Highlights ■ Only 34.4% of patients with primary Antiphospholipid Syndrome achieved adequate anticoagulation  (time in therapeutic range ≥60%). ■ More than half had insufficient INR monitoring, precluding  time in therapeutic range calculation. ■ No clinical or demographic factors were associated with  poor anticoagulation control. ■ Gaps in follow-up and adherence issues appear to be key contributors to suboptimal anticoagulation. ABSTRACT Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the quality of anticoagulation control in patients with primary antiphospholipid syndrome, using time in […]

Highlights ■ Remaining obese over time was independently associated with higher odds of depression. ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the association between longitudinal self-initiated changes in body mass index patterns and depression in a large sample of adults and older individuals. Methods: Participants included 1,944 adults and older individuals with depressive symptoms at baseline who underwent routine health screening examinations. Depression was defined as Beck Depression Inventory-II scores ≥14. Body mass index, blood pressure, blood samples, alcohol consumption, smoking status, physical […]

Highlights ■ Telecardiology enabled perioperative cardiovascular risk assessment for non-cardiac surgery. ■ Most patients were safely classified as low cardiovascular risk at first consultation. ■ Additional testing and urgent referrals were rarely required. ■ Remote assessment expanded access to cardiology care in underserved regions. ABSTRACT Objective: This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and management strategies of patients referred for telecardiology consultations, specifically for preoperative cardiovascular risk assessment. Methods: A retrospective observational study at a Telemedicine Center in São […]

Highlights ■ A total of 441 rapid response team activations among  adult oncology outpatients in 2023. ■ Most activations occurred during clinic visits or imaging exams; few in chemotherapy. ■ Key triggers included staff concern and arterial  hypertension. ■ Outcomes: 8.8% of patients required intensive care unit transfer and 2.3% died in the hospital. ABSTRACT Objective: To describe the characteristics, timing, documentation completeness, and outcomes of Rapid Response Team activations among adult oncology outpatients. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed all […]

Highlights ■ One-third of patients older than 65 years exhibit a hyperinflammatory state typical of inflammatory anemia. ■ The pathophysiology of anemia of inflammation is multifactorial. ■ Higher inflammation is associated with high prevalence of anemia and age-associated disorders. ■ The inflammatory state stimulates hepatocytes to produce hepcidin. ■ Understanding the immunomodulatory parameters in  anemia of inflammation may be effective for differential diagnosis and therapeutic approaches. ABSTRACT Objective: This study aimed to assess the relationship between hepcidin, IFN-γ, iron biomarkers, […]

Highlights ■ SARS-CoV-2 patients had 83.7% ischemic stroke and 39% in-hospital mortality rates. ■ D-dimer levels independently predict mortality in patients with COVID-19 and stroke. ■ Patients with COVID-19 and stroke have high complication rates: pneumonia 61%, renal failure 35%, sepsis 30.3% sepsis. ■ Time from symptom onset to admission was shorter than the pre-pandemic average. ABSTRACT Objective: This study aimed to characterize the clinical, laboratory, and neuroimaging profiles of hospitalized Brazilian patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 and acute cerebrovascular events. […]

Highlights ■ This is the largest cohort of individuals with NF1 investigated through whole-genome sequencing. ■ Molecular data contributed to the representation of the  Brazilian population in genomic research. ■ Novel variants in the NF1 gene have been described, including c.3372del, c.7299del, and c.7457_7457+2del. ■ The first report of spinocerebellar ataxia type 19 in Brazil is also presented. ABSTRACT Objective: To describe clinical and molecular aspects of a cohort of Brazilian individuals with neurofibromatosis type 1, a neurocutaneous disorder associated […]

Highlights ■ This large real-world study analyzed blood cholesterol trends over a 15-year period in São Paulo, Brazil. ■ Mean total and LDL-C decreased significantly across all groups. ■ A higher proportion of patients achieved recommended  LDL-C target levels. ■ The observed trends may reflect improvements in cardiovascular prevention strategies and treatment efficacy. ABSTRACT Objective: This study aimed to evaluate monthly trends in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in the examined population. Methods: Monthly trends in LDL-C levels from 2009 […]

Highlights ■ Becoming physically active was associated with low odds  of erectile dysfunction. ■ Remaining physically active was associated with low odds  of erectile dysfunction. ABSTRACT Objective: The effect of self-initiated changes in physical activity patterns over time on erectile dysfunction remains unclear. We aimed to analyze the relationship between self-initiated changes in physical activity over time and erectile dysfunction in a large sample of men. Methods: This study included 925 adults and older men with erectile dysfunction who underwent […]

Highlights ■ The SCAT-5 is a questionnaire for the follow-up of patients diagnosed with cerebral concussion. ■ The SCAT-5 was translated from English to Brazilian Portuguese, back-translated, and evaluated by an expert committee. The final version was tested twice on athletes admitted to the cerebral concussion in Sports outpatient clinic with concussion. ■ The SCAT-5 was successfully translated and culturally adapted for use in Brazilian patients. The agreement between the first and second tests was moderate for “irritability” and good […]