Epidemiological trends of isolated and non-isolated central nervous system congenital malformations in live births in a middle-income setting.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to analyze, in the São Paulo state of Brazil, time trends in prevalence, neonatal mortality, and neonatal lethality of central nervous system congenital malformations (CNS-CM) between 2004 and 2015. METHODS: Population-based study of all live births with gestational age ≥22 weeks and/or birthweight ≥400 g from mothers living in São Paulo State, during 2004-2015. CNS-CM was defined by the presence of International Classification Disease 10th edition codes Q00-Q07 in the death and/or live birth certificates. CNS-CM was classified as isolated (only Q00-Q07 codes), and non-isolated (with congenital anomalies codes nonrelated to CNS-CM). CNS-CM associated neonatal death was defined as death between 0 and 27 days after birth in infants with CNS-CM. CNS-CM prevalence, neonatal mortality, and lethality rates were calculated, and their annual trends were analyzed by Prais-Winsten Model. The annual percent change (APC) with 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was obtained. RESULTS: 7,237,628 live births were included in the study and CNS-CM were reported in 7526 (0.1%). CNS-CM associated neonatal deaths occurred in 2935 (39.0%). Isolated CNS-CM and non-isolated CNS-CM were found respectively in 5475 and 2051 livebirths, with 1525 (28%) and 1410 (69%) neonatal deaths. CNS-CM prevalence and neonatal lethality were stationary, however neonatal mortality decreased (APC -1.66; 95%CI -3.09 to -0.21) during the study. For isolated CNS-CM, prevalence, neonatal mortality, and lethality decreased over the period. For non-isolated CNS-CM, the prevalence increased, neonatal mortality was stationary, and lethality decreased during the period. The median time of CNS-CM associated neonatal deaths was 18 h after birth. CONCLUSIONS: During a 12-year period in São Paulo State, Brazil, neonatal mortality of infants with CNS-CM in general and with isolated CNS-CM showed a decreasing pattern. Nevertheless CNS-CM mortality remained elevated, mostly in the first day after birth.

Troponin I as an Independent Biomarker of Outcome in Children with Systemic Inflammatory Response.

Cardiac troponin-I (cTnI) is a biomarker of myocardial injury with implications for clinical outcomes. May other contributing factors that could affect outcomes have not been uniformly considered in pediatric studies. We hypothesized that there is an association between admission serum cTnI and outcomes in critically ill children taking into account the magnitude of the acute systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), serum lactate concentrations, and nutritional status. Second, we tested for potential factors associated with elevated serum cTnI. This was a prospective cohort study in 104 children (median age: 21.3 months) consecutively admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of a teaching hospital with SIRS and without previous chronic diseases. Primary outcome variables were PICU-free days, ventilator-free days, and 30-day mortality. Exposure variables were serum cTnI concentration on admission, revised pediatric index of mortality (PIM2), pediatric logistic organ dysfunction (PELOD-2), hypotensive shock, C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, and serum lactate on admission, and malnutrition. Elevated cTnI (>0.01 µg/L) was observed in 24% of patients, which was associated with the reduction of ventilator-free days (ß coefficient = - 4.97; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -8.03; -1.91) and PICU-free days (ß coefficient = - 5.76; 95% CI: -8.97; -2.55). All patients who died had elevated serum cTnI. The increase of 0.1 µg/L in cTnI concentration resulted in an elevation of 2 points in the oxygenation index (ß coefficient = 2.0; 95% CI: 1.22; 2.78, p < 0.001). The PIM2 score, hypotensive shock in the first 24 hours, and serum lactate were independently associated with elevated cTnI on admission. We conclude that elevated serum cTnI on admission is independently associated with adverse outcomes in children with SIRS and without associated chronic diseases.

The burden of inappropriate birth weight on neonatal survival in term newborns: a population-based study in a middle-income setting.

Introduction: Premature birth, perinatal asphyxia, and infections are the main causes of neonatal death. Growth deviations at birth also affect neonatal survival according to week of gestation at birth, particularly in developing countries. The purpose of this study was to verify the association between inappropriate birth weight and neonatal death in term live births. Methods: This is an observational follow-up study with all term live births from 2004 to 2013 in Sao Paulo State, Brazil. Data were retrieved with the deterministic linkage of death and birth certificates. The definition of very small for gestational age (VSGA) and very large for gestational age (VLGA) used the 10th percentile of 37 weeks and the 90th percentile of 41 weeks + 6 days, respectively, based on the Intergrowth-21st. We measured the outcome in terms of time to death and the status of each subject (death or censorship) in the neonatal period (0-27 days). Survival functions were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method stratified according to the adequacy of birth weight into three groups (normal, very small, or very large). We used multivariate Cox regression to adjust for proportional hazard ratios (HRs). Results: The neonatal death rate during the study period was 12.03/10,000 live births. We found 1.8% newborns with VSGA and 2.7% with VLGA. The adjusted analysis showed a significant increase in mortality risk for VSGA infants (HR = 4.25; 95% CI: 3.89-4.65), independent of sex, 1-min Apgar score, and five maternal factors. Discussion: The risk of neonatal death in full-term live births was approximately four times greater in those with birth weight restriction. The development of strategies to control the factors that determine fetal growth restriction through planned and structured prenatal care can substantially reduce the risk of neonatal death in full-term live births, especially in developing countries such as Brazil.

