Anatomy and evaluation of the optic nerve head / Anatomia e avaliação da cabeça do nervo óptico

ABSTRACT Evaluation of the optic disc is important for the correct diagnosis and follow-up of optic neuropathies, especially glaucoma. The characteristics of the optic disc depend on various factors, including demographic and population aspects, and analysis of these characteristics may vary according to the methods used. The size and format of the neural rim along with the nerve fiber layer are important to the clinician's judgment regarding the susceptibility of the subject to develop glaucoma. In this study, we reviewed the literature to summarize the main methods and its characteristics in the evaluation of the optic nerve head.

RESUMO A avaliação do disco óptico é de suma importância para o diagnostico correto e acompanhamento de neuropatias ópticas, especialmente o glaucoma. Características do disco óptico dependem de uma grande variedade de fatores, incluindo aspectos demográficos e populacionais, e também podem variar de acordo com os métodos usados. Tamanho e formato da rima neurorretiniana junto com a camada de fibras nervosas são importantes ao julgamento clinico a respeito da susceptibilidade do paciente desenvolver glaucoma. Nesse estudo, nós revisamos a literatura para resumir os principais métodos e suas características para a avaliação da cabeça do nervo óptico.

Effect of steroid eyedrops after trabeculectomy in glaucoma patients: a keratograph analysis / Efeito de colirios esteróides pré-operatório em pacientes com glaucoma: análise com keratograph

ABSTRACT Purpose: To investigate the use of preoperative steroid eyedrops in glaucoma patients undergoing trabeculectomy for ocular surface disease. Methods: A total of 31 eyes of 31 glaucoma patients were included. Only glaucoma patients who had been using at least three topical intraocular pressure-lowering medications for longer than 6 months were included. All patients were treated with loteprednol etabonate ophthalmic suspension 0.5% four times per day for 1 week before trabeculectomy. Data from baseline (day of surgery) and the follow-up visit (2 weeks after surgery) were included. All patients underwent a detailed ophthalmologic examination. Ocular surface disease was evaluated using the Ocular Surface Disease Index questionnaire and clinical measures, including tear breakup time, conjunctival hyperemia, and biomicroscopy to detect the presence or absence of keratitis. Ocular Surface Disease Index scores greater than 13 indicated a clinically relevant presence of ocular surface disease. In addition, all patients underwent keratograph analysis. The comparison of ocular surface disease before and after trabeculectomy was assessed using a paired test. Results: The mean age of the glaucoma patients was 69.90 ± 10.77 years. The average visual acuity was 0.40 ± 0.34 logMAR. The overall Ocular Surface Disease Index prevalence rate was 27.20 ± 17.56 units. Clinical assessment revealed no significant difference in bulbar redness, breakup time, or keratitis before and after surgery (p>0.05 for all comparisons). Keratograph analysis showed that the only two parameters that were significantly different before and after trabeculectomy ewere the bulbar redness by keratograph (BR-K) and the average noninvasive tear breakup time. Patients presented more conjunctival hyperemia and shorter noninvasive tear breakup time after trabeculectomy as compared with before surgery (p=0.013 and p=0.041, respectively). Conclusions: The present study not only confirms the high prevalence of clinical findings of ocular surface disease in glaucoma patients but also reveals new objective parameters measured by keratograph analysis. Apart from using loteprednol etabonate ophthalmic suspension 0.5% 1 week before the surgery, our sample presented a worsening of conjunctival hyperemia (bulbar redness by keratograph) and also a shorter noninvasive tear breakup time postoperatively.

