Development and validation of predictive model for long-term hospitalization, readmission, and in-hospital death of patients over 60 years old.

OBJECTIVE: To develop and validate a high-risk predictive model that identifies, at least, one common adverse event in older population: early readmission (up to 30 days after discharge), long hospital stays (10 days or more) or in-hospital deaths. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study including patients aged 60 years or older (n=340) admitted at a 630-beds tertiary hospital, located in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. A predictive model of high-risk indication was developed by analyzing logistical regression models. This model prognostic capacity was assessed by measuring accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve with 95% confidence intervals were also obtained to assess the discriminatory power of the model. Internal validation of the prognostic model was performed in a separate sample (n=168). RESULTS: Statistically significant predictors were identified, such as current Barthel Index, number of medications in use, presence of diabetes mellitus, difficulty chewing or swallowing, extensive surgery, and dementia. The study observed discrimination model acceptance in the construction sample 0.77 (95% confidence interval: 0.71-0.83) and good calibration. The characteristics of the validation samples were similar, and the receiver operating characteristic curve area was 0.687 (95% confidence interval: 0.598-0.776). We could assess an older patient's adverse health events during hospitalization after admission. CONCLUSION: A predictive model with acceptable discrimination was obtained, with satisfactory results for early readmission (30 days), long hospital stays (10 days), or in-hospital death.

What are the implications of problem-solving capacity at Primary Health Care in older adult health?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate Primary Health Care attributes and analyze the association between the fulfilment of these attributes and problem-solving capacity of services for elderly patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional, observational, quantitative study. The Primary Care Assessment Tool, designed to assess Primary Health Care attributes, was employed to evaluate elderly users of Primary Care Units located in the south region of the city of São Paulo (SP). RESULTS: Many attributes assessed at the reference services were considered as unsatisfactory by users. Overall scores were also below the cut-off point. "First contact access - use", "longitudinality" and "coordination - information system" were the only attributes considered as satisfactory. Also, more than half (62.7%) of respondent patients reported having been referred to specialized services. A combined analysis of these three outcomes revealed users referred to other services had a significantly better perception of Primary Health Care attributes. CONCLUSION: The study provides important insights on satisfaction of elderly individuals and the problem-solving capacity of health care services, especially for the study population. Findings reported emphasize the association between Primary Health Care attributes and the problem-solving capacity of health care services at this level.

Epidemiology and treatment of sepsis at a public pediatric emergency department.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical characteristics and treatment of children with sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock at a pediatric emergency department of a public hospital. METHODS: A retrospective, observational study. The medical records of patients included in the hospital Pediatric Sepsis Protocol and patients with discharge ICD-10 A41.9 (sepsis, unspecified), R57 (shock) and A39 (meningococcal meningitis) were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 399 patients were included. The prevalence of sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock at the emergency room were 0.41%, 0.14% and 0.014%, respectively. The median age was 21.5 months for sepsis, 12 months for severe sepsis, and 20.5 months for septic shock. Sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock were more often associated with respiratory diseases. The Respiratory Syncytial Virus was the most common agent. The median time to antibiotic and fluid administration was 3 hours in patients with sepsis and severe sepsis. In patients with septic shock, the median times to administer antibiotics, fluid and vasoactive drugs were 2 hours, 2.5 hours and 6 hours, respectively. The median length of hospital stay for patients with sepsis, severe sepsis and septic shock were 3 days, 4 days and 1 day, respectively. The overall mortality was 2%. CONCLUSION: Sepsis had a low prevalence. Early diagnosis and recognition are a challenge for the emergency care pediatrician, the first place of admission.

Assessment of staffing needs for registered nurses and licensed practical nurses at primary care units in Brazil using Workload Indicators of Staffing Need (WISN) method.

BACKGROUND: The balance between supply and demand for primary health care (PHC) services is one of the main challenges to the health system in Brazil. In this context, the application of planning methods could benefit the decision-making process for human resources organizations. Hence, the objective of this study was to assess the staffing needs for registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) at PHC services using the WISN method. METHODS: The Workload Indicators of Staffing Need (WISN) methodology was applied at 13 Primary Care Units (PCU) located in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. It included 87 RNs and 174 LPNs, and used data from 2017 to 2019. RESULTS: The WISN results found that RNs were under high workload pressure at 10 PCUs (77%) in 2017 and 2018, with a decrease to 8 PCUs (61%) in 2019. For LPNs, high workload pressure increased from 2 PCUs (15%) in 2017 to 13 PCUs (100%) in 2018, with a decrease to 11 (85%) in 2019. CONCLUSION: The assessment of staffing needs for RNs and LPNs at the PCUs included in the study identified a consistent deficit in the number of professionals, and high workload pressure in most services throughout the study period.

