Post-Implantation Syndrome Incidence is Higher After Complex Endovascular Aortic Procedures Than After Standard Infrarenal Repair.

OBJECTIVE: Post-implantation syndrome (PIS), characterised by malaise, fever, and increased inflammatory markers, is a common occurrence after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), causing prolonged hospitalisation and increased cost. This study aimed to determine the incidence and short-term outcomes of PIS after fenestrated or branched procedures in aorto-iliac aneurysms compared with standard EVAR. METHODS: A retrospective, comparative study from a tertiary academic institution was undertaken. All patients who underwent elective EVAR with polyester stent grafts from January 2015 to June 2021 were considered. Two groups were defined: standard EVAR (sEVAR) and complex EVAR (cEVAR). The latter included visceral fenestrated and branched or iliac branch and chimney stent grafts. The primary outcome was the incidence of PIS within three days of the index procedure. Secondary outcomes were short-term complications and risk factors for PIS. A multivariable model was constructed to correct for confounders. RESULTS: Overall, 253 patients were included: 165 (65.2%) sEVAR and 88 (34.8%) cEVAR. Complex EVAR patients were younger, with larger aneurysms, had longer procedures, and were more likely to have intra-operative complications. The PIS incidence was 23.7% (n = 60), significantly higher in cEVAR (34.1% vs. 18.2%; p = .005) and increased with the complexity of the procedure (EVAR: 18.2% vs. EVAR + iliac branch device: 25.0% vs. fenestrated and branched EVAR: 36.2%; p = .030). On multivariable analysis, cEVAR (OR 2.833, 95% CI 1.295 - 6.198; p = .009) was associated with a significantly increased risk of PIS. No differences in short term outcomes according to PIS status were noted. Group sub-analysis for cEVAR patients did not reveal any statistically significantly different outcomes according to PIS occurrence. CONCLUSION: In this cohort, cEVAR procedures were associated with a significantly increased risk of developing PIS compared with standard infrarenal repair. Post-implantation syndrome also appears to have a benign course with no major impact on peri-operative outcomes after cEVAR. Further research to confirm these findings is required.

Seroprevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection among blood donors in the state of Pará, Brazil.

INTRODUCTION: Chagas disease (CD) is a neglected pathology worldwide, considered a public health problem due to the high morbidity and mortality rate and its social impact. Thus, the objective was to estimate the prevalence of reactive serology for T. cruzi in blood donors in the units of the public blood network in the state of Pará (Brazil), as well as to describe the epidemiological profile of these donors. METHODS: This is a retrospective and descriptive study carried out at the Pará State Center for Hematology and Hemotherapy (HEMOPA) between 2016 and 2021, with analysis of secondary data (epidemiological and serological) of inapt blood donors for CD. RESULTS: Among the 533,674 screened samples, the reactivity for anti-T. cruzi was detected in 0.1% (548), of which 0.03% (166) were inconclusive and 0.07% (382) were positive. The hemonucleus of the city of Abaetetuba had the highest seroprevalence (0.6%). Regarding epidemiological characteristics, most blood donors were men (63.7%), aged between 31 and 45 (44.7%), racially mixed (79.2%), high school graduate (45.8%), single/widowed/divorced (62%), first-time donors (69%), spontaneous donations (58%) and from the state's countryside (69.9%). CONCLUSION: Over the years analyzed, we observed an increase in seroprevalence for T. cruzi emphasizing the need to maintain epidemiological control in the region and the application of more accurate serological tests in the screening of donor blood bags.

Prevalence of Dengue, Chikungunya and Zika Viruses in Blood Donors in the State of Pará, Northern Brazil: 2018-2020.

