Health systems need to be strengthening to face new challenges. Demographic growth must increase the demand for more services, and resulting comorbidities are making systems more expensive. New technologies can contribute positively to transform our society, but, in the healthcare area, this transformation is still late. There is a disproportion between launching innovative services and such services economic impact. Two ideas have dominated the field according to experts, that is, the skeptical picture about the benefit of health technologies and […]

ABSTRACT The Brazilian Nutritional Consensus in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: Elderly was elaborated by nutritionists, nutrologists and hematologists physicians from 15 Brazilians reference centers in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, in order to emphasize the importancy of nutritional status and the body composition during the treatment, as well as the main characteristics related to patient’s nutritional assessment. Establishing the consensus, we intended to improve and standardize the nutritional therapy during the hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The Consensus was approved by the […]

ABSTRACT Objective To develop and test a beat-to-beat blood pressure monitoring device during coronary angiography, and compare it with invasive blood pressure monitoring. Methods Twenty-eight patients with an indication for hemodynamic study were selected for this investigation, and kept in supine position. Before starting the coronary angiography, they were instructed about the use of the left radial bracelet for beat-to-beat blood pressure monitoring. Results There was a significant difference between the time required for the catheterization laboratory team to acquire […]

ABSTRACT Objective: To compare the enzyme activity of different presentations of papain solution to validate in-house preparations. Methods: Two papain solutions were prepared, and the third presentation was a commercial solution. Tests were carried out with samples of red cells typed as weak RhD. Results: In-house prepared papain solutions showed similar enzyme reactivity, and statistically no differences compared to the enzyme activity of the commercial solution. Conclusion: Evaluating the cost-benefit ratio, the in-house prepared papain solutions present more economic advantages, […]

ABSTRACT Objective: To demonstrate the most frequent errors in inhalation technique in patients with asthma undergoing treatment at a tertiary care hospital. Methods: A cross-sectional study with a convenience sample of asthma patients aged 18 years or over, treated at a pulmonology outpatient clinic of a tertiary care hospital. The assessment of inhalation technique of users of the dry powder inhalers Aerolizer®, Aerocaps and Diskus®, or metered-dose inhalers was based on the manufacturer’s instructions for use of each inhaler device. […]

ABSTRACT Objective To prepare an instrument to evaluate health literacy with regard to adherence to drug treatment among diabetics, identify the validity of its content, and estimate its reliability. Methods Pilot study, with the following stages of instrument construction: literature review, content validation, reliability estimation (internal consistency/Cronbach’s alpha and reproducibility/Kappa). Results The validity of content was completed and presented alpha=0.77 and Kappa values ranged from 0.31 to 1.00. Conclusion The instrument was approved regarding content validity, presented acceptable internal consistency […]

ABSTRACT Objective To analyze the incidence of otorrhea in the postoperative period of patients submitted to tympanotomy to place ventilation tube, and who did not protect the ear when exposed to water. Methods Open, randomized-controlled trial. Eighty patients submitted to unilateral or bilateral ear grommet tympanostomy were included and divided into two groups: Auricular Protection and Non-Protection to water during bathing and activities in water. Results In the first postoperative month, the Non-Protection Group presented a significant increase in the […]

ABSTRACT Objective To develop a scale of anticholinergic activity drugs used in Brazil, to be applied in health care and pharmacoepidemiology research. Methods We performed a literature review on PubMed/MEDLINE® to identify previously published scales of anticholinergic drugs. This scale started with anticholinergic drugs, and those with known anticholinergic activity as per the 4th level, chemical-therapeutic subgroup, of the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical classification. We also included drugs with high anticholinergic activity, as described in a list of potentially inappropriate medications […]

ABSTRACT Objective To understand the profile of professionals working in organ harvesting, and analyze the learning results of those trained before and after the course on recovery, perfusion and packaging of organs for transplants. Methods A retroprospective, quantitative, analytical-descriptive study about the Course on Recovery, Perfusion and Packaging of Liver and Kidney, in the period from 2012 to 2014. Pre- and post-tests, with ten questions were used to assess knowledge about organ harvesting. The association of knowledge with applied content […]

ABSTRACT Objective To describe the clinical and epidemiological features of patients with and without sepsis at critical care units of a public hospital. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out from May 2012 to April 2013. Clinical and laboratory data of patients with and without sepsis in the intensive care units were reviewed of medical records. Results We evaluated 466 patients, 58% were men, median age was 40 years, and 146 (31%) of them were diagnosed with sepsis. The overall […]

