Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) have been developed in order to improve cutaneous hydration. Due to its ultrafine particle size it is possible a film formation on the skin which decreases transepidermal water loss, improving occlusive effect and hydration. In this context, the aim of this work was to develop a formulation containing NLCs based in Ouratea sp. butter (Ochnaceae) as a strategy to increase cutaneous hydration. Firstly, it was performed a characterization of the components such as, stearic acid (SA), Ouratea sp. butter (OB), Phospholipon 90G®, and its physical mixtures by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Thermogravimetry (TG) and X ray Diffraction (XRD). The NLCs were prepared using the diffusion solvent method and evaluated for particle size, polidispersity index, zeta potential, pH and conductivity. Moreover, NLCs were characterized by DSC, XRD and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Finally, the NLCs were incorporated into a cream base and were evaluated for rheological behavior, occlusive effect and potential cutaneous hydration in vitro. From the raw materials characterization was possible to observe in which the PM1 (SA + OB) 1:1 showed a slightly shift of the melting point corresponding to SA (57 to 50°C) and presented an amorphous portion at ~ 20° in the XRD analysis. These observations could be attributed to a decrease of crystallinity when compared with solid lipid pure, highly ordered. With the addition of Phospholipon® 90G (PM2), the melting point was highly shifted to lower temperature (57 to 34°C), and presented a pronounced amorphous at ~ 20° in XRD. Since the NLCs need to remain solid at room and body temperature, it is suggested that using a lower proportion of the Phospholipon® 90G in NLCs formulations. From the CMC determination of SDS surfactant (8,02 mmol L-1) was possible to suggest a range concentration of the SDS in the NLCs preparations. The formulation with the highest SDS concentration (24 mmol L-1) demonstrated the lowest size particle (~ 240 nm), however there were no difference in the zeta potential over formulation that using 10 mmol L-1 of SDS (~ -50 mV). The NLCs presented a decrease in the enthalpy (ΔHNLC8 = 22.2, ΔHNLC10 = 23.2, ΔHNLC24 = 7.2 J/g) and also an increase in the width peak when compared with solid lipid SA pure (ΔHSA = 164.1). In addition, the XRD analysis demonstrated that NLCs presented main peaks both formulations are similar to those found in the SA (23.93°, 25.09°, 27.98°), but with a lower intensity. These observations suggest a lipid matrix less ordered which result in NLC formation. TEM results confirmed previous data related to NLCs particle size (200 to 300 nm). After the incorporation of the NLC10 into a cream base, it was possible to observe an increase in the occlusive effect and potential cutaneous hydration. Therefore, NLCs containing Ouratea sp. butter can be an attractive nanotechnology way to increase cutaneous hydration. / Carreadores Lipídicos nanoestruturados (CLNs) têm sido desenvolvidos visando uma melhor hidratação cutânea. Devido ao seu reduzido tamanho de partícula, há formação de um filme sobre a pele o qual diminui a perda de água transepidermal, aumentando a hidratação. Neste contexto o objetivo deste trabalho foi desenvolver uma formulação contendo CLNs à base de manteiga de Ouratea sp. (Ochnaceae) como uma estratégia para o aumento do efeito oclusivo e da hidratação cutânea. Primeiramente foi realizada a caracterização das matérias-primas como, ácido esteárico (AE), Manteiga Ouratea sp.(MO), Phospholipon 90G® e suas misturas físicas utilizando Calorimetria Exploratória Diferencial (DSC), Termogravimetria (TG) e Difração de raios-X (DRX). Os CLNs foram preparados pelo método de difusão do solvente e avaliados por diâmetro médio de partícula, índice de polidispersão, potencial zeta, pH e condutividade. Os CLNs ainda foram caracterizados por DSC e DRX, Microscopia eletrônica de Transmissão (MET). Por fim, os CLNs foram incorporados no creme base e foram avaliados quanto ao comportamento reológico, efeito oclusivo e potencial hidratação cutânea in vitro. Através da caracterização das matérias-primas foi possível observar que a MF1 (AE + MO) 1:1 mostrou um pequeno deslocamento do ponto de fusão correspondente ao AE (57 a 50°C) e apresentou uma porção amorfa em ~ 20° nas análises de DRX. Essas observações podem ser atribuídas à diminuição da cristalinidade quando comparado com o lipídeo sólido puro, altamente ordenado. Com a adição do