Surgical waiting lists and queue management in a Brazilian tertiary public hospital.

BACKGROUND: Centralized management of queues helps to reduce the surgical waiting time in the publicly funded healthcare system, but this is not a reality in the Brazilian Unified Healthcare System (BUHS). We describe the implementation of the "Patients with Surgical Indication" (PSI) in a Brazilian public tertiary hospital, the impact on waiting time, and its use in rationing oncological surgeries during the COVID-19 Pandemic. METHODS: Retrospective observational study of elective surgical requests (2016-2022) in a Brazilian general, public, tertiary university hospital. We recovered information regarding the inflows (indications), outflows and their reasons, the number of patients, and waiting time in queue. RESULTS: We enrolled 82,844 indications in the PSI (2016-2022). The waiting time (median and interquartile range) in days decreased from 98(48;168) in 2016 to 14(3;152) in 2022 (p < 0.01). The same occurred with the backlog that ranged from 6,884 in 2016 to 844 in 2022 (p < 001). During the Pandemic, there was a reduction in the number of non-oncological surgeries per month (95% confidence interval) of -10.9(-18.0;-3.8) during Phase I (January 2019-March 2020), maintenance in Phase II (April 2020-August 2021) 0.1(-10.0;10.4) and increment in Phase III (September 2021-December 2022) of 23.0(15.3;30.8). In the oncological conditions, these numbers were 0.6(-2.1;3.3) for Phase I, an increase of 3.2(0.7;5.6) in Phase II and 3.9(1,4;6,4) in Phase III. CONCLUSION: Implementing a centralized list of surgical indications and developing queue management principles proved feasible, with effective rationing. It unprecedentedly demonstrated the decrease in the median waiting time in Brazil.

Association of left ventricular abnormalities with incident cerebrovascular events and sources of thromboembolism in patients with chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Although Chagas cardiomyopathy is related to thromboembolic stroke, data on risk factors for cerebrovascular events in Chagas disease is limited. Thus, we assessed the relationship between left ventricular (LV) impairment and cerebrovascular events and sources of thromboembolism in patients with Chagas cardiomyopathy. METHODS: This retrospective cohort included patients with chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy who underwent cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR). CMR was performed with a 1.5 T scanner to provide LV volumes, mass, ejection fraction (LVEF), and myocardial fibrosis. The primary outcome was a composite of incident ischemic cerebrovascular events (stroke or transient ischemic attack-TIA) and potential thromboembolic sources (atrial fibrillation (AF), atrial flutter, or intracavitary thrombus) during the follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 113 patients were included. Median age was 56 years (IQR: 45-67), and 58 (51%) were women. The median LVEF was 53% (IQR: 41-62). LV aneurysms and LV fibrosis were present in 38 (34%) and 76 (67%) individuals, respectively. The median follow-up time was 6.9 years, with 29 events: 11 cerebrovascular events, 16 had AF or atrial flutter, and two had LV apical thrombosis. In the multivariable model, only lower LVEF remained significantly associated with the outcomes (HR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.93-0.99). Patients with reduced LVEF lower than 40% had a much higher risk of cerebrovascular events and thromboembolic sources (HR: 3.16 95% CI: 1.38-7.25) than those with normal LVEF. The combined incidence rate of the combined events in chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy patients with reduced LVEF was 13.9 new cases per 100 persons-year. CONCLUSIONS: LV systolic dysfunction is an independent predictor of adverse cerebrovascular events and potential sources of thromboembolism in patients with chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy.

Decreasing boarders in the emergency department by reducing clerical work in the discharge process of in-hospital patients in Brazil - an interrupted time-series analysis.

