Highlights ■ Outpatient palliative care follow-up increased median survival by 4.7 months in patients with advanced head and neck cancer. ■ Patients receiving palliative care had fewer intensive care unit deaths, less chemotherapy in the final month of life, and a reduced need for palliative sedation. ■ Integrated palliative care resulted in fewer emergency visits per month of follow-up, suggesting more efficient symptom management. ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate whether integrated palliative care is associated with improved overall survival and better […]

Highlights ■ Posterior cervical spine surgery showed an overall complication rate of 22.3%, mainly surgery-related. ■ Surgical site infection (6.2%) and late reoperation (4.3%) were the most common complications. ■ The average patient age varied by etiology, being the lowest in neoplastic cases (34.4 years) and the highest in degenerative cases (55.7 years). ■ No statistically significant associations were found between complications and patient characteristics, except for a trend toward more complications in urgent surgeries (p=0.085). ■ Mortality was 3.7%, […]

Highlights ■ The Baritrip app offers multidisciplinary guidance for bariatric surgery patients. ■ The app was validated by experts, yielding a high content validity index of 0.99. ■ Users rated the app engagement, layout, and organization with 89.1% agreement. ■ The app supports health literacy, pre and post-surgical care through an inclusive approach. ABSTRACT Objective: To develop and validate a comprehensive mobile health App (mHealth App) to increase the health literacy and care engagement of patients undergoing bariatric surgery. Methods: […]

Highlights ■ Pre-transplant parathyroid hormone levels were not linked to kidney function at 1 year post-transplant. ■ Recipient age showed a negative association with renal function at 12 months. ■ The Kidney Donor Profile Index was a strong predictor of graft function. ■ Individualized risk assessment remains essential for kidney transplant prognosis. ABSTRACT Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the association between pre-transplant parathyroid hormone levels and renal function 1-year after kidney transplantation. Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted […]

Highlights ■ The elderly had higher severity, more comorbidities, and longer intensive care unit and hospital stays than adults. ■ They required more assistance resources and had higher hospital mortality. ■ Independent mortality predictors: age ≥60, frailty, arrhythmia, transplant, acute kidney injury, vasopressors and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, comorbidities, therapeutic resources, and mortality rates of elderly patients with COVID-19 admitted to an intensive care unit. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients […]

Highlights ■ A single session of self-selected intensity walking reduced systolic blood pressure in individuals with peripheral artery disease. ■ Heart rate recovery responses after self-selected-intensity walking were similar to those following the guidelineprescribed exercise. ■ Self-selected intensity exercise may offer a feasible strategy for patients with claudication, balancing comfort and cardiovascular benefits. ■ These findings support flexible exercise prescriptions tailored to individual comfort without compromising the cardiovascular benefits. ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze the post-exercise effects of self-selected exercise intensity […]

Highlights ■ Calf circumference is a well-established indicator of all-cause mortality. ■ In women with peripheral artery disease, calf circumference was inversely associated with arterial stiffness. ■ Among men with peripheral artery disease, calf circumference was not associated with cardiovascular indicators. ■ Calf circumference may be a useful screening tool for cardiovascular risk in women. ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze the association between calf circumference and cardiovascular indicators in men and women with symptomatic peripheral artery disease. Methods: This cross-sectional study […]

Highlights ■ More than 2 million procedures were analyzed in the public health system from 2019 to 2023. ■ A total of 13 types of procedures were performed across 7 different specialties. ■ A 35% reduction in the total number of surgeries was observed. ■ There was no recovery of surgeries postponed during the pandemic. ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze changes in surgical volume across different specialties in Brazil before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This descriptive observational study […]

Highlights ■ HPV+ is associated with improved overall survival in oropharyngeal cancer ■ HPV+ tumors tend to recur earlier than HPV- tumors. ■ Metastasis is a key prognostic factor for mortality and recurrence regardless of HPV status. ■ Smoking and alcohol consumption reduce the favorable prognosis of HPV+. ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze the overall and disease-free survival of patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Methods: Sociodemographic and clinical data, HPV status, and alcohol/tobacco consumption were assessed among patients treated at […]

Highlights ■ Intranasal midazolam with an atomizer is a treatment for pediatric status epilepticus. ■ In Brazil, the atomizer is often replaced with a syringe owing to the cost of the device. ■ We compared midazolam plasma levels with and without an atomizer in children with epilepsy. ■ No significant difference was found, supporting the syringe-only use in emergencies. ABSTRACT Objective: Convulsive status epilepticus is the most common neurological emergency in children with high morbidity and mortality rates. Intranasal midazolam […]