Metrology supporting the European regulation for radiation protection.

The European Association of National Metrology Institutes (EURAMET) within its research programme European Metrology Programme for Innovation and Research (EMPIR) funded project EMPIR 19NET03 supportBSS that contributes to the establishment of a European Metrology Network (EMN) for Radiation Protection (RP). The EMN-RP was established in September 2021 with the intent to work as a meeting point for the metrology community and all stakeholders in the field of ionising radiation regulation, thus providing quality assurance for measurements in each of the exposure situations contemplated in the European Legislation. Within project EMPIR 19NET03, work package 3 aims at the preparation of a Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) by identifying the metrology needs to support the European legislation and regulation in Radiation Protection and of two Roadmaps for metrology services, one under the European Council Directive 2013/59/EURATOM and the other under the EURATOM Treaty. Following a Gaps Workshop held in September 2020 and a second internal workshop that took place in April 2022, a questionnaire was prepared for distribution to the stakeholders, e.g. RP platforms and authorities, academia, industry, among other, together with an accompanying paper. In this paper, the authors present the state of the art of European legislation in RP, address the importance of metrology, the practices and activities that need metrology to meet the requirements set in the regulations, emphasise the need for quality assured measurements in all fields, highlight the stakeholders contributions in their specific area and show their vision of the EMN-RP.

Communication in healthcare: experience of students and professionals from teaching- learning to practice in health.

Objectives: This study aimed to understand the teaching-learning experience in the Communication in Healthcare class among students, teaching assistants, and health professionals, as well as its applications to professional practice. Methods: This is a qualitative study with a theoretical approach based on Gadamer's Philosophical Hermeneutics and a methodological framework based on Minayo and Bardin's thematic content analysis. Communication in Healthcare is an elective multiprofessional class, which lasts one semester and is offered regularly. All former students (n = 368) were invited to participate by email, and 30 participated in these focus groups (13 students, 8 teaching assistants, and 9 health professionals). The online focus groups took place on an online platform, and they were video-recorded and subsequently transcribed. Through cross-sectional and vertical analysis, the main themes were identified. Results: The Communication in Healthcare class was an important step for personal, professional, and interprofessional formation and development of communication competence. The following dominant themes were identified: 1) motivation for signing up, 2) prior expectations, 3) meaning of the experience and shaping moments, 4) how the teaching-learning experience was retained and what was retained, 5) repercussions in relation to self, others, and professional life, and 6) reflections about the curriculum, interprofessional dialogue, and formation. Conclusions: The teaching-learning experience was important for the formation of communicational competence. This research contributes to medical education and opens teaching-learning paths for communication skills, empathy, dialogue, and interprofessionalism. Future studies with a philosophical hermeneutic framework and online focus groups are indicated for the comprehension of educational interventions in health.

Effectiveness of chlorthalidone/amiloride versus losartan in patients with stage I hypertension and diabetes mellitus: results from the PREVER-treatment randomized controlled trial.

AIMS: To compare the blood pressure (BP)-lowering efficacy of a chlorthalidone/amiloride combination pill with losartan, during initial management of JNC 7 Stage I hypertension in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. METHODS: In an a priori subgroup analysis of a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial, volunteers aged 30-70 years, with stage I hypertension and diabetes mellitus, were randomized to 12.5/2.5 mg of chlorthalidone/amiloride (N = 47) or 50 mg of losartan (N = 50), and followed for 18 months in 21 clinical centers. If BP remained uncontrolled after three months, study medication dose was doubled, and if uncontrolled after six months, amlodipine (5 and 10 mg) and propranolol (40 and 80 mg BID) were added as open label drugs in a progressive fashion. RESULTS: Systolic BP decreased to a greater extent in participants allocated to diuretics compared to losartan (P < 0.001). After 18 months of follow-up, systolic BP was 128.4 ± 10.3 mmHg in the diuretic group versus 133.5 ± 8.0 in the losartan group (P < 0.01). In the diuretic group, 36 out of 43 participants (83.7%) had a JNC 7 normal BP, compared to 31/47 (66%) in the losartan group (P = 0.089). Serum cholesterol was higher in the diuretic arm at the end of the trial. Other biochemical parameters and reports of adverse events did not differ by treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of hypertension based on a combination of chlorthalidone and amiloride is more effective for BP lowering compared to losartan in patients with diabetes mellitus and hypertension. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical trials registration number: NCT00971165.

