Health related quality of life of children with rheumatic heart diseases: reliability of the Brazilian version of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ Cardiac Module scale.

Background: This study aimed to translate the 'Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ (PedsQL™ 3.0) Cardiac Module' into Portuguese, adapt it to Brazilian culture, and assess its psychometric properties (validity and reproducibility), and to calculate health-related quality of life scores on the PedsQL 4.0 and PedsQL™ 3.

[Health-related quality of life of the children of health professionals].

In this study, we measured the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and fatigue of the children of health professionals, aged between two and eleven years, and assessed the daytime and sleep habits of these children and their parents. The study included children from a public school. Data regarding demographics and daily habits were collected.

Nailfold capillaroscopy in children and adolescents with rheumatic diseases.

Objective: To assess nailfold capillaroscopy in children and adolescents with autoimmune rheumatic diseases (juvenile idiopathic arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, juvenile dermatomyositis, scleroderma and mixed connective tissue disease) and relate it to clinical and laboratory findings and disease activity.

Methods: Cross-sectional study assessing 147 patients by use of nailfold capillaroscopy as follows: 60 with juvenile idiopathic arthritis; 30 with systemic lupus erythematosus; 30 with juvenile dermatomyositis; 20 with localized scleroderma; four with systemic sclerosis; and three with mixed connective tissue disease. Clinical and laboratory tests and nailfold capillaroscopy were performed in all patients.

Ocular changes due to the treatment of juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: To assess retrospectively the ocular changes in children and adolescents with juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus (JSLE) in a tertiary pediatric rheumatology service.

Methods: This study assessed 117 JSLE patients (85.5% female, 60.

Autoinflammatory syndromes: report on three cases.

Context: Autoinflammatory syndromes are diseases manifested by recurrent episodes of fever and inflammation in multiple organs. There is no production of autoantibodies, but interleukins play an important role and acute-phase reactants show abnormalities. Our aim was to report on three cases of autoinflammatory syndromes that are considered to be rare entities.

What is the true frequency of carditis in acute rheumatic fever? A prospective clinical and Doppler blind study of 56 children with up to 60 months of follow-up evaluation.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate prospectively clinical and echocardiographic findings of patients who had rheumatic fever with and without clinical features of cardiac involvement.

Methods: For this study, 56 consecutive patients (mean age, 11.4 years) with acute rheumatic fever diagnosed according to the 1992 modified Jones criteria were evaluated at diagnosis, after 3 and 6 months, then at 2 and 5 years.

Endothelial function analysis and atherosclerotic risk factors in adolescents with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Unlabelled: Atherosclerosis is considered an important cause of morbidity and mortality in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Endothelial dysfunction represents an important factor in the onset of atherosclerosis.

Objective: To assess endothelial function and the risk factors for atherosclerosis in adolescents with SLE.

Diagnosis of malignancies in children with musculoskeletal complaints.

Context: Musculoskeletal complaints may be associated with neoplasias as an initial manifestation of the disease. When these symptoms predominate at the onset of the disease, the differential diagnosis includes several rheumatic diseases.

Objective: To assess the frequency, clinical features and types of cancer manifested in children presenting with musculoskeletal complaints over a seven-year period.

Sydenham's chorea--clinical and evolutive characteristics.

Context: During the last 12 years we have observed an increase in the frequency of Sydenham's chorea in our country. We have observed that some of our patients have presented recurrence of the chorea despite regular treatment with benzathine penicillin.

Objective: The aim of our study was to evaluate clinical and evolutive characteristics of Sydenham's chorea in a group of patients followed in our Pediatric Rheumatology Unit.