What are the implications of problem-solving capacity at Primary Health Care in older adult health?

ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate Primary Health Care attributes and analyze the association between the fulfilment of these attributes and problem-solving capacity of services for elderly patients. Methods A cross-sectional, observational, quantitative study. The Primary Care Assessment Tool, designed to assess Primary Health Care attributes, was employed to evaluate elderly users of Primary Care Units located in the south region of the city of São Paulo (SP). Results Many attributes assessed at the reference services were considered as unsatisfactory by users. Overall scores were also below the cut-off point. "First contact access - use", "longitudinality" and "coordination - information system" were the only attributes considered as satisfactory. Also, more than half (62.7%) of respondent patients reported having been referred to specialized services. A combined analysis of these three outcomes revealed users referred to other services had a significantly better perception of Primary Health Care attributes. Conclusion The study provides important insights on satisfaction of elderly individuals and the problem-solving capacity of health care services, especially for the study population. Findings reported emphasize the association between Primary Health Care attributes and the problem-solving capacity of health care services at this level.

Development and validation of predictive model for long-term hospitalization, readmission, and in-hospital death of patients over 60 years old

ABSTRACT Objective To develop and validate a high-risk predictive model that identifies, at least, one common adverse event in older population: early readmission (up to 30 days after discharge), long hospital stays (10 days or more) or in-hospital deaths. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study including patients aged 60 years or older (n=340) admitted at a 630-beds tertiary hospital, located in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. A predictive model of high-risk indication was developed by analyzing logistical regression models. This model prognostic capacity was assessed by measuring accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve with 95% confidence intervals were also obtained to assess the discriminatory power of the model. Internal validation of the prognostic model was performed in a separate sample (n=168). Results Statistically significant predictors were identified, such as current Barthel Index, number of medications in use, presence of diabetes mellitus, difficulty chewing or swallowing, extensive surgery, and dementia. The study observed discrimination model acceptance in the construction sample 0.77 (95% confidence interval: 0.71-0.83) and good calibration. The characteristics of the validation samples were similar, and the receiver operating characteristic curve area was 0.687 (95% confidence interval: 0.598-0.776). We could assess an older patient's adverse health events during hospitalization after admission. Conclusion A predictive model with acceptable discrimination was obtained, with satisfactory results for early readmission (30 days), long hospital stays (10 days), or in-hospital death.

Epidemiology and treatment of sepsis at a public pediatric emergency department

ABSTRACT Objective To describe the clinical characteristics and treatment of children with sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock at a pediatric emergency department of a public hospital. Methods A retrospective, observational study. The medical records of patients included in the hospital Pediatric Sepsis Protocol and patients with discharge ICD-10 A41.9 (sepsis, unspecified), R57 (shock) and A39 (meningococcal meningitis) were evaluated. Results A total of 399 patients were included. The prevalence of sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock at the emergency room were 0.41%, 0.14% and 0.014%, respectively. The median age was 21.5 months for sepsis, 12 months for severe sepsis, and 20.5 months for septic shock. Sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock were more often associated with respiratory diseases. The Respiratory Syncytial Virus was the most common agent. The median time to antibiotic and fluid administration was 3 hours in patients with sepsis and severe sepsis. In patients with septic shock, the median times to administer antibiotics, fluid and vasoactive drugs were 2 hours, 2.5 hours and 6 hours, respectively. The median length of hospital stay for patients with sepsis, severe sepsis and septic shock were 3 days, 4 days and 1 day, respectively. The overall mortality was 2%. Conclusion Sepsis had a low prevalence. Early diagnosis and recognition are a challenge for the emergency care pediatrician, the first place of admission.

A Pediatric Sepsis Protocol Reduced Mortality and Dysfunctions in a Brazilian Public Hospital.

