Anemia e marcadores séricos da deficiência de ferro em grávidas atendidas na rede pública municipal de Manaus, Amazonas, Brasil

O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a anemia em grávidas, associando os resultados da dosagem de hemoglobina e hematócrito com a análise de marcadores do perfil sérico do ferro. Participaram do estudo 92 grávidas que estavam realizando pré-natal em unidades de atendimento à saúde no Município de Manaus, Amazonas, Brasil. Foi aplicado um formulário para obtenção dos dados antropométricos e informações sobre estilo de vida, além de serem realizadas dosagens dos níveis séricos de ferro, capacidade latente de ligação do ferro (CLLF), capacidade total de ligação do ferro (CTLF), índice de saturação da transferrina (IST), transferrina, ferritina e níveis sanguíneos de hemoglobina e hematócrito por metodologia automatizada utilizando kits comerciais disponíveis. Foram encontradas 26,1% de grávidas com níveis de hemoglobina abaixo de 11 g/dL. Observou-se que 17,4% das grávidas com níveis normais de hemoglobina apresentavam níveis inadequados de ferro sérico e 9,8% apresentavam níveis baixos de ferritina sérica. Os níveis de ferritina e de hemoglobina apresentaram diferença significativa entre os trimestres de gestação (p < 0,05, ANOVA). Os resultados sugerem que a dosagem da hemoglobina juntamente com outros marcadores do perfil sérico do ferro pode trazer uma avaliação mais precisa da deficiência de ferro na gravidez.

Fatores associados ao abandono de tratamento em saúde mental em uma unidade de nível secundário do Sistema Municipal de Saúde

A ocorrência de abandono de tratamento psiquiátrico de nível secundário é uma relevante questão clínica e econômica. Taxas de abandono em psiquiatria são mais altas que em outras especialidades médicas. Estudos publicados nos últimos 15 anos têm identificado diversos fatores estatisticamente associados ao não-comparecimento às consultas e/ou ao abandono de tratamento em saúde mental. OBJETIVO: Avaliar variáveis demográficas, psicopatológicas, de diagnóstico e tratamento enquanto possíveis preditores de abandono de tratamento em serviço especializado de saúde mental. MÉTODO: Estudo observacional, avaliando 896 pacientes encaminhados, no período de abril de 2004 a março de 2006, por Unidades Básicas de Saúde da área de abrangência do serviço especializado. RESULTADOS: Pacientes solteiros, com idade abaixo da média do grupo (39,2 anos) e desempregados abandonaram significantemente mais o tratamento. Duas variáveis relativas ao exame psicopatológico se associaram significantemente com abandono de tratamento (memória quanto ao passado recente e relação do humor com fatos reais, atuais). Pacientes adultos que receberam diagnóstico psiquiátrico de oligofrenia abandonaram significantemente menos e pacientes com diagnóstico relativo aos transtornos da infância e adolescência (F80-F98 da CID-10) também abandonaram significantemente mais o tratamento. O registro de comorbidade psiquiátrica e tratamento exclusivamente farmacológico se associaram a não abandono do tratamento. CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados confirmam achados de diferentes autores da evidência de características associadas a abandono ao tratamento. Tais achados sugerem que determinados subgrupos de pacientes necessitem de abordagens customizadas, a fim de influenciar positivamente sua adesão final ao tratamento indicado.

Prevalence of excessive daytime sleepiness in Brazilian community-dwelling older adults with very low levels of schooling, and its association with sociodemographic characteristics and lifestyle: the Bambuí Health and Ageing Study (BHAS)

OBJECTIVE: Population-based studies on excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in older adults living in less developed countries are scarce. The purpose of this paper was to estimate the prevalence of EDS and its association with sociodemographic characteristics and lifestyle factors in Brazilian community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: The study was carried out in Bambuí, a city in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. EDS was defined as the presence of sleepiness in the last month occurring three or more times per week, with any interference in usual activities. The exploratory variables were: gender, age, skin color, marital status, schooling level, current employment status, religion, recent migration, smoking, binge drinking and physical activities during leisure time. RESULTS: Of 1,742 residents aged > 60 years, 1,514 (86.9%) participated. The prevalence of EDS was 13%. After adjustment for confounders, female gender and low schooling level remained positively and independently associated with EDS. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of EDS in the study population was within the range observed in studies carried out in developed countries. The most impressive finding was the association of EDS with schooling, indicating that even in a population with low levels of schooling, this was an important factor to explain the distribution of EDS.

Postpartum depression in Recife - Brazil: prevalence and association with bio-socio-demographic factors

OBJECTIVE:To use a semi-structured interview to detect depression in postpartum women according to the criteria proposed by the DSM in child health care clinics in the city of Recife, together with the proper association of this disorder to bio-socio-demographic data. METHODS: The study used a cross-section method and contained a convenience sample of 400 women that were between 2 and 26 weeks of postpartum in child health care clinics. A bio-socio-demographic questionnaire and the Portuguese version of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders were used. RESULTS: Twenty nine of the mothers (7.2%) were diagnosed as suffering from postpartum depression. Women with a past history of psychiatric disorders, a family history of psychiatric disorder and some sort of clinical complication presented a higher prevalence of depression. The same happened to those with a past history of spontaneous abortion, those who had a transpelvic birth and those over 8 weeks of puerperium. CONCLUSION: The rate of postpartum depression in this sample, 7.2%, was lower than that reported by other Brazilian studies. It probably occurred because the other researchers used screening scales to assess this estimate instead of a clinical interview.

