Objective: Renal transplantation recipients are at increased risk of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection because of immunosuppression. The aim of this study was to assess high-resolution CT (HRCT) findings in renal transplantation recipients diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Methods: We reviewed HRCT findings from patients diagnosed with pulmonary TB, established by M. tuberculosis detection in bronchoalveolar lavage, sputum or biopsy sample. Two observers independently reviewed HRCT images and reached consensus decisions on the presence and distribution of: (i) miliary nodules, (ii) cavitation and centrilobular tree-in-bud nodules, (iii) ground-glass attenuation and consolidation, (iv) mediastinal lymph node enlargement and (v) pleural effusion. Results: The sample comprised 40 patients [26 males, 14 females; median age, 45 years (range, 12-69 years)]. The main HRCT pattern was miliary nodules (40%), followed by cavitation and centrilobular tree-in-bud nodules (22.5%), ground-glass attenuation and consolidation (15%), mediastinal lymph node enlargement (12.5%) and pleural effusion (10%). The distribution of findings in patients with miliary nodules was random. In patients with cavitation and centrilobular tree-in-bud nodules, 66.6% of abnormalities were found in the upper lobes. Pleural effusion was unilateral in 75% of cases. The overall mortality rate was 27.5%. This rate was 50% in patients with miliary nodules, and 72.6% of all deaths occurred in this group. Thus, mortality was increased significantly in patients with miliary nodules (p , 0.05). Conclusion:The main HRCT finding in renal transplantation recipients with pulmonary TB was miliary nodules, followed by cavitation and centrilobular tree-in-bud nodules. Miliary nodules were associated with a worse prognosis in these patients. Advances in knowledge: We report the first series on HRCT findings of microbiologically confirmed pulmonary TB exclusively in renal transplantation recipients. The main HRCT finding was miliary nodules, and mortality was increased significantly in these patients.

The objective of this systematic review was to select articles including chest X-ray or chest CT findings in patients who developed pulmonary tuberculosis following solid organ transplantation (lung, kidney, or liver). The following search terms were used: “tuberculosis”; “transplants”; “transplantation”; “mycobacterium”; and “lung”. The databases used in this review were PubMed and the Brazilian Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde (Virtual Health Library). We selected articles in English, Portuguese, or Spanish, regardless of the year of publication, that met the selection criteria in their title, abstract, or body of text. Articles with no data on chest CT or chest X-ray findings were excluded, as were those not related to solid organ transplantation or pulmonary tuberculosis. We selected 29 articles involving a collective total of 219 patients. The largest samples were in studies conducted in Brazil and South Korea (78 and 35 patients, respectively). The imaging findings were subdivided into five common patterns. The imaging findings varied depending on the transplanted organ in these patients. In liver and lung transplant recipients, the most common pattern was the classic one for pulmonary tuberculosis (cavitation and “tree-in-bud” nodules), which is similar to the findings for pulmonary tuberculosis in the general population. The proportion of cases showing a miliary pattern and lymph node enlargement, which is most similar to the pattern seen in patients coinfected with tuberculosis and HIV, was highest among the kidney transplant recipients. Further studies evaluating clinical data, such as immunosuppression regimens, are needed in order to improve understanding of the distribution of these imaging patterns in this population.

ResumoEnquadramento: O acidente vascular cerebral (AVC) é uma das principais causas de morte em Portugal, e a principal causa de incapacidade nos idosos. Torna-se necessário definir estratégias para amenizar os danos. Objetivos: Relacionar a prioridade definida pelo Sistema de Triagem de Manchester para doentes com AVC e o desfecho final (alta/óbito/internamento). Metodologia: Estudo observacional que analisou dados do software ALERT® em todos os doentes com AVC que entraram num serviço de urgência polivalente português entre 2010 e 2012, totalizando 864 casos. Resultados: A maioria dos doentes foi triada com elevada prioridade, sendo as idades diferentes entre homens e mulheres. Prioridades mais elevadas (cor vermelha e laranja) foram atribuídas aos mais idosos, aos que faleceram e aos que foram internados (p < 0,001). Houve reduzida ativação da Via Verde-AVC (14%). Conclusão: Doentes internados e os que faleceram foram triados com prioridades mais elevadas, existindo relação estatística significativa entre as prioridades mais altas (vermelha e laranja), a taxa de internamento e a mortalidade (p < 0,001).Palavras-chave: acidente vascular cerebral; enfermagem; serviços médicos de emergência; triagem; evolução clínica Abstract Background: Stroke is one of the leading causes of death in Portugal, and the leading cause of disability in older people. Strategies should be established to mitigate damages. Objectives: To establish an association between the priority defined by the Manchester Triage System for stroke patients and the final outcome (discharge/death/hospitalization). Methodolog y: An observational study was conducted to analyze data from the ALERT® software in all stroke patients who were admitted to a Portuguese multipurpose emergency department between 2010 and 2012, in a total of 864 cases. Results: Most patients were triaged with high priority, and the ages differed between men and women. Higher priorities (red and orange) were assigned to older persons and patients who eventually died or were hospitalized (p < 0.001). The Via Verde do AVC program was seldom activated (14%). Conclusion: Inpatients and those who eventually died were triaged with higher priorities. A statistically significant association was found between the highest priorities (red and orange), hospitalization rate, and mortality (p < 0.001).

