Predictors of functional capacity as measured by the Glittre activities of daily living test in women with rheumatoid arthritis

Although pulmonary involvement is the most common extra-articular manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), traditional pulmonary function tests (PFTs) do not show a good correlation with the field tests usually performed in these patients. In recent decades, measurement of ventilation distribution heterogeneity through the nitrogen single-breath washout (N₂SBW) test and evaluation of functional capacity during exercise using the Glittre activities of daily living test (GA-T) have been increasingly used. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate predictors of GA-T outcomes in women with RA considering demographic, anthropometric, clinical, functional variables, and chest computed tomography (CT) findings. Forty-three women with RA underwent the GA-T, the N₂SBW test, spirometry, measurement of the diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLco), measurement of respiratory muscle strength, and evaluation of physical function of the lower and upper limbs through the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI). Chest CT scans were analyzed retrospectively. The GA-T time showed significant correlations with the DLco (r_s=-0.397, P=0.008), forced vital capacity/DLco (r_s=0.307, P=0.044), phase III slope of the N₂SBW test (SIIIN₂, r_s=0.644, P<0.0001), and the HAQ-DI (r_s=0.482, P=0.001). Disease extent as assessed by chest CT was associated with the GA-T time. On multiple regression analysis, the SIIIN₂ and HAQ-DI were the only predictors of the GA-T time, explaining 40% of its variability. Thus, ventilation distribution heterogeneity and worse physical function substantially explain the variability in GA-T time in women with RA and varying extents of disease on chest CT.

Patogenicidade In Vivo e In Vitro de Amostras de Escherichia Coli de Origem Aviária

O objetivo desse trabalho consistiu em determinar a patogenicidade in vivo e in vitro de 25 amostras de Escherichia coli obtidas de aves com Síndrome da Cabeça Inchada (SCI). A patogenicidade in vivo foi determinada pela inoculação em pintos SPF de um dia de idade, utilizando-se quatro vias de inoculação: intracardíaca, saco aéreo, oral e traqueal. As aves foram avaliadas quanto à mortalidade a cada 12 horas, por um período de sete dias. Os resultados desse estudo demonstraram que as 25 amostras de E. coli, isoladas de aves com SCI, causaram mortalidade mais elevada em pintos de um dia de idade quando foram inoculadas pelas vias intracardíaca (73,6%) e saco aéreo (68%). As menores taxas de mortalidade em pintos de um dia de idade foram obtidas pelas vias intratraqueal (13,6%) e oral (10,8%). Não foi observada diferença estatisticamente significativa entre a taxa de mortalidade de pintos de um dia inoculados com amostras produtoras (44,8%) e não (32,3%) de verotoxina. As amostras de E. coli, isoladas nesse estudo, quando foram utilizadas as vias de inoculação intracardíaca e saco aéreo, mostraram ser mais patogênicas para pintos de um dia de idade. A capacidade de produzir verotoxina não influenciou na taxa de mortalidade.