Teaching medical students to choose wisely through simulation.

The Choosing Wisely (CW) campaign aims to encourage dialog among physicians and patients about the costs and benefits of medical care. The purpose of the present study was to describe the implementation of the CW campaign among medical students in the pediatrics clerkship using different teaching strategies and to evaluate the students' perception and performance. A prospective, interventionist, open study with a control group was conducted. All sixth-year undergraduate medical students that were on their pediatric clerkship at the Emergency Department during the study period were invited to participate. The study consisted of two strategies: a remote video class about the CW initiative and in situ simulation training. By the end of the rotation, all participants were evaluated through an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). A total of 50 students were included, of which 24 watched only the online video (control group) and 26 were exposed to both the online video and the simulation scenarios (intervention group). Students in the intervention group had a significantly higher total score in the OSCE compared to students in the control group (median 90 vs 90; range 78-100 vs 50-100; p: 0.047). Median scores of behavioral items of the OSCE grouped together were significantly higher in the intervention group compared to the control group (median 60 vs 50; range 40-60 vs 20-60; p: 0.002).Conclusion: Simulation training about principles of the CW campaign had a greater impact on behavioral aspects of undergraduate students. This learning strategy was well accepted by participants. What is Known: • The Choosing Wisely (CW) campaign aims to encourage dialog among physicians and patients about the costs and benefits of medical care. • Teaching high-value and cost-conscious care to medical students is highly desired.. What is New: • Simulation training about principles of the CW campaign had a greater impact on behavioral aspects of undergraduate students.

Early Thymectomy Is Associated With Long-Term Impairment of the Immune System: A Systematic Review.

Background and Aims: Congenital heart diseases (CHDs) are diagnosed in approximately 9 in 1,000 newborns, and early cardiac corrective surgery often requires partial or complete thymectomy. As the long-term effect of early thymectomy on the subsequent development of the immune system in humans has not been completely elucidated, the present study aimed to evaluate the effects of thymus removal on the functional capacity of the immune system after different periods. Methods: A systematic review of the literature was performed using MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS and Scopus. The inclusion criteria were original studies that analyzed any component of the immune system in patients with CHD who had undergone thymectomy during cardiac surgery in the first years of life. The results were evaluated for the quality of evidence. Results: Twenty-three studies were selected and showed that patients who underwent a thymectomy in the first years of life tended to exhibit important alterations in the T cell compartment, such as fewer total T cells, CD4+, CD8+, naïve and CD31+ T cells, lower TRECs, decreased diversity of the TCR repertoire and higher peripheral proliferation (increased Ki-67 expression) than controls. However, the numbers of memory T cells and Treg cells differed across the selected studies. Conclusions: Early thymectomy, either partial or complete, may be associated with a reduction in many T cell subpopulations and TCR diversity, and these alterations may persist during long-term follow-up. Alternative solutions should be studied, either in the operative technique with partial preservation of the thymus or through the autograft of fragments of the gland. Systematic Review Registration: Prospero [157188].

Temporal Validation of a Predictive Score for Death in Children with Visceral Leishmaniasis.

OBJECTIVES: To perform a temporal validation of a predictive model for death in children with visceral leishmaniasis (VL). METHODS: A temporal validation of a children-exclusive predictive model of death due to VL (Sampaio et al. 2010 model), using a retrospective cohort, hereby called validation cohort. The validation cohort convenience sample was made of 156 patients less than 15 years old hospitalized between 2008 and 2018 with VL. Patients included in the Sampaio et al. 2010 study are here denominated derivation cohort, which was composed of 546 patients hospitalized in the same hospital setting in the period from 1996 to 2006. The calibration and discriminative capacity of the model to predict death by VL in the validation cohort were then assessed through the procedure of logistic recalibration that readjusted its coefficients. The calibration of the updated model was tested using Hosmer-Lemeshow test and Spiegelhalter test. A ROC curve was built and the value of the area under this curve represented the model's discrimination. RESULTS: The validation cohort found a lethality of 6.4%. The Sampaio et al. 2010 model demonstrated inadequate calibration in the validation cohort (Spiegelhalter test: p=0.007). It also presented unsatisfactory discriminative capacity, evaluated by the area under the ROC curve = 0.618. After the coefficient readjustment, the model showed adequate calibration (Spiegelhalter test, p=0.988) and better discrimination, becoming satisfactory (AUROC = 0.762). The score developed by Sampaio et al. 2010 attributed 1 point to the variables dyspnea, associated infections, and neutrophil count <500/mm3; 2 points to jaundice and mucosal bleeding; and 3 points to platelet count <50,000/mm3. In the recalibrated model, each one of the variables had a scoring of 1 point for each. CONCLUSION: The temporally validated model, after coefficient readjustment, presented adequate calibration and discrimination to predict death in children hospitalized with VL.

Palliative Care in Congenital Syndrome of the Zika Virus Associated with Hospitalization and Emergency Consultation: Palliative Care and Congenital Syndrome of Zika.

