrotic factors TGF-β1, CTGF, and VEGF-A were quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The percent positive area of renal fibrosis was measured by immunohistochemistry staining, using anti-CTGF and anti-HHF35 antibodies and unpolarized Sirius Red. Correlations between the expression of tissue mRNAs and the positive area of fibrosis for the measured markers were made by Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. Results In relation to control biopsies, podocyte-specific proteins were downregulated in podocytopathies, in proliferative nephritis, in diabetic kidney disease (DRD), and in IgA nephropathy (IgAN). Messenger RNA of TGF-β1, CTGF, and VEGF-A was upregulated in patients with podocytopathies and in DRD but not in proliferative nephritis and IgAN. Tissue mRNA expression of TGF-β1, CTGF, and VEGF-A were strongly correlated with renal fibrosis, as measured by HHF35; however, the correlation, albeit significant, was moderate for Sirius Red and weak for CTGF. The percent positive area of renal fibrosis measured by Sirius Red was similar between podocytopathies and DRD and significantly higher in podocytopathies compared to IgAN or proliferative nephritis. Conclusions In patients with glomerular diseases, the mRNA of TGF-β1, CTGF, and VEGF-A correlated positively with the extent of renal fibrosis, and the positive area of fibrosis was larger in the podocytopathies and in DRD as measured by Sirius Red. The pathways connecting podocyte damage and activation of profibrotic factors to kidney tissue fibrosis need to be better investigated.

RESUMO Objetivo: avaliar os principais fatores de risco para complicações pós-operatórias em pacientes submetidos à apendicectomia por apendicite aguda. Métodos: foram analisados retrospectivamente 1241 pacientes submetidos à apendicectomia aberta ou laparoscópica. Os pacientes foram alocados em quatro grupos: Grupo 1, sem complicações pós-operatórias, e Grupos 2, 3 e 4, com complicações pós-operatórias, definidas de acordo com sua gravidade, conforme classificação de Clavien-Dindo I, II e ≥III, respectivamente. Resultados: pacientes com idade ≥38,5 anos tiveram complicações mais graves (p<0,0001). Os pacientes do Grupo 1, sem complicações pós-operatórias, foram predominantemente operados por via laparoscópica. Os Grupos 2, 3 e 4 foram, em sua maior parte, operados por via convencional (p<0,0001). Razão de chances de complicações para apendicite complicada foi de 3,09, 3,04 e 12,41 para os Grupos 2, 3 e 4, respectivamente (p<0,0001). Risco anestésico, duração do procedimento e tempo de internação hospitalar estiveram relacionados com maior risco e gravidade de complicações (p<0,0001). Conclusão: os principais fatores preditores de complicações pós-operatórias em pacientes operados por apendicite aguda foram: idade ≥38,5 anos, acesso cirúrgico convencional ou aberto, apendicite complicada, ASA≥2 e tempo cirúrgico >77 minutos.

Although immunohistochemical expression of CD117 was higher than previously demonstrated, the lack of expression does not warranty further use in targeted therapy of SCCO.

Background: Risk stratification for sudden cardiac death (SCD) in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is based on different algorithms proposed by the 2011 ACCF/AHA and 2014 ESC guidelines. Objective: To analyze the 2014 ESC model for SCD risk stratification and primary prevention ICD (implantable cardioverter defibrillator) in HCM in comparison to the North American guideline. Methods: An HCM cohort was evaluated and the ESC HCM-Risk SCD score was calculated. Agreement of ICD recommendations criteria between the two guidelines was analyzed with Kappa coefficient. P<0.05 was adopted for the statistical analysis. Results: In 90 consecutive patients followed for 6±3 years, the mean calculated ESC risk score was 3.2±2.5%. The risk predictors that have mainly contributed to the score calculation in the low (1.88% [1.42-2.67]), intermediate (5.17% [4.89-5.70]) and high-risk (7.82% [7.06-9.19]) categories were: maximal left ventricular wall thickness (1.