Symptoms for early diagnosis of chronic kidney disease in children - a machine learning-based score.

The objective of this study was to reveal the signs and symptoms for the classification of pediatric patients at risk of CKD using decision trees and extreme gradient boost models for predicting outcomes. A case-control study was carried out involving children with 376 chronic kidney disease (cases) and a control group of healthy children (n = 376). A family member responsible for the children answered a questionnaire with variables potentially associated with the disease. Decision tree and extreme gradient boost models were developed to test signs and symptoms for the classification of children. As a result, the decision tree model revealed 6 variables associated with CKD, whereas twelve variables that distinguish CKD from healthy children were found in the "XGBoost". The accuracy of the "XGBoost" model (ROC AUC = 0.939, 95%CI: 0.911 to 0.977) was the highest, while the decision tree model was a little lower (ROC AUC = 0.896, 95%CI: 0.850 to 0.942). The cross-validation of results showed that the accuracy of the evaluation database model was like that of the training. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, a dozen symptoms that are easy to be clinically verified emerged as risk indicators for chronic kidney disease. This information can contribute to increasing awareness of the diagnosis, mainly in primary care settings. Therefore, healthcare professionals can select patients for more detailed investigation, which will reduce the chance of wasting time and improve early disease detection. WHAT IS KNOWN: • Late diagnosis of chronic kidney disease in children is common, increasing morbidity. • Mass screening of the whole population is not cost-effective. WHAT IS NEW: • With two machine-learning methods, this study revealed 12 symptoms to aid early CKD diagnosis. • These symptoms are easily obtainable and can be useful mainly in primary care settings.

Assessment of trace elements in critically ill patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and selenium (Se) are involved in immune and antioxidant defense. Their role in systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) treatment and outcomes remains unclear. This systematic review aimed to describe trace element concentrations in different types of biological samples and their relationship with morbidity and mortality in patients with SIRS. METHODS: Literature was systematically reviewed according to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA). The search results were screened and evaluated for eligibility, and data were extracted and summarized in tables and figures. RESULTS: Most of the 38 included studies evaluated Se (75%), followed by Zn (42%) and Cu (22%). Plasma was the main biological sample evaluated (58%). Thirteen studies found lower plasma/serum concentrations of Zn, Se, and Cu in SIRS patients than in controls upon admission, 11 studies on adults (intensive care unit-ICU) and two in pediatric ICU (PICU). Three ICU studies found no difference in erythrocyte trace element concentrations in patients with SIRS. In all studies, the two main outcomes investigated were organ failure and mortality. In seven ICU studies, patients with lower plasma or serum Zn/Se levels had higher mortality rates. A study conducted in the PICU reported an association between increased Se variation and lower 28-day mortality. In an ICU study, lower erythrocyte selenium levels were associated with higher ICU/hospital mortality, after adjustment. Five ICU studies associated lower plasma/serum Zn/Se levels with higher organ failure scores and one PICU study showed an association between higher erythrocyte Se levels and lower organ dysfunction scores. CONCLUSION: There was no difference in erythrocyte Se levels in patients with SIRS. Serum/Plasma Zn and serum/plasma/erythrocyte Se are associated with organ dysfunction, mortality, and inflammation. Trace element deficiencies should be diagnosed by erythrocyte, or complementary measurements in the presence of inflammation.

Clinical and laboratory differences between pediatric hospitalized patients with sickle cell disease infected or not by SARS-CoV-2.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify clinical and complete blood count differences between pediatric hospitalized patients with sickle cell disease infected or not by SARS-CoV-2 and compare the complete blood count of patients with sickle cell disease infected by SARS-CoV-2 before hospitalization and on admission. METHODS: This study was a single-center prospective cohort. Data were collected from medical records of pediatric inpatients with sickle cell disease under 18 years old infected or not with SARS-CoV-2 from the first visit to the hospital until discharge and from the last medical appointment. All patients were tested for SARS-CoV-2 by the real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Among 57 pediatric patients with sickle cell disease hospitalized from March to November 2020 in a Brazilian academic hospital, 11 (19.3%) had a positive result for SARS-CoV-2. Patients infected by SARS-CoV-2 had a higher prevalence of comorbidities than the ones who were not infected (63.6 vs. 30.4%; p=0.046). During hospital stay, no clinical or complete blood count differences between groups were found. There was a decrease in eosinophil count on hospital admission in patients with sickle cell disease infected by SARS-CoV-2 (p=0.008). CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric hospitalized patients with sickle cell disease infected by SARS-CoV-2 had more comorbidities and had a decrease in eosinophil count between hospital admission and the last medical appointment.

