Brain insulin action on peripheral insulin sensitivity in women depends on menstrual cycle phase.

Insulin action in the human brain modulates eating behaviour, whole-body metabolism and body fat distribution1,2. In particular, brain insulin action increases whole-body insulin sensitivity, but these studies were mainly performed in lean men3,4. Here we investigate metabolic and hypothalamic effects of brain insulin action in women with a focus on the impact of menstrual cycle ( ClinicalTrials.gov registration: NCT03929419 ).Eleven women underwent four hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamps, two in the follicular phase and two in the luteal phase. Brain insulin action was introduced using nasal insulin spray5-7 and compared to placebo spray in a fourfold crossover design with change in glucose infusion rate as the primary endpoint. Here we show that during the follicular phase, more glucose has to be infused after administration of nasal insulin than after administration of placebo. This remains significant after adjustment for blood glucose and insulin. During the luteal phase, no significant influence of brain insulin action on glucose infusion rate is detected after adjustment for blood glucose and insulin (secondary endpoint). In 15 other women, hypothalamic insulin sensitivity was assessed in a within-subject design by functional magnetic resonance imaging with intranasal insulin administration8. Hypothalamus responsivity is influenced by insulin in the follicular phase but not the luteal phase.Our study therefore highlights that brain insulin action improves peripheral insulin sensitivity also in women but only during the follicular phase. Thus, brain insulin resistance could contribute to whole-body insulin resistance in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle.

Interventions to build resilience and to ameliorate negative psychosocial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The psychosocial health of children and adolescents has been particularly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Containment measures have restricted social development, education and recreational activities, may have increased family conflicts and, in many cases, led to feelings of loneliness, sleep disturbances, symptoms of anxiety and depression. We conducted a systematic review to identify interventions that seek to ameliorate these detrimental effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and to build resilience in children and adolescents. Literature searches were conducted in the databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CENTRAL, WHO COVID-19 Global literature on coronavirus disease and Cochrane COVID-19 Study Register (up to 30 June 2022). The searches retrieved 9557 records of which we included 13 randomized-controlled trials (RCTs) for evidence synthesis. Included studies predominantly implemented online group sessions for school-aged children with either a psychological component, a physical activity component, or a combination of both. A meta-analysis of seven studies on anxiety and five on depressive symptoms provided evidence for a positive effect of interventions by reducing anxiety (Standardized Mean Difference (SMD) (95% CI): - 0.33 (- 0.59; - 0.06)) and depressive symptoms (SMD (95% CI): - 0.26 (- 0.36; - 0.16)) compared to the control interventions. Studies also showed improvements in positive mental health outcomes, such as resilience (n = 2) and mental and psychological wellbeing (n = 2). Exploratory subgroup analyses suggested a greater effectiveness of interventions that (i) are of higher frequency and duration, (ii) enable personal interaction (face-to-face or virtually), and (iii) include a physical activity component. Almost all studies were judged to be at high risk of bias and showed considerable heterogeneity. Further research may focus on the contribution of different intervention components or distinct subgroups and settings, and should examine children and adolescents over longer follow-up periods.

Implementing a psychosocial care approach in pediatric inpatient care: process evaluation of the pilot Child Life Specialist program at the University Hospital of Munich, Germany.

Background: Child Life Specialists (CLSs) are psychosocial care professionals of child development and health who focus on the individual needs and rights of young patients. CLSs accompany sick children and focus on the children's perspective and their reality of life. CLS programs are already established in clinical settings in the United States and other Anglophone countries but have not yet been piloted in the German health care setting, neither has their implementation been evaluated in this context. This study aimed to explore the factors influencing the implementation of a pilot CLS program in pediatric inpatient care at the Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital at the University Hospital of Munich, Germany. Methods: Building on methods commonly employed in the evaluation of complex interventions, we developed a logic model to guide the process evaluation of our program. Semi-structured interviews with four groups of stakeholders were conducted in person or via videoconferencing between June 2021 and January 2022. Data was analyzed collectively using the method of qualitative content analysis by Mayring. Results: Fifteen individual interviews were conducted with patients (children aged 5-17 years, n = 4), parents (n = 4), CLSs (n = 4) and other health professionals (n = 3). Factors influencing the implementation were identified on three levels: system, staff and intervention. On the system level, a clearer definition of CLSs' tasks and responsibilities was perceived as important and would likely lead to a delineation from other (psychosocial) professions and a reduction of potential resistances. On the staff level, lacking training opportunities and feelings of being insufficiently skilled were limiting the CLSs professional self-confidence. On the intervention level, the emergence of a unique characteristic of the CLSs' work (i.e., preparation for medical procedures) supported the acceptance of the new program. Conclusions: The implementation of a CLS program into an established hospital system with existing psychosocial care services is challenging. Our results contribute to a better understanding of implementation processes of such an additional psychosocial care approach and provide recommendations for addressing upcoming challenges.

