The relationship of neuropsychiatric symptoms with inflammatory markers in the hippocampus and cingulate cortex of bipolar disorder subjects: A post-mortem study.

Increased levels of inflammation markers have been found in the peripheral tissue of individuals with bipolar disorder (BD), especially during mood episodes. Previous studies found distinctive inflammatory profiles across different brain regions, but potential associations with clinical symptoms are still lacking. This study aims to evaluate the association of neuropsychiatric symptoms with inflammatory markers in the hippocampus and cingulate of individuals with BD. Levels of IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-17A, cortisol, and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured in the hippocampus and anterior cingulate of 14 BD individuals and their non-psychiatric controls. Neuropsychiatric symptoms present in the three months before death were assessed using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). In the BD group, greater NPI scores were associated with higher IL-6 in the hippocampus (p = 0.011) and cingulate (p = 0.038) and higher IL-1ß (p = 0.039) in the hippocampus. After adjusting for age, sex and CDR, IL-1ß and IL-6 were still associated with higher NPI in the hippocampus. In correlation analysis considering both BD and their controls, moderate positive associations were found between NPI and IL-6 and cortisol in the hippocampus (p < 0.001 and p = 0.006) and cingulate (p = 0.024 and p = 0.016), IL-1ß (p < 0.001) and IL-17A in the hippocampus (p = 0.002). No difference in inflammatory markers was found according to type of psychotropic medication used. Hence, in individuals with BD, neuropsychiatric symptoms were differently associated with specific inflammatory cytokines and CRP in the hippocampus and cingulate. These results suggest that the neuroinflammatory changes occurring in BD may be more complex than previously expected and could be associated with clinical manifestations.

Bipolar symptoms, somatic burden and functioning in older-age bipolar disorder: A replication study from the global aging & geriatric experiments in bipolar disorder database (GAGE-BD) project.

OBJECTIVES: The Global Aging & Geriatric Experiments in Bipolar Disorder Database (GAGE-BD) project pools archival datasets on older age bipolar disorder (OABD). An initial Wave 1 (W1; n = 1369) analysis found both manic and depressive symptoms reduced among older patients. To replicate this finding, we gathered an independent Wave 2 (W2; n = 1232, mean ± standard deviation age 47.2 ± 13.5, 65% women, 49% aged over 50) dataset. DESIGN/METHODS: Using mixed models with random effects for cohort, we examined associations between BD symptoms, somatic burden and age and the contribution of these to functioning in W2 and the combined W1 + W2 sample (n = 2601). RESULTS: Compared to W1, the W2 sample was younger (p < 0.001), less educated (p < 0.001), more symptomatic (p < 0.001), lower functioning (p < 0.001) and had fewer somatic conditions (p < 0.001). In the full W2, older individuals had reduced manic symptom severity, but age was not associated with depression severity. Age was not associated with functioning in W2. More severe BD symptoms (mania p ≤ 0.001, depression p ≤ 0.001) were associated with worse functioning. Older age was significantly associated with higher somatic burden in the W2 and the W1 + W2 samples, but this burden was not associated with poorer functioning. CONCLUSIONS: In a large, independent sample, older age was associated with less severe mania and more somatic burden (consistent with previous findings), but there was no association of depression with age (different from previous findings). Similar to previous findings, worse BD symptom severity was associated with worse functioning, emphasizing the need for symptom relief in OABD to promote better functioning.

Maintenance of medium- and high-complexity health services in the context of high patient transition: a time series ecological study of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. / Manutenção dos serviços de média e alta complexidade em contexto de alta transição de usuários: um estudo ecológico de séries temporais no Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.

The study addresses the historical disparities in the distribution of the medium- and high-complexity health network and the limits to budget adjustments between the municipality of Rio de Janeiro and its neighboring municipalities of the Metropolitan region 1. An ecological study was conducted with data related to the municipality of Rio de Janeiro, chosen because it has a large assistance network, while located on the borders of vulnerable and underprivileged areas, characterizing a locus that is representative of the situations faced throughout the country. A decrease in the gross values of the programmed quotas in all municipalities of Rio de Janeiro was observed from 2016 onwards. The temporal trend of the programmed quotas remained stable for all municipalities in the Metropolitan Region 1, even with significant increases in the accomplished quotas for neighboring municipalities. The resulting overload in local expenditure prevents the increase of capacity to anticipate fluctuations in demand, both known and unexpected ones, compromising the responsiveness of the health system regarding its regular operation, as well as the ability to adjust to cope with extraordinary events, essential characteristics of resilience.