BACKGROUND: Emergency Department (ED) boarding is related to in-hospital patients' discharge since no beds will be available for receiving ED patients if there is a delay for patients in the yard leaving the hospital. New techniques implemented in hospital institutions, such as digital signatures to facilitate clerical work improve these processes. We evaluated the impact of expediting patients' discharge after medical orders with the number of patients with an unplanned hospital admission from the Hospital Out Clinic directed to ED for waiting for an available bed in a public tertiary hospital in Brazil. METHODS: We conducted a quasi-experimental study before and after an intervention. It consisted of an encrypted digital signature to reduce clerical work and expedite the patient's release from the institution after medical discharge. We used an interrupted time-series analysis based on administrative data (number of hospital discharges, bed turnover, the time between medical discharge, and the time the patient effectively left the hospital) from 2011 to 2020. RESULTS: We enrolled 210,496 patients admitted to the hospital from January 2011 to December 2020. Of those, 69,897(33%) composed the group after the intervention. There was no difference between the groups' gender, age distribution, the proportion of surgical patients, or in-hospital stay (≤ 7 or > 7 days). The interrupted time series analysis for the time from medical order to effectively hospital discharge showed an immediate change in level (Coefficient ß2 -3.6 h-95% confidence interval -3.9;-3.4), but no a difference in the slope of the behavior of the post-intervention curve (ß3 0.0005 coefficient-95% confidence interval -0.0040;0.0050). For the number of patients directed to ED, we observed no immediate change in level (Coefficient ß2 -0.84 patients-95% confidence interval -0.33;0.16), but a difference in the slope of the behavior of the post-intervention curve (ß3 0.0005 coefficient-95% confidence interval -0.0040;0.0050). CONCLUSION: Reducing clerical work and expediting patient discharge was associated with decreased potential boarders to ED.

Prevalence of Vas Deferens Calcifications on Abdominal CT Examinations and Association With Systemic Conditions.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to describe the prevalence of vas deferens (VD) calcifications on abdominal CT examinations and the associations between VD calcifications and several systemic conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS. The CT examinations of male patients from January 2010 to December 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. After exclusions, the records of 1915 consecutively identified patients were analyzed. Five readers, 3rd- and 4th-year radiology residents, recorded the presence and laterality of VD calcifications and of vascular calcifications presumed due to atherosclerosis. A sixth reader parsed the patient records for diagnoses of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). RESULTS. The mean age of the entire sample population was 52.9 ± 18.9 years (range, 1-93 years). The mean age of patients with VD calcifications was 59.3 ± 12.0 (SD) years and of the group without VD calcifications was 52.9 ± 19.1 years (p = 0.17). The prevalence of VD calcification was 1.61% (31 patients): 21 (67.7%) of the patients had bilateral calcification; seven (22.6%), right-sided only; and three, (9.7%) left-sided. The frequency of DM was 28.8% (551/1915), of CKD was 7.58% (150/1915), and of atherosclerosis, 60.4% (1156/1915). The mean caliber of calcified VDs was 5.31 ± 1.29 mm versus 3.63 ± 0.63 mm for patients without calcification or any chronic condition (p < 0.0001). Among age, atherosclerosis, DM, and CKD in univariate regression analysis, only DM was associated with VD calcification (p = 0.006). However, because age (p = 0.063) and atherosclerosis (p = 0.057) were close to significant, they were included in the multivariate analysis, which also showed only DM associated with VD calcification (odds ratio, 2.14 ± 0.85). CONCLUSION. In the large cohort in this study, the prevalence of VD calcification was 1.61%. VD calcification was strongly associated with DM. The pathologic implications of VD calcification remain unclear and warrant further investigation in prospective longitudinal studies.

Predictive Value of Matrix Metalloproteinases and Their Inhibitors for Mortality in Septic Patients: A Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: Over 170 biomarkers are being investigated regarding their prognostic and diagnostic accuracy in sepsis in order to find new tools to reduce morbidity and mortality. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their inhibitors have been recently studied as promising new prognostic biomarkers in patients with sepsis. This study is aimed at determining the utility of several cutoff points of these biomarkers to predict mortality in patients with sepsis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A multicenter, prospective, analytic cohort study was performed in the metropolitan area of Bucaramanga, Colombia. A total of 289 patients with sepsis and septic shock were included. MMP-9, MMP-2, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1), TIMP-2, TIMP-1/MMP-9 ratio, and TIMP-2/MMP-2 ratio were determined in blood samples. Value ranges were correlated with mortality to estimate sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and area under the receiving operating characteristic curve. RESULTS: Sensitivity ranged from 33.3% (MMP-9/TIMP-1 ratio) to 60.6% (TIMP-1) and specificity varied from 38.8% (MMP-2/TIMP-2 ratio) to 58.5% (TIMP-1). As for predictive values, positive predictive value range was from 17.5% (MMP-9/TIMP-1 ratio) to 70.4% (MMP-2/TIMP-2 ratio), whereas negative predictive values were between 23.2% (MMP-2/TIMP-2 ratio) and 80.9% (TIMP-1). Finally, area under the curve scores ranged from 0.31 (MMP-9/TIMP-1 ratio) to 0.623 (TIMP-1). CONCLUSION: Although TIMP-1 showed higher sensitivity, specificity, and negative predictive value, with a representative population sample, we conclude that none of the evaluated biomarkers had significant predictive value for mortality.

