Scope of services provided to childhood cancer patients by the Brazilian Pediatric Palliative Care Network.

Introduction: Brazil is a developing and an Upper Middle Income, categorized by the World Bank. Therefore, it is a country that needs a special vision for children with oncological diseases who require Pediatric Palliative Care. This study aimed to understand the specificities of services that provide oncology services in comparison to those that do not provide oncological care. Methods: This is a descriptive, cross-sectional, and online survey study. A questionnaire was created by a multidisciplinary group of leaders from the Brazilian Pediatric Palliative Care Network and then the survey was distributed using a snowball strategy. Results: Of the 90 services that answered the questionnaire, 40 (44.4%) attended oncologic patients. The Southeast represented most of the services (57.57%), followed by the Northeast, with 18.89% (17 services), the South with 12.22% (11 services), and the Center West with 8.89% (8 services). No differences were observed in access to opioid prescriptions between the services. It was observed that those services that attended oncologic patients had a tendency to dedicate more time to Pediatric Palliative Care. Discussion: The distribution of services that cover oncology and those that do not, are similar in the different regions of Brazil. In Brazil, there are difficulties in accessing opioids in pediatrics: access to opioid prescriptions without differences revealed that even pediatric oncologists might have difficulty with this prescription, and this should improve. It is concluded that education in Pediatric Palliative Care is the key to improvements in the area.

Pediatric palliative care for metabolic diseases: 20-year epidemiological survey of outpatients at a Brazilian quaternary hospital.

The interface between pediatric palliative care (PPC) and inborn metabolic diseases (IMD) remains incipient, though these conditions fill the state of art of complex chronic diseases, eligible to this health approach. We analyzed the medical records of PPC clinic during the years 2001 to 2021 and the IMD outpatients. We established a parallel with the world scientific literature concerning the epidemiology of PPC and IMD. Among outpatients, 14% were diagnosed with IMD, which were referred to the PPC service earlier compared to Non-IMD cases. The Group 3 (complex molecules) was the most frequent (64.7%), following by Group 1 representing by small molecules (21.6%), the latter having a lower median age at diagnosis when compared to the former (0.7 vs. 5.2 years, p = 0.001). The sphingolipidoses were the pathologies most frequent in our cohort, in line with what was observed in the literature. There were no differences between IMD groups in terms of diagnosis and PPC referral age, however in Non-IMD conditions, the age of diagnosis were earlier than IMD. Nevertheless, IMD group showed lower age of referral to PPC. The IMD comprises large fraction of outpatients in the PPC setting, thus further studies are needed in this field.

Assessing the Effect of Surface Coating on the Stability, Degradation, Toxicity and Cell Endocytosis/Exocytosis of Upconverting Nanoparticles.

Lanthanide-doped up-converting nanoparticles (UCNPs) have emerged as promising biomedical tools in recent years. Most research efforts were devoted to the synthesis of inorganic cores with the optimal physicochemical properties. However, the careful design of UCNPs with the adequate surface coating to optimize their biological performance still remains a significant challenge. Here, we propose the functionalization of UCNPs with four distinct types of surface coatings, which were compared in terms of the provided colloidal stability and resistance to degradation in different biological-relevant media, including commonly avoided analysis in acidic lysosomal-mimicking fluids. Moreover, the influence of the type of particle surface coating on cell cytotoxicity and endocytosis/exocytosis was also evaluated. The obtained results demonstrated that the functionalization of UCNPs with poly(isobutylene-alt-maleic anhydride) grafted with dodecylamine (PMA-g-dodecyl) constitutes an outstanding strategy for their subsequent biomedical application, whereas poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) coating, although suitable for colloidal stability purposes, hinders extensive cell internalization. Conversely, surface coating with small ligand were found not to be suitable, leading to large degradation degrees of UCNPs. The analysis of particle' behavior in different biological media and in vitro conditions here performed pretends to help researchers to improve the design and implementation of UCNPs as theranostic nanotools.

Polyethylene Film Surface Modification via Benzoic Acid Grafting.

A polyethylene (PE) film surface modification method is proposed via benzoic acid (BA) alkylation grafting to improve the surface affinity to polar substances. The procedure involves sequentially spraying AlCl3 and BA onto the heat-softened PE surface. The occurrence of the alkylation reaction was evaluated through comparative chemical, morphological, and thermal analyses. It was demonstrated that the grafting reaction of BA onto the PE film surface took place, limited to the surface layer, while preserving the bulk properties of PE. The reaction resulted in the formation of aluminum benzoate complexes, which improved the surface affinity to polar compounds. The impact of grafting on the surface properties of PE was further assessed by comparing the behavior of PE films treated with BA and untreated PE films when painted with watercolors. The PE film grafted with BA exhibited increased affinity towards watercolors, providing strong evidence of a change in surface polarity from hydrophobic to hydrophilic. These findings indicate that the proposed methodology effectively renders the PE surface paintable, even with non-toxic water-based inks, making it suitable for applications such as packaging.

Epidemiological Assessment of a Pediatric Palliative Care Clinic at a Brazilian Quaternary Hospital: 20 Years of Experience.