The impact of maternal touch of the abdomen on cardiotocography fetal patterns.

INTRODUCTION: Some studies suggest that maternal touch of the abdomen produces an increase in the number of movements of the fetus. However, the influence of maternal touch of the abdomen on fetal cardiotocography patterns has not been studied. METHODS: This nonrandomized, before-after clinical trial that assessed fetal cardiotocography patterns during maternal touch of the abdomen in 28 low-risk pregnant women. RESULTS: Baseline fetal heart rate, accelerations, decelerations, and variability did not change with maternal touch of the abdomen, but fetal movements increased (p = 0.044). CONCLUSION: Fetal movements increases during maternal touch of the abdomen.

Neurodevelopment of 24 children born in Brazil with congenital Zika syndrome in 2015: a case series study.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the neurodevelopment of children with congenital Zika syndrome during the second year of life. DESIGN: Case series study. SETTING: Instituto de Medicina Integral Professor Fernando Figueira (IMIP), Pernambuco, Brazil. PARTICIPANTS: 24 children with congenital Zika syndrome born with microcephaly during the Zika outbreak in Brazil in 2015 and followed up at the IMIP during their second year of life. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Denver Developmental Screening Test II, head circumference and clinical neurological examination. RESULTS: All children presented neurodevelopmental delay: for an average chronological age of 19.9 months, language was equivalent to that of age 2.1 months, gross motor 2.7 months, fine motor/adaptive 3.1 months and personal/social 3.4 months. Head circumference remained below the third percentile for age and gender, and growth rate up to the second year of life was 10.3 cm (expected growth 13 cm). Muscle tone was increased in 23 (95.5%) of 24 children, musculotendinous reflexes were increased in the whole sample and clonus was present in 18 (77.3%) of 24 children. All children except one had epilepsy. CONCLUSION: Children born with microcephaly associated with congenital Zika virus have a significant neurodevelopmental delay.

The use of needle holders in CTF guided biopsies as a dose reduction tool.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of needle holders in reducing staff hand exposure during biopsies guided by computed tomography fluoroscopy (CTF), through the analysis of data acquired during a detailed monitoring study, undertaken in parallel with an ongoing optimization process to reduce hand irradiation. METHODS: Hand monitoring was performed with 11 extremity detectors, two per finger (base and tip) and one on the back of the wrist, for the left (dominant) hand, during two series of biopsies with comparable characteristics. The first series (47 biopsies) were performed with only quick-check method (QC) and occasional side-handle (SH) manipulation of the needle. The second series (63 biopsies) were performed after introducing needle holders (NH) in the course of an optimization process. RESULTS: Choice of technique (QC, QC + NH, QC + SH) by the interventional radiologist (IR) was related to biopsy difficulty. Measured hand exposure was low (< 1 mSv) for all QC-only procedures, and for most of the QC + NH procedures. Occasional side-handle manipulation still occurred during challenging biopsies, so that 8% of biopsies in the second series accounted for ~70% of total fingertip dose (~90 mSv). The methodology used allowed a detailed insight into the dose reduction achievable with needle holders during real procedures, without the limitations of phantom measurements. CONCLUSIONS: Needle holders proved effective in reducing mean hand exposure during clinical procedures where real-time manipulation was necessary. Occasional side-handle manipulation was found to contribute disproportionately to hand exposure. This highlights the importance of individual hand monitoring during CTF guided procedures.

Echocardiographic findings in infants with presumed congenital Zika syndrome: Retrospective case series study.

