Patient Characteristics as Predictors of Image Quality and Diagnostic Accuracy of MDCT Compared With Conventional Coronary Angiography for Detecting Coronary Artery Stenoses: CORE-64 Multicenter International Trial

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of the study was to investigate patient characteristics associated with image quality and their impact on the diagnostic accuracy of MDCT for the detection of coronary artery stenosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Two hundred ninety-one patients with a coronary artery calcification (CAC) score of <= 600 Agatston units (214 men and 77 women; mean age, 59.3 +/- 10.0 years [SD]) were analyzed. An overall image quality score was derived using an ordinal scale. The accuracy of quantitative MDCT to detect significant (>= 50%) stenoses was assessed using quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) per patient and per vessel using a modified 19-segment model. The effect of CAC, obesity, heart rate, and heart rate variability on image quality and accuracy were evaluated by multiple logistic regression. Image quality and accuracy were further analyzed in subgroups of significant predictor variables. Diagnostic analysis was determined for image quality strata using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS. Increasing body mass index (BMI) (odds ratio [OR] = 0.89, p < 0.001), increasing heart rate (OR = 0.90, p < 0.001), and the presence of breathing artifact (OR = 4.97, p = 0.001) were associated with poorer image quality whereas sex, CAC score, and heart rate variability were not. Compared with examinations of white patients, studies of black patients had significantly poorer image quality (OR = 0.58, p = 0.04). At a vessel level, CAC score (10 Agatston units) (OR = 1.03, p = 0.012) and patient age (OR = 1.02, p = 0.04) were significantly associated with the diagnostic accuracy of quantitative MDCT compared with QCA. A trend was observed in differences in the areas under the ROC curves across image quality strata at the vessel level (p = 0.08). CONCLUSION. Image quality is significantly associated with patient ethnicity, BMI, mean scan heart rate, and the presence of breathing artifact but not with CAC score at a patient level. At a vessel level, CAC score and age were associated with reduced diagnostic accuracy.

Comparative Study of the Standard Fluorescent Antibody to Membrane Antigen (FAMA) Assay and a Flow Cytometry-Adapted FAMA Assay To Assess Immunity to Varicella-Zoster Virus

A flow cytometry-adapted fluorescent antibody to membrane antigen (FAMA) assay to detect IgG antibodies against varicella-zoster virus (VZV) was developed and tested in 62 serum samples, showing 90.32% accuracy obtained from a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve with a 0.9125 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.829 to 1.00) area below the curve compared to the result with standard FAMA.

Quality of life before surgery is a predictive factor for satisfaction among patients undergoing sympathectomy to treat hyperhidrosis

Purpose: The objective of this study was to evaluate the postoperative quality of life (QOL) experienced among a group of 1167 patients who underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic sympathectomy (VATS) to treat primary hyperhidrosis, as compared with the presurgical QOL. Methods: Between February 2002 and June 2007, 1167 patients who had undergone VATS were surveyed. The majority had presented with palmar hyperhidrosis (794 patients; 68%), while 340 (29%) had presented with axillary hyperhidrosis. Based on data obtained from the QOL protocol applied to all of the patients preoperatively, the patients were divided into two groups according to the level of their QOL: group 1 consisted of 312 patients (27%) with poor QOL and group 2 of 855 patients (73%) with very poor QOL. The same protocol was applied postoperatively, and five different levels of satisfaction were obtained. The same parameters were evaluated for both the palmar and the axillary hyperhidrosis subgroups. Results: The patients with very poor QOL had much better results in terms of improvement in QOL than did those with poor QOL ( P < .05). The same result was observed for both the palmar and. axillary hyperhidrosis subgroups (P < .05). Conclusion: The worse the preoperative QOL among patients undergoing sympathectomy to treat primary hyperhidrosis is, the better the postoperative improvement in QOL will be. (J Vase Surg 2010;51:1190-4.)

Sudden unexpected death in an adolescent with epilepsy: All roads lead to the heart?

