Low Serum Zinc Levels and Associated Risk Factors in Hospitalized Patients Receiving Oral or Enteral Nutrition: A Case-control Study.

PURPOSE: To assess whether hospitalization and feeding strategy impact the risk of hypozincemia and associated risk factors. METHODS: In this case-control study, serum zinc levels were compared between inpatients fed oral nutrition (ON) (n = 76) or enteral nutrition (EN) (n = 191) with outpatient controls (n = 1095). FINDINGS: Zinc levels were significantly lower in inpatients receiving EN compared with those receiving ON (P = 0.001). Significant (P < 0.001) ß-values of -11.16 and -17.58 for serum zinc concentrations were found for inpatients receiving ON or EN, respectively, compared with the outpatients. Hospitalization and old age were both independent predictors of zinc deficiency. More than 75% of patients >60 years of age fed EN had a zinc concentration <68.75 µg/dL. Low hemoglobin levels increased the risk of low zinc levels for inpatients receiving EN (P = 0.003) and ON (P = 0.026). Age (P < 0.001), noninvasive mechanical ventilatory support (P = 0.016), and critical care (P = 0.018) were risk factors for hypozincemia in patients receiving ON. Low iron levels were associated with hypozincemia (P = 0.001) in patients receiving EN. IMPLICATIONS: Hospitalization and being >60 years of age were risk factors for zinc deficiency. Intensive care and noninvasive mechanical ventilatory support were risk factors for hypozincemia in hospitalized patients who were fed orally. Low hemoglobin levels increased the risk of low zinc concentrations for inpatients receiving EN and ON, and low iron levels were associated with hypozincemia only after EN.

Cerebral vasoreactivity, a surrogate marker of cerebrovascular disease, is not impaired in subjects with lifetime, untreated, congenital isolated GH deficiency.

OBJECTIVES: Cerebrovascular disease (CeVD) is a major cause of death and disability. The role of the GH/IGF-I axis on CeVD risk is controversial. Patients with GH deficiency (GHD) in the setting of hypopituitarism often exhibit CeVD predisposing factors, like low nitric oxide generation, endothelial dysfunction, increased visceral fat mass, increased levels of LDL cholesterol, and increased intima-media thickness, a surrogate marker of atherosclerosis. However, several confounders such as the primary hypothalamic-pituitary lesion, hormonal replacement therapies, consequences of surgery and radiotherapy, may influence this relationship. Therefore, we decided to assess cerebral vasoreactivity, a surrogate marker of CeVD, in adult subjects with untreated isolated GHD (IGHD) due to the same homozygous null mutation in the GHRH receptor gene. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out in 25 adult IGHD subjects and 25 age- and gender-matched controls. Interview, physical examination, laboratory data, intima-media thickness measurement, and transcranial Doppler were performed. The intracranial hemodynamics (mean flow velocity, pulsatility and resistance indexes) were measured, and the response to the vasodilatory stimulus by breath-holding maneuver (breath-holding index) was calculated. RESULTS: IGHD and control groups were similar in Framingham risk score and intima-media thickness. Similarly, there was no difference in mean flow velocity, pulsatility, resistance, and breath-holding index. CONCLUSIONS: Lifetime, untreated IGHD does not cause impaired cerebral vasoreactivity.

Time trends and social security burden of temporary work disability due to chronic venous disease in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Chronic venous disease (CVD) and disability are worldwide problems and have significant socioeconomic implications. This study aims to analyze the time trends and social security burden of temporary work disability due to CVD in Brazil. METHODS: An ecological time series study using the Brazilian Social Security System database was performed from 2005 to 2014. Data from all benefits granted to workers with temporary disability due to CVD were analyzed. The cases were identified using diagnosis codes I83-I83.9 of the International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision (ICD-10). The time trend analyses were performed by the Joinpoint Regression Model, with sex, age, regions, income, and category of affiliation as variables. Crude and age-standardized rates were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 429,438 benefits were granted for temporary work disability due to CVD from 2005 to 2014, with a growing trend and an age-standardized annual percent change (APC) of 3.4 (95% CI: 2.6-4.2) (p < 0.05). Social security expense increased 3.5-fold, and the number of days in benefit doubled from 2005 to 2014. In total, 27,017,818 working days were lost. The average duration of benefits was 55.3 days. The majority of workers were women (68.2%) (p < 0.001), between 30 and 59 years old, employed, had a monthly income ≤2 minimum wages (MW) (83.2%), and lived in the regions southeast (53.6%) and south (29.3%). Significantly higher APCs were observed for women than for men (APC: 4.9, 95% CI: 4.0-5.7 versus APC: 1.2, 95% CI: 0.1-2.4). All regions in Brazil had a significant growing trend, except in the north. No significant growth was observed in the age group of 60-69 years. A decreasing trend was observed in workers with monthly incomes above 2 MW (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Temporary work disability due to CVD and social security burden showed increasing trends with millions of working days lost, particularly among women and low-income workers. Preventing disability is challenging, and public policies are needed to reduce the social and economic impact of disability. Therefore, measures for promoting health at the workplace should be encouraged.

