A quantitative and qualitative evaluation of reports of clinical trials published in six Brazilian dental journals indexed in the Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO)

INTRODUCTION: Open access publishing is becoming increasingly popular within the biomedical sciences. SciELO, the Scientific Electronic Library Online, is a digital library covering a selected collection of Brazilian scientific journals many of which provide open access to full-text articles.This library includes a number of dental journals some of which may include reports of clinical trials in English, Portuguese and/or Spanish. Thus, SciELO could play an important role as a source of evidence for dental healthcare interventions especially if it yields a sizeable number of high quality reports. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify reports of clinical trials by handsearching of dental journals that are accessible through SciELO, and to assess the overall quality of these reports. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Electronic versions of six Brazilian dental Journals indexed in SciELO were handsearched at www.scielo.br in September 2008. Reports of clinical trials were identified and classified as controlled clinical trials (CCTs - prospective, experimental studies comparing 2 or more healthcare interventions in human beings) or randomized controlled trials (RCTs - a random allocation method is clearly reported), according to Cochrane eligibility criteria. CRITERIA TO ASSESS METHODOLOGICAL QUALITY INCLUDED: method of randomization, concealment of treatment allocation, blinded outcome assessment, handling of withdrawals and losses and whether an intention-to-treat analysis had been carried out. RESULTS: The search retrieved 33 CCTs and 43 RCTs. A majority of the reports provided no description of either the method of randomization (75.3%) or concealment of the allocation sequence (84.2%). Participants and outcome assessors were reported as blinded in only 31.2% of the reports. Withdrawals and losses were only clearly described in 6.5% of the reports and none mentioned an intention-to-treat analysis or any similar procedure. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that a substantial number of reports of trials and systematic reviews are available in the dental journals listed in SciELO, and that these could provide valuable evidence for clinical decision making. However, it is clear that the quality of a number of these reports is of some concern and that improvement in the conduct and reporting of these trials could be achieved if authors adhered to internationally accepted guidelines, e.g. the CONSORT statement.

A quantitative and qualitative evaluation of reports of clinical trials published in six Brazilian dental journals indexed in the Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO)

Introduction: Open access publishing is becoming increasingly popular within the biomedical sciences. SciELO, the Scientific Electronic Library Online, is a digital library covering a selected collection of Brazilian scientific journals many of which provide open access to full-text articles. This library includes a number of dental journals some of which may include reports of clinical trials in English, Portuguese and/or Spanish. Thus, SciELO could play an important role as a source of evidence for dental healthcare interventions especially if it yields a sizeable number of high quality reports. Objective: The aim of this study was to identify reports of clinical trials by handsearching of dental journals that are accessible through SciELO, and to assess the overall quality of these reports. Material and methods: Electronic versions of six Brazilian dental Journals indexed in SciELO were handsearched at www.scielo.br in September 2008. Reports of clinical trials were identified and classified as controlled clinical trials (CCTs - prospective, experimental studies comparing 2 or more healthcare interventions in human beings) or randomized controlled trials (RCTs - a random allocation method is clearly reported), according to Cochrane eligibility criteria. Criteria to assess methodological quality included: method of randomization, concealment of treatment allocation, blinded outcome assessment, handling of withdrawals and losses and whether an intention-to-treat analysis had been carried out. Results: The search retrieved 33 CCTs and 43 RCTs. A majority of the reports provided no description of either the method of randomization (75.3%) or concealment of the allocation sequence (84.2%). Participants and outcome assessors were reported as blinded in only 31.2% of the reports. Withdrawals and losses were only clearly described in 6.5% of the reports and none mentioned an intention-to-treat analysis or any similar procedure. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that a substantial number of reports of trials and systematic reviews are available in the dental journals listed in SciELO, and that these could provide valuable evidence for clinical decision making. However, it is clear that the quality of a number of these reports is of some concern and that improvement in the conduct and reporting of these trials could be achieved if authors adhered to internationally accepted guidelines, e. g. the CONSORT statement.

Metodologia científica: como utilizar a Scientific Electronic Library Online

Material utilizado no módulo de Metodologia Científica do curso de especialização em Nefrologia produzido pela UNA-SUS/UFMA. Esta unidade apresenta a base de dados da SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library Online) e as etapas para a realização de pesquisas explorando ao máximo suas possibilidades.