The incidence of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) has been estimated from 0.5-1.4/1,000 person-years in people with treated epilepsy, and 9/1,000 person-years in candidates for epilepsy surgery. Potential risk factors for SUDEP include: age, early onset of epilepsy, duration of epilepsy, uncontrolled seizures, seizure type and winter temperatures. The arrythmogenic side-effect of antiepileptic drugs and seizures may increase the risk of SUDEP. In this report, we describe a patient with prolonged post-ictal tachycardia in EEG video recordings with a typical case of SUDEP: a 16-year-old boy with medically intractable complex partial seizures. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed left mesial temporal sclerosis. During non-invasive video-EEG monitoring, the patient presented a post-ictal heart rate increased for five hours. Two months after video-EEG, he died from SUDEP during a tonic-clonic secondary generalized seizure. The possibility of cardiac involvement in the pathogenesis of SUDEP has been suggested by many studies. Evaluation of this patient with EEG-video monitoring, including measurement of heart rate, contributed to an identification of ictal tachycardia that may have played a role in the SUDEP. Premature mortality seems to be increased in patients with epilepsy, and cardiac abnormalities may be a possible cause of SUDEP. (Cardiol J 2011; 18, 2: 194-196)

Reliability and validity of the Brazilian-Portuguese version of the Burns Specific Pain Anxiety Scale (BSPAS)

Background: Pain and anxiety are a common problem in all recovery phases after a burn. The Burns Specific Pain Anxiety Scale (BSPAS) was proposed to assess anxiety in burn patients related to painful procedures. Objectives: To assess internal consistency, discriminative construct validity, dimensionality and convergent construct validity of the Brazilian-Portuguese version of the Burns Specific Pain Anxiety Scale. Design: In this cross-sectional study, the original version of the BSPAS, adapted into Brazilian Portuguese, was tested for internal consistency (Cronbach`s Alpha), discriminative validity (related to total body surface area burned and sex), dimensionality (through factor analysis), and convergent construct validity (applying the Visual Analogue Scale for pain and State-Anxiety-STAI) in a group of 91 adult burn patients. Results: The adapted version of the BSPAS displayed a moderate and positive correlation with pain assessments: immediately before baths and dressings (r = 0.32; p < 0.001), immediately after baths and dressings (r = 0.31; p < 0.001) and during the relaxation period (r= 0.31; p < 0.001) and with anxiety assessments (r = 0.34; p < 0.001). No statistically significant differences were observed when comparing the mean of the adapted version of the BSPAS scores with sex (p = 0.194) and total body surface area burned (p = 0.162) (discriminative validity). The principal components analysis applied to our sample seems to confirm anxiety as one single domain of the Brazilian-Portuguese version of the BSPAS. Cronbach`s Alpha showed high internal consistency of the adapted version of the scale (0.90). Conclusion: The Brazilian-Portuguese version of the BSPAS 9-items has shown statically acceptable levels of reliability and validity for pain-related anxiety evaluation in burn patients. This scale can be used to assess nursing interventions aimed at decreasing pain and anxiety related to the performance of painful procedures. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of Oral Rinse with Chlorhexidine in Preventing Nosocomial Respiratory Tract Infections among Intensive Care Unit Patients

OBJECTIVE. To evaluate the effectiveness of the oral application of a 0.12% solution of chlorhexidine for prevention of respiratory tract infections among intensive care unit (ICU) patients. DESIGN. The study design was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. SETTING. The study was performed in an ICU in a tertiary care hospital at a public university. PATIENTS. Study participants comprised 194 patients admitted to the ICU with a prospective length of stay greater than 48 hours, randomized into 2 groups: those who received chlorhexidine (n = 98) and those who received a placebo (n = 96). INTERVENTION. Oral rinses with chlorhexidine or a placebo were performed 3 times a day throughout the duration of the patient`s stay in the ICU. Clinical data were collected prospectively. RESULTS. Both groups displayed similar baseline clinical features. The overall incidence of respiratory tract infections (RR, 1.0 [95% confidence interval [CI], 0.63-1.60]) and the rates of ventilator-associated pneumonia per 1,000 ventilator-days were similar in both experimental and control groups (22.6 vs 22.3; P = .95). Respiratory tract infection-free survival time (7.8 vs 6.9 days; P = .61), duration of mechanical ventilation (11.1 vs 11.0 days; P = .61), and length of stay (9.7 vs 10.4 days; P = .67) did not differ between the chlorhexidine and placebo groups. However, patients in the chlorhexidine group exhibited a larger interval between ICU admission and onset of the first respiratory tract infection (11.3 vs 7.6 days; P = .05). The chances of surviving the ICU stay were similar (RR, 1.08 [95% CI, 0.72-1.63]). CONCLUSION. Oral application of a 0.12% solution of chlorhexidine does not prevent respiratory tract infections among ICU patients, although it may retard their onset.