Temporal Trend, Causes, and Timing of Neonatal Mortality of Moderate and Late Preterm Infants in São Paulo State, Brazil: A Population-Based Study.

Moderate and late preterm newborns comprise around 85% of live births < 37 weeks gestation. Data on their neonatal mortality in middle-income countries is limited. This study aims to analyze the temporal trend, causes and timing of neonatal mortality of infants with 320/7-366/7 weeks gestation without congenital anomalies from 2004-2015 in the population of São Paulo State, Brazil. A database was built by deterministic linkage of birth and death certificates. Causes of death were classified by ICD-10 codes. Among 7,317,611 live births in the period, there were 545,606 infants with 320/7-366/7 weeks gestation without congenital anomalies, and 5782 of them died between 0 and 27 days. The neonatal mortality rate decreased from 16.4 in 2004 to 7.6 per thousand live births in 2015 (7.47% annual decrease by Prais-Winsten model). Perinatal asphyxia, respiratory disorders and infections were responsible, respectively, for 14%, 27% and 44% of the 5782 deaths. Median time to death was 24, 53 and 168 h, respectively, for perinatal asphyxia, respiratory disorders, and infections. Bottlenecks in perinatal health care are probably associated with the results that indicate the need for policies to reduce preventable neonatal deaths of moderate and late preterm infants in the most developed state of Brazil.

Prevalence of psychoactive substance use by adolescents in public schools in a municipality in the São Paulo Metropolitan Area, Brazil.

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of psychoactive substance use by adolescents from public schools. This is a cross-sectional study that used a random sample of adolescents from five public schools located in a municipality in the central-west region of the São Paulo Metropolitan Area, Brazil. Information on demographic, socioeconomic, and drug use was collected using self-report questionnaires. The sample consisted of 1,460 students, 716 (49%) males, aged 10-19 years (13.19±2.04 years). The prevalence of psychoactive substance use in the last month was 51% for analgesics; 48.8% for alcohol; 37.3% for tobacco; 30.8% for tranquilizers; 23.1% for marijuana; 22.6% for anabolic steroids; 21.6% for ecstasy; 15.3% for amphetamines/stimulants; 13.4% for phencyclidine; 12.9% for cocaine/crack; 12.6% for inhalants/solvents; 11.5% for opiates; 11.4% for hallucinogens; and 16.2% for other unclassified drugs. Elementary and middle school students were more likely to consume tobacco (OR = 2.306; 95%CI: 1.733-3.068; p < 0.001), and male students were more likely to consume any type of substance. We identified a high use of psychoactive substances among this study participants, with a higher prevalence among male students.

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia in a middle-income country: Persistent high lethality during a 12-year period.

BACKGROUND: In high- and middle-income countries, mortality associated to congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is high and variable. In Brazil, data is scarce regarding the prevalence, mortality, and lethality of CDH. This study aimed to analyze, in São Paulo state of Brazil, the temporal trends of prevalence, neonatal mortality and lethality of CDH and identify the time to CDH-associated neonatal death. METHODS: Population-based study of all live births with gestational age ≥ 22 weeks, birthweight ≥400g, from mothers residing in São Paulo State, Brazil, during 2004-2015. CDH definition and its subgroups classification were based on ICD-10 codes reported in the death and/or live birth certificates. CDH-associated neonatal death was defined as death up to 27 days after birth of infants with CDH. CDH prevalence, neonatal mortality and lethality were calculated and their annual percent change (APC) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) was analyzed by Prais-Winsten. Kaplan-Meier estimator identified the time after birth that CDH-associated neonatal death occurred. RESULTS: CDH prevalence was 1.67 per 10,000 live births, with a significant increase throughout the period (APC 2.55; 95%CI 1.30 to 3.83). CDH neonatal mortality also increased over the time (APC 2.09; 95%CI 0.27 to 3.94), while the lethality was 78.78% and remained stationary. For isolated CDH, CDH associated to non-chromosomal anomalies and CDH associated to chromosomal anomalies the lethality was, respectively, 72.25%, 91.06% and 97.96%, during the study period. For CDH as a whole and for all subgroups, 50% of deaths occurred within the first day after birth. CONCLUSIONS: During a 12-year period in São Paulo State, Brazil, CDH prevalence and neonatal mortality showed a significant increase, while lethality remained stable, yet very high, compared to rates reported in high income countries.

