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To study erectile function in male patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) trying to correlate it with sexual hormonal profile and disease activity.We included 35 AS patients and 104 controls. Patients and controls answered the IIEF (International Index of Erectile Dysfunction) and had dosing of total testosterone, free testosterone (FT), bioavailable testosterone (BT), SHBG (serum hormone binding globulin), albumin and LH (luteinizing hormone). AS patients had epidemiological, clinical and treatment data obtained from the charts. AS disease activity was measured simultaneously with blood collection through Bath AS Disease Activity Index, ASDAS (AS Disease Activity Score) -ESR (using erythrocyte sedimentation rate) and ASDAS-CRP (using C reactive protein).The IIEF results were worse in AS patients than controls (P = .02). Total testosterone and SHBG were higher in AS (with P = .01 and P.0001 respectively). Between the 2 groups, no differences in LH, FT, BT levels (all with P = ns) were found. In AS patients, the IIEF results did not correlate with total testosterone, SHBG, LH, FT, and BT but a negative association was found with Bath AS Disease Activity Index (P = .001) and ASDAS-CRP (P = .02).AS patients had worst sexual performance than controls that was linked to disease activity but not to male sexual hormonal profile.

Background Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) may have a different serological and clinical profile according to age of disease onset. Aim To compare clinical presentation and serological data from patients with SLE onset in childhood (cSLE) with disease onset in adulthood (aSLE) in a sample of Brazilian patients. Methods Retrospective study of 614 SLE patients from a single Rheumatology Unit from Brazil: 77 (12.5%) cSLE and 537 (87.4%) aSLE. Clinical and serological data were obtained from the charts. Comparisons of cSLE with aSLE in general and according to patient’s gender were made. Results The comparison of whole sample showed that children had more malar rash (p = 0.04), seizures (p Conclusion Children had a higher frequency of severe manifestations (glomerulonephritis and central nervous system) than adults. The difference in glomerulonephritis occurrence disappeared when only males were compared.

Endometriosis (EM) is a gynecologic disorder characterized by the presence of endometrium-like tissue outside of normal location that affects up to 10 % of all women in reproductive age. The pathogenesis of endometriosis is not completely known. The relationship between complement and EM has already been demonstrated in some studies, indicating an important role in the pathophysiology of the disease, however, researches are scarce and sometimes controversial. The objective of this review is to bring state-of-the-art knowledge on the subject and promote better understanding of the complement system role in the pathophysiology of EM. We searched in databases up to December 2020 and found 1213 articles that were screened, from which were selected 54 articles from title and abstract. We found that there is a dysfunction of the immune system on endometriosis, including the complement system. Apparently, the complement system is dysregulated in endometriosis and several proteins of the three complement pathways presented serum levels altered in women with endometriosis compared with those without the disease. The most studied protein is C3. Future investigations on the innate immune response and complement system could offer a further understanding on the inflammatory pathogenesis of EM, which will support a new therapeutic plan.

Introduction The treatment of schizophrenia aims to reduce symptoms, improve quality of life and promote recovery from debilitating effects. Nonadherence to treatment is related to several factors and may lead to persistence of symptoms and relapse. Worldwide, the rate of nonadherence to treatment in individuals with schizophrenia is around 50%. Objectives To compare the clinical profile of nonadherent and adherent patients among individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia receiving treatment at psychosocial care centers in a city in southern Brazil. Method The clinical-epidemiological profile of patients with schizophrenia was retrospectively analyzed based on medical records entered into the system between January and December 2016, evaluating data at one-year follow-up. Results 112 patients were included. The disease was more prevalent in men; mean age was 40.5 years, being lower among men. Most of the sample had a low level of education, was unemployed/retired, did not have children and resided with relatives. The highest rate of diagnosis was among young adults. Psychotic symptoms were most frequently described, and the most commonly prescribed antipsychotic was haloperidol. The nonadherence rate was 15.2%; only one patient required admission to a psychiatric hospital. Among nonadherent patients, the mean time of attendance was 6 months; there were more nonadherent women than men. The most prevalent age range of nonadherence was 41-64 years. Psychosocial and clinical data were similar across the whole sample. Conclusion A nonadherence rate of 15.2% was found among individuals receiving treatment for schizophrenia, suggesting that psychosocial care centers were effective in treating and monitoring these patients.

OBJECTIVE: Sex and ethnic background may influence the clinical and autoantibody profile in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This retrospective study aimed to compare the clinical and autoantibody profiles of male and female patients with SLE in a sample of Brazilian patients. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of 603 patients (48 males and 555 females) from a single rheumatology center. Collected clinical data included clinical findings according to the definition of 2012 Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics classification criteria, the presence of antiphospholipid antibody syndrome according to the Sydney classification criteria and autoantibody profile (anti-dsDNA, anti-Ro, anti-La, anti-Sm, anti-RNP, rheumatoid factor, anticardiolipin [aCl] IgG, aCl IgM, lupus anticoagulant, and direct antiglobulin test), and histological results of kidney biopsies. RESULTS: It was found that females had higher age at disease onset (p=0.02), more oral ulcers (p=0.001), and presented more often with alopecia (p

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IDB) may have higher levels of sexual dysfunction than the general population. We aimed to study the prevalence of sexual disorders in a sample of Brazilian male and female patients with IDB and its association with depression, epidemiological and clinical data. This was a cross sectional study of 192 individuals (40 females with IDB, 40 males with IDB and 112 healthy controls). Male patients and controls answered the IIEF-5 (International Index of Erectile Function-5) and female patients the FSFI (Female Sexual Function Index). Beck Depression Inventory-II was used to access depression. Epidemiological, clinical and treatment data was collected from medical charts. We found that male and female patients with IDB had more sexual dysfunction than controls. Age was the only factor, when considering the various demographics, depression, IDB type, and treatments, that was significantly associated with sexual dysfunction in IBD patients, and this pattern was only detected in males. Taking into account the multi-faceted nature of this disease and how IDB symptoms interfere with sexual functioning, a multidisciplinary approach may be useful to improve the quality of life of patients with IDB.