Arboviruses have been reported over the years as constant threats to blood transfusion recipients, given the high occurrence of asymptomatic cases and the fact that the presence of viremia precedes the onset of symptoms, making it possible that infected blood from donors act as a source of dissemination. This work aims to identify the prevalence of dengue virus (DENV), Zika virus (ZIKV) and Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection in blood donors during epidemic and non-epidemic periods; classify the donor as symptomatic or asymptomatic; and verify the need to include DENV, CHIKV and ZIKV in the nucleic acid test (NAT) platform in northern Brazil. We investigated 36,133 thousand donations in two years of collection in Northern Brazil. One donor was positive for DENV and one for CHIKV (0.002% prevalence). As the prevalence for arboviruses was low in this study, it would not justify the individual screening of samples from donors in a blood bank. Thus, DENV- and CHIKV-positive samples were simulated in different amounts of sample pools, and both were safely detected by molecular biology even in a pool of 14 samples, which would meet the need to include these three viruses in the routine of blood centers in endemic countries such as Brazil.

The conscious experience of color constancy and neural responses to subliminal deviations - A behavioral and EEG/ERP oddball study.

INTRODUCTION: Color constancy, a property of conscious color experience, maintains object color appearance across illuminant changes. We investigated the neural correlates of subliminal vs. conscious stimulus deviations of color constancy manipulations. METHODS: Behavioral and Oddball EEG/ERP experiments were conducted (n = 20). Psychophysical illuminant variation discrimination thresholds were first estimated, to establish individual perceptual awareness ranges, allowing for simulation of natural daylight spectral and spatial variations on colored surfaces, at different ambiguity levels. RESULTS: Behavioral results validated illuminant choice. ERPs showed a significant modulation of posterior P1 component specifically for the subliminal global uniform deviation condition, respecting color constancy. Neural correlates of conscious percepts were identified at posterior N2-P3 latencies, parietal (P3b) and frontal regions. CONCLUSIONS: We identified an early subliminal correlate of low-level illuminant change, which reflects automatic unconscious detection of global color constancy deviations. Its suppression under conscious perception is probably due to top-down suppression according to prediction error models.

Damage control for subclavian artery injury.

Mortality from penetrating traumas involving the subclavian vessels can be as high as 60% in pre-hospital settings. Operating room mortality is in the range of 5-30%. This paper presents a case in which a strategy for damage control was employed for a patient with an injury to the origin of the left subclavian artery, using subclavian ligation, with no need for any other intervention, and maintaining viability of the left upper limb via collateral circulation. The authors also review surgical approaches and treatment strategies with a focus on damage control in subclavian vessel injuries.

[Functioning of Psychosocial Care centers in four cities in BrazilActuación de los Centros de Atención Psicosocial en cuatro centros urbanos en Brasil]. / Atuação dos Centros de Atenção Psicossocial em quatro centros urbanos no Brasil.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the functioning of Psychosocial Care centers (CAPS) in four Brazilian cities. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study (AcesSUS), 917 CAPS users were interviewed in the cities of Campinas, São Paulo, Porto Alegre, and Fortaleza. Only CAPS focused on severe mental disorders in adults were included, that is, CAPS focusing on substance abuse and on children and adolescents were excluded. Users answered a multiple choice questionnaire about their path from primary health care services until reaching the CAPS and hospital care in relation to mental health problems. RESULTS: Care by a psychiatrist and use of medications were reported by 90.7% to 99.7% of CAPS users in association with multiprofessinal care and therapeutic groups. Access to medication was interrupted in the 6 months prior to the interview, especially in Fortaleza (70%) and Porto Alegre (50%). In all cities, less than 10% of users had a psychiatric hospital admission after treatment at the CAPS was started. CONCLUSIONS: The transition from a hospital-centered model to a community-based model is well under way in Brazil, with concrete achievements. However, there is heterogeneity among different care networks, which entails the need for contextualized analysis of each individual location, with identification of difficulties that prevent the adequate functioning of these care networks in the psychosocial paradigm.