Phospholipon 90G® (MF2), o ponto de fusão foi deslocado para uma temperatura menor (57 a 34°C), e apresentou uma pronunciada porção amorfa em ~ 20° no DRX. Partindo do pressuposto que os CLNs devem se manter sólidos a temperatura ambiente e corpórea, é sugerida a utilização de uma menor proporção de Phospholipon® 90G nas formulações de CLNs. A partir da determinação da CMC do tensoativo SDS (8,02 mmol L-1) foi possível sugerir uma faixa de concentração de SDS nas preparações de CLNs. A formulação com a maior concentração de SDS (24 mmol L- 1) demonstrou o menor diâmetro de partícula (~ 240 nm), entretanto, não houve diferenças no potencial zeta em relação a formulação em que foi utilizado 10 mmol L-1 of SDS (~ -50 mV). CLNs apresentaram uma diminuição nos valores de entalpia (ΔHCLN8 = 22,2; ΔHCLN10 = 23,2; ΔHCLN24 = 7,2 J/g) e também um aumento da largura do pico quando comparados com o AE puro (ΔHSA = 164,1). Além disso, as análises de DRX demonstraram que os CLNs apresentaram picos principais similares àqueles encontrados no AE (23,93°; 25,09°; 27,98°), porém com uma menor intensidade. Os resultados de MET confirmaram os dados de diâmetro médio de partícula dos CLNs (200 a 300 nm). Após a incorporação do CLN10 no creme base, foi possível observar um aumento no efeito oclusivo e na hidratação cutânea. Dessa forma os CLNs contendo manteiga de Ouratea sp. podem ser uma alternativa nanotecnológica atrativa para o aumento da hidratação cutânea.

The presented thesis discusses the basic analysis methods of arteriovelocitograms. The core of this work rests in classification of signals and contribution to possibilities of noninvasive diagnostic methods for evaluation patients with peripheral ischemic occlusive arterial disease. The classification employs multivariate statistical methods and principles of neural networks. The data processing works with an angiographic verified set of arteriovelocitogram dates. The digital subtraction angiography classified them into 3 separable classes in dependence on degree of vascular stenosis. Classification AVG signals are represented in the program by the 6 parameters that are measured on 3 different places on each patient’s leg. Evaluation of disease appeared to be a comprehensive approach at signals acquired from whole patient’s leg. The sensitivity of clustering method compared with angiography is between 82.75 % and 90.90 %, specificity between 80.66 % and 88.88 %. Using neural networks sensitivity is in range of 79.06 % and 96.87 %, specificity is in range of 73.07 % and 91.30 %.

La drépanocytose est, sous sa forme grave, une pathologie très invalidante pour les personnes qui en sont porteuses. Elle est rythmée par la récurrence de crises vaso-occlusives (CVO) et autres symptomatiques qui en découlent (accident vasculaire cérébral, syndrome thoracique aigu, hypertension pulmonaire, etc.). En participant, chez des sujets sains et pathologiques, à la limitation de certains facteurs impliqués dans les CVO (inflammation, adhésion vasculaire, stress-oxydatif), l'entrainement physique régulier pourrait hypothétiquement être bénéfique au sujets drépanocytaires et participer à améliorer leurs qualités de vie. C'est l'hypothèse qui a été étudiée durant ce travail de thèse chez des sujets porteurs du trait drépanocytaire (PTD) puis sur un modèle de souris transgéniques drépanocytaires, les souris SAD. La première étude a permis de montrer que des sujets PTD entrainés présentaient, au repos et en réponse à un exercice incrémental maximal, des concentrations en molécules solubles d'adhérence vasculaire (sVCAM-1) inférieures à celles des sujets PTD sédentaires. Ces concentrations sont par ailleurs comparables à celles de sujets sains. Ce résultat allant dans le sens d'une limitation de l'activation endothéliale par l'entrainement chez les PTD, des études plus poussées ont été réalisées sur les souris SAD. Deux études de caractérisation ont été nécessaires pour mettre en place notre expérimentation sur les souris SAD. La première a permis de valider un protocole de 8 semaines en roue d'activité physique volontaire sur des souris saines C57Bl/6. La deuxième a permis de caractériser le déclenchement de la CVO chez des souris SAD à l'aide d'un protocole d'hypoxie/réoxygénation (H/R) du point de vue de l'inflammation, l'adhérence vasculaire et du stress-oxydatif. Ces deux études ont alors permis la mise en place du dernier protocole de cette thèse : l'entrainement par roue d'activité physique volontaire des souris SAD. Huit semaines d'activité physique