Abstract Introduction: The clinical manifestations of sickle cell disease are related to the polymerization of hemoglobin S. The chronic hemolysis caused by this condition often causes the formation of gallstones that can migrate and block the common bile duct leading to acute abdomen. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the profile of patients with sickle cell disease and cholelithiasis. Methods: Patients with sickle cell disease were separated into groups according to the presence or absence of cholelithiasis. Socioepidemiological and clinical characteristics, such as gender, age, use of hydroxyurea and the presence of other hemoglobinopathies were researched in the medical records of patients. Results: A hundred and seven patients with sickle cell anemia were treated at the institution. Of these, 27 (25.2%) had cholelithiasis. The presence of cholelithiasis was higher in the 11–29 age group than in younger than 11 years and over 29 years. No association was found for the presence of cholelithiasis with gender, use of hydroxyurea or type of hemoglobinopathy (hemoglobin SS, hemoglobin SC or sickle beta-thalassemia). Sixteen of the patients had to be submitted to cholecystectomy with 14 of the surgeries being performed by laparoscopy. Complications were observed in three patients and one patient died for reasons unrelated to the surgery. Conclusion: A quarter of patients with sickle cell disease had gallstones, more commonly in the 11- to 29-year age range. Patients should be monitored from childhood to prevent cholelithiasis with preoperative, intra-operative and postoperative care being crucial to reduce the risk of complications in these patients.

Hipertrofia e tonsilites de repetição são indicações comuns de tonsilectomia. Entretanto, os relatórios anátomo-patológicos são semelhantes, independentemente da clínica. OBJETIVO: Buscar alterações histopatológicas que diferenciem tonsilas palatinas operadas por hipertrofia de tonsilites de repetição. MÉTODO: Estudo transversal prospectivo descritivo com 46 crianças divididas em grupos I - 22 com hipertrofia e II - 24 com tonsilites de repetição, no período de 2010 a 2012, em hospital público. Avaliamos características clínicas e histopatológicas (folículos linfáticos, centros germinativos, fibrose, necrose, reticulação, infiltração por plasmócitos e neutrófilos). RESULTADOS: A idade dos pacientes variou entre 2 e 11 anos (5,17 ± 2,28). No grupo I, metade apresentou a última infecção há sete meses ou mais e todas grau de obstrução maior que 3 (≥ 50%). No grupo II, todos apresentaram a última infecção há menos de sete meses e a maioria grau de obstrução menor que 4 (≤ 75%). Houve diferença estatisticamente significativa no grau de obstrução (p = 0,0021) e número de centros germinativos (p = 0,002), maiores no grupo I. CONCLUSÃO: Este estudo sugere que o número de centros germinativos é o único critério histopatológico que pode ser utilizado para diferenciar os dois grupos.

Hypertrophy and recurrent tonsillitis are common indications of tonsillectomy. However, the pathological reports are similar, regardless of clinical aspects. OBJECTIVE: Search for histopathological changes that differentiate palatine tonsils operated because of hypertrophy vis-à-vis those operated because of recurrent tonsillitis. METHOD: A prospective cross-sectional descriptive study involving 46 children divided into group I - 22 with hypertrophy; and group II - 24 with recurrent tonsillitis, in the period between 2010 and 2012, in a public hospital. We evaluated clinical and histopathological features (lymph follicles, germinal centers, fibrosis, necrosis, reticulation, infiltration by plasma cells and neutrophils). RESULTS: The patients' ages ranged between 2 and 11 years (5.17 ± 2.28). In group I, half of the patients had had the latest infection at seven months or more, and all with obstruction degree greater than 3 (> 50%). In group II, all had had the latest infection at less than seven months, and most with obstruction degree below 4 (< 75%). There was a statistically significant difference in the degree of obstruction (p = 0.0021) and number of germinal centers (p = 0.002) was higher in group I. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the number of germinal centers is the only histopathological criterion that can be used to differentiate the two groups.

