Characteristics of 419 patients with acquired middle ear cholesteatoma.

INTRODUCTION: Cholesteatoma is a destructive lesion that can result in life-threatening complications. Typically, it presents with hypoacusis and continuous otorrhea as symptoms. Because it is a rare disease, there are few studies in Brazil describing the characteristics of patients with the disease. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of cholesteatoma in patients with chronic otitis media and describe clinical, audiological and surgical characteristics of patients with acquired middle ear cholesteatoma treated at a referral hospital in the public health system. METHODS: Cross-sectional and prospective cohort study, including 1710 patients with chronic otitis media, treated between August 2000 and June 2015, without prior surgery. Detailed clinical history, videotoscopy, and audiometry were performed, in addition to review of medical records to search for surgical data. Cholesteatomas were classified according to their route of formation. RESULTS: Of the patients with chronic otitis media, 419 (24.5%) had cholesteatoma; mean age of 34.49 years; 53.5% female and 63.8% adults. Bilateral cholesteatoma was observed in 17.1%. Anterior epitympanic cholesteatoma corresponded to 1.9%; posterior epitympanic, 32.9%; posterior mesotympanic, 33.7%; two routes, 14.8%; and indeterminate, 16.7%. The mean air-bone gap was 29.84dB and did not differ between routes of formation. There were no correlations between gap size and patient age or duration of symptoms. Of the surgical cases, 16.8% underwent closed tympanomastoidectomy and 75.2% open tympanomastoidectomy. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of cholesteatoma in patients with chronic otitis media was 24.5% and it was more common in adults than in children. Posterior mesotympanic cholesteatoma was more frequent, with no difference in mean air-bone gap between the different routes of formation. In patients undergoing surgery, open tympanomastoidectomy was the procedure most frequently chosen.

Low rates of automatic reporting of estimated glomerular filtration rate in Southern Brazilian laboratories.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the rate of eGFR reporting in Southern Brazilian laboratories. DESIGN AND METHODS: The eGFR automatic reporting, as assessed by Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) and/or Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) creatinine-based equations, was evaluated in a representative cross-sectional sample. A standardized questionnaire to obtain this information was given out by mail or email. RESULTS: Five-hundred fifty laboratories, evenly distributed in the different state regions, completed the questionnaire. The eGFR was automatically reported by 54 (9.8%) laboratories, and the MDRD was the most commonly used equation (94.5%). The Jaffe methods were the most employed technique (94%) to measure serum creatinine. CONCLUSION: The automatic eGFR reporting rate was unacceptably low, emphasizing the crucial role of educating medical teams and laboratories on the importance of having these tools available to optimize detection of renal disease and proper treatment.

Characteristics of 419 patients with acquired middle ear cholesteatoma / Características de 419 pacientes com colesteatoma adquirido de orelha média

Abstract Introduction: Cholesteatoma is a destructive lesion that can result in life-threatening complications. Typically, it presents with hypoacusis and continuous otorrhea as symptoms. Because it is a rare disease, there are few studies in Brazil describing the characteristics of patients with the disease. Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of cholesteatoma in patients with chronic otitis media and describe clinical, audiological and surgical characteristics of patients with acquired middle ear cholesteatoma treated at a referral hospital in the public health system. Methods: Cross-sectional and prospective cohort study, including 1710 patients with chronic otitis media, treated between August 2000 and June 2015, without prior surgery. Detailed clinical history, videotoscopy, and audiometry were performed, in addition to review of medical records to search for surgical data. Cholesteatomas were classified according to their route of formation. Results: Of the patients with chronic otitis media, 419 (24.5%) had cholesteatoma; mean age of 34.49 years; 53.5% female and 63.8% adults. Bilateral cholesteatoma was observed in 17.1%. Anterior epitympanic cholesteatoma corresponded to 1.9%; posterior epitympanic, 32.9%; posterior mesotympanic, 33.7%; two routes, 14.8%; and indeterminate, 16.7%. The mean air-bone gap was 29.84 dB and did not differ between routes of formation. There were no correlations between gap size and patient age or duration of symptoms. Of the surgical cases, 16.8% underwent closed tympanomastoidectomy and 75.2% open tympanomastoidectomy. Conclusion: The prevalence of cholesteatoma in patients with chronic otitis media was 24.5% and it was more common in adults than in children. Posterior mesotympanic cholesteatoma was more frequent, with no difference in mean air-bone gap between the different routes of formation. In patients undergoing surgery, open tympanomastoidectomy was the procedure most frequently chosen.