Association study of the Ile349val polymorphism of the gene ADH1C and alcohol dependence

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the polymorphism Ile349Val of the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase ADH1C gene among individuals with alcohol dependence syndrome (ADS) attending Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings. METHODS: A total of 120 subjects residing in Rio de Janeiro city participated in this study. Subjects were divided into two groups: a group consisting of 54 individuals from the ADS group and 66 individuals that declared not having any alcohol dependence (control group). DNA was extracted from mouth epithelial cells by phenol-chloroform method and further submitted to amplification by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: Our results did not show differences between the genotypes of control individuals and ADS subjects. Nevertheless, we found increased rates of alcoholism in families of ADS subjects as compared to controls. CONCLUSIONS: Our results did not show any genotype difference on the ADH1C gene when control and AA genotypes are compared.

Ebstein's anomaly with coarctation of the aorta. An unusual association

Ebstein's anomaly with coarctation of the aorta is an extremely unusual condition. In this report, the clinical and surgical features of 3 male patients, aged 7 months, 4 years and 14 years, are discussed. All patients were in situs solitus. The first 2 patients had atrioventricular and ventriculoarterial discordance and progressed to heart failure in the neonatal period. The third had atrioventricular and ventriculoarterial concordance, as well as Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome, with frequent episodes of paroxysmal tachycardia. The 3 patients underwent surgery for correction of the coarctation of the aorta. The patient with atrioventricular and ventriculoarterial concordance underwent tricuspid valvuloplasty using a DeVega-like technique. In addition, ablation of 2 anomalous pathways (Kent bundle), which were detected by the electrophysiologic study, was also subsequently performed. The 3 patients showed a good postoperative outcome for 2 years, although, in those with discordance, the surgical procedure did not influence the dysplasia of the tricuspid valve, because this valve showed light to moderate dysfunction.

Association of pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum and aortic valve stenosis. Prenatal diagnosis

A rare association of pulmonary atresia with an intact septum was diagnosed through echocardiography in a fetus 32 weeks of gestational age. The diagnosis was later confirmed by echocardiography of the newborn infant and further on autopsy. The aortic valve was bicuspid with a pressure gradient of 81mmHg, and the right ventricle was hypoplastic, as were the pulmonary trunk and arteries, and the blood flow was totally dependent on the ductus arteriosus.

Lipid profile of nutrition students and its association with cardiovascular disease risk factors

OBJECTIVE: To describe the lipid profile and to verify its relationship with cardiovascular disease risk factors in students at a public university in São Paulo. METHODS: After obtaining clinical, anthropomorphic, and lipid profile data from 118 students, variables of the lipid profile were related to other risk factors. RESULTS: The mean age of the students was 20.3 years (SD=1.5). The risk of cardiovascular disease was characterized by a positive family history of ischemic heart disease in 38.9%; sedentariness in 35.6%; limiting and increased total and LDL-C cholesterol levels in 17.7% and 10.2%, respectively; decreased HDL-C levels in 11.1%; increased triglyceride levels in 11.1%; body mass index >25 in 8.5%, and smoking in 6.7% of the subjects. Students' diet was found to be inadequate regarding protein, total fat, saturated fat, sodium, and fiber contents. A statistically significant association between cholesterol and contraceptive use, between HDL-C and contraceptive use, age and percent body fat, and triglycerides and percent lean weight was observed. CONCLUSION: A high prevalence of some risk factors of cardiovascular disease as well as the association between these factors with altered lipid profiles was observed in the young population studied.

Aortopulmonary window and double aortic arch. A rare association

We report the case of a 27-year-old male patient with dyspnea on physical exertion. Clinical assessment and various tests led to the diagnosis of aortopulmonary window and double aortic arch. According to a literature search, this may be the first report on such association.

Analysis of the Association Between Apolipoprotein E Polymorphism and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in an Elderly Population with Longevity

OBJECTIVE: To establish the allelic and genotypic frequencies related to apolipoprotein E (ApoE) polymorphism and association of the genotypes with risk factors and cardiovascular morbidity in an elderly population with longevity. METHODS: We analyzed 70 elderly patients aged 80 years or more who were part of the Projeto Veranópolis. We used the gene amplification technique through the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and cleavage with the restriction enzyme Hha I to identify the ApoE genotypes. The most frequent genotypes were compared considering biological variables and cardiovascular risks and morbidity. RESULTS: The frequencies of the E2, E3, and E4 alleles were 0.05, 0.84, and 0.11, respectively, and of the genotypes were as follows: E3E3 (0.70), E3E4 (0.22), E2E3 (0.06), and E2E2 (0.02). Individuals with the E3E4 had a mean age greater than those with the E3E3. No association was observed between the genotypes and the variables analyzed, except for obesity, which was associated with the E3E3 genotype. Individuals with the E3E4 genotype had high levels of LDL-cholesterol and fibrinogen as compared with those with the E3E3 genotype. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the E4E4 genotype may be associated with early mortality. A balance between the protective or neutral factors and the cardiovascular risk factors may occur among the individuals with different genotypes, attenuating the negative effects of the E4 allele.