ABSTRACT Objective: To compare the use of the radiofrequency thermoablation of the saphenous vein with the ligation technique, and complete removal of the saphenous vein, from the saphenofemoral junction to the ankle. Methods: A total of 49 patients with chronic venous disease in the Comprehensive Classification System for Chronic Venous Disorders (CEAP) classes 2 to 4 for clinical signs, etiology, anatomic distribution and pathophysiology, were assessed at baseline, after 4 weeks, and after 1 year. The parameters assessed were complications, […]

ABSTRACT Objective: To perform the cross-cultural adaptation of the original North American version of the Attitudes Toward Lesbians and Gay Men Scale (ATLG) for use in Brazil, and to evaluate the psychometric properties of the adapted instrument in a sample of Brazilian heterosexual physicians. Methods: Stages of cross-cultural adaptation were as follows: translation by two independent evaluators, translation synthesis, evaluation by the target population for semantic equivalence, pilot study with 42 physicians, and final instrument preparation involving 224 heterosexual physicians […]

ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate the feasibility and applicability of a low-cost cryotherapy system. Methods Experimental study with 25kg Landrace pigs submitted to a longitudinal cervico-thoraco-abdominal incision for exposure of the trachea, thorax and abdomen. The tissues were frozen by continuous spray application at different periods of time (5, 10 and 15 seconds). Spray cryotherapy was performed using a fluorinated gas (tetrafluorethane) delivered at – 47°C temperature (DermaFreeze®, Emdutos; ANVISA registration 80409950001; price R$ 394,00). via an adapted, disposable 1.8mm cholangiography […]

ABSTRACT Objective To investigate the prevalence of electrocardiographic changes in patients with spondyloarthritis and to correlate these changes with use of anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) drugs and HLA-B27 positivity. Methods Retrospective study including 100 patients diagnosed with spondyloarthritis according to Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society (ASAS) criteria and 50 controls. Epidemiological and clinical features, results of inflammatory activity tests, HLA-B27 positivity, and medication use data were extracted from medical records. Disease activity was assessed using the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease […]

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the effect of red propolis and L-lysine on angiogenesis and tumor growth in a new model of hamster cheek pouch inoculated with Walker 256 tumor cells. Methods: The study consisted of two experiments with four groups each (total: 57 hamsters). In the experiment 1, the animals were inoculated with Walker tumor cells, followed by administration of test substances (red propolis 200mg/5mL/kg or L-lysine 150mg/kg) or control substances (gum arabic 5mL/kg or water 5mL/kg) for 10 days. […]

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate clinical features and complications in patients with bowel endometriosis submitted to hormonal therapy. Methods: Retrospective study based on data extracted from medical records of 238 women with recto-sigmoid endometriosis treated between May 2010 and May 2016. Results: Over the course of follow-up, 143 (60.1%) women remained in medical treatment while 95 (39.9%) presented with worsening of pain symptoms or intestinal lesion growth (failure of medical treatment group), with surgical resection performed in 54 cases. Women in […]

ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the addition of chemotherapy or abiraterone to androgen deprivation. Methods We developed an analytical model to determine the cost-effectiveness of the addition of docetaxel or abiraterone versus androgen deprivation therapy alone. Direct and indirect costs were included in the model. The effects were expressed in Quality-Adjusted Life Years adjusted for side effects. Results Compared to androgen deprivation therapy alone, the addition of chemotherapy and of abiraterone generated 0.492 and 0.999, respectively, in Quality-Adjusted […]

ABSTRACT The left ventricular noncompaction is a congenital cardiomyopathy characterized by the presence of abnormal trabeculations in the left ventricle. The present study describes the case of a 14-year-old female Para athlete, who plays goalball. She was asymptomatic, with history of congenital nystagmus and mild visual impairment, who presented nonspecific electrocardiographic abnormalities during pre-competition screening. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging showed left ventricular non-compaction (non-compacted to compacted layer ratio equal to 2.5) and mild biventricular systolic dysfunction. Initially, the patient was […]

ABSTRACT Oral squamous papilloma is a benign tumor whose pathogenesis has been associated with human papillomavirus infection. Thus, it is noteworthy that human papillomavirus infection is one of the risk factors associated with the development of cervical, anogenital, pharynx, larynx and oral cavity carcinomas. Oral squamous papilloma can affect any region of the oral cavity, and transmission of human papillomavirus can occur by direct contact, sexual intercourse or from mother to child during delivery. The diagnosis is clinical and histopathological, […]

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the best surgical approach for the female urinary incontinence. Methods: Systematic review conducted in MEDLINE® Cochrane, EMBASE and LILACS database up to September 1st, 2017. Articles were selected according to study type, type of intervention and outcomes. Articles were selected by more than one researcher based on title, abstract and full text. The SIGN checklist was used for bias assessment. Results: A total of 165 articles were retrieved from MEDLINE® . Twenty-five studies were elected for […]