Research report submitted in accordance with the requirements for the Degree Master of Science in Medicine( Bioethics and Health Law. Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand Steve Biko Centre for Bioethics, 2014 / It is every normal parent’s wish to have a happy child free of ailments and suffering. However, not all children are born free of diseases and suffering. Some are born with severe disabilities and others are born with congenital genetic problems that have less chances of cure or no cure at all. These unfortunate circumstances make parents of such children with severe medical conditions desperate and devastated to the extent that they try anything possible in attempting to improve quality of life of their sick children. No parent wants to see his or her child suffering. However, a more pressing situation is when parents decide to have a second child whose purpose is to save the life of the sick first child by donating stem cells from cord blood or bone marrow. This second child is sometimes referred to as the “Saviour sibling” and is born for the purpose of saving the life of the sick older child of the family. ‘Saviour sibling is the media name for a child who is conceived, gestated, and delivered in order to provide umbilical cord blood, or, even more contentious, bone marrow desperately needed by the parents’ older child’ (Mills 2005:2).Because there is no matching donor for the ill older child, a donor is created in the form of a second sibling, whose match is genetically guaranteed by IVF, preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), and tissue typing (Boyle and Savulescu 2001). Given that children are already being created in other Countries such as the United States of America, France and Britain for the above-mentioned purpose, this research report will attempt to engage in the debate surrounding saviour siblings, the use of preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) in creating these children, and the possibility of this technology being abused and misused for gender selection. Taking this into consideration, this research report will attempt to highlight what the South African laws and policies say about saviour siblings. Should parents with pressing issues as mentioned-above demand to have a “saviour child” of their own for the purpose of using him or her to save the life of another of their children in South Africa, on which grounds would it be rejected or accepted?

A maior expectativa de vida dos pacientes com talassemia maior, as repetidas transfusões de concentrado de hemácias como parte do tratamento, podem ocasionar maior deposição de ferro nos órgãos, e consequentemente, as comorbidades. Dessa forma, dentre as comorbidades endócrinas, temos o diabetes mellitus como uma das principais, sendo necessário conhecer o panorama em nossa realidade. O estudo tem como objetivos determinar a prevalência do diagnóstico de diabetes em pacientes com talassemia maior, caracterizar e comparar os pacientes com talassemia maior, e diabetes mellitus, segundo as variáveis sociodemográficas e clínicas.Trata-se de um estudo descritivo e transversal, realizado em um centro de referência no tratamento de talassemia do interior paulista. A amostra foi constituída por 31 pacientes com talassemia maior. Para a coleta de dados utilizou-se um instrumento subdividido em duas partes. Os dados sociodemográficos e clínicos foram obtidos por meio de entrevista dirigida e os resultados de exames laboratoriais pelo prontuário eletrônico do paciente, no período de junho a agosto de 2015. Os dados foram digitados e importados para o programa SPSS for Windows, versão 17.0 e submetidos à análise estatística descritiva. O projeto foi aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa da Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto da Universidade de São Paulo (CEP/EERP-USP), sob Protocolo nº 41912415.3.0000.5393. Dos 31 pacientes com talassemia maior, 5 (16,1%) tinham diabetes mellitus. Em relação as variáveis sociodemográficas, não houve diferenças na distribuição dos pacientes entre os sexos, a maioria eram solteiros e cursaram até o ensino médio completo. A idade variou de cinco a 48 anos, com média de 24,9 anos de idade, a maioria recebia até 10 salários mínimos, eram estudantes e possuíam carteira de trabalho assinada. No que tange às variáveis clínicas, temos que o tratamento utilizado predominante foi o quelante oral deferasirox, e naqueles pacientes com diabetes, além do deferasirox, a maioria utilizava a insulina. O esquema transfusional predominante foi o de 15 a 22 dias. O índice de massa corpórea foi classificado como eutrófico e a pressão arterial, considerada ótima para a maioria dos pacientes. Quanto aos achados dos exames laboratoriais, os pacientes com diabetes e talassemia apresentaram valores alterados de glicemia de jejum e transaminase, já os pacientes sem diabetes apresentaram valores alterados de ferritina sérica. No que se refere aos achados dos exames de imagem, nenhum paciente com diabetes e Talassemia maior apresentou massa óssea adequada, o que reforça a importância de seu monitoramento. Destaca-se o aumento de sobrecarga cardíaca para os pacientes com diabetes e talassemia. Para os pacientes com talassemia e sem diabetes, a maioria apresentou grave sobrecarga de ferro hepático na ressonância magnética do fígado, enquanto para a maioria dos pacientes com diabetes foi considerado normal. Dessa forma, conhecer as características clínicas dos pacientes com talassemia maior e diabetes permite subsidiar a assistência de enfermagem qualificada e contribuir com a saúde dos pacientes com condições crônicas. Contudo, os nossos achados corroboram com as taxas de prevalência de diabetes em pacientes com talassemia maior encontradas na literatura nacional e internacional / The longer life expectancy of patients with thalassemia major, repeated red blood cell transfusions as part of the treatment, may lead to increased iron deposition in the organs, and consequently, comorbidities. Thus, among the endocrine comorbidities, we have diabetes mellitus as one of the main ones, being necessary to know the panorama in our reality. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of diabetes in patients with thalassemia major and to characterize and compare patients with thalassemia major, and diabetes mellitus, according to sociodemographic and clinical variables.This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study, carried out in a reference center in thalassemia treatment of São Paulo countryside. The sample consisted of 31 patients with thalassemia major. For data collection, an instrument was divided into two parts. Sociodemographic and clinical data were obtained by means of a directed interview and the laboratory tests results by the patient\'s electronic record, from June to August 2015. Data were loaded into SPSS for Windows software, version 17.0 and submitted to descriptive statistical analysis. The project was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto College of Nursing (CEP / EERP-USP) under Protocol No. 41912415.3.0000.5393. Of the 31 patients with thalassemia major, 5 (16,1%) had diabetes mellitus. Regarding the sociodemographic variables, there were no differences in the distribution of the patients between the sexes, most of them were single and enrolled in high school. The age ranged from five to 48 years, with a mean of 24,9 years of age, the majority received up to 10 minimum wages, were students and had a work contract. Regarding the clinical variables, we have that the predominant treatment was the oral chelator deferasirox, and in those patients with diabetes, in addition to deferasirox, the majority used insulin. The predominant transfusion regimen was 15 to 22 days. Body mass index was classified as eutrophic and blood pressure was considered optimal for most patients. Regarding the laboratory findings, patients with diabetes and thalassemia had altered values of fasting glycemia and transaminase, whereas patients without diabetes had altered values of serum ferritin. Regarding imaging exams findings, no patient with diabetes and major thalassemia presented adequate bone mass, which reinforces the importance of their monitoring. The increase in cardiac overload for patients with diabetes and thalassemia stands out. For patients with thalassemia and without diabetes, the majority had severe hepatic iron overload in the magnetic resonance imaging of the liver, while for most patients with diabetes it was considered normal. Thus, knowing the clinical characteristics of patients with thalassemia major and diabetes allows subsidizing qualified nursing care and contributing to the health of patients with chronic conditions. However, our findings corroborate the prevalence rates of diabetes in patients with thalassemia major found in the national and international literature

Introdução: A deficiência de ferro é frequente entre mulheres na idade reprodutiva e é considerada problema de saúde pública mundial. Por outro lado, patologias associadas com aumentada atividade eritropoética e sobrecarga de ferro, como as talassemias e a anemia falciforme, estão entre as doenças monogênicas mais frequentes em muitas populações. Os genes HFE e TMPRSS6 codificam as proteínas hemocromatose hereditária (HFE) e matriptase-2 (MT2) que, no fígado, modulam a produção de hepcidina, o hormônio regulador central do metabolismo de ferro. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a relação entre o consumo alimentar de ferro, as variantes rs855791 (MT2736V), rs4820268 (MT2521V), rs1799945 (HFE63D) e rs1800562 (HFE282Y) e o status corporal do mineral entre mulheres com atividade eritropoética normal (aparentemente saudáveis) ou levemente aumentada (com β-talassemia menor). Casuística e métodos: Inicialmente, foram incluídas 127 estudantes universitárias na idade reprodutiva (18 a 42 anos) e em aparente balanço estacionário do ferro corporal (necessidades fisiológicas e consumo alimentar de ferro pouco variáveis há pelo menos 12 meses). Em um segundo estudo, foram incluídos 33 casos de β-talassemia menor (18 na pós-menopausa), registrados em serviços de hematologia de dois hospitais de São Paulo-SP e um de Sorocaba-SP. Essas foram pareadas com 66 controles, segundo idade, índice de massa corporal, status reprodutivo e uso de anticoncepcionais hormonais. A partir de inquéritos feitos com registros alimentares ou recordatórios de 24 horas foi estimado o consumo de ferro total e biodisponível. Amostras de sangue foram utilizadas para a extração de DNA e determinações de ferritina sérica, saturação da transferrina e hemoglobina. As genotipagens do TMPRSS6 e do HFE foram realizadas por PCR em tempo real. Resultados: Considerando as 226 mulheres avaliadas, as frequências dos alelos MT2736V, MT2521D, HFE63D e HFE282Y foram estimadas em 40,3%, 44,0%, 16,3% e 1,5% respectivamente. No primeiro estudo, foi estimada média de consumo de ferro 10 de 10,9 mg/dia e prevalência de deficiência do mineral de 12,6%. Estimativas de consumo de ferro biodisponível, mas não de ferro total, foram correlacionadas com os valores de ferritina e saturação da transferrina. As associações entre a biodisponibilidade dietética de ferro e seus biomarcadores foram especialmente evidentes entre as carreadoras da variante HFE63D, indicando uma significante interação gene-nutriente. Por outro lado, valores relativamente menores de saturação da transferrina foram associados à presença do alelo MT2736V, independentemente do consumo de ferro biodisponível. Mulheres com β-talassemia menor e suas controles não diferiram quanto à frequência das variantes TMPRSS6 e HFE ou à biodisponibilidade dietética de ferro. Na pós-menopausa, a β-talassemia menor foi associada com valores duas vezes maiores de ferritina, 20% maiores de saturação da transferrina e com probabilidade 3,5 vezes maior de hiperferritinemia. Entretanto, para casos e controles na idade reprodutiva, foi estimada probabilidade de inadequação do consumo de 20,7% e prevalências de deficiência do mineral de 13,3% e 10,0%, respectivamente. Entre essas mulheres, o genótipo positivo ou negativo para a variante MT2736V foi também associado com diferenças nas médias de saturação da transferrina. No entanto, o contraste nesses valores foi relativamente maior entre as mulheres com β-talassemia menor. Além disso, mais acentuada hipocromia acompanhou a presença da variante MT2736V nessa condição. Conclusão: Os achados sugerem que, entre mulheres com eritropoese normal ou com β-talassemia menor, a variante MT2736V não afeta tão fortemente as reservas de ferro corporal como faz a adequação do consumo desse mineral. Ainda assim, a variante HFE63D pode modificar a relação da biodisponibilidade de ferro com seu status corporal e, portanto, ser um importante marcador preditivo de resposta diferencial à dieta. A variante MT2736V foi associada com menor disponibilidade de ferro na circulação de mulheres na idade reprodutiva e, entre aquelas com &#946.;-talassemia menor, com indício de acentuada alteração morfológica dos eritrócitos. / Introduction: Iron deficiency is common among women at childbearing age and it is regarded as a worldwide public health issue. On the other hand, disorders associated with increased erythropoietic activity and iron overload, such as thalassemias and sickle cell disease, are among the most frequent Mendelian diseases in many populations. HFE and TMPRSS6 genes encode the hereditary hemochromatosis protein (HFE) and the matriptase-2 (MT2) both of which modulate the hepatic production of hepcidin, the main hormone regulator of iron metabolism. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship among dietary iron intake, rs855791 (MT2736V), rs4820268 (MT2521D), rs1799945 (HFE63D) and rs1800562 (HFE282Y) genetic variants and body iron status of women with normal (apparently healthy) or slightly increased (β-thalassemia minor) erythropoietic activity. Casuistic and methods: Initially, 127 university students at childbearing age (18 to 42 years old) and with steady state body iron (few variations on physiological requirements and dietary iron intake at least for the last 12 months) were included. In a second study, it was included 33 cases of β-thalassemia minor (18 of them post-menopaused) registered in Hematology Services from two hospitals from São Paulo-SP and one from Sorocaba-SP. They were paired with 66 controls by age, body mass index, reproductive status and hormonal contraceptive use. Using food diaries or 24 hours food recalls, total and bioavailable dietary iron intakes were estimated. Blood samples were used for DNA extraction and for determinations of ferritin, transferrin saturation with iron and hemoglobin. TMPRSS6 and HFE genotyping were performed by real time PCR. Results: Considering all the 226 women studied, the allelic frequencies of MT2736V, MT2521D, HFE63D e HFE282Y genetic variants were em 40.3%, 44.0%, 16.3% e 1.5%, respectively. In the first study, a total dietary iron intake of 10.9 mg/day and an iron deficiency prevalence of 12.6% were estimated. There were correlations among ferritin and transferrin saturation values with estimates of bioavailable, but not of total dietary iron intake s. Associations between dietary iron bioavailability and iron biomarkers were especially evident among carriers of HFE63D variant, indicating a significant gene-diet interaction. On the other hand, lower levels of transferrin saturation were associated with the presence of MT2736V variant allele, irrespective of bioavailable iron intake. TMPRSS6 and HFE variants frequencies and dietary iron bioavailability estimates did not differ between women with β-thalassemia minor and their controls. Among postmenopausal women, β-thalassemia minor was associated with two times higher ferritin values, 20% higher transferrin saturation values and 3.5 times higher chance for hiperferritinemia. However, among cases and controls at childbearing age, it was estimated a probability of inadequacy in the dietary iron intake of 20.7% and iron deficiency prevalences of 13.3% and 10.0%, respectively. Among these women, a positive or negative genotype for MT2736V was also associated with differences in transferrin saturation. Nevertheless, the contrast between these values was relatively higher among women with β-thalassemia minor. Moreover, a more accentuated hypochromia accompanied the presence of the MT2736V variant in this condition. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that, among women with normal erythropoiesis or β-thalassemia minor, the presence of the MT2736V variant does not strongly impact the body iron stores as does dietary iron adequacy. Nevertheless, the HFE63D variant may modify the relationship between the dietary iron bioavailability and the body iron status. Therefore, it might be an important predictive marker of women\'s differential response to diet. The MT2736V variant was associated with lower availability of circulating iron in women at childbearing age and, among those with β-thalassemia minor, with suggestive accentuated morphological alteration of erythrocytes.

Este trabalho consistiu no desenvolvimento de um sistema para medir a magnetização de amostras paramagnéticas e diamagnéticas em grandes volumes. Sua principal aplicação tem sido a medida susceptométrica do tecido hepático para a quantificação da sobrecarga de ferro no fígado. Esse excesso de ferro no corpo é comum em pacientes talassêmicos e falcêmicos, que são regularmente submetidos a transfusões de sangue e, em pacientes com hemocromatose. Em pessoas normais, esse depósito de ferro pode conter entre 0,1 e 0,5 mg de ferritina (ftn) por grama de tecido úmido (mg ftn/gtecido úmido). Quando com sobrecarga, pode alcançar até 30 mg ftn/gtecido úmido. A contribuição diamagnética devido à presença dos tecidos biológicos (água, pele, gordura, músculo, nervo, osso, etc) é equivalente à contribuição paramagnética devido à presença de, aproximadamente, 6 mg ftn/gtecido úmido distribuídos no tecido hepático. Essa intensa contribuição diamagnética foi sensivelmente reduzida com o uso de uma bolsa de água acoplada ao torso. Medidas in vitro foram realizadas num phantom, composto de um tubo cilíndrico de acrílico preenchido com água e uma esfera de plástico, acoplada internamente ao cilindro, preenchida com solução de Fe3+. O volume cilíndrico representa os tecidos e o esférico representa o fígado. Medidas in vivo foram realizadas com duas modalidades: com e sem o uso da bolsa de água sobre o torso. Essas medidas foram efetuadas em voluntários assintomáticos e pacientes talassêmicos sob tratamento no Hemocentro de Ribeirão Preto (HRP). A medida da magnetização foi realizada com um gradiômetro axial de segunda ordem, acoplado a um SQUID-RF. A amostra foi magnetizada com um campo magnético AC e homogêneo. Os resultados confirmaram a sensibilidade da técnica para quantificar níveis de ferro hepático em pacientes com sobrecarga, com eficiência de diferenciar níveis equivalentes àqueles encontrado(s) em pessoas normais. A automatização da instrumentação e a aquisição dos dados foram feitas em ambiente LabView e as simulações dos modelos, apresentadas juntamente com os processamentos dos sinais, foram realizadas em ambiente MatLab. / This work consisted in the development of a system to measure the magnetization of large paramagnetic and diamagnetic samples. The main application was susceptometric measurements of the hepatic tissue for quantification of the iron overload. Iron excess is commonly observed in thalassemic and sickle cell anemia patients who have repeatedly received red blood cell transfusions for prevention or treatment of chronic complications and in patients with hemocromatosis. In normal subjects, iron concentration is usually between 0.1 and 0.5 mg of ferritin by gram of wet tissue (mg ftn/gwet tissue). However, in individuals with the above diseases, it can reach up to 30 mg ftn/gwet tissue. The diamagnetic contribution due to the presence of biological tissues (water, skin, fat, muscle, nerve, bone, etc) is equivalent to the paramagnetic contribution due to the presence of approximately 6 mg ftn/gwet tissue distributed in the hepatic tissue. This intense diamagnetic contribution was makedly reduced by using a water bag coupled to the subject’s torso. Measurements in vitro were performed in a phantom composed of a cylindrical acrylic tube, filled with pure water containing a plastic sphere placed off axis to simulate the liver position. The sphere was filled with a Fe3+ solution to simulate different iron concentration present in the liver. Measurements in vivo were performed in thalassemic patients undergoing treatment at the Hemocentro de Ribeirão Preto (HRP) and in normal subjects using two different modalities: with and without the use of the water bag on the torso. The measurements of the magnetization were made using a second order axial gradiometer coupled to a RF SQUID. The sample was magnetized using a homogeneous AC magnetic field. The results confirmed the sensitivity of the technique to quantify levels of hepatic iron in patients with overload, with efficiency of differentiating iron levels equivalent to that found in normal subjects. Automation of instrumentation and data acquisition were done in LabView (National Instruments) and susceptometric models simulations and the signal processing were done in MatLab environment.