Introduction Sleep quality may be impaired in systemic scleroderma (SSc) patients and contribute to loss of life quality. Aim The aims of this study were to study the prevalence of sleep disturbance in SSc patients and its possible association with epidemiological, clinical and laboratory data, treatment used, and depression, and to verify the association of sleep disturbance and quality of life in this group of patients. Methods This is a cross-sectional study including 60 SSc patients. Epidemiological, clinical, laboratory, and treatment data were extracted from the medical records. To evaluate sleep quality, the PSQI (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) was used; to evaluate depression, the CES-D (Center for Epidemiological Scale-Depression) was used; and to evaluate quality of life, SF-12 (12-Item Short-Form Health Survey) was used. Disease severity was evaluated by the Medsger index and the degree of cutaneous involvement by the modified Rodnan index. Results The prevalence of patients with sleep disturbance was 73.3%. Sleep disturbance was associated with esophageal involvement (p = 0.03), Medsger index with higher disease severity (p = 0.01), and more depressive mood (p = 0.002). Patients with poor quality of sleep had worse quality of life by the SF-12 in mental (p = 0.001) and physical domains (p = 0.0008). No associations were found with epidemiological, serological, and treatment variables (all P's = nonsignificant). Conclusions There is a high prevalence of sleep disturbance in patients with SSc that is associated with esophageal involvement, severity of disease, depression, and worse quality of life.

The CR1 gene has been widely studied in Alzheimer's disease (AD), since its first association with the disease in 2009. Even after 11 years of this discovery, the role of this gene in AD has not yet been fully elucidated and the association of its variants was not validated in Latin American populations. We genotyped five CR1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs rs6656401, rs3849266, rs2274567, rs4844610, and rs12034383) in up to 162 AD patients and 137 controls through PCR-SSP and iPLEX MassARRAY Platform (Sequenom), and measured soluble CR1 (sCR1) levels in plasma of 40 AD patients and 39 controls with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Homozygosity for haplotype rs3849266*C_rs2274567*A (CA/CA genotype) was associated with susceptibility to AD (OR = 2.94, p = 0.018). Patients presented higher sCR1 levels in plasma than controls (p = 0.038). Furthermore, patients that carry the rs2274567*G allele (p.1208Arg) presented higher sCR1 levels than A/A (p.1208His/His) homozygotes (p = 0.036). This is the first study to validate the association of CR1 polymorphisms with late-onset Alzheimer's disease, as well as to evaluate sCR1 levels in a Latin American population. SNPs present in the regulatory and coding regions of this gene may be playing a key role in the observed association, probably by interfering in Aβ plaques clearance. Inhibition may be due to the increase in local sCR1 levels observed in patients, which may result from polymorphisms leading to larger isoforms of CR1 and/or structural alterations of the protein that makes it less functional, as well as increased vesiculation of the molecules.

OBJECTIVE Our study aimed to identify mutations in the FMR1 gene in a group of Brazilian women diagnosed with primary ovarian insufficiency (POI). METHODS This cross-sectional study included patients aged under 40 years with confirmed POI from a convenience sample of patients seen from June 2017 to December 2018 at a University Hospital in Curitiba, Brazil. Genomic DNA was extracted and analyzed using FragilEase(tm) PCR kits (PerkinElmer), a commercially available test that enables the quantification of CGG trinucleotide repeat expansions in the FMR1 gene. RESULTS A total of 52 patients with an average age of 35.8±3.97 years were included. Fifty (96.1%) had normal alleles with 18 to 43 CGG repeats. The most frequent CGG-repeat sizes were 28 and 30. Two patients (3.8%) presented mutations in the FMR1 gene. The first had alleles with 19/97 CGG repeats, was categorized as a premutation carrier for FXS, and had a son with cognitive impairment. The second had alleles with 21/45 CGG repeats and was described as belonging to the gray zone. CONCLUSIONS In our study, 3.8% of the females with POI had mutations in the FMR1 gene. The most frequent allele sizes were 28 and 30 CGG repeats.

Markers of autoimmunity, such as autoantibodies, have been found in patients with endometriosis. These include the antinuclear antibodies (ANA). We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of ANA in a sample of patients with endometriosis and its possible clinical associations. Ninety-four patients with endometriosis and 91 controls were studied for ANA and extractable nuclear antigen (ENA; anti-Ro, anti-La, anti-Sm, and anti-RNP) profiles and anti-dsDNA. Epidemiological, clinical, and staging data in endometriosis were obtained. Patients with autoimmune disorders were excluded. Patients with endometriosis had a 21.2% prevalence of positive ANA vs. 5.4% in controls (P = 0.001). The ENA profile and anti-dsDNA were negative. Patients with positive ANA were more asymptomatic (P = 0.03) and had less dysmenorrhea. No associations with disease duration, patient age, or endometriosis stage were found. We found a high prevalence of positive ANA in patients with endometriosis. The presence of this autoantibody may be linked to a milder clinical expression of the disease.

Introduction: Acne and isotretinoin, one of its treatment, have been linked to the occurrence of depression. Our aim was to study if isotretinoin is associated with depression in a sample of acne patients followed for 6 months comparing them with acne patients under other treatment modalities and control patients without acne. Methods: One hundred individuals were included: 50 controls and 50 with acne (24 using and 26 not using isotretinoin). Patients and controls answered the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the 12 Item-Short Form Health Survey for quality of life (SF-12). Acne patients repeated this evaluation in 90 and 180 days. Results: No differences were found between controls and acne patients regarding BDI results but controls performed worse in the SF-12 mental domain (p=0.004). No differences were found within the acne group between those treated and not treated with isotretinoin in the comparison of the BDI and SF-12 (mental and physical domains) in days 0. 90 and 180 (all with p>0.05). Conclusion: In this small sample isotretinoin treatment showed to be safe regarding the occurrence of depression.

