Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Elective and Emergency Surgeries, and Postoperative Mortality in a Brazilian Metropolitan Area: A Time-Series Cohort Study.

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic posed a worldwide challenge, leading to radical changes in surgical services. The primary objective of the study was to assess the impact of COVID-19 on elective and emergency surgeries in a Brazilian metropolitan area. The secondary objective was to compare the postoperative hospital mortality before and during the pandemic. Patients and Methods: Time-series cohort study including data of all patients admitted for elective or emergency surgery at the hospitals in the Public Health System of Federal District, Brazil, between March 2018 and February 2022, using data extracted from the Hospital Information System of Brazilian Ministry of Health (SIH/DATASUS) on September 30, 2022. A causal impact analysis was used to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on elective and emergency surgeries and hospital mortality. Results: There were 174,473 surgeries during the study period. There was a reduction in overall (absolute effect per week: -227.5; 95% CI: -307.0 to -149.0), elective (absolute effect per week: -170.9; 95% CI: -232.8 to -112.0), and emergency (absolute effect per week: -57.7; 95% CI: -87.5 to -27.7) surgeries during the COVID-19 period. Comparing the surgeries performed before and after the COVID-19 onset, there was an increase in emergency surgeries (53.0% vs 68.8%, P < 0.001) and no significant hospital length of stay (P = 0.112). The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on postoperative hospital mortality was not statistically significant (absolute effect per week: 2.1, 95% CI: -0.01 to 4.2). Conclusion: Our study showed a reduction in elective and emergency surgeries during the COVID-19 pandemic, possibly due to disruptions in surgical services. These findings highlight that it is crucial to implement effective strategies to prevent the accumulation of surgical waiting lists in times of crisis and improve outcomes for surgical patients.

Irregular red blood cell antibodies, abnormal hemoglobin and dangerous universal blood donor insights from a public blood center in a Brazilian metropolitan area.

BACKGROUND: Immunohematology tests are crucial in transfusion safety. This study aimed to assess irregular red blood cell (RBC) antibodies, abnormal hemoglobin and dangerous universal blood donors at a public blood center in a Brazilian metropolitan area. METHODS: A cross-sectional study included all consecutive blood donors from January 2018 to December 2021 at the Brasília Blood Center Foundation, Federal District (FD), Brazil. RESULTS: Among 205,965 blood donations, irregular RBC antibodies were found in 743 (0.4 %). Abnormal hemoglobin was observed in 5396 (2.6 %): 3959 (1.9 %) with Hb AS, 1344 (0.7 %) with Hb AC, and 93 (< 0,1 %) with other hemoglobin variants. Of O group donors, 12.5 % (9646) had hemolysins: 12.5 % (2410) both anti-A and anti-B, 8.7 % (9646) only anti-A, and 1.6 % (1763) only anti-B hemolysins. Female sex (p < 0.001) and increasing age (p < 0.001) were associated with irregular RBC antibodies. O and/or Rh(D)-positive blood groups had a lower prevalence of irregular RBC antibodies compared to other ABO and/or Rh(D)-negative groups. Age (p < 0.001) and female sex (p < 0.001) were associated with anti-A/anti-B hemolysins, while FD residency was associated with reduced incidence (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Anti-A/anti-B hemolysins in O group donors, abnormal hemoglobin and irregular RBC antibodies pose risks to transfusion practice and should not be overlooked. Advancing age, female sex, ABO blood group other than O, or Rh(D)- negative are independently associated with the presence of irregular RBC antibodies. Dangerous universal blood donors were associated with advanced age, female gender, Rh(D)-positive blood type, and individuals residing in a Brazilian state other than where the blood center was located.

Hyperoxemia Induced by Oxygen Therapy in Nonsurgical Critically Ill Patients.

