Dental status of Portuguese HIV+ patients and related variables: a multivariate analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the dental status of 101 Portuguese HIV+ subjects aged 22-71 years (mean = 39) and its association with clinical, socioeconomic, and behavioral variables. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A calibrated dentist performed clinical examination and collected data on dental caries, periodontal status, dental plaque levels, prosthetic conditions, and need. The volunteers completed questionnaires on socioeconomic and behavioral variables as well as the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) questionnaire. Univariate and multiple logistic regression (MLR) analyses were performed. RESULTS: The mean number of decayed, missing or filled teeth index (DMFT index) was 16.44, standard deviation (s.d.) = 8.42. MLR demonstrated that salaried employee and those with OHIP-14 median (=17). As regards prosthetic status, 28.8% of the examined individuals used dental prosthesis. MLR demonstrated that HIV+ with DMFT >17 or those who knew they were HIV-positive for longer than 5 years were more prone to need dental prostheses. The mean OHIP-14 index was 5.83 (s.d. = 7.79). CONCLUSIONS: The dental health status of HIV-infected Portuguese patients was unsatisfactory and related to clinical, socioeconomic, and behavioral variables.

Modos de morrer na UTI pediátrica de um hospital terciário / Modes of death in PICU of a tertiary hospital

OBJETIVO: Determinar a prevalência dos diferentes modos de morrer e identificar limites terapêuticos em pacientes de uma Unidade de Tratamento Intensivo Pediátrica (UTIP) de hospital universitário. MÉTODOS: Estudo retrospectivo, baseado na revisäo de prontuários dos pacientes que morreram na UTIP do Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, no período de 1º julho de 1996 a 30 junho de 1997. Para modo de morrer, adotou-se critérios de: näo resposta às medidas de ressuscitaçäo cardiorrespiratória (NRRST), morte cerebral (MC), retirada/näo-adoçäo de medidas de suporte de vida (R/NASV) e decisäo de näo reanimar (DNR). Para causa de morte, adotou-se critério de falências de órgäos. RESULTADOS: Dos 61 óbitos ocorridos no período, entraram no estudo 44 pacientes, cuja mediana de idade foi 28 meses. Todos tiveram como causa de morte a falência de múltiplos órgäos. Vinte e seis pacientes (59 por cento) eram do grupo I (NRRST e MC), enquanto 18 (41 por cento) do grupo II (R/NASV e DNR). No grupo II, 83 por cento dos pacientes tinham doença crônica e/ou debilitante (p = 0,017; chi²). Os motivos de admissäo mais prevalentes foram necessidade de terapias de suporte (55 por cento), ventilatória e cardiocirculatória, sem diferença estatística entre os grupos. A mediana do tempo de permanência na UTI foi de 5 dias, e no hospital, de 11 dias, sem significância estatística entre os dois grupos. CONCLUSÖES: Observou-se alta prevalência de modos de morrer R/NASV e DNR nos pacientes de UTIP avaliados, sugerindo condutas de limitaçäo terapêutica para eles. Näo se conseguiu avaliar o nível de participaçäo da equipe e da família nesse processo de tomada de decisöes

[Modes of death in the PICU of a tertiary care hospital]. / Modos de morrer na UTI pediátrica de um hospital terciário.

BACKGROUND: To determine the prevalence of different modes of death and to identify therapeutic limitations in patients admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at a teaching hospital. METHODS: A retrospective study was carried out. Information was collected from the medical records of patients who died at the PICU of Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre between July 1st, 1996 and June 30th, 1997. Four modes of death were considered: patient not responding to cardiopulmonary resuscitation methods (NRCPR), brain death (BD), withdrawal / withhold life-support measures (W/WLS) and decision not to resuscitate (DNR). For cause of death we employed the criterion of organ failure. RESULTS: Out of 61 deaths occurred during the period under analysis, 44 patients were included in the study. Patient age median was 28 months. The cause of death for all patients was multiple organ failure. Twenty-six patients (59%) were classified in group I (NRCPR and BD) and 18 (41%) in group II (W/WLS and DNR). Among patients of group II, 83% had a chronic and/or debilitating disease (p = 0.017; chi(2)). The prevalent reason for patient admission was the need for organ support (55%), both respiratory and cardiovascular. The median for duration of patient stay at the PICU was 5 days and at the hospital was 11 days. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of reason for patient admission or duration of PICU/hospital stay. CONCLUSIONS: There was a high prevalence of W/WLS and DNR deaths among ICU patients, thus suggesting therapeutic limitation for them. We were unable to evaluate the level of participation by the medical team and by the family in this decision making process.