Background: The pediatric palliative care (PPC) sets up an interdisciplinary approach of chronic complex diseases throughout birth to adolescence. It encompasses countless contrasts in development and diagnosis scopes, which make this area a challenge to nonpediatric practitioners. Objective: We sought to assess the most prevalent diseases in follow-up of the PPC team. Methods: We analyzed the medical records of PPC clinic during the years 2001 and 2021 and the diagnosis of outpatients. We established a parallel with the world scientific literature concerning the epidemiology of PPC. Results: The most prevalent diseases were epidermolysis bullosa (36.9%), followed by neurological Inherited Errors of Metabolism (IEM) diseases (19.0%), IEM diseases (14.3%), dysmorphological and chromosomal disorders (8.5%), skeletal disorders mainly osteogenesis imperfecta (6.9%), and liver transplantation conditions (5.5%) (p < 0.001). The less frequent conditions were external causes, such as neonatal insults or traffic accidents (2.8%), cancer (1.7%), congenital cardiopathies (1.4%), congenital infectious diseases (1.1%), gastrointestinal and hepatic conditions (0.8%), and rheumatological conditions (0.3%). The patients were older at diagnosis (6.9 years) and at PPC referral (13.2 years) than patients with epidermolysis bullosa and skeletal disorders and dysmorphological and chromosomal disorders were younger on referral. Conclusion: There are a lot of complex chronic conditions which could benefit from palliative care in pediatric setting. However, epidemiological and symptomatological assessment of the health service is necessary to provide an appropriate care to the country's reality.

Advantages of whole-exome sequencing over immunomapping in 67 Brazilian patients with epidermolysis bullosa.

BACKGROUND: Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is characterized by skin fragility and blistering. In Brazil, the diagnosis is usually obtained through immunomapping, which involves a skin biopsy. Most recently, whole exome sequencing (WES) has become an important tool for the diagnosis of the subtypes of EB, providing information on prognosis as well as allowing appropriate genetic counseling for the families. OBJECTIVE: To compare the results of immunomapping and molecular analysis and to describe the characteristics of a Brazilian cohort of patients with EB. METHODS: Patients were submitted to clinical evaluation and WES using peripheral blood samples. WES results were compared to those obtained from immunomapping testing from skin biopsies. RESULTS: 67 patients from 60 families were classified: 47 patients with recessive dystrophic EB (DEB), 4 with dominant DEB, 15 with EB simplex (EBS), and 1 with junctional EB (JEB). Novel causative variants were: 10/60 (16%) in COL7A1 associated with recessive DEB and 3 other variants in dominant DEB; one homozygous variant in KRT5 and another homozygous variant in PLEC, both associated with EBS. Immunomapping was available for 59 of the 67 patients and the results were concordant with exome results in 37 (62%), discordant in 13 (22%), and inconclusive in 9 patients (15%). STUDY LIMITATIONS: Even though EB is a rare disease, for statistical purposes, the number of patients evaluated by this cohort can still be considered limited; other than that, there was a significant difference between the proportion of types of EB (only one case with JEB, against more than 50 with DEB), which unfortunately represents a selection bias. Also, for a small subset of families, segregation (usually through Sanger sequencing) was not an option, usually due to deceased or unknown parent status (mostly the father). CONCLUSION: Although immunomapping has been useful in services where molecular studies are not available, this invasive method may provide a misdiagnosis or an inconclusive result in about 1/3 of the patients. This study shows that WES is an effective method for the diagnosis and genetic counseling of EB patients.

The Role of SOX2 and SOX9 in Radioresistance and Tumor Recurrence.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) exhibits considerable variability in patient outcome. It has been reported that SOX2 plays a role in proliferation, tumor growth, drug resistance, and metastasis in a variety of cancer types. Additionally, SOX9 has been implicated in immune tolerance and treatment failures. SOX2 and SOX9 induce treatment failure by a molecular mechanism that has not yet been elucidated. This study explores the inverse association of SOX2/SOX9 and their distinct expression in tumors, influencing the tumor microenvironment and radiotherapy responses. Through public RNA sequencing data, human biopsy samples, and knockdown cellular models, we explored the effects of inverted SOX2 and SOX9 expression. We found that patients expressing SOX2LowSOX9High showed decreased survival compared to SOX2HighSOX9Low. A survival analysis of patients stratified by radiotherapy and human papillomavirus brings additional clinical relevance. We identified a gene set signature comprising newly discovered candidate genes resulting from inverted SOX2/SOX9 expression. Moreover, the TGF-ß pathway emerges as a significant predicted contributor to the overexpression of these candidate genes. In vitro findings reveal that silencing SOX2 enhances tumor radioresistance, while SOX9 silencing enhances radiosensitivity. These discoveries lay the groundwork for further studies on the therapeutic potential of transcription factors in optimizing HNSCC treatment.