O estudo explora as históricas disparidades regionais na distribuição da rede de média e alta complexidade e os limites impostos para a o remanejamento dos tetos de financiamento entre o município do Rio de Janeiro e municípios limítrofes da Região Metropolitana 1. Foi realizado um estudo ecológico com dados referentes à cidade do Rio de Janeiro, escolhido por ter uma grande rede de assistência e limites com territórios vulneráveis e carentes de serviços de saúde, caracterizando um lócus representativo das situações enfrentadas em todo o país. Foi observado um decréscimo dos valores brutos das cotas programadas em todos os municípios do Rio de Janeiro a partir de 2016. A tendência temporal das cotas programadas se manteve estacionária para todos os municípios da Região Metropolitana 1, mesmo com aumentos significativos nas cotas para municípios limítrofes. A resultante sobrecarga no aporte local de recursos impede o aumento da capacidade para antecipar flutuações de demanda, tanto conhecidas quanto inesperadas, comprometendo a responsividade do sistema de saúde no que respeita seu funcionamento regular, bem como a capacidade de ajuste para lidar com eventos extraordinários, características essenciais da resiliência.

Definitions of Histological Abnormalities in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: an ECCO Position Paper.

Histological assessment of endoscopic biopsies in inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] plays an important role in clinical management, investigative studies, and clinical trials. Scoring schemes consisting of multiple histological items and offering considerable precision are widely available. However, definitions of histological abnormalities are often inconsistent. Furthermore, interobserver variability for their recognition and assessment may be high. The European Crohn's and Colitis Organisation [ECCO] formed an expert panel to explore definitions of histological abnormalities in IBD, with the aim of improving the quality of diagnosis and facilitating development of scoring schemes. The process confirmed that the current definitions often have no evidence base and vary between sources. Using available evidence and expert knowledge, the panel produced a series of ECCO consensus position statements on histological features in IBD.

Decentralizing referral prioritization to general practitioners at the primary care level: A qualitative case study based on the Grounded Theory.

BACKGROUND: Patient referral prioritizations is an essential process in coordinating healthcare delivery, since it organizes the waiting lists according to priorities and availability of resources. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to highlight the consequences of decentralizing ambulatory patient referrals to general practitioners that work as family physicians in primary care clinics. METHODS: A qualitative case study was carried out in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro. The ten health regions of Rio de Janeiro were visited during fieldwork, totalizing 35 hours of semi-structured interviews and approximately 70 hours of analysis based on the Grounded Theory. RESULTS: The findings of this study show that the obstacles to adequate referrals are beyond the management of vacancies, ranging from the standardization of prioritization criteria to ensuring the proper employment of referral protocols in diverse locations assisted by overloaded health workers with different backgrounds and perceptions. Efforts in decentralizing patient referral to primary care still face the growing dilemmas and challenges of expanding the coverage of health services while putting pressure on risk assessment, as well as sustaining the autonomy of physicians' work while respecting the eligibility when ordering waiting lists. CONCLUSION: A major strength of this work is on the method to organize and aggregate qualitative data using visual representations. Limitations concerning the reach of fieldwork in vulnerable and hardly accessible areas were overcame using snowball sampling techniques, making more participants accessible.

Manutenção dos serviços de média e alta complexidade em contexto de alta transição de usuários: um estudo ecológico de séries temporais no Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil / Maintenance of medium- and high-complexity health services in the context of high patient transition: a time series ecological study of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Resumo O estudo explora as históricas disparidades regionais na distribuição da rede de média e alta complexidade e os limites impostos para a o remanejamento dos tetos de financiamento entre o município do Rio de Janeiro e municípios limítrofes da Região Metropolitana 1. Foi realizado um estudo ecológico com dados referentes à cidade do Rio de Janeiro, escolhido por ter uma grande rede de assistência e limites com territórios vulneráveis e carentes de serviços de saúde, caracterizando um lócus representativo das situações enfrentadas em todo o país. Foi observado um decréscimo dos valores brutos das cotas programadas em todos os municípios do Rio de Janeiro a partir de 2016. A tendência temporal das cotas programadas se manteve estacionária para todos os municípios da Região Metropolitana 1, mesmo com aumentos significativos nas cotas para municípios limítrofes. A resultante sobrecarga no aporte local de recursos impede o aumento da capacidade para antecipar flutuações de demanda, tanto conhecidas quanto inesperadas, comprometendo a responsividade do sistema de saúde no que respeita seu funcionamento regular, bem como a capacidade de ajuste para lidar com eventos extraordinários, características essenciais da resiliência.

Abstract The study addresses the historical disparities in the distribution of the medium- and high-complexity health network and the limits to budget adjustments between the municipality of Rio de Janeiro and its neighboring municipalities of the Metropolitan region 1. An ecological study was conducted with data related to the municipality of Rio de Janeiro, chosen because it has a large assistance network, while located on the borders of vulnerable and underprivileged areas, characterizing a locus that is representative of the situations faced throughout the country. A decrease in the gross values of the programmed quotas in all municipalities of Rio de Janeiro was observed from 2016 onwards. The temporal trend of the programmed quotas remained stable for all municipalities in the Metropolitan Region 1, even with significant increases in the accomplished quotas for neighboring municipalities. The resulting overload in local expenditure prevents the increase of capacity to anticipate fluctuations in demand, both known and unexpected ones, compromising the responsiveness of the health system regarding its regular operation, as well as the ability to adjust to cope with extraordinary events, essential characteristics of resilience.