OBJECTIVE: To report the echocardiographic evaluation of 103 infants with presumed congenital Zika syndrome. METHODS: An observational retrospective study was performed at Instituto de Medicina Integral Prof. Fernando Figueira (IMIP), Recife, Brazil. 103 infants with presumed congenital Zika syndrome. All infants had microcephaly and head computed tomography findings compatible with congenital Zika syndrome. Zika IgM antibody was detected in cerebrospinal fluid samples of 23 infants. In 80 infants, the test was not performed because it was not available at that time. All infants had negative serology for HIV, syphilis, rubella, cytomegalovirus and toxoplasmosis. A complete transthoracic two-dimensional, M-mode, continuous wave and pulsed wave Doppler and color Doppler echocardiographic (PHILIPS HD11XE or HD15) examination was performed on all infants. RESULTS: 14/103 (13.5%) echocardiograms were compatible with congenital heart disease: 5 with an ostium secundum atrial septal defect, 8 had a hemodynamically insignificant small apical muscular ventricular septal defect and one infant with dyspnea had a large membranous ventricular septal defect. The echocardiograms considered normal included 45 infants with a persistent foramen ovale and 16 with a minimum patent ductus arteriosus. CONCLUSIONS: Preliminarily this study suggests that congenital Zika syndrome may be associated with an increase prevalence of congenital heart disease. However the types of defects noted were septal defects, a proportion of which would not be hemodynamically significant.

Maternal pelvic dimensions and neonatal size: Implications for growth plasticity in early life as adaptation.

Patterns of fetal growth predict non-communicable disease risk in adult life, but fetal growth variability appears to have a relatively weak association with maternal nutritional dynamics during pregnancy. This challenges the interpretation of fetal growth variability as 'adaptation'. We hypothesized that associations of maternal size and nutritional status with neonatal size are mediated by the dimensions of the maternal pelvis. We analysed data on maternal height, body mass index (BMI) and pelvic dimensions (conjugate, inter-spinous and inter-cristal diameters) and neonatal gestational age, weight, length, thorax girth and head girth (n = 224). Multiple regression analysis was used to identify independent maternal predictors of neonatal size, and the mediating role of neonatal head girth in these associations. Pelvic dimensions displaced maternal BMI as a predictor of birth weight, explaining 11.6% of the variance. Maternal conjugate and inter-spinous diameters predicted neonatal length, thorax girth and head girth, whereas inter-cristal diameter only predicted neonatal length. Associations of pelvic dimensions with birth length, but not birth weight, were mediated by neonatal head girth. Pelvic dimensions predicted neonatal size better than maternal BMI, and these associations were mostly independent of maternal height. Sensitivity of fetal growth to pelvic dimensions reduces the risk of cephalo-pelvic disproportion, potentially a strong selective pressure during secular trends in height. Selection on fetal adaptation to relatively inflexible components of maternal phenotype, rather than directly to external ecological conditions, may help explain high levels of growth plasticity during late fetal life and early infancy.

Abdominal Fat Distribution Among Breastfed and Formula-Fed Infants.

OBJECTIVES: To compare abdominal subcutaneous and preperitoneal fat thickness among breastfed, mixed-fed, and formula-fed infants during the first 6 months of life. STUDY DESIGN: A cohort study started with 94 healthy newborns and 76 were followed during the whole first semester of life. Breastfeeding status was assessed by a personal interview. Abdominal subcutaneous and preperitoneal fat thickness was measured by ultrasound at the first, third, and sixth month of life. RESULTS: Subcutaneous and preperitoneal fat thickness showed no differences from the first to the sixth month of life among breastfed, mixed-fed,s and formula-fed infants, respectively; subcutaneous: 26.1 ± 10.2 to 57.4 ± 10.3 cm, 27.7 ± 10.5 to 55.4 ± 1.4, and 28.1 ± 10.9 to 52.7 ± 10.6; p = 0.344; preperitoneal: 10.6 ± 2.0 to 15.2 ± 1.7, 10.3 ± 2.8 to 15.5 ± 1.7, and 9.7 ± 2.6 to 15.6 ± 1.6; p = 0.623). No differences were observed among male and female infants. CONCLUSION: Abdominal fat distribution measured by ultrasound seems not to be different among breastfed and formula-fed infants during the first semester of life.