Clinical and laboratory differences between pediatric hospitalized patients with sickle cell disease infected or not by SARS-CoV-2 / Diferenças clínicas e laboratoriais entre pacientes pediátricos hospitalizados com doença falciforme infectados ou não por SARS-CoV-2

Abstract Objective: The aim of this study was to identify clinical and complete blood count differences between pediatric hospitalized patients with sickle cell disease infected or not by SARS-CoV-2 and compare the complete blood count of patients with sickle cell disease infected by SARS-CoV-2 before hospitalization and on admission. Methods: This study was a single-center prospective cohort. Data were collected from medical records of pediatric inpatients with sickle cell disease under 18 years old infected or not with SARS-CoV-2 from the first visit to the hospital until discharge and from the last medical appointment. All patients were tested for SARS-CoV-2 by the real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results: Among 57 pediatric patients with sickle cell disease hospitalized from March to November 2020 in a Brazilian academic hospital, 11 (19.3%) had a positive result for SARS-CoV-2. Patients infected by SARS-CoV-2 had a higher prevalence of comorbidities than the ones who were not infected (63.6 vs. 30.4%; p=0.046). During hospital stay, no clinical or complete blood count differences between groups were found. There was a decrease in eosinophil count on hospital admission in patients with sickle cell disease infected by SARS-CoV-2 (p=0.008). Conclusions: Pediatric hospitalized patients with sickle cell disease infected by SARS-CoV-2 had more comorbidities and had a decrease in eosinophil count between hospital admission and the last medical appointment.

RESUMO Objetivo: Identificar diferenças clínicas e laboratoriais entre pacientes pediátricos hospitalizados com doença falciforme infectados ou não por SARS-CoV-2 e comparar o hemograma completo de pacientes com doença falciforme infectados por SARS-CoV-2 antes da hospitalização e durante a admissão. Métodos: Coorte prospectiva unicêntrica, cujos dados foram coletados em prontuários de pacientes pediátricos internados com doença falciforme, menores de 18 anos, infectados ou não com SARS-CoV-2, desde a primeira visita ao hospital até a alta e desde a última consulta médica. Todos os pacientes foram testados para SARS-CoV-2 pela transcrição reversa seguida de reação em cadeia da polimerase em tempo real. Resultados: Dos 57 pacientes pediátricos com doença falciforme internados de março a novembro de 2020 em um hospital universitário brasileiro, 11 (19,3%) apresentaram resultado positivo para SARS-CoV-2. Pacientes infectados pelo SARS-CoV-2 apresentaram maior prevalência de comorbidades do que aqueles não infectados (63,6 vs. 30,4%; p=0,046). Durante a internação hospitalar, não foram encontradas diferenças clínicas ou laboratoriais entre os grupos. Houve diminuição da contagem de eosinófilos na admissão hospitalar em pacientes com doença falciforme infectados pelo SARS-CoV-2 (p=0,008). Conclusões: Pacientes pediátricos hospitalizados com doença falciforme infectados pelo SARS-CoV-2 apresentaram mais comorbidades e diminuição da contagem de eosinófilos entre a admissão hospitalar e a última consulta médica.

Prevalence of psychoactive substance use by adolescents in public schools in a municipality in the São Paulo Metropolitan Area, Brazil / Prevalência do uso de substâncias psicoativas por adolescentes em escolas públicas de um município da Região Metropolitana de São Paulo, Brasil / Prevalencia de consumo de sustancias psicoactivas en adolescentes en escuelas públicas de un municipio de la Región Metropolitana de São Paulo, Brasil

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of psychoactive substance use by adolescents from public schools. This is a cross-sectional study that used a random sample of adolescents from five public schools located in a municipality in the central-west region of the São Paulo Metropolitan Area, Brazil. Information on demographic, socioeconomic, and drug use was collected using self-report questionnaires. The sample consisted of 1,460 students, 716 (49%) males, aged 10-19 years (13.19±2.04 years). The prevalence of psychoactive substance use in the last month was 51% for analgesics; 48.8% for alcohol; 37.3% for tobacco; 30.8% for tranquilizers; 23.1% for marijuana; 22.6% for anabolic steroids; 21.6% for ecstasy; 15.3% for amphetamines/stimulants; 13.4% for phencyclidine; 12.9% for cocaine/crack; 12.6% for inhalants/solvents; 11.5% for opiates; 11.4% for hallucinogens; and 16.2% for other unclassified drugs. Elementary and middle school students were more likely to consume tobacco (OR = 2.306; 95%CI: 1.733-3.068; p < 0.001), and male students were more likely to consume any type of substance. We identified a high use of psychoactive substances among this study participants, with a higher prevalence among male students.