Introduction: Few studies in the literature discuss the benefits of compliance with sepsis bundles in hospitals in low- and middle-income countries, where resources are limited and mortality is high. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study conducted at a public hospital in a low-income region in Brazil. We evaluated whether completion of a sepsis bundle is associated with reduced in-hospital mortality for sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock, as well as prevention of septic shock and organ dysfunction. Bundle compliance required the completion of three items: (1) obtaining blood count and culture, arterial or venous blood gases, and arterial or venous lactate levels; (2) antibiotic infusion within the first hour of diagnosis; and (3) infusion of 10-20 ml/kg saline solution within the first hour of diagnosis. Results: A total of 548 children with sepsis, severe sepsis, or septic shock who were treated at the emergency room from February 2008 to August of 2016 were included in the study. Of those, 371 patients were included in the protocol group and had a lower median length of stay (3 days vs. 11 days; p < 0.001), fewer organ dysfunctions during hospitalization (0 vs. 2, p < 0.001), and a lower probability of developing septic shock. According to a propensity score analysis, mortality was lower during the post-implementation period [2.75 vs. 15.4% (RR 95%IC 0.13 (0.06, 0.27); p < 0.001)]. Conclusions: A simple and low-cost protocol was feasible and yielded good results at a general hospital in a low-income region in Brazil. Protocol use resulted in decreased mortality and progression of dysfunctions and was associated with a reduced probability of developing septic shock.

Dental vulnerability scale in primary health care: evidence of content and structure internal validity.

BACKGROUND: Access to oral health services remains a challenge in the Brazilian healthcare system, especially in the primary health care setting, where the use of a risk stratification tool that could identify individuals with higher dental vulnerability would be extremely valuable. However, there literature on this theme is scarce, and there is no validated instrument in Brazil that is capable of measuring dental vulnerability. Hence, this psychometric study aimed at the development and evaluation of content and internal structure validity of the Dental Vulnerability Scale for Primary Health Care (PHC). METHODS: The items were developed based on a qualitative exploratory analysis. A total of 172 items were prepared and submitted to a panel of specialists, with content validity analyzed with the Content Validity Ratio (CVR), resulting in an the initial version of the instrument composed by 41 items. Internal structure validity was analyzed by Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and by applying 3 reliability indicators (Cronbach's Alpha, McDonald's Omega and Greatest Lower Bound - GBL), with a sample of 1227 individuals. RESULTS: The final configuration indicated a scale of 15 items divided into 4 dimensions (overall health, oral health, infrastructure, and healthcare services) with explained variance of 72.11%. The factor loads varied from 0.37 to 0.96. The model adjustment indices were set at × 2/df(51) = 3.23, NNFI = 0.95, CFI = 0.98, GFI = 0.96, AGFI = 0.97, RMSEA = 0.04 and RMSR = 0.03. CONCLUSION: DVS presented satisfactory evidence of validity, indicating its suitability to be used by healthcare professionals, students and managers to plan oral health actions and services at PHC.

Factors Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Infection among Oral Health Team Professionals

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze the factors associated with the SARS-CoV-2 infection among oral health professionals. Material and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study in the city of São Paulo, São Paulo State, Brazil. Professionals from three different categories were included: dental surgeons (DS), dental assistants (DA), and dental hygienists (DH). A questionnaire was created on a digital platform and sent via institutional email to each subject. The questionnaire contained 32 questions about sociodemographic, work, and behavior factors. The data about SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed through RT-PCR exams. Descriptive (absolute and relative frequencies) and inferential analyses (chi-squared or Fisher's exact test) (p<0.05) were performed. Results: There was a SARS-CoV-2 infection prevalence of 3.8% for DS, 30.0% for DH, and 33.3% for DA. SARS-CoV-2 was associated with a lower income (p=0.027), a lower education level (p=0.011), the category of technical professionals (DA and DH) (p=0.025), and using public transportation to commute to work (p=0.009). Conclusion: Sociodemographic factors like lower income and education levels and work factors like job category and public transportation were associated with COVID-19 among professionals on the oral health teams.

A prospective evaluation of inter-rater agreement of routine medical records audits at a large general hospital in São Paulo, Brazil.