Introduction Fibromyalgia (FM) symptoms worsen in a significant portion of patients with the onset of menopause. Some patients report that their symptoms begin after menopause, suggesting a relationship between these entities. Sleep disturbance is a common condition in FM and menopause, and it is associated with chronic pain. Methods/objectives Several electronic databases were searched, from the first available year to April 2018 to evaluate the publications that assessed the effects of menopause and sleep disturbance on the appearance or worsening of FM and the role of hormone therapy for these patients. Results The results are summarized in three tables. The objective sleep patterns of FM patients included high sleep latency, frequent arousals and intrusion of alpha wave sleep and NREM (non-rapid eye movement) sleep in delta sleep. Poor sleep during menopause is more frequent in late perimenopause and surgical menopause, and may be related to vasomotor symptoms or not. Hormone therapy exerted a positive effect on subjective sleep quality of symptomatic menopausal women. Studies have shown a high association between FM and early and surgical menopause. Raloxifene exerted a positive effect on pain and sleep in FM patients; however one study that analyzed the effects of transdermal estrogen therapy found no improvement in subjective and objective parameters of pain. Conclusion Further studies are needed to elucidate the nature of the association between menopause, sleep and persistent pain syndromes, such as FM, showing the role of hormone therapy in prospective placebo-controlled trials.

Background Clinical presentation of celiac disease (CD) in terms of gender have demonstrated differences between symptoms among women and men. This study evaluated the differences in the clinical presentation of CD among Brazilian men and women at the time of diagnosis. Material and Methods We investigated data on symptoms and clinical signs of 240 patients (80 [33.3%] men and 160 [66.6%] women) aged >18 years who were diagnosed with CD during 2000–2017. The overall mean age at diagnosis was 38.3 ± 13.28 years, with the mean age being 38.1 ± 14.48 years for men and 38.4 ± 12.68 years for women (p = 0.16). Details regarding other previously diagnosed autoimmune diseases were enquired with the patient. All data were collected at the time of diagnosis of CD. Results Symptoms such as anxiety/depression (OR = 7.9), lack of appetite (OR = 3.5), flatulence (OR = 1.9), malaise (OR = 2.5), nausea (OR = 3.1), and vomiting (OR = 6.5) were more frequent in females than in males. Only steatorrhea was more frequent in men (OR = 2.6). Clinical signs such as anemia (OR = 2.8), short stature (OR >20), and weight loss (OR = 2.4) were also more frequent in women. Other findings such as diarrhea, abdominal distension or pain, and anorexia did not reveal differences in terms of gender. Regarding concomitant autoimmune diseases, dermatitis herpetiformis was more frequent in men (OR = 2.6), and thyroiditis was more frequent in women (OR = 10.5). Conclusion Our study has demonstrated that men and women with CD presented differences in clinical presentation at the time of diagnosis. Women exhibited more gastrointestinal symptoms and clinical signs than men.

OBJECTIVE To study a sample of Brazilian lesbian, bisexual, and heterosexual women concerning their gynecologic history and their experience with gynecologic care. METHODS An internet-based survey for women aged 18 years or older was conducted to gather epidemiologic data on sexual habits, primary gynecologic diseases, and patient-gynecologist relationships. RESULTS The survey was answered by 1201 women, with 571 reporting being heterosexual, 272 lesbian, and 358 bisexual. The lesbian/bisexual (LB) group contained fewer Caucasian individuals, used more public health resources, and had more individuals consuming tobacco, alcohol, and recreational drugs. No significant differences were found in the number of individuals with diabetes mellitus, obesity, hypertension, and sexually transmitted diseases. Depression was more common in the LB group. Endometriosis and vaginismus were more common in bisexual women, whereas polycystic ovary syndrome was more frequent in lesbians. Questions on the patient-gynecologist relationship revealed that most LB women felt uncomfortable and dissatisfied with the treatment received. CONCLUSION The LB group had different epidemiologic characteristics from the heterosexual group. Differences in morbid antecedents were found only in endometriosis, vaginismus, and polycystic ovary syndrome. Most LB Brazilian women are dissatisfied with treatment received from gynecologists.

Overview and Aims: Identify patients with surgically confirmed endometriosis and with gastrointestinal symptomatology by assessing whether there is clinical improvement of these from the adoption of gluten-free diet (GFD). Study design: They were invited to participate in the study by the researchers through telephone calls and instant messaging applications after selection in the clinics of attending physicians. Population: Through the GSRS (Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale) questionnaire, the relationship of GFD adherence to symptomatology attenuation and benefit in the quality of life of 48 patients was analyzed. Methods: Inclusion criteria: female patients with surgical confirmation of endometriosis who agreed to participate in the study in accordance with the Informed Consent Form (ICF). Exclusion criteria: patients who already performed GFD, patients diagnosed with celiac disease, gluten allergy or non-celiac sensitivity to gluten, presence of gastrointestinal comorbidities, severe diseases or cognitive alterations that prevented the study from being performed. The patients who obtained the top 20 scores were invited to adopt GFD for one month, among those selected, only 12 proposed to participate in the diet. However, three of these presented personal complications that prevented the continuation of the same. After this period, a new questionnaire was applied to measure the impact of the diet on quality of life. Results: Nine patients finished the proposed period for the diet, with the average score obtained in the pre-diet questionnaire reducing from 57.2 to 36 in the post-diet. Conclusion: There was an improvement in gastrointestinal complaints of most patients and consequently in quality of life with GFD.

