Unmasking the Metabolite Signature of Bladder Cancer: A Systematic Review.

Bladder cancer (BCa) research relying on Omics approaches has increased over the last few decades, improving the understanding of BCa pathology and contributing to a better molecular classification of BCa subtypes. To gain further insight into the molecular profile underlying the development of BCa, a systematic literature search was performed in PubMed until November 2023, following the PRISMA guidelines. This search enabled the identification of 25 experimental studies using mass spectrometry or nuclear magnetic resonance-based approaches to characterize the metabolite signature associated with BCa. A total of 1562 metabolites were identified to be altered by BCa in different types of samples. Urine samples displayed a higher likelihood of containing metabolites that are also present in bladder tumor tissue and cell line cultures. The data from these comparisons suggest that increased concentrations of L-isoleucine, L-carnitine, oleamide, palmitamide, arachidonic acid and glycoursodeoxycholic acid and decreased content of deoxycytidine, 5-aminolevulinic acid and pantothenic acid should be considered components of a BCa metabolome signature. Overall, molecular profiling of biological samples by metabolomics is a promising approach to identifying potential biomarkers for early diagnosis of different BCa subtypes. However, future studies are needed to understand its biological significance in the context of BCa and to validate its clinical application.

Facile Synthesis of Ni-Doped ZnO Nanoparticles Using Cashew Gum: Investigation of the Structural, Optical, and Photocatalytic Properties.

This work adopted a green synthesis route using cashew tree gum as a mediating agent to obtain Ni-doped ZnO nanoparticles through the sol-gel method. Structural analysis confirmed the formation of the hexagonal wurtzite phase and distortions in the crystal lattice due to the inclusion of Ni cations, which increased the average crystallite size from 61.9 nm to 81.6 nm. These distortions resulted in the growth of point defects in the structure, which influenced the samples' optical properties, causing slight reductions in the band gaps and significant increases in the Urbach energy. The fitting of the photoluminescence spectra confirmed an increase in the concentration of zinc vacancy defects (VZn) and monovacancies (Vo) as Zn cations were replaced by Ni cations in the ZnO structure. The percentage of VZn defects for the pure compound was 11%, increasing to 40% and 47% for the samples doped with 1% and 3% of Ni cations, respectively. In contrast, the highest percentage of VO defects is recorded for the material with the lowest Ni ions concentration, comprising about 60%. The influence of dopant concentration was also reflected in the photocatalytic performance. Among the samples tested, the Zn0.99Ni0.01O compound presented the best result in MB degradation, reaching an efficiency of 98.4%. Thus, the recovered material underwent reuse tests, revealing an efficiency of 98.2% in dye degradation, confirming the stability of the photocatalyst. Furthermore, the use of different inhibitors indicated that •OH radicals are the main ones involved in removing the pollutant. This work is valuable because it presents an ecological synthesis using cashew gum, a natural polysaccharide that has been little explored in the literature.

A Survey on Vaccination and Disease Occurrence in Municipal and Non-Profit Animal Shelters in Portugal.

Few studies are available describing animal shelters in Portugal. The aim was to characterize prophylactic measures and disease occurrence in shelters with a questionnaire. The response rates of 67 shelters (42 municipal shelters, 25 associations) were compared by the Fisher's exact test. More veterinarians answered for municipal shelters (98%) than for associations (40%; p < 0.001). Over 80% of the respondents indicated using individual medical records and routine prophylaxis. Excessive length of stay for dogs was reported by 54% of associations and 33% of municipal shelters. Management tools should be promoted to improve the situation. Puppy vaccinations were similar and a final vaccination at 16 weeks was indicated by >33% of shelters. Annual revaccination of dogs was reported more frequently by associations (88%) than municipal shelters (55%; p = 0.02). The three most reported diseases were parvovirus and mange in dogs, upper respiratory disease and panleukopenia in cats, and dermatophytosis in both species. Similar response rates for diagnostic options were obtained by both shelter types, except for distemper. Testing for feline retroviruses was indicated by most shelters (>69%), but only a few (<24%) confirmed positive test results. Clinical diagnoses should be complemented by testing. Additional information on disease occurrence should be obtained by objective monitoring.

