Establishing the reference range for t lymphocytes subpopulations in adults and children from Brazil

Os valores de referências de linfócitos T existentes no Brasil são baseados em dados originados de outros países. Não existem dados locais da variação normal para estes parâmetros em adultos e crianças brasileiras. Avaliamos a variação normal encontrada em doadores de sangue de cinco grandes cidades brasileiras em diferentes regiões e em crianças residentes em Salvador e Rio de Janeiro. Todas as amostras foram processadas por citometria de fluxo. Os resultados foram analisados de acordo com região, gênero e estilo de vida dos doadores. Um total de 641 adultos (63% homens) e 280 crianças (58% meninos) participaram do estudo. Valores absolutos de CD3+ e CD4+ foram significantemente maiores no gênero feminino (adultos e crianças). Maiores valores de CD4+ em adultos foram associados com tabagismo, enquanto que maiores valores de CD8+ foram encontrados entre crianças do sexo feminino. Adultos das regiões sul e sudeste apresentaram maiores valores absolutos para todas as células T enquanto que adultos da região norte, apresentaram menores valores. Indivíduos residentes no nordeste e centro-oeste obtiveram contagens intermediárias para todas as populações de células T. Entretanto, estas diferenças entre as regiões, não demonstraram diferença estatística. No Brasil, gênero e tabagismo foram os principais determinantes para diferenças em valores de referências de linfócitos T.

Violência conjugal: materialização das ações profissionais na área da saúde

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Long-term clinical and ultrasonographic evaluation of thrombophilic patients with deep venous thrombosis

OBJECTIVE:The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long term clinical and ultrasonographic outcomes of thrombophilic patients with deep venous thrombosis (DVT).METHOD:Cohort study, retrospective case-control with cross-sectional analysis. Thirty-nine thrombophilic patients and 25 non-thrombophilic patients were assessed 76.3 ± 45.8 months after diagnosis. Demographic and family data were collected, as well as data from clinical and therapeutic progress, and physical and ultrasound examinations of the limbs were performed. Groups were matched for age and gender and the variables studied were compared across groups.RESULTS:Deep venous thrombosis was more frequent in women. The most common thrombophilias were antiphospholipid syndrome and factor V Leiden mutation. There was no difference between groups in terms of the number of pregnancies or miscarriages and the majority of women did not become pregnant after DVT. Non-spontaneous DVT prevailed. Proximal DVT and DVT of the left lower limb were more frequent, and the main risk factor was use of oral contraceptives. All patients were treated with anticoagulation. There was a higher frequency of pulmonary embolism in non-thrombophilic patients. Most patients considered themselves to have a normal life after DVT and reported wearing elastic stockings over at least 2 years. Seventy-one percent of patients had CEAP > 3, with no difference between groups. Deep venous reflux was more frequent in thrombophilic patients.CONCLUSION:There were no significant differences between groups with respect to most of the variables studied, except for a higher frequency of pulmonary embolism in non-thrombophilic patients and greater frequency of deep venous reflux in thrombophilic patients.

Factors associated with the prevalence of hypertension and control practices among elderly residents of São Paulo city, Brazil

The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence of hypertension and control practices among the elderly. The survey analyzed data from 872 elderly people in São Paulo, Brazil, through a cluster sampling, stratified according to education and income. A Poisson multiple regression model checked for the existence of factors associated with hypertension. The prevalence of self-reported hypertension among the elderly was 46.9%. Variables associated with hypertension were self-rated health, alcohol consumption, gender, and hospitalization in the last year, regardless of age. The three most common measures taken to control hypertension, but only rarely, are oral medication, routine salt-free diet and physical activity. Lifestyle and socioeconomic status did not affect the practice of control, but knowledge about the importance of physical activity was higher among those older people with higher education and greater income. The research suggests that health policies that focus on primary care to encourage lifestyle changes among the elderly are necessary.

General and oral health-related quality of life among caregivers of Parkinson's disease patients

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Pelvic differences between brachycephalic and mesaticephalic cats and indirect pelvimetry assessment

Pelvic measurements were carried out in cats with various cranial conformations to (1) determine pelvic morphometry, (2) compare any pelvic differences with cranial conformation and gender and (3) determine whether body biometrics can be used to predict pelvic measurements. Thirteen brachycephalic and 14 mesaticephalic female cats and 17 brachycephalic and nine mesaticephalic male cats were used. Body and external pelvic measurements, as well as pelvic radiographs, were performed. Brachycephalic females all had external pelvic and radiographic measurements that were significantly smaller than those of the mesaticephalic females, including smaller pelvic inlet and outlet areas and a smaller pelvic canal shape. Brachycephalic females had wider and flatter heads than do mesaticephalic females. Similarly, brachycephalic males all have radiographic pelvic measurements that are smaller than those of mesaticephalic males. Males had larger pelvis measurements than did their female counterparts for both cranial types, and indirect pelvimetry did not demonstrate good predictive value in determining the internal pelvic measurements. Thus, we conclude that pelvic differences exist between genders and between brachycephalic and mesaticephalic cats. Furthermore, body biometric measurements do not have good predictive value for determining internal pelvic measurements.