Background: Hemovigilance is an organized system of surveillance throughout the transfusion chain intended to evaluate information in order to prevent the appearance or recurrence of adverse reactions related to the use of blood products. Objective: The aims of this study were to assess the late reporting of incidents related to possible seroconversion in respect to age, marital status and ethnical background, annual variations in late reporting, the number of reports opened and closed, seroconversion of donors and transfusions of blood products within the window period. Methods: This retrospective, descriptive study used data on blood donations in the blood bank in Uberaba during the period from 2004 to 2011. Some socio-epidemiological characteristics of the donors and serology test results of donors and recipients were analyzed in respect to the late reporting of incidents related to possible seroconversion. The Chi-square test, odds ratio and a regression model were used for statistical analysis. Results: From 2004 to 2011, the blood bank in Uberaba collected 117,857 blood bags, 284 (0.24%) of which were investigated for late reported incidents. The profile of the donors was less than 29 years old, unmarried and non-Whites. Differences in age (p-value < 0.0001), marital status (p-value = 0.0002) and ethnical background (p-value < 0.0001) were found to be statistically significant. There was no statistical difference between men and women (0.24% and 0.23% respectively; p-value = 0.951). The number of late reported incidents increased until 2008 followed by a downward trend until 2011. There were twelve cases of seroconversion in subsequent donations (seven human immunodeficiency virus, four hepatitis B and one hepatitis C) with proven human immunodeficiency virus infection after screening of only one recipient. Conclusion: The twelve cases of seroconversion in donors with subsequent infection proven in one recipient underscores the importance of this tool to increase transfusion safety.

INTRODUÇÃO: Estudo retrospectivo com o objetivo de avaliar a ocorrência de doações inaptas para doença de Chagas entre 1995 e 2009 no Hemocentro Regional de Uberaba (HRU), Brasil; verificar a tendência dessa inaptidão e descrever o perfil epidemiológico dos doadores. MÉTODOS: Estudo retrospectivo da inaptidão sorológica para doença de Chagas; análise estatística pelo teste do qui quadrado e odds ratio; estudo de tendência a partir do gráfico de dispersão e do coeficiente de correlação linear (r). RESULTADOS: No período em estudo foi encontrada uma soroprevalência de inaptidão para doença de Chagas de 0.2% com queda significativa de doações inaptas de 2001 a 2009. Dentre os soropositivos, observou-se predomínio significante na idade superior ou igual a 30 anos, e estado civil casado e outros. CONCLUSÕES: Os resultados demonstram taxa de ocorrência menor que as descritas na literatura, além de queda progressiva no decorrer dos 15 anos avaliados. Tais resultados são consequência do combate sistemático ao vetor a partir dos anos 70 e do progressivo e consistente aumento de doadores de retorno, resultando em queda do risco de contaminação via transfusão de sangue e na melhora da qualidade da hemoterapia praticada no HRU.

INTRODUCTION: A retrospective study was conducted to assess the occurrence of blood donations that were ineligible due to Chagas disease infection from 1995 to 2009 at the Uberaba Regional Blood Center (HRU), Brazil, verify the tendency of this ineligibility, and describe the epidemiologic profile of the donors. METHODS: Retrospective studies of serological ineligibility due to Chagas disease, statistical analysis by means of the chi-square test and odds ratio, study of the tendencies using a dispersion graph and the linear correlation coefficient (r) were performed. RESULTS: In the period under study, a 0.2% serum prevalence of ineligibility due to Chagas disease was found, with a significant drop in ineligible donations from 2001 to 2009. Among the serum positive-donors, there was a significant predominance among those aged 30 years or above and non-single individuals. CONCLUSIONS: The results show a rate of occurrence that is lower than that described in literature, as well as a progressive drop during the 15 years under assessment. Such results are a consequence of systematic combat of the vector since the 70s and the progressive and consistent increase of returning donors, resulting in a drop of the contamination risk factor by means of blood transfusion and in the improvement of the quality of hemotherapy practices in the HRU.

OBJECTIVE: The frequent occurrence of inconclusive serology in blood banks and the absence of a gold standard test for Chagas'disease led us to examine the efficacy of the blood culture test and five commercial tests (ELISA, IIF, HAI, c-ELISA, rec-ELISA) used in screening blood donors for Chagas disease, as well as to investigate the prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection among donors with inconclusive serology screening in respect to some epidemiological variables. METHODS: To obtain estimates of interest we considered a Bayesian latent class model with inclusion of covariates from the logit link. RESULTS: A better performance was observed with some categories of epidemiological variables. In addition, all pairs of tests (excluding the blood culture test) presented as good alternatives for both screening (sensitivity > 99.96% in parallel testing) and for confirmation (specificity > 99.93% in serial testing) of Chagas disease. The prevalence of 13.30% observed in the stratum of donors with inconclusive serology, means that probably most of these are non-reactive serology. In addition, depending on the level of specific epidemiological variables, the absence of infection can be predicted with a probability of 100% in this group from the pairs of tests using parallel testing. CONCLUSION: The epidemiological variables can lead to improved test results and thus assist in the clarification of inconclusive serology screening results. Moreover, all combinations of pairs using the five commercial tests are good alternatives to confirm results.