Bacterial colonization in hemodialysis temporary dual lumen catheters: A prospective study

Aims. The use of hemodialysis temporary dual-lumen catheters is often complicated by infections, which may be a significant cause of death among patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD). The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of bacteremia and bacterial colonization related to non-tunneled, non-cuffed, dual-lumen temporary catheters in patients with ESRD submitted to hemodialysis. Methods. This study included 29 patients with ESRD. After catheter implantation, patients were monitored throughout the period of catheter permanence by means of blood samples collected weekly from a peripheral vein. Bacteria were isolated and identified according to CLSI recommendations. When catheters were removed for any reason, their tips were evaluated microbiologically. Results. A total of 194 blood samples from the 29 patients implanted with 55 catheters were analyzed. Of these, 15.5% (30 samples) demonstrated bacterial growth, principally Staphylococcus epidermidis (64.5%). Twenty patients (68.9%) presented at least one positive blood culture during follow-up. The median time for catheter colonization was 18.5 days (95% CI: 16.8-30.3). Of the 55 catheters implanted, 28 (50.9%) showed bacterial colonization, corresponding to 23.4 episodes/1000 catheter/days and 9.2 episodes of bacteremia /1000 catheter/days. Fifteen of 28 catheter tips analyzed showed bacterial growth (53.5%). In 14 of these (93.3%), there was agreement between the isolates from the catheter tip and blood cultures. Of 24 episodes of positive blood cultures from 20 different patients in 17 episodes (70.8%), the patients showed no clinical signs or symptoms of bacteremia. Conclusions. The high incidence of catheter colonization, the correlation between blood and catheter tip cultures, and the occurrence of frequent cases of asymptomatic bacteremia justify the proposal of routine peripheral blood collections to monitor patients undergoing hemodialysis with temporary dual-lumen catheters.

Short-Term Carbohydrate-Restricted Diet for Weight Loss in Severely Obese Women

Weight loss in bariatric pre-surgery period reduces surgical complications, surgery time, blood loss, and length of hospital stay. Carbohydrate-restricted diets have been used as an alternative for weight loss. We tested the efficacy of a low-calorie carbohydrate-restricted diet (RD) for short-term weight loss in women with severe obesity and evaluate its metabolic effects in relation to a conventional low-calorie diet (CD). The subjects received a 1,200-kcal diet with or without carbohydrate restriction for a period of 1 week in the hospital. Nineteen obesity class III women were distributed into two groups: experimental (n = 10) and control (n = 9). The following variables were assessed at the beginning and end of the study: anthropometric measurements, body composition, resting energy expenditure, substrate oxidation, and biochemical tests. Compared with CD, RD led to larger weight loss (2.6 and 4.4 kg, respectively; p = 0.01) and waist circumference reduction (p < 0.01). Among the assessed biochemical indicators, only plasma and urine acetone levels were different (p < 0.01); higher values were found in the experimental group with no symptoms and other diet-related complaints. There was also a significant decrease in triglycerides and carbohydrate oxidation, as well as a significant enhancement in lipid oxidation in the RD group. Short-term RD was more efficient than CD regarding quick weight loss and waist circumference reduction, which may favor gastroplasty. Also, RD did not lead adverse metabolic effects.

Cellular prion protein modulates defensive attention and innate fear-induced behaviour evoked in transgenic mice submitted to an agonistic encounter with the tropical coral snake Oxyrhopus guibei

The cellular prion protein (PrPC) is a neuronal anchored glycoprotein that has been associated with distinct functions in the CNS, such as cellular adhesion and differentiation, synaptic plasticity and cognition. Here we investigated the putative involvement of the PrPC in the innate fear-induced behavioural reactions in wild-type (WT), PrPC knockout (Prnp(0/0)) and the PrPC overexpressing Tg-20 mice evoked in a prey versus predator paradigm. The behavioural performance of these mouse strains in olfactory discrimination tasks was also investigated. When confronted with coral snakes, mice from both Prnp(0/0) and Tg-20 strains presented a significant decrease in frequency and duration of defensive attention and risk assessment, compared to WT mice. Tg-20 mice presented decreased frequency of escape responses, increased exploratory behaviour, and enhancement of interaction with the snake, suggesting a robust fearlessness caused by PrPC overexpression. Interestingly, there was also a discrete decrease in the attentional defensive response (decreased frequency of defensive alertness) in Prnp(0/0) mice in the presence of coral snakes. Moreover, Tg-20 mice presented an increased exploration of novel environment and odors. The present findings indicate that the PrPC overexpression causes hyperactivity, fearlessness, and increased preference for visual, tactile and olfactory stimuli-associated novelty, and that the PrPC deficiency might lead to attention deficits. These results suggest that PrPC exerts an important role in the modulation of innate fear and novelty-induced exploration. (C) 2008 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Tibolone in postmenopausal women with systemic lupus erythematosus: A pilot study