BACKGROUND: The quality of patient medical records is intrinsically related to patient safety, clinical decision-making, communication between health providers, and continuity of care. Additionally, its data are widely used in observational studies. However, the reliability of the information extracted from the records is a matter of concern in audit processes to ensure inter-rater agreement (IRA). Thus, the objective of this study is to evaluate the IRA among members of the Patient Health Record Review Board (PHRRB) in routine auditing of medical records, and the impact of periodic discussions of results with raters. METHODS: A prospective longitudinal study was conducted between July of 2015 and April of 2016 at Hospital Municipal Dr. Moysés Deutsch, a large public hospital in São Paulo. The PHRRB was composed of 12 physicians, 9 nurses, and 3 physiotherapists who audited medical records monthly, with the number of raters changing throughout the study. PHRRB meetings were held to reach a consensus on rating criteria that the members use in the auditing process. A review chart was created for raters to verify the registry of the patient's secondary diagnosis, chief complaint, history of presenting complaint, past medical history, medication history, physical exam, and diagnostic testing. The IRA was obtained every three months. The Gwet's AC1 coefficient and Proportion of Agreement (PA) were calculated to evaluate the IRA for each item over time. RESULTS: The study included 1884 items from 239 records with an overall full agreement among raters of 71.2%. A significant IRA increase of 16.5% (OR = 1.17; 95% CI = 1.03-1.32; p = 0.014) was found in the routine PHRRB auditing, with no significant differences between the PA and the Gwet's AC1, which showed a similar evolution over time. The PA decreased by 27.1% when at least one of the raters was absent from the review meeting (OR = 0.73; 95% CI = 0.53-1.00; p = 0.048). CONCLUSIONS: Medical record quality has been associated with the quality of care and could be optimized and improved by targeted interventions. The PA and the Gwet's AC1 are suitable agreement coefficients that are feasible to be incorporated in the routine PHRRB evaluation process.

Fasting glucose of patients from public health care in the southern region of São Paulo: correlation with glycated hemoglobin and lipid levels. / Glicemia de jejum de pacientes da rede pública de saúde na região sul de São Paulo: correlação com hemoglobina glicada e níveis lipídicos.

INTRODUCTION: Fasting glucose is a test used for monitoring diabetes mellitus, as well as its screening and diagnosis. The objective of this study was to evaluate fasting glucose results and their correlation with glycated hemoglobin and lipids. METHODS: Cross-sectional study, involving 77,581 patients, attended in 2014. RESULTS: The majority of the patients are women (65%). The age of the patients ranged from 18 to 115 years (mean of 53 ± 15.5). The agreement between fasting glucose and glycated hemoglobin was moderate (kappa = 0.416); however, it was substantial for the levels used for the diagnosis of diabetes (kappa = 0.689) and poor for pre-diabetes (kappa = 0.188). Fasting glucose ≥ 100 mg/dL was observed in 41.1% of the patients and 61.5% present glycated hemoglobin ≥ 5.7%. Lipid abnormalities are likeliest in patients with elevated fasting glucose. From those 14,241 individuals that had fasting glucose ≥ 126 mg/dL, the microalbuminuria test was performed in only 883 (6.2%) patients, with abnormal results in 201 (22.8%). CONCLUSIONS: The high frequency of fasting glucose with abnormal results may reflect the high proportion of exams performed by individuals with diagnosis of diabetes, to evaluate their glycemic control. The low frequency of requests for microalbuminuria tests in those with probable diagnosis of diabetes reflects the little attention paid for the screening of chronic complications of diabetes. It calls attention the high frequency of dyslipidemia in those individuals, highlighting the fact that this is a population with high cardiovascular risk.