OBJETIVO: Describir la actuación de los Centros de Atención Psicosocial (CAPS) en cuatro centros urbanos en Brasil. MÉTODOS: Se realizó un estudio transversal (AcesSUS) por medio de una entrevista a 917 usuarios en seguimiento en los CAPS de Campinas, São Paulo, Porto Alegre y Fortaleza. Se incluyeron solo los tipos de CAPS donde se tratan trastornos mentales graves en adultos, con exclusión de los centrados en el uso de sustancias y servicios para niños y adolescentes. Los usuarios respondieron a un cuestionario de opción múltiple sobre su recorrido entre los servicios de atención primaria, los CAPS y los hospitales en relación con los trastornos de salud mental. RESULTADOS: Se notificaron servicios de atención psiquiátrica y uso de medicamentos, junto con atención multiprofesional y participación en grupos terapéuticos, en una proporción de 90,7% a 99,7% de los usuarios en seguimiento en los CAPS. El acceso a medicamentos se interrumpió en los 6 meses anteriores a la entrevista, particularmente en Fortaleza (70%) y Porto Alegre (50%). En todos los municipios, menos de 10% de los usuarios estuvieron internados en instituciones psiquiátricas después de iniciar el tratamiento en los CAPS. CONCLUSIONES: La transición del modelo hospitalario al comunitario sigue en curso de implementación en Brasil, con adelantos comprobados. Sin embargo, la situación es diversa en las diferentes redes de atención, lo cual exige un análisis contextualizado de cada localidad y la determinación de las dificultades que impiden el funcionamiento adecuado de esas redes en el paradigma psicosocial.

Residual risk of transmission of human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C virus infections by blood transfusion in northern Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Nucleic acid test (NAT) blood screening for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) was introduced in northern Brazil in July 2012. There are several Brazilian articles that have evaluated transfusion transmission risks for HIV and HCV. However, to our knowledge, this article is the first to evaluate the impact of HIV and HCV NAT implementation for blood screening in northern Brazil. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and incidence rates of HIV and HCV among blood donors and to compare the residual risk of transfusion transmission of these infections, before (2009-2011) and after (2012-2014) NAT implementation. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: HIV and HCV prevalence and incidence were calculated based on rates of confirmed positive samples. Residual risk estimates were based on the incidence and window model described previously. Logistic and Poisson regressions were used in the statistical analysis. A p value of not more than 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: HIV and HCV prevalence were 209.9 and 66.3 per 100,000 donations, respectively. Residual risk for HIV and HCV decreased significantly throughout the two study periods, mainly for HCV in which the reduction was one in 169,492 to one in 769,231 donations. For HIV, the decrease was one in 107,527 to one in 769,231 donations. HIV and HCV incidence rates were 21.13 and 3.06 per 100,000 persons/year before NAT and 14.03 and 2.65 per 100,000 persons/year after NAT. CONCLUSION: The HIV and HCV NAT implementation significantly increased the transfusion safety in northern Brazil, bringing benefits to recipients due to better quality of blood products produced.

Characterization of hepatitis B virus infection in illicit drug users in the Marajó Archipelago, northern Brazil.

South America is considered to have a low prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, although areas with a relatively high prevalence have been identified in northern Brazil. Few epidemiological studies of populations at risk of HBV infection are available for this region. Given this, in the present study, we investigated the prevalence of HBV and the factors associated with infection among illicit drug users (DUs) in the Marajó Archipelago, northern Brazil. In this cross-sectional study, we collected samples and epidemiological information from DUs in 11 municipalities of the Marajó Archipelago. The diagnosis was established by ELISA and real-time PCR; and genotyping was done by multiplex real-time PCR. Statistical modeling was based on simple and multiple logistical regressions with the Hosmer-Lemeshow test. The mean age of the 466 DUs was 28.4 years, and most were male. The most-consumed illicit drugs were crack cocaine and marijuana. In all, 171 DUs were exposed to HBV, with genotypes A, D and F being identified. The factors associated with higher frequencies of HBV infection were (i) male gender, (ii) age above 35 years, (iii) anti-HIV positivity, (iv) tattoos, (v) the use of injected drugs, (vi) the use of illicit drugs for more than 3 years, (vii) sexual relations without protection, (viii) sexual relations with another DU, and (ix) more than 10 sexual partners in the past 24 months. In summary, this study provides important insights into the dynamics of HBV infection among DUs in the Marajó Archipelago. We hope that these findings will contribute to the development of strategies, actions and public health policies aimed at preventing and controlling this viral infection more effectively.

Epidemiological aspects of HCV infection in non-injecting drug users in the Brazilian state of Pará, eastern Amazon.