RESUMO Objetivo: Investigar a ação de colírios esteróides na doença de superfície ocular em pacientes a serem submetidos a cirurgia de trabeculectomia. Métodos: Foram incluídos 31 olhos de 31 pacientes com glaucoma em uso de pelo menos 3 medicações tópicas anti- hipertensivas há mais de 6 meses. Todos os pacientes foram tratados com colírio de etabonato de loteprednol 0,5% (1 gota a cada 6 horas) durante os 7 dias precedentes à cirurgia de trabeculectomia. Além disso, foram submetidos a exame oftalmológico completo e responderam questionário validado que visa avaliar parâmetros subjetivos correlacionados a doenças da superfície ocular (Ocular Surface Disease Index). Os aspectos clínicos avaliados foram: tempo de ruptura lacrimal, coloração da córnea após colírio de fluoresceína (ceratite) e hiperemia conjuntival. Os pacientes foram, ainda, submetidos à análise da superfície ocular através de novo software tecnológico denominado "Keratographic", tecnologia não invasiva que permite avaliar a doença da superfície ocular. A comparação da doença de superfície ocular antes e após a trabeculectomia foi avaliada estatisticamente através do teste pareado. Resultados: A média de idade dos participantes foi de 69,90 ± 10,77 anos. A AV média foi de 0,40 ± 0,34 logMAR. A taxa de prevalência global da Ocular Surface Disease Index foi de 27,20 ± 17,56 unidades. Em relação à avaliação clínica, não houve diferença significativa em relação hiperemia, ruptura lacrimal e ceratite antes e após a cirurgia (p>0,05 para todas as comparações). Em relação à análise com o "keratograph (menisco lacrimal, hiperemia, tempo de ruptura do filme lacrimal, meibografia para a pálpebra superior e inferior), os dois únicos parâmetros que diferiram significativamente antes e após a trabeculectomia, foram hiperemia e a média do tempo de rupture do filme lacrimal. Após a cirurgia de trabeculectomia, os pacientes apresentaram aumento da hiperemia conjuntival e diminuição do tempo de ruptura do filme lacrimal (p=0,013 e p=0,041, respectivamente). Conclusões: O presente estudo, não somente confirma a elevada prevalência da doença de superfície ocular em pacientes com glaucoma, como também demonstra que a mesma pode ser mensurada objetivamente através de parâmetros mensurados pelo Keratograph. Apesar de ter utilizado etabonato de loteprednol 0,5% uma semana antes da cirurgia, nossa amostra apresentou piora da hiperemia conjuntival e diminuição no tempo de ruptura do filme lacrimal no pós-operatório.

Effect of steroid eyedrops after trabeculectomy in glaucoma patients: a keratograph analysis.

PURPOSE: To investigate the use of preoperative steroid eyedrops in glaucoma patients undergoing trabeculectomy for ocular surface disease. METHODS: A total of 31 eyes of 31 glaucoma patients were included. Only glaucoma patients who had been using at least three topical intraocular pressure-lowering medications for longer than 6 months were included. All patients were treated with loteprednol etabonate ophthalmic suspension 0.5% four times per day for 1 week before trabeculectomy. Data from baseline (day of surgery) and the follow-up visit (2 weeks after surgery) were included. All patients underwent a detailed ophthalmologic examination. Ocular surface disease was evaluated using the Ocular Surface Disease Index questionnaire and clinical measures, including tear breakup time, conjunctival hyperemia, and biomicroscopy to detect the presence or absence of keratitis. Ocular Surface Disease Index scores greater than 13 indicated a clinically relevant presence of ocular surface disease. In addition, all patients underwent keratograph analysis. The comparison of ocular surface disease before and after trabeculectomy was assessed using a paired test. RESULTS: The mean age of the glaucoma patients was 69.90 ± 10.77 years. The average visual acuity was 0.40 ± 0.34 logMAR. The overall Ocular Surface Disease Index prevalence rate was 27.20 ± 17.56 units. Clinical assessment revealed no significant difference in bulbar redness, breakup time, or keratitis before and after surgery (p>0.05 for all comparisons). Keratograph analysis showed that the only two parameters that were significantly different before and after trabeculectomy ewere the bulbar redness by keratograph (BR-K) and the average noninvasive tear breakup time. Patients presented more conjunctival hyperemia and shorter noninvasive tear breakup time after trabeculectomy as compared with before surgery (p=0.013 and p=0.041, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The present study not only confirms the high prevalence of clinical findings of ocular surface disease in glaucoma patients but also reveals new objective parameters measured by keratograph analysis. Apart from using loteprednol etabonate ophthalmic suspension 0.5% 1 week before the surgery, our sample presented a worsening of conjunctival hyperemia (bulbar redness by keratograph) and also a shorter noninvasive tear breakup time postoperatively.

