We evaluated sweat, blood and urine specimens obtained from an ongoing cohort study in Brazil. Samples were collected at pre-established intervals after the initial rash presentation and tested for Zika virus (ZIKV) RNA presence by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR). From 254 participants with confirmed infection, ZIKV RNA was detected in the sweat of 46 individuals (18.1%). Sweat presented a median cycle threshold (Ct) of 34.74 [interquartile range (IQR) 33.44-36.04], comparable to plasma (Ct 35.96 - IQR 33.29-36.69) and higher than urine (Ct 30.78 - IQR 28.72-33.22). Concomitant detection with other specimens was observed in 33 (72%) of 46 participants who had a positive result in sweat. These findings represent an unusual and not yet investigated virus shedding through eccrine glands.

ABSTRACT Objective Hürthle cell carcinomas (HCCs) of the thyroid have been recently reclassified as a separate entity due to their distinct clinical and molecular profiles. Few studies have assessed the ability of preoperative characteristics in differentiating HCCs from Hürthle cell adenomas (HCAs) due to the low prevalence of both lesions. This study aimed to compare the preoperative features of HCCs and HCAs and evaluate the diagnostic performance of ultrasound in distinguishing between both. Subjetcs and methods Retrospective study including 101 patients (52 HCCs and 49 HCAs) who underwent thyroid surgery from 2000 to 2016. Clinical, ultrasonographic, and histological data were reviewed. Diagnostic performance of suspicious sonographic features was analyzed in 51 cases (24 HCCs and 27 HCAs). Results Hürthle cell neoplasms were predominant in females. Subjects ≥ 55 years represented 58% of the cases of HCCs and 53% of those of HCAs. Carcinomas were significantly larger (p < 0.001), and a tumor size ≥ 4 cm significantly increased the risk of malignancy (odds ratio 3.67). Other clinical, cytologic, and sonographic data were similar between HCCs and HCAs. Among the HCCs, the lesions were purely solid in 54.2%, hypoechoic in 37.5%, and had coarse calcifications in 12.5%, microcalcifications in 8.3%, irregular contours in 4.2%, and a taller-than-wide shape in 16.7%. Predominantly/exclusive intranodular vascularization was observed in 52.6%. Overall, 58% of the HCCs were classified as TI-RADS 4 or 5 compared with 48% of the HCAs. TI-RADS 4 or 5 had a specificity of only 51.8% and a positive likelihood ratio of 1.21. Conclusions Apart from the lesion size, no other preoperative feature adequately distinguished HCCs from HCAs. Sonographic characteristics raising suspicion for malignancy, which are mostly present in papillary carcinomas, were infrequent in HCCs. New tools must be developed to improve preoperative diagnosis and deferral of surgery in cases of adenomas.

FUNDAMENTO: A incompetência cronotrópica (IC), definida como a incapacidade de atingir no esforço 80% da frequência de reserva esperada para a idade, é um fator preditor de mortalidade e eventos cardiovasculares e pode conferir pior prognóstico a grupos em expansão devido ao acelerado processo de envelhecimento populacional, como em idosos diabéticos. OBJETIVO: Avaliar o valor prognóstico da IC em idosos diabéticos considerando desfechos com infarto agudo do miocárdio (IAM), doença cerebrovascular (DCV) e óbito geral, e comparar características clínicas e ecocardiográficas entre os que têm IC e os que não têm. MÉTODO: Foram estudados 298 pacientes idosos e diabéticos submetidos a ecocardiografia de estresse sob esforço físico (EF), de janeiro de 2001 a dezembro de 2010. Destes, 109 eram incompetentes cronotrópicos, grupo G1, e foram comparados aos competentes, grupo G2, quanto à ocorrência de eventos cardiovasculares, características clínicas e ecocardiográficas. RESULTADOS: O grupo G1, em relação ao grupo controle, apresentou maior frequência de DCV (9,2% × 3,2; p = 0,027) e maior frequência de óbito para aqueles que sofreram DCV ou IAM. Angina típica e dispneia prévias à realização da EF e sexo masculino foram mais frequentes no G1. A análise das variáveis ecocardiográficas demonstrou que o índice do escore de motilidade do ventrículo esquerdo (IEMVE) de repouso e de esforço, o índice de massa do VE (ventrículo esquerdo) e o diâmetro do AE (átrio esquerdo) foram maiores entre os incompetentes cronotrópicos. CONCLUSÃO: A IC foi associada, de forma independente, à ocorrência de DCV em idosos diabéticos

