The impact of healthcare-associated infections on COVID-19 mortality: a cohort study from a Brazilian public hospital.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to analyze the risk factors for in-hospital mortality in a cohort of patients admitted to a newly adapted intensive care unit in a public hospital in Rio de Janeiro. METHODS: This was an observational, retrospective, and descriptive study. Data were obtained from electronic medical records. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was diagnosed by detecting viral ribonucleic acid using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Factors associated with the risk/protection from death were determined using the odds ratio and adjusted odds ratio. RESULTS: Fifty-one patients were admitted to the hospital. The median age of the patients was 63 years, 60% were male patients, and 54% were white patients. Sixty-seven percent of the patients were diagnosed with COVID-19. Sepsis at admission increased the chance of in-hospital death by 21 times (adjusted odds ratio=21.06 [0.79-555.2]; p=0.06). The strongest risk factor for death was the development of septic shock during hospitalization (adjusted odds ratio=98.56 [2.75-352.5]; p=0.01), and one in four patients had multidrug-resistant bacteria. Mechanical ventilation, vasopressors, neuromuscular blockers, and sedatives were also the risk factors for in-hospital mortality. The in-hospital mortality rate was 41%, and the mortality rate of patients on mechanical ventilation was 60%. The diagnosis of COVID-19 was not statistically related to the adverse outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort, the strongest risk factor for in-hospital death was the development of nosocomial septic shock. Healthcare-associated infections have a significant impact on mortality rates. Therefore, to have a better outcome, it is important to consider not only the availability of beds but also the way healthcare is delivered.

The impact of healthcare-associated infections on COVID-19 mortality: a cohort study from a Brazilian public hospital

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: This study aims to analyze the risk factors for in-hospital mortality in a cohort of patients admitted to a newly adapted intensive care unit in a public hospital in Rio de Janeiro. METHODS: This was an observational, retrospective, and descriptive study. Data were obtained from electronic medical records. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was diagnosed by detecting viral ribonucleic acid using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Factors associated with the risk/protection from death were determined using the odds ratio and adjusted odds ratio. RESULTS: Fifty-one patients were admitted to the hospital. The median age of the patients was 63 years, 60% were male patients, and 54% were white patients. Sixty-seven percent of the patients were diagnosed with COVID-19. Sepsis at admission increased the chance of in-hospital death by 21 times (adjusted odds ratio=21.06 [0.79-555.2]; p=0.06). The strongest risk factor for death was the development of septic shock during hospitalization (adjusted odds ratio=98.56 [2.75-352.5]; p=0.01), and one in four patients had multidrug-resistant bacteria. Mechanical ventilation, vasopressors, neuromuscular blockers, and sedatives were also the risk factors for in-hospital mortality. The in-hospital mortality rate was 41%, and the mortality rate of patients on mechanical ventilation was 60%. The diagnosis of COVID-19 was not statistically related to the adverse outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort, the strongest risk factor for in-hospital death was the development of nosocomial septic shock. Healthcare-associated infections have a significant impact on mortality rates. Therefore, to have a better outcome, it is important to consider not only the availability of beds but also the way healthcare is delivered.

Citometria de fluxo, imunocitoquimica e western blot na detecção da expressão da proteína p53 em células tumorais: uma análise comparativa / Flow cytometry, immunocytochemistry and western blot in measurement of p53 protein expression in tumor cells: a comparative analysis

Introdução e objetivos: p53 é a proteína cuja função é crucial no controle do ciclo celular, reparo do DNA e indução de apoptose de células geneticamente instáveis. O Western Blot (WB) e a imunocitoquímica (ICQ) são atualmente os métodos de detecção mais empregados da proteína p53, se tratando, porém de técnicas de execução demorada e trabalhosa. O objetivo deste trabalho foi desenvolver uma metodologia rápida para detecção e quantificação da proteína p53 em células tumorais através da citometria de fluxo (CF). Material e métodos:Empregou-se 14 linhagens de células tumorais humanas: Namalva, Raji e Daudi (linfoma de Burkitt), C91 e MT-2 (leucemia de células T do adulto), Jurkat (leucemia linfoblástica de células T), HL-60 (leucemia promielocítica), HT-29 (adenocarcinoma de colon), GLC-4 (carcinoma de pulmão), MCF-7 (carcinoma de mama), H460 e H460/bcl-2 (carcinoma de células não pequenas de pulmão), k562 e lucena (leucemia mielóide crônica em crise blástica) e C6 (astrocitoma originária de rato). Paralelamente, linfócitos provenientes de 36 indivíduos sadios serviram como controle da reação negativa. A iCQ foi realizada pelo método da imunoperoxidase indireta, a CF por marcação direta com anticorpo monoclonal anti-p53 diretamente conjugado ao isotiocianato de fluoresceína após permeabilização celular e o WB através do método padrão. A quantificação antigênica foi realizada através da média de intensidade de fluorescência na CF e densitometria no WB. Resultados: Observou-se uma correlação direta entre os resultados da CF, WB e ICQ, com expressão positiva nas linhagens Namalva, Raji, HT-29, GLC-4, MT-2, C91pl, MCF-7, H460 e H460/bcl-2 e negativa nas demais linhagens e em todas as células do grupo controle. A ICQ foi eficaz na demonstração da presença da p53 no núcleo da célula e a CF e WB permitiram também a quantificação antigênica, evidenciando células com variados níveis de expressão antigênica. A CF quando comparada ao WB apresentou maior sensibilidade. Conclusões: Nossos resultados mostraram que a proteína p53 pode ser detectada em células tumorais através da CF. Esta metodologia é eficaz, sensível e prática, podendo ser empregada rotineiramente em estudos de expressão da proteína p53 em células tumorais.