Objective: To determine the influence of the use of tibolone on the frequency of flares of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in postmenopausal patients. Methods: Thirty patients with inactive or controlled SLE were included in the study. Patients were randomized to receive a 12-month course of either tibolona (2.5 mg/day) or placebo. The following were investigated: hypoestrogenism symptoms by Kupperman index, weight; anti-dsDNA antibodies; SLE flares (frequency) assessed by the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI); and biochemical profile (total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C], triglycerides, complement components [C3/C4], alpha 1-acid glycoprotein, urea, creatinine, 24-h proteinuria, C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate). Results: The reduction in Kupperman index was greater in the patients using tibolone than in those using placebo. I-lie mean SLEDAI was not different between the groups during the study as well as SLE flare frequency (tibolone: 2/15 [13.3%] vs. placebo: 1/15 [6.7%]; p = 0.54). All cases of flares were considered mild to moderate. Although the groups were similar at the baseline evaluation, after 6 and 12 months of treatment lower values were found in the tibolone group for triglycerides (6 months: 161.6 +/- 30.9 mg/dl vs. 194.4 +/- 46.5: p = 0.04: 12 months 163.7 +/- 29.8 mg/dl vs. 204.1 +/- 49.9 mg/dl; p = 0.02: tibolone vs. placebo group, respectively) and for HDL-C (6 months: 40.7 +/- 10.7 mg/dl vs. 53.4 +/- 16.5; p = 0.02; 12 months: 47.2 +/- 7.9 mg/dl vs. 63.2 +/- 16.3 mg/dl; p < 0.01: tibolone vs. placebo group, respectively). There were no differences between the two groups in any of the remaining variables. Conclusion: In patients with inactive or stable SLE, the short-term use of tibolone did not significantly affect the frequency of flares. In addition, tibolone was well tolerated and effective to control hypoestrogenism related symptoms in SLE patients. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Knowledge and practices of medical students to prevent tuberculosis transmission in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Objectives. To describe knowledge, practices, and associated factors of medical students to prevent transmission of tuberculosis (TB) in five medical schools. Methods. Cross-sectional survey of undergraduate medical students in preclinical and in early and late clinical years. Information was obtained on sociodemographic profile, previous lectures on TB, knowledge about TB transmission, exposure to patients with active pulmonary TB, and use of respiratory protective masks. Results. Among 1 094 respondents, 575 (52.6%) correctly answered that coughing, speaking, and sneezing can transmit TB. Early [adjusted odds ratio = 4.0 (3.0, 5.5)] and late [adjusted odds ratio = 4.2 (3.1, 5.8)] clinical years were associated with correct answers, but having had previous lectures on TB was not. Among those who had previous lectures on TB, the rate of correct answers increased from 42.1% to 61.6%. Among 332 medical students who reported exposure to TB patients, 194 (58.4%) had not used protective masks. More years of clinical experience was associated with the use of masks [adjusted odds ratio = 2.9 (1.4, 6.1)], while knowledge was inversely associated with the use of masks [adjusted odds ratio = 0.4 (0.2, 0.6)]. Conclusions. Many medical students are not aware of the main routes of TB infection, and lectures on TB are not sufficient to change knowledge and practices. Regardless of knowledge about TB transmission, students engage in risky behaviors: more than two-thirds do not use a protective mask when examining an active TB case. We suggest innovative, effective active learning experiences to change this scenario.