Fibromyalgia (FM) causes generalized musculoskeletal pain and sexual life may also be impaired in these patients. We aimed to study sexual performance in FM patients comparing them with healthy controls and verify if there is association of epidemiological variables, degree of musculoskeletal pain and associated diseases with sexual performance in this group of patients. This is a cross-sectional study based in an internet survey. FM and controls filled a questionnaire on epidemiological data, associated diseases, and musculoskeletal pain. Also answered the validate questionnaires Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and the Sexual Quotient-Females (SQ-F) to evaluate the sexual performance. The survey was answered for 1584 individuals: 726 FM patients and 858 paired controls. Sexual performance evaluated by FSFI and by SQ-F was worse in the FM group than controls in all studied domains (all with p

This study investigated the prevalence of upper gastrointestinal symptoms in Brazilian patients at the time of diagnosis with celiac disease (CD), associating them with endoscopic and histopathological findings. A retrospective study was performed including adult patients diagnosed with CD from January 2013 to December 2019.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a chronic rheumatic disease which may persist into adulthood. Pain and joint deformities affect quality of life (QoL). The objective was to study the influence of JIA in QoL of children and adults, comparing the two groups. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of 47 JIA patients (20 children and 27 adults) using the following questionnaires: Juvenile Arthritis Multidimensional Assessment Report (JAMAR), Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) in adults and Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire CHAQ) in children. Epidemiological, clinical and treatment data was collected. RESULTS: No differences were found in gender, arthritis subset, presence of uveitis and fever, visual analog scale for pain and duration of morning stiffness. Adult patients required more biologics in the treatment (p=0.02) and had higher age at disease onset than children (p=0.001). About 45% of children and 51.8% of adults complained having pain and 40% of children and 48% of adults were not satisfied with the current status of their disease. CONCLUSION: Children and adult patients with JIA had similar degree of pain, morning stiffness and functional impairment. Functional impairment was considered mild but the level of pain found was higher than in other studies. Almost half of patients were not satisfied with the treatment.

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Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been linked to occurrence of autoimmune diseases in adults, including psoriasis.To study the prevalence of ACEs in psoriasis patients, comparing them with a sample from the general population.Three hundred and eighteen individuals were included (104 psoriasis patients and 214 controls). Patients and controls answered questions on an ACE study questionnaire about experiences of childhood abuse, negligence, domestic violence, and household dysfunction. Questionnaire scores range from zero (best result) to 8 (worst scenario). Psoriasis patients' charts were reviewed for epidemiological, clinical, and treatment data. A Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) was calculated from measurements taken when the questionnaire was administered.Psoriasis patients reported a median of 4 ACEs (interquartile range [IQR] = 3-5) while controls had a median of 3 (IQR = 2-4) with p0.0001. The number of ACEs was not associated with PASI, age of disease onset, or presence of associated arthritis (all p0.5). Female psoriasis patients had more ACEs than males (p = 0.04).Patients with psoriasis have more ACEs than controls and ACEs were more common in female patients.

Dry eyes are common in the general population. Some studies associate high prevalence of dry eyes with lipid metabolic changes and body fat composition. To study the association of dry eye with percentage of body fat. One hundred and thirty five individuals (44 males and 91 females; median age of 42 years) were studied in a cross-sectional prospective study. Schirmer test and TBUT (tear breakup time) test were used to access dry eye. Body composition (percentage of lean and fat mass) were calculated using anthropometric measurements that included height, weight, abdominal, waist and neck circumference. About 44.4% of the sample had abnormal Schirmer test, and 70.3% had abnormal TBUT. Schirmer tests values were associated with age (p = 0.0006) female gender (p = 0.04) and percentage of body fat (p = 0.02). Abnormal TBUT test associated only with age (p = 0.0005). Percentage of body fat is associated with abnormal Schirmer but not TBUT test.

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. OBJECTIVE: To show the importance of correct diagnosis of cases with seronegative celiac disease (SNCD). METHODS: Ten cases of SNCD Brazilian patients were retrospectively studied (2013 to 2019). Data of clinical complaints, autoantibodies, IgA serum levels, histological findings and HLA-DQ2/DQ-8 were compiled. Dual-X densitometry, delay at diagnosis, previous autoimmune diseases and family history of CD were also checked. RESULTS: All SNCD patients presented clinical symptoms of CD, with confirmed diagnosis by histological findings of the duodenal mucosa and HLA-DQ2 and/or HLA-DQ8 positivity. All patients had normal IgA levels and negative autoantibodies (IgA-anti-transglutaminase and anti-endomysial). Dual-X densitometry detected osteopenia in two women and osteoporosis in two males, all with low levels of vitamin D. Delay diagnostic ranged from 1 to 19 years. Familiar occurrence of CD was reported in 40% of the cases. After one year of gluten-free diet, eight patients refer improve of symptoms, while duodenal biopsies, done in five cases, showed histological improvement. CONCLUSION: Patients who demonstrate the clinical profile of celiac disease with negative serology and normal levels of IgA, especially those who have family members with celiac disease, should be submitted to duodenal biopsies to look for histological findings. RESUMO CONTEXTO: A doença celíaca (DC) é uma doença autoimune caracterizada por reação imune principalmente ao glúten do trigo. O diagnóstico é baseado em achados clínicos, sorológicos e histológicos em pacientes que ingerem glúten. Casos em que o perfil clínico indica DC e os autoanticorpos são negativos trazem um dilema para o profissional, como o risco de não realizar ou atrasar o diagnóstico da DC. OBJETIVO: Mostrar a importância do diagnóstico correto de casos com doença celíaca soronegativa (DCSN). MÉTODOS: Dez casos de pacientes brasileiros com DCSN foram estudados retrospectivamente (2013 a 2019). Foram compilados dados de queixas clínicas, autoanticorpos, níveis séricos de IgA, achados histológicos e HLA-DQ2 / DQ-8. Densitometria, atraso no diagnóstico, doenças autoimunes prévias e histórico familiar de DC também foram verificados. RESULTADOS: Todos os pacientes com DCSN apresentaram sintomas clínicos de DC, com diagnóstico confirmado por achados histológicos da mucosa duodenal e positividade para HLA-DQ2 e/ou HLA-DQ8. Todos os pacientes apresentavam níveis normais de IgA e autoanticorpos negativos (IgA-anti-transglutaminase e anti-endomisial). A densitometria detectou osteopenia em duas mulheres e osteoporose em dois homens, todos com baixos níveis de vitamina D. O atraso no diagnóstico variou de 1 a 19 anos. A ocorrência familiar de DC foi relatada em 40% dos casos. Após 1 ano de dieta isenta em glúten, oito pacientes referem melhora dos sintomas, enquanto as biópsias duodenais, realizadas em cinco casos, mostraram melhora histológica. CONCLUSÃO: Pacientes que apresentam quadro clínico de doença celíaca com sorologia negativa e níveis normais de IgA, principalmente aqueles que possuem familiares com doença celíaca, devem ser submetidos à biópsia duodenal para pesquisa de achados histológicos.