BACKGROUND: Chronotropic incompetence (CI), defined as failure to achieve less than 80% of age-expected heart rate, is a predictor of mortality and adverse cardiovascular events and may confer a worse prognosis in elderly diabetic individuals. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prognostic value of chronotropic incompetence (CI) in elderly diabetic patients considering endpoints with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), cerebrovascular disease (CVD) and overall mortality and compare clinical and echocardiographic characteristics between patients with and without CI. METHOD: A total of 298 elderly diabetic patients undergoing exercise echocardiography (EE) were studied from January 2001 to December 2010. Of these, 109 were chronotropic incompetent (group 1) and were compared with the chronotropic competent ones (group 2) regarding the occurrence of cardiovascular events, clinical and echocardiographic characteristics. RESULTS: Chronotropic incompetents patients showed a higher frequency of cerebrovascular disease (9.2% vs. 3.2, p = 0.027) and higher mortality was observed in those who had cerebrovascular disease or acute myocardial infarction. The presence of typical angina and dyspnea prior to the performance of EE and male gender were more frequent in group 1. Rest and exercise left ventricular wall motion score index, rate of left ventricle mass and left atrium diameter were higher in chronotropic incompetent individuals. CONCLUSION: Chronotropic incompetence was independently associated with the occurrence of cerebrovascular disease in elderly diabetic individuals.

CONTEXTO: Antidepressivos tricíclicos são amplamente utilizados em tentativas de suicídio e apresentam diversos efeitos deletérios, sendo a rabdomiólise uma complicação rara dessa intoxicação. RELATO DO CASO: Uma mulher de 55 anos ingeriu 120 comprimidos de clomipramina de 25 mg numa tentativa de suicídio dois dias antes da admissão. Após lavagem gástrica em outro serviço de urgência no dia da ingestão, 80 comprimidos foram retirados. Na admissão em nosso serviço, a paciente estava desorientada, queixando-se de boca seca e tremores de extremidades. O eletrocardiograma mostrou ritmo sinusal com complexos QRS estreitos. Exames laboratoriais evidenciaram aumento de creatinofosfoquinase (CK = 15.094 U/L na admissão; intervalo da normalidade = 26 a 140 U/L), hipocalcemia, discreto aumento das transaminases e leve acidose metabólica. Antecedentes pessoais incluíam depressão com tentativas de suicídio prévias, transtorno obsessivo compulsivo, hipotireoidismo e osteoporose. A paciente apresentou parada cardiorrespiratória com atividade elétrica sem pulso por sete minutos e, posteriormente, sem sedação, foi observado olhar em varredura. A paciente evoluiu com hipotensão refratária, necessitando de vasopressores. Ceftriaxone e clindamicina foram iniciados pela hipótese de broncoaspiração. A paciente permaneceu irresponsiva mesmo sem sedação, com olhar em varredura contínuo e postura descerebrada. A paciente evoluiu para óbito dois meses após. Rabdomiólise é uma complicação rara da intoxicação por tricíclicos, e só foi descrita em overdose de ciclobenzaprina, a qual tem um perfil de toxicidade semelhante aos tricíclicos. CONCLUSÕES: Apesar de as arritmias serem as complicações mais temidas, rabdomiólise deve ser investigada em casos de intoxicação por clomipramina.