BACKGROUND: Currently, sharing of drug paraphernalia is the main form of HCV transmission worldwide. In South America, consistent findings indicate that shared sniffing equipment is an important factor in the spread of HCV among non-injecting drug users. Epidemiological data on the status of HCV infection in illicit drug users in the Amazon region are scarce, although reports of clinical cases of hepatitis or pathologies associated with HCV infection in other population groups are numerous. Thereby, this study investigated the prevalence, genotype frequency, and epidemiological factors associated with HCV infection in non-injecting drug users in the state of Pará, eastern Amazon. RESULTS: During 2008-2011, 300 non-injecting drug users attending drug-treatment centers participated in this study. Most non-injecting drug users were male (63.7%). The mean age was 32.5 years. The non-injecting drugs most consumed were: cannabis (15.6%), cocaine paste (21.3%), and oxi cocaine (25.7%). Tobacco (60.9%) and alcohol (79.4%) were also commonly consumed. One hundred six (35.1%; CI 95%: 29.8 - 41.1) non-injecting drug users presented anti-HCV antibodies by EIA. The HCV-RNA prevalence was 28.0% (95% CI: 20.6 - 35.8). Genotypes 1 (76.9%) and 3 (23.1%) of HCV have been identified. A multivariate analysis demonstrated that HCV infection was independently associated with the following factors: "age (≥ 35 years)", "tattoos", "use of a needle or syringe sterilized at home", "shared use of drug paraphernalia", "uses drugs for more than 5 years", and "use of drugs everyday". CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed a high prevalence of HCV infection in non-injecting drug users, and most infections are occasioned by genotype 1. Likely, HCV transmission is associated with the tattoos, the use of needle or syringe sterilized at home by people over the age of 35 years, and sharing, time and frequency of use of non-injecting drugs. These findings should serve as an incentive for the establishment of a program of Hepatitis C prevention and control by the local public-health authorities in order to develop effective policies and strategies for contain the spread of HCV infection.

The Impact of Intra-Operative Heparin on Thromboembolism and Death in a Matched Cohort of Patients with a Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm.

Objective: Portuguese nationwide estimates indicate that 20% of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) are treated when ruptured. In these cases, intra-operative unfractionated heparin (UFH) usage rates vary widely. Evidence on this topic is scarce and focused on patients treated by open repair (OSR). The aim was to determine the influence of UFH on peri-operative thromboembolic events (TEs) and death in a cohort of ruptured AAA (rAAA). Methods: Retrospective, single-centre, comparative study. From 2011 to April 2023, all consecutive rAAAs (endovascular repair [EVAR] and OSR) were considered. Primary outcomes were 30-day TE free survival and TE rates. The secondary outcome was 30-day death. Safety endpoints were procedural blood loss, blood product requirements, and secondary interventions due to haemorrhage. Using propensity score matching (PSM) each UFH patient was matched with one no UFH patient in a 1:1 ratio. Results: The study included 250 patients. After PSM, 190 patients were analysed (EVAR: 60.0% no-UFH vs. 64.4% UFH). TE free survival estimates favoured the UFH group (67.3% vs. 47.2%, p = .009; UFH adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.01, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04-4.17). TEs were more frequent in the no UFH group (20.0% vs. 44.2% patients, p < .001; UFH aOR 0.31, 95% CI 0.15-0.65 for any TE), driven by an increase in bowel ischaemia (17.9% no UFH vs. 3.2% UFH, p = .001). Most events occurred in the first 72 hours. EVAR was associated with reduced TE and improved TE free survival (aOR 0.20, 95% CI 0.09-0.45 and aOR 5.54, 95% CI 2.34-13.08, respectively). No significant differences in 30-day survival were noted (75% no-UFH vs. 83% UFH, p = .26; aOR 1.08, 95% CI 0.48-2.43) nor in blood loss, peri-operative red blood cell and fresh frozen plasma requirements, or secondary interventions due to haemorrhage (p = .10; p = .11; p = .13 and p = .18 respectively). Conclusion: In this cohort, intra-operative UFH was safe and associated with improved TE free survival, driven by a reduction in bowel ischaemia. Conversely, mortality remained unaffected. Randomised controlled trials are required to confirm these findings.

