Lead is one of the heavy metals most used in industry. Poisoning due to long-term lead exposure is known as saturnism, and is an occupational illness that has been known for many years. Lead is highly toxic and can compromise the structural and functional patterns of organs and systems. The aim of this study was to examine the lungs and kidneys of fetuses from female Wistar rats exposed to lead acetate. In this study, the lungs and kidneys of 20 fetuses from female rats that had previously been treated with lead acetate were dissected, fixed, embedded in paraffin and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Macroscopic changes to the shape, color and consistency of organs from fetuses treated with this heavy metal were observed, in comparison with organs from control fetuses. Microscopic lesions characterized by vascular sclerosis, cell atrophy or hyperplasia, progressive interstitial fibrosis, inclusion bodies containing lead acetate and glomerular sclerosis were found in the kidneys. The lesions found in the lungs consisted of destructuring of the parenchyma, impregnation with lead acetate, formation of fibrosis, extravasation of vascular fluids, reduction of the alveolar spaces and formation of alveolar edema. These changes were correlated with the level of lead acetate absorption, as determined using atomic spectrophotometry.

El plomo es un metal pesado utilizado en la industria. El envenenamiento debido a la exposición prolongada por plomo es una enfermedad profesional conocida por muchos años. La toxicidad del plomo es muy expresiva y puede poner en peligro el modelo estructural y funcional de los órganos y sistemas. El objetivo de este estudio fue examinar los pulmones y riñones de fetos de ratas Wistar expuestos al acetato de plomo. En este estudio, 20 fetos de ratas Wistar previamente tratados con acetato de plomo durante la gestación, tuvieron sus órganos disecados, fijados, incluidos en parafina y teñidos con hematoxilina y eosina. Macroscópicamente, los órganos fetales tratados por este metal fueron comparados con los órganos de fetos controles en relación a forma, color y consistencia. Microscópicamente, se encontraron lesiones en el riñón que se caracterizaron por esclerosis vascular, atrofia o hiperplasia de células, fibrosis intersticial progresiva, presencia de cuerpos de inclusión que contenían acetato de plomo y esclerosis glomerular. En el pulmón se observó desorganización del parénquima impregnado con acetato de plomo, formación de fibrosis, líquido intersticial, reducción de los espacios alveolares y edema alveolar. Estos cambios se correlacionaron con el nivel de absorción de acetato de plomo, determinado por espectrometría atómica.

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.