A biomass map of the Brazilian Amazon from multisource remote sensing.

The Amazon Forest, the largest contiguous tropical forest in the world, stores a significant fraction of the carbon on land. Changes in climate and land use affect total carbon stocks, making it critical to continuously update and revise the best estimates for the region, particularly considering changes in forest dynamics. Forest inventory data cover only a tiny fraction of the Amazon region, and the coverage is not sufficient to ensure reliable data interpolation and validation. This paper presents a new forest above-ground biomass map for the Brazilian Amazon and the associated uncertainty both with a resolution of 250 meters and baseline for the satellite dataset the year of 2016 (i.e., the year of the satellite observation). A significant increase in data availability from forest inventories and remote sensing has enabled progress towards high-resolution biomass estimates. This work uses the largest airborne LiDAR database ever collected in the Amazon, mapping 360,000 km2 through transects distributed in all vegetation categories in the region. The map uses airborne laser scanning (ALS) data calibrated by field forest inventories that are extrapolated to the region using a machine learning approach with inputs from Synthetic Aperture Radar (PALSAR), vegetation indices obtained from the Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite, and precipitation information from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM). A total of 174 field inventories geolocated using a Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) were used to validate the biomass estimations. The experimental design allowed for a comprehensive representation of several vegetation types, producing an above-ground biomass map varying from a maximum value of 518 Mg ha-1, a mean of 174 Mg ha-1, and a standard deviation of 102 Mg ha-1. This unique dataset enabled a better representation of the regional distribution of the forest biomass and structure, providing further studies and critical information for decision-making concerning forest conservation, planning, carbon emissions estimate, and mechanisms for supporting carbon emissions reductions.

Lower Limb Edema Caused by Metastatic Signet Ring Cell Stomach Cancer.

Overall gastric cancer incidence is decreasing, but incidence of gastric signet ring cell carcinoma has been rising. The diagnosis can be challenging. It has a poorer prognosis because it tends to be diagnosed at advanced stages. Lymphedema is a rare presentation. We report a rare presentation of signet ring cell carcinoma in a 49-year old male, with no underlying medical condition. The patient presented with lymphedema of lower limbs, scrotum and abdominal wall. LEARNING POINTS: Signet ring cell carcinoma tends to have an infiltrative behavior. Endoscopic analysis may not lead to any macroscopic finding.In highly suspicious cases, endoscopic exploration should be complemented with an endoscopic ultrasound or blind random biopsies.

Insulin enhances contextual fear memory independently of its effect in increasing plasma adrenaline.

AIMS: Adrenaline enhances contextual fear memory consolidation possibly by activating liver ß2-adrenoceptors causing transient hyperglycaemia. Contrastingly, insulin-induced hypoglycaemia may culminate in blood adrenaline increment, hidering the separation of each hormone's action in contextual fear memory. Therefore, an adrenaline-deficient mouse model was used aiming to investigate if contextual fear memory consolidation following insulin administration requires or not subsequent increases in plasma adrenaline, which occurs in response to insulin-induced hypoglycemia. MAIN METHODS: Fear conditioning was performed in wild-type (WT) and adrenaline-deficient (Pnmt-KO) male mice (129 × 1/SvJ) treated with insulin (2 U/kg, intraperitoneal (i.p.)) or vehicle (0.9 % NaCl (i.p.)). Blood glucose was quantified. Catecholamines were quantified using HPLC with electrochemical detection. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to assess mRNA expression of hippocampal Nr4a1, Nr4a2, Nr4a3, and Bdnf genes. KEY FINDINGS: Insulin-treated WT mice showed increased freezing behaviour when compared to vehicle-treated WT mice. Also, plasma dopamine, noradrenaline, and adrenaline increased in this group. Insulin-treated Pnmt-KO animals showed increased freezing behaviour when compared with respective vehicle. However, no changes in plasma or tissue catecholamines were identified in insulin-treated Pnmt-KO mice when compared with respective vehicle. Furthermore, insulin-treated Pnmt-KO mice presented increased Bdnf mRNA expression when compared to vehicle-treated Pnmt-KO mice. SIGNIFICANCE: Concluding, enhanced freezing behaviour after insulin treatment, even in adrenaline absence, may indicate a key role of insulin in contextual fear memory. Insulin may cause central molecular changes promoting contextual fear memory formation and/or retrieval. This work may indicate a further role of insulin in the process of contextual fear memory modulation.

