Highlights ■ The post-surgical infection rate after elective cardiac surgery was 10.6%. ■ Preoperative dental assessment was not significantly associated with reduced post-surgical infection. ■ Preoperative dental assessment was associated with a shorter hospital stay (p<0.05). ■ Overall, 89.8% of evaluated patients remained infection-free, indicating a favorable trend. ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the prevalence and clinical characteristics of post-surgical infections after coronary and/or valvular heart surgery at a tertiary hospital and to examine the relationship between these infections and prior […]

Highlights ■ The role of adenomatous and serrated polyps in ulcerative colitis-related colorectal cancer remains unclear. ■ Data regarding adenomatous and serrated polyps in ulcerative colitis remain scarce. ■ Preneoplastic polyps were identified in 16.2% of patients with ulcerative colitis. ■ Age >41 years and higher body mass index were associated with an increased risk of polyps. ABSTRACT Objective: To Describe the prevalence of adenomatous and serrated polyps in ulcerative colitis and investigate risk factors associated with the development and […]

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. […]

ABSTRACT Background: Hospital malnutrition has been studied for decades; however, its prevalence remains high, and research in this area is still relevant. Nutritional screening and assessment tools are routinely used in hospital settings. Objective: We aimed to describe and discuss the general characteristics of studies that used nutritional screening and assessment instruments in hospitalized adult populations, with a focus on clinical outcomes. Methods: We conducted a systematic review without meta-analysis. Eligible studies were original prospective or retrospective studies published in […]

Highlights ■ The sample included 555 patients from three hospitals (both public and private), representing diverse care settings. ■ Physician and software predictions showed moderate correlation with observed intensive care unit length of stay,  highlighting limitations in absolute prediction accuracy. ■ Categorizing length of stay into time periods (<2, 2-5, >5 days) improved prediction accuracy to approximately 60% for both physicians and Epimed Monitor Performance®. ■ Epimed Monitor Performance® identified patients at risk of prolonged intensive care unit stay with […]

Highlights ■ This prospective cohort study assessed prostate biopsy complications in 1,043 men. ■ The major outcomes included bleeding (Clavien-Dindo Grades 2–3 = 1.5%), infections (4.7%), and urinary retention (4.1%). ■ The key risk factors for infection were recent quinolone use, indwelling catheters, and high PSA levels. ■ Acute urinary retention was linked to untreated lower urinary tract symptoms, prostate volume, intravesical prostatic protrusion, and bladder wall thickness. ABSTRACT Objective: To identify complications following transrectal posterior biopsies in a public […]

Highlights ■ Any alcohol consumption during pregnancy: prevalence of 11.5%. ■ Excessive alcohol consumption during pregnancy: prevalence of 3.0%. ■ Risk factors: older age, low education, and Indigenous ethnicity. ■ Protective factors: being married and living in Northern Brazil. ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze the prevalence and factors associated with alcohol consumption among pregnant women. Methods: This cross-sectional study examined pregnant women living in Brazilian capitals using information collected by the Noncommunicable Chronic Disease Risk Factor Surveillance System (Vigitel) between 2006 […]

Highlights Herbal medicinal product use was 3.8%, with high formal prescription; however, it is accompanied by a high risk of interactions and redundancy. Unified Health System pharmacies are not the main source of herbal medicinal products, suggesting low service implementation. Women, people with mental disorders, and allopathy simultaneously users should receive attention. Non-white people are less likely to use herbal medicinal product, suggesting inequalities in accessing these treatments. ABSTRACT Objective: To determine the prevalence and factors associated with herbal medicinal […]

Highlights Gradient Boosting Machine and Random Forest models were built for prediction of mortality at cardiac intensive care units. A total of 9,761 intensive care unit stays of patients admitted under a Cardiac Surgery and Cardiac Medical services were studied. The AUROC and AUPRC values were significantly superior to seven conventional systems compared. The machine learning models’ calibration curves were substantially closer to the ideal line. ABSTRACT Objective: Logistic Regression has been used traditionally for the development of most predictor […]

Highlights Excess moisture can lead to maceration and contribute to skin breakdown. Superficial pressure ulcers were the most common and can be easily prevented. Healthcare professionals should be aware of PU risk factors, evaluate skin daily, and offer prevention. ABSTRACT Objective: To estimate the point prevalence of and risk factors associated with the development of pressure ulcers at a university hospital in Brazil. Methods: This study was conducted on 196 participants using a structured questionnaire, physical examination of the skin, […]