BACKGROUND: Hyperoxemia, often overlooked in critically ill patients, is common and may have adverse consequences. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the incidence of hyperoxemia induced by oxygen therapy in nonsurgical critically ill patients at intensive care unit (ICU) admission and the association of hyperoxemia with hospital mortality. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included all consecutive admissions of nonsurgical patients aged 18 years or older who received oxygen therapy on admission to the Hospital Santa Luzia Rede D'Or São Luiz adult ICU from July 2018 through June 2021. Patients were categorized into 3 groups according to Pao2 level at ICU admission: hypoxemia (Pao2<60 mm Hg), normoxemia (Pao2= 60-120 mm Hg), and hyperoxemia (Pao2 >120 mm Hg). RESULTS: Among 3088 patients, hyperoxemia was present in 1174 (38.0%) and was independently associated with hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR], 1.32; 95% CI, 1.04-1.67; P=.02). Age (OR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.02-1.02; P<.001) and chronic kidney disease (OR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.02-2.36; P=.04) were associated with a higher rate of hyperoxemia. Factors associated with a lower rate of hyperoxemia were Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score (OR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.83-0.93; P<.001); late-night admission (OR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.67-0.96; P=.02); and renal/metabolic (OR, 0.22; 95% CI, 0.13-1.39; P<.001), neurologic (OR, 0.02; 95% CI, 0.01-0.05; P<.001), digestive (OR, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.13-0.41; P<.001), and soft tissue/skin/orthopedic (OR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.13-0.79; P=.01) primary reasons for hospital admission. CONCLUSION: Hyperoxemia induced by oxygen therapy was common in critically ill patients and was linked to increased risk of hospital mortality. Health care professionals should be aware of this condition because of its potential risks and unnecessary costs.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Births, Vaginal Deliveries, Cesarian Sections, and Maternal Mortality in a Brazilian Metropolitan Area: A Time-Series Cohort Study.

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic posed a worldwide challenge, leading to radical changes in healthcare. The primary objective of the study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on birth, vaginal delivery, and cesarian section (c-section) rates. The secondary objective was to compare the maternal mortality before and after the pandemic. Patients and Methods: Time-series cohort study including data of all women admitted for childbirth (vaginal delivery or c-section) at the maternities in the Public Health System of Federal District, Brazil, between March 2018 and February 2022, using data extracted from the Hospital Information System of Brazilian Ministry of Health (SIH/DATASUS) on September 30, 2022. Causal impact analysis was used to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on birth, vaginal delivery, and c-section using the CausalImpact R package, and a propensity score matching was used to evaluate the effect on maternal mortality rate using the Easy R (EZR) software. Results: There were 150,617 births, and considering total births, the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic was not statistically significant (absolute effect per week: 5.5, 95% CI: -24.0-33.4). However, there was an increase in c-sections after COVID-19 (absolute effect per week: 18.1; 95% CI: 11.9-23.9). After propensity score matching, the COVID-19 period was associated with increased maternal mortality (OR: 3.22, 95% CI: 1.53-6.81). The e-value of the adjusted OR for the association between the post-COVID-19 period and maternal mortality was 5.89, with a 95% CI: 2.43, suggesting that unmeasured confounders were unlikely to explain the entirety of the effect. Conclusion: Our study revealed a rise in c-sections and maternal mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic, possibly due to disruptions in maternal care. These findings highlight that implementing effective strategies to protect maternal health in times of crisis and improve outcomes for mothers and newborns is crucial.

Evaluation of Functional and Joint Health and Associated Factors in Adults With Hemophilia From a Developing Country With Government-Backed Efforts to Improve Hemophilia Care.

Introduction Hemophilic arthropathy affects people with hemophilia (PwH) and causes joint dysfunction and disability. Brazil has a unique situation and implemented policies to improve health care for PwH. The aim of this study was to evaluate the Functional Independence Score in Hemophilia (FISH), Hemophilia Joint Health Score (HJHS), and associated factors among adult PwH attending a Hemophilia Comprehensive Care Center in Brazil. Methods A post hoc analysis was conducted, including 31 patients who had submitted to a physical evaluation during a previously published cross-sectional study performed from June 2015 to May 2016 at the Brasília Blood Center Foundation, Brazil. Results The mean age was 30.8±9.4 years, and 80.6% had severe hemophilia. FISH was 27.0±3.8, and HJHS 18.0±10.8. The ankle was the most often affected joint (25/31, 80.6%). There were significant correlations between FISH and HJHS scores and the Hemophilia Quality of Life Questionnaire for Adults. Patients with severe hemophilia (P = 0.029) and PwH aged ≥ 30 years (P = 0.049) had lower FISH scores. Monthly household income > 2 Brazilian minimum wages was independently associated with improved HJHS (P = 0.033). The factors simultaneously associated with better HJHS and FISH were age < 30 years (P = 0.021) and monthly household income < 2 minimum wages (P = 0.013). Conclusion FISH and HJHS showed favorable scores despite being performed in a country with unfavorable socioeconomic conditions. In addition to hemophilia severity and age, monthly household income was independently associated with functional and articular state of PwH. The results highlight the importance of the free provision of coagulation factors in Brazil.

Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria on Critically Ill Patients with Sepsis at Hospital Admission: Risk Factors and Effects on Hospital Mortality.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of MDRO infection on hospital mortality and the risk factors among critically ill patients with sepsis at hospital admission. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed between April 2019 and May 2020, followed by a cohort to evaluate hospital mortality that prospectively included all consecutive patients 18 years or older with sepsis admitted within 48 hours of hospital admission to an adult ICU in Brazil. Patients' characteristics, blood samples within one hour of ICU admission, and microbiological results within 48h of hospital admission were collected. In addition, descriptive statistics, binary logistic regression, and propensity score matching were performed. Results: At least one MDRO was isolated in 85 patients (9.8%). The extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacterales are the most frequent organism (56.1%). Hypoxemic acute respiratory failure (OR 1.87, 95% CI 1.02-3.40, p = 0.04), Glasgow Coma Score below 15 (OR 2.57, 95% CI 1.38-4.80, p < 0.01), neoplasm (OR 2.66, 95% CI 1.04-6.82, p = 0.04) and hemoglobin below 10.0 g/dL (OR 1.82, 95% CI 1.05-3.16, p = 0.03) were associated with increased MDRO. Admission from the Emergency Department (OR 0.25, 95% CI 0.14-0.43, p < 0.01) was associated with decreased MDRO. In the multivariate analysis, MDRO at hospital admission increased hospital mortality (OR 2.80, 95% CI 1.05-7.42, p = 0.04). After propensity score-matching adjusted to age, APACHE II, SOFA, and dementia, MDRO at hospital admission was associated with significantly high hospital mortality (OR 2.80, 95% CI 1.05-7.42, p = 0.04). The E-value of adjusted OR for the effect of MDRO infection on hospital mortality was 3.41, with a 95% CI of 1.31, suggesting that unmeasured confounders were unlikely to explain the entirety of the effect. Conclusion: MDRO infection increased hospital mortality, and MDRO risk factors should be accessed even in patients admitted to ICU within 48 hours of hospital admission.

Prioritization of ICU beds with renal replacement therapy support by court order and mortality in a Brazilian metropolitan area.

The shortage of intensive care unit (ICU) resources, including equipment and supplies for renal replacement therapy (RRT), is a critical problem in several countries. This study aimed to assess hospital mortality and associated factors in patients treated in public hospitals of the Federal District, Brazil, who requested admission to ICU with renal replacement therapy support (ICU-RRT) in court. Retrospective cohort study that included 883 adult patients treated in public hospitals of the Federal District who requested ICU-RRT admission in court from January 2017 to December 2018. ICU-RRT was denied to 407 patients, which increased mortality (OR 3.33, 95% CI 2.39-4.56, p ≪ 0.01), especially in patients with priority level I/II (OR 1.02, 95% CI 1.01-1.04, p ≪ 0.01). Of the requests made in court, 450 were filed by patients with priority levels III/IV, and 44.7% of these were admitted to ICU-RRT. In admitted patients, priority level III priority level I/II was associated with a low mortality (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.32-0.69, p < 0.01), and not. The admission of patients classified as priority levels III/IV to ICU-RRT considerably jeopardized the admission of patients with priority levels I/II to these settings. The results found open new avenues for organizing public policies and improving ICU-RRT triage.

Intensive Care Unit prioritization: The impact of ICU bed availability on mortality in critically ill patients who requested ICU admission in court in a Brazilian cohort.

PURPOSE: To assess hospital mortality in patients who requested ICU admission in court due to the scarcity of ICU beds in the Brazilian public health system and the consequences of these judicial litigations. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective cohort study that included adult patients from the public health system of the Federal District, Brazil, who claimed ICU admission in court from January 2017 to December 2019. RESULTS: Of the 1752 patients, 1031 were admitted to ICU (58.8%). Hospital mortality was 61.1% (1071/1752). Of the requests, 768 (43.8%) were made by patients with priority levels III or IV, resulting in the ICU admission of 33.9% of these patients. Denial of ICU admission (p < 0.001) increased mortality. ICU admission reduced hospital mortality in patients classified as priority level I (p < 0.001), priority level II (p < 0.001), and priority level III (p < 0.001), but not as priority level IV (p = 0.619). CONCLUSION: A large proportion of patients was denied ICU admission and it was associated with an increased mortality. A considerable portion of the ICU-admitted patients were classified as priority level III and IV, impairing the ICU admission of patients with priority level I which are the ones with the greatest benefit from it.