Gafchromic XR-QA2 film as a complementary dosimeter for hand-monitoring in CTF-guided biopsies.

Computed tomography fluoroscopy (CTF) is a useful imaging technique to guide biopsies, particularly lung biopsies, but it also has the potential for very high hand exposures, despite use of quick-check method and needle holders whenever feasible. Therefore, reliable monitoring is crucial to ensure the safe use of CTF. This is a challenge, because ring dosimeters monitor exposure only at the base of one finger, while the fingertips may be exposed to the highly collimated CT beam. In this work we have explored the possibility of using Gafchromic XR-QA2 self-developing film as a complementary dosimeter to quantify hand exposure during CTF-guided biopsies. A glove used in a previous study and designed to contain 11 TLDs was adapted to include Gafchromic strips 7 mm wide, covering the fingers. A total of 22 biopsies were successfully performed wearing this GafTLD glove under sterile gloves, and the IR reported no difficulty or reduction of dexterity while wearing it. Comparison of dose distributions obtained from digitization of the Gafchromic film strips and absolute Hp(0.07) readings from TLDs showed good agreement, despite some positional uncertainty due to relative movement. Per procedure, doses at the base of the ring finger can be as low as 3%-8% of hand dose maximum. Accumulated dose at the base of the ring finger was four times lower than the dose maximum.

Facial responses to basic tastes in the newborns of women with gestational diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: To compare facial responses to basic tastes among newborns of women with and without gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). METHODS: Two-hundred and one healthy newborns, 100 from GDM women were studied at the Instituto de Medicina Integral Prof. Fernando Figueira (IMIP), Brazil. Basic tastes were evaluated through administration of glucose (25%), sodium chloride (1.4%), citric acid (25%) and quinine hydrochloride (25%); 0.2 ml of solution on the dorsal surface of the tongue. All newborns had their face videotaped and facial responses were coded according to the Baby Facial Action Coding System. The frequency of the facial action units was compared among newborns from mothers with and without GDM. RESULTS: Facial responses to salt was more liking among newborns from GDM mothers as compared to controls; 33 (33%) versus 21 (21%), p = 0.039). Facial responses to sweet, sour and bitter showed no differences among newborns from mothers with and without GDM. Facial expressions to basic tastes showed no differences among newborns from controlled and non- controlled GDM mothers. CONCLUSION: Newborns from GDM mothers seem to have a little more preference taste to salt. Further studies are needed to confirm this finding and to verify if these newborns responses to basic tastes remain life-long.

Leptin and cardiometabolic risk factors in obese children and adolescents.

AIM: To verify the relationship between leptin and cardiometabolic risk factors in obese children and adolescents. METHODS: A cross-sectional study evaluated 200 children and adolescents treated in Campina Grande, Brazil, from April 2009 to March 2010. Leptin, fasting glucose, insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and triglycerides were determined. The t-test was used to compare leptin means of two groups and analysis of variance to compare means of three groups. Multiple comparisons of pairs of group means were performed with Tukey's test. In all tests, a significance level of 0.05 was adopted. RESULTS: The leptin sample mean was 22.7 ± 10.0 µg/L (95% confidence interval: 21.3 µg/L to 24.1 µg/L). Leptin was significantly higher in the following groups: female, teenager, increased waist circumference, high systolic blood pressure, elevated triglycerides hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. Most cardiometabolic risk factors had higher means in the last quartile of leptin, except total-cholesterol, LDL-C and triglycerides levels. HDL-C was reduced in the last quartile of leptin. Simple linear regression analysis showed a significant negative correlation between leptin and HDL-C and a positive correlation between leptin and triglycerides, insulin, HOMA-IR, body mass index, waist circumference, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Multiple linear regression models showed an independent association between leptin and HDL-C, triglycerides, insulin, HOMA-IR, body mass index, waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, after age and gender control. CONCLUSION: Leptin may be a useful marker of metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance in obese adolescents.

