title: Evaluation of hemostasis disorders and anticardiolipin antibody in patients with severe leptospirosis.
abstract: A prospective study was designed to evaluate disorders of hemostasis and levels of anticardiolipin antibodies (ACL) in 30 patients with severe leptospirosis and acute renal failure (ARF) (ARF was defined as serum creatinine > or =1.5 mg/dL). The patients had been admitted to the Walter Cantídio University Hospital, São José Infectious Diseases Hospital and General Hospital of Fortaleza, Ceará, from August 1999 to July 2001. They all were male, with a mean age of 32 +/- 14 years and with clinical and laboratory diagnoses of ARF leptospirosis. The time elapsed between onset of symptoms and the first hemorrhagic manifestation was 9 +/- 4 days. Bleeding was observed in 86% of the patients. Laboratory tests showed significantly high levels of urea (181 +/-95 mg/dl), fibrinogen, (515 +/- 220 mg/dl), prothrombin time (13.3 +/- 0.9 seconds) and low platelet counts (69 +/- 65 x 10(3)/mm3) on admission. There was no elevation in activated partial thromboplastin time or thrombin time. Levels of IgM and IgG ACL concentrations were significantly increased (p < 0.05) in leptospirosis patients when compared to control patients (28.5 +/- 32.4 vs. 11.5 +/- 7.9MPL U/ml and 36.7 +/- 36.1 vs. 6.5 +/- 2.5 GPL U/ml), respectively. Vasculitis, thrombocytopenia and uremia should be considered important factors for the pathogenesis of hemorrhagic disturbances and the main cause of death in severe leptospirosis.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitário Walter Cantídio, Departamento de Medicina Clínica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brasil. efdaher@for.terra.com.br
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Francesco Daher
authors.forename: Francisco Holanda
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Oliveira Neto
authors.forename: Susana Marcela Pineida
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ramirez
mesh_terms: D058186:Acute Kidney Injury / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017153:Antibodies, Anticardiolipin / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006474:Hemorrhagic Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D017153:Antibodies, Anticardiolipin; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G