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INTRODUCTION: Simulation-based training has emerged as a vital component of healthcare education. This study aims to characterize Portuguese simulation centers concerning their geographic distribution and key features, providing stakeholders with valuable insights to inform strategic decisions. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted over two years (2021-2023) to investigate the geographical dispersion and characteristics of simulation centers in Portugal. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used to analyze data. RESULTS: Twenty-three Portuguese simulation centers were included. Major urban areas and coastal regions bring together 20 simulation centers (86.96%). A large percentage (71.93%) of centers were affiliated with academic institutions, while five centers (21.74%) were clinically affiliated. Emergency care, Anesthesiology and Intensive Medicine, Pediatrics, and Gynecology and Obstetrics were identified as the national key areas of intervention. DISCUSSION: Significant geographical disparity raises concerns about unequal access to professional training opportunities using simulation. Centers should be encouraged to incorporate developing technologies and innovative pedagogical methodologies and to expand their training repertoire into relatively uncharted territories. CONCLUSION: Several issues have been identified within the national simulation network. Stakeholders and policymakers should prioritize equitable access, bolster the prevalence of clinical affiliated centers, foster innovation, and facilitate strategic coordination.
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Introduction The standard treatment of cancer has dramatically improved with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Despite their proven advantage, many patients fail to exhibit a meaningful and lasting response. The beta-adrenergic signalling pathway may hold significant promise due to its role in promoting an immunosuppressive milieu within the tumour microenvironment. Inhibiting ß-adrenergic signalling could enhance ICI activity; however, blocking this pathway for this purpose has yielded conflicting results. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of beta-blocker use on overall survival and progression-free survival during ICI therapy. Methods A multicentric, retrospective, observational study was conducted in four Portuguese institutions. Patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer treated with ICIs between January 2018 and December 2019 were included. Those using beta blockers for non-oncological reasons were compared with non-users. Results Among the 171 patients included, 36 concomitantly received beta blockers and ICIs. No significant increase was found in progression-free survival among patients who took ß-blockers (HR 0.74, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.48-1.12, p = 0.151), and no statistically significant difference was found in overall survival. An apparent trend was observed towards better outcomes in the beta-blocker group, with a median overall survival of 9.93 months in the group not taking ß-blockers versus 14.90 months in the ß-blocker group (p = 0.291) and a median progression-free survival of 5.37 in the group not taking ß-blockers versus 10.87 months in the ß-blocker group (p = 0.151). Nine (25%) patients in the beta-blocker group and 16 (12%) in the non-beta-blocker group were progressive disease-free at the end of follow-up. This difference between the two groups is statistically significant (p = 0.047). Conclusion Our study found no statistically significant evidence that beta blockers enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapy. Using adrenergic blockade to modulate the immune system shows promise, warranting the need to develop prospective clinical studies.