INTRODUÇÃO: A glicemia de jejum é um teste usado para o monitoramento do diabetes mellitus, bem como para seu rastreamento e diagnóstico. O objetivo do estudo foi analisar resultados de glicemia de jejum de pacientes da rede pública e sua correlação com hemoglobina glicada e lipídios. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal, com 77.581 pacientes, atendidos em 2014. RESULTADOS: A maioria é do sexo feminino (65%), com idade entre 18 e 115 anos (53 ± 15,5 anos). A concordância entre glicemia de jejum e hemoglobina glicada foi moderada (Kappa = 0,416), entretanto foi substancial para níveis compatíveis com diabetes (Kappa = 0,689) e pobre para pré-diabetes (Kappa = 0,188). Glicemia de jejum ≥ 100 mg/dL foi encontrada em 41,1% dos pacientes e hemoglobina glicada ≥ 5,7% em 61,5%. As alterações lipídicas são mais frequentes nos indivíduos com alterações na glicemia. Dos 14.241 indivíduos com glicemia de jejum ≥ 126 mg/dL, a microalbuminúria foi pesquisada em apenas 883 (6,2%) indivíduos, com resultado alterado em 201 (22,8%). CONCLUSÕES: Nos indivíduos que realizaram mais de uma dosagem de glicemia de jejum, a maioria permaneceu com exames alterados, principalmente os que apresentavam valores compatíveis com o diagnóstico de diabetes, sugerindo que não conseguem um controle adequado. A baixa frequência de pesquisa de microalbuminúria em indivíduos com glicemia de jejum sugestiva de diabetes reflete a pequena preocupação com o rastreio de suas complicações crônicas. A elevada frequência de dislipidemia nesses indivíduos evidencia ser uma população de elevado risco cardiovascular.

Effect of an educational program for the knowledge and quality of blood pressure recording. / Efeito de um programa educativo no conhecimento e na qualidade dos registros da pressão arterial.

OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the effect of an educational program on blood pressure recording for nursing professionals in relation to theoretical knowledge and the quality of these records. METHOD: quasi-experimental study conducted in a hospital service located in the city of São Paulo. The theoretical knowledge of 101 professionals was measured using a validated questionnaire before and after the educational intervention; the quality of blood pressure records was evaluated using a validated form which was applied to 354 records in the pre-intervention period and 288 in the post-intervention period. The educational program was based on active teaching-learning methodologies and consisted of two strategies: expository/dialogue class and a board game. The Wilcoxon, Mann-Whitney, Fisher and Chi-Square tests were used for comparisons, adopting a level of significance of α=0.05. RESULTS: the median of the professionals' scores increased from 19 to 22 points in the post-intervention period (p<0.001). There was an improvement in the quality of the blood pressure recordings regarding the variables: cuff size (p<0.001), arm used in the procedure (p<0.001) and patient position (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: the educational program showed positive results in the promotion of knowledge among nursing professionals and in the improvement of the quality of blood pressure recording.

Association of blood pressure documentation with adverse outcomes in an emergency department in Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: To associate blood pressure (BP) documentation with adverse outcomes in an emergency department (ED). METHODS: This is a retrospective observational study, and 642 records of patients admitted to the ED of a tertiary hospital in Brazil were used. We included medical records of patients of both sexes aged over 18 years, who were allocated in general wards in the period December 2015-June 2016. Association between BP measurements with length of stay (LOS), worsening of clinical presentation, unplanned patient transfer, readmission, stroke or transient ischemic attack, cardiorespiratory arrest, and death were investigated. RESULTS: Association was observed between worsening of clinical presentation and systolic (p = 0.003) or diastolic (p = 0.001) BP values. The association between LOS and worsening of clinical presentation with the number of BP measurements or mean time between BP measurements was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Unplanned patient transfer was associated with an increase in the number of BP measurements (p < 0.001). The mean time between BP measurements was higher among patients who returned to the ED within 48-72 h (p = 0.030). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study showed association between BP documentation with adverse outcomes in the ED, reinforcing the need to develop educational strategies regarding nursing records and monitoring of vital signs.

Efeito de um programa educativo no conhecimento e na qualidade dos registros da pressão arterial / Effect of an educational program for the knowledge and quality of blood pressure recording / Efecto de un programa educativo en el conocimiento y en la calidad de los registros de la presión arterial