Assessment of the DIXTAL DX-2710 Automated Oscillometric Device for Blood Pressure Measurement with the Validation Protocols of the British Hypertension Society (BHS) and the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI)

OBJECTIVE: To assess the Dixtal DX2710 automated oscillometric device used for blood pressure measurement according to the protocols of the BHS and the AAMI. METHODS: Three blood pressure measurements were taken in 94 patients (53 females 15 to 80 years). The measurements were taken randomly by 2 observers trained to measure blood pressure with a mercury column device connected with an automated device. The device was classified according to the protocols of the BHS and AAMI. RESULT: The mean of blood pressure levels obtained by the observers was 148±38/93±25 mmHg and that obtained with the device was 148±37/89±26 mmHg. Considering the differences between the measurements obtained by the observer and those obtained with the automated device according to the criteria of the BHS, the following classification was adopted: "A" for systolic pressure (69% of the differences < 5; 90% < 10; and 97% < 15 mmHg); and "B" for diastolic pressure (63% of the differences < 5; 83% < 10; and 93% < 15 mmHg). The mean and standard deviation of the differences were 0±6.27 mmHg for systolic pressure and 3.82±6.21 mmHg for diastolic pressure. CONCLUSION: The Dixtal DX2710 device was approved according to the international recommendations.

Tetralogy of Fallot and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: a rare association

Tetralogy of Fallot is known as the most common cyanotic congenital heart disease and has a prevalence of 10% of all congenital heart diseases. Although many other heart anomalies may coexist, the association of tetralogy of Fallot and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is extremely rare. We report this association in a 15-month-old female, cyanotic since birth, in her first hospital admission for diagnosis and treatment of recurring cyanotic crises. In addition, a review of the literature and of the problems related to the treatment is provided.

Association between coronary artery atherosclerosis and the intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery measured on ultrasonography

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether the intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery of patients with coronary artery disease is greater than that of individuals without that disease. METHODS: Case-control prospective study of prevalence assessing the thickness of the intima and media layers of 29 patients with coronary artery disease and 29 individuals without that disease by using ultrasonography of the carotid arteries. Diabetic patients and those with peripheral artery and cerebral vasculopathies were excluded from the study. RESULTS: The mean age was 51±7.5 years. Fifty-five per cent of the patients were males. Acute myocardial infarction was present in 62%; cardiac catheterization in 72%; saphenous bypass in 5%; and coronary angioplasty in 24%. The intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery in case patients and in control patients was, respectively, 0.81±0.25 mm and 0.62±0.18 mm (P=0.001). CONCLUSION: Intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery was significantly greater in patients with coronary artery disease.

Avaliação da adesão de médicos ao protocolo de hipertensão arterial da secretaria municipal de saúde de Curitiba

FUNDAMENTO: Em Curitiba, a hipertensão arterial sistêmica (HAS) é a segunda causa de internamento hospitalar e a primeira causa de morte por doenças cardiovasculares. Os protocolos de atendimento aos hipertensos sistematizam a atenção ao paciente com o intuito de aprimorar a resolutividade e a qualidade dos serviços de saúde. OBJETIVO: Avaliar a adesão dos profissionais médicos ao protocolo do programa de hipertensos da Secretaria Municipal de Saúde (SMS) de Curitiba. MÉTODOS: Este é um estudo transversal e observacional. A coleta de dados referentes ao trabalho foi realizada em quatro unidades de saúde de Curitiba. A amostra foi constituída de 200 pacientes hipertensos cadastrados no programa de HAS. Os dados coletados eram referentes às duas primeiras consultas. A fonte de dados foi o prontuário eletrônico das unidades de saúde. O protocolo utilizado para análise comparativa foi o da SMS de Curitiba. RESULTADOS: A não conformidade entre a prática clínica e o protocolo na primeira consulta foi de 56,8% quanto à classificação de grau, 63,8% quanto ao risco cardiovascular e de 54% quanto ao tratamento. Na segunda consulta, em 67% não houve concordância com o protocolo quanto ao risco e em 51,3% quanto ao tratamento. CONCLUSÃO: A não conformidade entre a prática clínica e a adesão ao protocolo da SMS de Curitiba mostrou-se evidente na classificação de grau, risco cardiovascular e tratamento do paciente hipertenso. O não seguimento do protocolo pode representar uma baixa resolutividade do serviço de saúde, o qual perde a oportunidade de reduzir a morbidade e mortalidade por doenças cardiovasculares na população.