Longitudinal variance of visceral fat thickness in pregnant adolescents.

This study aims to investigate the longitudinal change in visceral fat thickness (VFT) during normal pregnancy. A prospective cohort study with 75 primiparous adolescents was carried out in Petrolina, Brazil. VFT was evaluated by ultrasound between 12-20 weeks gestation and immediately after delivery. We noted a statistically significant increase in VFT; 1.3 cm ± 1.0. No correlation was found between VFT and maternal anthropometric variables. VFT increases about 30% from the first to the second half of pregnancy in primiparous adolescents.

Abdominal adiposity and insulin resistance in early pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: High pre-pregnancy body mass index is a known risk factor for gestational diabetes mellitus, but the contribution of abdominal adiposity to insulin resistance (IR) in pregnancy is not well understood. We assessed the association between abdominal adiposity in early pregnancy and IR. METHODS: We completed a prospective cohort study of 79 pregnant women. Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) depth was measured by ultrasonography at 11 to 14 weeks' gestation, at the time of routine fetal nuchal translucency assessment. A two-hour 75 g oral glucose tolerance test was subsequently completed at 16 to 22 weeks' gestation and IR was estimated by the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) as well as by the insulin sensitivity index. RESULTS: After adjusting for maternal age, parity, ethnicity, and pre-pregnancy BMI, VAT depth explained 42% of the variance in HOMA-IR, which was slightly better than the variance in the multivariable model examining HOMA-IR and pre-pregnancy BMI (40%). For the insulin sensitivity index, the model variance values were 36% and 32%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Measurement of maternal adipose tissue depth at the time of routine first-trimester ultrasonography may provide additional information about maternal IR, beyond pre-pregnancy BMI.

Contexte : Bien que la présence d'un indice de masse corporelle prégrossesse élevé soit un facteur de risque connu pour ce qui est du diabète sucré gestationnel, l'apport de l'adiposité abdominale à l'insulinorésistance (IR) pendant la grossesse n'est pas bien compris. Nous avons évalué l'association entre l'adiposité abdominale aux débuts de la grossesse et l'IR. Méthodes : Nous avons mené une étude de cohorte prospective auprès de 79 femmes enceintes. La profondeur du tissu adipeux viscéral (TAV) a été mesurée par échographie à 11-14 semaines de gestation, dans le cadre de l'évaluation systématique de la clarté nucale fœtale. Une épreuve d'hyperglycémie provoquée par voie orale (deux heures, 75 g) a par la suite été menée à 16-22 semaines de gestation et l'IR a été estimée au moyen du modèle homéostatique d'évaluation de l'insulinorésistance (HOMA-IR), ainsi qu'au moyen de l'indice de sensibilité à l'insuline. Résultats : À la suite de la neutralisation des effets de l'âge maternel, de la parité, de l'ethnicité et de l'IMC prégrossesse, la profondeur du TAV a permis d'expliquer 42 % de la variance constatée dans le cadre du HOMA-IR, ce qui était légèrement mieux qu'en ce qui concerne la variance constatée dans le cadre du modèle multivarié faisant appel au HOMA-IR et à l'IMC prégrossesse (40 %). Pour ce qui est de l'indice de sensibilité à l'insuline, les valeurs quant à la variance pour chacun des modèles ont été de 36 % et de 32 %, respectivement. Conclusion : La mesure de la profondeur du tissu adipeux maternel, au moment de la tenue systématique de l'échographie au cours du premier trimestre, pourrait fournir des renseignements supplémentaires au sujet de l'IR maternelle, au-delà de ce qu'indique l'IMC prégrossesse.