Tecnologias para a adesão ao tratamento da tuberculose: um protocolo de scoping review / Technologies for adherence to tuberculosis treatment: a scoping review protocol

OBJETIVO: Identificar e mapear as tecnologias desenvolvidas e/ou validadas para incentivar e auxiliar na adesão ao tratamento da tuberculose na Atenção Primária à Saúde. MÉTODO: Trata-se de uma scoping review, seguindo as orientações do Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Reviewer's Manual, com a seguinte pergunta de pesquisa: "Quais as tecnologias têm sido desenvolvidas e/ou validadas para incentivar e auxiliar na adesão ao tratamento da tuberculose na Atenção Primária à Saúde?" Serão incluídos artigos, teses e dissertações a partir de buscas nas bases: Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (Medline/PubMed), Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde (LILACS)/Biblioteca Virtual de Saúde (BVS), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health (CINAHL), Web of Science (WOS), Scopus, Excerpta Medica Database (Embase) e literatura cinzenta. A busca, avaliação, seleção e extração dos dados serão realizadas de forma cega entre pares; quando houver divergências, um terceiro revisor será consultado. Os resultados serão descritos na íntegra, utilizando-se de narrativa e diagramas, de forma que estejam alinhados com o objetivo e a questão norteadora desta revisão. Protocolo registrado na Open Science Framework (OSF): 10.17605/OSF.IO/PKWTC.

OBJECTIVE: To identify and map technologies developed and/or validated to promote and support adherence to tuberculosis treatment in primary health care settings. METHOD: This is a scoping review, following the guidelines of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Reviewer's Manual, with the following research question: "What technologies have been developed and/or validated to promote and support adherence to tuberculosis treatment in primary health care?". Articles, theses, and dissertations will be included by searching the following databases Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (Medline/PubMed), Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS)/Virtual Health Library (VHL), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health (CINAHL), Web of Science (WOS), Scopus, Excerpta Medica Database (Embase), and gray literature. The search, assessment, selection, and data extraction will be performed in a blinded manner between peers; in case of disagreement, a third reviewer will be consulted. The results will be fully described using narratives and graphs to align with the objective and guiding question of this review. Protocol registered with the Open Science Framework (OSF): 10.17605/OSF.IO/PKWTC.

Avaliação da efetividade do jogo sério aleitagame como recurso educacional no ensino sobre lesões mamilares / Evaluación de la efectividad del juego serio aleitagame como recurso educativo en la enseñanza de las lesiones en los pezones / Evaluation of the effectiveness of the serious game aleitagame as an educational resource in teaching about mammillary injuries

