Browsing by Author "Vasconcelos, H"
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- Gastric ascariasis: a rare cause of upper gastrointestinal bleedingPublication . Pontes, JM; Leitão, M; Portela, F; Andrade, P; Lopes, H; Vasconcelos, H; Romão, Z; Pimenta, J; Donato, A; Freitas, D
- Long-term chorioretinal changes after photodynamic therapy for chronic central serous chorioretinopathyPublication . Vasconcelos, H; Marques, I; Santos, AR; Melo, P; Pires, I; Figueira, J; Faria de Abreu, J; Cachulo, ML; Silva, RPURPOSE: To evaluate morphological and functional chorioretinal changes 5 years after standard photodynamic therapy (PDT) for chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC). METHODS: A retrospective, nonrandomized study, including patients with chronic CSC treated with standard PDT and followed for at least 60 months. All patients underwent a complete ophthalmological examination, and the location and number of treatments were registered. Five or more years after treatment, subfoveal and non-subfoveal treated areas were evaluated with Spectralis optical coherence tomography and microperimetry. RESULTS: Seventeen eyes of 15 patients were included, with mean age of 48.3 ± 8.4 years and a mean follow-up of 80.6 ± 12.4 months (range from 62 to 104 months). All eyes had neurosensory detachment (NSD) at baseline. Treatment was performed under the fovea in 58.8 % and in a non-foveal area in 41.2 % of the eyes. At the final visit all eyes had resolution of the NSD, with a statistical significant reduction in central macular thickness (p = 0.005) and preserved neuroretinal thickness (p = 0.839). There was a statistical difference between initial and final BCVA (p < 0.001) and a mean gain of 8.4 ± 7.8 letters. Subfoveal morphological changes in external limiting membrane (ELM) and in photoreceptor inner and outer segment junction (IS/OS) were correlated with final BCVA (p = 0.015 and p = 0.014 respectively), but not with the variation of BCVA. There was a statistical correlation between morphological changes in IS/OS line and retinal sensitivity in the central 12° and 2° (p = 0.003 and p = 0.002 respectively). The morphological changes in the subfoveal layers were not dependent on treatment location (p = 0.154, p = 0.644, and p = 1.0 for ELM, IS/OS line, and retinal pigment epithelium respectively). Subfoveal final mean choroidal thickness was 295.1 ± 68.7 μm, and showed no statistical difference from the normal population (p = 0.633). CONCLUSIONS: Morphological and functional chorioretinal changes, observed 5 or more years after standard PDT for chronic CSC, were not correlated with the location of treatment, neither with the progression of visual acuity or with the location of treatment, and are more likely to be related to the disease itself than with the treatment provided.
- NOD2 gene mutations in ulcerative colitis: useless or misunderstood?Publication . Freire, P; Cardoso, R; Figueiredo, P; Donato, MM; Ferreira, M; Mendes, S; Ferreira, AM; Vasconcelos, H; Portela, F; Sofia, CPURPOSE: NOD2 mutations have been linked to an increased risk of Crohn's disease and to some of its phenotypes. The association between NOD2 mutations and susceptibility to ulcerative colitis (UC) remains somewhat controversial and potential correlations between these mutations and UC phenotype have not been studied. AIM: To assess whether NOD2 mutations are a risk factor for UC in Portugal and if there are any genotype-phenotype correlations in these patients. METHODS: The three main NOD2 mutations were searched in 200 patients with UC and in 202 healthy controls. RESULTS: NOD2 mutations were present in 28 patients with UC (14.0 %) and in 27 controls (13.4 %) (p = 0.853). Mutation carriers were more likely to receive steroids during the first year of disease than non-carriers (54.2 % vs. 29.6 %, p = 0.018) and among these patients the need for intravenous administration was more frequent in those with the R702W polymorphism (90.0 % vs. 45.5 %, p = 0.014). In patients with severe colitis admitted for intravenous steroids, a greater proportion of mutation carriers was considered intravenous-steroid refractory and required salvage therapy (90.0 % vs. 38.1 %, p = 0.004). Patients with NOD2 mutation were submitted to colectomy more frequently than non-carriers (17.9 % vs. 4.1 %. p = 0.015). No correlation with the need for immunosuppressants/immunomodulators was found. CONCLUSIONS: In the Portuguese population, NOD2 mutations do not increase the risk of UC but are associated with a more aggressive course including greater need of steroids in the first year, increased incidence of intravenous-steroid refractoriness and a higher colectomy rate.