Visceral adiposity in the first half of pregnancy predicts newborn weight among adolescent mothers.

OBJECTIVE: Maternal obesity is a strong risk factor for gestational diabetes mellitus and fetal macrosomia. We assessed the association between maternal visceral adiposity tissue (VAT) depth in the first half of pregnancy and both glucose tolerance in late pregnancy and newborn weight in pregnant adolescents. METHODS: We completed a prospective cohort study of 73 pregnant adolescents aged 10 to 19 years, without pre-pregnancy diabetes. VAT depth was measured by ultrasound at 12 to 20 weeks' gestation, followed by a two-hour 75-g oral glucose tolerance test at 36 to 39 weeks' gestation, to determine the glucose area under the curve (AUC glucose0-120). The association between VAT depth and newborn weight was evaluated by multiple linear regression analysis, controlling for maternal age, parity, smoking, gestational age at delivery, infant sex, pre-pregnancy BMI, weight gain in pregnancy, and fasting serum glucose at 36 to 39 weeks' gestation. The relation between VAT depth and AUC glucose0-120 was assessed by linear regression analysis, adjusting for maternal age, parity, smoking, pre-pregnancy BMI, and weight gain in pregnancy. RESULTS: A 1 cm increase in VAT depth was associated with a 206 g (95% CI 101 to 311) adjusted increase in mean birth weight. VAT depth and the other model covariates together explained more of the variance in birth weight (r(2) = 0.282; P < 0.001) than pre-pregnancy BMI with the other covariates in the same model (r(2) = 0.081; P = 0.076). All three glucose tolerance test measures were performed at 36 to 39 weeks' gestation in 51 of the 73 participants. The relationship between VAT depth and AUC glucose0-120 was not significant (P = 0.43). CONCLUSION: VAT depth in the first half of pregnancy predicts newborn weight better than BMI, but is not associated with glucose tolerance in late pregnancy.

Objectif : L'obésité maternelle constitue un solide facteur de risque en ce qui concerne le diabète sucré gestationnel et la macrosomie fœtale. Nous avons évalué, chez des adolescentes enceintes, l'association entre, d'une part, la profondeur du tissu adipeux viscéral (TAV) maternel au cours de la première moitié de la grossesse et, d'autre part, la tolérance au glucose aux derniers moments de la grossesse et le poids du nouveau-né. Méthodes : Nous avons mené une étude de cohorte prospective auprès de 73 adolescentes enceintes âgées de 10 à 19 ans qui ne présentaient pas un diabète prégrossesse. La profondeur du TAV a été mesurée par échographie à 12 - 20 semaines de gestation; par la suite, nous avons mené une épreuve d'hyperglycémie provoquée par voie orale (deux heures, 75 g) à 36 - 39 semaines de gestation, en vue de déterminer la surface sous la courbe du glucose (SSC glucose0­120). L'association entre la profondeur du TAV et le poids du nouveau-né a été évaluée au moyen d'une analyse de régression linéaire multiple, en neutralisant l'effet de l'âge maternel, de la parité, du tabagisme, de l'âge gestationnel au moment de l'accouchement, du sexe du nouveau-né, de l'IMC prégrossesse, du gain pondéral pendant la grossesse et de la glycémie à jeun à 36 - 39 semaines de gestation. La relation entre la profondeur du TAV et la SSC glucose0­120 a été évaluée au moyen d'une analyse de régression linéaire, en neutralisant l'effet de l'âge maternel, de la parité, du tabagisme, de l'IMC prégrossesse et du gain pondéral pendant la grossesse. Résultats : L'augmentation de la profondeur du TAV d'un centimètre a été associée à une hausse corrigée du poids moyen de naissance de 206 g (IC à 95 %, 101 - 311). La profondeur du TAV (prise en considération conjointement avec les autres covariables du modèle) a mieux permis d'expliquer la variance du poids de naissance (r2 = 0,282; P < 0,001) que l'IMC prégrossesse (prise en considération conjointement avec les autres covariables du même modèle) (r2 = 0,081; P = 0,076). Les trois épreuves d'hyperglycémie ont été menées à 36 - 39 semaines de gestation chez 51 des 73 participantes. La relation entre la profondeur du TAV et la SSC glucose0­120 ne s'est pas révélée être significative (P = 0,43). Conclusion : Bien que la profondeur du TAV au cours de la première moitié de la grossesse permette de mieux prédire le poids du nouveau-né que l'IMC, elle n'est pas associée à la tolérance au glucose aux derniers moments de la grossesse.