Análise da produção científica sobre dst/aids na área de enfermagem na base de dados scientific eletronic library online – scielo, no período de 1992 a 2008

O presente estudo trata de uma pesquisa quantitativa e descritiva que teve por objetivo caracterizar as produções científicas na área de enfermagem com os descritores “HIV and enfermagem”, “AIDS and Enfermagem”, “DST and enfermagem”, publicadas na Scientific Eletronic Library Online – SciELO, no período de 1992 à 2008. A amostra constitui-se de 40 publicações, sendo que 38 eram sobre HIV/AIDS e 2 sobre DST em geral. Foi verificado que o número de estudos tem aumentado nos últimos anos o que demonstra interesse por parte dos enfermeiros para pesquisar a temática. O Estado de São Paulo concentra a maior parte dos artigos publicados 85%. Na caracterização das publicações de acordo com a metodologia, 47,5%, eram estudos qualitativos o que pode traduzir a necessidade de identificar através da pesquisa os aspectos subjacentes a essas temáticas. Os sujeitos de estudo em 37,5% dos trabalhos eram mulheres e 57,5% haviam sido desenvolvidos com clientes soropositivos ao HIV/AIDS. Quanto ao objeto de estudo abordado pelos autores, 30% dos trabalhos pesquisaram o conhecimento dos clientes sobre DST/AIDS e 30% sobre a assistência de enfermagem.

Diagnosis, Treatment, And Follow-up Of Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma: Recommendations By The Thyroid Department Of The Brazilian Society Of Endocrinology And Metabolism.

Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) originates in the thyroid parafollicular cells and represents 3-4% of the malignant neoplasms that affect this gland. Approximately 25% of these cases are hereditary due to activating mutations in the REarranged during Transfection (RET) proto-oncogene. The course of MTC is indolent, and survival rates depend on the tumor stage at diagnosis. The present article describes clinical evidence-based guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of MTC. The aim of the consensus described herein, which was elaborated by Brazilian experts and sponsored by the Thyroid Department of the Brazilian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism, was to discuss the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of individuals with MTC in accordance with the latest evidence reported in the literature. After clinical questions were elaborated, the available literature was initially surveyed for evidence in the MedLine-PubMed database, followed by the Embase and Scientific Electronic Library Online/Latin American and Caribbean Health Science Literature (SciELO/Lilacs) databases. The strength of evidence was assessed according to the Oxford classification of evidence levels, which is based on study design, and the best evidence available for each question was selected. Eleven questions corresponded to MTC diagnosis, 8 corresponded to its surgical treatment, and 13 corresponded to follow-up, for a total of 32 recommendations. The present article discusses the clinical and molecular diagnosis, initial surgical treatment, and postoperative management of MTC, as well as the therapeutic options for metastatic disease. MTC should be suspected in individuals who present with thyroid nodules and family histories of MTC, associations with pheochromocytoma and hyperparathyroidism, and/or typical phenotypic characteristics such as ganglioneuromatosis and Marfanoid habitus. Fine-needle nodule aspiration, serum calcitonin measurements, and anatomical-pathological examinations are useful for diagnostic confirmation. Surgery represents the only curative therapeutic strategy. The therapeutic options for metastatic disease remain limited and are restricted to disease control. Judicious postoperative assessments that focus on the identification of residual or recurrent disease are of paramount importance when defining the follow-up and later therapeutic management strategies.

Condições socioeconômicas e câncer de cabeça e pescoço: uma revisão sistemática de literatura

O presente estudo teve como objetivo descrever as principais características dos estudos epidemiológicos que investigaram a associação entre condições socioeconômicas e câncer de cabeça e pescoço. Foram pesquisadas as bases de dados Medline (Literatura Internacional em Ciências), Lilacs (Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde) e Scielo (Scientific Electronic Library Online), além de referências citadas nos artigos obtidos a partir da busca primária nessas bases. O período de publicação considerado englobou 38 anos (1970-2007) e a análise restringiu-se aos artigos em espanhol, inglês ou português. Foram selecionados 25 estudos, 15 com delineamento caso-controle, quatro ecológicos e seis que mesclaram informações de bases de dados oficiais, como censos e registros de câncer ou de óbitos. A maior parte das pesquisas reportou associação entre piores condições socioeconômicas e câncer de cabeça e pescoço. Os indicadores mais empregados foram a ocupação e a escolaridade. Poucos estudos investigaram mediação, procurando evidenciar quais os fatores proximais operam na associação investigada. Pesquisas adicionais, com critérios uniformes para proceder aos ajustes nos modelos de regressão e amostra suficiente, são necessárias para investigar essa dimensão.

