Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Births, Vaginal Deliveries, Cesarian Sections, and Maternal Mortality in a Brazilian Metropolitan Area: A Time-Series Cohort Study.

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic posed a worldwide challenge, leading to radical changes in healthcare. The primary objective of the study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on birth, vaginal delivery, and cesarian section (c-section) rates. The secondary objective was to compare the maternal mortality before and after the pandemic. Patients and Methods: Time-series cohort study including data of all women admitted for childbirth (vaginal delivery or c-section) at the maternities in the Public Health System of Federal District, Brazil, between March 2018 and February 2022, using data extracted from the Hospital Information System of Brazilian Ministry of Health (SIH/DATASUS) on September 30, 2022. Causal impact analysis was used to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on birth, vaginal delivery, and c-section using the CausalImpact R package, and a propensity score matching was used to evaluate the effect on maternal mortality rate using the Easy R (EZR) software. Results: There were 150,617 births, and considering total births, the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic was not statistically significant (absolute effect per week: 5.5, 95% CI: -24.0-33.4). However, there was an increase in c-sections after COVID-19 (absolute effect per week: 18.1; 95% CI: 11.9-23.9). After propensity score matching, the COVID-19 period was associated with increased maternal mortality (OR: 3.22, 95% CI: 1.53-6.81). The e-value of the adjusted OR for the association between the post-COVID-19 period and maternal mortality was 5.89, with a 95% CI: 2.43, suggesting that unmeasured confounders were unlikely to explain the entirety of the effect. Conclusion: Our study revealed a rise in c-sections and maternal mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic, possibly due to disruptions in maternal care. These findings highlight that implementing effective strategies to protect maternal health in times of crisis and improve outcomes for mothers and newborns is crucial.

Correlation between sarcopenia, risk of falls and mortality in the elderly - systematic review and meta- analysis of observational studies / Correlação entre sarcopenia, risco de queda e mortalidade em idosos ­ revisão sistemática e metanálise de estudo observacional / Correlación entre sarcopenia, riesgo de caídas y mortalidad en ancianos - revisión sistemática y metanálisis de estudios observacionales

Introduction: Sarcopenia is a progressive and generalized disorder of the skeletal muscles with multifactorial and complex causes. It involves an accelerated loss of skeletal muscle mass and is associated with increased negative outcomes in older adults, such as functional decline, frailty, falls, and death. Objective: to correlate sarco- penia with the risk of falls and mortality in the elderly. Method: A systematic review of the literature was carried out, considering the publication of observational articles as clas- sified for inclusion. The studies considered eligible were the results of searches in the PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE and LILACS databases. The descriptors were used for searching. The same descriptors in Portuguese and Spanish provided by DECS (health sciences descriptors) were also included. Results: Of the 922 articles selected, 14 were included in the review. The results were similar in most of the articles identified: there is a positive manifestation between sarcopenia, risk of falls (p < 0.0001) and sarcopenia and mortality (p = 0.009) in the elderly population. Conclusion: It is concluded that sarcopenia is a risk factor for falls and increased general mortality in the elderly.

Introdução: A sarcopenia é um distúrbio progressivo e generalizado da musculatura esquelética de causas multifatoriais e complexas. Envolve uma perda acelerada de massa muscular esquelética e está associada ao aumento de desfechos negativos em idosos, como declínio funcional, fragilidade, quedas e morte. Objetivo: correlacionar a sarcopenia com o risco de quedas e mortalidade em idosos. Método: Foi realizada uma revisão sistemática da literatura, considerando a publicação de artigos observacionais como critério de inclusão. Os estudos considerados elegíveis foram resultados das buscas nas bases de dados PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE e LILACS. Os descritores foram utilizados para busca. Também foram incluídos os mesmos descritores em português e espanhol fornecidos pelo DECS (descritores em ciências da saúde). Resultados: Dos 922 artigos selecionados, 14 foram incluídos na revisão. Os resultados foram semelhantes na maioria os artigos identificados: existe correlação positiva entre sarcopenia, risco de quedas (p < 0,0001) e sarcopenia e mortalidade (p = 0,009) na população idosa. Conclusão: Conclui-se que a sarcopenia é fator de risco para quedas e aumento da mortalidade geral em idosos.