Advantages of whole-exome sequencing over immunomapping in 67 Brazilian patients with epidermolysis bullosa

Abstract Background Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is characterized by skin fragility and blistering. In Brazil, the diagnosis is usually obtained through immunomapping, which involves a skin biopsy. Most recently, whole exome sequencing (WES) has become an important tool for the diagnosis of the subtypes of EB, providing information on prognosis as well as allowing appropriate genetic counseling for the families. Objective To compare the results of immunomapping and molecular analysis and to describe the characteristics of a Brazilian cohort of patients with EB. Methods Patients were submitted to clinical evaluation and WES using peripheral blood samples. WES results were compared to those obtained from immunomapping testing from skin biopsies. Results 67 patients from 60 families were classified: 47 patients with recessive dystrophic EB (DEB), 4 with dominant DEB, 15 with EB simplex (EBS), and 1 with junctional EB (JEB). Novel causative variants were: 10/60 (16%) in COL7A1 associated with recessive DEB and 3 other variants in dominant DEB; one homozygous variant in KRT5 and another homozygous variant in PLEC, both associated with EBS. Immunomapping was available for 59 of the 67 patients and the results were concordant with exome results in 37 (62%), discordant in 13 (22%), and inconclusive in 9 patients (15%). Study limitations Even though EB is a rare disease, for statistical purposes, the number of patients evaluated by this cohort can still be considered limited; other than that, there was a significant difference between the proportion of types of EB (only one case with JEB, against more than 50 with DEB), which unfortunately represents a selection bias. Also, for a small subset of families, segregation (usually through Sanger sequencing) was not an option, usually due to deceased or unknown parent status (mostly the father). Conclusion Although immunomapping has been useful in services where molecular studies are not available, this invasive method may provide a misdiagnosis or an inconclusive result in about 1/3 of the patients. This study shows that WES is an effective method for the diagnosis and genetic counseling of EB patients.

Patau and Edwards Syndromes in a University Hospital: beyond palliative care / Síndrome de Edwards e Patau em um hospital universitário: além do paliativo

ABSTRACT Objective: To describe the newborn population with Patau (T13) and Edwards Syndrome (T18) with congenital heart diseases that stayed in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a quaternary care hospital complex, regarding surgical and non-surgical medical procedures, palliative care, and outcomes. Methods: Descriptive case series conducted from January/2014 to December/2018 through analysis of records of patients with positive karyotype for T13 or T18 who stayed in the ICU of a quaternary hospital. Descriptive statistics analysis was applied. Results: 33 records of eligible patients were identified: 27 with T18 (82%), and 6 T13 (18%); 64% female and 36% male. Eight were preterm infants with gestational age between 30-36 weeks (24%), and only 4 among the 33 infants had a birth weight >2500 g (12%). Four patients underwent heart surgery and one of them died. Intrahospital mortality was 83% for T13, and 59% for T18. The majority had other malformations and underwent other surgical procedures. Palliative care was offered to 54% of the patients. The median hospitalization time for T18 and T13 was 29 days (range: 2-304) and 25 days (13-58), respectively. Conclusions: Patients with T13 and T18 have high morbidity and mortality, and long hospital and ICU stays. Multicentric studies are needed to allow the analysis of important aspects for creating protocols that, seeking therapeutic proportionality, may bring better quality of life for patients and their families.

RESUMO Objetivo: Descrever a população de recém-nascidos com síndrome de Patau (T13) e Edwards (T18) portadores de cardiopatias congênitas, que permaneceram em Unidades de Terapia Intensiva (UTI) de um complexo hospitalar quaternário, com relação a conduta cirúrgica ou não, cuidados paliativos e seus desfechos. Métodos: Série de casos de pacientes internados entre janeiro de 2014 a dezembro de 2018, com análise dos prontuários de portadores de T13 ou T18 que permaneceram internados em UTI que recebem neonatos nesse hospital quaternário. Utilizou-se análise estatística descritiva. Resultados: Foram identificados 33 prontuários para análise — 27 T18 (81,8%) e seis T13 (18,2%); 64% do sexo feminino e 36% do sexo masculino. Oito foram prematuros, nascidos com 30 a 36 semanas (24,2%), e apenas quatro nasceram com mais de 2500 g (12,1%). Quatro pacientes foram submetidos a cirurgia cardíaca e um deles foi a óbito. A mortalidade intra-hospitalar foi de 83% para T13 e 59% para T18. A maioria apresentava outras malformações e foi submetida a outras cirurgias. Cuidados paliativos foram oferecidos a 54% dos pacientes. A mediana do tempo de hospitalização para T18 e T13 foi respectivamente de 29 dias (variação: 2-304) e 25 dias (13-58). Conclusões: Pacientes com T13 e T18 cursam com alta morbimortalidade e longa permanência hospitalar em UTI. São necessários estudos multicêntricos para melhor análise de aspectos importantes para a criação de protocolos que, buscando proporcionalidade terapêutica, tragam melhor qualidade de vida para os pacientes e suas famílias.