A mycotic forearm pseudoaneurym as an unusual complication of infective endocarditis.

INTRODUCTION: Mycotic pseudoaneurysms are an infrequent complication of infective endocarditis; most cases are secondary to arterial trauma. The commonest site involved are the intracranial arteries, followed by the abdominal aorta and then the peripheral vessels. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of a 36-year-old man, admitted in our institution for a subarachnoid haemorrhage, who presented with fever of unknown origin during his stay in the neurocritical care unit and whom was diagnosed infective endocarditis due to Meticilin Sensible Staphylococcus Aureus. Almost two weeks after antibiotic therapy was instituted, he presented a large, growing, pulsatile mass of the left forearm. A giant pseudoaneurysm arising from the radial artery was detected with ultrasound and surgical intervention was carried out. A large laceration of the radial artery was detected and an interposition of a vein graft was performed. DISCUSSION: Forearm mycotic pseudoaneurysms are rare. A high index of suspicion is needed and they should always be borne in mind in the differential diagnosis of an extremity pain, swelling or motor-sensorial deficit after infective endocarditis.

Correlation of serological and molecular markers in the screening for hepatitis B virus in blood bank in northern Brazil.

INTRODUCTION: In Brazil, the blood donor screening for hepatitis B virus (HBV) includes laboratory testing for serological (HBsAg and Anti-HBc) and molecular (HBV DNA) markers. This study aims to correlate serology reactive results with HBV DNA detection among blood donors with at least one HBV infection marker detected in a blood bank in northern Brazil. METHOD: A retrospective search for HBV reactive blood donor data from January 2017 to December 2019 was performed. Serological screening was performed by chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassays Architect HBsAg and Architect Anti-HBc, whereas molecular screening was performed by the HBV nucleic acid test (HBV NAT). MAIN RESULTS: A total of 556 HBsAg reactive results were detected, between positive (47.66%) and inconclusive (52.34%). A total of 3,658 Anti-HBc reactive results were detected, between positive (83.71%) and inconclusive (16.29%). None of the inconclusive results were associated with HBV DNA detection. The HBV DNA detection rates were 47.55% among HBsAg positive samples and 4.08% among Anti-HBc positive samples. The signal-to-cutoff (S/CO) ratio median of HBV NAT positive samples was superior in comparison to HBV NAT negative samples (p < 0.0001). The thresholds found to optimize sensitivity and specificity were 404.15 for Architect HBsAg and 7.77 for Architect Anti-HBc. Three blood donors were in the window period and 1 occult HBV infection case was detected. CONCLUSION: High S/CO ratios were more predictive of HBV DNA detection. However, a number of HBV NAT positive samples gave low values, while some HBV NAT negative samples showed high values, reaffirming the significance of molecular testing to enhance transfusion safety.

Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 (HTLV-2) prevalence of blood donors in the state of Pará, Brazil.

INTRODUCTION: The present study had the objective to describe the molecular prevalence and epidemiological aspects of the human T-lymphotropic virus 2 (HTLV-2) infection in the blood donor population of the Pará state. METHODS: The present study is a descriptive, retrospective, and cross-sectional review of epidemiological, serological, and molecular data on inapt blood donors in the State Center for Hematology and Hemotherapy from January 2015 to December 2021. The data were digitalized to create a database using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences program. The prevalence of HTLV-2 was calculated based on the total number of donations during the study period. Descriptive frequency was used to analyze the qualitative data. RESULTS: A total of 665,568 blood donations were made. Out of these, 1884 (0.2%) samples presented serological detection to HTLV and further were evaluated using molecular confirmatory tests. Out of these, 36 samples were positive for HTLV-2 using qPCR Taqman assay based on pol gene region (0.005%). The HTLV-2 was found to be more prevalent in women (63.9%); aged between 39 and 59 years (55.6%); residents of the metropolitan region of Belém (80.6%); with self-declared race as brown (80.6%); individuals who had completed high school (58.6%); and first-time donors (58.3%) CONCLUSION: The present study identified the presence of HTLV-2 (1 HTLV-2 case/20,000 donations; 0.005%) in the specific population of blood donors in Pará state. These findings can contribute to the existing literature on the subject both for specific population groups under study and for understanding the prevalence of HTLV-2 in the general population.

