"Burnout in Medical Oncology Fellows: a Prospective Multicenter Cohort Study in Brazilian Institutions".

Burnout syndrome is a common occurrence among oncologists. Doctors enrolled in residency programs in clinical oncology are exposed to similar risk factors; however, few data are available in this population. This study assessed the occurrence of burnout and associated factors among first-year residents at Brazilian institutions. The present prospective, multicenter, cohort study was conducted with doctors enrolled in residency programs in clinical oncology at Brazilian institutions affiliated with the public health system. The participants answered a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), Lipp's Stress Inventory, and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), upon admission to the program and 6 and 12 months later. Of 37 eligible residency programs in 2009, 11 (30.6 %) agreed to participate in the study. Fifty-four residents, representing 100 % of new admissions to the participating institutions, were included. Most of the participants met the criteria for severe burnout upon admission to the residency programs (emotional exhaustion in 49.0 % and depersonalization in 64.7 %). The scores on MBI domains emotional exhaustion and depersonalization increased significantly (p < 0.01) during the first year of residency, and the prevalence of burnout increased to 88 % at the end of that first year. The present study found a high prevalence of burnout among doctors enrolled in residency programs in clinical oncology at Brazilian institutions. A large fraction of the participants met the criteria for burnout syndrome upon admission to the program, which suggests that the problem began during the course of the previous residency program in internal medicine.

Spinal cord compression after radiolabeled metaiodobenzylguanidine analogue therapy in advanced malignant insulinoma.

Malignant insulinomas are frequently diagnosed at a late stage. Medical management is necessary to slow progression of the disease and control of hypoglycemic symptoms when cure by surgical treatment is not possible. Multimodal treatment, in these cases, has been used with variable clinical response. We describe a 68-yr-old woman who presented response failure to usual treatment and was alternatively treated with radiolabeled metaiodobenzylguanidine ([131I]-MIBG) analogue therapy with development of neurologic complications. We also present a review of the current role of [131I]-MIBG treatment in insulinomas.

Spinal cord compression after radiolabeled metaiodobenzylguanidine analogue therapy in advanced malignant insulinoma

Malignant insulinomas are frequently diagnosed at a late stage. Medical management is necessary to slow progression of the disease and control of hypoglycemic symptoms when cure by surgical treatment is not possible. Multimodal treatment, in these cases, has been used with variable clinical response. We describe a 68-yr-old woman who presented response failure to usual treatment and was alternatively treated with radiolabeled metaiodobenzylguanidine ([131I]-MIBG) analogue therapy with development of neurologic complications. We also present a review of the current role of [131I]-MIBG treatment in insulinomas.

Condrocalcinose articular familiar / Familial articular chondrocalcinosis

Condrocalcinose articular familiar é uma condição clínica caracterizada pela deposição de cristais de pirofosfato de cálcio no líquido sinovial e cartilagens articulares levando à artrite. Descrevemos três membros de uma família com condrocalcinose cujo quadro clínico era caracterizado por artrite intermitente em dois e artrite crônica lembrando artrite reumatóide em um. A avaliação radiológica mostrou calcificações em cartilagens de diversas articulações, particularmente de joelhos. A utilização de colchicina foi suficiente para prevenir as crises de artrite em dois pacientes e o paciente com a forma crônica necessitou uso contínuo de antiinflamatórios não-hormonais. Embora aparentemente rara no Brasil, não afastamos a possibilidade desse dado estar subestimado e sugerimos que seja realizada uma avaliação radiológica articular dos familiares de todo paciente com diagnóstico de condrocalcinose esporádica.