Factors associated with vision-related quality of life in Brazilian patients with glaucoma / Fatores associados à qualidade de vida relacionada à visão em pacientes brasileiros com glaucoma

ABSTRACT Purpose: To evaluate the impact of visual acuity, visual field damage, and other factors on the quality of life in Brazilian patients with glaucoma. Methods: This cross-sectional prospective study involved 49 patients with glaucoma enrolled based on the presence of reproducible standard automated perimetry defects in at least one eye at the time of evaluation. A detailed ophthalmologic examination was performed on each patient. All patients had reproducible standard automated perimetry and completed an NEI VFQ-25 questionnaire. The associations of the quality of life scores to the best-corrected visual acuity and the visual field loss of the better and worse eyes were investigated. Results: The mean quality of life score of the patients was 58.8 ± 18.7 units. The highest and lowest mean values (85.0 ± 24.2 and 37.5 ± 36.5 units) were observed in the "Social Functioning Subscale" and "Driving Subscale," respectively. Patients with advanced glaucoma (mean deviation <-12 dB) in the worse eye had significantly lower quality of life scores (p=0.007). There was a significant correlation between the quality of life scores and the visual acuity of the better and worse eyes (r2=13%, p=0.010 and r2=32%, p<0.001, respectively). There was also a significant correlation between the quality of life scores and standard automated perimetry mean deviation of the better and worse eyes (r2=13%, p=0.023 and r2=47%, p<0.001, respectively). In a multivariate model containing so­cioeconomic and comorbidity indices, quality of life remained significantly related to the standard automated perimetry mean deviation of the better and worse eyes (r2=23%, p=0.29 and r2=49%, p<0.001, respectively) as well as to the visual acuity of the better and worse eyes (r2=18%, p=0.017 and r2=40%, p<0.001, respectively). Conclusion: The standard automated perimetry mean deviation and the visual acuity of the better and worse eyes were associated with lower quality of life in Brazilian patients with glaucoma. Quality of life was mostly highly associated with the standard automated perimetry mean deviation of the worse eye.

RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar o impacto da acuidade visual, danos no campo visual e outros fatores na qualidade de vida em pacientes brasileiros com glaucoma. Métodos: Este foi um estudo transversal prospectivo incluindo 49 pacientes com glau­coma selecionados com base na presença de defeitos por perimetria automatizada padrão reprodutíveis em pelo menos um olho no momento da avaliação. Um exame oftalmológico detalhado foi realizado em cada paciente. Todos os pacientes possuíam perimetria automatizada padrão reprodutível e preencheram um questionário NEI VFQ-25. As associações dos escores de qualidade de vida à acuidade visual melhor corrigida e à perda de campo visual dos melhores e piores olhos foram investigadas. Resultados: A média dos escores de qualidade de vida dos pacientes foi de 58,8 ± 18,7 unidades. Os maiores e menores valores médios (85,0 ± 24,2 e 37,5 ± 36,5 unidades) foram observados nas subescalas "Social Functioning Subscale" e "Driving Subscale", respectivamente. Pacientes com glaucoma avançado (desvio médio <-12 dB) no pior olho tiveram escores de qualidade de vida significativamente menores (p=0,007). Houve correlação significativa entre escores de qualidade de vida e a acuidade visual dos olhos melhores e piores (r2=13%; p=0,010 e r2=32%; p<0,001; respectivamente). Houve também uma correlação significativa entre os escores de qualidade de vida e desvios médios da perimetria automatizada padrão dos olhos melhores e piores (r2=13%; p=0,023 e r2=47%; p<0,001; respectivamente). Em um modelo multivariado contendo dados socioeconômicos e de comorbidades, a qualidade de vida permaneceu significativamente relacionada ao desvio médio padrão da perimetria automatizada do olho melhor e pior (r2=23%; p=0,29 e r2=49%; p<0,001, respectivamente) bem como para a acuidade visual do olho melhor e pior (r2=18%; p= 0,017 e r2=40%; p<0,001, respectivamente). Conclusão: O desvio padrão da perimetria automatizada padrão e a acuidade visual dos olhos melhor e pior foram associados à menor qualidade de vida em pacientes brasileiros com glaucoma. A qualidade de vida foi em grande parte altamente associada ao desvio padrão da perimetria automatizada padrão do pior olho.