As talassemias são distúrbios genéticos caracterizados pela supressão total ou parcial da produção de hemoglobina. É reconhecido que a talassemia tem importantes implicações psicológicas e sociais e que o modo como o paciente e a família lidam com a doença pode ter efeito crítico na sobrevida do portador. O objetivo do presente estudo é identificar as condições psicossociais e a qualidade de vida de jovens portadores de talassemia em dois momentos da vida: adolescência (entre 15 e 21 anos) e início da vida adulta (entre 22 e 28 anos). Trata-se de uma pesquisa de campo, do tipo estudo prospectivo, descritivo e exploratório, com abordagem quanti-qualitativa, realizada em um centro de hemoterapia de um município do interior do Estado de São Paulo. A amostra foi composta por 10 pacientes, de ambos os sexos, com idade entre 22 e 28 anos, portadores de talassemia major. Foram aplicados nas duas fases da pesquisa os seguintes instrumentos: Entrevista Semi-estruturada, Escala de Qualidade de Vida - Medical Outcomes Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), Inventário de Sintomas de Stress para Adultos de Lipp (ISSL), Escala Multidimensional de Locus de Controle de Levenson, Escala de Ansiedade e Depressão Hospitalar (HAD) e Inventário de Depressão de Beck (BDI). As análises dos resultados objetivos obedeceram a critérios definidos pelos instrumentos analíticos. A análise das entrevistas pautou-se na caracterização temática do conteúdo dos discursos. Os resultados indicaram que, no primeiro momento da avaliação, o aspecto da qualidade de vida que se mostrou mais preservado foi o Social e o mais prejudicado, o Físico. Já no segundo momento, manteve-se como aspecto mais preservado o Social e o mais prejudicado passou a ser o Emocional. Nos dois momentos avaliados todos os participantes apresentavam sintomas de estresse; na primeira etapa, metade deles encontrava-se na fase de resistência e, na segunda etapa, seis estavam nessa fase em que o organismo tenta adaptar-se ao evento estressor, predominando a sensação de desgaste. A atribuição de causalidade predominante na primeira etapa era voltada à Externalidade-Acaso, que no segundo momento alcançou a totalidade da amostra. Na primeira etapa a HAD permitiu identificar um participante com quadro subclínico de depressão e três com quadro subclínico de ansiedade, sendo que nove apresentavam sintomas depressivos e todos mostravam manifestações de ansiedade; no segundo momento dois participantes apresentaram quadro subclínico de ansiedade e um de depressão, sendo que dois não manifestaram sintomas depressivos. No primeiro momento, o BDI mostrou que, apesar de todos apresentarem sintomas depressivos, não havia quadro de depressão instalado; já no segundo momento, o instrumento mostrou um participante com quadro de depressão instalado e os demais com sintomas depressivos. Os resultados das entrevistas complementaram os instrumentos analíticos. A análise comparativa dos resultados nos dois momentos da avaliação sugere prejuízo na qualidade de vida dos pacientes na transição para a vida adulta, bem como aumento relevante de sintomas psíquicos em alguns, justificando a necessidade de incluir o acompanhamento psicológico sistemático aos portadores de talassemia. / Thalassemia is a genetic disorder characterized by total or partial suppression of hemoglobin production. Its important psychological and social implications are acknowledged, and the how patient and family deal with the disease can have a critical effect on the patient\'s life. This study aims to identify the psychosocial conditions and quality of life of young patients with thalassemia in two moments of life: adolescence (between 15 and 21 years) and beginning of adult life (between 22 and 28 years). It is a field research, prospective, descriptive and exploratory study with quantitative, qualitative approach, carried out in a hemotherapy center in a city in the interior of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Sample composed of 10 patients, both genders, aged between 22 and 28 years, with thalassemia major. The following instruments were applied in the two phases: Semi-structured interview, Quality of Life Scale - Medical Outcomes Short- Form Health Survey (SF-36), Lipp\'s Inventory of Stress Symptoms in Adults, Levenson\'s Multidimensional Locus of Control Scale, Hospital Anxiety and depression (HAD) scale, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Analysis of the objective results complied to criteria defined by analytical instruments. The interviews analysis was based on the thematic characterization of the reports content. The results indicate that in the first moment of evaluation, the quality of life social aspect was the one most preserved whereas the physical aspect was the most harmed. In the second moment, the social aspect was kept as the most preserved, whereas the Emotional one became the most harmed. All patients presented stress symptoms in the two moments evaluated. In the first stage, half of them were in the resistance phase and in the second stage, six of them were in this phase when the organism try to adapt to the stressor event, predominating a feeling of exhaustion. Attribution of causality in the first stage was predominantly externality-chance, which reached the whole sample in the second moment. In the first stage, HAD allowed to identify one participant with subclinical depression and three with subclinical anxiety, whereas nine presented depressive symptoms and all of them had anxiety manifestations. In the second moment, two participants presented subclinical anxiety and one subclinical depression, whereas two did not manifest depressive symptoms. In the first moment, BDI showed that despite all participants had presented depressive symptoms, there was no depression installed, whereas in the second moment, the instrument revealed there was one participant with depression while the remaining presented depressive symptoms. The interviews results complemented the analytical instruments. The comparative analysis of results in the two moments of evaluation suggests decreased quality of life in the transition to the adult life, as well as relevant increase of psychic symptoms in some of them, justifying the need of including systematic psychological follow-up to patients with thalassemia.