ont induit, chez les souris SAD entrainées, une limitation des dysfonctionnements endothéliaux induit par le stress d'H/R et observé chez les souris SAD sédentaires. Cette thèse tend donc à montrer que l'activité physique régulière pourrait être bénéfique pour les souris SAD en limitant certains facteurs impliqués dans la CVO. D'autres études seront nécessaires sur d'autres modèles murins drépanocytaires plus sévères et dans un plus long terme chez l'Homme pour adapter ces conclusions au sujets drépanocytaires / Sickle cell disease is, in its severe form, a very disabling disease. lt is punctuated by recurrent vaso- occlusive crisis (VOC) which may induce other symptomatics (stroke, acute chest syndrome, pulmonary hypertension, etc ...). By participating, in healthy and pathological subjects, in the limitation of some factors involved in the VOC (inflammation, vascular adhesion, oxidative stress), habitual physical training could hypothetically be beneficial in subjects with sickle cell disease and participate in improving their quality of life. This hypothesis has been investigated during this thesis on sickle cell trait (SCT) carriers and on a transgenic sickle mice model, SAD mice. The first study showed that trained SCT carriers displayed, at rest as in response to an incremental and maximal exercise, lower plasma vascular cell adhesion molecules (sVCAM-1) compared to sedentary SCT carriers. Moreover, these concentrations were similar to that of healthy subject. These results confirm a possible limitation of endothelial activation in SCT carriers. This potential benefic effect has further been investigated in sickle SAD mice. Two characterization studies were necessary to establish our experiments on SAD mice: the first permitted to validate a 8 weeks voluntary wheel running (VWR) protocol on healthy C57Bl/6 mice while the second characterized the VOC induced by a hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) stress in SAD mice from the inflammation, vascular adhesion molecule and oxidative stress points of view. Thanks to these studies, a 8 weeks VWR protocol has been performed in SAD mice. Thus, physical activity permitted to reduce in VWR SAD mice the endothelial dysfunction induced by the H/R stress and observed in sedentary SAD mice. This thesis shows that habitual physical activity may be beneficial in sickle SAD mice in limiting some factors involved in VOC. Further studies will be necessary, on more severe sickle mice models and in a longer term in Humans, to adapt these findings to SCD subjects

Arterial occlusive diseases are major causes of morbidity and mortality in industrialized countries and represent a huge economic burden. The extent of the native collateral circulation is an important determinant of blood perfusion restoration and therefore the severity of tissue damage and functional impairment that ensues following arterial occlusion. Understanding the mechanisms responsible for collateral artery development may provide avenues for therapeutic intervention. Here, we identify a critical requirement for mixed lineage kinase (MLK) – cJun-NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling in vascular morphogenesis and native collateral artery development. We demonstrate that Mlk2-/-Mlk3-/- mice or mice with compound JNK-deficiency in the vascular endothelium display abnormal collateral arteries, which are unable to restore blood perfusion following arterial occlusion, leading to severe tissue necrosis in animal models of femoral and coronary artery occlusion. Employing constitutive and inducible conditional deletion strategies, we demonstrate that endothelial JNK acts during the embryonic development of collateral arteries to ensure proper patterning and maturation, but is dispensable for angiogenic and arteriogenic responses in adult mice. During developmental vascular morphogenesis, MLK – JNK signaling is required for suppression of excessive sprouting angiogenesis likely via JNK-dependent regulation of Dll4 expression and Notch signaling. This function of JNK may underlie its critical requirement for native collateral artery formation. Thus, this study introduces MLK – JNK signaling as a major regulator of vascular development. In contrast, we find that JNK in hematopoietic cells, which are thought to share a common mesodermally-derived precursor with endothelial cells, is cellautonomously dispensable for normal hematopoietic development and hematopoietic stem cell self-renewal, illustrating the highly context dependent function of JNK.