Objectives: Transgender individuals submitted to hormone or surgical treatment may have alterations in their bone metabolism as these elements are important players in bone remodeling. We aimed to study bone mineral density (BMD) and body composition in transwomen undergoing cross-sex hormonal treatment (CSHT) from Brazil for over 3 years, comparing them with female and male controls. Methods: 93 individuals (31 transwomen, 31 females and 31 males paired for age and body mass index) were studied for bone mass, and body composition by densitometry (by DXA). Epidemiological and clinical data were collected through direct questioning. Results: Low bone mass (T score ≤2) was found in 12.9% of transwomen; in 3.2% of females and 3.3% of males. Transwomen individuals had lower spine Z score (0.26 ± 1.42 vs 0.50 ± 1.19) and femur Z score (−0.41 ± 0.95 vs 0.29 ± 1.04) than females. They had lower total femur Z score than males (−0.41 ± 0.95 vs 0.20 ± 0.83). Lean mass values correlated positively with total femur BMD (ρ = 0.40; 95% confidence interval = 0.009–0.68; p = 0.04) and BMD in femoral neck (ρ = 0.48; 95% confidence interval = 0.11–0.74; p = 0.01) but neither the type of therapy received nor the time that they were used, impacted bone mass. Conclusion: Low BMD is found frequently in transwomen and it is correlated with lean body mass. Advances in knowledge: There are few studies of the effects of hormone therapy on the bones and muscles of transwomen. This study demonstrated that significant changes occur, and that the population studied needs greater care in musculoskeletal health.

Presence of the anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibody is considered a hallmark of rheumatoid arthritis, and may be found in patients with other rheumatic diseases, including psoriatic arthritis (PsA). The aim of the present study was to determine whether the anti-CCP antibody was present in patients with psoriasis with and without arthritis. and to determine whether its presence was associated with clinical, serological and treatment data in patients with PsA. The present study was a cross-sectional study, which included 91 patients with psoriasis (41 with arthritis and 48 without arthritis) as well as an age and sex matched control group consisting of 100 healthy individuals. Presence of the anti-CCP antibody was determined using commercially available ELISA kits. Data on clinical, serological and treatment characteristics was obtained from reviewing each patient's medical history. The quality of life and articular inflammatory activity were assessed using the Short Form Health Survey-12 questionnaire. Skin disease was evaluated using the Psoriasis Area Severity Index and body surface area. In the control group, 1% of individuals were positive for the anti-CCP antibody, whereas 17.5% of the psoriasis patients were positive (P0.05). In conclusion, 17.5% of patients with psoriasis and 20.9% of patients with PsA were positive for anti-CCP antibodies. Polyarticular arthritis was more common in the anti-CCP positive patients compared with the anti-CCP negative patients.

Sepsis is currently the leading cause of death in burned patients. There are few studies on sepsis in burned patients at intensive care unit (ICU). To determine demographic profile, clinical presentation, evolution, procedures, and treatments used for burned patients affected by sepsis. Retrospective study in medical records of severe burned adult patients who developed sepsis between November 2015 and May 2018 in a university hospital in Curitiba, Brazil. Patients’ details about hospitalization and sepsis were collected. Were included 44 patients, 75% men, and mean age of 42.1±16.88 years. The median TBSA was 50% that was significantly associated with mortality (P = .013). Outcome of death was observed in 50% of the patients. The median duration of hospitalization was 35 days, and in the ICU was 21.5 days. Orotracheal intubation and tracheostomy were the most prevalent aggravating procedures conducted during the hospitalization (77.2% and 56.8%, respectively). The median time to the first sepsis episode was 7 days, and the average total time in sepsis was 13.2 days. The median length of hospital stay among patients with septic shock who died was significantly lower than that of patients who did not die (P = .031). Blood culture was positive in 79.5% of cases, with the majority being typical ICU bacteria. Sepsis occurs more frequently in patients with higher TBSA and long hospitalization time accompanied by aggravating procedures and complications. Infections were caused by typical ICU bacteria, resulting in 50% patient mortality primarily due to septic shock.

BACKGROUND: Celiac disease (CD) is a chronic enteropathy in response to ingestion of gluten. CD was associated with gynecological disorders. OBJECTIVE: In this retrospective study, we aimed to investigate the age of menarche, age of menopause, number of pregnancies and abortions in Brazilian celiac patients. METHODS: We studied 214 women diagnosed with CD and as control group 286 women were investigated. RESULTS: Regarding the mean age of menarche, a significant difference was found (12.6±1.40 in CD and 12.8±1.22 years in healthy group; P=0.04). Regarding abortions, in CD women 38/214 (17.8%) and 28/286 (9.8%) in the control group reported abortion (P=0.0092, OR:1.98; CI95%=1.1- 3.3). There was no significant difference in the mean age of menopause nor number of pregnancies per woman. CONCLUSION: In this study, we found that celiac women had a higher mean age of menarche and higher risk of spontaneous abortions. RESUMO CONTEXTO: A doença celíaca é uma enteropatia crônica em resposta à ingestão de glúten e já foi associada a distúrbios ginecológicos. OBJETIVO: Neste estudo retrospectivo, visamos investigar a idade da menarca, idade da menopausa, número de gestações e abortos em pacientes celíacas brasileiras. MÉTODOS: Foram estudadas 214 mulheres com diagnóstico de doença celíaca e no grupo controle, 286 mulheres foram investigadas. RESULTADOS: Em relação à média de idade da menarca foi encontrada diferença significativa (12,6±1,40 na doença celíaca e 12,8±1,22 anos no grupo controle; P=0,04). Em relação aos abortos, nas mulheres com doença celíaca 38/214 (17,8%) relataram ter tido pelo menos um abortamento espontâneo, enquanto que 28/286 (9,8%) no grupo controle relataram aborto (P=0,0092, OR: 1,98; IC95% = 1,1-3,3). Não houve diferença significativa na idade média da menopausa nem no número de gestações por mulher. CONCLUSÃO: Neste estudo, constatamos que as mulheres celíacas apresentaram maior idade média de menarca e maior risco de abortos espontâneos.

