Sickle cell/β-thalassemia: Comparison of Sβ and Sβ Brazilian patients followed at a single institution.

Objectives: In sickle cell/β-thalassemia, mutations in the corresponding β-globin genes are responsible for complex pathological events resulting in diverse clinical complications. The objective of this study was to provide an overview of the clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients with the syndrome, and of the degree of severity of clinical manifestations resulting from the β-thalassemia mutation.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed on 46 patients with sickle cell/β-thalassemia (31 Sβ° and 15 Sβ), evaluating hematological parameters and end organ damage.

Obesity and cytokines in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus.

Background: In systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), atherosclerosis is attributed to traditional and lupus related risk factors, including metabolic syndrome (MetS), obesity, and inflammation. Objective. To evaluate the association between obesity, measures of body fat content, serum tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and interleukin (IL)-6 and -10 levels in childhood-onset SLE (cSLE).