Smartphone addiction and postural alterations in the cervical region in adolescents / Dependência do smartphone e alteração postural da região cervical de adolescentes

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate smartphone addiction and postural alterations in the cervical region in adolescents. Methods: A cross-sectional study with 281 adolescents (15 to 19 years old), attending the 1st to the 3rd grades of High School, carried out between September and October 2019 in the city of Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. Data collection took place in two stages. In the first, they answered four self-administered questionnaires: sociodemographic questionnaire, health conditions and smartphone use, Nordic Musculoskeletal Symptom Questionnaire (NMQ), Self-Report Questionnaire (SRQ-20) and the Smartphone Addiction Inventory (SPAI-BR). In the second stage, they were submitted to photogrammetry using the Postural Assessment Software (SAPO) and anthropometric assessment (weight and height). The software SPSS Statistics version 23.0 was used for data analysis. Results: Of the total number of adolescents, 63.3% (n=178) showed smartphone addiction, using it for 5.8 hours (±3.5) during the week and 8.7 (±4.0) hours on the weekend. When analyzing postural alignment in the anterior view, a significant reduction in the lateral head tilt was observed when typing on the smartphone (p=0.002) compared to the anatomical position (baseline). In the lateral view, an increase in head anteriorization was observed during smartphone use (p<0.05). There was an association between smartphone addiction and head anteriorization (p<0.05). Conclusions: The use of the smartphone in the typing position causes postural alterations in the cervical region, especially in adolescents with smartphone addiction. Therefore, health promotion measures that alert adolescents to the adverse effects caused by prolonged smartphone use are necessary.

RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar a dependência do smartphone e a alteração postural da região cervical em adolescentes. Métodos: Estudo transversal, com 281 adolescentes (15 a 19 anos), que frequentavam da 1ᵃ à 3ᵃ série do ensino médio, realizado entre setembro e outubro de 2019 na cidade de Fortaleza, Ceará, Brasil. A coleta dos dados ocorreu em duas etapas. Na primeira, eles responderam a quatro questionários autoaplicáveis: questionário sociodemográfico, condições de saúde e uso do smartphon e, Questionário Nórdico de Sintomas Musculoesqueléticos (NMQ), Self-Report Questi onnaire (SRQ-20) e o Smartphone A ddiction Inventory (SPAI-BR). Na segunda etapa, foram submetidos a fotogrametria pelo Software de Avaliação Postural (SAPO) e avaliação antropométrica (peso e altura). Para a análise dos dados, foi utilizado o SPSS Statistics versão 23.0. Resultados: Do total, 63,3% (n=178) dos adolescentes apresentaram dependência do smartphone, com o uso de 5,8 horas (±3,5) durante a semana e 8,7 (±4,0) no fim de semana. Ao analisar o alinhamento postural na visão anterior, observou-se redução significativa da inclinação lateral de cabeça ao digitar no smartphon e (p=0,002) comparado à posição anatômica (baseline). Na visão lateral foi constatado aumento da anteriorização de cabeça durante o uso do smartphon e (p<0,05). Houve associação da dependência do smartphone com a anteriorização de cabeça (p<0,05). Conclusões: O uso do smartphone na posição de digitação causa alteração postural na região cervical, destacadamente naqueles que apresentam dependência do dispositivo. Dessa forma, são necessárias medidas de promoção de saúde que alertem os adolescentes sobre os efeitos adversos causados pelo uso prolongado do smartphone.

Smartphone addiction and postural alterations in the cervical region in adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate smartphone addiction and postural alterations in the cervical region in adolescents. METHODS: A cross-sectional study with 281 adolescents (15 to 19 years old), attending the 1st to the 3rd grades of High School, carried out between September and October 2019 in the city of Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. Data collection took place in two stages. In the first, they answered four self-administered questionnaires: sociodemographic questionnaire, health conditions and smartphone use, Nordic Musculoskeletal Symptom Questionnaire (NMQ), Self-Report Questionnaire (SRQ-20) and the Smartphone Addiction Inventory (SPAI-BR). In the second stage, they were submitted to photogrammetry using the Postural Assessment Software (SAPO) and anthropometric assessment (weight and height). The software SPSS Statistics version 23.0 was used for data analysis. RESULTS: Of the total number of adolescents, 63.3% (n=178) showed smartphone addiction, using it for 5.8 hours (±3.5) during the week and 8.7 (±4.0) hours on the weekend. When analyzing postural alignment in the anterior view, a significant reduction in the lateral head tilt was observed when typing on the smartphone (p=0.002) compared to the anatomical position (baseline). In the lateral view, an increase in head anteriorization was observed during smartphone use (p<0.05). There was an association between smartphone addiction and head anteriorization (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The use of the smartphone in the typing position causes postural alterations in the cervical region, especially in adolescents with smartphone addiction. Therefore, health promotion measures that alert adolescents to the adverse effects caused by prolonged smartphone use are necessary.