Política de humanização na atenção básica: revisão sistemática

OBJETIVO : Analisar as práticas de humanização na atenção básica na rede pública do sistema de saúde brasileiro com base nos princípios da política nacional de humanização do Brasil. MÉTODOS : Procedeu-se à revisão sistemática da literatura seguida de metassíntese, usando as bases de dados: BDENF (Base de dados da enfermagem), BDTD (Biblioteca digital brasileira de teses e dissertações), CINAHL ( Cumulative Index to nursing and allied health literature ), LILACS (Literatura Latino-americana e do Caribe em ciências da saúde), MedLine (Literatura Internacional em ciência da Saúde), PAHO (Biblioteca da Organização Pan-Americana da Saúde) e SciELO ( Scientific Electronic Library Online ). Foram selecionados os seguintes descritores de assunto: Humanização; Humanização da Assistência; Acolhimento; Cuidado humanizado; Humanização em saúde; Vínculo; Programa de Saúde da Família; Atenção Básica; Saúde Coletiva e Sistema Único de Saúde. Para análise, foram incluídos artigos de pesquisa, estudos de caso, relatos de experiências, dissertações, teses e capítulos de livros, escritos em língua portuguesa, inglesa ou espanhola, publicados de 2003 a 2011. RESULTADOS : Das 4.127 publicações recuperadas sobre o tema, foram avaliadas e incluídas 40, chegando a três categorias centrais. A primeira, infraestrutura e organização dos serviços básicos de saúde, evidenciou insatisfação com a estrutura física e material e com os fluxos de atendimento que podem facilitar ou dificultar o acesso. A segunda refere-se ao processo de trabalho, que apresentou questões relacionadas ao número insuficiente de profissionais, fragmentação dos processos de trabalho, perfil e responsabilização profissional. A terceira consistiu das tecnologias das relações e apontou o acolhimento, vínculo, escuta, respeito e diálogo com os usuários. CONCLUSÕES : Embora muitas práticas sejam citadas como humanizadoras, não conseguem produzir mudanças nos serviços de saúde por falta de uma análise mais aprofundada nos processos de trabalho e de uma educação permanente no serviço.

Health-related quality of life in patients with Chagas disease: a review of the evidence

Chagas disease (ChD), a neglected tropical disease caused by infection with the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi), remains a serious public health issue in Latin America and is an emerging disease in several non-endemic countries, where knowledge of the condition and experience with its clinical management are limited. Regionally, the disease is the major cause of disability secondary to tropical diseases in young adults. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) impairment is common in patients with ChD, especially in those with Chagas dilated cardiomyopathy, the most severe manifestation of the disease, which frequently leads to heart failure. The aim of this review was to conduct a literature search for studies that have evaluated the determining factors of HRQoL in ChD patients. We included cross-sectional, case-control, cohort, and experimental studies, as well as clinical trials that evaluated the HRQoL in ChD patients aged 18 to 60 years and are presenting an explicit description of statistical analysis. Using a combination of keywords based on Descriptors in Health Sciences (DeCS) and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) for searches in PubMed and the Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), 148 studies were found. After exclusions, 12 studies were selected for analysis. Three main findings were extracted from these studies: 1) cardiac involvement is associated with a worse HRQoL in ChD patients; 2) HRQoL is associated with the patients' functional capacity; and 3) simple and inexpensive therapeutic measures are effective for improving HRQoL in ChD patients. Hence, ChD patients' functional capacity, the effectiveness of non-surgical conservative treatment, and cardiac involvement are important determining factors for the HRQoL in ChD patients.

Dislipidemias e antipsicóticos atípicos

OBJETIVO: Um progressivo número de evidências surge associando o uso de antipsicóticos atípicos a dislipidemias, situação pouco atentada por considerável número de psiquiatras e preditora importante de doenças cardiovasculares (DCVs) e de morbimortalidade. O propósito deste estudo é revisar a associação entre o uso de antipsicóticos atípicos e o desenvolvimento de dislipidemias em pacientes com esquizofrenia. MÉTODOS: A pesquisa bibliográfica utilizou os bancos de dados MEDLINE e Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), com os descritores: schizophrenia, dyslipidemia, hyperlipidemia e lipids, para identificar artigos originais publicados no período de 1997 a setembro de 2006. RESULTADOS: Os artigos foram agrupados segundo cada agente terapêutico, de acordo com o seu impacto sobre o perfil lipídico. CONCLUSÃO: Observa-se maior risco de desenvolvimento de dislipidemias em pacientes com esquizofrenia em uso de alguns antipsicóticos atípicos. Intervenções comportamentais e farmacológicas devem ser associadas nos indivíduos com esquizofrenia em tratamento antipsicótico e que desenvolvem dislipidemias.

