Characterization of Headache in COVID-19: a Retrospective Multicenter Study.

Headache is the most common neurological symptom in COVID-19, reported in 6.5 to 34% of patients. Few studies have analyzed its characteristics, and some of them included cases without laboratory confirmation or reported only critical patients. We aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics of COVID-19 associated headache in laboratory-confirmed cases. We conducted a retrospective evaluation of patients with COVID-19 and neurological symptoms. Patients who reported headache answered an interview about its clinical characteristics. Twenty-four patients with COVID-19 associated headache completed the interview. Mean age of patients was 53.8 (standard deviation-17.44), and 14 out of 24 (58.3%) were male. The majority (75%) had no previous history of headache. Fever was documented in 19 out of the 24 patients (79.1%). Headache was predominantly bifrontal or holocranial, in pressure, during hours, worsening with cough or physical activity. COVID-19 headache tends to appear in the first days of symptoms, be either frontal or holocranial and last for days. The quality of pain in pressure and the worsening with cough or physical activity were reported in most cases. We have not found any characteristic that could differentiate COVID-19 associated headache from other causes of headache, possibly because of its multifactorial mechanism.

Análise de dados epidemiológicos de pacientes acompanhadas por neoplasiamamária em um hospital de Fortaleza (CE) / Epidemiological data analysis of patients accompanied by mammary cancer in a hospital in Fortaleza (CE), Brazil

Objetivo: Mediante o impacto na saúde pública e a importância da neoplasia de mama para a saúde da mulher, o objetivo deste estudo foi verificar os fatores de risco, os dados demográficos e os achados ao exame físico e aos exames complementares de uma população de pacientes em acompanhamento por câncer de mama em um hospital de Fortaleza. Métodos: Foi realizado um estudo transversal observacional, descritivo e retrospectivo de base hospitalar. Os dados foram coletados por meio de um instrumento de coleta de informação. As variáveis incluíram: idade, menarca, paridade, idade do primeiro parto, terapia hormonal, amamentação, história familiar, tabagismo, etilismo, achados ao exame físico, exames complementares de imagem e histopatológico. Foi analisada a classificação BI-RADS dos exames de imagem. Resultados: A mediana de idade foi 55 anos. Dentre os fatores de risco, a menarca variou de 9 a 18 anos de idade. 70,0% das mulheres possuíam até 4 filhos, com história de amamentação em 86,7%. O fator terapia hormonal estava presente em 20,3% (11/54), com duração entre 1 e 10 anos; o tabagismo, em 32,7% (18/55). 36,8% (25/68) apresentavam história familiar de neoplasia de mama. Analisando o resultado da primeira mamografia do acompanhamento, identificamos que 28,5% (14/49) apresentaram BI-RADS 0, e 59,2% (29/49), BI-RADS de 4 a 6. Conclusão: O impacto global do câncer de mama em mulheres é considerável e crescente em muitos países. Uma adequada caracterização das populações acometidas auxilia os profissionais de saúde, melhorando seu grau de suspeição e contribuindo para o diagnóstico precoce.

Objective: Through the impact on public health and the importance of breast cancer for women?s health, the aim of this study was to investigate the risk factors, demographic data, findings on physical examination and the findings of laboratory tests of a population of patients under treatment for breast cancer at a hospital in Fortaleza. Methods: We conducted an observational cross-sectional study, descriptive and retrospective hospitalbased. Data were collected through an instrument for collecting information. The variables included age, menarche, parity, age at first birth, hormone therapy, breastfeeding, family history, smoking, alcoholism, findings on physical examination, laboratory tests imaging and histopathology. It analyzed the classification BI-RADS of imaging. Results: The median age was 55 years. Among the risk factors menarche ranged from 9 to 18 years old. 70.0% of women had up to four children, breastfeeding history in 86.7%. Hormonal therapy factor was present in 20.3% (11/54) lasting from 1 to 10; smoking in 32.7% (18/55). 36.8% (25/68) had a family history of breast cancer. Analyzing the results of the first mammography monitoring, we found that 28.5% (14/49) showed BI-RADS 0 and 59.2% (29/49) showed BI-RADS 4?6. Conclusion: The overall impact of breast cancer in women is considerable and growing in many countries. An adequate characterization of affected populations assists healthcare professionals by improving their level of suspicion and contributing to early diagnosis.

Gastroprotective effect of alpha-pinene and its correlation with antiulcerogenic activity of essential oils obtained from Hyptis species.

BACKGROUND: Alpha-pinene (α-pinene) is a monoterpene commonly found in essential oils with gastroprotective activity obtained from diverse medicinal plants, including Hyptis species. The genus Hyptis (lamiaceae) consists of almost 400 species widespread in tropical and temperate regions of America. In the north and northeastern Brazil, some Hyptis species are used in traditional medicine to treat gastrointestinal disturbances. OBJECTIVE: The present study has investigated the gastoprotective effect of purified α-pinene in experimental gastric ulcer induced by ethanol and indomethacin in mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Gastric ulcers were induced in male Swiss mice (20-30 g) by oral administration of absolute ethanol or indomethacin 45 min after oral pretreatment with vehicle, standard control drugs or α-pinene (10, 30, and 100 mg/kg). One hour after the ulcerative challenges, the stomach were removed, and gastric lesions areas measured. The effects of α-pinene on the gastric juice acidity were determined by pylorus ligation model. The gastrointestinal motility and mucus depletion were determined by measuring the gastric levels of phenol red and alcian blue, respectively. Hematoxylin and eosin stained sections of gastric mucosa of the experimental groups were used for histology analysis. RESULTS: α-pinene pretreatment inhibited ethanol-induced gastric lesions, reduced volume and acidity of the gastric juice and increased gastric wall mucus (P < 0.05). Furthermore, we showed an interesting correlation between concentration of α-pinene and gastroprotective effect of Hyptis species (P Pearson = 0.98). CONCLUSION: Our data showed that the α-pinene exhibited significant antiulcerogenic activity and a great correlation between concentration of α-pinene and gastroprotective effect of Hyptis species was also observed.