Prospecção das condições de trabalho do Samu-192 fluvial em cenários de crise a partir da resiliência no enfrentamento à Covid-19 no Alto Solimões / Investigation of the working conditions of the river-based SAMU-192 in crisis scenarios based on resilience in the face of COVID-19 in Alto Solimões

RESUMO Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo prospectar as condições de trabalho das equipes de socorro do Serviço de Atendimento Móvel de Urgência (Samu-192) fluvial das áreas ribeirinhas e costeiras da região do Alto-Solimões, a partir da análise sistêmica das atividades no serviço de embarcações popularmente chamadas de 'ambulanchas' durante os picos da Covid-19 no estado do Amazonas, quando o sistema de saúde funcionou sob o estresse provocado pela pandemia. Os dados foram obtidos a partir de um desenho transversal exploratório, baseado em dados qualitativos coletados por meio de entrevistas e observação do funcionamento normal do sistema antes da pandemia. A partir daí modelos de dois cenários foram elaborados mostrando o funcionamento do serviço de ambulanchas ao lidar com a pandemia de Covid-19 e o impacto nas condições de trabalho das equipes de socorro interprofissionais de socorro. Entrevistas remotas com trabalhadores das ambulanchas após a pandemia indicaram que a prospecção das condições de trabalho a partir das instâncias dos modelos corresponderam ao funcionamento real do sistema durante a pandemia de Covid-19.

ABSTRACT This research aimed to prospect the working conditions of the rescue teams of the Mobile Emergency Care Service (SAMU-192) at the fluvial areas of the Alto Solimoes region, trough the systemic analysis of the activities of the water ambulances service popularly called 'ambulanchas' during the peaks of COVID-19 in the state of Amazonas, when the health system functioned under stress caused by the pandemic. Data were obtained from an exploratory cross-sectional design, based on qualitative data collected through interviews and observation of the normal functioning of the system before the pandemic. From there, models of two scenarios were developed showing the functioning of the water ambulances service when coping with the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact on the working conditions of the interprofessional rescue teams. Remote interviews with workers after the pandemic indicated that the prospection of working conditions from the instances of the models corresponded to the real functioning of the system during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gene expression alterations in the postmortem hippocampus from older patients with bipolar disorder - A hypothesis generating study.

Bipolar disorder (BD) presents with a progressive course in a subset of patients. However, our knowledge of molecular changes in older BD is limited. In this study, we examined gene expression changes in the hippocampus of BD from the Biobank of Aging Studies to identify genes of interest that warrant further exploration. RNA was extracted from the hippocampus from 11 subjects with BD and 11 age and sex-matched controls. Gene expression data was generated using the SurePrint G3 Human Gene Expression v3 microarray. Rank feature selection was performed to identify a subset of features that can optimally differentiate BD and controls. Genes ranked in the top 0.1% with log2 fold change >1.2 were identified as genes of interest. Average age of the subjects was 64 years old; duration of disease was 21 years and 82% were female. Twenty-five genes were identified, of which all but one was downregulated in BD. Of these, CNTNAP4, MAP4, SLC4A1, COBL, and NEURL4 had been associated with BD and other psychiatric conditions in previous studies. We believe our findings have identified promising targets to inform future studies aiming to understand the pathophysiology of BD in later life.

Functioning in older adults with bipolar disorder: A report on recommendations by the International Society of bipolar disorder (ISBD) older adults with bipolar disorder (OABD) task force.

OBJECTIVES: Despite the importance of psychosocial functioning impairment in Bipolar Disorder (BD), its role among Older Adults with BD (OABD) is not well known. The development of guidelines for the assessment of psychosocial functioning helps to facilitate a better understanding of OABD and can lead to better tailored interventions to improve the clinical outcomes of this population. METHODS: Through a series of virtual meetings, experts from eight countries in the International Society of Bipolar Disorder (ISBD) on OABD task force developed recommendations for the assessment of psychosocial functioning. RESULTS: We present (1) a conceptualization of functioning in OABD and differences compared with younger patients; (2) factors related to functioning in OABD; (3) current measures of functioning in OABD and their strengths and limitations; and, (4) other potential sources of information to assess functioning. CONCLUSIONS: The task force created recommendations for assessing functioning in OABD. Current instruments are limited, so measures specifically designed for OABD, such as the validated FAST-O scale, should be more widely adopted. Following the proposed recommendations for assessment can improve research and clinical care in OABD and potentially lead to better treatment outcomes.