Hearing status in adult individuals with lifetime, untreated isolated growth hormone deficiency.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the hearing status of growth hormone (GH)-naive adults with isolated GH deficiency (IGHD) belonging to an extended Brazilian kindred with a homozygous mutation in the GH-releasing hormone receptor gene. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: Divisions of Endocrinology and Otorhinolaryngology of the Federal University of Sergipe. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Twenty-six individuals with IGHD (age, 47.6 ± 15.1 years; 13 women) and 25 controls (age, 46.3 ± 14.3 years; 15 women) were administered a questionnaire on hearing complaints and hearing health history. We performed pure-tone audiometry, logoaudiometry, electroacoustic immittance, and stapedial reflex. To assess outer hair cell function in the cochlea, we completed transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs). To assess the auditory nerve and auditory brainstem, we obtained auditory brainstem responses (ABRs). RESULTS: Misophonia and dizziness complaints were more frequent in those with IGHD than in controls (P = .011). Patients with IGHD had higher thresholds at 250 Hz (P = .005), 500 Hz (P = .006), 3 KHz (P = .008), 4 KHz (P = .038), 6 KHz (P = .008), and 8 KHz (P = .048) and mild high-tones hearing loss (P = .029). Stapedial reflex (P < .001) and TEOAEs (P = .025) were more frequent in controls. There were no differences in ABR latencies. Hearing loss in patients with IGHD occurred earlier than in controls (P < .001). CONCLUSION: Compared with controls of the same area, subjects with untreated, congenital lifetime IGHD report more misophonia and dizziness, have predominance of mild high-tones sensorineural hearing loss, and have an absence of stapedial reflex and TEOAEs.

[In hospital care for diabetic foot: a comparison between the estimated cost and the SUS reimbursement]. / Internações por pé diabético: comparação entre o custo direto estimado e o desembolso do SUS.

This study aimed to analyze costs for treating patients with diabetic foot cared by the public Brazilian Health System (SUS), comparing the estimated cost with the amount of SUS reimbursement. A cohort prospective study carried out in hospitals that provide services for the Unified Health System in Sergipe, involving 109 hospitalization episodes of patients with diabetes and foot ulcers. We follow these patients day by day and estimated the hospital direct cost and the SUS reimbursement. All patients had type 2 diabetes and the majority of ulcers (64.2%) were classified as Wagner 4 or 5. Forty-three (39.4%) healed without amputation and fifty-two (47.7%) healed with amputation. Fourteen (12.8%) patients died. Hospital direct cost ranged from R$ 943.72 to R$ 16,378.85; with an average of R$ 4,461.04. The SUS reimbursement varied from R$ 96.95 to R$ 2,410.18, with an average of R$ 633.97, usually seven times low. Smaller difference between costs occurred in patients from the Beneficent hospital and higher rates occurred in those treated with minor amputation.

Internações por pé diabético: comparação entre o custo direto estimado e o desembolso do SUS / In hospital care for diabetic foot: a comparison between the estimated cost and the SUS reimbursement

Foram seguidas 109 internações de pacientes com diabetes e ulcerações nos pés na rede do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) em Sergipe, com o objetivo de estimar o custo direto hospitalar e comparar com os valores do desembolso do SUS. Os dados foram coletados desde a admissão até a alta ou o óbito dos casos incluídos, sendo anotadas as características clínicas dos pacientes e os desfechos das internações. Foram calculados o custo direto estimado e o desembolso do SUS. Todos eram portadores de diabetes tipo 2 e a maioria das ulcerações (64,2 por cento) foram classificadas como Wagner 4 ou 5. Evoluíram com alta sem amputação 43 pacientes (39,4 por cento) e 52 (47,7 por cento) com alta após amputação. Evoluíram para óbito 14 pacientes (12,8 por cento). O custo estimado variou de R$ 943,72 a R$ 16.378,85, com média de R$ 4.461,04. O valor do desembolso do SUS variou de R$ 96,95 a R$ 2.410,18, com média de R$ 633,97, cerca de sete vezes inferior. As menores defasagens entre os custos ocorreram nos pacientes assistidos no Hospital Beneficente e as maiores naqueles tratados com amputações menores.

This study aimed to analyze costs for treating patients with diabetic foot cared by the public Brazilian Health System (SUS), comparing the estimated cost with the amount of SUS reimbursement. A cohort prospective study carried out in hospitals that provide services for the Unified Health System in Sergipe, involving 109 hospitalization episodes of patients with diabetes and foot ulcers. We follow these patients day by day and estimated the hospital direct cost and the SUS reimbursement. All patients had type 2 diabetes and the majority of ulcers (64,2 percent) were classified as Wagner 4 or 5. Forty-three (39,4 percent) healed without amputation and fifty-two (47,7 percent) healed with amputation. Fourteen (12,8 percent) patients died. Hospital direct cost ranged from R$ 943.72 to R$ 16,378.85; with an average of R$ 4,461.04. The SUS reimbursement varied from R$ 96.95 to R$ 2,410.18, with an average of R$ 633.97, usually seven times low. Smaller difference between costs occurred in patients from the Beneficent hospital and higher rates occurred in those treated with minor amputation.