Highlights ■ Liver transplantation improves health-related quality of life in patients with cirrhosis and high MELD scores. ■ Significant health-related quality of life improvements occur within three months of transplantation. ■ Multidisciplinary care programs enhance post-iver transplantation physical and mental recovery. ■ Sustained health-related quality of life gains highlight the long-term benefits of liver transplantation. ABSTRACT Objective: To assess the effects of liver transplantation on the health-related quality of life of patients with cirrhosis on the waiting list for transplantation. […]

Highlights ■ Webcam-based eye tracking demonstrated feasibility for monitoring reading behavior in classrooms. ■ Webcam-based eye tracking captured fixation times, showing differing reading speeds across comic sections. ■ Webcam-based eye tracking showed accuracy comparable to infrared-based systems, despite lower precision. ■ Limitations resulting in data loss underscore the need for methodological improvements. ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of webcam-based eye tracking for monitoring comic books reading behavior in a real-world classroom setting. Methods: We tested the feasibility […]

Highlights ■ Most outpatient consultations comprised diagnostic procedures. ■ In the past 12 years, medical care for benign breast diseases has cost >USD 65 million. ■ Women from North and Midwest Brazil had higher diagnosis and treatment displacement rates. ABSTRACT Objective: To quantitatively and geospatially analyze coverage and displacement for the diagnosis and treatment of benign breast diseases in the Brazilian Unified Health System between 2008 and 2019. Methods: Datasets from the Brazilian Ministry of Health were used to survey […]

Highlights ■ Biomarkers of brain injury, such as neuron-specific enolase and Tau proteins, are higher in older patients with sepsis and delirium. ■ Diagnosing sepsis in patients with delirium can be challenging. ■ Early identification of sepsis is key to managing sepsisassociated delirium. ABSTRACT Objective: Sepsis-associated delirium is a common cerebral manifestation in patients with sepsis, potentially caused by a combination of neuroinflammation and other neurophysiological disorders. This study investigated the expression of neuron-specific enolase and Tau protein as biomarkers […]

Highlights ■ Candidiasis can present as localized or systemic infections. Disseminated infections in newborns and adults can be life-threatening, with high mortality and morbidity rates (40–60%), and rank as the fourth most common type of nosocomial infection. ■ Oral candidiasis is a local condition affecting 10-15% of children in their first months of life. ■ Saliva and 3’-sialyllactose can disrupt the initial development of Candida albicans biofilm. ■ The effect of colostrum needs to be elucidated because it may hinder […]

Highlights ■ A 13-week Tai Chi/Qigong program significantly reducedanxiety and stress in Brazilian patients with diabetes and hypertension. ■ Tai Chi/Qigong offers an effective complementary therapy to improve health outcomes in primary care settings. ■ This study highlights the potential of Tai Chi/Qigong for enhancing mental and physical well-being in chronic disease management. ABSTRACT Objective: This study investigated the effects of Tai Chi/Qigong practice over 13 weeks on anxiety and perceived stress levels in middle-aged or older Brazilian hypertensive and […]

Highlights ■ This study represents the first investigation into the prevalence of deep endometriosis within outpatient services. ■ Utilizing real-world data, this study explores the prevalence of endometriosis. ■ The prevalence of endometriosis among women of reproductive age is 6.4% (based on real-world data). ■ The prevalence of endometriosis in women experiencing pelvic pain is 34.2%. ■ Infertility is 6.5 times more common in women diagnosed with endometriosis. ■ The presence of palpable posterior cul-de-sac nodules or a retroverted uterus […]

Highlights ■ Self-reported cardiac symptoms not associated with arrhythmias. ■ High prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms. ■ Anxiety was correlated with self-reported cardiac symptoms. ABSTRACT Objective: This study aimed to examine the presence of psychological characteristics and their association with self-reported cardiac symptoms in individuals undergoing 24- hour Holter monitoring. Methods: This observational cross-sectional study included 304 individuals who consecutively underwent 24-hour Holter monitoring. Clinical, demographic, and electrocardiographic data were collected. Psycho-behavioral characteristics were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety […]

Highlights ■ Persistently active individuals have strong independent protective factors against depression. ■ BMI (kg/m2) is an independent risk factor for depression. ■ Individuals with depression at follow-up were older than those without depression. ■ Perceived stress is a strong independent risk factor for depression. ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the association between changes in physical activity and depression in 1,950 Brazilians. Methods: This follow-up study included 1,950 Brazilians, aged ≥18 years, of both sexes, who participated in a health screening […]

Highlights ■ Public intensive care unit COVID-19 patients presented with more comorbidities and higher severity at admission. ■ Public intensive care units required more invasive organ support (e.g., mechanical ventilation, vasopressors, and renal replacement therapy) but less non-invasive ventilation and high-flow nasal cannula than private intensive care units. ■ In-hospital mortality was higher in public intensive care units, with an increased risk of death even after adjusting for patient characteristics and illness severity at intensive care unit admission. ABSTRACT Objective: […]