Reliability and safety of transnasal compared to conventional endoscopy for detecting oesophageal varices in cirrhotic patients.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Unsedated transnasal endoscopy may be used for detecting oesophageal varices. However, few studies evaluated feasibility and accuracy of this technique. We aimed to evaluate accuracy, interobserver agreement and safety of the transnasal ultrathin compared to conventional endoscopy in patients with cirrhosis. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included consecutive patients referred for screening or surveillance of oesophageal varices. Patients underwent unsedated transnasal and sedated conventional endoscopies at the same day, which were recorded in a digital video file and randomly analysed by two double-blinded endoscopists. High-risk varices were defined by the presence of large calibre or red wale marks. Accuracy, interobserver agreement and safety of transnasal were compared to conventional endoscopy. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-three cirrhotic patients (48% male, aged of 60 ± 5, 34% Child-Pugh B/C and 71% of cases for variceal screening) were included in the study. The prevalence of oesophageal varices and high-risk oesophageal varices were 59% (n = 79) and 29% (n = 39) respectively. For the presence of oesophageal varices, transnasal GIE yielded sensitivity of 94% [95% Confidence Interval, CI 88-99], specificity of 89% [81-97] as well as positive and negative predictive value of 93% and 91% respectively. A satisfactory interobserver agreement was observed for the presence of oesophageal varices (κ = 0.89) and high-risk varices (κ = 0.65). No serious adverse events were recorded; transnasal GIE was safe and significantly associated with lower rates of hypoxaemia (P < .0001) and hypotension (P < .0001) compared to conventional endoscopy. CONCLUSIONS: Unsedated transnasal endoscopy was safe and had an excellent accuracy and high interobserver agreement for detecting oesophageal varices and for identifying high-risk varices in cirrhotic patients.

Práticas de gestão da mudança: impacto nas atitudes e nos resultados percebidos / Change management practices: impact on attitudes and results perceived with changes / Prácticas de gestión de cambios: impacto sobre las actitudes y resultados percibidos

As práticas de gestão da mudança são intervenções organizacionais que facilitam a promulgação de processos de mudança nas empresas. Este estudo testa a relação entre o uso das práticas de gestão da mudança e seus impactos sobre a atitude e os resultados percebidos com a mudança. A amostra foi composta por 205 participantes de organizações brasileiras (58,5% mulheres e 40,5% homens). Os instrumentos utilizados foram a Escala de Percepção de Mudanças Organizacionais, avaliando os resultados transformacionais e transacionais percebidos; a Escala de Atitude Frente às Mudanças - avaliando ceticismo, temor e aceitação das mudanças; e o Questionário de Avaliação das Práticas de Gestão da Mudança Organizacional, avaliando cinco práticas de mudança organizacional (diagnóstico e alinhamento, liderança, comunicação, compensação e incentivos, e treinamento). Os resultados indicaram que as práticas de gestão da mudança impactam parcialmente as atitudes e os resultados percebidos com a mudança.

Change management practices are organizational interventions that facilitate the enactment of change processes in companies. This study tests the relationship between the use of change management practices and their impacts on attitude and on the results perceived with changes. The sample had 205 participants from Brazilian organizations (58.5% women and 40.5% men). The instruments used were the Organizational Change Perception Scale, assessing perceived transformational and transactional results; the Scale of Attitudes in Relation to Changes, assessing skepticism, fear, and acceptance of changes; and the Assessment of Organizational Change Management Practices Questionnaire, to evaluate five organizational change practices (diagnosis and alignment, leadership, communication, compensation and incentives, and training). As a result, it was found that change management practices partially affect attitudes and perceived results.