<p>UVOD: Uspe&scaron;nost revaskularizacije aortoilijačne bolesti procenjuje se prohodno&scaron;ću (patentno&scaron;ću) nakon revaskularizacije i brojem komplikacija. Osnovni cilj ove studije je bio utvrditi da li postoji razlika u učestalosti komplikacija, prohodnosti (patentnosti) i uticaj prohodnosti arterija donjeg vaskularnog korita na rekonstrukcije aortoilijačne bolesti nakon lečenja endovaskularnim i klasičnim hirur&scaron;kim pristupom. MATERIJAL I METODOLOGIJA: uzorak je činilo 229 bolesnika lečenih od aortoilijačne bolesti koji su pripadali TASC-u B i C a nakon procene prohodnosti femoropoplitealnog segmenta kao i broja prohodnih potkolenih arterija, bolesnici su stratifikovani u dve glavne grupe a svaka grupa od po tri podgrupe prema kvalitetu utočnog korita. Prvu grupu čine bolesnici sa jednoetažnom ili multiplim kraćim lezijama aortoilijačne signifikantne stenoze, sa ne signifikantnom aortoilijačnom stenozom i sa aortoilijačnom okluzijom. Drugu grupu čine bolesnici sa vi&scaron;eetažnom aortoilijačnom signifikantnom stenozom uz signifikantnu femoropoplitealnu stenozu i/ili popliteokruralnu stenozu. Studija je kreirana kao retrospektivna i prospektivna gde smo pratili rezultate revaskularizacije endovaskularnim procedurama i klasičnim hirur&scaron;kim pristupom. REZULTATI: Računanjem Mahalanobisove distance između homogenost jednoetažne, multiplih kraćih lezija i vi&scaron;eetažne aortoilijačne bolesti kod ispitivanih bolesnika dobija se najmanje rastojanje između homogenost jednoetažne, multiplih kraćih lezija i vi&scaron;eetažne aortoilijačne bolesti zato smo se i rukovodili da jednoetažne lezije, multiple kraće lezije tretiramo endovaskularnim procedurama a vi&scaron;eetažne lezije klasičnim hirur&scaron;kim pristupom. Nije bilo statističke značajne razlike među komplikacijama endovaskularnih procedura i klasičnog hirur&scaron;kog pristupa p&gt;0,1. U lečenju aortoilijačne bolesti endovakularne procedure imaju manji broj bolničkih dana, podjednaku primarnu asistiranu patentnost ali ne&scaron;to slabiju primarnu patentnost u odnosu na klasični hirur&scaron;ki pristup dok je sekundarna patentnost neznatno lo&scaron;ija od klasičnog hirur&scaron;kog pristupa. Da bi smo odreditli uticaj prohodnosti arterija donjeg vaskularnog korita na rekonstrukcije aortoilijačne bolesti kreirali smo matematički model kome smo dali obeležja prema kome bi mogli prognozirati smanjenje primarne patenosti nakon aortoilijačne revaskularizacije endovaskularnim procedurama i klasičnim hirur&scaron;kim pristupom. Postojanjem značajnih razlika između stepena patentnosti u odnosu na obeležja faktora rizika, definisali smo funkciju razgraničenja svih mogućih kombinacija od dva stepena patentnosti. Na osnovu te funkicije (x) moguće je izvr&scaron;iti prognozu kom stepenu patentnosti pripada (dobra,solidna, lo&scaron;a) za bolesnike koji nisu obuhvaćeni ovom studijom, kao i pouzdanost tom stepenu. ZAKLJUČAK: Aortoilijačna bolest je u većini slučajeva udružena sa bole&scaron;ću donjeg vaskularnog korita. Bez obzira na ekstenzivnost aortoilijačne bolesti endovaskularne procedure su efektivna i bezbedna, adekvatna alternativa klasičnom hirur&scaron;kom pristupu. Ova studija pokazuje da su endovaskularne procedure i klasični hirur&scaron;ki pristup u lečenju aortoilijačne bolesti komplementarne a ne komparativne metode.</p> / <p>BACKGROUND. The effectiveness of revascularization aortoiliac occlusive disease is the estimated patency after revascularization and is connected to the number of complications. The main objective of this study was to determine whether there is a difference in the incidence of complications and patency of lower artery vascular tree on the reconstruction aortoiliac occlusive disease after treatment of endovascular and conventional surgical approach. MATERIAL AND METHODOLOGY: The sample consisted of 229 patients treated for the aortoiliac occlusive disease who belonged in TASC B and C after a mobility assessment of the femoropopliteal segment and the number of walk-on below knee arteries, patients were stratified into two groups and each group of three subgroups according to the