Evaluation of community-based health promotion interventions in children and adolescents in high-income countries: a scoping review on strategies and methods used.

BACKGROUND: In recent decades, community-based interventions have been increasingly adopted in the field of health promotion and prevention. While their evaluation is relevant for health researchers, stakeholders and practitioners, conducting these evaluations is also challenging and there are no existing standards yet. The objective of this review is to scope peer-reviewed scientific publications on evaluation approaches used for community-based health promotion interventions. A special focus lies on children and adolescents' prevention. METHODS: A scoping review of the scientific literature was conducted by searching three bibliographic databases (Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO). The search strategy encompassed search terms based on the PCC (Population, Concept, Context) scheme. Out of 6,402 identified hits, 44 articles were included in this review. RESULTS: Out of the 44 articles eligible for this scoping review, the majority reported on studies conducted in the USA (n = 28), the UK (n = 6), Canada (n = 4) and Australia (n = 2). One study each was reported from Belgium, Denmark, Germany and Scotland, respectively. The included studies described interventions that mostly focused on obesity prevention, healthy nutrition promotion or well-being of children and adolescents. Nineteen articles included more than one evaluation design (e.g., process or outcome evaluation). Therefore, in total we identified 65 study designs within the scope of this review. Outcome evaluations often included randomized controlled trials (RCTs; 34.2%) or specific forms of RCTs (cluster RCTs; 9.8%) or quasi-experimental designs (26.8%). Process evaluation was mainly used in cohort (54.2%) and cross-sectional studies (33.3%). Only few articles used established evaluation frameworks or research concepts as a basis for the evaluation. CONCLUSION: Few studies presented comprehensive evaluation study protocols or approaches with different study designs in one paper. Therefore, holistic evaluation approaches were difficult to retrieve from the classical publication formats. However, these publications would be helpful to further guide public health evaluators, contribute to methodological discussions and to inform stakeholders in research and practice to make decisions based on evaluation results.

Development and validation of the ambiguous scenario task for perfectionistic concerns for university students.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Interpretation biases (IBs) are found in a range of psychological disorders, and the transdiagnostic role of IBs has gained increasing attention. Among the variants, IBs of perfectionism (e.g., interpreting a trivial error as equivalent to complete failure) are understood to be a central transdiagnostic phenotype. Perfectionism is a multidimensional construct and the dimension of perfectionistic concerns has been found to be most closely related to psychopathology. Therefore, capturing IBs that are specifically related to perfectionistic concerns (not perfectionism in general) is of particular importance in studying pathological IBs. Thus, we developed and validated the Ambiguous Scenario Task for Perfectionistic Concerns (AST-PC) to be used in university students. METHODS: We created two versions of the AST-PC and administered each version to one of two independent student samples (i.e., Version A to n = 108 and Version B to n = 110). We then examined the factor structure and associations with established questionnaires of perfectionism, depression, and anxiety. RESULTS: The AST-PC showed good factorial validity, confirming the hypothesized three-factor structure: perfectionistic concerns, adaptive, and maladaptive (but not perfectionistic) interpretations. The interpretations related to perfectionistic concerns showed good correlations with questionnaires of perfectionistic concerns, depressive symptoms, and trait anxiety. LIMITATIONS: Additional validation studies are required to establish the temporal stability of the task scores and their sensitivity to experimental induction and clinical intervention. Additionally, IBs of perfectionism should be investigated within a broader transdiagnostic context. CONCLUSIONS: The AST-PC demonstrated good psychometric properties. Future applications of the task are discussed.

["Child Life Specialist" Interventions in Clinical Pediatric Care: A Systematic Review of the Effects on Mental Health Outcomes of Children and Adolescents]. / "Child Life Specialist"-Interventionen in der klinischen pädiatrischen Versorgung: Ein systematischer Review zu Effekten auf psychische Gesundheitsparameter von Kindern und Jugendlichen.

