Browsing by Author "Carvalho, C"
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- Essure®: Effectiveness, Complications and Satisfaction in 13 Years of ExperiencePublication . Félix, N; Carvalho, C; Isidro Amaral, P; Sousa, F; Delgado, E; Machado, AI; Mira, ROverview and aims: Female sterilization is the most used contraceptive method in the world. The hysteroscopic route is especially attractive for women at high surgical and anesthetic risk. Publications worldwide reported several possible adverse events, doubting the safety of the method. The objectives of this study are to evaluate the technical difficulties and complications, the adverse events in the short and long term, the effectiveness of the method and satisfaction. Study design: Retrospective cohort study. Population: A total of 105 women undergoing hysteroscopic sterilization with Essure® between 2005 and 2017 (13 years of study). Methods: The epidemiological and procedural data were accessed by consulting the clinical processes the family planning appointments. Long term follow-up was evaluated by telephone contact of all the women, with success in 68 cases. Results: The mean age was 38 years (SD 4,7). The procedure was successful in the first attempt in 99% (n=67) cases, the main technical difficulty identified was the permeabilization of the internal cervical os (8.6%; n=6) and the only intercurrence documented was vasovagal reaction (4.8%; n=3). The mean immediate pain post procedure was 4 (numeric pains cale, SD 2). Long term complications identified were: 1.5% (n=1) migration, 1.5% (n=1) partial unilateral expulsion, 4.4% (n=3) gynecological reoperation, 9% (n=7) headache, 11.8% (n=8) weight gain, 22.1% (n=15) chronic pelvic pain and 24.6% (n=17) abnormal uterine hemorrhage. There were no cases of pregnancy or allergic reaction. Most women were very or completely satisfied and would advise Essure® as a contraceptive method, 94% (n=64) and 97.1% (n=66) respectively. Conclusions: Hysteroscopic sterilization was highly effective and associated with low and mild difficulties and acute complications. Most women were satisfied with the method and long term adverse effects identified are difficult to promptly associate with Essure® since their high frequency in the peri-menopause, forcing more studies.
- Herpes Hipertrófico Perianal Tratado Eficazmente com ImiquimodPublication . Lestre, S; João, A; Carvalho, C; Serrão, VA infecção pelo vírus herpes simples tipo 2 (HSV-2) é frequente em pacientes infetados pelo vírus de imunodeficiência adquirida (VIH). Nestes casos, o herpes genital pode ter uma apresentação clínica atípica. As variantes hipertróficas e vegetantes são pouco habituais. Os autores relatam um caso de herpes hipertrófico perianal em paciente infetada pelo VIH, com resposta insatisfatória ao aciclovir e valaciclovir, tratado eficazmente com imiquimod tópico. O herpes genital hipertrófico é, frequentemente, refratário aos tratamentos antivirais. Na nossa experiência, o imiquimod é um tratamento eficaz, seguro e bem tolerado que deverá ser considerado na abordagem terapêutica destes pacientes.
- Prediction of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes in Women with Systemic Lupus ErythematosusPublication . Palma dos Reis, C; Cardoso, G; Carvalho, C; Nogueira, I; Borges, A; Serrano, FSystemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic, autoimmune disease associated with major obstetrical complications such as gestational loss, preterm delivery, fetal growth restriction (FGR) and preeclampsia. Published literature is not consensual regarding the main risk factors for each of these outcomes. Our goal with this study was to determine the most important predictors for each of the main adverse pregnancy outcomes in this population. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of unifetal pregnancies of women with the diagnosis of SLE followed in our unit between January 1994 and December 2016. We excluded elective terminations of pregnancy and cases lost to follow-up and we analyzed 157 pregnancies (128 women). Multiple logistic regression models for the outcomes gestational loss, preterm delivery, fetal growth restriction, and preeclampsia were built. Two-sided p-values of < 0.05 were used to determine statistical significance, and two-sided confidence intervals of 95% are reported. In our cohort, the main risk factors for gestational loss were maternal age and the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies. Lupic nephritis was predictive of a preterm delivery and preeclampsia. Renal involvement and lupus flares during pregnancy were risk factors for FGR. Overall, the main risk factor for an adverse pregnancy outcome were lupus flares during pregnancy. Despite optimal pregnancy monitoring, women with SLE are still at risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes. Risk stratification for each of these outcomes is crucial for an effective counselling and tailored monitoring.
- Two Separate Effects Contribute to Regulatory T Cell Defect in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients and Their Unaffected RelativesPublication . Costa, N; Marques, O; Godinho, SI; Carvalho, C; Leal, B; Figueiredo, AM; Vasconcelos, C; Marinho, A; Moraes-Fontes, MF; Gomes da Costa, A; Ponte, C; Campanilho-Marques, R; Cóias, T; Martins, AR; Viana, JF; Lima, M; Martins, B; Fesel, CForkhead box P3 (FoxP3)+ regulatory T cells (Tregs ) are functionally deficient in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), characterized by reduced surface CD25 [the interleukin (IL)-2 receptor alpha chain]. Low-dose IL-2 therapy is a promising current approach to correct this defect. To elucidate the origins of the SLE Treg phenotype, we studied its role through developmentally defined regulatory T cell (Treg ) subsets in 45 SLE patients, 103 SLE-unaffected first-degree relatives and 61 unrelated healthy control subjects, and genetic association with the CD25-encoding IL2RA locus. We identified two separate, uncorrelated effects contributing to Treg CD25. (1) SLE patients and unaffected relatives remarkably shared CD25 reduction versus controls, particularly in the developmentally earliest CD4+ FoxP3+ CD45RO- CD31+ recent thymic emigrant Tregs . This first component effect influenced the proportions of circulating CD4+ FoxP3high CD45RO+ activated Tregs . (2) In contrast, patients and unaffected relatives differed sharply in their activated Treg CD25 state: while relatives as control subjects up-regulated CD25 strongly in these cells during differentiation from naive Tregs , SLE patients specifically failed to do so. This CD25 up-regulation depended upon IL2RA genetic variation and was related functionally to the proliferation of activated Tregs , but not to their circulating numbers. Both effects were found related to T cell IL-2 production. Our results point to (1) a heritable, intrathymic mechanism responsible for reduced CD25 on early Tregs and decreased activation capacity in an extended risk population, which can be compensated by (2) functionally independent CD25 up-regulation upon peripheral Treg activation that is selectively deficient in patients. We expect that Treg -directed therapies can be monitored more effectively when taking this distinction into account.