quality of the inflow. The first group consists of patients with one storey or multiple shorter lesions, and aortoiliac significant stenosis with aortoiliac not as significant stenosis and occlusion aortoiliac. The second group consists of patients with multi-floor aortoiliac significant stenosis with a significant femoropopliteal stenosis and/or popliteocrural stenosis. The study was designed as a retrospective and prospective study, where we track the results of endovascular revascularization procedures and compare to the conventional surgical approach. RESULTS: By calculating the Mahalanobis distance between the homogeneity of one story, multiple lesions and multi-storey short aortoiliac occlusive disease the studied patients received a minimum distance between the homogeneity of one story, multiple lesions and multi-storey short aortoiliac disease, multiple lesions treated fewer endovascular procedures and multi-storey lesions than a classical surgical approach. There were no statistically significant differences among the complications of endovascular procedures and classic surgical approach p&gt; 0.1. The patients treated with aortoiliac (endovascular) procedure have fewer hospital days, equal-assisted primary patent protection or slightly less primary patent protection compared to a traditional surgical approach while secondary patent protection is slightly worse than the classic surgical approach. In order to determine the impact of vascular patency of the arteries of the lower stories to the reconstruction treatment of aortoiliac occlusive diseases, we have created a mathematical model to which we gave the characteristics by with which it could predict the reduction of primary patency of aortoiliac revascularization after endovascular procedures and the conventional surgical approach. The existence of significant differences between the degree of patent protection in relation to the characteristics of the risk factors, we have defined the function of the demarcation of all possible combinations of two degrees of patent protection. Based on this function of (x) it is possible to forecast to what extent patent protection belongs (good, solid&sbquo; bad) for patients who are not included in this study, as well as the reliability of this level. CONCLUSION: the aortoiliac occlusive disease is in most cases associated with vascular disease of the lower artery vascular tree. Regardless of the extensiveness of the disease, aortoiliac occlusive disease endovascular procedures are safe and effective, an adequate alternative to the conventional surgical approach. This study shows that endovascular procedures and the conventional surgical approach in the treatment of aortoiliac occlusive diseases with a complementary rather than competitive method.</p>

Para avaliar a hipótese da presença de inflamação em artérias pulmonares periféricas de pacientes com hipertensão pulmonar (HP) decorrente de cardiopatias congênitas, foram quantificadas células inflamatórias através de marcação imunohistoquímica em biópsias de 26 pacientes e comparadas com 11 controles sem cardiopatia. Detectou-se quantidades semelhantes de células inflamatórias nos dois grupos, mas com predomínio de linfócitos T no grupo controle e de macrófagos jovens no grupo HP. Esses achados podem estar relacionados com a redução do estímulo dependente de macrófagos para diferenciação e maturação de linfócitos T nos cardiopatas e/ou a deficiência imunológica primária nesses pacientes / To evaluate the hypothesis of increased inflammation in peripheral pulmonary arteries from patients with pulmonary hypertension secondary to congenital cardiac shunts, we quantified the inflammatory cells with the aid of immunohystochemistry in 26 biopsies (HP group), comparing them to 11 patients with no cardiac disease. Similar quantities of inflammatory cells were observed in the two groups, with a predominance of T-lymphocytes in the controls and of young macrophages in the HP group. These findings could be related to a reduction of macrophagic stimulus to the differentiation and maturation of T-lymphocytes and/or to a primary immunological deficiency in patients with congenital cardiac shunts