Objetivo avaliar o efeito de um programa educativo sobre o registro da pressão arterial para profissionais de enfermagem em relação ao conhecimento teórico e à qualidade desses registros. Método estudo quase-experimental conduzido em um serviço hospitalar localizado no município de São Paulo. O conhecimento teórico de 101 profissionais foi mensurado por meio de questionário validado antes e após a intervenção educativa. A qualidade dos registros da pressão arterial foi avaliada utilizando-se formulário validado e aplicado a 354 prontuários no período pré-intervenção e 288 no período pós-intervenção. O programa educativo foi fundamentado em metodologias ativas de ensino-aprendizagem e constituído por duas estratégias: aula expositiva-dialogada e um jogo de tabuleiro. Os testes de Wilcoxon, Mann-Whitney, Fisher e Qui-Quadrado foram utilizados para comparações, adotando-se um nível de significância de α=0,05. Resultados a mediana de acertos dos profissionais passou de 19 para 22 pontos no período pós-intervenção (p<0,001). Houve melhora na qualidade dos registros de pressão arterial quanto às variáveis tamanho do manguito (p<0,001), membro utilizado no procedimento (p<0,001) e posição do paciente (p<0,001). Conclusão o programa educativo mostrou resultados positivos na promoção do conhecimento dos profissionais de enfermagem e na melhora da qualidade dos registros da pressão arterial.

Objective to evaluate the effect of an educational program on blood pressure recording for nursing professionals in relation to theoretical knowledge and the quality of these records. Method quasi-experimental study conducted in a hospital service located in the city of São Paulo. The theoretical knowledge of 101 professionals was measured using a validated questionnaire before and after the educational intervention; the quality of blood pressure records was evaluated using a validated form which was applied to 354 records in the pre-intervention period and 288 in the post-intervention period. The educational program was based on active teaching-learning methodologies and consisted of two strategies: expository/dialogue class and a board game. The Wilcoxon, Mann-Whitney, Fisher and Chi-Square tests were used for comparisons, adopting a level of significance of α=0.05. Results the median of the professionals' scores increased from 19 to 22 points in the post-intervention period (p<0.001). There was an improvement in the quality of the blood pressure recordings regarding the variables: cuff size (p<0.001), arm used in the procedure (p<0.001) and patient position (p<0.001). Conclusion the educational program showed positive results in the promotion of knowledge among nursing professionals and in the improvement of the quality of blood pressure recording.

Objetivo evaluar el efecto de un programa educativo sobre el registro de la presión arterial para profesionales de enfermería en relación al conocimiento teórico y a la calidad de esos registros. Método estudio cuasi-experimental conducido en un servicio hospitalario ubicado en la ciudad de São Paulo. El conocimiento teórico de 101 profesionales fue medido a través de un cuestionario validado antes y después de la intervención educativa; la calidad de los registros de la presión arterial fue evaluada utilizando formulario validado y aplicado a 354 prontuarios en el período pre-intervención y 288 en el período post-intervención. El programa educativo fue fundamentado en metodologías activas de enseñanza-aprendizaje y constituido por dos estrategias: clase expositiva-dialogada y un juego de tablero. Las pruebas de Wilcoxon, Mann-Whitney, Fisher y Qui-cuadrado se utilizaron para comparaciones, adoptando un nivel de significancia de α=0,05. Resultados la mediana de aciertos de los profesionales pasó de 19 a 22 puntos en el período post-intervención (p<0,001). Se observó una mejoría en la calidad de los registros de presión arterial en cuanto a las variables: tamaño del manguito (p<0,001), miembro utilizado en el procedimiento (p<0,001) y posición del paciente (p<0,001). Conclusión el programa educativo mostró resultados positivos en la promoción del conocimiento de los profesionales de enfermería y en la mejora de la calidad de los registros de la presión arterial.

Detecting latent safety threats in an interprofessional training that combines in situ simulation with task training in an emergency department.

BACKGROUND: During in situ simulation, interprofessional care teams practice in an area where clinical care occurs. This study aimed to detect latent safety threats (LST) in a training program, which combined in situ simulation scenarios with just-in-time and just-in-place self-directed task training in an emergency department. We hypothesized this simulation-based training in actual care areas allows the detection of at least one LST per simulation scenario. METHODS: This prospective observational study (April 2015-March 2016) involved 135 physicians, nurses, and nurse technicians. Training themes selected were arrhythmia, respiratory insufficiency, shock, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Simulation weeks occurred every 3 months, with three 10-min scheduled in situ simulation scenarios alternating for each theme daily. The scenarios were followed by co-debriefing by two facilitators (a physician and a nurse). LST were identified by facilitators using a debriefing checklist. Additionally, a room was set up with task-trainers related to each theme. RESULTS: The number participants in scenarios was 114 (84% of the population) and in task-training, 101. The number of scenario cancelations was nine, making the final total number to 49 of 58 proposed. Fifty-six LST were observed, with an average of 1.1 per scenario. LST were divided into four categories: equipment (n = 23, 41.1%), teamwork (n = 12, 21.4%), medication (n = 11, 19.6%), and others (n = 10, 17.9%). There was a higher proportion in equipment-related LST (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The training allowed a high rate of detecting LST regardless of theme. Equipment-related LST were more frequently found.