O objetivo foi estimar a prevalência de uso de substâncias psicoativas por adolescentes de escolas públicas. Trata-se de um estudo transversal com uma amostra aleatória de adolescentes de cinco escolas públicas localizadas em um município da zona centro-oeste da Região Metropolitada de São Paulo, Brasil. Informações sobre as características demográficas, socioeconômicas e de uso de drogas foram coletadas por meio de questionários autorreferidos. A amostra foi composta por 1.460 estudantes, sendo 716 (49%) meninos, com idade entre 10 e 19 anos (13,19±2,04 anos). A prevalência de uso de substâncias psicoativas no último mês foi de 51,0% para analgésicos; álcool 48,8%; tabaco 37,3%; tranquilizantes 30,8%; maconha 23,1%; esteroides anabolizantes 22,6%; ecstasy 21,6%; anfetaminas/estimulantes 15,3%; fenciclidina 13,4%; cocaína/crack 12,9%; inalantes/solventes 12,6%; opiáceos 11,5%; alucinógenos 11,4%; e outras drogas não classificadas 16,2%. Alunos do Ensino Fundamental foram mais propensos a consumir tabaco (OR = 2,306; IC95%: 1,733-3,068; p < 0,001), e os estudantes do sexo masculino foram mais propensos a consumir qualquer tipo de substância. Identificou-se um alto uso de substâncias psicoativas entre os participantes deste estudo, com maior prevalência entre os estudantes do sexo masculino.

El objetivo de este estudio fue estimar la prevalencia de consumo de sustancias psicoactivas por adolescentes de escuelas públicas brasileñas. Se trata de un estudio transversal, realizado con una muestra aleatoria de adolescentes de cinco escuelas públicas, ubicadas en una ciudad de la región centro-oeste de la Región Metropolitana de São Paulo, Brasil. La información sobre las características demográficas, socioeconómicas y de consumo de drogas se recabó de cuestionarios autoinformados. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 1.460 estudiantes; 716 (49%) de los cuales eran varones, con edades entre 10 y 19 años (13,19±2,04 años). La prevalencia de consumo de sustancias psicoactivas en el último mes fue: para analgésicos 51%; alcohol 48,8%; tabaco 37,3%; tranquilizantes 30,8%; marihuana 23,1%; esteroides anabólicos 22,6%; éxtasis 21,6%; anfetaminas/estimulantes 15,3%; fenciclidina 13,4%; cocaína/crack 12,9%; inhalantes/disolventes 12,6%; opiáceos 11,5%; alucinógenos 11,4%; y otras drogas no clasificadas 16,2%. Los estudiantes de primaria fueron los más propensos a consumir tabaco (OR = 2,306; IC95%: 1,733-3,068; p < 0,001), y los varones los más propensos a consumir cualquier tipo de sustancia. Se identificó un alto consumo de sustancias psicoactivas entre los participantes, con mayor prevalencia entre los estudiantes del sexo masculino.

Trend in the incidence rates of accidents with venomous animals in children and adolescents in Brazil (2007-2019) / Tendência das taxas de incidência de acidentes com animais peçonhentos em crianças e adolescentes no Brasil (2007-2019)

ABSTRACT Objective: To estimate the temporal trend of the incidence rates of accidents with venomous animals in children and adolescents in Brazil. Methods: An ecological time-series study was carried out between 2007 and 2019. Data were obtained from the Brazilian Information System on Diseases of Compulsory Declaration (Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação - SINAN). The time series of incidence rates of accidents with venomous animals were stratified by age group (children aged 0 to 9 years and adolescents aged 10 to 19 years), Brazilian macro-regions (North, Northeast, Midwest, Southeast, and South), and type of accident (snake, scorpion, spider, and caterpillar). For trend analysis, the Prais-Winsten model and the Annual Percent Change (APC) were used. Results: The time series of the incidence rate of accidents with venomous animals in children and adolescents from the North, Northeast, Midwest, and Southeast macro-regions and in children from the South region showed an upward trend. The average annual incidence rates were higher in the age group of 10 to 19 years, except for the South macro-region. Accidents with scorpions, snakes, and spiders, in this order, were the most frequent; the trends in the time series stratified by type of animal varied according to the geographic macro-region. Conclusions: There was an upward trend in the incidence rate of accidents with venomous animals in children and adolescents in Brazil, except for adolescents in the South macro-region of the country.