CONTEXT: Tricyclic antidepressive agents are widely used in suicide attempts and present a variety of deleterious effects. Rhabdomyolysis is a rare complication of such poisoning. CASE REPORT: A 55-year-old woman ingested 120 pills of 25 mg clomipramine in a suicide attempt two days before admission. After gastric lavage in another emergency department on the day of intake, 80 pills were removed. On admission to our department, she was disoriented, complaining of a dry mouth and tremors at the extremities. An electrocardiogram showed a sinus rhythm with narrow QRS complexes. Laboratory results showed high creatine phosphokinase (CK = 15,094 U/l on admission; normal range = 26 to 140 U/l), hypocalcemia, slightly increased serum transaminases and mild metabolic acidosis. The patient's medical history included depression with previous suicide attempts, obsessive-compulsive disorder, hypothyroidism and osteoporosis. She presented cardiac arrest with pulseless electric activity for seven minutes and afterwards, without sedation, showed continuous side-to-side eye movement. She developed refractory hypotension, with need for vasopressors. Ceftriaxone and clindamycin administration was started because of a hypothesis of bronchoaspiration. The patient remained unresponsive even without sedation, with continuous side-to-side eye movement and a decerebrate posture. She died two months later. Rhabdomyolysis is a very rare complication of poisoning due to tricyclic drugs. It had only previously been described after an overdose of cyclobenzaprine, which has a toxicity profile similar to tricyclic drugs. CONCLUSIONS: Although arrhythmia is the most important complication, rhabdomyolysis should be investigated in cases of clomipramine poisoning.

FUNDAMENTO: A literatura carece de estudos a respeito do valor prognóstico da ecocardiografia sob estresse pelo esforço físico (EF) em pacientes portadores de bloqueio completo do ramo esquerdo do feixe de His (BRE). OBJETIVO: Avaliar o valor prognóstico da EF em portadores de BRE. MÉTODOS: Trata-se de coorte retrospectiva, em que foram avaliados 135 pacientes portadores de BRE, no período entre janeiro de 2001 e outubro de 2009, dos quais 37,8% eram homens, com média de idade de 63,6 ± 11,5 anos, submetidos à EF segundo o protocolo de Bruce em esteira ergométrica. Foi utilizada a regressão de Cox, considerando-se estes desfechos: óbito por todas as causas e por eventos cardíacos, definidos como infarto agudo do miocárdio (IAM), angioplastia percutânea (AP), revascularização miocárdica (RM) e óbito por causas cardíacas. RESULTADOS: A EF positiva foi encontrada em 42 pacientes (31%). O tempo de seguimento médio foi de 45,8 ± 4,7 meses. Nesse período, houve nove óbitos por todas as causas e nove eventos cardíacos (três óbitos por causa cardíaca, três IAM, duas AP e uma RM). A taxa de mortalidade por todas as causas em cinco anos foi de 16,1% no grupo com exame positivo e de 2,5% no grupo com exame negativo (p = 0,171), enquanto a taxa de eventos cardíacos no mesmo período foi de 15,1% no grupo com exame positivo e de 1,6% no grupo com exame negativo (p = 0,009). CONCLUSÃO: A EF mostrou-se preditora de eventos cardíacos em pacientes portadores de BRE.

BACKGROUND: The literature lacks studies about the prognostic value of exercise stress echocardiography (ESE) in patients with complete left bundle branch block (LBBB) of the bundle of His. OBJECTIVE: To assess the prognostic value of ESE in patients with LBBB. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort that evaluated 135 patients with LBBB, from January 2001 to October 2009, of which 37.8% were men, mean age 63.6 ± 11.5 years submitted to ESE according to Bruce protocol on a treadmill. Cox regression was used, considering these outcomes: death from all causes and from cardiac events, defined as acute myocardial infarction (AMI), percutaneous angioplasty (PA), coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and death from cardiac causes. RESULTS: Positive ESE was observed in 42 patients (31%). The mean follow-up was 45.8 ± 4.7 months. During this period, there were 9 deaths from all causes and 9 cardiac events (3 deaths from cardiac causes, 3 myocardial infarctions, 2 PA and one CABG). The mortality rate from all causes during five years was 16.1% in the group with positive ESE and 2.5% in the group with negative test (p = 0.171), whereas the rate of cardiac events in the same period was 15.1% for the positive ESE and 1.6% in the group with negative test (p = 0.009). CONCLUSION: ESE showed to be a predictor of cardiac events in patients with LBBB.