Publications by authors named "Aecio Flavio Meirelles de Souza"
Objectives: To determine the prevalence of insulin resistance (IR) in non-diabetic patients with chronic hepatitis C, and to assess the association between IR, laboratory parameters and histological findings.
Subjects And Methods: Eighty-two patients had their serum analyzed for glucose, lipid profile, C-reactive protein (CRP), ferritin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), HOMA-IR, viral load and HCV genotype. Patients with HOMA-IR levels > 2.
Background: Studies assessing the efficacy of azathioprine in steroid-dependent patients with Crohn's disease are scarce. The aim of this study was to assess the long-term efficacy and safety of azathioprine, and factors associated with sustained response, in steroid-dependent patients with Crohn's disease.
Material/methods: In this prospective, observational study, adult steroid-dependent subjects with Crohn's disease receiving azathioprine therapy were assessed over a 10-year period.
Evaluation of reagent strips for ascitic fluid leukocyte determination: is it a possible alternative for spontaneous bacterial peritonitis rapid diagnosis?
Braz J Infect Dis
February 2007
In order to evaluate the accuracy of a urine reagent dipstick (Multistix 10SG) to determine ascitic fluid leukocyte count, we prospectively studied 106 cirrhotic patients from April 2003 to December 2004, in two different centers (Federal University of São Paulo - UNIFESP-EPM and Federal University of Juiz de Fora - HU-UFJF) for the rapid bedside diagnosis of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. The mean age 54 +/- 12 years, there was a predominance of males (eighty-two patients, 77%), and alcohol was the most frequent etiology (43%). Forty-four percent of patients were classified as Child B and fifty-one as Child C (51%).
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- A study was conducted on the long-term safety and effectiveness of azathioprine (AZA) for patients with Crohn's disease (CD) who are dependent on steroids, over a 7-year period.
- Out of 69 participants, 68-81% achieved steroid-free remission within the first 48 months, but the ability to taper off steroids decreased over time, indicating challenges in long-term management.
- AZA treatment was generally well-tolerated with few serious side effects, and a significant drop in white blood cell count was linked to successful steroid weaning, suggesting potential effectiveness in managing CD symptoms.
Article Synopsis
- In patients recovering from acute pancreatitis, reintroducing food can trigger abdominal pain relapse, which occurs significantly during the first two days of refeeding.
- A study of 130 patients found that nearly 25% experienced pain relapse, particularly linked to higher levels of specific enzymes and inflammation markers prior to and during the early refeeding stage.
- The recurrence of pain not only lengthened hospital stays but likely increased overall treatment costs for these patients.
Goals: A population of blood donors was screened for hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) based on the phenotype strategy in accordance with the European consensus.
Study: Nonfasting serum samples were obtained from 1,050 donors. Transferrin saturation (TS) was measured using a threshold of 45%.
Benign intracranial hypertension during corticosteroid therapy for idiopathic ulcerative colitis: another indication for cyclosporine?
J Clin Gastroenterol
October 2004
Background And Aims: Internal pancreatic fistulas (IPF) are an uncommon but well-recognized complication of chronic pancreatitis (CP) that are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Because of their low incidence, management is still controversial. The aims of this study are to report the 8-year experience with IPF management in a Brazil University-affiliated hospital and to propose a management algorithm.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The prevalence of duodenal ulcer (DU) has been considered high in patients with chronic pancreatitis; however, its pathogenesis is unclear. We hypothesized that Helicobacter pylori infection plays the major pathogenetic role.
Study: One hundred seven cases (97 men, 10 women) of chronic alcoholic pancreatitis (CAP) were prospectively investigated from 1997 to 2001.