Higher pain intensity is associated with less resilience in patients with rheumatoid arthritis / Maior intensidade de dor está associada com menor resiliência em pacientes com artrite reumatoide

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory, chronic and autoimmune disease that causes joint damage and can lead to physical disability. Patients with chronic and debilitating diseases such as arthritis need to adapt to the new reality. These changes may have less impact on patients with greater self-efficacy and resilience. Psychosocial factors influence the quality of life (QoL) of these patients, so the aim of this study was to assess resilience in this population and its relationship with pain, functional capacity and disease activity. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study carried out with patients at a medical specialties clinic, using a sociodemographic, a clinical-laboratory, a health assessment, a disease activity score questionnaires and the Wagnild and Young Resilience Scale. The data was analyzed using Fisher's Exact, Chi-square, Student's t and ANOVA tests. RESULTS: 120 patients participated in the study, 89.2% female, mean age 56.9 ± 10.7 years. Pain was classified as severe by 40.8%, 65.8% had disease in remission and 50.8% had mild disability. The resilience of 49.2% was high. There was an association between lower resilience and: presence of painful joints (p=0.004) and greater pain intensity (p=0.014). There was a lower average of resilience (130.95) in participants with severe disability. CONCLUSION: Patients with less resilient rheumatoid arthritis had greater functional disability, painful joints and greater pain intensity. In addition, from the moment additional measures are adopted, such as educational actions and behavioral strategies, with an emphasis on resilience, which help in the control and clinical outcome of the disease, there will certainly be a positive impact on the quality of life of these patients.

RESUMO JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: A artrite reumatoide é uma doença inflamatória, crônica e autoimune, que acarreta lesão articular e pode ocasionar incapacidade física. Pacientes com doenças crônicas e debilitantes como a artrite necessitam se adaptar à nova realidade. Essas mudanças podem ser menos impactantes em pacientes com maior autoeficácia e resiliência. Os fatores psicossociais exercem influência na qualidade de vida (QV) desses pacientes, portanto o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a resiliência nessa população e sua relação com dor, capacidade funcional e atividade da doença. MÉTODOS: Trata-se de uma pesquisa transversal, realizada com pacientes de uma clínica de especialidades médicas, através dos questionários sociodemográfico, clínico-laboratorial, de avaliação da saúde, de escore da atividade da doença,e avaliação da saúde, de escore da atividade da doença, e da escala de Resiliência de Wagnild e Young. A análise dos dados foi feita através dos testes Exato de Fisher, Qui-quadrado, t de Student e ANOVA. RESULTADOS: Participaram do estudo 120 pacientes, sendo 89,2% do sexo feminino, com média de idade de 56,9±10,7 anos. A dor foi classificada como intensa por 40,8%; 65,8% dos pacientes estavam com doença em remissão e 50,8% com incapacidade leve. A resiliência de 49,2% foi elevada. Foi verificada uma associação entre menor resiliência e: presença de articulações dolorosas (p=0,004) e maior intensidade de dor (p=0,014). Foi verificada menor média de resiliência (130,95) nos participantes com incapacidade grave. CONCLUSÃO: Pacientes com artrite reumatoide menos resilientes apresentaram maior incapacidade funcional, articulações dolorosas e maior intensidade de dor. Além disso, a partir do momento em que se adota medidas adicionais, tais como ações educativas e estratégias comportamentais, com ênfase na resiliência, que auxiliem no controle e no desfecho clínico da doença, certamente haverá impacto positivo na QV dos pacientes.

Performance of the ACMG-AMP criteria in a large familial renal glucosuria cohort with identified SLC5A2 sequence variants.

Familial Renal Glucosuria (FRG) is a co-dominantly inherited trait characterized by orthoglycaemic glucosuria. From 2003 to 2015 we have reported several cohorts validating SLC5A2 (16p11.2), encoding SGLT2 (Na+/glucose cotransporter family member 2), as the gene responsible for FRG. The aim of this work was to validate the variants identified in our extended FRG cohort of published, as well more recent unreported cases, according to the ACMG-AMP 2015 criteria. Forty-six variants were evaluated, including 16 novel alleles first described in this study. All are rare, ultra-rare or absent from population databases and most are missense changes. According to the ACMG-AMP standards, only 74% of the variants were classified as P/LP. The lack of descriptions of unrelated patients with similar variants or failing to test additional affected family members, averted a conclusion for pathogenicity in the alleles that scored VUS, highlighting the importance of both family testing and variant reporting. Finally, the cryo-EM structure of the hSGLT2-MAP17 complex in the empagliflozin-bound state improved the ACMG-AMP pathogenicity score by identifying critical/functional protein domains.

A framework to assess potential health system resilience using fuzzy logic.