AIM OF THE STUDY: Hospital stays can lead to psychological stress in children, which is often not sufficiently addressed in standard care. A new approach is to involve specialized psychosocial professionals, designated as Child Life Specialists (CLS), in clinical care in order to strengthen the child's perspective, to cushion burdens through targeted interventions and to promote the well-being of the patients. The aim of this work is to analyze the effects of CLS interventions on fear, pain and stress of children in a clinical context. METHODS: A systematic literature search was performed in the databases Medline, Embase and PsycINFO. The results are presented in tabular and graphical form. RESULTS: Four randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were analyzed to investigate the effects of CLS interventions in 459 children aged 0-15 years. Significant improvement in each of the outcome criteria was reported in at least one study. All studies were expected to have a medium to high risk of bias. CONCLUSION: The included RCTs report positive effects of CLS interventions on outcome variables of mental health of children in the clinical setting. Due to the small number of studies and their heterogeneity and quality, further research is needed.

Maternal Weight Gain during Pregnancy and the Developing Autonomic Nervous System-Possible Impact of GDM.

OBJECTIVE: The intrauterine environment is known to affect the offspring's long-term risk for obesity and diabetes. Previous data show that maternal metabolism and gestational weight gain (GWG) are associated with fetal autonomic nervous system (ANS) function, which can be assessed with heart rate variability (HRV). We investigated whether this association is also present in 2-year-old children and addressed the impact of gestational diabetes (GDM). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We examined the 2-year-old offspring of mothers who had undergone a 5-point, 75 g oral glucose tolerance test during pregnancy. To assess HRV, a 10-minute ECG was recorded, and time domain and frequency domain parameters were analyzed. Body composition was assessed using bioelectrical impedance testing. RESULTS: We examined 67 children (33 girls, 34 boys), 30 of whom were born to mothers with treated GDM and normoglycemic pregnancies (NGT), respectively. No differences were found between the groups with regard to birth weight, weight at the age of 2 years, and body fat content. We observed that GWG was associated with heart rate and HRV, indicating that children of mothers with low GWG had a lower parasympathetic tone. This association was detected in NGT-exposed-but not in GDM-exposed-children. HR and HRV correlated with body fat and fat-free mass in children from normoglycemic pregnancies only. CONCLUSION: We found that the impact of maternal GWG on offspring ANS function was missing in the presence of treated GDM. The balance of the ANS was related to offspring body composition in children from NGT pregnancies only. Our results suggest that maternal weight gain during pregnancy has a critical impact on the developing ANS, which might be disturbed in the presence of GDM.

Emergências obstétricas: estudo de caso múltiplo em terapia intensiva / Emergencias obstétricas: estudio de casos múltiples en cuidados intensivos / Obstetric emergencies: multiple case study in intensive care

Objetivo: analisar quatro casos de emergências obstétricas assistidas em uma unidade de terapia intensiva adulto de um hospital do interior do Brasil. Método: estudo qualitativo, do tipo estudo de casos múltiplos, envolvendo quatro mulheres com emergência obstétrica de um hospital da Fronteira Oeste do Rio Grande do Sul, no período entre 2016 e 2018. O instrumento de coleta resgatou as características sociais e clínicas, segundo seus prontuários. A análise temática de dados foi baseada nas perguntas e confronto com a literatura. Resultados: as mulheres apresentaram os diagnósticos de acidente vascular cerebral hemorrágico, eclâmpsia, tromboembolia pulmonar e sepse. Faixa etária entre 28 e 44 anos, sendo três gestantes e uma puérpera. Tempo de espera para internação de um dia para todas, e tempo médio de permanência foi de seis dias. Conclusões: o estudo permite auxílio na construção de protocolos e na articulação das redes de atenção à gestação de alto risco.(AU)

Objective: the objective was to analyze four cases of obstetric emergencies assisted in an adult intensive care unit of a hospital in the interior of Brazil. Method: qualitative study, of the multiple case study type, involving four women with obstetric emergency of a hospital in Rio Grande do Sul, in the period between 2016 and 2018. The collection instrument rescued the social and clinical characteristics, according to their medical records. Thematic analysis of data was based on questions and comparison with the literature. Results: the women presented the diagnoses of hemorrhagic stroke, eclampsia, pulmonary thromboembolism and sepsis. Age group between 28 and 44 years old, being three pregnant women and one puerperal woman. Waiting time for admission of one day for all, and average length of stay of six days. Conclusions: the study allows assistance in the construction of protocols and in the articulation of care networks for high-risk pregnancy.(AU)

