Prognostic Impact of Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Ischemic Stroke.

: Studies suggest that the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) may be a prognostic marker for different diseases with inflammatory components. This study aimed to quantify the NLR in individuals affected by different subtypes and severities of ischemic stroke and associated it with risk factors and treatment, and compared the results with data from healthy individuals. : Clinical and laboratory data from medical records of patients over 18 years of age, victims of ischemic stroke, were collected.

NEUROENDOCRINE TUMOR IN A CHILD WITH COMMON VARIABLE IMMUNODEFICIENCY.

Objective: To report a case of a child with primary immunodeficiency who at eight years developed digestive symptoms, culminating with the diagnosis of a neuroendocrine tumor at ten years of age.

Case Description: One-year-old boy began to present recurrent pneumonias in different pulmonary lobes. At four years of age, an immunological investigation showed a decrease in IgG and IgA serum levels.

Multiphasic disseminated encephalomyelitis associated with herpes virus infection in a patient with TLR3 deficiency.

We report a case of a 14-year-old girl that presented headache, amaurosis, drowsiness, fever, vomiting and diffuse reduction of muscle strength. She had been diagnosed with ADEM one year before and had a previous diagnosis of Toll-Like 3 receptor deficiency. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis revealed pleocytosis (28/mm, 12/mm red blood cells, 70% lymphocytes cells, 2% monocytes cells, 28% neutrophils), normal total protein (38 pg/mL) and normal glucose level (53/mm).

A Novel Mutation in the CD40 Ligand Gene in a Patient With a Mild X-Linked Hyper-IgM Phenotype Initially Diagnosed as CVID: New Aspects of Old Diseases.

Mutations in the CD40 ligand (CD40L) gene () lead to X-linked hyper-IgM syndrome (X-HIGM), which is a primary immunodeficiency (PID) characterized by decreased serum levels of IgG and IgA and normal or elevated IgM levels. Although most X-HIGM patients become symptomatic during the first or second year of life, during which they exhibit recurrent infections, some patients exhibit mild phenotypes, which are usually associated with hypomorphic mutations that do not abrogate protein expression or function. Here, we describe a 28-year-old man who initially presented with recurrent infections since the age of 7 years, when he exhibited meningitis caused by .

[Laboratorial alteration preceding staphylococcal infection clinical manifestations after intestinal transplantation].

Background: Hospital-acquired infection, often with Staphylococcus aureus, is an important complication in intestinal transplant.

Clinical Case: A 2-year-old girl underwent small bowel transplantation owing to a small bowel volvulus. On the first postoperative day, lymphocyte phenotypes, serum immunoglobulins and chemotactic and phagocytic activity of neutrophils were assessed in peripheral blood.

TESTS TO ASSESS SENSITIZATION TO ASPERGILLUS FUMIGATUS IN CYSTIC FIBROSIS.

Objective: To evaluate the results of the tests used to identify the IgE mediated sensitization to Aspergillus fumigatus in patients with cystic fibrosis.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study with a convenience sample of 86 patients diagnosed with cystic fibrosis in the Reference Service in Cystic Fibrosis at a tertiary teaching hospital. The following tests were performed to assess the sensitization to A.

Reduction in the presence of cryoglobulins over time in the hemodialysis treatment.

Background: The presence of cryoglobulins in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) on hemodialysis is well described. However, the generation of cryoglobulins during the dialysis treatment has yet to be established. The aim of the present study was to determine the presence of serum cryoglobulins over time in the dialysis treatment in patients with CKD not infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV).

II Brazilian Consensus on the use of human immunoglobulin in patients with primary immunodeficiencies.

In the last few years, new primary immunodeficiencies and genetic defects have been described. Recently, immunoglobulin products with improved compositions and for subcutaneous use have become available in Brazil. In order to guide physicians on the use of human immunoglobulin to treat primary immunodeficiencies, based on a narrative literature review and their professional experience, the members of the Primary Immunodeficiency Group of the Brazilian Society of Allergy and Immunology prepared an updated document of the 1st Brazilian Consensus, published in 2010.

The value of antibody-coated bacteria in tracheal aspirates for the diagnosis of ventilator-associated pneumonia: a case-control study.