Median ages at stages of sexual maturity and excess weight in school children

Background: We aimed to estimate the median ages at specific stages of sexual maturity stratified by excess weight in boys and girls.Materials and method: This was a cross-sectional study made in 2007 in Florianopolis, Brazil, with 2,339 schoolchildren between 8 to 14 years of age (1,107 boys) selected at random in two steps (by region and type of school). The schoolchildren were divided into: i) those with excess weight and ii) those without excess weight, according to the WHO 2007 cut-off points for gender and age. Sexual maturity was self-evaluated by the subjects according to the Tanner sexual development stages, and utilizing median ages for the genitalia, breasts, and pubic hair stages.Results: In the boys with excess weight, precocity was observed in the stages 4 for genitals and pubic hair and 2 for pubic hair, with the values for excess and normal weight. The median ages at the beginning of puberty (stage 2-sexual development) for boys and girls in Florianopolis were 10.8 and 10.3 years, respectively.Conclusion: Excess weight is associated with lower median ages in the sexual maturity stages in boys and girls and that it should be taken into account when evaluating sexual maturity in children and adolescents.

Rest stops during road transport: Impacts on performance and acute-phase protein responses of feeder cattle

Angus x Hereford steers (n = 42) and heifers (n = 21) were ranked by gender and BW on d 0 of the experiment and randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatments: 1) no transport and full access to feed and water (CON); 2) continuous road transport for 1,290 km (TRANS), or 3) road transport for 1,290 km, with rest stops every 430 km (STOP; total of 2 rest stops). Treatments were applied from d 0 to 1 of the experiment. Cattle from TRANS and STOP treatments were transported in separate commercial livestock trailers, within a single 2.1 x 7.2 m compartment, but through the exact same route. During each rest stop, STOP cattle were unloaded and offered mixed alfalfa-grass hay and water for ad libitum consumption for 2 h. Upon arrival of STOP and TRANS on d 1, cattle were ranked by sex and BW within each treatment and assigned to 21 feedlot pens (7 pens/treatment; 2 steers and 1 heifer/pen). Full BW was recorded before (d -1 and 0) treatment application and at the end of experiment (d 28 and 29). Total DMI was evaluated daily from d 1 to 28. Blood samples were collected on d 0 (before loading of TRANS and STOP cattle), 1 (immediately after unloading of TRANS and STOP cattle), 4, 7, 10, 14, 21, and 28. Body weight shrink from d 0 to d 1 was reduced (P < 0.01) in CON compared to TRANS and STOP, and reduced in STOP compared to TRANS. Mean ADG was greater (P < 0.05) in CON compared to TRANS and STOP, but similar (P = 0.68) between TRANS and STOP. No treatment effects were detected (P >= 0.18) on hay, concentrate, and total DMI. Mean G: F was greater (P = 0.05) in CON compared to STOP, tended to be greater (P = 0.08) in CON compared to TRANS, and similar (P = 0.85) between TRANS and STOP. Plasma cortisol concentrations were greater (P <= 0.04) in TRANS compared to CON and STOP on d 1, and greater (P = 0.04) in TRANS compared to CON on d 4. Serum NEFA concentrations were greater (P < 0.01) in TRANS compared to CON and STOP on d 1, and greater (P <= 0.05) in TRANS compared to CON on d 4 and 7. Mean plasma ceruloplasmin concentrations were similar (P = 0.19) among treatments. Plasma haptoglobin concentrations were greater (P <= 0.04) in TRANS compared to CON and STOP on d 1, and in STOP compared to CON on d 1. In conclusion, inclusion of rest stops during a 1,290-km transport prevented the increase in circulating cortisol and alleviated the NEFA and haptoglobin response elicited by transport, but did not improve feedlot receiving performance of transported cattle.