Evaluation of Influenza A H1N1 infection and antiviral utilization in a tertiary care hospital.

BACKGROUND: Influenza A H1N1 infections carry a significant mortality risk. This study describes inpatients with suspected and confirmed Influenza A H1N1 infection who were prescribed oseltamivir, the risk factors associated with infection, the association between infection and mortality, and the factors associated with in-hospital mortality in infected patients. METHODS: This study was a matched case-control study of hospitalized patients who underwent real-time polymerase chain reaction testing for Influenza A H1N1 and were treated with oseltamivir from 2009 to 2015 in a tertiary care hospital. Cases (patients with positive Influenza A H1N1 testing) were matched 1:1 to controls (patients with negative test results). RESULTS: A total of 1405 inpatients who underwent PCR testing and received treatment with oseltamivir were identified in our study and 157 patients confirmed Influenza A H1N1. Almost one third of patients with Influenza A H1N1 were diagnosed in the pandemic period. There was no difference in mortality between cases and controls. Immunocompromised status, requirement of vasoactive drugs, mechanical ventilation, acute hemodialysis, albumin administration, surgical procedures and thoracic procedures and length of stay were associated with increased risk of death in Influenza A H1N1 infected patients. CONCLUSIONS: We found no increased risk of mortality for patients with proven Influenza A H1N1 when compared to similar patients without confirmed Influenza.

Actin cytoskeleton dynamics in stem cells from autistic individuals.

Several lines of indirect evidence, such as mutations or dysregulated expression of genes related to cytoskeleton, have suggested that cytoskeletal dynamics, a process essential for axons and dendrites development, is compromised in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, no study has yet examined whether cytoskeleton dynamics is functionally altered in cells from ASD patients. Here we investigated the regulation of actin cytoskeleton dynamics in stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHEDs) of 13 ASD patients and 8 control individuals by inducing actin filament depolymerization and then measuing their reconstruction upon activation of the RhoGTPases Rac, Cdc42 or RhoA. We observed that stem cells from seven ASD individuals (53%) presented altered dymanics of filament reconstruction, including a patient recently studied by our group whose iPSC-derived neuronal cells show shorten and less arborized neurites. We also report potentially pathogenic genetic variants that might be related to the alterations in actin repolymerization dynamics observed in some patient-derived cells. Our results suggest that, at least for a subgroup of ASD patients, the dynamics of actin polymerization is impaired, which might be ultimately leading to neuronal abnormalities.

Evaluation of Candida bloodstream infection and antifungal utilization in a tertiary care hospital.

BACKGROUND: Candida bloodstream infections carry a significant mortality risk, justifying the importance of adequate antifungal therapy. This study describes trends in antifungal consumption using the Defined Daily Dose (DDD) and Days of Therapy (DOT) metrics, identifies the microbiological profile, the time to initiation of empirical therapy, the adjustment after positive blood culture results for Candida, and the impact on in-hospital mortality rate in patients with candidemia. METHODS: An analysis of antifungal consumption from 2008 to 2016, and of candidemia cases from 2012 to 2016 was carried out in a private tertiary hospital. RESULTS: A total of 11,273 admissions were identified with a prescription for at least one type of antifungal therapy. Fluconazole was the most prescribed antifungal drug in terms of general consumption. Through the DDD and DOT metrics, we observed that over time, there was an increase in the consumption of liposomal amphotericin B, micafungin and voriconazole. Candida albicans was the most isolated species in blood cultures. Regarding candidemia, we analyzed samples from 115 patients. Empirical therapy was started within 24 h of blood culture in 44.3% of the cases, and in 81.7% of the cases, the antifungal was deemed to be adequate based in antifungal susceptibility testing, both of which were not associated with the in-hospital mortality rate. CONCLUSIONS: Our study reinforces the importance of monitoring the consumption of antifungal agents, which helps in proposing actions that lead to their rational use and, consequently, reduces the appearance of resistant strains.