Publications by authors named "Erika De Sousa"

Aim: Compare nutritional intake, weight gain, frequency of superimposed pre-eclampsia (SPE) and adequate use/knowledge on preventive interventions for PE, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic among pregnant women with chronic hypertension (CH) METHODS: Prospective cohort of pregnant women with CH. Inclusion between 13 and 25 weeks, with sociodemographic characterization, food frequency questionnaire and 24-hour recall (R24h). Indirect adherence test MEDTAKE was employed to investigate adequate use/understanding of calcium and aspirin.

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Background: Recurrence of immunoglobulin (Ig)A nephropathy (rIgAN) is a growing cause of kidney allograft dysfunction. This study was aimed at investigating factors associated with rIgAN and the subsequent progression to end-stage renal disease (ESRD).

Methods: Retrospective study including consecutive patients with IgA nephropathy (IgAN) who received a kidney transplant in our center between 1992 and 2016 and had a renal biopsy by clinical indication.

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Background: Spain has dramatically increased the number of controlled circulatory death donors (cDCD). The initial selection criteria for considering cDCD for kidney transplantation (KT) have been expanded progressively, with practically no limits in donor age during the last years. We aimed to analyze the early clinical outcomes using expanded (> 65 years) cDCD in comparison with standard ones.

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Introduction: Chronic exposure to conventional peritoneal dialysis (PD) solutions has been related to peritoneal function alterations in PD patients, and associated with mesothelial cell loss, submesothelial fibrosis, vasculopathy, and angiogenesis. In vitro and ex vivo analyses, as well as studies with animal models, have demonstrated that biocompatible PD solutions attenuate these morphological alterations. Our aim was to confirm the morphological benefits of biocompatible solutions in PD patients.

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The human Pegivirus (HPgV, also known as GBV-C virus or hepatitis G virus) is a lymphotropic RNA-virus phylogenetically related to the Hepatitis C virus, which infects approximately 5% of the world's human population. Recently, two novel, presumably hepatotropic, pegiviruses, designated as equine Pegivirus (EPgV) and Theiler's Disease Associated Virus (TDAV), were discovered in horses with clinical and laboratory evidence of hepatic disease. To verify the occurrence of pegiviruses infection in horses from Pará State, northern Brazil, serum samples from 114 horses located in four cities (Acará, Belém, Dom Eliseu and Ananindeua) were submitted for the molecular analysis of EPgV by nested RT-PCR.

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Background: Ultrafiltration failure (UFF) is a serious complication of long-term peritoneal dialysis (PD). Peritoneal rest (PR) has been demonstrated as a valid treatment to reverse the functional changes that occur in UFF. The effects of PR on a normally functioning human peritoneum are unknown but are expected to be neutral.

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In the present work we examine the contribution of 5-lipoxygenase- (5-LO-) derived lipid mediators to immune responses during the acute phase of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in 5-LO gene knockout (5-LO(-/-)) mice and wild-type (WT) mice. Compared with WT mice, the 5-LO(-/-) mice developed less parasitemia/tissue parasitism, less inflammatory cell infiltrates, and a lower mortality. This resistance of 5-LO(-/-) mice correlated with several differences in the immune response to infection, including reduced PGE2 synthesis; sustained capacity of splenocytes to produce high levels of interleukin (IL)-12 early in the infection; enhanced splenocyte production of IL-1β, IL-6, and IFN-γ; rapid T-cell polarization to secrete high quantities of IFN-γ and low quantities of IL-10; and greater numbers of CD8(+)CD44(high)CD62L(low) memory effector T cells at the end of the acute phase of infection.

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Background: The phenotype of renal involvement in anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) vasculitis has a major influence on survival, and histological subgrouping of diagnostic renal biopsies has been proposed to aid in the prediction of renal outcome. We aimed to validate this histological subgrouping and to investigate the additional value of ANCA serotype in the prediction of renal outcome.

Methods: Data were retrospectively collected from the time of diagnosis by systematic review of medical records from 136 patients with renal biopsies recruited to cohorts from the UK and Spain, over 15 years.

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We present a case of a 72-year-old woman referred to the breast disorder service due to abnormalities on mammography and breast ultrasound. The patient reported using different hormone therapy (HT) formulations during 25 years and had stopped taking HT for 4 years. Physical examination showed no alterations in the breasts or axilla.

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Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS) represents a rare complication in peritoneal dialysis (PD) with high mortality. It is characterised by diffuse peritoneal membrane fibrosis, which develops into encapsulation and manifests as clinical signs and symptoms of intestinal obstruction. Its incidence varies from 0.

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The oculocerebrorenal syndrome of Lowe (OCRL) is an X-linked disorder. The mutation of the gene OCRL1 localized at Xq26.1, coding for the enzyme phosphatidylinositol (4,5) bisphosphate (PIP2P) 5-phosphatase, is responsible for the phenotypic characteristics of the disease.

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Background: Pulmonary haemorrhage (PH) is a serious manifestation of systemic vasculitis with high mortality rates yet vasculitis is associated with an increased prevalence of venous thromboembolism (VTE). The concurrent presentation of severe PH and VTE poses a challenge in terms of therapeutic management.

Methods: This is a retrospective case review of the clinical manifestations and response to treatment in vasculitis patients presenting with concurrent pulmonary haemorrhage and VTE (pulmonary embolism and/or deep venous thrombosis).

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