RESUMO Objetivo avaliar a efetividade de intervenção educativa utilizando o jogo sério AleitaGame como recurso educacional no ensino sobre lesões mamilares. Método estudo quase experimental, do tipo grupo único, antes e depois, não randomizado, desenvolvido entre agosto e outubro de 2021. A intervenção foi realizada com 43 profissionais atuantes em um hospital do Rio Grande do Norte. Os dados foram analisados a partir de estatística descritiva e inferencial. Resultados o recurso educacional apresentou efeito positivo, com aumento significativo no conhecimento dos participantes da intervenção educativa (p<0,05). No que concerne à avaliação da satisfação dos participantes quanto ao AleitaGame como recurso educativo, a maioria dos participantes consideraram ótimos todos os itens das categorias "conteúdo", "linguagem", "organização e layout", "motivação e aprendizagem". Conclusão e implicações para a prática os resultados do estudo são critérios convidativos para docentes da área passarem a incorporar o AleitaGame em suas salas de aula, bem como para utilização do recurso como estratégia para educação permanente dos profissionais nos serviços de saúde. O jogo sério está disponível através do link: <https://aleitagame.github.io/>.

RESUMEN Objetivo evaluar la efectividad de una intervención educativa utilizando el juego serio AleitaGame como recurso educativo en la enseñanza de las lesiones en los pezones. Método estudio cuasi-experimental, del tipo grupo único, antes y después, no aleatorizado, desarrollado entre agosto y octubre de 2021. La intervención fue realizada con 43 profesionales que actúan en un hospital de Rio Grande do Norte. Los datos se analizaron mediante estadística descriptiva e inferencial. Resultados el recurso educativo tuvo un efecto positivo, con un aumento significativo en el conocimiento de los participantes de la intervención educativa (p<0,05). En cuanto a la evaluación de la satisfacción de los participantes con AleitaGame como recurso educativo, la mayoría consideró excelentes todos los ítems en las categorías "contenido", "lenguaje", "organización y diseño", "motivación y aprendizaje". Conclusión e implicaciones para la práctica los resultados del estudio son criterios atractivos para que los profesores del área pasen a incorporar el AleitaGame en sus clases, así como a utilizar el recurso como estrategia para la formación continua de los profesionales de los servicios de salud. El juego serio está disponible a través del link: <https://aleitagame.github.io/>.

ABSTRACT Objective to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational intervention using the serious game AleitaGame as an educational resource in teaching about mammillary injuries. Method a quasi-experimental, single group, before and after, non-randomized study, developed between August and October 2021. The intervention was carried out with 43 professionals working in a hospital in Rio Grande do Norte. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results the educational resource had a positive effect, with a significant increase in the knowledge of the participants of the educational intervention (p<0.05). Regarding the evaluation of participants' satisfaction about AleitaGame as an educational resource, most participants considered all items in the "content", "language", "organization and layout", "motivation and learning" categories to be excellent. Conclusion and implications for practice the results of the study are inviting criteria for professors in the area to start incorporating AleitaGame in their classrooms, as well as for using the resource as a strategy for the continuing education of professionals in health services. The serious game is available on the link: <https://aleitagame.github.io/>.

Glomic Tumour of the Stomach: A Rare Cause of Anaemia.

Glomus tumour is a rare benign mesenchymal neoplasm usually located in the dermis and subcutis, and most commonly found in the extremities. Glomus tumour in the gastrointestinal system is rare and its symptoms unspecific. The diagnosis of gastric glomus tumour is challenging due to the lack of specific findings on imaging and blood analysis, and so is usually based on histology and immunochemistry. We describe the case of a 22-year-old man admitted for pallor and anaemia, the diagnostic path, treatment and follow-up. The present case suggests that this rare entity should be considered in the differential diagnosis of gastric lesions. LEARNING POINTS: Glomus tumour is a rare benign mesenchymal neoplasm most commonly found in the extremities.Gastric glomus tumour (GGT) is rare and its symptoms unspecific.The diagnosis of GGT relies on histology and immunohistochemistry as imaging lacks accuracy.Treatment is usually surgical but follow-up should be considered due to its malignant potential.

Case report of a criminal dismemberment in Northeast Brazil.