Objective: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is the leading type of hospital-acquired infection in ICU patients. The diagnosis of VAP is challenging, mostly due to limitations of the diagnostic methods available. The aim of this study was to determine whether antibody-coated bacteria (ACB) evaluation can improve the specificity of endotracheal aspirate (EA) culture in VAP diagnosis.

Comparative Efficiency and Impact on the Activity of Blood Neutrophils Isolated by Percoll, Ficoll and Spontaneous Sedimentation Methods.

Studies on the role of cells in physiological and pathological processes generally require isolation of some populations, such as neutrophils. In the literature, several methods used for isolating neutrophils are described; however, there is no consensus on the best technique to be used in cell functional studies. The present study compares the efficiency and impact on the chemotactic and phagocytic activity of neutrophils isolated from blood by three different methods: Percoll and Ficoll density centrifugation gradients and spontaneous sedimentation technique.

Functional activity of neutrophilic polymorphonuclear leukocytes in the first five days postpartum.

Purpose: To assess the chemotactic activity and phagocytic response of neutrophilic polymorphonuclear leukocytes among women in the first five days postpartum.

Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional clinical-laboratory study was conducted. Data of 31 postpartum women during the first five days after vaginal delivery were compared with those of 24 healthy non-pregnant non-postpartum women matched for age.

Clinical and Genotypic Spectrum of Chronic Granulomatous Disease in 71 Latin American Patients: First Report from the LASID Registry.

Aim: We analyzed data from 71 patients with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) with a confirmed genetic diagnosis, registered in the online Latin American Society of Primary Immunodeficiencies (LASID) database.

Results: Latin American CGD patients presented with recurrent and severe infections caused by several organisms. The mean age at disease onset was 23.

Chemotactic and Phagocytic Activity of Blood Neutrophils in Allergic Asthma.

Allergic asthma is a chronic inflammatory airway disease, and has been considered a T helper-2-biased response. Studies suggest that neutrophils may be associated with exacerbation and asthma severity. We sought to evaluate the chemotactic activity and phagocytic capacity by peripheral blood neutrophils from individuals with controlled and uncontrolled allergic asthma, and compare the results with non-asthmatic controls groups.

Interleukin-10 may protect against progressing injury during the acute phase of ischemic stroke.

Unlabelled: Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease, and ischemic stroke is one of its most common and devastating manifestations. Proinflammatory cytokines play a key role in the progression of the irreversible ischemic lesions. The presence of anti-inflammatory mediators may prevent secondary ischemic injury.

Pulmonary function parameters and use of bronchodilators in patients with cystic fibrosis.

Objective: To analyze pulmonary function parameters and pharmacodynamic response to a bronchodilator, as well as the prescription of bronchodilators, in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study involving patients 6-18 years of age, diagnosed with CF, and followed at a referral center between 2008 and 2010. We evaluated only those patients who were able to perform pulmonary function tests (PFTs).

C3 and C4 complement system components as biomarkers in the intermittent atopic asthma diagnosis.

Objective: To analyze serum C3 and C4 complement system components with a view to their possible utility as biomarkers of intermittent atopic asthma.

Methods: Serum levels of the C3 and C4 complement components were assayed in 70 children aged from 3 to 14 years and with a history of "wheezy chest." After 2 years' outpatients follow-up and after application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, the children were divided into two groups: 40 children with intermittent atopic asthma and 30 children without asthma.

Cryoglobulinemia in chronic hemodialysis patients.

Background: Renal failure patients submitted to chronic hemodialysis can present with cryoglobulinemia. There are few studies on cryoglobulins in chronic hemodialysis patients. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence and to identify the components of cryoglobulins in chronic hemodialysis patients.

[Growth hormone therapy and hypersensitivity type III reaction: a contraindication for desensitization].

Allergic reactions against GH are rare, and usually represented by the hypersensitivity type I (IgE-mediated). This type of reaction can be treated by desensitization. In this case report, we present a patient showing an allergic reaction soon after starting GH therapy mediated by immune complex (hypersensitivity type III reaction).

Effect of esophagogastric devascularization with splenectomy on schistossomal portal hypertension patients' immunity.

Background: Surgical treatment of hemorrhagic complication in schistosomal portal hypertension in our hospital is an esophagogastric devascularization procedure with splenectomy. Infectious risks and immunological alterations imputed to splenectomy may have significant importance. To minimize the consequences of spleen absence, the use of subtotal splenectomy and spleen auto-transplantation were stimulated.