Browsing by Author "Alves, Helena"
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- Alimentação e NutriçãoPublication . Alves, Helena
- ANXA11 association with Sarcoidosis susceptibility: a meta-analysis of non-family-based studiesPublication . Lima, Bruno A.; Morais, António; Alves, HelenaSarcoidosis is a multisystemic disorder of unknown etiology, characterized by the formation of noncaseating granulomas, predominantly in the lungs and lymph nodes. The sarcoidosis association with the ANXA11 rs1049550 SNP has been previously reported in case–control studies. We carried out this meta-analysis in order to collect all the relevant studies to further clarify the association of ANXA11 SNP rs1049550 C/T (R230C variant) polymorphism with Sarcoidosis susceptibility. Relevant published data were retrieved through Medline, PubMed andWeb of Science pertaining to Sarcoidosis and ANXA polymorphisms. Odds ratios (OR) with 95 % confidence intervals (CI) were used to assess the strength of the association. Z test was used to determine the significance of the pooled OR. Statistical heterogeneity was measured using the Q statistic. The effect of heterogeneity was quantified using the I2-statistic. Visual inspection of asymmetry in funnel plots was conducted. Begg’s rank correlation method and Egger weighted regression method were also used to statistically assess the publication bias. Statistical analyses were performed with STATA12.0 software. A total of 6 studies, including 3297 sarcoidosis cases and 3346 healthy controls, were collected in this meta-analysis. For T vs. C, no heterogeneity (Q=4.79, p=0.44, I2=0.0%) was observed among individual estimates, and original data were combined using the fixed-effects model. For the total population, we found that ANXA11 T allele was less common in the Sarcoidosis group than in the control group and we obtained an effect summary OR=0.69, with a 95 % CI=0.64-0.74, and p<0.001, which shows a protective association of SNP rs1049550 T allele to sarcoidosis. Our comprehensive meta-analysis indicated that there is sufficient evidence to demonstrate a conclusive association between the ANXA11 SNP rs1049550 and sarcoidosis susceptibility.
- Applying virtual crossmatch approach in portuguese kidney transplantsPublication . Lima, Bruno A.; Mendes, Miguel; Alves, HelenaPresence of donor specific antibodies anti-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) is generally a contra-indication for transplantation and nowadays the identification of these antibodies are part of most pre-transplantation evaluations. In Portugal, the implemented protocol for the registration and maintenance of the active list for kidney transplant includes a complement-dependent cytotoxity (CDC) panel-reactive antibody (PRA) screening method, and Luminex technology for detecting and characterizing HLA alloantibodies. Under the current Portuguese kidney allocation system from deceased donors, implemented in August 2007, deceased donor kidneys are primarily allocated via ABO identical and time on dialysis with extra points to hyperimmunized patients, namely PRA CDC>50%. Additional risk for the candidate or transplant organ can be represented by a proposed calculated PRA (cPRA) based upon unacceptable HLA antigens detected by Luminex to which the patient has been sensitized. These unacceptable HLA antigens used to generate cPRA represents a ‘virtual’ crossmatch (XM). Sensitized patients are less likely to be matched with a suitable donor organ. Even after clearing the hurdle of procuring a living donor, it is still possible that this is not sufficient due to the likelihood of having a XM-positive. In these cases and in the presence of incompatible blood type between recipients and their intended living donors, kidney paired donation (KPD) can provide an answer by facilitating exchanges between willing donors’ kidneys. A national Portuguese KPD program, when realized, may prevent the current loss of a significant number of suitable living donors and reduce waiting list time for a deceased donor. An upgrade of a suggested point system in a Portuguese KPD program will be the use of cPRA instead of the values of PRA CDC. In Portugal, the virtual XM approach simply represents the optimization of an existing technique.
- Assessment of a Portuguese panel reactive antibody calculatorPublication . Lima, Bruno A.; Alves, HelenaCalculated panel-reactive antibody (cPRA) is an accurate measure for the definition of candidates’ immunization to a transplant. Based upon unacceptable HLA antigens to which the patient has been sensitized, cPRA is computed with HLA allelic and haplotypic frequencies from a pool of possible donors and represents the percentage of donors that express one or more of the antigens unacceptable for a given transplant candidate. The aim of this study is to compare cPRA values obtained from HLA frequencies of Portuguese donors with values obtained from cPRA calculators from international established sources.