Objetivo: analizar cuatro casos de urgencias obstétricas atendidas en una unidad de cuidados intensivos de adultos de un hospital del interior de Brasil. Método: estudio cualitativo, del tipo estudio de caso múltiple, involucrando cuatro mujeres con emergencia obstétrica de un Hospital en Rio Grande do Sul, en el período comprendido entre 2016 y 2018. El instrumento de recolección rescatado las características sociales y clínicas, según sus historias clínicas. El análisis temático de los datos se basó en preguntas y comparación con la literatura. Resultados: las mujeres presentaron los diagnósticos de ictus hemorrágico, eclampsia, tromboembolismo pulmonar y sepsis. Grupo de edad entre 28 y 44 años, siendo tres gestantes y una puérpera. Tiempo de espera para ingreso de un día para todos, y estancia media de seis días. Conclusiones: el estudio permite auxiliar en la construcción de protocolos y en la articulación de redes de atención al embarazo de alto riesgo.(AU)

Incretin Hypersecretion in Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.

CONTEXT: Incretins are crucial stimulators of insulin secretion following food intake. Data on incretin secretion and action during pregnancy are sparse. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to investigate the incretin response during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in pregnant women with and without gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). DESIGN: We analyzed data from the ongoing observational PREG study (NCT04270578). SETTING: The study was conducted at the University Hospital Tübingen. PARTICIPANTS: We examined 167 women (33 with GDM) during gestational week 27 ±â€…2.2. INTERVENTION: Subjects underwent 5-point OGTT with a 75-g glucose load. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We assessed insulin secretion and levels of total glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP), glicentin, and glucagon during OGTT. Linear regression was used to analyze the relation of GLP-1 and glucose with insulin secretion and the association of incretin levels on birth outcome. RESULTS: Insulin secretion was significantly lower in women with GDM (P < 0.001). Postload GLP-1 and GIP were ~20% higher in women with GDM (all P < 0.05) independent of age, body mass index, and gestational age. GLP-1 increase was associated with insulin secretion only in GDM, but not in normal glucose tolerance. Postprandial GLP-1 levels were negatively associated with birth weight. CONCLUSIONS: The more pronounced GLP-1 increase in women with GDM could be part of a compensatory mechanism counteracting GLP-1 resistance. Higher GLP-1 levels might be protective against fetal overgrowth.

The German Gestational Diabetes Study (PREG), a prospective multicentre cohort study: rationale, methodology and design.

INTRODUCTION: Even well-treated gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) might still have impact on long-term health of the mother and her offspring, although this relationship has not yet been conclusively studied. Using in-depth phenotyping of the mother and her offspring, we aim to elucidate the relationship of maternal hyperglycaemia during pregnancy and adequate treatment, and its impact on the long-term health of both mother and child. METHODS: The multicentre PREG study, a prospective cohort study, is designed to metabolically and phenotypically characterise women with a 75-g five-point oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) during, and repeatedly after pregnancy. Outcome measures are maternal glycaemia during OGTTs, birth outcome and the health and growth development of the offspring. The children of the study participants are followed up until adulthood with developmental tests and metabolic and epigenetic phenotyping in the PREG Offspring study. A total of 800 women (600 with GDM, 200 controls) will be recruited. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study protocol has been approved by all local ethics committees. Results will be disseminated via conference presentations and peer-reviewed publications. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: The PREG study and the PREG Offspring study are registered with Clinical Trials (ClinicalTrials.gov identifiers: NCT04270578, NCT04722900).

Empagliflozin Improves Insulin Sensitivity of the Hypothalamus in Humans With Prediabetes: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Phase 2 Trial.