Prevalência de episiotomia em uma maternidade de referência em alto risco e seus fatores associados / Use of episiotomy in a high-risk reference maternity hospital and its associated factors

Objetivo: Analisar a prática da episiotomia em uma maternidade de alto risco e seus fatores associados. Método: Trata-se de um estudo transversal que analisou um total de 333 fichas obstétricas anexadas aos prontuários de puérperas de uma maternidade de alto risco no período de janeiro a dezembro de 2021. Os dados foram coletados de agosto a dezembro do ano de 2022. A análise foi realizada de forma descritiva, utilizando-se o teste Qui-Quadrado a fim de comparar e delinear as proporções dos grupos de amostras de interesse. Resultados: Em 5,41% (18) das parturientes, realizou-se episiotomia; 66,67% (12) tinham histórico de síndrome hipertensiva na gestação; 55,56% (10) encontravam-se na faixa etária de 20-29 anos; das parturientes, 94,44% (17) pariram em posição litotômica; 94,44% (17) eram primíparas, sem acompanhante na hora do parto, 88,89% (16); e 66,11% (11) tiveram assistência prestada por profissional médico. Conclusão: Muitas são as barreiras a serem enfrentadas para promover e ressaltar o protagonismo da mulher durante o processo de parir, as informações trazidas por este estudo permitiram concluir a continuidade da prática da episiotomia. Com isso, espera-seque o estudo contribua para mudança, readequação e sensibilização das práticas obstétricas profissionais para que ocorra uma transformação desse cenário. Descritores: Episiotomia; Enfermagem Obstétrica; Parto Normal

Objective: To analyze the practice of episiotomy in a high-risk maternity hospital and its associated factorsMethods: This is a cross-sectional study, which analyzed a total of 333 obstetric records attached to the medical records of puerperal women in a high-risk maternity hospital from January to December 2021. Data were collected from August to December 2022. The analysis was performed descriptively, using the Chi-Square test in order to compare and delineate the proportions of the groups of samples interest. Results: In 5.41% (18) of the parturients, an episiotomy was performed, 66.67% (12) had a history of hypertensive syndrome during pregnancy, 55.56% (10) were in the age group of 20-29 years, of the parturients 94.44% (17) gave birth in a lithotomic position; 94.44% (17) were primiparous, unaccompanied at the time of delivery 88.89% (16) and had assistance provided by a medical professional 66.11% (11).Conclusion: There are many barriers to be faced to promote and emphasize the role of women during the process of delivery. The information brought by this study allowed us to conclude the continuity of episiotomy practice. Thus, it is expected that the study will contribute to change, readjustment and sensitization of professional obstetric practices, so that a transformation of this scenario occurs. Descriptors: Episiotomy; Obstetric Nursing. Normal delivery.

Prevalência de episiotomia em uma maternidade de referência em alto risco e seus fatores associados / Use of episiotomy in a high-risk reference maternity hospital and its associated factors

Objetivo: Analisar a prática da episiotomia em uma maternidade de alto risco e seus fatores associados. Método: Trata-se de um estudo transversal que analisou um total de 333 fichas obstétricas anexadas aos prontuários de puérperas de uma maternidade de alto risco no período de janeiro a dezembro de 2021. Os dados foram coletados de agosto a dezembro do ano de 2022.A análise foi realizada de forma descritiva, utilizando-se o teste Qui-Quadrado a fim de comparar e delinear as proporções dos grupos de amostras de interesse. Resultados: Em 5,41% (18) das parturientes, realizou-se episiotomia; 66,67% (12) tinham histórico de síndrome hipertensiva na gestação; 55,56% (10) encontravam-se na faixa etária de 20-29 anos; das parturientes, 94,44% (17) pariram em posição litotômica; 94,44% (17) eram primíparas, sem acompanhante na hora do parto, 88,89% (16); e 66,11% (11) tiveram assistência prestada por profissional médico. Conclusão: Muitas são as barreiras a serem enfrentadas para promover e ressaltar o protagonismo da mulher durante o processo de parir, as informações trazidas por este estudo permitiram concluir a continuidade da prática da episiotomia. Com isso, espera-seque o estudo contribua para mudança, readequação e sensibilização das práticas obstétricas profissionais para que ocorra uma transformação desse cenário. Descritores: Episiotomia; Enfermagem Obstétrica; Parto Normal.

Objective: To analyze the practice of episiotomy in a high-risk maternity hospital and its associated factorsMethods: This is a cross-sectional study, which analyzed a total of 333 obstetric records attached to the medical records of puerperal women in a high-risk maternity hospital from January to December 2021. Data were collected from August to December 2022. The analysis was performed descriptively, using the Chi-Square test in order to compare and delineate the proportions of the groups of samples of interest.Results: In 5.41% (18) of the parturients, an episiotomy was performed, 66.67% (12) had a history of hypertensive syndrome during pregnancy, 55.56% (10) were in the age group of 20-29 years, of the parturients 94.44% (17) gave birth in a lithotomic position; 94.44% (17) were primiparous, unaccompanied at the time of delivery 88.89% (16) and had assistance provided by a medical professional 66.11% (11). Conclusion: There are many barriers to be faced to promote and emphasize the role of women during the process of delivery. The information brought by this study allowed us to conclude the continuity of episiotomy practice. Thus, it is expected that the study will contribute to change, readjustment and sensitization of professional obstetric practices, so that a transformation of this scenario occurs. Descriptors: Episiotomy; Obstetric Nursing; Normal delivery.