Estratégias de Ensino-Aprendizagem para Formação Humanista, Crítica, Reflexiva e Ética na Graduação Médica: Revisão Sistemática / Teaching-Learning Strategies for Humanistic, Critical, Reflective and Ethical Undergraduate Medical Training: a Systematic Review

Resumo: Introdução: A medicina é uma área do conhecimento diretamente associada às relações humanas e influenciada por elas. A prática médica requer mais que conhecimento técnico, necessita de habilidades que possibilitem a aplicação adequada da técnica para a recuperação e promoção da saúde de um indivíduo. As Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais (DCN) atuais trazem em seu texto as competências necessárias à formação médica, que vão além do campo técnico. As DCN orientam que a graduação médica deve ser pautada em uma formação generalista, humanista, crítica, reflexiva e ética. Nesse contexto, buscou-se com esta revisão identificar estratégias de ensino-aprendizagem utilizadas para o alcance das referidas competências psicossociais na graduação médica. Método: Foi realizada revisão sistemática, em que se pesquisaram artigos que apresentassem intervenções e/ou métodos pedagógicos para a aquisição, durante a graduação médica, de competências necessárias a uma formação médica generalista, humanista, crítica, reflexiva e ética. Os estudos selecionados foram sintetizados e analisados com base nos critérios do sistema Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (Grade). Resultados: A estratégia de busca inicialmente resultou em 98 artigos elegíveis, dos quais, após segunda avaliação, 11 artigos primários foram selecionados. Inicialmente, agruparam-se os artigos conforme a competência segundo a qual foram pesquisados e reorganizados de acordo com o critério conceitual em que se enquadraram. Assim, dos 11 artigos selecionados com a estratégia de busca, seis foram classificados como formação humanista, dois como formação crítica, dois como formação reflexiva e um como formação ética. Conclusões: Os estudos encontrados mostram que dimensões importantes da formação médica, muitas vezes deixadas de lado durante a graduação, podem ser abordadas de maneira sistemática e com métodos pedagógicos já validados na literatura, pois trata-se de métodos de ensino-aprendizagem efetivos que agregam habilidades fundamentais ao graduando em Medicina, retirando do currículo oculto competências fundamentais ao médico em formação. Com a passagem dessas competências para um currículo formal, torna-se possível avaliá-las e melhorar a qualidade da formação médica. Dessa forma, essas estratégias de ensino-aprendizagem incorporam atitudes que podem significar o sucesso ou insucesso profissional médico.

Abstract: Introduction: Medicine is an area of knowledge directly related to and influenced by human relationships. Medical practice requires not only technical knowledge but also skills that enable one to properly apply techniques for the recovery and promotion of an individual's health. The current Brazilian National Curricular Guidelines (DCN) outline the essential skills for medical training, which extend beyond the technical field. According to the DCN, undergraduate medical training should be based on a generalist, humanistic, critical, reflective and ethical formation. In view of this, the aim of this review was to identify teaching-learning strategies used to achieve these psychosocial competences in undergraduate medical training. Method: A systematic review of articles that present pedagogical interventions and/or methods used to teach the necessary competences for a generalist, humanistic, critical, reflexive and ethical medical training at undergraduate level. The selected studies were synthesized and analysed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system. Results: The research strategy initially resulted in 98 eligible articles, of which, after a second evaluation, 11 primary articles were selected. The articles were initially grouped by the competence in relation to which they were researched and reorganized according to the conceptual criterion by which they were framed. Thus, of the 11 articles selected with the search strategy, six articles were classified as addressing humanist formation, two critical formation, two reflective formation and one ethical formation. Conclusion: The studies reviewed show that important dimensions of medical education, often disregarded during undergraduate training, can be approached in a systematic way and with validated pedagogical methods. These effective teaching-learning methods provide the medical student with fundamental skills that may have previously been part of the hidden curriculum. Incorporating such competencies into a formal curriculum allows for their evaluation and for improvement in the quality of medical training, thus leading to the adoption of attitudes key to success in the medical profession.