Resumo Introdução: Colesteatoma é uma lesão destrutiva que pode levar a complicações potencialmente letais. Tipicamente, apresenta hipoacusia e otorreia contínua como sintomas. Por ser uma doença rara, existem poucos estudos no Brasil que descrevam as características destes pacientes. Objetivo: O presente estudo teve como objetivos determinar a prevalência de colesteatoma entre os pacientes com otite média crônica (OMC) e descrever as características clínicas, audiológicas e cirúrgicas dos pacientes com colesteatoma adquirido de orelha média atendidos em um hospital de referência do sistema público de saúde. Método: Estudo transversal e de coorte prospectivo, incluindo 1.710 pacientes com OMC, atendidos entre agosto de 2000 e junho de 2015, sem tratamento cirúrgico prévio. Foram feitas anamnese detalhada, videotoscopia e audiometria, além de revisão de prontuários para busca de dados cirúrgicos. Os colesteatomas foram classificados conforme sua via de formação. Resultados: Dos pacientes com otite média crônica, 419 (24,5%) apresentavam colesteatoma. Média de 34,49 anos; 53,5% do sexo feminino e 63,8% adultos. Colesteatoma foi observado bilateralmente em 17,1%. Os epitimpânicos anteriores corresponderam a 1,9%; os epitimpânicos posteriores a 32,9%; os mesotimpânicos posteriores a 33,7%; duas vias a 14,8% e indeterminados a 16,7%. A média tritonal dos gaps aeroósseos foi de 29,84 dB e não diferiu entre os grupos segundo as vias de formação. Não foram observadas correlações entre tamanho do gap e idade do paciente ou duração dos sintomas. Dos pacientes operados, 16,8% foram submetidos a timpanomastoidectomia fechada e 75,2% a timpanomastoidectomia aberta. Conclusão: A prevalência de colesteatoma em pacientes com otite média crônica foi de 24,5% e foi mais frequente em adultos do que em crianças. Os mesotimpânicos posteriores foram mais frequentes, não foi observada diferença na média dos gaps aeroósseos entre diferentes vias de formação. Nos pacientes submetidos a cirurgia, a timpanomastoidectomia aberta foi o procedimento escolhido.

Availability of urinary albumin measurement in Southern Brazilian Laboratories

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the leading worldwide cause of endstage renal disease. The current recommendation is to screen for DKD by evaluating estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and measuring urinary albumin (UA) levels in a spot sample. The aim of this study was to evaluate the availability of UA measurement in Southern Brazilian laboratories. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the routine use of UA in all laboratories registered in the State Pharmacy Council of Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost state of Brazil. Data was collected by mail, e-mail, telephone, or personal interview. A sample size of at least 384 laboratories was necessary to achieve 5% precision at a 95% confidence level based on a fixed proportion of 0.5. Results: Eight hundred and eighty laboratories currently registered in the state were invited to participate in the study; 548 (62%) answered the technical specification questionnaire. Only 306 (55%) of the 548 surveyed laboratories performed UA measurements. The laboratories were also required to provide the number of UA measurements performed per day, which ranged from less than one per week to 65 per day. Conclusion: The availability of UA measurements is undesirably low in Southern Brazil. This demonstrates the urgent need to increase the availability of this important test. It also reveals the gap between the current guidelines and the awareness about them among health care professionals...