Exploring the Brazilian pediatric palliative care network: a quantitative analysis of a survey data / Explorando a rede brasileira de cuidados paliativos pediátricos: uma análise quantitativa de levantamento de dados

Abstract Objective: The aim of this study was to identify the characteristics of services in Brazil that compound the Brazilian Pediatric Palliative Care (PPC) Network. Methods: An online survey was conducted among representatives from PPC services. A total of 90 services from Brazil completed the online survey and answered a questionnaire about the service's characterization, health professionals working in PPC, access to opioid prescription and education, and research in PPC. Results: In total, 80 services (88.9%) were created after 2010, 52 (57.9%) were in the southeast region, 56 (62.2%) were in public hospitals, 63 (70%) had up to 100 beds, and 57 (63.3%) were at the tertiary level. Notably, 88 (97.8%) had a physician in the team and 68 (75.5%) dedicated part-time to PPC. Also, 33 (36.7%) revealed concern with the care of health professionals and 36 (40%) reported difficulty or no access to opioid prescription. Research studies were reported to be conducted in 29 (32.2%) services. Conclusions: This mapping points out to a concentration of PPC services in the southeast region, with part-time professional dedication, and the need to improve professionals' care. Difficulty in opioid access was reported. It is necessary to extend PPC participation to other Brazilian regions, increase time dedicated to PPC, improve professionals' care and improve access to opioid prescription.

RESUMO Objetivo: Identificar as características dos serviços que compõem a Rede Brasileira de Cuidados Paliativos Pediátricos (CPP). Métodos: Estudo do tipo survey online entre representantes de serviços de CPP. O total de 90 serviços do Brasil participaram da pesquisa e responderam a um questionário sobre a caracterização do serviço, os profissionais de saúde que nele atuam, o acesso à prescrição de opioides e a educação e pesquisa em CPP. Resultados: Oitenta serviços (88,9) foram criados após 2010, 52 (57,9%) estão na Região Sudeste, 56 (62,2%) em hospitais públicos, 63 (70%) têm até cem leitos e 57 (63,3%) estão no nível terciário. Oitenta e oito serviços (97,8%) tinham um médico na equipe e, em 68 (75,5%), os profissionais dedicavam parte de seu tempo aos CPP. Trinta e três serviços (36,7%) revelaram preocupação com o atendimento aos profissionais de saúde. Trinta e seis (40%) relataram dificuldade ou nenhum acesso à prescrição de opioides. Foi reportada a realização de pesquisas em 29 (32,2%). Conclusões: Este mapeamento aponta para a concentração dos serviços de CPP na Região Sudeste, com dedicação parcial dos profissionais, e para a necessidade de cuidar deles. Foi relatada dificuldade no acesso aos opioides. É necessário estender a participação na rede de CPP para outras regiões do Brasil, aumentar o tempo dedicado aos CPP pelos profissionais e cuidar destes, além de melhorar o acesso à prescrição de opioides.

Meningite bacteriana: uma revisão / Bacterial meningitis: a review

A meningite bacteriana é uma inflamação das leptomeninges que envolvem o Sistema Nervoso Central. Essa patologia, que possui diversos agentes etiológicos, apresenta-se na forma de síndrome, com quadro clínico grave. Entre as principais bactérias que causam a meningite, estão a Neisseria meningitis e Streptococcus pneumoniae. A transmissão ocorre através das vias aéreas por meio de gotículas, sendo a corrente sanguínea a principal rota para as bactérias chegarem à barreira hematoencefálica e, a partir dessa, até as meninges. Atualmente existem vários métodos de diagnóstico precisos, onde a cultura de líquido cefalorraquidiano (LCR) é o método padrão ouro. Ademais, a melhora na qualidade do tratamento com beta-lactâmicos e a maior possibilidade de prevenção, devido à elevação do número e da eficácia de vacinas, vem contribuindo para redução dos casos da doença e de sua gravidade. Porém, apesar desses avanços, ainda há um elevado número de mortalidades e sequelas causadas por essa síndrome.

Bacterial meningitis is an inflammation of the leptomeninges that surround the Central Nervous System. This pathology, which has several etiological agents, is presented as a syndrome with a severe clinical scenario. The main bacteria causing meningitis include Neisseria meningitis and Streptococcus pneumoniae. It can be transmitted by droplets through the airways, with the bacteria using the bloodstream as the main route to reach the blood-brain barrier, and from there to the meninges. There are currently several accurate diagnostic methods, with CSF culture being the gold standard. In addition, the improvement in the quality of beta-lactam treatment and the greater possibility of prevention due to the increased number and effectiveness of vaccines have contributed to reducing the number of cases and severity of the disease. Nevertheless, despite these advances, this syndrome still presents a high number of mortalities and sequelae.

Clinical management of fever in children in Brazil: practical recommendations from an expert panel

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to answer several questions related to the assessment and treatment of fever, as well as other controversies that exist during its management in pediatric patients. First, an advisory board with medical experts was conducted to discuss the clinical journey of these patients, considering the main challenges and possible solutions. After this discussion, a non-systematic literature review was performed, between November 2019 and January 2020, to collect the most relevant evidence available in the scientific databases MEDLINE, Lilacs, and SciELO. A narrative review was carried out based on scientific evidence and on extensive experience of experts in clinical practice. The experts developed a set of recommendations and clarifications about the assessment of the severity of fever in pediatrics, the need for treatment and the choice of the most appropriate antipyretic. The most common controversies in the management of fever in pediatric patients were also addressed, such as alternating antipyretics, persistent fever, and dose equivalence. In primary management of pediatric patients, fever should be seen as a relevant symptom that requires treatment with antipyretics in potentially more complex or severe cases, when it causes discomfort to children or is associated with infectious diseases.