Introducción: La sarcopenia es un trastorno progresivo y generalizado de los músculos esqueléticos con causas multifactoriales y complejas. Implica una pérdida acelerada de masa muscular esquelética y se asocia con mayores resultados negativos en los adultos mayores, como deterioro funcional, fragilidad, caídas y muerte. Objetivo: correlacionar la sarcopenia con el riesgo de caídas y mortalidad en ancianos. Método: Se realizó una revisión sistemática de la literatura, considerando como clasificadas para su inclusión la publicación de artículos observacionales. Los estudios considerados elegibles fueron los resultados de búsquedas en las bases de datos PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE y LILACS. Los descriptores se utilizaron para la búsqueda. También se incluyeron los mismos descriptores en portugués y español proporcionados por los DECS (descriptores de ciencias de la salud). Resultados: De los 922 artículos seleccionados, 14 fueron incluidos en la revisión. Los resultados fueron similares en la mayoría de los artículos identificados: hay manifestación positiva entre sarcopenia, riesgo de caídas (p < 0,0001) y sarcopenia y mortalidad (p = 0,009) en la población anciana. Conclusión: Se concluye que la sarcopenia es un factor de riesgo de caídas y aumento de la mortalidad general en el adulto mayor.

Pregnancy-related acute kidney injury: mortality and survival of patients treated at a maternal intensive care unit.

INTRODUCTION: Pregnancy-related acute kidney injury (AKI) can be defined as the abrupt decline in renal function during pregnancy or the postpartum period. It remains a relevant cause of fatal complications in obstetric patients. This study aimed to determine the incidence of pregnancy-related AKI in a maternal intensive care unit (ICU) as well as the associated risk factors for dialysis therapy and maternal mortality according to the KDIGO classification system. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of observational data prospectively collected from January/2014 to April/2016 in a maternal ICU in a public tertiary maternal hospital in Brasília, Federal District, Brazil. All consecutive patients diagnosed with pregnancy-related AKI were included. Cases of renal failure before pregnancy or kidney transplantation were excluded. RESULTS: Of the 619 admitted patients, pregnancy-related AKI was present in 172 cases (27.8%). One hundred and ten patients were classified as KDIGO 1 (64.0%), 43 as KDIGO 2 (20.9%) and 22 as KDIGO 3 (15.1%). KDIGO stages 2 and 3 were less frequent than KDIGO stage 1 in patients with gestational hypertension (p = 0.0010). Thirteen patients required hemodialysis (7.6%). Higher APACHE II (p = 0.0399) and SOFA (p = 0.0297) scores, hypovolemic shock (p = 0.0189) and septic shock (p = 0.0204) were independently associated with dialysis therapy (hemodialysis in all cases), 15 patients died (8.7%). Time to death was shorter in patients with a higher KDIGO stage (p = 0.002). Norepinephrine (p = 0.0384) and hemodialysis therapy (p = 0.0128) were independently associated with maternal mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of pregnancy-related AKI remains high in the maternal ICU setting. Septic shock, hypovolemic shock, and higher APACHE II and SOFA scores were independently associated dialysis therapy (hemodialysis in all cases). KDIGO stages 2 and 3 were less frequent than KDIGO stage 1 in patients with gestational hypertension. Norepinephrine and hemodialysis therapy were independently associated with maternal mortality in patients with pregnancy-related AKI. KDIGO stage 3 was associated with higher maternal mortality.

Hemangioma esplênico no adulto associado à síndrome de Kasabach-Merritt / Kasabach-Merritt Syndrome-associated adult splenic hemangioma

O hemangioma esplênico, tumor benigno mais frequente do baço, porém, por vezes de difícil diagnóstico, pode integrar a síndrome de Kasabach-Merritt, afecção rara e potencialmente fatal, descrita como associação entre hemangioma, trombocitopenia e coagulopatia de consumo. Apresentamos um caso de paciente de 73 anos em acompanhamento com a hematologia por trombocitopenia crônica a princípio idiopática, que evoluiu com dor abdominal, anemia e derrame pleural. Foi realizada tomografia computadorizada de abdome, que evidenciou massa esplênica sólida heterogênea. A paciente foi submetida a esplenectomia total videolaparoscópica e evoluiu com melhora da dor abdominal e normalização da série plaquetária, sem recorrência do derrame pleural após o procedimento. A raridade e a complexidade do caso, somadas à dificuldade diagnóstica e à abordagem terapêutica, foram fatores que corroboraram para a apresentação desse caso. (AU)

Splenic hemangioma, the most common, but sometimes hard to diagnose, benign tumor of the spleen may integrate Kasabach- Merritt syndrome, a rare and potentially fatal condition described as an association ofhemangioma, thrombocytopenia and consumption coagulopathy. We present a case of a 73-year-old female patient being monitoring, with Hematology due to chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenia who progressed with abdominal pain, anemia and pleural effusion; a computed tomography scan of the abdomen was performed, showing a heterogeneous solid splenic mass. The patient underwent total videolaparoscopic splenectomy and progressed with improvement of abdominal pain and normalization of the platelet series, with no recurrence of pleural effusion after the procedure. The rarity and complexity of the case added to the diagnostic difficulty and therapeutic approach were factors that corroborated for the presentation of this case. (AU)