Rabbit antithymocyte globulin dose does not affect response or survival as first-line therapy for acquired aplastic anemia: a multicenter retrospective study.

In a prospective randomized study, treatment for aplastic anemia (AA) with rabbit antithymocyte globulin (r-ATG) and cyclosporine showed inferior hematological response and survival in comparison to horse antithymocyte globulin (h-ATG) and cyclosporine. However, h-ATG was discontinued in most Asian, South American, and European countries, where r-ATG became the only ATG formulation available. We retrospectively evaluated consecutive patients with acquired AA who received either rabbit (n = 170) or horse (n = 85) ATG and cyclosporine for first-line treatment from 1992 to 2014 in seven referral centers in Brazil and Argentina. Overall response at 3 months was 17% (95%CI, 11-23%) for r-ATG and 44% (95%CI, 33-55%) for h-ATG (p < 0.001). At 6 months, it was 31% (95%CI, 34-39%) for r-ATG and 59% (95%CI, 48-69%) for h-ATG (p < 0.001). Overall survival at 5 years was 57% (95%CI, 47-65%) for r-ATG and 80% (95%CI, 69-87%) for h-ATG (log-rank = 0.001). Relapse was significantly higher in patients receiving h-ATG (28%; 95%CI, 17-43%) as compared to r-ATG (9.4%; 95%CI, 4-21%; log-rank, p = 0.01). The type of ATG was the only factor associated with both response and survival. The r-ATG dose varied from 1 to 5 mg/kg/day, but it did not correlate with outcomes. In summary, this is the largest multicenter study comparing the two ATG formulations in AA. Our results indicate that the dose of r-ATG does not influence hematologic response or survival in first-line therapy for acquired AA. Considering the toxicity and costs of r-ATG, our findings challenge its aggregate benefit to cyclosporine therapy and further strengthen that h-ATG should remain standard therapy in AA.

Long-term follow-up of Chagas heart disease patients receiving an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator for secondary prevention.

BACKGROUND: Chagas heart disease (CHD) is a dilated cardiomyopathy characterized by malignant ventricular arrhythmias and increased risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD). Much controversy exists concerning the efficacy of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICDs) in CHD because of mixed results observed. We report our long-term experience with ICDs for secondary prevention in CHD, with the specific aim of assessing the results in groups with preserved or depressed global left ventricular function. METHODS: 111 patients (75 males; 60 ± 12 years) were followed for 1,948 ± 1,275 days after ICD. Time to death was the primary outcome; LVEF ≤ 45% the exposure; and age, gender, and ICD therapy delivery the potential confounders. We used time-to-event methods and Cox proportional models for analysis, censoring observations at time of death or at 5-year follow-up in survivors. RESULTS: Seventy-two percent of the patients presented at least one sustained ventricular arrhythmia requiring appropriate therapy, and only three patients received inappropriate therapy. Death occurred in 50 (45%) patients, with an annual mortality rate of 8.4%, mostly due to refractory heart failure or noncardiac causes. Unadjusted survival rates were significantly distinct between patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤ 45% (26 deaths), 50.5% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 36.2%-63.2%) when compared to patients with LVEF > 45% (10 deaths), 77.6% (95% CI: 62.3%-87.3%, P < 0.01). After adjusting for confounders, low LVEF (hazard ratio [HR]: 5.2, 95% CI: 2.3-11.6), age (HR: 1.04, 95% CI: 1.01-1.07), and female gender (HR: 3.97, 95% CI: 1.85-8.54) were independently associated with the outcome. CONCLUSIONS: ICDs successfully aborted life-threatening arrhythmias in CHD patients. Impaired left ventricular function predicted higher mortality in CHD patients with an ICD for secondary prevention of SCD.

The first description of cardiac magnetic resonance findings in a severe scorpion envenomation: Is it a stress-induced (Takotsubo) cardiomyopathy like?