Avaliação do conhecimento sobre a doença de Chagas em escolares das zonas rural e urbana de municípios endêmicos em Minas Gerais / Assessment of knowledge about Chagas disease in schoolchildren in rural and urban areas of endemic municipalities in Minas Gerais state, Brazil

Resumo O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o conhecimento de escolares do ensino médio de três escolas localizadas em municípios mineiros endêmicos para a doença de Chagas e extrair informações relativas à sua percepção em relação aos aspectos gerais, biológicos, clínicos e epidemiológicos da doença, do vetor e controle entomológico da doença de Chagas, além de comparar o conhecimento dos participantes em função da localização das escolas (zona rural ou urbana). Para isso, aplicou-se um questionário semiestruturado a 68 alunos. Todos os participantes já ouviram falar a respeito da doença de Chagas, afirmando ter adquirido esse conhecimento, sobretudo, com familiares e escola. Além disso, muitos participantes demonstraram conhecer os hábitos dos vetores, tais como hematofagia e fontes alimentares. Não houve associação clara entre o perfil de urbanização e o conhecimento dos participantes. No entanto, alunos da zona urbana apresentaram menos conhecimento prático a respeito dos triatomíneos e aspectos relativos à transmissão da doença, em relação aos alunos da zona mais "ruralizada". Sugere-se o aprofundamento do tema nos currículos escolares do ensino médio e a necessidade de elaboração de ações de educação em saúde voltadas à vigilância entomológica da doença de Chagas nesses municípios e, provavelmente, em outras regiões do Brasil.

Abstract This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge of high school students from three schools located in endemic municipalities of Minas Gerais to Chagas disease and to extract information related to their perception regarding the general, biological, clinical and epidemiological aspects of the disease, vector and entomological control of Chagas disease, in addition to comparing the knowledge of participants according to the location of schools (rural or urban area). For this, a semi-structured questionnaire was applied to 68 students. All participants have heard about Chagas disease, stating that they have acquired this knowledge, especially with family members and school. In addition, many participants demonstrated to know the habits of vectors, such as hematophagy and dietary sources. There was no clear association between the urbanization profile and the participants' knowledge. However, students from the urban area presented less practical knowledge about triatoins and aspects related to the transmission of the disease, in relation to students in the most "ruralized" area. It is suggested the deepening of the theme in high school curricula and the need to develop health education actions aimed at entomological surveillance of Chagas disease in these municipalities and, probably, in other Brazilian regions.

Breaking bad news in a neonatal intensive care: the parents evaluation / Comunicação de más notícias em uma unidade de terapia intensiva neonatal: a avaliação feita pelos pais

ABSTRACT Objective: To describe the reports of parents of newborns (NB) with congenital malformations hospitalized in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) who received bad news, in order to identify the issues related to the perception of bad news given adequately or inadequately. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from January to October 2018, in which parents of newborns with congenital malformations hospitalized in NICUs were interviewed at visiting hours, according to inclusion criteria. The questionnaire had semi-structured questions related to reception of bad news. Analysis of the data was descriptive. Results: 28 mothers and two fathers were interviewed and 16 (53.3%) reported having had at least one bad news in the NICU. Of those, 10 (62.5%) considered appropriate the way in which the news was given. The justifications were: sincerity of the professional, delicacy to give the news, giving hope to the family, use of appropriate words and demonstration of caring about the newborn. Six participants (37.5%) considered inadequate the way of breaking bad news. The reasons were: unpreparedness and lack of knowledge about the child's case, use of difficult language, haste or anxiety and discouragement of family hope. Most of the news was given by a professional alone, often by a medical resident. Conclusions: The communication of bad news was considered adequate by the parents, although this perception was not unanimous. This study, therefore, indicates that it is necessary to improve the communication of bad news in this NICU. Training professionals can assist in this process.

RESUMO Objetivo: Descrever os relatos dos pais de recém-nascidos (RNs) com malformações congênitas internados em uma Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Neonatal (UTIN) a respeito de como receberam as más notícias, buscando identificar as questões relacionadas à percepção de uma má notícia fornecida de forma adequada ou inadequada. Métodos: Realizou-se estudo transversal de janeiro a outubro de 2018, no qual se entrevistaram pais de RNs portadores de malformações congênitas internados em UTIN selecionados segundo critérios de inclusão e presentes em horário de visita. O questionário utilizado tinha questões semiestruturadas pertinentes ao recebimento de más notícias. A análise foi descritiva. Resultados: Entrevistaram-se 28 mães e dois pais, dos quais 16 (53,3%) apontaram ter tido pelo menos uma má notícia na UTIN. Destes, 10 (62,5%) consideraram adequada a maneira de dar essa notícia. As justificativas foram: sinceridade do profissional, delicadeza para dar a notícia, dar esperança à família, uso de palavras adequadas e cuidado demonstrado com o RN. Seis participantes (37,5%) avaliaram como inadequada a comunicação de más notícias. Motivos foram despreparo e falta de conhecimento, uso de linguagem difícil, pressa ou ansiedade e desencorajamento de esperanças da família. A maior parte das notícias foi dada por um profissional sozinho, muitas vezes por um médico residente. Conclusões: A percepção da comunicação de más notícias foi considerada adequada por parte dos pais, embora não tenha sido unânime. Este estudo aponta ser necessário melhorar a comunicação dessas notícias na UTIN analisada. O treinamento dos profissionais, nesse sentido, pode auxiliar nesse processo.