Evaluation of molar and incisor bite force in indigenous compared with white population in Brazil

The purpose of this study was to deter-mine maximum bite force in molar and incisor regions in young Brazilian indigenous individuals, who have had a natural diet since birth, and compare the sample with white Brazilian individuals. To do this, individuals were paired one-to-one (same weight, height, and Class I facial pattern). A secondary purpose was to elucidate the relation between bite force and gender in both populations. Eighty-two Brazilians took part in this study. Participants were aged between 18 and 28 years and were divided into two groups: 41 Xingu indigenous individuals and 41 white Brazilian individuals, with 28 men and 13 women in each group. The inclusion criteria were: having complete dentition; normal occlusion; no neurological, psychiatric or movement disorders.; no reports of toothaches; having satisfactory periodontal health; absence of large facial skeletal alterations (typical Class II and Class III individuals); and no previous treatments using occlusal splints. To measure maximum bite force, a digital dynamometer model IDDK (Kratos-Equipamentos Industriais Ltda, Cotia, Sao Paulo, Brazil) was used, with a capacity of 1000 N, adapted for oral conditions. Assessments were made in the first molar (right and left) and central incisive regions. Results reveal that mean maximum bite forces in indigenous individuals of the right molar is 421 N, left molar 429 N and incisor region is 194 14 and for white individuals of the right molar is 410 N, left molar 422 N and incisor region is 117 N. Comparing indigenous with white individuals, maximal bite force showed a tendency of being greater in the indigenous group. It was observed that the incisor region showed statistical significance (p < 0.0005) but no significance was observed in the molar region. Moreover, indigenous men showed the highest bite force values. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of thymidylate synthase promoter and DNA repair gene polymorphisms on susceptibility to childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia

The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of polymorphisms in the TYMS, XRCC1, and ERCC2 DNA repair genes in pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) approaches. The study was conducted in 206 patients and 364 controls from a Brazilian population. No significant differences were observed among the analyzed groups regarding XRCC1 codon 399 and codon 194 and ERCC2 codon 751 and codon 312 polymorphisms. The TYMS 3R variant allele was significantly associated with a reduced risk of childhood ALL, represented by the sum of heterozygous and polymorphic homozygous genotypes (odds ratio 0.60; 95% confidence interval 0.37-0.99). The results suggest that polymorphism in TYMS may play a protective role against the development of childhood ALL.

Sequence variation of the alpha-lactalbumin gene in Holstein and Nellore cows

The alpha-lactalbumin is a subunit of lactose-synthase, an enzyme responsible for lactose production, a disaccharide that influences milk production. Sequence variations of bovine alpha-lactalbumin have been associated with differences in milk yield. This study aimed to analyze allelic frequency differences at position-1689 (g. AG) and+15 (g. AG) of the alpha-lactalbumin gene in Holstein (Bos taurus) and Nellore (Bos indicus) cows. Blood samples were analyzed from 34 Holstein, 104 Nellore, and 99 Dairy Nellore cows using PCR-RFLP. The different RFLP patterns were sequenced and a novel sequence variation on nucleotide-46 was identified. An adenine at this position was designated as the A allele and a guanine was designated B allele. The frequencies of alleles A-1689, A-46, and A+15 differed between Holstein and both Nellore breeds. The results show that differences in alpha-lactalbumin allelic variants in the 5`-flanking and the 5`-UTR region might be associated with differences in milk production between Holstein cows and cows from Nellore breeds. However, the lack of difference between Nellore and Dairy Nellore suggests that other sequence variantions that regulate milk production might be responsible for the selection of Dairy Nellore cows with superior milk production.

Effect of framework design on crown failure

This study evaluated the effect of core-design modification on the characteristic strength and failure modes of glass-infiltrated alumina (In-Ceram) (ICA) compared with porcelain fused to metal (PFM). Premolar crowns of a standard design (PFMs and ICAs) or with a modified framework design (PFMm and ICAm) were fabricated, cemented on dies, and loaded until failure. The crowns were loaded at 0.5 mm min(-1) using a 6.25 mm tungsten-carbide ball at the central fossa. Fracture load values were recorded and fracture analysis of representative samples were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy. Probability Weibull curves with two-sided 90% confidence limits were calculated for each group and a contour plot of the characteristic strength was obtained. Design modification showed an increase in the characteristic strength of the PFMm and ICAm groups, with PFM groups showing higher characteristic strength than ICA groups. The PFMm group showed the highest characteristic strength among all groups. Fracture modes of PFMs and of PFMm frequently reached the core interface at the lingual cusp, whereas ICA exhibited bulk fracture through the alumina core. Core-design modification significantly improved the characteristic strength for PFM and for ICA. The PFM groups demonstrated higher characteristic strength than both ICA groups combined.