There are more than 1 million cases of scorpion envenomation worldwide. Severe complications due to myocardial depression can happen in some patients, mainly children. A catecholamine-induced myocarditis probably causes this cardiac dysfunction. We describe a case of a 7-year-old boy with a severe scorpion envenomation complicated by pulmonary edema in which the cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR)was performed during the acute phase. The CMR showed an apical ballooning in the left ventricle associated with a left ventricle ejection fraction of 29% and a global edema of the midmyocardium and apical myocardiumin the T2-weighted triple inversion recovery images. The CMR was repeated after 7 months and showed complete recovery of the wall motion in the apical region and of the myocardial function (left ventricle ejection fraction, 60%) associated with normalization of the signal in the T2-weighted triple inversion recovery images. These clinical and laboratory findings, mainly the CMR images, are similar to those observed in stress-induced cardiomyopathy (Takotsubo) reinforcing the hypothesis that the catecholamine's excess has a pivotal function in the pathophysiology of the cardiac dysfunction in these 2 conditions.

Prognostic evaluation of the troponin I elevation after multiple spontaneous shocks of the implantable cardioverter/defibrillator.

BACKGROUND: Multiple shocks of the implantable cardioverter/defibrillator (ICD) can cause myocardial injury, contributing to the progression of underlying heart disease. The aim was to evaluate if the elevation of troponin I after multiple ICD shocks has impact on the prognostic of these patients. METHODS: We evaluated patients with multiple ICD shocks (>3 shocks) in the last 24 hours. Troponin I was measured around 12 hours after the last shock. After this episode, these patients were followed; and events of death or heart failure hospitalization were recorded. RESULTS: Twenty-six patients were included in the study. Elevation of troponin I occurred in 16 patients (62%), who had received a higher number of shocks (14 ± 9 vs 7 ± 4, P = .03) and greater cumulative total voltage (455 ± 345 J vs 141 ± 62 J, P = .03) compared to the group without elevation of this biomarker. We observed a positive correlation between troponin I and number of shocks (r = 0.70; P = .0001). Patients with troponin I elevation after multiple ICD shocks had higher risk of death or heart failure hospitalization (hazard ratio, 7.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.2-16.0; P = .03) compared with the group without elevation of this biomarker. After adjustment for age, sex, and number of shocks, the elevation of this biomarker remained as predictor of these events (hazard ratio, 16.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.7-151.0; P = .02). CONCLUSION: A large proportion of patients with multiple ICD shocks have troponin I elevation, and these patients have a higher risk of death or hospitalization due to heart failure.

Rate and direct medical costs of cesarean sections among supplementary health plan holders living in the state of São Paulo, Brazil: 2015-2021. / Taxa e custos médicos diretos de cesáreas em beneficiárias da saúde suplementar no estado de São Paulo, Brasil: 2015 a 2021.

Brazil has the second largest cesarean section rate in the world. Differences in rates exist between the public and private health sectors. This study used data on admissions of supplementary health plan holders aged between 10 and 49 years living in the state of São Paulo admitted between 2015 and 2021 to determine cesarean section rates and costs in the private health sector. We conducted a partial economic analysis in health from a supplementary health perspective focusing on the direct medical costs of admissions. A total of 757,307 admissions were analyzed with total costs amounting to R$7.701 billion. The cesarean section rate over the period was 80%. Rates were lowest in young women (69%) and highest in the oldest age group (86%), exceeding 67% across all groups. The rate was 71% higher than in public services. The proportion of admissions with use of the intensive care unit was higher among cesarian deliveries. The median cost of a cesarean was 15% higher than that of a normal delivery and twice as high in insurance companies than healthcare cooperatives. There is an opportunity to apply policies that are widely used in public services to the private sector with the aim of reducing cesarean rates in private services, direct costs of admission, and the cost of supplementary health plans.

