Tuberculosis in adolescence: an integrative review focusing on patient-centered care / Tuberculose na adolescência: uma revisão integrativa com foco no cuidado centrado no paciente

ABSTRACT Objective: To identify how patient-centered care has been addressed in tuberculosis studies with adolescents. Data source: We searched for articles published in Portuguese, Spanish and English in the Virtual Health Library (LILACS), PubMed (MedLine), and Scopus (Elsevier) databases, from 2000 to 2020, using descriptors (DeCS, MeSH) in Portuguese and English. Data synthesis: 1,322 studies were identified, of which 18 were selected. The main themes found were related to adherence to tuberculosis treatment, knowledge, attitudes and practices, health education, and public policies. Conclusions: We observed that both the number of researchers dedicated to the topic and the presence of a truly person-centered view are still scarce elements in tuberculosis among adolescents research.

RESUMO Objetivo: Identificar, por meio de uma revisão integrativa, como o cuidado centrado no paciente tem sido abordado nos estudos de tuberculose com adolescentes. Fontes de dados: Buscamos artigos publicados em português, espanhol e inglês nas bases de dados da Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde - BVS (LILACS), PubMed (MedLine) e Scopus (Elsevier), de 2000 a 2020, utilizando descritores (DeCS, MeSH) em português e inglês. Síntese dos dados: Foram identificados 1.322 estudos, dos quais 18 foram selecionados. Os principais temas encontrados foram relacionados à adesão ao tratamento da tuberculose, conhecimentos, atitudes e práticas, educação em saúde e políticas públicas. Conclusões: Observamos que tanto o número de pesquisadores dedicados ao tema quanto a presença de uma visão verdadeiramente centrada na pessoa ainda são elementos escassos na pesquisa da tuberculose entre adolescentes.

Persistent dysglycemia is associated with unfavorable treatment outcomes in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis from Peru.

BACKGROUND: Dysglycemia (i.e., prediabetes or diabetes) in patients with tuberculosis (PWTB) is associated with increased odds of mortality and treatment failure. Whether such association holds true when dysglycemia is transient or persistent is unknown. In this study, we tested the association between persistent dysglycemia (PD) during anti-tuberculosis (TB) treatment and unfavorable treatment outcomes in PWTB from Lima, Peru. METHODS: PWTB enrolled between February and November 2017 were followed for 24-months. Dysglycemia was measured through fasting glucose and HbA1c at baseline during the 2nd- and 6th-month of TB treatment. PD was defined as dysglycemia detected in 2 different visits. The association between PD and unfavorable TB treatment outcome was evaluated using logistic regression. RESULTS: Among 125 PWTB, PD prevalence was 29.6%. PD was associated with more lung lesion types, higher bacillary loads, low hemoglobin (Hb), and high body mass index (BMI). Unfavorable TB treatment outcome was associated with older age, higher BMI, more lung lesion types, and PD. After adjusting for age, Hb levels, smoking, and smear grade, PD was independently associated with unfavorable treatment outcomes (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 6.1; 95% CI: 1.9-19.6). CONCLUSION: PD is significantly associated with higher odds of unfavorable TB treatment outcomes. Dysglycemia control during anti-TB treatment gives the opportunity to introduce appropriate interventions to TB management.

Social determinants of health and catastrophic costs associated with the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis.

The epidemiological relevance of tuberculosis is directly related to the socioeconomic profile of a given country. Vulnerability to tuberculosis is influenced by biological factors (e.g., malnutrition, HIV infection, and age) and social factors (e.g., unhealthy housing, high population density, inappropriate working conditions, and lack of access to health services). In many cases, multiple vulnerabilities occur in conjunction. We propose here a reflection on tuberculosis from the point of view of the social determinants of health, as well as the costs associated with its diagnosis and treatment in Brazil, based not only on data in the international literature but also on evidence related to the national context. Given the magnitude of tuberculosis as a socially mediated disease, there is an evident need for greater involvement of health professionals and of the scientific community to implement relevant operational and research measures to understand the social conditions influencing the health-illness continuum for tuberculosis patients. Although the recent economic crisis in Brazil has contributed to increased mortality from all causes, including tuberculosis, health and social protection expenditures have mitigated detrimental health effects. The evidence presented here underscores the importance of public social protection policies for minimizing the effects of tuberculosis indicators, with the aim of eliminating tuberculosis in Brazil.

Diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in children and adolescents: comparison of two versions of the Brazilian Ministry of Health scoring system.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the concordance between two versions of the scoring system (2011 and 2019), recommended by the Brazilian Ministry of Health, for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in children and adolescents. A retrospective descriptive study was performed to assess the medical records of children and adolescents with PTB, in TB units from Brazilian cities located in Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, and Parana States, from January 1 st , 2004, to December 1 st , 2018. Patients aged 0 to 18 years old with a diagnosis of PTB were included. The comparison between the two scoring systems showed a moderate concordance according to the κ coefficient value = 0.625. Fourteen patients showed a reduction in the TB score, going from 30 points in the 2011, to 25 points or less in the 2019 one. Seventy one percent of these 14 patients had radiological changes suggestive of PTB and 86% had tuberculin skin tests greater than 10 mm. The study concluded that a moderate agreement was observed between the 2011 and 2019 scoring systems, with an increase in the number of patients scoring 25 points or less in 2019, which can eventually hinder the diagnosis of PTB.

Learning from the Italian experience in coping with COVID-19.

INTRODUCTION: In March 2020, the rapid increase in COVID-19 cases overburdened the Italian health system, with the country becoming the pandemic's epicenter. METHODS: We present a narrative review based on manuscripts, official documents, and newspaper articles regarding COVID-19 in Italy. RESULTS: Characteristics of the epidemic, possible causes for its worsening, and the measures adopted across Italian regions are presented. CONCLUSIONS: In the early stages of an epidemic, effective decision-making is essential to contain the number of cases. Medical support for patients and social isolation measures are the most appropriate strategies currently available to reduce the spread and lethality of COVID-19.

Learning from the Italian experience in coping with COVID-19

Abstract INTRODUCTION: In March 2020, the rapid increase in COVID-19 cases overburdened the Italian health system, with the country becoming the pandemic's epicenter. METHODS: We present a narrative review based on manuscripts, official documents, and newspaper articles regarding COVID-19 in Italy. RESULTS: Characteristics of the epidemic, possible causes for its worsening, and the measures adopted across Italian regions are presented. CONCLUSIONS: In the early stages of an epidemic, effective decision-making is essential to contain the number of cases. Medical support for patients and social isolation measures are the most appropriate strategies currently available to reduce the spread and lethality of COVID-19.

A protocol update for the Selenium Treatment and Chagasic Cardiomyopathy (STCC) trial.

Several studies evaluating clinical forms of chronic Chagas disease show that about one-third of patients present cardiac involvement. Heart failure, sudden death and cardioembolic stroke are the main mechanisms of death in Chagas heart disease. The impact of specific etiologic treatment on the prognosis of patients with chronic Chagas heart disease is very limited regardless of the presence or absence of heart failure. Patients with symptomatic Chagas heart disease present serum selenium (Se) levels lower than patients without Chagas heart disease. Moreover, Se supplementation in animal models showed promising results. The aim of this trial is to estimate the effect of Se treatment on prevention of heart disease progression in patients with Chagas cardiomyopathy. However, we had to introduce some protocol modifications in order to keep trial feasibility, as follows: the primary outcome was restricted to left ventricular ejection fraction as a continuous variable, excluding disease progression; the follow-up period was decreased from 5 years to 1 year, an adjustment that might increase the participation rate of our study; the superior age limit was increased from 65 to 75 years; and diabetes mellitus was no longer considered an exclusion criterion. All of these protocol modifications were extensively debated by the research team enrolled in the design, recruitment and conduction of the clinical trial to guarantee a high scientific quality. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trials.gov, NCT00875173 . Registered on 20 October 2008.

Epidemiological aspects, clinical manifestations, and prevention of pediatric tuberculosis from the perspective of the End TB Strategy.