Several decomposed body parts were received for examination by the Forensic Anthropology section of the Medico-legal Institute of João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil. The portions of the lower and upper limbs, ribs, vertebrae, and a skull were thoroughly examined. The biological profile indicated a male individual with an estimated age range between 23 and 57 years and a mean age of 35.2 years (SD = 9.4; phase IV, Suchey-Brooks). The skeleton showed injuries caused by sharp force and sharp-blunt force trauma that affected all body segments. Macroscopically, the lesions are mainly in the diaphyseal segments of the long bones, sacrum, pelvis, mandible, maxilla, scapulae, sternum, vertebrae, the distal epiphysis of the left fibula, and the distal epiphysis of the left tibia displayed characteristics compatible with injuries produced perimortem. It was not possible to determine the cause of death. DNA analysis resulted in a positive identification. Because of common difficulties faced in forensic practice, it is often not possible for forensic anthropologists to go to the crime scene, X-ray or body scanners are frequently unavailable, and the victim's medical and/or dental records are sometimes absent. These difficulties make identification ultimately depend on genetic analysis, which is more time-consuming than other identification methods. Despite this, bone fragment examination in dismemberment cases is a complex task. Forensic Anthropology can shed light on cases involving the identification of dismembered remains, which are challenging because of the number of traumatic injuries, as well as different injury patterns, on bones.

Remote monitoring of pacemakers and defibrillators: Effective and safe in Brazil?

Background: The remote monitoring (RM) of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) has become a common method of in-home monitoring and follow-up in high-income countries given its effectiveness, safety, convenience, and the possibility of early intervention. However, in Brazil, RM is still underutilized. Objectives: This observational study aims to demonstrate our experience of using RM in Brazil and the predictive factors of RM of CIED follow-up in Brazil. Methods: This was a prospective cohort study of patients with a CIED. Event rates are reported and clinical responses to those findings and outcomes based on the detection of RM. A logistic regression model was performed to identify predictors of more events, with P < .05 for statistical significance. Results: This study evaluated consecutive 119 patients: 30.2% with pacemakers, 42.8% with implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, 22.7% with cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) with defibrillator, and 3.3% with CRT with pacemaker. Events were detected in 63.9% of the cases in 29.5 ± 23 months of follow-up. The outcomes found were that 44.5% needed elective evaluation in medical treatment and 23.5% needed immediate evaluation in therapy. Logistic regression analysis showed that the groups with CRT or CRT with defibrillator (75.0%), reduced ejection fraction (76.5%), and New York Heart Association functional class ≥II (75.0%) had the highest RM event rates. Conclusions: RM proved to be effective and safe in the follow-up of patients with CIEDs in Brazil, allowing early interventions and facilitating therapeutic management.

Violência intrafamiliar: conhecimento e conduta dos cirurgiões-dentistas de Caicó (RN) / Intrafamily violence: knowledge and conduct of dentists from Caicó (RN)

Introdução: A violência intrafamiliar é amplamente identificada como negligência e abuso de crianças e adolescentes; violência doméstica contra mulheres, maus-tratos de idosos e de pessoas portadoras de deficiência. É dever ético-legal dos cirurgiões-dentistas realizarem a notificação compulsória frente a esses casos. Objetivo: Verificar o conhecimento e a conduta dos cirurgiões-dentistas sobre a violência intrafamiliar no município de Caicó-RN, Brasil. Material e Métodos: Estudo descritivo, transversal, e com abordagem quantitativa. A amostra do estudo foi constituída por 66 cirurgiões-dentistas do município de Caicó-RN. A coleta dos dados foi realizada através da aplicação do questionário adaptado já validado por Mythri (2015). A análise dos dados se deu por estatística descritiva. Resultados: 53% (n=35) dos cirurgiões-dentistas afirmaram ter atendido vítimas de violência intrafamiliar. Dentre os quais, apenas 37,9% questionaram aos seus pacientes sobre os motivos da violência. A conduta do cirurgião-dentista mais citada frente à casos de violência, foi aconselhamento. Pode-se apontar que 87,9% dos profissionais afirmaram conhecer os sinais, sintomas e lesões orofaciais decorrentes da violência intrafamiliar e o mais relatado foi o hematoma. Os profissionais demonstraram ser cientes da localização anatômica das agressões da violência intrafamiliar na região de atuação do profissional da Odontologia. Conclusão: Os cirurgiões-dentistas possuem conhecimento satisfatório no que diz respeito ao reconhecimento dos sinais e sintomas decorrentes das lesões orofaciais causadas pela violência intrafamiliar. Porém, no que se referem a como proceder diante dos casos, as suas condutas se mostram insuficientes e contraditórias.