O Brasil tem a segunda maior taxa de cesárea do mundo. Há diferença dessas taxas nos setores públicos e privados. Foram utilizados dados de internação de beneficiárias residentes no estado de São Paulo, internadas entre 2015 e 2021, com idades entre 10 e 49 anos, para verificar as taxas e custos das cesáreas no setor privado. Foi realizado estudo parcial de avaliação econômica em saúde na perspectiva da saúde suplementar considerando custos médicos diretos de internação. Foram analisadas 757.307 internações, com gasto total de R$ 7,701 bilhões. As taxas de cesáreas foram de 80% no período. São menores nas gestantes mais novas (69%) e maiores nas mais velhas (86%), e sempre superiores a 67%. Essa população tem taxas 71% maiores do que aquelas do SUS. Há maior proporção de internações com uso de unidade de terapia intensiva nas cesáreas. O custo mediano da cesárea é 15% maior do que o parto normal e são duas vezes maiores nas seguradoras do que nas cooperativas médicas. Há oportunidade de aplicação de políticas públicas de saúde amplamente utilizadas no Sistema Único de Saúde visando a redução das taxas, dos custos diretos da internação e dos planos de saúde.

Evaluation of Non-Technical Skills in Students Throughout the Medical Course in Ecuador.

OBJECTIVES: This research focuses on assessing non-technical skills (NTS), comprising behavioral aspects that support an individual's expertise in personal and professional performance. Due to varied terminology, including "soft skills" and other terms, NTS is less understood, leading to a potential gap in the literature and limited attention to their development. This study establishes the need for a comprehensive evaluation of NTS to obtain an objective and complete profile of NTS in students pursuing medicine at the Universidad Central del Ecuador (UCE) during 2023, using a standardized and benchmarked psychometric instrument. METHODS: A cross-sectional study assessed 1035 students from the first to the 12th semester using the CompeTEA® Test, which evaluates 5 factors encompassing 20 competencies and includes sincerity as a reliability condition. Scores were corrected, analyzed, and standardized using TEAcorrige. RESULTS: The study group comprised 1035 undergraduate medical students (36.8% of students at UCE in 2023), with a mean age of 22.1 years (2.7 standard deviation), and 687 (66.4%) were female. We obtained an average score of 77.7 in sincerity. Factors such as intrapersonal, interpersonal, task development, and managerial skills showed variations throughout the course, with some competencies developing positively in intermediate clinical stages. At the same time, most exhibited a decrease toward the end of the program. Comparisons with population levels revealed 19 competencies at Level 2 and 1 competency predominantly at Level 1. CONCLUSION: The moderate to low development, with no significant differences based on demographic variables, suggests the need for specific interventions in NTS within comprehensive medical education.

Lung Ultrasound Score at Hospital Discharge as a Predictor of Emergency Department Visit and Hospital Readmission in Patients With Acute Heart Failure.

Purpose The number of B-lines on lung ultrasound at hospital discharge in patients admitted with acute heart failure (AHF) is associated with poor outcomes. Assessing B-lines can be challenging to execute and replicate, depending on the clinical context. This study aims to determine whether the lung ultrasound score (LUS) at discharge predicts hospital readmission or emergency department (ED) visits in the 30 days after an AHF hospital admission. Methods  We conducted an observational study at the medical ward of the emergency unit of the Clinics Hospital of the Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, a tertiary university hospital in Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil, where consecutive adults admitted with AHF were included. On the day of hospital discharge, we measured the LUS and tracked these patients for up to 30 days to monitor emergency department visits, hospital readmission, and the number of days free from hospital stay. Results  A total of 46 patients were included in the study. A composite outcome of ED visits or hospital readmission in the 30 days after hospital discharge was achieved for 22 (47.8%) patients. The LUS at hospital discharge had a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) area of 0.93 (95% CI, 0.82-0.99) to predict the composite outcome, against 0.67 (95% CI, 0.52-0.81) for the clinical congestion score (CCS). A LUS ≥ 7 at discharge had a sensitivity of 95.5% and a specificity of 87.5% to predict the composite outcome. The average exam duration was 176±65 (sd) seconds. Conclusions The LUS at hospital discharge following admission for AHF proves to be an accurate tool for predicting the likelihood of return to the ED and/or hospital readmission within 30 days post discharge.

Evaluation of cardiac involvement during dengue viral infection.