Cloroquina e Hidroxicloroquina no tratamento da COVID-19: Sumário de Evidências / Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine in the treatment of COVID-19: Summary of Evidence

O objetivo deste artigo foi identificar e sumarizar as evidências científicas publicadas sobre o uso da cloroquina, hidroxicloroquina e azitromicina em pacientes em tratamento para o COVID 19. Por meio de uma estratégia sistemática de busca foram identificados os artigos incluídos no presente estudo, sendo o último levantamento de literatura realizado no dia 10 de abril de 2020. As bases de dados pesquisadas foram: Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (University of Oxford), Pubmed, BVS, Biblioteca Cochrane. De forma completar, foram consultados estudos postados no med Rxiv. Conclui-se que as evidências disponíveis sobre o tratamento com o uso da cloroquina e hidroxicloroquina para pacientes em tratamento para COVID-19 são consenso de especialistas, estudos in vitro e dois estudos clínicos que apresentam sérias limitações metodológicas. Embora alguns estudos iniciais sugiram efeitos benéficos com o uso dessas drogas, ainda não há dados suficientes para afirmar que elas devam ser utilizadas de forma rotineira. Conclusão: Hidroxicloroquina ou cloroquina devem ser indicadas no contexto de ensaios clínicos eticamente aprovados. Não sendo possível a inclusão em um estudo, podem ser consideradas em casos selecionados, de acordo com o estado clínico e os efeitos colaterais da medicação , especialmente em infecções graves e pacientes com fatores de risco para evolução grave da doença.(AU)

Análise da influência da retirada do leito de idosos na UTI e da continuidade da fisioterapia na enfermaria sobre o tempo de permanência, a readmissão e a mortalidade / Analysis of the influence of bed's withdrawal of the elderly in the ICU and the continuity of physical therapy in the ward on length of stay, readmission and mortality

Objetivo: Analisar a influência da retirada do leito de idosos na UTI e da continuidade da fisioterapia na enfermaria sobre tempo de internação, readmissão e mortalidade. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo de coorte histórico realizado por meio dos registros de idosos egressos de UTI de um hospital público. Verificou-se as caracterí­sticas clí­nicas e o ní­vel de gravidade dos pacientes pelo escore SAPS 3 (Simplified Acute Physiology Score III). Analisou-se a retirada do leito na UTI, o ní­vel de mobilização alcançado e a continuidade da fisioterapia na enfermaria. Observou-se a relação entre essas variáveis e os desfechos ocorridos. Resultados: Os 133 idosos estudados apresentaram média de idade de 70 ±7 anos; 66,1% eram homens; 78,2% foram retirados do leito na UTI e, após a admissão na enfermaria, 51,9% receberam fisioterapia. O tempo médio de internação após a alta da UTI foi de 27,6 dias; 11,2% dos pacientes foram readmitidos em unidades crí­ticas e 18% foram a óbito. Os idosos que não foram retirados do leito na UTI e aqueles que mantiveram o ní­vel de mobilização após a admissão na enfermaria apresentaram maior readmissão e mortalidade. Conclusão: Parece existir menor risco de readmissão e de mortalidade em pacientes submetidos í terapêutica de retirada do leito na UTI. (AU)

Objective: To analyze the influence of bed's withdrawal of elderly in the ICU and the continuity of the physical therapy in the ward over length of stay, readmission and mortality. Methods: This is a historical cohort study carried out through the registries of elderly patients from the ICU of a public hospital. The clinical characteristics and the level of severity of the patients by the SAPS 3 (Simplified Acute Physiology Score III) were verified. The ICU bed removal, the level of mobilization achieved and the continuity of physical therapy in the ward were analyzed. It was observed whether there was a relationship between these variables and the outcomes. Results: The 133 elderly studied had mean age of 70 ± 7 years; 66.1% were men; 78.2% of the patients were removed from the hospital bed and, after ward admission, 51.9% received physical therapy. The mean length of hospital stay after discharge from the ICU was 27.6 days; 11.2% of the patients were readmitted in critical units and 18% died. The elderly who were not removed from the ICU bed and those who maintained the level of mobilization after admission to the ward presented higher readmission and mortality. Conclusion: There seems to be a lower risk of readmission and mortality in patients undergoing ICU bed removal therapy. (AU)