Paclitaxel in real-life data is not associated with reduced survival but has limited benefit in preventing amputation.

BACKGROUND: Recent meta-analysis of randomized-controlled trials reported an increased risk of long-term mortality in patients treated with paclitaxel-coated devices (PCD) for femoropopliteal arteries (FP) lesions. However, real-life data on the subject is contradictory and data from CLTI patients is missing. The authors aim to evaluate the impact of PCD for the treatment of FP lesions on long-term mortality and amputation on a real-life cohort up to 5 years. METHODS: All patients treated for FP lesions with endovascular devices from January 2013 to December 2016 were included, irrespective of clinical presentation. Primary endpoint is overall survival. Secondary endpoints are freedom-from major amputation and amputation-free survival. Survival estimates were obtained using Kaplan-Meier plots and a multivariable model was constructed to correct for relevant baseline differences. RESULTS: From 2013 to 2016, 351 patients with FP lesions were treated, 250 with uncoated devices (nPCD) and 101 with PCD. Patients treated with nPCD were significantly older, more often female and with more severe degrees of ischemia. Median follow-up was 55(20-71) months. Overall survival and amputation-free survival were significantly higher in patients treated with PCD. Survival at one-year was 79% vs. 92%, at two-years 69% vs. 79% and at five-years 50% vs. 65% (P=0.02). AFS was 43% vs. 57% at 5-years (P=0.016). Freedom-from major amputation was similar between groups. After correction for relevant baseline differences on multivariable analysis, the survival advantage for patients treated with PCD was lost at 2 and 5 years. CONCLUSIONS: Our results do not confirm the findings of increased mortality associated with PCD. However, no improvement in amputation rate was found. For the time, our institutional data does not support withholding PCD to reduce mortality but suggests that the benefit in preventing amputation is not significant.

Frequency of antigen Dia on the blood donor population of the Hemocenter coordinator of the Hemopa Foundation.

INTRODUCTION: Erythrocyte phenotyping is a very important test in the adoption of prophylactic measures to reduce transfusion reactions/alloimmunizations in polytransfused patients. The blood group Diego, in its current, form has 22 antigens, of which 4 are immunogenic, being Diª/Dib and Wra/Wrb, while the others are less expressive. The antigen Diª is of low incidence among whites and blacks, however, it is common in the South American indigenous and Asian Mongolian populations. It is also considered a system of clinical importance for its immunogenicity. METHOD: The present study aimed to carry out a retrospective and descriptive survey of the frequency of the Diª antigen in the blood donor population at the HEMOPA Foundation Coordinating Blood Center from 12/2018 to 1/2000. The data obtained were from the HEMOPA Foundation SBS Progress and SBS WEB Systems databases. RESULTS: During this period, 941,744 blood bags were collected and, of these, 930 bags were phenotyped for the Diª antigen, of which 842 were negative and 88 (9.7%) positive. The research showed that, among the positive donors for the antigen Diª, 88.6% were brown, 3.4%, black and 8%, white. In the statistical analysis, the frequency observed was higher in browns. CONCLUSION: In the present investigation, we concluded that our region has a relatively higher frequency of the Diª antigen, when compared to the rest of Brazil, and it occurs more often in browns.

Retinal vascular tortuosity: Mechanisms and measurements.

Retinal vessel tortuosity has been used in the diagnosis and management of different clinical situations. Notwithstanding, basic concepts, standards and tools of measurement, reliable normative data and clinical applications have many gaps or points of divergence. In this review we discuss triggering causes of retinal vessel tortuosity and resources used to assess and quantify it, as well as current limitations.

[Mental healthcare in Brazil: a multifaceted study in four large cities]. / Assistência à saúde mental no Brasil: estudo multifacetado em quatro grandes cidades.