Enhanced health care for patients with Down syndrome (DS) results in improved overall quality of life and longer life expectancy. The main gynecologic complaints of patients with DS and their caregivers relate to menstrual cycles, hygiene and reproductive issues. Certain aspects, such as age of menarche, menstrual cycles, internal genitalia, and hormone profile are similar to those observed in the general population. However, individuals with DS may have a higher incidence of other disorders related to menstruation, such as hypothyroidism, epilepsy and use of anticonvulsants. Contraceptive measures for individuals with DS can be used for both contraception and control of menstrual symptoms. The physician must be to make an individualized recommendation aimed at offering the most efficient and least invasive method with the fewest side effects. Among medical options are oral contraceptives, quarterly injectable medroxyprogesterone acetate, oral progesterone, a levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system, transdermal patch and vaginal rings. Surgical methods, including hysterectomy, endometrial ablation, or tubal ligation, are rarely considered because they raise ethical and legal questions. This article reviews the literature and basic guidelines to assist physicians who attend adolescent girls and women with DS to provide guidance on the appropriate management of the main gynecologic complaints of this population.

Low back pain (LBP) is a common problem in the general population. Medical students may be at risk of LBP because of demanding curricula. To study the prevalence of LBP in Brazilian medical students and the associated factors. Six hundred twenty-nine medical students (72.8% females, mean age of 23 years old) answered a questionnaire containing epidemiological data; data on presence and frequency of LBP, use of painkillers, and LBP interference in daily activities; number of sitting and exercising hours/day, posture habits. They also filled a VAS (or visual analogic scale) on the own perception of anxiety, depression, fatigue, and the Roland Morris functional questionnaire for LBP. In this sample, 81.7% had periods of recurrent LBP that was more common in females (77.6% vs 51.3%; p

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, MBL2 genotyping and IMT were investigated in 90 RA patients along with their demographic, clinical and laboratory profile. MBL levels and MBL2 genotyping were evaluated in 90 healthy controls. Results: A significant lower MBL serum concentration was observed in patients with RA in relation to controls (528 ng/mL vs 937.5 ng/mL, p = 0.05, respectively). The median IMT in RA patients was 0.59 mm (0.51 to 0.85 mm). There was no correlation between levels of MBL with disease activity, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, autoantibodies presence or IMT (p = NS). A weak and negative correlation was found between MBL and CRP levels (Rho = −0.24; p = 0.02;). The MBL2 variant at codon 54 (variant B) and HYPA haplotype were the most frequently observed in the RA sample (67.5% and 31.7%). MBL2 wild type (A/A) were associated with lower IMT when compared with heterozygotes (A/O; p = 0.04) and low producers (O/O; p = 0.05). In addition, high producers genotypes had lower levels of CRP when compared with medium (p = 0.04) or with low producers (p = 0.05). Conclusion: RA patients had lower MBL levels than controls. MBL were negatively associated with CRP serum levels; low MBL genotypes producers increased thickness of the IMT than high producers. Keywords: Mannose binding lectin, Rheumatoid arthritis, Atherosclerosis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic disease that affects mainly small joints from hands and feet. The aims of this study were to analyze the prevalence of foot involvement in a sample of Brazilian RA patients and to explore the influence of disease variables such as inflammatory activity, serological, and epidemiological profile in this type of involvement. One hundred RA patients and 100 healthy controls paired for gender, age, and body mass index answered the FFI-BR (Foot Functional Index-Brazilian version) that evaluates foot function. RA patients had epidemiological and clinical data collection upon direct questioning and chart review. C-reactive protein (CRP), ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate), and DAS28-ESR were used to measure disease activity. In the RA sample, 98% had foot pain versus 76% in the controls (p

Summary To study the prevalence of anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) in breast cancer patients and its association with tumour characteristics. Ninety-one patients with breast mass detected by image studies and assigned to conduct diagnostic biopsy and eventual surgical treatment were studied for demographical, tumour data and presence of ANA. Serum of positive ANA patients was screened for the extractable nuclear antigen (ENA) profile. As comparison, 91 healthy individuals matched for age and from the same geographical area were included. In this sample 72 of 91 (79·1%) had malignant lesions (83% ductal infiltrative carcinoma). ANA was positive in 44·4% of patients with malignant tumour and in 15·7% of those with benign lesions (malignant versus benign with P = 0·03). Controls had ANA positivity in 5·4%, and when compared with tumour samples showed P

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) has an important role in the body composition of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Crohn’s disease (CD), and spondyloarthritis (SpA). We aimed to assess the nutritional profile of patients with RA, CD, and SpA undergoing remission with multiple therapies comparing to controls and to analyze the effect of anti-TNFα medications in the nutritional parameters of these patients. One hundred thirty-one patients were included: 44 with RA, 43 with CD, and 44 with SpA. Patients receiving anti-TNFα were compared with those receiving non-biological treatment as well as to controls. Nutritional profile included body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), mid-upper arm circumference, and triceps skinfold measurement. Overweight and obesity were highly prevalent on three assessed groups. In patients with RA, BMI was > 25 kg/m2 in 74.9% patients and 49.2% controls (p

Aim: To study if cumulative glucocorticoid use could be related to cognitive impairment in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.Methods: A sample of 60 RA patients and 64 controls were studie...