Atualmente os profissionais de saúde se confrontam com o cuidar de pacientes com talassemia maior que chegaram à fase adulta, devido ao avanço do conhecimento sobre a doença e dos efeitos das terapêuticas, principalmente da transfusão sangüínea e dos quelantes. A literatura médica destaca a problemática da irregularidade da adesão ao tratamento, pelo paciente, principalmente o da quelação, fundamental para a sua sobrevivência. No presente estudo, a análise dos sentidos dados pelos talassêmicos adultos à sua experiência com o regime terapêutico é o objetivo, desenvolvido pela antropologia médica e método qualitativo. Foi realizado com usuários do Hemocentro de Ribeirão Preto do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto - USP. Para a coleta de dados foi empregado o relato oral, por entrevistas semi-estruturadas, obtendo-se narrativas sobre a experiência. Participaram do estudo onze adultos jovens, seis do sexo masculino, com idades entre 22 a 32 anos, com níveis educacionais e profissões distintas. As entrevistas foram transcritas e organizadas em textos individuais. Seguimos as etapas da análise temática indutiva para a análise dos dados. Os resultados são discutidos em dois núcleos temáticos: \"O início da doença e do tratamento\" e \"A vida do portador de talassemia com o tratamento\". No primeiro, são descritas as lembranças do início do tratamento. As narrativas demonstram que eles estão bem informados sobre a doença e tratamentos, e que tiveram contato com a morte de familiares com a talassemia. Subjetivamente eles destacam a sua identidade de diferença por terem o traço da doença. No segundo tema, descrevemos o longo itinerário terapêutico vivenciado; o reconhecimento da importância da adesão ao tratamento; as mudanças e adequações dos quelantes usados; a convivência com o estigma social pelas alterações corporais, reações da transfusão e do quelante; as dificuldades em manterem suas funções sociais; os episódios de irregularidade do seguimento terapêutico e suas justificativas. Pelos temas apreendemos que os adultos jovens com talassemia maior sob o regime terapêutico estão resignados com a sua condição, que a doença e tratamentos não os excluem da vida cotidiana, mas estão no centro das suas relações sociais. Para reduzirem o peso do sofrimento e do estigma, eles empregam a estratégia de normalização, elaborada no grupo social. Esta possibilita terem a sensação de ordem da vida, de controle da doença e do tratamento. Assim, as interrupções no tratamento ocorrem pela necessidade de normalização do corpo e da vida, mas que traz conseqüências graves para a sobrevivência. Ao final da discussão, fazemos uma reflexão sobre o conceito médico de adesão confrontado com o de concordância, e suas implicações para o contexto de cuidado com o talassêmico adulto. / Currently health professionals are faced with assisting patients with thalassemia major who reached adulthood, due to the advance of knowledge about the disease and the effects of therapies, especially the blood transfusion and chelation. The literature highlights the problem of irregular treatment adhesion by patients, especially the chelation, essential to their survival. In this study, the analysis of the sense given by thalassemic adults to their experience with the drug regimen is the goal, developed by medical anthropology and qualitative method. It was conducted with patients at the Blood Center of Ribeirão Preto, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirao Preto - USP. To collect the data it was used oral report, by semi-structured interviews, obtaining narratives about the experience. Eleven young adults, six males, aged 22-32 years, with different educational levels and occupations attended the study. The interviews were transcribed and organized in individual texts. We followed the steps of inductive thematic analysis to analyze the data. The results are discussed in two themes: \"The onset of disease and treatment\" and \"The life of thalassemic patients with treatment.\" In the first one we describe the memories of the beginning of treatment. The narratives show that they are well informed about the disease and treatments, and had contact with the death of a family member with thalassemia. Subjectively they highlight the difference of their identity by having the disease trait. In the second theme, we describe the long-lived therapeutic itinerary; the recognition of the importance of adhering to the treatment; changes and adaptations of the chelating agents used; the social stigma of living with the body changes; adverse effects of transfusion and chelation; the difficulties in maintaining their social functions; episodes of irregularity in following therapeutic treatment and its justifications. Through the themes we could observe that young adults with thalassemia major under the therapeutic regimen are resigned to their condition, that the disease and treatment do not exclude them from everyday life, but are in the center of their social relations. To reduce the suffering and stigma, they employ the normalization strategy, elaborated in the social group. This enables them to have a sense of order in life, of disease and treatment control. Thus, disruptions in treatment occur by the need for normalization of body and life, but that brings severe consequences for survival. At the end of the discussion, we reflect on the medical concept of adhesion confronting with the agreement and its implications for the care context with the thalassemic adult.