A revascularização da oclusão arterial ilíaca crônica com implante de endoprótese vascular é uma nova modalidade terapêutica para os pacientes com aterosclerose obliterante das extremidades. Os objetivos deste trabalho são verificar: os resultados clínico e radiológico do tratamento percutâneo com implante de endoprótese vascular nas oclusões arteriais crônicas do território ilíaco; a influência da aterosclerose e seus principais fatores de risco; os principais sintomas clínicos segundo os estágios de Fontaine e o comportamento das endopróteses vasculares, avaliando as permeabilidades primária e secundária. Foram estudados 67 pacientes, com 69 oclusões arteriais ilíacas crônicas, submetidos a intervenção de janeiro de 1992 a dezembro de 1998, por meio de avaliação clínica, Doppler com medida do índice tornozelo/braço e arteriografia dos membros inferiores. As revascularizações arteriais ilíacas foram realizadas sob anestesia local, utilizando-se as endopróteses tipos Wallstent® e Cragg®. O índice de sucesso técnico foi de 97,10%. A mediana do período de internação foi de dois dias e as complicações mais importantes foram tromboses arteriais (2,99%), roturas arteriais (2,99%) e embolia poplítea (1,49%). O índice tornozelo/braço pré e pós-procedimento demonstrou um incremento, estatisticamente significante, após a intervenção (P = 0,0001), e os eventos durante o seguimento foram as estenoses (5,97%) e tromboses (8,96%) das endopróteses. Houve algum grau de melhora clínica em 92,5% dos pacientes. Os casos que não apresentaram melhora tiveram associação, estatisticamente significante, com cardiopatia associada (P = 0,003) e estágios III e IV de Fontaine (P = 0,022). Não houve associação, estatisticamente significante, entre os fatores analisados e permeabilidade das endopróteses vasculares. A revascularização percutânea com implante de endopróteses vasculares nas oclusões arteriais ilíacas crônicas, demonstrou apresentar bons índices de permeabilidades primária (75%) e secundária (95%) durante o período médio de 30 meses de acompanhamento. / Arterial recanalization with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and implantation of a vascular endoprosthesis in an occluded iliac artery is a ew therapeutic modality for those patients with obliterative atherosclerosis of the extremities. The objectives of this work are to demonstrate the clinical and radiological results of treatment of chronic occlusions of the iliac arteries; to demonstrate the effects of atherosclerosis as well as primary risk factors; to evaluate the primary clinical symptoms using the Fontaine classification and to study the effectiveness of the vascular endoprostheses with primary and secondary patency rates. Sixty-seven patients with 69 chronically occluded iliac arteries underwent percutaneous intervention from January 1992 throught December 1998. Evaluations included clinical assessment, Doppler examinations with ankle/brachial indexes and bilateral lower extremity arteriograms. The iliac artery recanalizations were performed under local anesthesia and using Wallstent® and Cragg® vascular endoprostheses. Technical success rate was 97.10%. The mean hospitalization time was two days and major complications included arterial thrombosis (2.99%), arterial rupture (2.99%) and popliteal embolization (1.49%). The prior and post procedure ankle/brachial indexes demonstrated a statistically significant increase following intervention (P = 0.0001). During follow-up there was 5.97% of stenosis and 8.96% thrombosis of the endoprostheses. There was clinical improvement in 92.42% of patients. Patients that did not show clinical improvement had association with coronary disease (P = 0.003), Fontaine stages III and IV (P = 0.022) and arterial hypertension (P = 0.087). There was no statistically significant factor associated with lower patency of the endoprostheses. Percutaneous revascularization of chronically occluded iliac arteries with utilization of vascular endoprostheses has shown good primary (75%) and secondary (95%) patency rates during 30 months of mean follow-up period.