This study aimed to assess characteristics of healthcare networks in four large Brazilian cities (Campinas, Fortaleza, Porto Alegre, and São Paulo), in the provision of mental healthcare. The following outcomes were used: (i) place of identification of the mental health problem; (ii) mental healthcare in primary care; (iii) pharmaceutical care in mental health; and (iv) social rehabilitation. This is a mixed-methods study with a concurrent and sequential approach, conducted with 10 administrators and 1,642 users of Centers for Psychosocial Care (CAPS, in Portuguese) in the four cities. The study showed the persistence of high-complexity services such as hospitals as the site for initial identification of mental health problems in Campinas (40% of users) and Fortaleza (37%); low proportion of mental health treatment in primary care (Fortaleza, 23%); differences between cities in psychotropic medication prescription in primary care (Porto Alegre, 68%; São Paulo, 64%; Campinas, 39%; Fortaleza, 31%) and in shortages of prescribed medication (higher in Fortaleza, 58%; lower in Campinas, 28%); and overall frailty in enabling return to work (lower in São Paulo, 17%; higher in Campinas, 39%), with better overall results regarding religion and leisure activities (higher in São Paulo, 53% and 56%, respectively). The study contributes to the discussion of the Brazilian scenario of mental healthcare, with evidence of persistent inequalities in the national context, pointing to gaps in some mental healthcare network configurations with the potential for better performance and longitudinal follow-up.

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar as características das redes de saúde de quatro grandes municípios brasileiros (Campinas, Fortaleza, Porto Alegre e São Paulo) no que diz respeito à prestação de cuidados em saúde mental. Foram usados como desfechos: (i) local de identificação do problema de saúde mental; (ii) atendimento em saúde mental na atenção básica; (iii) assistência farmacêutica em saúde mental; e (iv) reinserção social. Trata-se de um estudo analítico de métodos mistos, de abordagem concomitante e sequencial, conduzido com 10 gestores e 1.642 usuários de Centros de Atenção Psicossocial (CAPS) dos municípios citados. Observou-se a persistência de serviços de alta complexidade, tais como os hospitais, como locais de identificação inicial dos problemas de saúde mental em Campinas (40% dos usuários) e Fortaleza (37%); baixa proporção de tratamento de saúde mental na atenção básica (Fortaleza, 23%); diferenças entre os municípios no que diz respeito à prescrição de medicamentos psicotrópicos na atenção básica (Porto Alegre, 68%; São Paulo, 64%; Campinas, 39%; Fortaleza, 31%), bem como na falta dos medicamentos prescritos (maior em Fortaleza, 58%; menor em Campinas, 28%); e fragilidade em geral na retomada de atividades laborais (menor em São Paulo, 17%; maior em Campinas, 39%), havendo melhores resultados em geral em relação a atividades religiosas e de lazer (maiores em São Paulo, 53% e 56%, respectivamente). É um estudo que contribui para a discussão do panorama brasileiro da assistência à saúde mental, com evidências da persistência de desigualdades no contexto nacional, e aponta lacunas em algumas configurações das redes de saúde mental com potenciais para melhor desempenho e seguimento longitudinal.

El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar características de las redes de salud en cuatro grandes municipios brasileños (Campinas, Fortaleza, Porto Alegre y São Paulo), en lo que se refiere prestación de cuidados en salud mental. Se utilizaron como resultados: (i) lugar de identificación del problema de salud mental; (ii) atención en salud mental en la atención básica; (iii) asistencia farmacéutica en salud mental; y (iv) reinserción social. Se trata de un estudio analítico con métodos mixtos, de enfoque concomitante y secuencial, realizado con 10 gestores y 1.642 usuarios de Centros de Atención Psicosocial (CAPS) de los municipios citados. Se observó la persistencia de servicios de alta complejidad, tales como hospitales, respecto al lugar de identificación inicial del problema de salud mental en Campinas (40% de los usuarios) y Fortaleza (37%); baja proporción de tratamiento de salud mental en la atención básica (Fortaleza, 23%); hubo diferencias entre los municipios en lo que se refiere a la prescripción de medicamentos psicotrópicos en la atención básica (Porto Alegre, 68%; São Paulo, 64%; Campinas, 39%; Fortaleza, 31%), así como en la falta de medicamentos prescritos (mayor en Fortaleza, 58%; menor en Campinas, 28%); y fragilidad en general en el retorno al trabajo (menor en São Paulo, 17%; mayor en Campinas, 39%), existiendo mejores resultados en general, en relación con la religión y ocio (mayores en São Paulo, 53% y 56%, respectivamente). Se trata de un estudio que contribuye a la discusión del panorama brasileño de la asistencia en salud mental, con evidencias de la persistencia de desigualdades en el contexto nacional, además apunta lagunas en algunas configuraciones de las redes de salud mental con potencial para un mejor desempeño y seguimiento longitudinal.