Prácticas de gestión cambios son intervenciones organizativas que facilitan la promulgación de los procesos de mudanza en las empresas. Este estudio analiza la relación entre el uso de prácticas de gestión de cambios y su impacto en las actitudes y en los resultados que de ellos se derivan. La muestra incluyó a 205 participantes de organizaciones de Brasil (58,5% mujeres y 40,5% hombres). Los instrumentos utilizados fueron: la Escala de Percepción de Cambios Organizacionales, evaluando los resultados percibidos; la Escala de Actitudes ante las Mudanzas, - evaluando escepticismo, temor y aceptación del cambio - y el Cuestionario de Evaluación de las Prácticas de Gestión de Mudanza Organizacional, para evaluar cinco prácticas de gestión del cambio organizacional (el diagnóstico, el liderazgo, la comunicación, la compensación e incentivos y formación). Los resultados indicaron que las prácticas de gestión de cambios impactan en parte las actitudes y los resultados que se perciben con dichos cambios.

Prevalence, variability, and outcomes in portal hypertensive colopathy: a study in patients with cirrhosis and paired controls.

BACKGROUND: Management of portal hypertensive colopathy (PHC) has been challenged by controversial results in its prevalence and clinical relevance. OBJECTIVE: To describe the PHC prevalence and to evaluate the variability in diagnosis, the relation to severity of liver disease, and the incidence of severe outcomes. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Endoscopic unit of a tertiary-care academic center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. PATIENTS: Patients with cirrhosis with portal hypertension and controls paired for age and sex. INTERVENTIONS: All patients were submitted to standard and image-enhanced colonoscopies, which were recorded in a coded video file and analyzed twice by a blinded endoscopist. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: The prevalence of PHC. RESULTS: A total of 51 patients with cirrhosis (55% male, mean age 59 years) and 51 healthy controls (43% male, mean age 61 years) were included. The top ranking colonoscopic findings were angiodysplasia-like lesions, nonspecific vascular pattern, red spots, and colorectal varices, all significantly more frequent in patients with cirrhosis compared with controls. PHC prevalence was 71% in patients with cirrhosis. For PHC, interobserver and intraobserver agreement (k values [standard error]) were 0.68 (0.09) and 0.63 (0.10), respectively. Intraobserver agreement for colonoscopic findings was satisfactory. PHC was not related to more severe liver disease or liver stiffness. Only 5 patients developed severe outcomes during follow-up. LIMITATIONS: The exclusion of patients with cirrhosis without esophageal varices and the absence of an interobserver agreement analysis by double-blinded endoscopists. CONCLUSION: PHC was highly prevalent in patients with cirrhosis, and its diagnostic agreement was satisfactory. PHC is not associated with relevant severe outcomes in a 12-month follow-up.

[Patient readmission for surgical site infection: integrative review]. / Reingreso por infección de sitio quirúrgico: una revisión integradora.

BACKGROUND: Surgical site infections (SSI) represent an inherent risk after surgical procedures associated both to the surgical procedure and to the patient clinical conditions. AIM: To analyze in an integrative review the studies related to patient readmission due to SSI. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The review was carried out by LILACS, CINHAL, MEDLINE and COCHRANE databases and articles published from 1966 to 2010 were selected. RESULTS: It was analyzed 13 studies classified as transversal (7), cohort (4) and longitudinal (2). Few studies analyzed only the readmissions related to the SSI. Time to define the readmission ranged from 28 to 90 days after surgery and studies related to orthopedic procedures were more frequent. The ISS readmission rates were lower than 5%. The main aetiological agents isolated from ISS were Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci. CONCLUSION: Monitoring readmissions due to SSI could contribute to dimension the occurrence of ISS post-discharge, once about half of the SSI post-discharge was diagnosed at the readmission moment.