RESUMO Objetivo: Estimar a tendência temporal das taxas de incidência de acidentes com animais peçonhentos em crianças e adolescentes no Brasil. Métodos: Foi realizado um estudo ecológico de séries temporais, entre 2007 e 2019. Os dados foram obtidos do Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação (SINAN). As séries temporais das taxas de incidência com animais peçonhentos foram estratificadas por faixa etária (crianças de 0 a 9 anos e adolescentes de 10 a 19 anos), macrorregiões brasileiras (Norte, Nordeste, Centro-Oeste, Sudeste e Sul) e tipo de acidente (serpente, escorpião, aranha e lagarta). Para análise de tendência, foi utilizado o modelo de Prais-Winsten e calculada a variação percentual anual das taxas (Annual Percentage Change — APC). Resultados: As séries históricas da taxa de incidência de acidentes com animais peçonhentos em crianças e adolescentes das macrorregiões Norte, Nordeste, Centro-Oeste e Sudeste e em crianças da macrorregião Sul apresentaram tendência ascendente. As taxas de incidências anuais médias foram maiores na faixa etária de 10 a 19 anos, exceto na macrorregião Sul. Os acidentes com escorpiões, serpentes e aranhas, nesta ordem, foram os mais frequentes; as tendências das séries históricas estratificadas por tipo de animal variaram conforme a macrorregião. Conclusões: Houve tendência ascendente na taxa de incidência de acidentes com animais peçonhentos em crianças e adolescentes no Brasil, exceto nos adolescentes da macrorregião Sul do país.

Erythrocyte and plasma selenium in children with acute inflammatory response.

OBJECTIVES: Plasma selenium may not reflect selenium status in critically ill patients because it transiently decreases inversely with the magnitude of the systemic inflammatory response. The decision to supplement selenium should ideally be based on laboratory measurements that reliably reflect selenium status. We hypothesized that erythrocyte selenium, unlike plasma selenium, is not affected by the systemic inflammatory response in critically ill children. METHODS: In a prospective study of 109 critically ill children, plasma and erythrocyte selenium concentrations were evaluated on admission, and plasma selenoprotein P was evaluated on days 1, 2, and 3 of the ICU stay. The main outcome was the effect of systemic inflammation on the erythrocyte and plasma selenium concentrations. The magnitude of the systemic inflammatory response was measured using serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin levels. The covariates were age, sex, anthropometric nutritional status, diagnosis of severe sepsis/septic shock, and clinical severity on admission. Multiple linear regression and generalized estimating equations were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Erythrocyte selenium levels were not influenced by the magnitude of the inflammatory response or by the patient's clinical severity. Procalcitonin (ß coefficient=-0.99; 95%CI: -1.64; -0.34, p = 0.003) and clinical severity (ß coefficient= -11.13; 95%CI: -21.6; -0.63), p = 0.038) on admission were associated with decreased plasma selenium concentrations. Erythrocyte selenium was associated with selenoprotein P in the first three days of ICU stay (ß coefficient=0.32; 95%CI: 0.20; 0.44, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Unlike plasma selenium, erythrocyte selenium does not change in children with an acute systemic inflammatory response and is associated with selenoprotein P concentrations. Erythrocyte selenium is probably a more reliable marker than plasma selenium for evaluating the selenium status in critically ill children.

Temporal Trend and Risk Factors for Respiratory Distress Syndrome-Associated Neonatal Mortality in Preterm Infants: A Population-Based Study in a Middle-Income Country.

OBJECTIVE: This article aimed to report a temporal series of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)-associated neonatal mortality rates in preterm live births in São Paulo state, Brazil, and to identify social, maternal, and neonatal characteristics associated with these deaths. STUDY DESIGN: This is a population-based study of all live births with gestational age (GA) between 22 and 36 weeks, birth weight ≥400 g, without congenital anomalies from mothers living in São Paulo state during 2004 to 2015. RDS-associated neonatal mortality was defined as death up to 27 days after birth with ICD-10 codes P22.0 or P28.0. RDS-associated neonatal mortality rate (annual percent change [APC] with 95% confidence intervals [95% CIs]) was analyzed by Prais-Winsten. Kaplan-Meier estimator identified the time after birth that the RDS-associated neonatal death occurred. Poisson's regression model compared social maternal and neonatal characteristics between preterm live births that survived the neonatal period and those with RDS-associated neonatal deaths, with results expressed in incidence rate ratio and 95% CI. RESULTS: A total of 645,276 preterm live births were included in the study, of which 612,110 survived and 11,078 had RDS-associated neonatal deaths. RDS-associated neonatal mortality rate was 17.17 per thousand preterm live births, with a decreasing annual trend (APC: -6.50%; 95% CI: -9.11 to -3.82%). The median time of these deaths was 48 hours after birth. The following risk factors for RDS-associated neonatal death were identified: maternal schooling ≤7 years (1.18; 1.09-1.29), zero to three prenatal care visits (1.25; 1.18-1.32), multiple pregnancy (1.24; 1.16-1.33), vaginal delivery (1.29; 1.22-1.36), GA 22 to 27 weeks (106.35; 98.36-114.98), GA 28 to 31 weeks (20.12; 18.62-21.73), male sex (1.16; 1.10-1.22), and 5-minute Apgar scores of 0 to 3 (6.74; 6.08-7.47) and 4 to 6 (3.97; 3.72-4.23). CONCLUSION: During the study period, RDS-associated neonatal mortality rates showed significant reduction. The relationship between RDS-associated neonatal deaths and social, maternal, and neonatal factors suggests the need for perinatal strategies to reduce prematurity and to improve the initial management of preterm infants. KEY POINTS: · RDS is associated with preterm live births.. · Impact of RDS-associated neonatal mortality in middle-income countries is scarce.. · Qualified perinatal care can reduce RDS-associated neonatal mortality..

