Variant RHD Types in Brazilians With Discrepancies in RhD Typing.

BACKGROUND: The knowledge of D variants in patients and donors is important because anti-D alloimmunization can occur in some but not all individuals who express a variant RHD allele. Serologic distinction of RhD discrepancies is not always straightforward, which makes molecular analysis highly desirable. METHODS: A group of 223 subjects, 129 patients, and 94 blood donors was identified and analyzed on the basis of a D typing discrepancy. The D antigen expression was evaluated by tube and gel hemagglutination with four anti-D reagents. PCR-single specific primer (SSP), multiplex PCR, RHD BeadChip (Immucor), or sequencing were used for molecular analysis. RESULTS: In total, 168/223 (75%) weak D and 55/223 (25%) partial D variants were identified. Hemagglutination results varied in methods and anti-D reagents used in this process. There was no standard serologic reactivity identified, which could predict what type of D variant would be identified. Among weak D samples, types 1-3 were the most common, while DAR and DVI were most prevalent among partial D samples. CONCLUSION: Our results show that discrepancies found in the serologic typing should be investigated by molecular methods in order to determine the D variant involved and also to distinguish between weak D and partial D. The knowledge of the distribution of weak D types and partial D among populations is important for D- patients and pregnant women management.

Autopercepção da saúde e desempenho cognitivo em idosos residentes na comunidade / Self-perception of health and cognitive performance in community-dwelling elderly

CONTEXTO: A autopercepção de saúde contempla vários aspectos da saúde física, cognição e capacidade funcional. OBJETIVO: Comparar idosos com e sem evidência de declínio cognitivo/demência quanto a autopercepção de saúde e variáveis sociodemográficas, destacando as variáveis associadas à autopercepção de saúde positiva e negativa dentro destes grupos. MÉTODOS: Noventa e oito idosos residentes na comunidade foram avaliados em visitas domiciliares para este trabalho. A avaliação cognitiva e funcional foi feita por meio da aplicação do Mini-Exame do Estado Mental (MEEM), do Teste do Desenho do Relógio (TDR), da Escala de Demência de Blessed (EDB) e do Questionário do Informante de Declínio Cognitivo em Idosos (IQCODE). A autopercepção da saúde foi avaliada por intermédio de um questionário adaptado do Brazil Old Age Schedule. RESULTADOS: Vinte e seis idosos (26 por cento) apresentaram quadro de declínio cognitivo. Autopercepção de saúde negativa e menor participação em atividades físicas e recreativas se associaram significativamente a declínio cognitivo nesta amostra (p = 0,006, p = 0,05, p = 0,03, respectivamente). No grupo de sujeitos sem evidência de declínio cognitivo, a história prévia de eventos cerebrovasculares se relacionou à maior frequência de autopercepção negativa da saúde. CONCLUSÃO: A autopercepção negativa da saúde está relacionada ao provável diagnóstico de demência. Nos idosos com declínio cognitivo, a autopercepção positiva de saúde associa-se a quadros mais graves, refletindo possivelmente menor insight quanto ao estado mórbido.

BACKGROUND: The self-perception of health can approach several aspects of physical health, cognition and functional abilities. OBJECTIVE: To compare elderly subjects wit and without evidence of cognitive decline in relation to health self-perception and socio-demographic variables, highlighting the variables associated with positive or negative health self-perception in these groups. METHODS: Ninety eight community-dwelling subjects were assessed in this study. Cognitive and functional abilities were tested using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Clock Drawing Test (CDT), the Blessed Dementia Scale (BDS), and the Informant Questionnaire of Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE). Self-perception of health evaluation was performed with the use of an adapted questionnaire of the Brazil Old Age Schedule. RESULTS: Twenty-six subjects (26 percent) had evidence of cognitive decline in this sample. Negative health self-perception and lower levels of physical and leisure activity were significantly associated with cognitive decline in this sample (p = 0.006, p = 0.05, p = 0.03, respectively). In the group of subjects without evidence of dementia, history of cerebrovascular disease was associated with negative health perception. DISCUSSION: Dementia was associated with worse health self-perception evaluation. In addition, elders with evidence of dementia and good health self-perception evaluation had higher IQCODE scores, suggesting lack of judgment regarding health status.

O serviço de atenção domiciliar na perspectiva dos familiares e cuidadores / The home care service in the perspective of relatives and caregivers

Serviços de atenção domiciliar são incipientes no país, e a maioria dos doentes incapacitados é cuidada por familiares de modo informal. A experiência de cuidar de pacientes dependentes no domicílio, mesmo com o suporte dos serviços, acarreta desgaste para os familiares e, principalmente, para o cuidador. O objetivo do trabalho é analisar a experiência de um programa de atenção domiciliar, procurando compreender o significado da presença do doente dependente para os familiares. Métodos: Foram acompanhados sete pacientes, com doença crônica avançada, atendidos no domicílio por equipe de um hospital-escola de 8elo Horizonte, MG. Utilizou-se entrevista e observação etnográfica para a coleta de dados. Resultados: As dificuldades enfrentadas pelos familiares com o doente dependente em casa caracterizam- se pela angústia de não poderem interagir com o paciente, de acompanharem sua degeneração e pelas restrições financeiras para sustentar as necessidades do doente. A figura do cuidador informal se estrutura por valores culturais relativos ao gênero e ao trabalho e pela história das relações afetivas anteriores. O cuida- dor fica sobrecarregado, o que se traduz em efeitos psicossociais em sua vida. Conclusões: Apesar de o serviço de atenção domiciliar ser ainda um privilégio para os usuários do sistema público de saúde, as exigências do cuidado em casa devem ser contempladas nas definições políticas de extensão de sua cobertura. A necessidade e a urgência de se definirem as responsabilidades desses serviços estão evidentes em razão da crescente demanda resultante do envelhecimento da população e do prolongamento da vida pelo uso das tecnologias médicas.

The home care services are incipient in Brazil and the majority of care for the disabled is given informally by rel- atives. Taking care of the ill at home requires constant effort from the family and mainly from the caregiver, even with the home care services support. Aim: To analyze cases of patients attended by the Home Care Program, looking for the meaning of the disabled at home to their families. Methods: Seven patients attended by the Home Care Program of a School-Hospital in Belo Horizonte, MG, who presented advanced chronic diseases, were followed by means of interviews and ethno-graphic observation to collect data. Results: The difficulties faced by the families with a sick and dependent rela- tive at home are characterized by distress for not beingable to interact with the diseased, follow their degrada- tion and by financial restrictions to support the ill's needs. The informal caregiver's profile is determined by cultural values related to gender, work and previous affective history. The caregiver is overwhelmed and this results in psychosocial effects on life. Conclusions: Despite the fact that the home care service is a privilege for the users of the public health system, the demands on home care should be considered by the political definitions concerning the extent of its coverage. The necessity and urgency in defin- ing the responsibilities of these services are evident as a consequence of the growing demand for home care attention due to aging and postponemem of death as a result of the use of medical technologies.