BACKGROUND: Dengue is a disease whose clinical manifestations range from asymptomatic infections to a severe disease. There have been some previous reports of myocardial involvement in dengue, but this association has not been completely established. METHODS: From January to July of 2011, patients hospitalized with dengue, confirmed through dengue nonstructural protein 1 and/or immunoglobulin M detection, were included in this study and troponin I and N terminal fragment of B-type natriuretic peptide levels were determined. Patients with abnormal biomarkers underwent echocardiography and when any abnormality was detected, they underwent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS: Eighty-one patients were evaluated and 12 patients (15%) presented with elevated biomarker levels. Compared to controls, they had higher leukocyte (P < .001) and platelet counts (P = .005); higher C-reactive protein (P = .02), and a lower viral load (P = .03). There was no difference according to clinical dengue classification; dengue hemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome severity; duration of symptoms; or prevalence of secondary infection between the 2 groups. Two patients died secondary to cardiogenic shock before imaging studies. Necroscopic findings were compatible to myocarditis in both, and immunohistochemistry for dengue virus showed increased staining on mononuclear cells located in the myocardial tissue. Of the 10 patients who underwent echocardiography, depressed left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was identified in 1, left ventricular segmental abnormalities with preserved LVEF in 2, and an important pericardial effusion with tamponade in another. Cardiac involvement was confirmed by CMR in these 4 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Dengue viruses were shown to cause cardiac disease with clinical manifestations ranging from mild elevation of biomarkers to myocarditis and/or pericarditis.

Are low doses of antipsychotics effective in the management of psychomotor agitation? A randomized, rated-blind trial of 4 intramuscular interventions.

BACKGROUND: Psychomotor agitation can be associated with a wide range of medical conditions. Although clinical practice advocates the use of several drugs for the management of psychomotor agitation, there are still very few controlled studies comparing the profiles of action and the adverse effects of different drugs that induce tranquilization. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of 4 low-dose pharmacological interventions used to control psychomotor agitation guided by the clinical response. METHODS: Using a randomized, rated-blind design, 100 agitated patients were assigned to receive 1 of 4 treatments: haloperidol (2.5 mg) + promethazine (25 mg) (HLP + PMZ), haloperidol (2.5 mg) + midazolam (7.5 mg) (HLP + MID), ziprasidone (10 mg) (ZIP), or olanzapine (10 mg) (OLP). Patients were evaluated just before the intervention and after 30, 60, and 90 minutes, using the Agitation-Calmness Evaluating Scale. Adverse effects were assessed within 24 hours after the intervention, using selected items from the UKU Scale (Ugvalg Klinisk Undersgelser Side Effect Scale). According to the clinical indication, medication could be repeated twice after the first injection. Data were analyzed using general linear model with repeated measures and logistic regression. RESULTS: All treatment options promoted a reduction in agitation, without causing excessive sedation, although a lower reduction in agitation was observed with HLP + PMZ and ZIP compared with HLP + MID and OLZ. The need for an additional dose of medication was observed in 22 patients, and only 8 remained agitated during the entire 90-minute period. A higher risk for the development of extrapyramidal symptoms within the following 24 hours was observed with HLP + PMZ. DISCUSSION: Low doses of haloperidol combined with midazolam can be as effective as olanzapine in reducing psychomotor agitation without increasing the risk of extrapyramidal effects. Because of the higher risk for the occurrence of extrapyramidal symptoms, the combination of haloperidol with promethazine should be considered a second-line treatment option.

Under-reporting of accidents involving biological material by nursing professionals at a Brazilian emergency hospital.

BACKGROUND: Pathogens can be transmitted to health professionals after contact with biological material. The exact number of infections deriving from these events is still unknown, due to the lack of systematic surveillance data and under-reporting. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out, involving 451 nursing professionals from a Brazilian tertiary emergency hospital between April and July 2009. Through an active search, cases of under-reporting of occupational accidents with biological material by the nursing team were identified by means of individual interviews. The Institutional Review Board approved the research project. RESULTS: Over half of the professionals (237) had been victims of one or more accidents (425 in total) involving biological material, and 23.76% of the accidents had not been officially reported using an occupational accident report. Among the underreported accidents, 53.47% were percutaneous and 67.33% were bloodborne. The main reason for nonreporting was that the accident had been considered low risk. CONCLUSIONS: The under-reporting rate (23.76%) was low in comparison with other studies, but most cases of exposure were high risk.

Improving the Quality of Residency Programs in Family and Community Medicine.

