Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) in children is rare, and its clinical progression is not clearly understood. The admission and post-admission clinical records of 38 children and teenagers aged up to 14 were studied who had been under treatment for 24-30 months. It is a consecutive case series, 17 retrospective and 21 prospective, from 1977 to 2000, admitted before and after 1990, respectively. The main clinical presentations were lymphatic, abdominal and cutaneous involvement, and fever. The alterations which disappeared more slowly were lymphadenomegaly, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, and osteoarticular pain. Poor intestinal absorption, esophageal varices and splenic calcification were observed before treatment and persisted as sequelae. There was a satisfactory response to initial treatment in 56.7% of cases. Half the patients became asymptomatic in the ninth month of treatment, and 17+/-8% of cases presented with at least one symptom of the disease after 30 months of treatment. There were five deaths, and treatment failure was frequent and associated in part with the irregular use of antifungal. Treatment with ketoconazole was safe and effective. PCM is a serious systemic disease with slow evolution and high lethality, requiring treatment maintenance for a minimum of 24 months with careful and prolonged follow-up. Studies are necessary to evaluate the efficacy of different antifungals and the ideal treatment length for children with PCM.
RESUMOEstudo de 38 crianças com paracoccidioidomicose, até 14 anos de idade, tratados por 24-30 meses, com um derivado sulfamídico ou cetoconazol, desde o início do tratamento ou em seguida ao uso da anfotericina B. Dados laboratoriais à admissão foram analisados e comparados com exames seqüenciais até 30 meses de acompanhamento. Anemia, eosinofilia e bilirrubinas e aminotransferases elevadas normalizaram-se, na maioria, até os três meses de tratamento e, hipoalbuminemia, até os seis meses, sugerindo que esses achados sejam bons parâmetros para o monitoramento da resposta terapêutica inicial. Leucócitos periféricos, velocidade de hemossedimentação, IgG e títulos sorológicos para o Paracoccidioides brasiliensis estavam elevados e normalizaram-se, freqüentemente, após nove a 12 meses de tratamento, o que sugere utilidade desses exames no monitoramento de todo o tratamento e enfatiza a necessidade de curso terapêutico prolongado da paracoccidioidomicose na infância. Palavras-chaves: Paracoccidioidomicose. Criança. Seguimento de exames laboratoriais. ABSTRACTThe study of 38 children with paracoccidioidomycosis, aged up to 14, treated for 24 to 30 months with either a sulfonamide derivative or ketoconazole either alone or, after the use of amphotericin B. Laboratory data at admission were analyzed and compared with those of sequential tests after up to 30 months follow-up. Anemia, eosinophilia, increased bilirubin and aminotransferases normalized, in most patients, after three months treatment and hypoalbuminemia normalized after six months, suggesting that these laboratory findings are useful for monitoring early therapeutic response. Peripheral leucocytes, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, IgG, and serological titers for Paracoccidioides brasiliensis were increased and frequently normalized after nine to 12 months of treatment. They may be useful for monitoring the entire treatment and emphasize the need for long term treatment of paracoccidioidomycosis in children. Key-words: Paracoccidioidomycosis. Children. Follow-up laboratory.A paracoccidioidomicose (PCM) é uma micose sistêmica que ocorre caracteristicamente em regiões rurais da América Latina, sendo o Brasil o país com o maior número de casos da doença. Afeta pessoas previamente hígidas, tem curso crônico e, muitas vezes, com gravidade. Informações sobre a evolução das alterações laboratoriais de pacientes em tratamento ainda são escassas e resultam, na maioria, de casuísticas pequenas e tempo de acompanhamento inferior ao tempo de tratamento. É conhecido o valor de exames como a sorologia e a velocidade de hemossedimentação no monitoramento terapêutico dos pacientes 1 8 11 27 . Entretanto, apesar dos avançados estudos no campo da imunologia e do
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