Reingreso por infección de sitio quirúrgico: una revisión integradora / Patient readmission for surgical site infection: integrative review

Background: Surgical site infections (SSI) represent an inherent risk after surgical procedures associated both to the surgical procedure and to the patient clinical conditions. Aim: To analyze in an integrative review the studies related to patient readmission due to SSI.Material and Method: The review was carried out by LILACS, CINHAL, MEDLINE and COCHRANE databases and articles published from 1966 to 2010 were selected. Results: It was analyzed 13 studies classified as transversal (7), cohort (4) and longitudinal (2). Few studies analyzed only the readmissions related to the SSI. Time to define the readmission ranged from 28 to 90 days after surgery and studies related to orthopedic procedures were more frequent. The ISS readmission rates were lower than 5%. The main aetiological agents isolated from ISS were Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci. Conclusion: Monitoring readmissions due to SSI could contribute to dimension the occurrence of ISS post-discharge, once about half of the SSI post-discharge was diagnosed at the readmission moment.

Introducción: Las infecciones de sitio quirúrgico (ISQ) representan un riesgo inherente a la realización de cualquier acto quirúrgico, asociado a factores propios del procedimiento, así como a condiciones del paciente. Objetivo. Analizar, en una revisión integradora, los estudios que abordaran aspectos epidemiológicos relacionados con el reingreso de pacientes por ISQ. Método: Se efectuó una revisión en las bases LILACS, SCOPUS, COCHRANE e MEDLINE con selección de artículos publicados desde 1966 hasta 2010. Resultados: Se analizaron 13 estudios, siendo siete estudios transversales, cuatro de cohortes y dos longitudinales. Escasos estudios se restringieron a analizar exclusivamente los reingresos relacionados a la ISQ. El tiempo para definir el reingreso varió de 28 a 90 días después de la cirugía y hubo un mayor número de estudios relacionados con procedimientos ortopédicos. La tasa de reingreso por ISQ en los estudios fue inferior a 5%. El principal agente aislado en las ISQ fue Staphylococcus aureus y Staphylococcus coagulasa negativas. Conclusión: La vigilancia de los reingresos por ISQ podría contribuir a dimensionar la ocurrencia de ISQ post-alta, ya que aproximadamente la mitad de las ISQ post-alta originaron reingresos a centros hospitalarios.

Escolha de acordo com modelo e equivalência de estímulos: ensino de leitura de palavras em situação coletiva / Choose according to model and stimulus equivalence: reading teaching words in collective situation

Um programa de ensino de leitura de palavras foi avaliado em um estudo com 17 alunos (5-6 anos de idade), em situação coletiva. Cartões e as letras foram usados para ensinar e testar as relações condicionais entre estímulos. O procedimento incluiu três etapas: familiarização e teste pré-ensino; ensino das relações entre palavras ditadas e impressas; e selecionar letras para construção de palavras em resposta a tais estímulos-modelo; teste pós-ensino que incluiu palavras não ensinadas que podiam ser lidas por generalização. Dezesseis dos dezessete participantes leram com compreensão a maioria das palavras de ensino; cinco desses participantes foram capazes de ler as palavras de generalização e seis deles construíram corretamente as palavras com letras. Concluiu-se que a tecnologia de equivalência de estímulos é adequada para o ensino em situações coletivas.

A program teaching to read words was evaluated in a study with 17 students (5-6 years old) in collective situation. Cards and the letters were used to teach and test the conditional relations between stimuli. The procedure included three phases: familiarization, and pre-teaching test; training relations between dictated and printed words, and selecting letters to construct words in response to such samples; post-teaching test including untrained words that could be read by generalization. Sixteen of the seventeen participants read with comprehension of most of the teaching words, five of these participants were able to read the generalization words, and six of them constructed correctly words with letters. It was concluded that the technology of stimulus equivalence is appropriate for collective teaching situations.