Objectives: To develop and test a framework to assess the potential of public health systems to maintain a resilient performance. Methods: Quantitative data from public databases and qualitative data from technical reports of Brazilian health authorities were used to develop the framework which was assessed and modified by experts. Fuzzy logic was used for the mathematical model to determine scores for four resilient abilities - monitoring, anticipation, learning, and response - and an aggregated coefficient of resilient potential in health care. The coefficient measures used data from before the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. These were compared with measures of the actual performance of health systems in 10 cities in Brazil during the pandemic. Results: The coefficient of resilient potential in health care showed that the cities most affected by COVID-19 had lower potential for resilient performance before the pandemic. Some local health systems had adequate response capabilities, but other abilities were not well developed, which adversely affected the management of the spread of COVID-19. Conclusions: The coefficient of resilient potential in health care is useful to indicate important areas for resilient performance and the different types of resilience capacities that can be considered in different contexts and levels of public health systems. Regular assessment of the potential of health systems for resilient performance would help highlight opportunities for continuous improvement in health system functions during chronic stress situations, which could strengthen their ability to keep functioning in the face of sudden disturbances.

Transformative dimensions of resilience and brittleness during health systems' collapse: a case study in Brazil using the Functional Resonance Analysis Method.

BACKGROUND: As health systems struggle to tackle the spread of Covid-19, resilience becomes an especially relevant attribute and research topic. More than strength or preparedness, to perform resiliently to emerging shocks, health systems must develop specific abilities that aim to increase their potential to adapt to extraordinary situations while maintaining their regular functioning. Brazil has been one of the most affected countries during the pandemic. In January 2021, the Amazonas state's health system collapsed, especially in the city of Manaus, where acute Covid-19 patients died due to scarcity of medical supplies for respiratory therapy. METHODS: This paper explores the case of the health system's collapse in Manaus to uncover the elements that prevented the system from performing resiliently to the pandemic, by carrying out a grounded-based systems analysis of the performance of health authorities in Brazil using the Functional Resonance Analysis Method. The major source of information for this study was the reports from the congressional investigation carried out to unveil the Brazilian response to the pandemic. RESULTS: Poor cohesion between the different levels of government disrupted essential functions for managing the pandemic. Moreover, the political agenda interfered in the abilities of the system to monitor, respond, anticipate, and learn, essential aspects of resilient performance. CONCLUSIONS: Through a systems analysis approach, this study describes the implicit strategy of "living with Covid-19", and an in-depth view of the measures that hampered the resilience of the Brazilian health system to the spread of Covid-19.

A framework to assess potential health system resilience using fuzzy logic

[ABSTRACT]. Objectives. To develop and test a framework to assess the potential of public health systems to maintain a resilient performance. Methods. Quantitative data from public databases and qualitative data from technical reports of Brazilian health authorities were used to develop the framework which was assessed and modified by experts. Fuzzy logic was used for the mathematical model to determine scores for four resilient abilities – monitoring, anticipation, learning, and response and an aggregated coefficient of resilient potential in health care. The coefficient measures used data from before the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. These were compared with measures of the actual performance of health systems in 10 cities in Brazil during the pandemic. Results. The coefficient of resilient potential in health care showed that the cities most affected by COVID-19 had lower potential for resilient performance before the pandemic. Some local health systems had adequate response capabilities, but other abilities were not well developed, which adversely affected the management of the spread of COVID-19. Conclusions. The coefficient of resilient potential in health care is useful to indicate important areas for resilient performance and the different types of resilience capacities that can be considered in different contexts and levels of public health systems. Regular assessment of the potential of health systems for resilient performance would help highlight opportunities for continuous improvement in health system functions during chronic stress situations, which could strengthen their ability to keep functioning in the face of sudden disturbances.

[RESUMEN]. Objetivos. Elaborar y examinar un marco para evaluar el potencial de los sistemas de salud pública de man- tener un desempeño resiliente. Métodos. Para elaborar el marco, se emplearon datos cuantitativos de bases de datos públicas y datos cualitativos de informes técnicos de las autoridades de salud brasileñas. A continuación, este marco fue evaluado y modificado por expertos. Se utilizó la lógica difusa en el modelo matemático empleado para determinar la puntuación de cuatro capacidades resilientes (seguimiento, anticipación, aprendizaje y respuesta) y un coeficiente agregado de potencial resiliente en la atención médica. Para las medidas del coeficiente se emplearon datos previos a la pandemia de la enfermedad por el coronavirus del 2019 (COVID-19), que se compararon con las medidas del desempeño real de los sistemas de salud en diez ciudades de Brasil durante la pandemia. Resultados. El coeficiente de potencial resiliente en la atención de salud indicó que las ciudades más afec- tadas por la COVID-19 presentaban un menor potencial de desempeño resiliente antes de la pandemia. En algunos sistemas de salud locales la capacidad de respuesta era adecuada pero otras capacidades no estaban suficientemente desarrolladas, lo que afectó de manera negativa el manejo de la propagación de la COVID-19. Conclusiones. El coeficiente de potencial resiliente en la atención de salud es útil para indicar aspectos importantes del desempeño resiliente y los diferentes tipos de capacidades de resiliencia que pueden considerarse en diferentes contextos y niveles de los sistemas de salud pública. La evaluación periódica del potencial de los sistemas de salud para tener un desempeño resiliente ayudaría a poner de relieve las opor- tunidades de mejora continua de las funciones del sistema de salud en situaciones de estrés crónico, lo que podría fortalecer su capacidad para seguir funcionando frente a perturbaciones repentinas.