OBJECTIVE: Insulin action in the human brain reduces food intake, improves whole-body insulin sensitivity, and modulates body fat mass and its distribution. Obesity and type 2 diabetes are often associated with brain insulin resistance, resulting in impaired brain-derived modulation of peripheral metabolism. So far, no pharmacological treatment for brain insulin resistance has been established. Since sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors lower glucose levels and modulate energy metabolism, we hypothesized that SGLT2 inhibition may be a pharmacological approach to reverse brain insulin resistance. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 40 patients (mean ± SD; age 60 ± 9 years; BMI 31.5 ± 3.8 kg/m2) with prediabetes were randomized to receive 25 mg empagliflozin every day or placebo. Before and after 8 weeks of treatment, brain insulin sensitivity was assessed by functional MRI combined with intranasal administration of insulin to the brain. RESULTS: We identified a significant interaction between time and treatment in the hypothalamic response to insulin. Post hoc analyses revealed that only empagliflozin-treated patients experienced increased hypothalamic insulin responsiveness. Hypothalamic insulin action significantly mediated the empagliflozin-induced decrease in fasting glucose and liver fat. CONCLUSIONS: Our results corroborate insulin resistance of the hypothalamus in humans with prediabetes. Treatment with empagliflozin for 8 weeks was able to restore hypothalamic insulin sensitivity, a favorable response that could contribute to the beneficial effects of SGLT2 inhibitors. Our findings position SGLT2 inhibition as the first pharmacological approach to reverse brain insulin resistance, with potential benefits for adiposity and whole-body metabolism.

Slow deep breathing modulates cardiac vagal activity but does not affect peripheral glucose metabolism in healthy men.

Parasympathetic nervous system innervates peripheral organs including pancreas, hepatic portal system, and gastrointestinal tract. It thereby contributes to the regulation of whole-body glucose metabolism especially in the postprandial state when it promotes secretion of insulin and enhances its action in major target organs. We now aimed to evaluate the effect of parasympathetic modulation on human glucose metabolism. We used slow deep breathing maneuvers to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and tested for effects on metabolism during an oral glucose tolerance test in a randomized, controlled, cross-over trial in 15 healthy young men. We used projections towards the heart as a readout for parasympathetic activity. When analyzing heart rate variability, there was a significant increase of RMSSD (root mean square of successive differences) when participants performed slow deep breathing compared to the control condition, indicating a modulation of parasympathetic activity. However, no statistically significant effects on peripheral glucose metabolism or energy expenditure after the glucose tolerance test were detected. Of note, we detected a significant association between mean heart rate and serum insulin and C-peptide concentrations. While we did not find major effects of slow deep breathing on glucose metabolism, our correlational results suggest a link between the autonomic nervous system and insulin secretion after oral glucose intake. Future studies need to unravel involved mechanisms and develop potential novel treatment approaches for impaired insulin secretion in diabetes.

Free fatty acids, glicentin and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide as potential major determinants of fasting substrate oxidation.

The selection of carbohydrates or fat to generate intracellular energy is thought to be crucial for long-term metabolic health. While most studies assess fuel selection after a metabolic challenge, the determinants of substrate oxidation in the fasted state remain largely unexplored. We therefore assessed the respiratory quotient by indirect calorimetry as a read-out for substrate oxidation following an overnight fast. This cross-sectional analysis consisted of 192 (92 women, 100 men) either lean or obese participants. Following an overnight fast, the respiratory quotient (RQ) was assessed, after which a 5-point 75-g oral glucose tolerance test was performed. Unlike glucose and insulin, fasting free fatty acids (FFA) correlated negatively with fasting RQ (p < 0.0001). Participants with high levels of the ketone body ß-hydroxybutyric acid had significantly lower RQ values. Fasting levels of glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glicentin were positively associated with fasting RQ (all p ≤ 0.03), whereas GLP-1 showed no significant association. Neither BMI, nor total body fat, nor body fat distribution correlated with fasting RQ. No relationship between the RQ and diabetes or the metabolic syndrome could be observed. In the fasting state, FFA concentrations were strongly linked to the preferentially oxidized substrate. Our data did not indicate any relationship between fasting substrate oxidation and metabolic diseases, including obesity, diabetes, and the metabolic syndrome. Since glicentin and GIP are linked to fuel selection in the fasting state, novel therapeutic approaches that target these hormones may have the potential to modulate substrate oxidation.

Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Is Associated With Insulin Secretion.