INTRODUCTION Syphilis is a transfusion-transmitted infection and the disease re-emerged in many countries, including Brazil, as a public health risk. OBJECTIVE Evaluate the prevalence of positive serology in blood donations rejected by Hemobanco (Curitiba- PR) from January 2015 to December 2020, with special focus in syphilis. METHODOLOGY In the studied period, we analyzed the number of blood donations discarded annually for each serological test performed on blood donors' samples, according to gender and donors age. RESULTS Within the studied period, 134,741 blood donation were analyzed. 54.5 % of sample were male. Otherwise, it was observed a significant increase in the number of donations by females (P < 0.0001). There was an increase of 437 % in the prevalence of syphilis positive serology made by donors with ≥ 60 years. Besides that, it was noticed a significant increase in donations by aged people throughout these six years (P < 0.0001). The percentage of total blood donation deferred had a significant reduction, although it was observed an increase in the rate of discarded blood bags due to positive serology in the first 4 studied years. It was observed an increase of 20 % in positive syphilis serology. CONCLUSION The greatest cause of discard of blood donations changed during the analyzed 5-years; there was an increase in seropositivity donations from donors with ≥ 60 years old. In 2015, Hepatitis B (0.8 %) was the most prevalent and in 2020, syphilis became more prevalent (0.82 %). The medical community should be aware of the rising number of cases of syphilis infection. There is an urgent need to implement actions against the dissemination of this disease.

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. Methods: A sample of 154 ATD patients (70 HT and 84 GD; mean age 45.3 ± 14.2) had determination of ANA by immunofluorescence, using hep-2 cells as substrate, extractable nuclear antigen profile by ELISA kits and RF by latex agglutination. Epidemiological and treatment profiles were obtained through chart review. These patients were followed for the mean period of 5 years, between 2010 and 2015. Results: Positive ANA was found in 17.5% (27/154) of the patients: anti-Ro/SS-A in 4/154 (2.5%); anti-RNP in 4/154 (2.5%), and anti-La/SS-B in 3/154 (1.9%). None had anti-Sm antibodies. RF was detected in 12/154 (7.7%) of ATD patients and was more common in older individuals (p = 0.007). There was a positive association between the presence of RF and ANA (p = 0.03; OR 3.89; 95% CI 1.1–13.3). None of the patients with positive autoantibodies developed clinical rheumatic diseases during the period of observation. Conclusion: We found rheumatic autoantibodies in 17.5% of ATD patients without rheumatic diseases. None of them were associated with the appearance of clinical rheumatic disorder during the period of 5 years.

Objective: to study the relationship between microvascular lesions of Diabetes Mellitus and alterations in the nailfold capillaroscopy. Subjects and Methods: cross-sectional study including 140 individuals (70 with Diabetes Mellitus and 70 controls). Epidemiological and clinical variables were collected from patient’s charts. Fundus ophthalmoscopy, nailfold capillaroscopy, analysis of microalbuminuria and renal clearance as well as fasting glycaemia and HbA1c values were studied simultaneously.Results: capillary density was reduced, and vascular dilatation was increased in Diabetes Mellitus patients when compared to controls (both with p

BACKGROUND: Thyroid autoimmunity is more common in patients with rheumatic diseases than in healthy populations. The degree of association seems subject to influence from patients’ geographical location. Here, we aimed to ascertain the prevalence of thyroid autoantibodies in a cohort of patients with systemic rheumatic disease and the degree of association between its presence and inflammatory activity. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional observational study in a rheumatology unit. METHODS: 301 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 210 with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 58 with scleroderma (SSc) and 80 with spondyloarthritis (SpA) were studied regarding thyroid function (TSH and T4), anti-thyroglobulin (TgAb) and anti-thyroperoxidase (TPOab) and compared with 141 healthy controls. Disease activity in patients with rheumatic disease was assessed through appropriate indexes. RESULTS: There were more antithyroid antibodies in SLE patients with hypothyroidism (P = 0.01; odds ratio, OR 2.7; 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.20-6.26) and in those without hypothyroidism (P = 0.06; OR 2.4; 95% CI: 1.28-4.55) than in controls. SSc patients also showed: P = 0.03 both with antithyroid antibodies and hypothyroidism (OR 3.4; 95% CI: 1.06-10.80) and without hypothyroidism (OR 3.1; 95% CI: 1.11-0.13). RA and SpA patients had the same prevalence as controls (P not significant). Presence of autoantibodies with and without hypothyroidism was not associated with the activity or functional indexes evaluated. CONCLUSION: SLE and SSc were associated with higher prevalence of thyroid autoantibodies in patients with and without hypothyroidism, unlike SpA and RA. There was no link between thyroid autoantibody presence and disease activity or functional impairment.