L’érythropoïèse inefficace joue un rôle central dans la physiopathologie de l’anémie des β-TM. Ses caractéristiques sont triple: accélération de la différenciation érythroïde, arrêt de maturation au stade d’érythroblaste polychromatophile et mort par apoptose à ce stade de différenciation. Les mécanismes précis de cette apoptose et de l’arrêt de la maturation n’ont pas encore été élucidés. Il a été montré, au cours de l’érythropoïèse physiologique, que la protéine chaperonne Hsp70, en se localisant dans le noyau des érythroblastes en cours de différenciation, protège GATA-1 (facteur de transcription érythroïde majeur) de sa destruction par la caspase-3. Cette enzyme clé de l’apoptose est en effet activée physiologiquement au cours de la différenciation érythroïde et peut cliver GATA-1. Notre travail se base sur l’hypothèse suivante : Hsp70 pourrait, au cours de l’érythropoïèse des β-TM, être séquestrée dans le cytoplasme des érythroblastes matures (stade d’une intense hémoglobinisation) afin d’exercer son rôle de chaperonne des chaînes d’α-globine libres. Cela aurait comme conséquence néfaste l’absence de localisation nucléaire d’Hsp70 et, en conséquence, la destruction de GATA-1 à l’origine de l’arrêt de maturation et de la mort cellulaire. Nous avons montré dans ce travail qu’Hsp70 était localisée principalement dans le cytoplasme des érythroblastes matures dans la moelle de patients β-TM, avec un défaut d’expression nucléaire. Par ailleurs, GATA-1 n’est plus exprimé dans ces cellules. Nous avons confirmé ces résultats dans un système de culture cellulaire érythroïde humaine en milieu liquide reproduisant les étapes de la différenciation érythroïde terminale. Une intéraction physique directe entre Hsp70 et l’α-globine a été identifiée par techniques de microscopie confocale, d’immunoprécipitation et de double hybride. Enfin, la transduction dans les érythroblastes de β-TM d’un mutant d’Hsp70-S400A, principalement nucléaire, ou d’un mutant de GATA-1 non clivable par la caspase-3 corrige l’érythropoïèse inefficace.Une modélisation mathématique du complexe Hsp70/α-globine nous a permis de préciser les domaines impliqués dans l’intéraction, ce qui ouvre la voie à une possibilité de criblage de petites molécules permettant la rupture de ce complexe afin de ramener Hsp70 dans le noyau avec un espoir thérapeutique pour améliorer l’érythropoïèse inefficace des β-TM. / Β-TM is an inherited hemoglobinopathy caused by a quantitative defect in the synthesis of the β-globin chains of hemoglobin, leading to the accumulation of free α-globin chains that form toxic aggregates. Despite extensive knowledge on the molecular defects causing β-TM, little is known about the mechanisms responsible for ineffective erythropoiesis (IE), which is characterised by accelerated erythroid differentiation, maturation arrest and apoptosis at the polychromatophilic stage. We have previously demonstrated that normal human erythroid cell maturation requires a transient activation of caspase-3. Although GATA-1, the master transcriptional factor of erythropoiesis, is a caspase-3 target, we have shown that during human erythroid differentiation, it is protected from cleavage through its association with the chaperone Hsp70 in the nucleus. Hsp70 is constitutively highly expressed in normal human erythroid cells. The best-known role of this ubiquitous chaperone is to participate in proteins folding and refolding of proteins denatured by cytoplasmic stress, thus preventing their aggregation.In this study, we have evidenced that during the maturation of human β-TM erythroblasts, Hsp70 is sequestrated in the cytoplasm by the excess of free α-globin chains, resulting in nuclear GATA-1 cleavage and, in turn, end-stage maturation arrest and apoptosis. A molecular modeling shows that α-globin binds to a highly electronegative cavity formed by all Hsp70 domains. Additionally, the transduction of a nuclear-targeted Hsp70 mutant (Hsp70-S400A) or caspase-3 uncleavable GATA-1 mutant (µGATA-1) corrects β-TM ineffective erythropoiesis in human cultured β-TM cells. Our data indicate that cytosolic Hsp70 sequestration by α-globin chains prevents its nuclear localization and is a key mechanism of the β-TM IE. In order to increase nuclear Hsp70 translocation, developing small molecules that could increase Hsp70 expression or disrupt the Hsp70/α-globin complex could be a novel approach of targeted therapies to improve erythropoiesis in β-TM.

Le premier objectif de cette thèse était d’améliorer l’utilisation et la compréhension des outils de mesure de la déformabilité du globule rouge (GR) dans la drépanocytose (Etudes 1 et 2). L’étude 1 a montré l’importance de la standardisation des mesures de déformabilité par ektacytométrie chez les enfants drépanocytaires. Au cours de l’étude 2, les propriétés des GR ont été modifiées et la variation des courbes de déformabilité érythrocytaire « classique » (index d’élongation en fonction de la contrainte de cisaillement en milieu isotonique) a été comparée aux résultats d’osmoscan (mesure de la déformabilité érythrocytaire en gradient osmolaire à contrainte de cisaillement fixe), méthode de référence pour étudier les anomalies de la membrane du GR. Ainsi, les variations de déformabilité érythrocytaire au-delà de 3 Pa sont affectées à la fois par la viscosité interne du GR et par des modifications de la surface cellulaire (rapport surface/volume) alors que les modifications de l’élasticité membranaire affectent la déformabilité érythrocytaire quelles que soient les forces de cisaillements utilisées (faibles, modérées ou hautes). Le deuxième objectif de cette thèse était d’apporter des éléments supplémentaires sur l’implication des facteurs génétiques, des paramètres hémorhéologiques et du niveau de stress oxydant sur la survenue des complications vaso-occlusives chez les patients atteints de syndrome drépanocytaire majeur (Etudes 3 à 6). La mise en commun des résultats d’hémorhéologie obtenus sur 165 patients de notre cohorte lyonnaise et 240 patients de la cohorte guadeloupéenne a permis de montrer que la rhéologie du GR chez les patients drépanocytaires était dépendante de l’âge. Ainsi, la viscosité sanguine augmente avec l’âge pour atteindre un plateau vers 30 ans alors que la déformabilité érythrocytaire diminue avec l’âge (Etude 3). Ces modifications participent vraisemblablement à l’apparition de complications chroniques chez l'adulte drépanocytaire. Les études 4 et 5 ont été réalisées sur la cohorte pédiatrique lyonnaise. Au cours de ces 2 études, nous avons étudié l’influence sur la rhéologie du sang et la survenue de crises vaso-occlusives (CVO) des facteurs génétiques (alpha-thalassémie, déficit en Glucose-6-Phosphate Déshydrogénase (G6PD) et