Smaller pelvic size in pregnant adolescents contributes to lower birth weight.

Adolescent pregnancy is associated with low birth weight. This has been explained by socioeconomic or emotional factors. However, an adolescent's pelvis may not be completely developed and this can contribute to impairing fetal growth. Our aim was to compare the relationship between pelvic size and birth weight among adolescents and adult mothers. A cross-sectional study was carried out at Instituto de Medicina Infantil Professor Fernando Figueira (IMIP), Brazil. We studied 125 healthy adolescents and 207 healthy adult women, all of whom were primiparous with a singleton term and low-risk pregnancy. The conjugate, intercristal and interspinous diameters were assessed by the Collins pelvimeter. The effect of pelvic size on the birth weight was evaluated using principal component analysis and multiple linear regression model. The mean pelvic size was smaller in adolescent mothers compared to adult ones (35.1 cm vs. 37.5 cm; p<0.001; t-test). After adjusting for other confounding variables, the predicted birth weights corresponding to these mean values of pelvic size were: 3020±27 g for adolescent mothers and 3145±26 g for adult mothers and showed a significant difference (p<0.001). We concluded that a pelvis that is less than fully developed in adolescents, as assessed by pelvic size, may contribute to lower birth weight in adolescent mothers.

Nasal intermittent positive-pressure ventilation vs nasal continuous positive airway pressure for preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine among preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome whether the use of early nasal intermittent positive-pressure ventilation (NIPPV) vs nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) decreases the need for invasive ventilation within the first 72 hours of life. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and clinicaltrials.gov were searched, as well as abstracts from meetings of the Pediatric Academic Societies. STUDY SELECTION: Randomized controlled trials involving infants with respiratory distress syndrome who received NIPPV vs NCPAP. DATA EXTRACTION: Data were extracted on the use of NIPPV vs NCPAP. Also extracted were data on the need for invasive ventilation within the first 72 hours of life and the incidences of bronchopulmonary dysplasia, pneumothorax, necrotizing enterocolitis, and intraventricular hemorrhage, as well as the time to full feeds and the duration of hospital stay. DATA SYNTHESIS: Three trials were included (n = 360). A significant decrease in the need for invasive ventilation was found in the NIPPV group (risk ratio, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.43-0.83). No difference between groups was found in the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (risk ratio, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.09-3.49). No differences in the other outcomes were observed between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: Among preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome, NIPPV decreases the need for invasive ventilation within the first 72 hours of life compared with NCPAP. Trials are needed to assess whether NIPPV minimizes the occurrence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia and other comorbidities.

Obesity patterns among women in a slum area in Brazil.

High-energy diet and sedentary lifestyle fail to completely explain the epidemic of obesity in developing countries. In this cross-sectional survey, the prevalence and patterns of overweight/obesity were assessed among women in a slum in Brazil. Using anthropometric measurements, shorter form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and a 24-hour diet recall questionnaire, data were collected from 632 women aged 20-60 years. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 29% and 17% respectively. Physical inactivity was found in 17% of the women; 12% of them had short stature, and 44% had energy intake below the recommended dietary allowance. Results of multiple logistic regression showed that overweight/obesity differed significantly (p < 0.05) in the following aspects: abdominal circumference, energy intake, and short stature. A high prevalence of overweight/obesity was found in a very poor community associated with high-energy intake and short stature.