Un programa para la enseñanza de la lectura de palabras fue probado en un estudio con 17 estudiantes (5-6 años) en situación colectiva. Tarjetas y las letras que forman las palabras fueron utilizadas para enseñar y poner a prueba las relaciones condicionales entre estímulos. El procedimiento incluido tres fases: familiarización y la prueba pre-enseñanza; la enseñanza de las relaciones entre las palabras dictadas e palabras impresas, y seleccionar letras para construir palabras en respuesta a tales modelos; prueba pos-enseñanza, que incluyó palabras no entrenadas que pueden ser leídos por la generalización. Dieciséis de los diecisiete participantes leen con comprensión la mayor parte de las palabras de enseñanza, cinco de los participantes fueron capaces de leer las palabras de generalización y seis de ellas construirán correctamente palabras con las letras. Se concluyó que la tecnología de la equivalencia de estímulos es apropiada para situaciones de enseñanza colectiva.

Precut papillotomy: a risky technique not only for experts but also for average endoscopists skilled in ERCP.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the success and complication rates of early precut papillotomy in difficult biliary cannulations performed by an average endoscopist skilled in ERCP. METHODS: We studied 146 consecutive ERCPs during a 27-month period. Precutting was instituted if cannulation failed after 10-15 min. Standard papillotomy was performed in the rest. The analysis was divided into initial period (1st year) and subsequent period (following 15 months). RESULTS: The success rate of cannulation was 95% (139/146). Standard papillotomy was performed in 103/146 (71%) patients. In the remainder, cannulation was successful after precutting in 36/43 (84%) patients. The complication rate was 10% (8/103 in the standard vs. 7/43 in the precut group, P = 0.14). All complications of the standard group were mild. In the precut group, there were three moderate to severe complications. There were no differences between the two periods. CONCLUSIONS: Precut papillotomy can be an effective and relatively safe procedure when performed by an average endoscopist skilled in ERCP. Although the complication rate of precutting tended to be higher than standard papilotomy, this was reasonable since it increased the success of selective biliary cannulation in 25% of cases. Complication rates did not improve with experience.

Valor preditivo do hematócrito na caracterização precoce da pancreatite aguda grave / Predictive value of hematocrit on early characterization of severe acute pancreatitis

Introdução: Ao longo da última década, muitos testes têm sido investigados como possíveis marcadores precoces de gravidade na pancreatite aguda (PA). Acredita-se que, identificando a doença mais cedo, seja possível modificar sua evolução e mortalidade. Entre os marcadores recentemente estudados com esse fim, destaca-se o hematócrito (ht). Objetivo: Determinar a prevalência da PA grave, descrever a sua apresentação clínica e identificar o papel do ht como um fator preditivo de gravidade, comparando-o com os critérios de Ranson, com a proteina C reativa titulada (PCRt) e com os achados de tomagrafia computadorizada. Pacientes e Métodos: Foram estudados os pacientes internados com o diagnóstico de PA nos hospitais da Rede D'Or-RJ, entre junho de 2000 e dezembro de 2002. Os exames realizados foram aqueles inerentes à assistência médica prestada. De acordo com os Critérios de Atlanta, os pacientes foram divididos em dois grupos: leve e grave. Resultadoss: Foram incluídos 49 pacientes no estudo, sendo cinco (10,2por cento) casos graves. A etiologia mais comum foi a PA biliar (65,3por cento). Os grupos foram semelhantes em idade, sexo, amilase, lipase e nos demais exames laboratoriais realizados. No grupo grave houve predomínio de complicações sistêmicas, como hipotensão, sepse e insuficiência respiratória, em comparação com as complicações locais. Não houve diferença significativa entre os dois grupos nos valores de ht e PCRt com 24 e 48 horas após o início dos sintomas. O custo e o tempo da internação foram maiores no grupo grave (p<0,001). Conclusão: A prevalência de PA grave foi baixa. Não houve manifestações clínicas ou laboratoriais específicas de gravidade na fase precose da doença. O hematócrito também não foi um fator preditivo de gravidade