BACKGROUND: Congenital syndrome of Zika virus (CSZV) is associated with neuromotor and cognitive developmental disorders, limiting the independence and autonomy of affected children and high susceptibility to complications, so palliative care needs to be discussed and applied. AIM: To identify factors associated with emergency visits and hospitalizations of patients with CSZV and clinical interventions performed from the perspective of palliative care. DESIGN: This is a cross-sectional study with bidirectional longitudinal component. Data were collected between May and October 2017 through the review of medical records and interviews with relatives of patients hospitalized. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: The study was developed in a tertiary care hospital involving patients with confirmed CSZV born as of August 2015 and followed up until October 2017. Patients under investigation were excluded. RESULTS: 145 patients were followed up at the specialized outpatient clinic, 92 (63.5%) were consulted at least once in the emergency room, and 49% had already been hospitalized, with the main reason being neurological causes, while 24.1% had never required any emergency visit or hospitalization. No risk factors were associated with the occurrence of consultations or hospitalizations. Such events happened at an early age and were accompanied by a high number of invasive procedures and interventions. An approach in palliative care was only identified in two hospitalized patients. CONCLUSIONS: For the patient with known severe malformations caused by congenital infection by the Zika virus with indication of palliative care, this approach could be used in order to allow life without suffering and disproportionate invasive method.

Chikungunya infection in infants / Infecção por Chikungunya em lactentes

Abstract Introduction: the infection of chikungunya virus presents clinical manifestations variables, particularly in infants in which may present multiple cutaneous manifestations. Description: a case series study was carried out in an analytical character of 14 infants (>28 days to < 2 years old) admitted in a hospital between November 2015 and January 2016 with suspected case of chikungunya, by a specific IgM reactive serology. Patients positive for dengue fever, Zika virus, bacterial infections and other exanthematic diseases were excluded. Fever and cutaneous alterations were the most frequent clinical manifestations in 100% of the cases, followed by irritability (64.3%), vomits and arthralgia/arthritis in 35.7% each. Three children presented alterations in the cerebrospinal fluid compatible to meningitis. Anemia frequency was 85.7%. The median white blood cells count was 7.700/mm3 (2.600 to 20.300/mm3). High levels of aminotransferases were observed in three cases (230 to 450 U/L). Antibiotic therapy was indicated in 64.3% of the cases. Two infants needed opioid derivatives for analgesia while others took acetaminophen and/or dipyrone. Discussion: the study shows evident multi-systemic involvement of chikungunya infection in infants. The treatment is supportive, giving special attention to hydration, analgesia, skin care, and rational use of antibiotic therapy.

Resumo Introdução: a infecção pelo vírus chikungunya apresenta manifestações clínicas variáveis, particularmente em lactentes, nos quais parece haver uma multiplicidade de manifestações cutâneas. Descrição: foi feito um estudo tipo de série de casos de caráter analítico com 14 lactentes (>28 dias a < 2 anos) internados entre novembro de 2015 e janeiro de 2016 como caso suspeito de infecção por chikungunya com sorologia IgM específica reagente. Excluídos pacientes com exame positivo para dengue, Zika vírus, infecção bacteriana e outras doenças exantemáticas. As manifestações clínicas mais frequentes foram febre e alterações cutâneas em 100% dos casos, irritabilidade (64,3%), vômitos e artralgia/artrite em 35,7% cada. Três crianças apresentaram alterações liquóricas compatíveis com meningite. A frequência de anemia foi de 85,7%. A mediana de leucometria foi de 7.700/mm3 (2.600 a 20.300/mm3). Níveis aumentados de aminotransferases foram observados em três casos (230 a 450 U/L). Antibioticoterapia foi indicada em 64,3% dos casos. Dois lactentes necessitaram de derivados de opioides para analgesia fixa, enquanto os demais, paracetamol e/ou dipirona. Discussão: o estudo evidencia envolvimento multisistêmico da infecção por chikungunya em lactentes. O tratamento permanece de suporte, com atenção a hidratação, analgesia, cuidados com a pele e ao uso racional de antibioticoterapia.

Risk factors for death in children with visceral leishmaniasis.

BACKGROUND: Despite the major public health importance of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in Latin America, well-designed studies to inform diagnosis, treatment and control interventions are scarce. Few observational studies address prognostic assessment in patients with VL. This study aimed to identify risk factors for death in children aged less than 15 years admitted for VL treatment in a referral center in northeast Brazil. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In a retrospective cohort, we reviewed 546 records of patients younger than 15 years admitted with the diagnosis of VL at the Instituto de Medicina Integral Professor Fernando Figueira between May 1996 and June 2006. Age ranged from 4 months to 13.7 years, and 275 (50%) were male. There were 57 deaths, with a case-fatality rate of 10%. In multivariate logistic regression, the independent predictors of risk of dying from VL were (adjusted OR, 95% CI): mucosal bleeding (4.1, 1.3-13.4), jaundice (4.4, 1.7-11.2), dyspnea (2.8, 1.2-6.1), suspected or confirmed bacterial infections (2.7, 1.2-6.1), neutrophil count <500/mm³ (3.1, 1.4-6.9) and platelet count <50,000/mm³ (11.7, 5.4-25.1). A prognostic score was proposed and had satisfactory sensitivity (88.7%) and specificity (78.5%). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Prognostic and severity markers can be useful to inform clinical decisions such as whether a child with VL can be safely treated in the local healthcare facility or would potentially benefit from transfer to referral centers where advanced life support facilities are available. High risk patients may benefit from interventions such as early use of extended-spectrum antibiotics or transfusion of blood products. These baseline risk-based supportive interventions should be assessed in clinical trials.