[RESUMO]. Objetivos. Desenvolver e testar uma estrutura de avaliação do potencial dos sistemas de saúde pública de manter um desempenho resiliente. Métodos. Dados quantitativos de bancos de dados públicos e dados qualitativos de relatórios técnicos das autoridades sanitárias brasileiras foram utilizados para desenvolver a estrutura, que foi avaliada e modificada por especialistas. A lógica fuzzy foi utilizada na criação de um modelo matemático para determinar a pontuação em quatro capacidades de resiliência (monitoramento, antecipação, aprendizagem e resposta) e um coeficiente agregado do potencial de resiliência na atenção à saúde. O coeficiente foi calculado utilizando dados anteriores à pandemia da doença provocada pelo coronavírus de 2019 (COVID-19). Esses dados foram comparados com medidas do desempenho real dos sistemas de saúde em 10 cidades brasileiras durante a pandemia. Resultados. O coeficiente de potencial de resiliência na atenção à saúde revelou que as cidades mais afetadas pela COVID-19 tinham menor potencial de desempenho resiliente antes da pandemia. Alguns sistemas de saúde locais tinham capacidades de resposta adequadas, porém as outras capacidades não estavam bem desenvolvidas, o que prejudicou o gerenciamento da propagação da COVID-19. Conclusões. O coeficiente de potencial de resiliência na atenção à saúde é útil para indicar áreas importantes para um desempenho resiliente e os vários tipos de capacidade de resiliência que podem ser considerados em diferentes contextos e níveis dos sistemas de saúde pública. Uma avaliação periódica do potencial de desempenho resiliente dos sistemas de saúde ajudaria a assinalar oportunidades para melhorias contínuas das funções desses sistemas durante situações de estresse crônico, o que poderia aumentar sua capacidade de continuar funcionando diante de perturbações repentinas.

A framework to assess potential health system resilience using fuzzy logic / Marco para evaluar la resiliencia potencial de un sistema de salud mediante la lógica difusa / Estrutura de avaliação do potencial de resiliência dos sistemas de saúde utilizando a lógica fuzzy

ABSTRACT Objectives. To develop and test a framework to assess the potential of public health systems to maintain a resilient performance. Methods. Quantitative data from public databases and qualitative data from technical reports of Brazilian health authorities were used to develop the framework which was assessed and modified by experts. Fuzzy logic was used for the mathematical model to determine scores for four resilient abilities - monitoring, anticipation, learning, and response - and an aggregated coefficient of resilient potential in health care. The coefficient measures used data from before the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. These were compared with measures of the actual performance of health systems in 10 cities in Brazil during the pandemic. Results. The coefficient of resilient potential in health care showed that the cities most affected by COVID-19 had lower potential for resilient performance before the pandemic. Some local health systems had adequate response capabilities, but other abilities were not well developed, which adversely affected the management of the spread of COVID-19. Conclusions. The coefficient of resilient potential in health care is useful to indicate important areas for resilient performance and the different types of resilience capacities that can be considered in different contexts and levels of public health systems. Regular assessment of the potential of health systems for resilient performance would help highlight opportunities for continuous improvement in health system functions during chronic stress situations, which could strengthen their ability to keep functioning in the face of sudden disturbances.

RESUMEN Objetivos. Elaborar y examinar un marco para evaluar el potencial de los sistemas de salud pública de mantener un desempeño resiliente. Métodos. Para elaborar el marco, se emplearon datos cuantitativos de bases de datos públicas y datos cualitativos de informes técnicos de las autoridades de salud brasileñas. A continuación, este marco fue evaluado y modificado por expertos. Se utilizó la lógica difusa en el modelo matemático empleado para determinar la puntuación de cuatro capacidades resilientes (seguimiento, anticipación, aprendizaje y respuesta) y un coeficiente agregado de potencial resiliente en la atención médica. Para las medidas del coeficiente se emplearon datos previos a la pandemia de la enfermedad por el coronavirus del 2019 (COVID-19), que se compararon con las medidas del desempeño real de los sistemas de salud en diez ciudades de Brasil durante la pandemia. Resultados. El coeficiente de potencial resiliente en la atención de salud indicó que las ciudades más afectadas por la COVID-19 presentaban un menor potencial de desempeño resiliente antes de la pandemia. En algunos sistemas de salud locales la capacidad de respuesta era adecuada pero otras capacidades no estaban suficientemente desarrolladas, lo que afectó de manera negativa el manejo de la propagación de la COVID-19. Conclusiones. El coeficiente de potencial resiliente en la atención de salud es útil para indicar aspectos importantes del desempeño resiliente y los diferentes tipos de capacidades de resiliencia que pueden considerarse en diferentes contextos y niveles de los sistemas de salud pública. La evaluación periódica del potencial de los sistemas de salud para tener un desempeño resiliente ayudaría a poner de relieve las oportunidades de mejora continua de las funciones del sistema de salud en situaciones de estrés crónico, lo que podría fortalecer su capacidad para seguir funcionando frente a perturbaciones repentinas.