Autoavaliação da saúde de indivíduos com doença renal crônica em terapia dialítica / Health self-assessment by individuals with chronic kidney disease in dialysis therapy / Autoevaluación de la salud de individuos con enfermedad renal crónica en terapia dialítica

Objetivo: analisar a autopercepção de saúde e os fatores associados dos indivíduos com doença renal crônica em terapia dialítica. Método: estudo transversal, quantitativo, com 42 pacientes assistidos na unidade de nefrologia de um hospital público em Recife/PE, no período de maio a agosto de 2016. Os dados foram coletados por meio de entrevista semiestruturada, analisados por estatística descritiva e inferencial, após aprovação do Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa. Resultados: a autoavaliação de saúde ruim esteve presente em 29 (69%) pacientes, porém sem associação com as características sociodemográficas e clínicas (p<0,05). Conclusão: a alta prevalência da autoavaliação de saúde ruim reflete a necessidade de informações educativas e autocuidado para uma melhor compreensão do estado de saúde e consequente adesão terapêutica.

Objective: to examine health self-perception and associated factors in individuals with chronic kidney disease in dialysis therapy. Method: in this quantitative, cross-sectional study of 42 patients attending the nephrology unit of a public hospital in Recife, Pernambuco, from May to August 2016, data were collected by semistructured interview and analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics, after approval by the research ethics committee. Results: 29 patients (69%) self-assessed their health as poor, but no association was found with sociodemographic and clinical characteristics (p<0.05). Conclusion: the high prevalence of self-assessed poor health reflects the need for educational information and self-care for a better understanding of health status and consequent adherence to therapy.

Objetivo: analizar la autopercepción de salud y los factores asociados de los individuos con enfermedad renal crónica en terapia dialítica. Método: estudio transversal, cuantitativo, junto a 42 pacientes asistidos en la unidad de nefrología de un hospital público en Recife/Pernambuco, en el período de mayo a agosto de 2016. Los datos fueron recolectados por medio de entrevista semiestructurada, analizados por estadística descriptiva e inferencial, después de la aprobación del Comité de Ética en Investigación.Resultados: la autoevaluación de mala salud estuvo presente en 29 (69%) pacientes, pero sin asociación con las características sociodemográficas y clínicas (p <0,05). Conclusión: la alta prevalencia de la autoevaluación de mala salud refleja la necesidad de informaciones educativas y autocuidado para una mejor comprensión del estado de salud y consecuente adhesión terapéutica

Description of an amazing nest of Caatinga Cachalote Pseudoseisura cristata infested by Psammolestes tertius in Tauá, state of Ceará, Northeastern Brazil

Psammolestes tertius Lent & Jurberg 1965 is a triatomine species part of the tribe Rhodniini. It is only wild and found in bird nests, mostly of the Furnariidae family. This work describes the amazing infestation of a nest of Pseudoseisura cristata in the municipality of Taua, Ceará. The nest harbored a colony with about 40 specimens of P. tertius in all evolutionary stages, all negative for trypanosomatids. A rodent of the species Wiedomys pyrrhorhinos was seen running away from the nest. The materials used to build the nest included the typical natural wigs, and various anthropogenic materials such as razor blades, shaver, fork, sunglasses, metal fragments, fragments of plastic objects, wire, barbed wire, plastic sandal straps, paper, plastic lid, pieces of plastic bags, gas cylinder label, large feathers and the exuviae of a snake.

Prevalência e fatores associados para a ocorrência de eventos adversos no serviço de hemodiálise / Prevalencia y factores asociados a la ocurrencia de eventos adversos en el servicio de hemodiálisis / Prevalence and factors associated with the occurrence of adverse events in the hemodialysis service

RESUMO Objetivo: analisar a prevalência e os fatores associados para a ocorrência de eventos adversos no serviço de hemodiálise. Método: estudo descritivo longitudinal com abordagem quantitativa, cuja amostra foi composta de 51 pacientes atendidos na unidade de hemodiálise entre maio e julho de 2016. Os dados foram obtidos por meio do registro diário de eventos adversos em um checklist e submetidos análise e, para as variáveis categóricas, foi realizada a análise bivariada, por meio do teste Qui-Quadrado de independência de Pearson. Resultados: foram registrados 1110 eventos adversos com prevalência em 98,03% dos pacientes, sendo os mais frequentes: erro de medicação (45,2%) e fluxo sanguíneo inadequado (42,9%). Quanto ao grau de dano, a maioria dos eventos foi de grau leve (93,8%), seguido do moderado (5,9%). A ocorrência do evento adverso esteve associada ao sexo feminino, idade menor que 40 anos, ausência de comorbidades, tempo de tratamento menor que um ano e uso de cateter venoso central de longa permanência. Conclusão: a prevalência de eventos adversos foi considerada alta, com predominância do grau leve. O estudo reforça a necessidade de estratégias de gestão e assistência para implantação de medidas de controle da ocorrência dos eventos adversos em hemodiálise, resultando em benefícios econômicos e sociais para a instituição e sua clientela.