Effects of Yoga in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure: A Meta-Analysis

The use of yoga as an effective cardiac rehabilitation in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) remains controversial. We performed a meta-analysis to examine the effects of yoga on exercise capacity and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with CHF. Methods: We searched MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Excerpta Medica database, LILACS, Physiotherapy Evidence Database, The Scientific Electronic Library Online, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health (from the earliest date available to December 2013) for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining the effects of yoga versus exercise and/or of yoga versus control on exercise capacity (peakVO2) and quality-of-life (HRQOL) in CHF. Two reviewers selected studies independently. Weighted mean differences (WMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated, and heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 test. Two studies met the selection criteria (total: 30 yoga and 29 control patients). The results suggested that yoga compared with control had a positive impact on peak VO2 and HRQOL. Peak VO2, WMD (3.87 95% CI: 1.95 to 5.80), and global HRQOL standardized mean differences (-12.46 95% CI: -22.49 to -2.43) improved in the yoga group compared to the control group. Yoga enhances peak VO2 and HRQOL in patients with CHF and could be considered for inclusion in cardiac rehabilitation programs. Larger RCTs are required to further investigate the effects of yoga in patients with CHF.

Mechanisms Involved in Exercise-Induced Cardioprotection: A Systematic Review

Background:Acute myocardial infarction is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Furthermore, research has shown that exercise, in addition to reducing cardiovascular risk factors, can also protect the heart against injury due to ischemia and reperfusion through a direct effect on the myocardium. However, the specific mechanism involved in exerciseinduced cardiac preconditioning is still under debate.Objective:To perform a systematic review of the studies that have addressed the mechanisms by which aerobic exercise promotes direct cardioprotection against ischemia and reperfusion injury.Methods:A search was conducted using MEDLINE, Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe de Informação em Ciências da Saúde, and Scientific Electronic Library Online databases. Data were extracted in a standardized manner by two independent researchers, who were responsible for assessing the methodological quality of the studies.Results:The search retrieved 78 studies; after evaluating the abstracts, 30 studies were excluded. The manuscripts of the remaining 48 studies were completely read and, of these, 20 were excluded. Finally, 28 studies were included in this systematic review.Conclusion:On the basis of the selected studies, the following are potentially involved in the cardioprotective response to exercise: increased heat shock protein production, nitric oxide pathway involvement, increased cardiac antioxidant capacity, improvement in ATP-dependent potassium channel function, and opioid system activation. Despite all the previous investigations, further research is still necessary to obtain more consistent conclusions.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathies: an integrative review of the literature

OBJECTIVE: To identify scientific studies and to deepen the knowledge of peripheral neuropathies induced by chemotherapy antineoplastic, seeking evidence for assistance to cancer patients. METHOD: Integrative review of the literature conducted in the databases Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences (LILACS), Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), Medical Literature Analysis (PubMed/MEDLINE), the Cochrane Library and the Spanish Bibliographic Index Health Sciences (IBECS). RESULTS: The sample consisted of 15 studies published between 2005-2014 that met the inclusion criteria. Studies showed aspects related to advanced age, main symptoms of neuropathy and chemotherapy agents as important adverse effect of neuropathy. CONCLUSION: We identified a small number of studies that addressed the topic, as well as low production of evidence related to interventions with positive results. It is considered important to develop new studies proposed for the prevention and/or treatment, enabling adjustment of the patient's cancer chemotherapy and consequently better service.

SciELO: uma metodologia para publicação eletrônica

Descreve a Metodologia SciELO - Scientific Electronic Library Online para a publicação eletrônica de periódicos científicos, abordando temas como a transição da publicação impressa em papel para a publicação eletrônica, o processo de comunicação científica, os princípios que nortearam o desenvolvimento da metodologia, sua aplicação no site SciELO, seus módulos e componentes, os instrumentos nos quais está baseada etc. O artigo discute, também, as potencialidades e tendências para a área no Brasil e América Latina, apontando questões e propostas que deverão ser abordadas e solucionadas pela metodologia. Conclui que a Metodologia SciELO é uma solução eficiente, flexível e ampla para a publicação científica eletrônica.

Avaliação da produção científica e o Projeto SciELO

Partindo da análise da produção científica brasileira e da carência de bases de dados em informação científica, o autor aborda o Projeto SciELO - Scientific Electronic Library Online como instrumento para tornar a produção nacional mais visível e acessível via meio eletrônico e, ao mesmo tempo, criar uma base de dados através da qual seja possível avaliar a produção científica do país e aumentar a sua visibilidade internacional.