Trend in the incidence rates of accidents with venomous animals in children and adolescents in Brazil (2007-2019).

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the temporal trend of the incidence rates of accidents with venomous animals in children and adolescents in Brazil. METHODS: An ecological time-series study was carried out between 2007 and 2019. Data were obtained from the Brazilian Information System on Diseases of Compulsory Declaration (Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação - SINAN). The time series of incidence rates of accidents with venomous animals were stratified by age group (children aged 0 to 9 years and adolescents aged 10 to 19 years), Brazilian macro-regions (North, Northeast, Midwest, Southeast, and South), and type of accident (snake, scorpion, spider, and caterpillar). For trend analysis, the Prais-Winsten model and the Annual Percent Change (APC) were used. RESULTS: The time series of the incidence rate of accidents with venomous animals in children and adolescents from the North, Northeast, Midwest, and Southeast macro-regions and in children from the South region showed an upward trend. The average annual incidence rates were higher in the age group of 10 to 19 years, except for the South macro-region. Accidents with scorpions, snakes, and spiders, in this order, were the most frequent; the trends in the time series stratified by type of animal varied according to the geographic macro-region. CONCLUSIONS: There was an upward trend in the incidence rate of accidents with venomous animals in children and adolescents in Brazil, except for adolescents in the South macro-region of the country.

Clusters of preterm live births and respiratory distress syndrome-associated neonatal deaths: spatial distribution and cooccurrence patterns.

BACKGROUND: Prematurity and respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) are strongly associated. RDS continues to be an important contributor to neonatal mortality in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify clusters of preterm live births and RDS-associated neonatal deaths, and their cooccurrence pattern in São Paulo State, Brazil, between 2004 and 2015.  METHODS: Population-based study of all live births with gestational age ≥ 22 weeks, birthweight ≥ 400 g, without congenital anomalies from mothers living in São Paulo State, Brazil, during 2004-2015. RDS-associated neonatal mortality was defined as deaths < 28 days with ICD-10 codes P22.0 or P28.0. RDS-associated neonatal mortality and preterm live births rates per municipality were submitted to first- and second-order spatial analysis before and after smoothing using local Bayes estimates. Spearman test was applied to identify the correlation pattern between both rates. RESULTS: Six hundred forty-five thousand two hundred seventy-six preterm live births and 11,078 RDS-associated neonatal deaths in São Paulo State, Brazil, during the study period were analyzed. After smoothing, a non-random spatial distribution of preterm live births rate (I = 0.78; p = 0.001) and RDS-associated neonatal mortality rate (I = 0.73; p = 0.001) was identified. LISA maps confirmed clusters for both, with a negative correlation (r = -0.24; p = 0.0000). Clusters of high RDS-associated neonatal mortality rates overlapping with clusters of low preterm live births rates were detected. CONCLUSIONS: Asymmetric cluster distribution of preterm live births and RDS-associated neonatal deaths may be helpful to indicate areas for perinatal healthcare improvement.

Risk factors for insufficient weight and height gain in children with congenital heart disease followed up at a nutrition outpatient clinic.

OBJECTIVE: To describe weight and height evolution and to identify risk factors for insufficient anthropometric growth in children with congenital heart disease. METHODS: Historical cohort study including 131 children with congenital heart disease, followed up at a nutrition outpatient clinic. The anthropometric indices over time (initial score, after 12 and 24 months of follow-up) were analyzed using generalized estimating equations. The outcome was 'insufficient weight-height gain', defined as an increase of ≤0.5 in the z-score of weight-for-age (W/A), height-for-age (H/A) or body mass index-for-age (BMI/A) after 12 months of follow-up. Multiple logistic regression models were applied to identify risk and confounding factors. RESULTS: The z-scores of W/A (p<0.001) and BMI/A (p<0.001) improved after 12 months, as well as the three indexes after 24 months (p<0.001). At the end of this period, 55.7% of the patients did not achieve an increase of >0.5 in the Z score of W/A; 77.1%, of H/A; and 45.8%, of BMI/A. A follow-up of less than five appointments was associated with insufficient gain in W/A (OR 7.78; 95%CI 3.04-19.88), H/A (OR 10.79; 95%CI 2.22-52.45) and BMI/A (OR 2.54; 95%CI 1.12-5.75). Not having undergone cardiac surgery and being aged ≥12 months were factors associated with insufficient W/A gain (OR 3.95; 95%CI 1.38-11.29/OR 3.60; 95%CI 1.33-9.72) and BMI/A (OR 2.81; 95%CI 1.08-7.28/OR 3.39; 95%CI 1.34-8.56). Low income was associated with insufficient H/A gain (OR 4.11; 95%CI 1.25-13.46). CONCLUSIONS: Being aged less than or 12 months, the lowest number of appointments, absence of surgical treatment and low family income were risk factors for insufficient weight and height gain in children with congenital heart disease.