OBJECTIVE: To develop and present an instrument to evaluate and monitor the quality of medical residency programs in residencies in family and community medicine (FCM) based on preceptors and residents, considering the insertion of the health network program. METHOD: The instrument was developed in three stages: 1) interview with the preceptors of FCM; 2) literature review; and 3) production, adequacy, and approval of the evaluation instrument by renowned professionals of the Brazilian FCM. The third stage included 9 people and used the Delphi technique with 80% agreement. For the qualitative results, Bardin's Content Analysis was used. RESULTS: In all, there were five evaluation cycles to adapt the proposed recommendations, with the elimination of one item and weighting, with a results analysis methodology of 10 resulting items, reaching an expected matrix for organizing residency programs in the health network, divided into 3 domains: Organization of the Unit, Human Resources, and Preceptor-resident relationship. CONCLUSION: An instrument for evaluating and monitoring residency programs in family and community medicine can be a tool to facilitate program managers and allow evaluation and monitoring, continuously qualifying them.

Unsupervised natural language processing in the identification of patients with suspected COVID-19 infection. / Processamento de linguagem natural não supervisionado na identificação de pacientes suspeitos de infecção por COVID-19.

Patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome benefit from health promotion programs. Their rapid identification is important for the cost-effective use of these programs. Traditional identification techniques perform poorly especially in pandemics. A descriptive observational study was carried out using 105,008 prior authorizations paid by a private health care provider with the application of an unsupervised natural language processing method by topic modeling to identify patients suspected of being infected by COVID-19. A total of 6 models were generated: 3 using the BERTopic algorithm and 3 Word2Vec models. The BERTopic model automatically creates disease groups. In the Word2Vec model, manual analysis of the first 100 cases of each topic was necessary to define the topics related to COVID-19. The BERTopic model with more than 1,000 authorizations per topic without word treatment selected more severe patients - average cost per prior authorizations paid of BRL 10,206 and total expenditure of BRL 20.3 million (5.4%) in 1,987 prior authorizations (1.9%). It had 70% accuracy compared to human analysis and 20% of cases with potential interest, all subject to analysis for inclusion in a health promotion program. It had an important loss of cases when compared to the traditional research model with structured language and identified other groups of diseases - orthopedic, mental and cancer. The BERTopic model served as an exploratory method to be used in case labeling and subsequent application in supervised models. The automatic identification of other diseases raises ethical questions about the treatment of health information by machine learning.

Os pacientes com síndrome pós-COVID-19 se beneficiam de programas de promoção de saúde e sua rápida identificação é importante para a utilização custo efetiva desses programas. Técnicas tradicionais de identificação têm fraco desempenho, especialmente em pandemias. Portanto, foi realizado um estudo observacional descritivo utilizando 105.008 autorizações prévias pagas por operadora privada de saúde com aplicação de método não supervisionado de processamento de linguagem natural por modelagem de tópicos para identificação de pacientes suspeitos de infecção por COVID-19. Foram gerados seis modelos: três utilizando o algoritmo BERTopic e três modelos Word2Vec. O modelo BERTopic cria automaticamente grupos de doenças. Já no modelo Word2Vec, para definição dos tópicos relacionados a COVID-19, foi necessária análise manual dos 100 primeiros casos de cada tópico. O modelo BERTopic com mais de 1.000 autorizações por tópico sem tratamento de palavras selecionou pacientes mais graves - custo médio por autorizações prévias pagas de BRL 10.206 e gasto total de BRL 20,3 milhões (5,4%) em 1.987 autorizações prévias (1,9%). Teve 70% de acerto comparado à análise humana e 20% de casos com potencial interesse, todos passíveis de análise para inclusão em programa de promoção à saúde. Teve perda importante de casos quando comparado ao modelo tradicional de pesquisa com linguagem estruturada e identificou outros grupos de doenças - ortopédicas, mentais e câncer. O modelo BERTopic serviu como método exploratório a ser utilizado na rotulagem de casos e posterior aplicação em modelos supervisionados. A identificação automática de outras doenças levanta questionamentos éticos sobre o tratamento de informações em saúde por aprendizado de máquina.