Introduction: Intrafamily violence widely identified as the neglect and the abuse of children and adolescents, domestic violence against women, abuse of the elderly and people with disabilities. It is the ethical-legal duty of the dentists to carry out compulsory notification in these cases. Objective: To verify the knowledge and the conduct of dentists about intrafamily violence in the municipality of Caicó-RN, Brazil. Material and Methods: cross-seccional, descriptive study with a quantitative approach. The study's sample consisted og 66 dentists from the municipality of Caicó-RN. Data collection took place through the application of questions adapted from the validated questionnaire by Mythri (205). Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics. Results: 53% of dentists said they had seen victims of intrafamily violence whose only 37.9% asked their patients about the reasons for the violence. The dentist's most cited conduct, face of a violence case was the counseling. It can be pointed out that 87.9% of the professionals claimed to know the signs, symptoms and orofacial injuries resulting from intrafamily violence and most of them reported it was the hematoma. The professionals demonstrated to be aware about the anatomic location of the aggressions of intrafamily violence that it was in the region where Dentistry professionals work. Conclusion: Dentists have satisfactory knowledge regarding the recognition of signs and symptoms resulting from orofacial injuries caused by intrafamily violence. However, regarding how to proceed in that cases, their conduct was insufficient and contradictory.

Brugada Pattern: Unraveling Possible Cardiac Manifestation of SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

We report the case of a 41-year-old patient with no family history of sudden cardiac death. The patient presented with high fever and vomiting and was diagnosed with acute pyelonephritis. Screening for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection was positive. An electrocardiogram (ECG) performed during a fever episode revealed a Brugada pattern. Fever can be a trigger for induction of the electrocardiographic Brugada pattern but it is still unknown if the cardiac involvement by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can interfere with myocardial ion channels.

Mesalazine-induced Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis.

A 57-year-old woman with Crohn's disease (ulcerative proctitis) treated with mesalazine (5-ASA) developed worsening respiratory distress and cough. The lack of response to antibiotics and the results of bronchoalveolar lavage led to the diagnosis of mesalazine-related hypersensitivity pneumonitis, an infrequent entity. Symptoms improved after discontinuation of mesalazine and the administration of corticosteroid therapy. The authors discuss the diagnosis and management of this rare condition. LEARNING POINTS: A diagnosis of mesalazine-related hypersensitivity pneumonitis should be considered when unexplained respiratory symptoms develop during treatment with mesalazine.It is important to distinguish pulmonary manifestations in patients with inflammatory bowel disease secondary to drug-related toxicity from the disease process itself.Amelioration of symptoms and improvement in imaging and lung function seem to occur only upon abrupt discontinuation of the drug; severe symptoms such as respiratory failure may justify corticosteroid therapy.

Abdominal Splenosis Mimicking a Colon Tumour.