- Associação de genes HLA e não HLA com a suscetibilidade para a sarcoidose na população portuguesa do nortePublication . Alves, Helena; Lima, Bruno; Morais, António
- Atividade do transplante renal de 2003 a 2016: Portugal na União Europeia a 28Publication . Lima, Bruno A.; Alves, HelenaA diálise e o transplante de rim são as terapias de substituição renal disponíveis para doentes com insuficiência renal. Em comparação com a diálise, o transplante renal está associado com uma substancial redução do risco de mortalidade e de eventos cardiovasculares, bem como com melhorias clinicamente relevantes, da qualidade de vida dos doentes. O objetivo deste trabalho é o de comparar a atividade de transplantação renal em Portugal com a atividade dos restantes países da União Europeia no período entre 2003 a 2016. Este estudo tem por base a informação do Observatório Global em Doação e Transplantação, recolhida e produzida pela colaboração entre a Organização Mundial de Saúde e a Organización Nacional de Trasplante de Espanha, de onde recolhemos os dados disponíveis respeitantes aos 28 países da União Europeia. Depois de em 2009 Portugal ter sido o país da União Europeia com o maior número de transplantes de rim de dador cadáver pmh, em 2012 Portugal cai para o 7º lugar deste ranking, ocupando em 2014 a sua pior posição (9º lugar) desde 2003. Se no que diz respeito aos transplantes com dador cadáver, Portugal já conseguiu alcançar posições cimeiras no ranking apresentado, relativamente ao transplante com dador vivo as posições de Portugal têm sido apenas modestas.
- Controlo da Qualidade Laboratorial PLP na área clínica: ponto de situação - PortugalPublication . Vilaça, Manuela; Guimarães, Luís Filipe; Botelho, Mónica; Alves, HelenaExperiência do Laboratório de Hematologia/Química Clínica do INSA Porto no Controlo da qualidade interno (CQI) e Avaliação Externa da Qualidade (AEQ).
- Curriculum vitæ do especialista de imuno-hemoterapia no século XXIPublication . Alves, Helena
- Cytokine gene polymorphisms in Pigeon Breeder's Disease expressionPublication . Freitas, Cláudia; Lima, Bruno; Martins, Natália; Melo, Natália; Mota, Patrícia; Novais-Bastos, Hélder; Alves, Helena; Sokhatska, Oksana; Delgado, Luís; Morais, AntónioBackground: Exaggerated immunological response to repeated inhalation of organic or chemical dusts may lead to Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis among sensitized individuals. Only a few exposed individuals became ill and disease expression pattern is highly variable which suggest that genetic factors may play a role. Aim: To investigate interferon (IFN)-γ, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß, and IL-10 gene polymorphisms in a cohort of pigeon breeder's disease (PBD) patients in comparison with exposed but healthy controls and the association with different patterns of disease. Methods: We evaluated 40 PBD patients and 70 exposed controls. IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-6, TGF-ß, and IL-10 polymorphisms were determined by polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific primer amplification. Results: Polymorphism analysis of IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-6, TGF-ß, and IL-10 genotypes and allele frequencies showed no differences between patients and controls. IFN-γ T/T genotype frequency was increased among patients with chronic presentation (RR=2.33, p=0.047) compared with those with acute/subacute presentation. Also, chronic presenting patients had an increased frequency of IFN-γ T allele (50% vs 22.5%, RR=1.76, p=0.011). No differences were found in TNF-α, IL-6, TGF-ß, and IL-10 genotypes neither allelic frequencies between both groups of patients. IL-6 C/C genotype was more frequent in patients who showed chronic evolution (RR=2.54, p=0.017), when comparing with patients with disease resolution. Conclusion: IFN-γ T/T and the IL-6 C/C genotypes seem to play a role in HP expression due to avian exposure, as their frequencies are increased in chronic presentations or in those with chronic evolution one year after the initial diagnosis, respectively. (Sarcoidosis Vasc Diffuse Lung Dis 2020; 37 (3): e2020004).
- Department of Health Promotion and Prevention of Non Communicable DiseasesPublication . Alves, Helena