Effect on the practice of the kangaroo method on the formation and strengthening of the mother-baby bond: a systematic review / Efeito da prática do método canguru na formação e fortalecimento do vínculo mãe-bebê: uma revisão sistemática

Abstract Objectives: a systematic review study with the objective of estimating the effect on the practice of the kangaroo method (KM) on the formation and strengthening of the mother-baby bond (MBB). Methods: independent searches were performed in three international databases in the United States National Library of Medicine - PubMed, Scientific Electronic Library Online - Scielo and Web of Science databases. Searches were made without limit on languages and year of publication. Results: the final selection consisted of 27 studies, 14 of a quantitative nature (nine clinical trials and five observational) and 13 qualitative. All qualitative articles and most quantitative ones (n=10) indicated the practice of the KM as favorable to the formation and strengthening of the MBB. Other quantitative studies did not show statistically significant differences in the comparisons made between groups. None of the 27 studies found unfavorable effects resulting from the practice of KM on the MBB. Conclusion: the results suggest that the KM favors the formation and strengthening of the MBB regardless of the weight and gestational age of the newborns or the place of measurement (hospital or residence). Thus, encouraging the execution of this biopsychosocial intervention of qualified and humanized care is recommended for the promotion of children's health.

Resumo Objetivos: estudo de revisão sistemática com objetivo de estimar o efeito da prática do método canguru (MC) na formação e fortalecimento do vínculo mãe-bebê (VMB). Métodos: foram realizadas buscas independentes em três bases de dados internacionais nas bases de dados United States National Library of Medicine - PubMed, Scientific Electronic Library Online - Scielo e Web of Science. As buscas foram feitas sem limite para idioma e ano de publicação. Resultados: a seleção final foi composta por 27 estudos, 14 de caráter quantitativo (nove ensaios clínicos e cinco observacionais) e 13 qualitativos. Todos os artigos qualitativos e a maioria dos quantitativos (n=10) apontaram a prática do MC como favorável à formação e ao fortalecimento do VMB. Os demais estudos quantitativos não apresentaram diferenças estatisticamente significantes nas comparações realizadas entre grupos. Nenhum dos 27 estudos encontrou efeitos desfavoráveis resultantes da prática do MC sobre o VMB. Conclusão: os resultados sugerem que o MC favorece a formação e o fortalecimento do VMB independentemente do peso e idade gestacional dos recém-nascidos e do ambiente de medição (hospital ou domicílio). Assim, o incentivo a execução desta intervenção biopsicossocial de atenção qualificada e humanizada é recomendada para a promoção de saúde da criança.

Association of selenium status with endothelial activation during acute systemic inflammation in children.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Evidence that selenium has a role in endothelial function comes mainly from experimental research, but few clinical studies have examined the pathophysiology of selenium in endothelial activation. We aimed to investigate whether there are associations between selenium status and the magnitude of endothelial activation and the severity of multiple organ dysfunction during the acute phase of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) in children. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was carried out in 109 children with SIRS admitted to a pediatric ICU (PICU). Erythrocyte and plasma selenium were measured on admission and selenoprotein P and soluble plasma forms of the intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), sP-selectin, and endoCAM on days 1, 2 and 3 of hospitalization. Generalized estimating equations models were adjusted for clinical severity parameters, C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, and serum lactate. The effect of selenium status on organ dysfunction was defined by the Pediatric Logistic Organic Dysfunction (PELOD-2) during the PICU stay. RESULTS: Erythrocyte selenium was associated with sP-selectin and endoCAM, but not with ICAM-1 and VCAM-2. An increase of 10 µg/L in erythrocyte selenium resulted in increases of 43.2 ng/mL (p = 0.001) in sP-selectin and of 0.04 ng/mL (p < 0.001) in endoCAM. Erythrocyte selenium was also associated with a decrease in PELOD-2 (p = 0.015). Plasma selenium was not related to any of the outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Erythrocyte selenium is associated with endothelial activation in the early phase of the systemic inflammatory response in children, and has a protective effect on multiple organ dysfunction during their PICU stay. Registered at: www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT00708799).