haplotypes S) d’une part (Etude 4) et du niveau de stress oxydant et nitrosatif d’autre part (Etude 5). L’alpha-thalassémie augmente la déformabilité des GR et l’agrégation érythrocytaire. Ces 2 phénomènes pourraient participer à augmenter le risque de CVO. De plus, l’alpha-thalassémie, en diminuant l’hémolyse, diminuerait le niveau de stress oxydant, élément majeur impliqué dans la physiopathologie de la drépanocytose. Enfin, l’étude 6 a montré que la rhéologie sanguine des patients Sbêta+ était quasi-identique à celle des sujets sains AA mais que les patients les plus sévères pourraient avoir un déficit en monoxyde d’azote circulant. En conclusion, mon travail de thèse contribue à une meilleure compréhension de la physiopathologie de la drépanocytose / The first goal of this thesis (Study 1 and 2) was to improve the use and the comprehension of tools for red blood cell (RBC) deformability measurements in sickle cell disease (SCD). The first study showed the importance of standardization of RBC deformability measurements by ektacytometry in SCD children. In the study 2, the RBC proprieties was modified and the variation of « classic » RBC deformability curve (elongation index as a function of the shear stress in isotonic medium) was compared to osmoscan results (elongation index in hyperosmolar gradient and constant shear stress), the gold standard for RBC membrane defect studies. Thus, the modifications of RBC deformability curve above 3 Pa were affected by RBC internal viscosity and cellular surface modification (and thus surface/volume ratio) while membran elasticity modifications affected RBC deformability whatever the shear stress (low, moderate or high). The second goal of this thesis was to study the effects of genetic modifiers, hemorheological parameters and oxidative stress level on vaso-occlusive complications (VOC) in SCD (Study 3 to 6). Hemorheological parameters were measured on 165 patients from Lyon and 240 patients from Gwada and the results showed that blood viscosity increased until the age of 30 and RBC deformability decreased with age (Study 3). This modifications probably play role in the chronic complications of SCD adult patients. The studies 4 and 5 were conducted on SCD children. We studied the effects of genetic modifiers (alpha-thalassemia, glucose-6-phospho-deshydrogenase deficiency and S haplotypes ; study 3) and nitro-oxidative stress level (study 5). Alpha-thalassemia increase RBC deformability and RBC aggregation. This phenomenon could contribute to increase VOC. Moreover, alpha-thalassemia decreased hemolysis and thus oxidative stress, a major component of SCD physiopathology. Then the study 6 showed that Sbeta+ patient hemorheology was quite the same of AA ubjects but the more severe patients could have a defect in circulating nitric oxide. To conclude, my thesis contribute to a better understanding of SCD physiopathology

A maior expectativa de vida dos pacientes com talassemia maior, as repetidas transfusões de concentrado de hemácias como parte do tratamento, podem ocasionar maior deposição de ferro nos órgãos, e consequentemente, as comorbidades. Dessa forma, dentre as comorbidades endócrinas, temos o diabetes mellitus como uma das principais, sendo necessário conhecer o panorama em nossa realidade. O estudo tem como objetivos determinar a prevalência do diagnóstico de diabetes em pacientes com talassemia maior, caracterizar e comparar os pacientes com talassemia maior, e diabetes mellitus, segundo as variáveis sociodemográficas e clínicas.Trata-se de um estudo descritivo e transversal, realizado em um centro de referência no tratamento de talassemia do interior paulista. A amostra foi constituída por 31 pacientes com talassemia maior. Para a coleta de dados utilizou-se um instrumento subdividido em duas partes. Os dados sociodemográficos e clínicos foram obtidos por meio de entrevista dirigida e os resultados de exames laboratoriais pelo prontuário eletrônico do paciente, no período de junho a agosto de 2015. Os dados foram digitados e importados para o programa SPSS for Windows, versão 17.0 e submetidos à análise estatística descritiva. O projeto foi aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa da Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto da Universidade de São Paulo (CEP/EERP-USP), sob Protocolo nº 41912415.3.0000.5393. Dos 31 pacientes com talassemia maior, 5 (16,1%) tinham diabetes mellitus. Em relação as variáveis sociodemográficas, não houve diferenças na distribuição dos pacientes entre os sexos, a maioria eram solteiros e cursaram até o ensino médio completo. A idade variou de cinco a 48 anos, com média de 24,9 anos de idade, a maioria recebia até 10 salários mínimos, eram estudantes e possuíam carteira de trabalho assinada. No que tange às variáveis clínicas, temos que o tratamento utilizado predominante foi o quelante oral deferasirox, e naqueles pacientes com diabetes, além do deferasirox, a maioria utilizava a insulina. O esquema transfusional predominante foi o de 15 a 22 dias. O índice de massa corpórea foi classificado como eutrófico e a pressão arterial, considerada ótima para a maioria dos pacientes. Quanto aos achados dos exames laboratoriais, os pacientes com diabetes e talassemia apresentaram valores alterados de glicemia de jejum e transaminase, já os pacientes sem diabetes apresentaram valores alterados de ferritina sérica. No que se refere aos achados dos exames de imagem, nenhum paciente com diabetes e Talassemia maior apresentou massa óssea adequada, o que reforça a importância de seu monitoramento. Destaca-se o aumento de sobrecarga cardíaca para os pacientes com diabetes e talassemia. Para os pacientes com talassemia e sem diabetes, a maioria apresentou grave sobrecarga de ferro hepático na ressonância magnética do fígado, enquanto para a maioria dos pacientes com diabetes foi considerado normal. Dessa forma, conhecer as características clínicas dos pacientes com talassemia maior e diabetes permite subsidiar a assistência de enfermagem qualificada e contribuir com a saúde dos pacientes com condições crônicas. Contudo, os nossos achados corroboram com as taxas de prevalência de diabetes em pacientes com talassemia maior encontradas na literatura nacional e internacional / The longer life expectancy of patients with thalassemia major, repeated red blood cell transfusions as part of the treatment, may lead to increased iron deposition in the organs, and consequently, comorbidities. Thus, among the endocrine comorbidities, we have diabetes mellitus as one of the main ones, being necessary to know the panorama in our reality. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of diabetes in patients with thalassemia major and to characterize and compare patients with thalassemia major, and diabetes mellitus, according to sociodemographic and clinical variables.This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study, carried out in a reference center in thalassemia treatment of São Paulo countryside. The sample consisted of 31 patients with thalassemia major. For data collection, an instrument was divided into two parts. Sociodemographic and clinical data were obtained by means of a directed interview and the laboratory tests results by the patient\'s electronic record, from June to August 2015. Data were loaded into SPSS for Windows software, version 17.0 and submitted to descriptive statistical analysis. The project was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto College of Nursing (CEP / EERP-USP) under Protocol No. 41912415.3.0000.5393. Of the 31 patients with thalassemia major, 5 (16,1%) had diabetes mellitus. Regarding the sociodemographic variables, there were no differences in the distribution of the patients between the sexes, most of them were single and enrolled in high school. The age ranged from five to 48 years, with a mean of 24,9 years of age, the majority received up to 10 minimum wages, were students and had a work contract. Regarding the clinical variables, we have that the predominant treatment was the oral chelator deferasirox, and in those patients with diabetes, in addition to deferasirox, the majority used insulin. The predominant transfusion regimen was 15 to 22 days. Body mass index was classified as eutrophic and blood pressure was considered optimal for most patients. Regarding the laboratory findings, patients with diabetes and thalassemia had altered values of fasting glycemia and transaminase, whereas patients without diabetes had altered values of serum ferritin. Regarding imaging exams findings, no patient with diabetes and major thalassemia presented adequate bone mass, which reinforces the importance of their monitoring. The increase in cardiac overload for patients with diabetes and thalassemia stands out. For patients with thalassemia and without diabetes, the majority had severe hepatic iron overload in the magnetic resonance imaging of the liver, while for most patients with diabetes it was considered normal. Thus, knowing the clinical characteristics of patients with thalassemia major and diabetes allows subsidizing qualified nursing care and contributing to the health of patients with chronic conditions. However, our findings corroborate the prevalence rates of diabetes in patients with thalassemia major found in the national and international literature

INTRODUÇÃO: As Hemoglobinopatias podem ser divididas em Talassemias e Doença Falciforme (DF), mas do ponto de vista clínico, ambas apresentam um quadro de anemia hemolítica crônica, o que acarreta uma série de complicações, entre estas a Hipertensão Pulmonar (HP). Estima-se que cerca de 20-40% da população com DF/talassemia apresente HP, sendo que este diagnóstico está associado a uma elevada morbi-mortalidade. Poucos estudos avaliaram esta prevalência em crianças. O Objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a prevalência desta complicação na população pediátrica, e associá-la com características clínicas e laboratoriais. MÉTODOS: Estudo de Corte Transversal, com avaliação de 45 pacientes com diagnóstico de DF ou Talassemia maior/ intermédia entre 3-18 anos, atendidos de forma consecutiva no ambulatório de Hemoglobinopatias do HCPA. Os pacientes foram submetidos a um ecocardiograma para estimativa da pressão sistólica da artéria pulmonar, sendo que foi considerado como tendo risco de HP os pacientes com velocidade de regurgitação tricúspide (VRT) ≥ 2,5m/s. Foram obtidos dados clínicos e laboratoriais para avaliação dos parâmetros hemolíticos, função hepática e renal por levantamento de prontuário e comparados os grupos. RESULTADOS: 15% (6/40) dos pacientes apresentaram VRT ≥ 2,5m/s, sugestivo de HP, sendo que destes pacientes todos tinham diagnóstico de Anemia Falciforme (AF). Considerando apenas esta população, a prevalência de HP aumenta para 20% (6/30). A população com VRT ≥ 2,5m/s apresentou média de idade mais elevada, Hb mais baixa, RDW mais alargado, reticulócitos e LDH mais elevado que o grupo com VRT < 2,5m/s. A principal intercorrência clínica nesta população foi a ocorrência de priapismo (p< 0,05). CONCLUSÕES: Os pacientes com Hemoglobinopatias estão em risco aumentado para desenvolvimento de HP desde a infância, principalmente aqueles com AF. Estes pacientes apresentam os parâmetros laboratoriais sugestivos de hemólise alterados, assim como outros sintomas associados ao quadro hemolítico como o priapismo quando comparados com pacientes com VRT normal. Desta forma sugere-se a realização de triagem com ecocardiograma nesta população de forma precoce. / INTRODUCTION: The Hemoglobinopathies can be divided in Thalassemias and Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), but clinically both present with chronic hemolytic anemia, which leads to various complications, one of them being Pulmonary Hypertension (PH). About 20-40% of patients with SCD have PH, and this diagnosis is associated with a high risk of mortality. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of this complication in the pediatric population, and associate clinical and laboratory characteristics. METHODS: A cross sectional descriptive study, with the evaluation of 45 patients with diagnosis of SCD or thalassemia major/intermedia between 3-18 years, which received treatment at the Hemoglobinopathies ambulatory at HCPA. The patients were submitted to an echocardiogram to estimate the pulmonary artery systolic pressure, being considered to have PH patients with a tricuspid regurgitate jet velocity (TRV) ≥ 2.5m/s. Clinical and laboratory data were obtained to evaluate hemolytic parameters, renal and liver function and compared between groups. RESULTS: 15% (6/40) of patients had a TRV ≥ 2.5m/s, suggestive of PH, of which all had Sickle Cell Anemia (SCA). Considering this group of patients alone the prevalence would be of 20% (6/30). Patients with TRV ≥ 2.5m/s had a higher median age, lower hemoglobin count, higher RDW, reticulocyte and DHL then patients with a TRV < 2.5m/s. The major clinical feature was the occurrence of priapism (p<0,05). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with diagnosis of hemoglobinopathies are at higher risk of developing PH since early childhood, especially those with SCA. These patients showed a higher level of hemolytic parameters, as well as symptoms associated with hemolysis, like priapism, when compared with patients with a normal TRV. Therefore, it would be indicated to submit these patients to an echocardiogram routinely in their early years.