Autoimmune thyroid disease (ATD) patients may have a higher prevalence of anti-parietal cell antibodies (APCA) than normal population. To study the prevalence of APCA in a cohort of ATD patients to know its association with patient’s clinical profile and gastrointestinal complaints. APCA was sought for by indirect immunofluorescence test in 243 ATD patients: 136 (55.9%) with Graves’ disease and 107 (44.0%) with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. A structured questionnaire for gastrointestinal symptoms, previous history of thrombosis, arthralgia and other autoimmune diseases in the patients and their families was applied. Positive and negative APCA individuals were compared. Positive patients were invited to perform upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and biopsy of duodenum segments. Sera from 100 healthy individuals from the same geographic area were used as controls. APCA was present in 20.1% (49/243) of ATD patients: 21.3% (29/136) in the Graves’ sample and 18.6% (20/107) in the Hashimoto’s sample (p = 0.61). Patients with positive APCA had more anemia (p = 0.03; OR = 2.89; 95% CI = 1.03–8.07) and less heartburn (p = 0.01; OR = 0.4; 95% CI = 0.20–0.83). Among the group of 49 APCA-positive patients, 24 agreed with upper endoscopy and it was found that 54.1% had atrophic gastritis. There is a high prevalence of positive APCA in ATD patients. APCA are more common in those with anemia and less common in those with complaints of heartburn. Almost half of positive APCA patients had atrophic gastritis.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients may have higher prevalence of mannose-binding lectin (MBL) deficiency than normal individuals. MBL deficiency may influence susceptibility to infections. The aim of the study was to verify if MBL deficiency in patients with AS predisposes to infections. We studied 60 patients with AS diagnosed according to the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society (ASAS) criteria. These patients had their MBL serum levels determinated. Twenty-five individuals were identified as MBL deficient (serum values 100 ng/mL). These patients were paired with 35 "sufficient" MBL producers (median serum level = 700 ng/mL; range 150-4100 ng/mL) for gender, age, use of medications, and tobacco exposure. Medical records of all patients were retrospectively investigated for the period of 5 years and the rate of infection occurrence was compared in the two groups. AS patients with MBL deficiency had higher number of urinary tract infections (p = 0.03; IRR = 2.33; 95% CI = 0.95-6.04) and tuberculosis (p = 0.008; IRR = 9.8; 95% CI = 1.2-441.6) than controls. Regarding tuberculosis infection, one patient (2.8%) in the MBL-sufficient group and six (24.0%) from the deficient group had this infection. The MBL-sufficient patient and five from the deficient group have had latent infections, detected in the screening tests done previous to anti-TNF drug use. The other, in the deficient group, had lung infection while not on anti-TNF treatment. Another patient, from the deficient group, has had tuberculosis skeletal infection in the past. We found a significant association between MBL deficiency and higher risk of tuberculosis and urinary tract infection in patients with AS. More studies with higher number of patients are needed to confirm this finding.

The complement system contributes to the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) is a key molecule of the lectin pathway of complement and seems to be related to the clinical manifestations of this disease. We evaluated the serum levels of MBL and its relationship with disease onset and clinical findings in SLE patients. Serum samples were analysed in 195 patients and 145 healthy controls from southern Brazil. Patients with high MBL levels (above 2000 ng/ml) showed a significant increase in the frequency of thrombocytopaenia ( p = 0.007; OR = 2.71; 95% CI = 1.32–5.55); and seizures ( p = 0.034; OR = 2.61; 95% CI = 1.07–6.37). A positive correlation between disease activity and MBL levels (>2000 ng/ml; p = 0.031, rho = 0.279) as well as of MBL concentration with accumulated organ damage ( p = 0.021; rho = 0.232) was observed. Our results suggest a role for MBL in the development of clinical manifestations such as thrombocytopaenia and seizures in SLE patients. These findings corroborate the participation of the lectin pathway of complement in the pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying clinical manifestations of SLE.

The objective of the study is to study the positivity of Coombs test or direct antiglobulin test (DAT) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and its relationship with disease's clinical and serological profile. Retrospective study of 373 SLE patients seen at single Rheumatology Unit. Epidemiological data (age, gender, age at disease onset, auto declared ethnic background and tobacco use), clinical (malar rash, photosensitivity, oral ulcers, discoid lesions, serositis, glomerulonephritis, convulsions, psychosis, hemolytic anemia, leukopenia, lymphocytopenia and arthritis), and serological profile (anti ds DNA, anti Ro/SS-A; anti La/SS-B, Anti RNP, Anti Sm, aCl (anticardiolipin) IgG, aCl Ig M, LA or lupus anticoagulant, rheumatoid factor and direct Coombs) were collected. Patients with a positive DAT were compared with the negatives. DAT was positive in 12.8% of patients and 54.3% of them had hemolytic anemia. In univariate analysis, a positive DAT was associated with hemolytic anemia (p

ResumoObjetivosAvaliar a frequência de quatro marcadores sorológicos em pacientes com AR e seus familiares e identificar possíveis associações com achados clínicos da doença.MétodosEstudo analítico transversal. Determinaram‐se os níveis de anticorpos antipeptídeo citrulinado cíclico (anti‐CCP), anticorpos antivimentina citrulinada‐mutada (anti‐MCV) e fator reumatoide (FR) IgA por Elisa e de FR‐IgM por aglutinação em látex em 210 pacientes com AR, 198 familiares e 92 controles saudáveis do sul do Brasil. Coletaram‐se dados clínicos e demográficos por meio da revisão de prontuários e questionários.ResultadosObservou‐se maior positividade para todos os anticorpos em pacientes com AR em comparação com os familiares e controles (p

Objective To evaluate the epidemiological profile of patients seen at a dementia outpatient clinic. Methods A retrospective study conducted by medical record review searching data on sex, race, age, schooling level, and diagnosis of patients seen from 2008 to 2015. Results A total of 760 patients were studied, with a predominance of female (61.3%; p

OBJECTIVES To study the main causes of pre-donation blood donors' deferral in a Brazilian blood bank. BACKGROUND Blood donor selection is the most important process to maintain transfusion safeness. Pre-donation deferral aims to avoid the transmission of infectious diseases in the serological window, as well as to preserve blood donors' health. METHODS This was a retrospective study undertaken in a single blood centre in Curitiba, Brazil, taking into account the number of blood donations per year, the number of annual donations by gender and the total number of blood donors deferred annually prior to blood donation from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2016. RESULTS Pre-donation blood donors' deferral ranged from 12·1 to 15·7% of donors. The main reason was related to donors' health (22·5-51·4%) followed by behavioural risk (17·6-29%). Issues related to blood donors' health diminished, and those related to behavioural risk increased with time. Blood donors deferred because of anaemia diminished with time and were more common in women than men (P