Objective: To study the clinical, epidemiological, radiographic and endoscopic features of individuals with tuberculous pneumonia. Methods: We evaluated 2,828 consecutive tuberculosis patients treated at a public health center between December of 2005 and February of 2007. Of those, 59 (2.1%) had pulmonary involvement consistent with fistula between a lymph node and a bronchus. Results: Of the 59 patients studied, 43 (73%) were between 20 and 50 years of age, 31 (53%) were male, and 28 (47%) were Black. The most common symptoms were cough (in 100%), fever (in 88%), expectoration (in 81%), and weight loss (in 40%). Comorbidities were reported in 35 cases (59%), the most common being HIV infection (in 20%) and diabetes (in 15%). On chest X-rays, consolidation was observed, predominantly in the upper lobes (in 68%). The diagnostic confirmation (identification of AFB) was made through the sputum smear microscopy in the majority of the cases and by bronchoscopy (BAL examination or bronchial biopsy) in the remainder. Bronchial lesions were clearly indicative or suggestive of fistula in three cases and five cases, respectively. Conclusions: Tuberculous pneumonia presents as acute respiratory infection, initiating with a dry cough that is followed by fever. Chest X-rays show alveolar consolidation. In most cases, tuberculous pneumonia was accompanied by at least one comorbid condition, the most common being HIV infection, and the etiological diagnosis was made through sputum smear microscopy for AFB. Bronchoscopy findings were indicative of bronchial fistula in eight cases (13%).Keywords: Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Pneumonia; Bronchial fistula; Lymph nodes. ResumoObjetivo: Estudar os aspectos clínicos, epidemiológicos, radiológicos e endoscópicos encontrados em indivíduos com pneumonia tuberculosa. Métodos: Entre dezembro de 2005 e fevereiro de 2007, foram estudados 2.828 pacientes com tuberculose que foram consecutivamente atendidos em uma unidade de saúde pública. Desses, 59 (2,1%) tiveram envolvimento pulmonar compatível com fístula entre um linfonodo e um brônquio. Resultados: Dos 59 pacientes estudados, 43 (73%) tinham entre 20 e 50 anos de idade, 31 (53%) eram do sexo masculino, e 28 (47%) eram negros. Os sintomas mais frequentes foram tosse (100%), febre (88%), expectoração (81%) e perda de peso (40%). Comorbidades foram registradas em 35 pacientes (59%), especialmente a infecção por HIV (20%) e diabetes (15%). Na radiografia de tórax, a consolidação predominou nos lobos superiores (em 68%). A confirmação diagnóstica (presença de BAAR) foi feita principalmente por baciloscopia direta do escarro, seguida por broncoscopia (LBA e biópsia brônquica). Lesões brônquicas claramente indicativas ou sugestivas de fístula foram identificadas em três casos e cinco casos, respectivamente. Conclusões: A pneumonia tuberculosa apresenta-se como uma infecção respiratória aguda, com tosse seca seguida por febre. A radiografia de tórax mostra consolidação alveolar. Na maioria dos casos, a pneumonia tuberculosa foi acompanh...

Objective:Respiratory infections constitute a major cause of morbidity and mortality in solid organ transplant recipients. The incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis is high among such patients. On imaging, tuberculosis has various presentations. Greater understanding of those presentations could reduce the impact of the disease by facilitating early diagnosis. Therefore, we attempted to describe the HRCT patterns of pulmonary tuberculosis in lung transplant recipients. Methods:From two hospitals in southern Brazil, we collected the following data on lung transplant recipients who developed pulmonary tuberculosis: gender; age; symptoms; the lung disease that led to transplantation; HRCT pattern; distribution of findings; time from transplantation to pulmonary tuberculosis; and mortality rate. The HRCT findings were classified as miliary nodules; cavitation and centrilobular nodules with a tree-in-bud pattern; ground-glass attenuation with consolidation; mediastinal lymph node enlargement; or pleural effusion. Results:We evaluated 402 lung transplant recipients, 19 of whom developed pulmonary tuberculosis after transplantation. Among those 19 patients, the most common HRCT patterns were ground-glass attenuation with consolidation (in 42%); cavitation and centrilobular nodules with a tree-in-bud pattern (in 31.5%); and mediastinal lymph node enlargement (in 15.7%). Among the patients with cavitation and centrilobular nodules with a tree-in-bud pattern, the distribution was within the upper lobes in 66.6%. No pleural effusion was observed. Despite treatment, one-year mortality was 47.3%. Conclusions:The predominant HRCT pattern was ground-glass attenuation with consolidation, followed by cavitation and centrilobular nodules with a tree-in-bud pattern. These findings are similar to those reported for immunocompetent patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and considerably different from those reported for AIDS patients with the same disease.