Los pacientes con síndrome pos-COVID-19 pueden beneficiarse de los programas de promoción de la salud. Su rápida identificación es importante para el uso efectivo de estos programas. Las técnicas de identificación tradicionales no tienen un buen desempeño, especialmente en pandemias. Se realizó un estudio observacional descriptivo, con el uso de 105.008 autorizaciones previas pagadas por un operador de salud privado mediante la aplicación de un método no supervisado de procesamiento del lenguaje natural mediante modelado temático para identificar a los pacientes sospechosos de estar infectados por COVID-19. Se generaron 6 modelos: 3 con el uso del algoritmo BERTopic y 3 modelos Word2Vec. El modelo BERTopic crea automáticamente grupos de enfermedades. En el modelo Word2Vec para definir temas relacionados con la COVID-19, fue necesario el análisis manual de los primeros 100 casos de cada tema. El modelo BERTopic con más de 1.000 autorizaciones por tema sin tratamiento de palabras seleccionó a pacientes más graves: costo promedio por autorizaciones previas pagada de BRL 10.206 y gasto total de BRL 20,3 millones (5,4%) en 1.987 autorizaciones previas (1,9%). Además, contó con el 70% de aciertos en comparación con el análisis humano y el 20% de los casos con potencial interés, todos los cuales pueden analizarse para su inclusión en un programa de promoción de la salud. Hubo una pérdida significativa de casos en comparación con el modelo tradicional de investigación con lenguaje estructurado y se identificó otros grupos de enfermedades: ortopédicas, mentales y cáncer. El modelo BERTopic sirvió como un método exploratorio para ser utilizado en el etiquetado de casos y su posterior aplicación en modelos supervisados. La identificación automática de otras enfermedades plantea preguntas éticas sobre el tratamiento de la información de salud mediante el aprendizaje de máquina.

Early detection of doxorubicin myocardial injury by ultrasonic tissue characterization in an experimental animal model.

UNLABELLED: In the clinical setting, the early detection of myocardial injury induced by doxorubicin (DXR) is still considered a challenge. To assess whether ultrasonic tissue characterization (UTC) can identify early DXR-related myocardial lesions and their correlation with collagen myocardial percentages, we studied 60 rats at basal status and prospectively after 2 mg/Kg/week DXR endovenous infusion. Echocardiographic examinations were conducted at baseline and at 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 mg/Kg DXR cumulative dose. The left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF), shortening fraction (SF), and the UTC indices: corrected coefficient of integrated backscatter (IBS) (tissue IBS intensity/ phantom IBS intensity) (CC-IBS) and the cyclic variation magnitude of this intensity curve (MCV) were measured. The variation of each parameter of study through DXR dose was expressed by the average and standard error at specific DXR dosages and those at baseline. The collagen percent (%) was calculated in six control group animals and 24 DXR group animals. CC-IBS increased (1.29±0.27 x 1.1±0.26-basal; p=0.005) and MCV decreased (9.1± 2.8 x 11.02±2.6-basal; p=0.006) from 8 mg/Kg to 16 mg/Kg DXR. LVEF presented only a slight but significant decrease (80.4±6.9% x 85.3±6.9%-basal, p=0.005) from 8 mg/Kg to 16 mg/Kg DXR. CC-IBS was 72.2% sensitive and 83.3% specific to detect collagen deposition of 4.24% (AUC=0.76). LVEF was not accurate to detect initial collagen deposition (AUC=0.54). IN CONCLUSION: UTC was able to early identify the DXR myocardial lesion when compared to LVEF, showing good accuracy to detect the initial collagen deposition in this experimental animal model.

Lewis lead enhances atrial activity detection in wide QRS tachycardia.

BACKGROUND: The differential diagnosis of wide QRS tachycardia is a challenge for the emergency physician. The major tool is the electrocardiogram (ECG), even though the sensitivity and specificity may be variable, depending on presentation. Additional leads could be used to improve the diagnostic accuracy of the ECG. OBJECTIVE: To document the use of the Lewis lead in improving the diagnostic accuracy of the ECG in wide QRS tachycardia. CASE REPORT: A 52-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis, in treatment with methotrexate, was admitted with progressive dyspnea that evolved to acute respiratory distress and shock at arrival. Pneumonia was diagnosed as the infection and she received antibiotics, and respiratory and inotropic support. She was also using amiodarone for more than 10 years, but she couldn't state the reason. On cardiac monitoring, wide QRS tachycardia was detected and ventricular tachycardia was considered on the differential diagnosis. The standard 12-lead ECG was complemented with the Lewis lead, obtained with higher speed and amplitude, demonstrating atrioventricular concordance and excluding ventricular tachycardia. The patient was treated for septic shock, and she died 2 days later. CONCLUSION: The Lewis lead is a simple and easy strategy to enhance atrial activity detection in wide QRS tachycardia.