Splenosis is a benign condition which results from the self-implantation of splenic tissue on intra or extraperitoneal surfaces, after splenic trauma or splenectomy. Patients are usually asymptomatic but may present with varied symptoms related to the implantation site. The diagnosis is a challenge because abdominal splenosis can mimic several diseases, including neoplasm. The gold standard examination for its diagnosis is scintigraphy with 99mTc-labelled heat-denatured erythrocyte. When splenosis is found in an asymptomatic patient, surgical removal is not indicated. A 57-year-old male patient presented with sporadic epigastric pain and a suspected mass in the recto-sigmoid transition. Abdominal ultrasound, CT and MRI identified this mass, its characteristics and location, but failed to distinguish its nature. However, given the patient's past history of splenectomy and because the mass showed a similar sign to that of the splenic parenchyma, a hypothesis of abdominal splenosis was raised, which was confirmed by scintigraphy with 99mTc-labelled heat-denatured erythrocyte. In this case, the diagnosis was obtained before the patient was subjected to more invasive procedures, which are associated with high morbidity, and, as in most cases, no targeted intervention was necessary. LEARNING POINTS: Increasing numbers of cases of abdominal trauma will result in more frequent splenosis.Diagnosis is sometimes complex as splenosis mimics several diseases.The usual complementary imaging studies often fail to diagnose this entity so clinical suspicion is fundamental for correct diagnosis and treatment.

Syncope in Patients with Cardiac Pacemakers.

INTRODUCTION: It is challenging to diagnose syncope in patients with pacemakers. Because these patients have increased morbidity and mortality risks, they require immediate attention to determine the causes in order to provide appropriate treatment. This study aimed to investigate the causes and predictive factors of syncope as well as the methods used to diagnose syncope in cardiac pacemaker patients. METHODS: Patients with pacemakers implanted owing to sinus node disease or atrioventricular block were evaluated with standardized questionnaires, endocavitary electrograms, and other tests based on the suspected causes of syncope. Mann- Whitney U tests were used to analyze continuous variables and Chi-squared or Fisher's exact tests were used for categorical variables. Logistic regression was used for multivariate analyses. Statistical significance was P<0.05. RESULTS: The study included 95 patients with pacemakers: 47 experienced syncope in the last 12 months and 48 did not. Of the 100 documented episodes of syncope, 48.9% were vasovagal syncopes, 17% had cardiac-related causes, 10.6% had unknown causes, and 8.5% had pacemaker failure. The multivariate analysis showed that a New York Heart Association (NYHA) Functional Class II was a significant factor for developing syncope (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: While the most common type of syncope in pacemaker patients was neurally mediated, it is important to perform detailed evaluations in this population as the causes of syncope can be life-threatening. The best diagnostic methods were stored electrogram analysis and the tilt table test. NYHA Functional Class II patients were found to have a higher risk for syncope.

Syncope in patients with cardiac pacemakers

Abstract Introduction: It is challenging to diagnose syncope in patients with pacemakers. Because these patients have increased morbidity and mortality risks, they require immediate attention to determine the causes in order to provide appropriate treatment. This study aimed to investigate the causes and predictive factors of syncope as well as the methods used to diagnose syncope in cardiac pacemaker patients. Methods: Patients with pacemakers implanted owing to sinus node disease or atrioventricular block were evaluated with standardized questionnaires, endocavitary electrograms, and other tests based on the suspected causes of syncope. Mann-Whitney U tests were used to analyze continuous variables and Chi-squared or Fisher's exact tests were used for categorical variables. Logistic regression was used for multivariate analyses. Statistical significance was P<0.05. Results: The study included 95 patients with pacemakers: 47 experienced syncope in the last 12 months and 48 did not. Of the 100 documented episodes of syncope, 48.9% were vasovagal syncopes, 17% had cardiac-related causes, 10.6% had unknown causes, and 8.5% had pacemaker failure. The multivariate analysis showed that a New York Heart Association (NYHA) Functional Class II was a significant factor for developing syncope (P<0.01). Conclusion: While the most common type of syncope in pacemaker patients was neurally mediated, it is important to perform detailed evaluations in this population as the causes of syncope can be life-threatening. The best diagnostic methods were stored electrogram analysis and the tilt table test. NYHA Functional Class II patients were found to have a higher risk for syncope.