Tuberculosis continues to be a public health priority in many countries. In 2015, tuberculosis killed 1.4 million people, including 210,000 children. Despite the recent progress made in the control of tuberculosis in Brazil, it is still one of the countries with the highest tuberculosis burdens. In 2015, there were 69,000 reported cases of tuberculosis in Brazil and tuberculosis was the cause of 4,500 deaths in the country. In 2014, the World Health Organization approved the End TB Strategy, which set a target date of 2035 for meeting its goals of reducing the tuberculosis incidence by 90% and reducing the number of tuberculosis deaths by 95%. However, to achieve those goals in Brazil, there is a need for collaboration among the various sectors involved in tuberculosis control and for the prioritization of activities, including control measures targeting the most vulnerable populations. Children are highly vulnerable to tuberculosis, and there are particularities specific to pediatric patients regarding tuberculosis development (rapid progression from infection to active disease), prevention (low effectiveness of vaccination against the pulmonary forms and limited availability of preventive treatment of latent tuberculosis infection), diagnosis (a low rate of bacteriologically confirmed diagnosis), and treatment (poor availability of child-friendly anti-tuberculosis drugs). In this review, we discuss the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and prevention of tuberculosis in childhood and adolescence, highlighting the peculiarities of active and latent tuberculosis in those age groups, in order to prompt reflection on new approaches to the management of pediatric tuberculosis within the framework of the End TB Strategy.

Epidemiological aspects, clinical manifestations, and prevention of pediatric tuberculosis from the perspective of the End TB Strategy / Aspectos epidemiológicos, manifestações clínicas e prevenção da tuberculose pediátrica sob a perspectiva da Estratégia End TB

ABSTRACT Tuberculosis continues to be a public health priority in many countries. In 2015, tuberculosis killed 1.4 million people, including 210,000 children. Despite the recent progress made in the control of tuberculosis in Brazil, it is still one of the countries with the highest tuberculosis burdens. In 2015, there were 69,000 reported cases of tuberculosis in Brazil and tuberculosis was the cause of 4,500 deaths in the country. In 2014, the World Health Organization approved the End TB Strategy, which set a target date of 2035 for meeting its goals of reducing the tuberculosis incidence by 90% and reducing the number of tuberculosis deaths by 95%. However, to achieve those goals in Brazil, there is a need for collaboration among the various sectors involved in tuberculosis control and for the prioritization of activities, including control measures targeting the most vulnerable populations. Children are highly vulnerable to tuberculosis, and there are particularities specific to pediatric patients regarding tuberculosis development (rapid progression from infection to active disease), prevention (low effectiveness of vaccination against the pulmonary forms and limited availability of preventive treatment of latent tuberculosis infection), diagnosis (a low rate of bacteriologically confirmed diagnosis), and treatment (poor availability of child-friendly anti-tuberculosis drugs). In this review, we discuss the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and prevention of tuberculosis in childhood and adolescence, highlighting the peculiarities of active and latent tuberculosis in those age groups, in order to prompt reflection on new approaches to the management of pediatric tuberculosis within the framework of the End TB Strategy.

RESUMO A tuberculose continua sendo uma prioridade de saúde pública em muitos países. Em 2015, a tuberculose matou 1,4 milhão de pessoas, incluindo 210.000 crianças. Apesar dos recentes progressos no controle da tuberculose no nosso país, o Brasil ainda é um dos países com maior carga de tuberculose. Em 2015, houve 69.000 casos de tuberculose notificados no Brasil e a tuberculose foi a causa de 4.500 mortes no país. Em 2014, a Organização Mundial da Saúde aprovou a Estratégia End TB, que estabeleceu 2035 como data-alvo para atingir suas metas de redução da incidência de tuberculose em 90% e do número de mortes por tuberculose em 95%. No entanto, para alcançar essas metas no Brasil, há a necessidade de colaboração entre os diversos setores envolvidos no controle da tuberculose e de priorização de atividades, incluindo medidas de controle voltadas às populações mais vulneráveis. As crianças são altamente vulneráveis à tuberculose, e há particularidades específicas dos pacientes pediátricos quanto ao desenvolvimento da tuberculose (rápida progressão da infecção para a doença ativa), prevenção (baixa eficácia da vacinação contra as formas pulmonares e disponibilidade limitada de tratamento preventivo da infecção tuberculosa latente), diagnóstico (baixa taxa de diagnóstico confirmado bacteriologicamente); e tratamento (pouca disponibilidade de fármacos antituberculose próprios para crianças). Nesta revisão, discutimos a epidemiologia, as manifestações clínicas e a prevenção da tuberculose na infância e adolescência, destacando as peculiaridades da tuberculose ativa e latente nessas faixas etárias, a fim de promover a reflexão sobre novas abordagens para o manejo da tuberculose pediátrica no àmbito da Estratégia End TB.