Effects of anodal multichannel transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on social-cognitive performance in healthy subjects: A randomized sham-controlled crossover pilot study.

Recent studies suggest that temporoparietal junction (TPJ) modulation can influence attention and social cognition performance. Nevertheless, no studies have used multichannel transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over bilateral TPJ to estimate the effects on these neuropsychological functions. The project STIPED is using optimized multichannel stimulation as an innovative treatment approach for chronic pediatric neurodevelopmental disorders, namely in children/adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In this pilot study, we aim to explore whether anodal multichannel tDCS coupled with a Joint Attention Task (JAT) influences social-cognitive task performance relative to sham stimulation, both in an Emotion Recognition Task (ERT) and in a Mooney Faces Detection Task (MFDT), as well as to evaluate this technique's safety and tolerability. Twenty healthy adults were enrolled in a randomized, single-blinded, sham-controlled, crossover study. During two sessions, participants completed the ERT and the MFDT before and after 20min of sham or anodal tDCS over bilateral TPJ. No significant differences on performance accuracy and reaction time were found between stimulation conditions for all tasks, including the JAT. A significant main time effect for overall accuracy and reaction time was found for the MFDT. Itching was the most common side effect and stimulation conditions detection was at chance level. Results suggest that multichannel tDCS over bilateral TPJ does not affect performance of low-level emotional recognition tasks in healthy adults. Although preliminary safety and tolerability are demonstrated, further studies over longer periods will be pursued to investigate the clinical efficacy in children/adolescents with ASD, where social cognition impairments are preponderant.

Epidemiological and molecular profile of blood donors infected with HTLV-1/2 in the state of Pará, northern Brazil.

BACKGROUND: The Human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV) is a retrovirus of the genus Deltaretrovirus, which belongs to the family Retroviridae. The most important types are HTLV-1 and HTLV-2. It is estimated that between five and 10 million individuals are infected with HTLV-1, worldwide. Studies in the state of Pará indicate that it has the third highest prevalence of HTLV infections of any Brazilian state. The present study describes the epidemiological, serological, and molecular profile of blood donors from the state of Pará that were classified as unfit due to infection by HTLV-1 and 2. METHODS: The present study is based on a descriptive, retrospective, and cross-sectional review of the epidemiological, serological, and molecular data on blood donations, between January 2015 and December 2019. The data were obtained from the blood bank system and were digitalized to form a database in the Statistical Package for Social Sciences program, version 20. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the absolute and relative frequencies of the qualitative variables. For the quantitative variables, the mean, standard deviation, and minimum and maximum values were calculated. A p < 0.05 significance level was adopted for all analyses. RESULTS: A total of 632 samples were analyzed, of which 496 (78%) had no detectable proviral DNA and 136 (22%) had detectable HTLV. The HTLV-1 was detected in most (78%; 106/136) of these samples, while only 30 (22%) were detected for HTLV-2. The HTLV proviral DNA was detected primarily in females (69.1%), with a mean age of 40 years, with the highest frequencies of detection being recorded in single individuals (66.2%), first-time donors (74.3%), and individuals that had graduated high school (44.1%). The molecular confirmation of HTLV showed that three-quarters (78%) of the serologically reactive individuals were negative for either types 1 or 2, so the epidemiological profile of these individuals was significantly different from their detectable profile. CONCLUSIONS: The HTLV is neglected in Brazil; there is thus a clear need for further research in the area of regional hemotherapy and hematology services, in order to contribute to the definition of regional infection profiles, that will be fundamental to the development of effective prophylactic practices for the prevention of the infection and the dissemination of knowledge on the dangers of HTLV in the community.