Incremental value of hormonal therapy for deep vein thrombosis prediction: an adjusted Wells score for women.

Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) management includes prediction rule evaluation to define standard pretest DVT probabilities in symptomatic patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incremental usefulness of hormonal therapy to the Wells prediction rules for DVT in women. We studied women undertaking compressive ultrasound scanning for suspected DVT. We adjusted the Wells score for DVT, taking into account the ß-coefficients of the logistic regression model. Data discrimination was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The adjusted score calibration was assessed graphically and by the Hosmer-Lemeshow test. Reclassification tables and the net reclassification index were used for the adjusted score comparison with the Wells score for DVT. We observed 461 women including 103 DVT events. The mean age was 56 years (±21 years). The adjusted logistic regression model included hormonal therapy and six Wells prediction rules for DVT. The adjusted score weights ranged from -4 to 4. Hosmer-Lemeshow test showed a nonsignificant P value (0.69) and the calibration graph showed no differences between the expected and the observed values. The area under the ROC curve was 0.92 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.90-0.95] for the adjusted model and 0.87 (95% CI 0.84-0.91) for the Wells score for DVT (Delong test, P value < 0.01). Net reclassification index for the adjusted score was 0.22 (95% CI 0.11-0.33, P value < 0.01). Our results suggest an incremental usefulness of hormonal therapy as an independent DVT prediction rule in women compared with the Wells score for DVT. The adjusted score must be evaluated in different populations before clinical use.

Vitamin D status in a sunny country: where has the sun gone?

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Hypovitaminosis D [serum 25 vitamin D<30 ng/ml] is related to the development of metabolic bone disease and greater risk of chronic illnesses. However, it is frequently under-diagnosed, mainly in countries where UV radiation is abundant. We prospectively determined the prevalence and the predictors of serum 25 vitamin D (s25(OH)D) in a healthy Brazilian population after the winter and after the summer. METHODS: 603 (118M and 485F) healthy Brazilian volunteers aged 18-90 years from a universitary hospital were selected after the winter of 2006. From the initial sample, 209 volunteers (31M and 178F) accepted to participate in a second health check after the subsequent summer. RESULTS: After the winter, median s25(OH)D was 21.4 ng/mL and 77.4% of the population presented hypovitaminosis D. s25(OH)D was significantly related to age, BMI, PTH and race. In multivariate linear regression analysis, s25(OH)D was significantly and independently dependent on age, glycemia and skin color. Significant increase in s25(OH)D was verified after summer [10.6 (3.7-19.3 ng/ml); p<0.001] and this improvement was dependent on age. We also observed a significant decrease in hyperparathyroidism prevalence (20.8% vs. 4.9%; P<0.0001). CONCLUSION: In São Paulo, at the end of winter, we observed a high prevalence of hypovitaminosis D and secondary hyperparathyroidism in healthy adults. s25(OH)D was dependent on age and skin color. After summer, we observed a decrease in the prevalence of hypovitaminosis D. This unexpected finding emphasizes the need for a strong recommendation to monitor s25(OH)D, even in a sunny country such as Brazil.

Impacto da hormonioterapia associada ao escore de predição de Wells no diagnóstico de trombose venosa profunda em mulheres submetidas a ecografia vascular / Impact of hormone therapy linked to wells prediction score in the diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis in women submitted to vascular ultrasound

Introdução: A trombose venosa profunda (TVP) apresenta elevada morbimortalidade. O escore de Wells foi elaborado para melhorar a capacidade diagnóstica pré-teste para TVP. O objetivo deste estudo foi ajustar o escore de Wells para pacientes brasileiras e incluir a variável hormonioterapia (HT), comparando acurácia e poder de reclassificação do novo escore com o original de Wells. Método: Estudo observacional transversal em que foi realizada regressão logística para incluir a variável hormonioterapia (HT) ao Escore de Wells, criando um novo escore (escore HT), que foi calibrado e ajustado para a população estudada. A qualidade dos dados foi avaliada pela estatística Kappa. Resultados: Foram estudadas 461 pacientes com idade de 56,1 ± 20,8, das quais 103 tiveram diagnóstico ecográfico de TVP. O escore HT incluiu sete variáveis, pacientes que obtiveram pontuação de -4 a 0 foram consideradas de baixo risco; de 1 a 3, moderado risco; e de 4 a 11, alto risco para TVP, com calibração adequada (valor p = 0,59). A área sob a curva ROC para o escore HT foi 0,92 (IC 95% 0,90 - 0,95) e para o escore de Wells foi de 0,87 (IC 95% 0,84 – 0,91), mostrando diferença estatisticamente significativa (p < 0,05).Conclusão: A inclusão da hormonioterapia a um modelo de predição clínica demonstrou maior acurácia comparativamente ao modelo de Wells.

Introduction: Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) presents high morbidity and mortality. The Wells score is designed to improve the pretest diagnosing capacity for DVT. The purpose of this study was to adjust the Wells score for Brazilian patients and include the variable hormone therapy (HT), comparing accuracy and power of reclassification of the new score with Wells’ original score.Methods: Cross-sectional observational study in which logistic regression was performed to include the variable hormone therapy (HT) to the Wells score, creating a new score (HT score), which has been calibrated and adjusted for the population studied. Data quality was evaluated by the Kappa statistics.Results: We studied 461 patients aged 56.1 ± 20.8, of which 103 had sonographic diagnosis of DVT. The HT score included seven variables: patients who achieved a score of -4 to 0 are considered low risk; 1 to 3, moderate risk; and 4 to 11, high risk for DVT, withproper calibration (p = 0.59). The area under the ROC curve for the HT score was 0.92 (95% CI 0.90 — 0.95) and for the Wells score it was 0.87 (95% CI 0.84 — 0.91), showing a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05).Conclusion: The inclusion of hormone therapy into a clinical prediction model showed higher accuracy compared to the model of Wells.

Aleitamento materno como fator de proteção para o câncer de mama / Maternal breast feeding as a factor of protection for the breast cancer

Estudo quantitativo, transversal que objetivou verificar se mulheres que amamentaram fazem relação deste ato como um fator de proteção para o câncer de mama. Aplicou-se um formulário em 200 mulheres que amamentaram usuárias de um ambulatório municipal Alfenas-MG, no período de maio a julho de 2008. A análise dos dados baseou-se na estatística descritiva e no teste do qui-quadrado, com nível de significância de 5%. O índice de associação entre aleitamento materno e o câncer de mama foi de 38%. A escolaridade esteve significativamente associada ao conhecimento da amamentação não exclusiva como um fator de proteção para essa neoplasia mamária (p<0,001). Os profissionais de saúde devem estimular e conscientizar as mulheres das vantagens do aleitamento tanto dos benefícios para a criança como os maternos que protege para o câncer de mama.