Comparison of pain threshold and duration of pain perception in men and women of different ages

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Health related quality of life is differently associated with leisure-time physical activity intensities according to gender: a cross-sectional approach

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Energy Requirements in Early Life Are Similar for Male and Female Goat Kids

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Dental development of children and adolescents with cleft lip and palate

Aim: To evaluate the dental development of Brazilian children and adolescents with cleft lip and palate. Methods: The sample consisted of 107 panoramic radiographs of children and adolescents with cleft lip and/or palate (cleft group) and 107 panoramic radiographs of children and adolescents without cleft lip and/or palate (control group), with chronological ages ranging from 6 to 15 years, matched in gender and chronological age within 60 days. Radiographs were digitized and masked and dental age was assessed using the method described by Demirjian et al. (1973). Three trained examiners conducted the assessments. Each examiner evaluated the radiographs three times. Data were statistically analyzed using non-parametric tests and univariate linear regression (p<0.05). Results: The dental age was overestimated in relation to the chronological age in both groups (p<0.0001). Compared to the control group, there was a delay in the dental age in the cleft group of 0.17 years (2.1 months). However, no statistically significant difference in the dental age between the cleft and the control group was found even when considering the different cleft types (p=0.152). Conclusions: There was no statistically significant difference in the dental age between the cleft and the control groups. The evaluation of dental development in individuals with cleft lip and palate should be approached in the same way as in individuals without clefts, with a focus on the individualization of diagnosis and treatment planning.

Serological detection of Toxoplasma gondii, Leishmania infantum and Neospora caninum in cats from an area endemic for leishmaniasis in Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Voice disorders in teachers: clinical, videolaryngoscopical, and vocal aspects

Dysphonia is more prevalent in teachers than among the general population. The objective of this study was to analyze clinical, vocal, and videolaryngoscopical aspects in dysphonic teachers. Ninety dysphonic teachers were inquired about their voice, comorbidities, and work conditions. They underwent vocal auditory-perceptual evaluation (maximum phonation time and GRBASI scale), acoustic voice analysis, and videolaryngoscopy. The results were compared with a control group consisting of 90 dysphonic nonteachers, of similar gender and ages, and with professional activities excluding teaching and singing. In both groups, there were 85 women and five men (age range 31-50 years). In the controls, the majority of subjects worked in domestic activities, whereas the majority of teachers worked in primary (42.8%) and secondary school (37.7%). Teachers and controls reported, respectively: vocal abuse (76.7%; 37.8%), weekly hours of work between 21 and 40 years (72.2%; 80%), under 10 years of practice (36%; 23%), absenteeism (23%; 0%), sinonasal (66%; 20%) and gastroesophageal symptoms (44%; 22%), hoarseness (82%; 78%), throat clearing (70%; 62%), and phonatory effort (72%; 52%). In both groups, there were decreased values of maximum phonation time, impairment of the G parameter in the GRBASI scale (82%), decrease of F0 and increase of the rest of acoustic parameters. Nodules and laryngopharyngeal reflux were predominant in teachers; laryngopharyngeal reflux, polyps, and sulcus vocalis predominated in the controls. Vocal symptoms, comorbidities, and absenteeism were predominant among teachers. The vocal analyses were similar in both groups. Nodules and laryngopharyngeal reflux were predominant among teachers, whereas polyps, laryngopharyngeal reflux, and sulcus were predominant among controls.

Conventional versus biological therapy for prevention of postoperative endoscopic recurrence in patients with Crohn's disease: an international, multicenter, and observational study

Postoperative endoscopic recurrence (PER) occurs in nearly 80% of patients 1 year after ileocecal resection in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). Biological agents were more effective in reducing the rates of PER in comparison with conventional therapy, in prospective trials. The aim of this study was to compare the PER rates of biological versus conventional therapy after ileocecal resections in patients with CD in real-world practice. The MULTIPER (Multicenter International Postoperative Endoscopic Recurrence) database is a retrospective analysis of PER rates in CD patients after ileocecal resection, from 7 referral centers in 3 different countries. All consecutive patients who underwent ileocecal resections between 2008 and 2012 and in whom colonoscopies had been performed up to 12 months after surgery, were included. Recurrence was defined as Rutgeerts' score ≥i2. The patients were allocated to either biological or conventional therapy after surgery, and PER rates were compared between the groups. Initially, 231 patients were evaluated, and 63 were excluded. Of the 168 patients in the database, 96 received anti-tumor necrosis factor agents and 72 were treated with conventional therapy after resection. The groups were comparable regarding age, gender, and perianal disease. There was longer disease duration, more previous resections, and more open surgical procedures in patients on biologicals postoperatively. PER was identified in 25/96 (26%) patients on biological therapy and in 24/72 (33.3%) patients on conventional therapy (P=0.310). In this retrospective observational analysis from an international database, no difference was observed between biological and conventional therapy in preventing PER after ileocecal resections in CD patients.