RESUMEN Objetivo: analizar la prevalencia y los factores asociados a la ocurrencia de eventos adversos en el servicio de hemodiálisis. Método: Estudio descriptivo longitudinal con abordaje cuantitativo, cuya muestra fue compuesta de 51 pacientes atendidos en la unidad de hemodiálisis entre mayo y julio de 2016. Los datos fueron obtenidos por medio del registro diario de eventos adversos en un checklist y sometidos análisis y, para las las variables categóricas, se realizó el análisis bivariado, por medio del test Qui-cuadrado de independencia de Pearson. Resultados: se registraron 1110 eventos adversos con prevalencia en 98,03% de los pacientes, siendo los más frecuentes: error de medicación (45,2%) y flujo sanguíneo inadecuado (42,9%). En cuanto al grado de daño, la mayoría de los eventos fueron de grado leve (93,8%), seguido del moderado (5,9%). La ocurrencia del evento adverso estuvo asociada al sexo femenino, edad menor que 40 años, ausencia de comorbilidades, tiempo de tratamiento menor que un año y uso de catéter venoso central largo plazo. Conclusión: la prevalencia de eventos adversos se consideró alta, con predominancia de eventos leve. El estudio refuerza la necesidad de estrategias de gestión y asistencia para implantación de medidas de control de la ocurrencia de los eventos adversos en hemodiálisis, lo que resulta en beneficios económicos y sociales para la institución y su clientela.

ABSTRACT Objective: to analyze the prevalence and factors associated with the occurrence of adverse events in the hemodialysis service. Method: a longitudinal descriptive study with a quantitative approach, whose sample consisted of 51 patients, the data were obtained through the daily recording of adverse events on a checklist between May and July 2016 the data were submitted to descriptive analysis and, for the categorical variables, the bivariate analysis was performed through the Pearson's Chi-Square Test of Independence in order to investigate the association of the occurrence of AE and demographic and clinical variables. Results: 1110 adverse events with a prevalence in 98.03% of the patients were recorded, with the most frequent being medication error (45.2%) and inadequate blood flow (42.9%). Regarding the level of harm, most of the adverse events were mild (93.8%), followed by moderate (5.9%). The occurrence of the adverse event was associated with the female sex, younger than 40 years of age, absence of comorbidities, treatment time less than one year and use of long-term central venous catheter. Conclusion: the prevalence of adverse events was considered high, with a predominance of mild adverse events. The study reinforces the need for management and assistance strategies in order to implement control measures regarding the occurrence of adverse events in hemodialysis, resulting in economic and social benefits for the institution and its clientele.

Análise dos óbitos e cuidados paliativos em uma unidade de terapia intensiva neonatal / Analysis of death and palliative care in a neonatal intensive care unit

RESUMO Objetivo: Caracterizar as crianças admitidas na Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Neonatal de um hospital universitário terciário que foram a óbito no período de 1.º/01/2012 a 31/07/2014 e que necessitavam de cuidados paliativos e/ou para as quais foram indicados tal tipo de cuidado. Métodos: Realizou-se estudo descritivo retrospectivo. Foi feita revisão dos prontuários desses pacientes para coleta de dados e análise estatística descritiva. Resultados: No período estudado 49 crianças morreram após, no mínimo, 48 horas de internação. Destas, 18% eram prematuros extremos e 77% apresentavam malformações maiores. Apesar de necessários a todos, cuidados paliativos foram realizados apenas em 20% dos casos de óbito. Dos 12 bebês que não foram reanimados, 33% não estavam em cuidados paliativos. A Unidade de Dor e Cuidados Paliativos da instituição acompanhou somente quatro crianças que ficaram em cuidados paliativos. Foram observados uso de muitos dispositivos invasivos e alto investimento terapêutico, além de escores de escala de dor alterados. Conclusões: Detectou-se neste estudo grande proporção de recém-nascidos com doenças e condições graves de saúde. Em alguns poucos casos foram estabelecidos cuidados paliativos, porém para a maior parte não foi nem discutido tal cuidado. Espera-se que este trabalho chame a atenção para a necessidade da proposição de protocolos nessa unidade e capacitação de equipes para o melhor tratamento dessas crianças.

ABSTRACT Objective: To characterize cases of children admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of a tertiary university hospital who died in the period ranging from January 01, 2012 to July 31, 2014, and who required palliative care and/or were subjected to it. Methods: A retrospective descriptive study was carried out by reviewing the medical records of these patients to collect data and to perform descriptive statistical analysis. Results: During the study period, 49 children died after at least 48 hours from the time of admission. Of those, 18% children were extremely premature infants and 77% children had malformations. Although necessary for all of the patients in this study, palliative care was provided for only 20% of patients who died. Among the 12 babies who were not resuscitated, 33% of babies were not in palliative care. The Pain and Palliative Care Unit of the institution followed only four neonates in palliative care. These patients were using many invasive devices, had high therapeutic investment, and also altered pain scale scores. Conclusions: This study exhibited a large proportion of newborn infants with serious diseases and health conditions. In a few cases the patients received palliative care, but most of them were not even discussed under palliative point of view. We hope that this study will call attention to the need to propose protocols and implement training for the best treatment of these children.