A revascularização da oclusão arterial ilíaca crônica com implante de endoprótese vascular é uma nova modalidade terapêutica para os pacientes com aterosclerose obliterante das extremidades. Os objetivos deste trabalho são verificar: os resultados clínico e radiológico do tratamento percutâneo com implante de endoprótese vascular nas oclusões arteriais crônicas do território ilíaco; a influência da aterosclerose e seus principais fatores de risco; os principais sintomas clínicos segundo os estágios de Fontaine e o comportamento das endopróteses vasculares, avaliando as permeabilidades primária e secundária. Foram estudados 67 pacientes, com 69 oclusões arteriais ilíacas crônicas, submetidos a intervenção de janeiro de 1992 a dezembro de 1998, por meio de avaliação clínica, Doppler com medida do índice tornozelo/braço e arteriografia dos membros inferiores. As revascularizações arteriais ilíacas foram realizadas sob anestesia local, utilizando-se as endopróteses tipos Wallstent® e Cragg®. O índice de sucesso técnico foi de 97,10%. A mediana do período de internação foi de dois dias e as complicações mais importantes foram tromboses arteriais (2,99%), roturas arteriais (2,99%) e embolia poplítea (1,49%). O índice tornozelo/braço pré e pós-procedimento demonstrou um incremento, estatisticamente significante, após a intervenção (P = 0,0001), e os eventos durante o seguimento foram as estenoses (5,97%) e tromboses (8,96%) das endopróteses. Houve algum grau de melhora clínica em 92,5% dos pacientes. Os casos que não apresentaram melhora tiveram associação, estatisticamente significante, com cardiopatia associada (P = 0,003) e estágios III e IV de Fontaine (P = 0,022). Não houve associação, estatisticamente significante, entre os fatores analisados e permeabilidade das endopróteses vasculares. A revascularização percutânea com implante de endopróteses vasculares nas oclusões arteriais ilíacas crônicas, demonstrou apresentar bons índices de permeabilidades primária (75%) e secundária (95%) durante o período médio de 30 meses de acompanhamento. / Arterial recanalization with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and implantation of a vascular endoprosthesis in an occluded iliac artery is a ew therapeutic modality for those patients with obliterative atherosclerosis of the extremities. The objectives of this work are to demonstrate the clinical and radiological results of treatment of chronic occlusions of the iliac arteries; to demonstrate the effects of atherosclerosis as well as primary risk factors; to evaluate the primary clinical symptoms using the Fontaine classification and to study the effectiveness of the vascular endoprostheses with primary and secondary patency rates. Sixty-seven patients with 69 chronically occluded iliac arteries underwent percutaneous intervention from January 1992 throught December 1998. Evaluations included clinical assessment, Doppler examinations with ankle/brachial indexes and bilateral lower extremity arteriograms. The iliac artery recanalizations were performed under local anesthesia and using Wallstent® and Cragg® vascular endoprostheses. Technical success rate was 97.10%. The mean hospitalization time was two days and major complications included arterial thrombosis (2.99%), arterial rupture (2.99%) and popliteal embolization (1.49%). The prior and post procedure ankle/brachial indexes demonstrated a statistically significant increase following intervention (P = 0.0001). During follow-up there was 5.97% of stenosis and 8.96% thrombosis of the endoprostheses. There was clinical improvement in 92.42% of patients. Patients that did not show clinical improvement had association with coronary disease (P = 0.003), Fontaine stages III and IV (P = 0.022) and arterial hypertension (P = 0.087). There was no statistically significant factor associated with lower patency of the endoprostheses. Percutaneous revascularization of chronically occluded iliac arteries with utilization of vascular endoprostheses has shown good primary (75%) and secondary (95%) patency rates during 30 months of mean follow-up period.

Para avaliar a hipótese da presença de inflamação em artérias pulmonares periféricas de pacientes com hipertensão pulmonar (HP) decorrente de cardiopatias congênitas, foram quantificadas células inflamatórias através de marcação imunohistoquímica em biópsias de 26 pacientes e comparadas com 11 controles sem cardiopatia. Detectou-se quantidades semelhantes de células inflamatórias nos dois grupos, mas com predomínio de linfócitos T no grupo controle e de macrófagos jovens no grupo HP. Esses achados podem estar relacionados com a redução do estímulo dependente de macrófagos para diferenciação e maturação de linfócitos T nos cardiopatas e/ou a deficiência imunológica primária nesses pacientes / To evaluate the hypothesis of increased inflammation in peripheral pulmonary arteries from patients with pulmonary hypertension secondary to congenital cardiac shunts, we quantified the inflammatory cells with the aid of immunohystochemistry in 26 biopsies (HP group), comparing them to 11 patients with no cardiac disease. Similar quantities of inflammatory cells were observed in the two groups, with a predominance of T-lymphocytes in the controls and of young macrophages in the HP group. These findings could be related to a reduction of macrophagic stimulus to the differentiation and maturation of T-lymphocytes and/or to a primary immunological deficiency in patients with congenital cardiac shunts