CONTEXT: Pharmacological lowering of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol potently reduces cardiovascular risk while concurrently increasing type 2 diabetes risk. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between LDL cholesterol concentrations and insulin secretion and glucagon levels. METHODS: A total of 3039 individuals without cholesterol-lowering therapy, but with increased risk for diabetes, underwent routine blood tests and a 5-point oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Glucagon concentrations, insulin secretion, and insulin clearance indices were derived from the OGTT. RESULTS: There was no association between LDL cholesterol and fasting glucagon (P = .7, ß = -.01) or post-glucose load glucagon levels (P = .7, ß = -.07), but we detected significant positive associations of LDL cholesterol and C-peptide-based indices of insulin secretion (area under the curve [AUC]C-Peptide(0-30min)/AUCGlucose(0-30min): P < .001, ß = .06; AUCC-Peptide(0-120min) /AUCGlucose(0-120min): P < .001, ß = -.08). In contrast, we found a negative association of insulin-based insulin secretion indices with LDL concentrations (insulinogenic index: P = .01, ß = -.04; disposition index: P < .001, ß = -.06). LDL cholesterol levels, however, were positively associated with insulin clearance assessed from C-peptide and insulin concentrations, both in the fasting state and post-glucose load (P < .001, ß = .09 and P < .001, ß = .06, respectively). CONCLUSION: As C-peptide based indices reflect insulin secretion independent of hepatic clearance, our results indicate lower insulin secretion in case of lesser LDL cholesterol. This could explain deteriorating glycemic control in response to cholesterol-lowering drugs.

Prevalência de danos neurológicos graves e perfil clínico de pacientes em Unidade de Terapia Intensiva / Prevalence of severe neurological damage and clinical profile of patients in Intensive Care Unit / Prevalencia de daños neurológicos graves y perfil clínico de los pacientes en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos

Objetivo: identificar os danos neurológicos prevalentes em pacientes internados em Unidade de Terapia Intensiva e a relação destes com as características sociais e clínicas, os cuidados e o desfecho clínico. Método: estudo transversal com análise de 83 prontuários de pacientes com danos neurológicos e internados no período de 2016 a 2018. Resultados: predomínio do Acidente Vascular Encefálico Hemorrágico (55,4%). O Traumatismo Cranioencefálico acometeu apenas homens (16,9%). A Hipertensão Arterial Sistêmica foi a principal comorbidade evidenciada (51,8%). A alteração da força muscular foi o principal sinal de dano neurológico grave (36,2%). A analgesia prevaleceu entre os cuidados intensivos dedicados aos pacientes com danos neurológicos graves (95,1%). Predomínio do óbito como desfecho clínico (85,6%). Conclusão: predomina o Acidente Vascular Encefálico Hemorrágico, especialmente em mulheres. A analgesia é o principal cuidado evidenciado, e a taxa de mortalidade foi superior à dos índices encontrados na literatura.

Objective: to identify the prevalent neurological damage in patients admitted to an Intensive Care Unit and their relationship with social and clinical characteristics, care, and clinical outcome. Method: cross-sectional study with analysis of 83 medical records of patients with neurological damage and hospitalized in the period from 2016 to 2018. Results: predominance of Hemorrhagic Stroke (55.4%). Traumatic Brain Injury affected only men (16.9%). Systemic Arterial Hypertension was the main comorbidity evidenced (51.8%). Altered muscle strength was the main sign of severe neurological damage (36.2%). Analgesia prevailed among intensive care dedicated to patients with severe neurological damage (95.1%). Death as clinical outcome predominated (85.6%). Conclusion: Hemorrhagic stroke predominates, especially in women. Analgesia is the main care evidenced, and the mortality rate was higher than the rates found in the literature.

Objetivo: identificar el daño neurológico prevalente en los pacientes ingresados en una Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos y su relación con las características sociales y clínicas, los cuidados y el resultado clínico. Método: estudio transversal con análisis de 83 historias clínicas de pacientes con daño neurológico e ingresados en el periodo de 2016 a 2018. Resultados: predominio del Ictus Hemorrágico (55,4%). El traumatismo craneoencefálico sólo afectaba a los hombres (16,9%). La hipertensión arterial sistémica fue la principal comorbilidad evidenciada (51,8%). La alteración de la fuerza muscular fue el principal signo de daño neurológico grave (36,2%). La analgesia prevaleció entre los cuidados intensivos dedicados a los pacientes con daño neurológico grave (95,1%). Predominó la muerte como resultado clínico (85,6%). Conclusión: Predomina el ictus hemorrágico, especialmente en las mujeres. La analgesia es el principal cuidado evidenciado, y la tasa de mortalidad fue superior a las tasas encontradas en la literatura.