RESUMO Objetivos. Desenvolver e testar uma estrutura de avaliação do potencial dos sistemas de saúde pública de manter um desempenho resiliente. Métodos. Dados quantitativos de bancos de dados públicos e dados qualitativos de relatórios técnicos das autoridades sanitárias brasileiras foram utilizados para desenvolver a estrutura, que foi avaliada e modificada por especialistas. A lógica fuzzy foi utilizada na criação de um modelo matemático para determinar a pontuação em quatro capacidades de resiliência (monitoramento, antecipação, aprendizagem e resposta) e um coeficiente agregado do potencial de resiliência na atenção à saúde. O coeficiente foi calculado utilizando dados anteriores à pandemia da doença provocada pelo coronavírus de 2019 (COVID-19). Esses dados foram comparados com medidas do desempenho real dos sistemas de saúde em 10 cidades brasileiras durante a pandemia. Resultados. O coeficiente de potencial de resiliência na atenção à saúde revelou que as cidades mais afetadas pela COVID-19 tinham menor potencial de desempenho resiliente antes da pandemia. Alguns sistemas de saúde locais tinham capacidades de resposta adequadas, porém as outras capacidades não estavam bem desenvolvidas, o que prejudicou o gerenciamento da propagação da COVID-19. Conclusões. O coeficiente de potencial de resiliência na atenção à saúde é útil para indicar áreas importantes para um desempenho resiliente e os vários tipos de capacidade de resiliência que podem ser considerados em diferentes contextos e níveis dos sistemas de saúde pública. Uma avaliação periódica do potencial de desempenho resiliente dos sistemas de saúde ajudaria a assinalar oportunidades para melhorias contínuas das funções desses sistemas durante situações de estresse crônico, o que poderia aumentar sua capacidade de continuar funcionando diante de perturbações repentinas.

As implicações bioéticas da Comissão Parlamentar de Inquérito da Pandemia: o caso Prevent Senior / The bioethical implications of the Parliamentary Pandemic Inquiry Commission: the Prevent Senior case / Las implicaciones bioéticas de la Comisión Parlamentaria de Investigación de Pandemia: el caso Prevent Senior

Objetivo: discutir os desdobramentos bioéticos, ocasionados pela atuação da operadora de saúde Prevent Senior, na Comissão Parlamentar de Inquérito da Pandemia (CPI da Pandemia). Metodologia: trata-se de uma análise documental, utilizando o relatório final produzido pela CPI da Pandemia, juntamente com a revisão da abordagem bioética principialista elucidada por Tom L. Beauchamp e James F. Childress. Resultados: a pesquisa apontou que, se os fatos descritos no relatório da CPI forem confirmados após o devido processo legal, princípios bioéticos não foram observados, bem como diplomas legais infringidos. Conclusão: diante do cenário pandêmico, os preceitos bioéticos são instrumentos imprescindíveis para o enfrentamento digno e justo das adversidades em saúde.

Objective: to discuss the bioethical reverberation, caused by the performance of the health operator Prevent Senior, in the Parliamentary Inquiry Commission of the Pandemic. Methods: this is a documentary analysis using the final report prepared by the Commission and a review of the principles-based bioethical approach outlined by Tom L. Beauchamp and James F. Childress. Results: the research showed that if the facts described in the Commission's report are confirmed after due process, it is evident that bioethical principles were not followed, and legal requirements were violated. Conclusion: in the face of the pandemic scenario, bioethical principles are an essential tool to deal with health adversities in a dignified and fair manner.

Objetivo: discutir los desarrollos bioéticos, provocados por la actuación del operador de salud Prevent Senior, en la, en la Comisión Parlamentaria de Investigación de la Pandemia (CPI de la Pandemia). Metodología: se trata de un análisis documental, utilizando el informe final elaborado por el CPI de la Pandemia, junto con la revisión del enfoque bioético principialista dilucidado por Tom L. Beauchamp y James F. Childress. Resultados: la investigación apuntó que si los hechos descritos en el informe del CPI son confirmados después del debido proceso de ley, no se observaron los principios bioéticos, así como de los diplomas legales infringidos. Conclusión: ante el escenario de la pandemia, los preceptos bioéticos son instrumentos esenciales para un enfrentamiento digno y equitativo de las adversidades em salud.