SERONEGATIVE CELIAC DISEASE IN BRAZILIAN PATIENTS: A SERIES OF CASES.

Background: Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disease characterized by immune reaction mostly to wheat gluten. The diagnosis is based on clinical, serological and histological findings in patients ingesting gluten. Cases that the clinical profile indicates CD and the autoantibodies are negative bring so a dilemma for the professional, as the risk of missed the diagnosis or a delay at the same.

Prevalence of anemia in schools of the metropolitan region of Curitiba, Brazil.

Background: Anemia during childhood is one of the biggest public health problems worldwide, including Brazil. Insufficient or abnormal production of hemoglobin, loss of iron and excessive destruction of red blood cells are the most common causes of anemia. Among the reasons of anemia, iron deficiency accounts for 50% of anemia cases in developing countries.

Cardiovascular risk and mannose binding lectin in patients with rheumatoid arthritis from southern Brazil.

Background: Mannose binding lectin (MBL) appears to be involved in susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis (RA), in the inflammatory process and in the genesis of atherosclerotic disease.

Objective: To study the association of MBL serum levels and its genotypic variation with carotid arteries intimal thickness (IMT) in RA patients from Southern Brazil.

Methods: MBL serum levels, genotyping and IMT were investigated in 90 RA patients along with their demographic, clinical and laboratory profile.

Rheumatic Disease Autoantibodies in Patients with Autoimmune Thyroid Diseases.

Background: Patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases (ATD) such as Graves' disease (GD) and Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT) may have non-organ specific autoantibodies such as antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and rheumatoid factor (RF).

Aim: To study the prevalence of rheumatic autoantibodies in a group of ATD patients without known rheumatic diseases and to evaluate its association with the patients' epidemiological and treatment profiles. To follow positive non-organ specific autoantibody-positive ATD individuals to investigate whether they will develop a rheumatic disorder.

Anticoagulant Choices Affect the Mean Platelet Volume Measurement by Impedance.

Background: Mean platelet volume (MPV) is a parameter that evaluates the platelet size. Clinical applications of MPV are limited because of its poor standardization in routine laboratories. This study analyzed the effect of anticoagulants on MPV measurements by impedance technology.