Clinical features, socio-demographic profile and ultrasound findings in women with endometriosis symptoms / Características clínicas, perfil sociodemográfico e achados ecográficos em mulheres com sintomas de endometriose

AIMS: To describe clinical and socio-demographic features, as well as transvaginal ultrasound results, of women with endometriosis symptoms. METHODS: A prospective cross-sectional study included patients who had at least one of the following symptoms: dyspareunia, dysmenorrhea, chronic pelvic pain, infertility, and urinary or bowel cyclic symptoms. The sample comprised women treated in a private gynecology clinic located in a small city in southern Brazil, from March to November 2016. All the participants, after signed an informed consent, were subjected to clinical anamnesis, transvaginal ultrasound with bowel preparation, and examination for the CA-125 antigen serum level. Association between two qualitative variables was assessed through Pearson's Chi-Square or Fisher's exact tests. Mean values of quantitative variables were compared through the two-tailed Student's t-test for independent samples. Significance level was set as p<0.05. RESULTS: A total of 85 women, aged 18-49 years, participated in the study. Most were married (75.3%), with children (51.8%), showed no family history of endometriosis (89.4%), had no knowledge about endometriosis (77.6%) and completed high school (43.5%). Ultrasound findings suggested endometriosis in 25 (29.4%) women. Dysmenorrhea was the most prevalent symptom (88.2%), followed by dyspareunia (61.2%). In comparison to those without ultrasound signs, the patients whose ultrasound findings suggested endometriosis had an older age (37.16±6.83 years vs. 30.37±6.80 years, p<0.001) and a longer duration of symptoms (9.06±6.49 years vs. 5.27±4.79 years, p=0.004). In addition, they presented higher mean serum CA-125 antigen levels (50.07±54.05 U/mL vs. 17.71±14.09 U/mL, p=0.011). Endometriosiscompatible lesions were mainly found in the ovaries (60%) and in the rectosigmoid region (52%). The disease was confirmed in the nine cases that were subjected to videolaparoscopy. CONCLUSIONS: Transvaginal ultrasound confirmed endometriosis in about one third of symptomatic patients, who were older, had symptoms for a longer time, and had higher serum CA-125 antigen levels in comparison to those without endometriosis diagnosis based on transvaginal ultrasound. Ovaries and rectosigmoid region were the sites with the highest frequency of ultrasound signs of endometriosis.

OBJETIVOS: Descrever características clínicas e sociodemográficas, bem como resultados de ultrassonografia transvaginal, de mulheres com sintomas de endometriose. MÉTODOS: Um estudo transversal prospectivo incluiu pacientes que apresentaram pelo menos um dos seguintes sintomas: dispareunia, dismenorreia, dor pélvica crônica, infertilidade e sintomas urinários ou intestinais cíclicos. A amostra foi composta por mulheres atendidas em clínica privada de ginecologia, localizada em uma pequena cidade do sul do Brasil, de março a novembro de 2016. Todas as participantes, após assinatura do termo de consentimento livre e esclarecido, foram submetidas a anamnese clínica, ultrassonografia transvaginal com preparo intestinal e análise do nível sérico do antígeno CA-125. A associação entre duas variáveis qualitativas foi avaliada pelos testes Qui-Quadrado de Pearson ou Exato de Fisher. Os valores médios das variáveis quantitativas foram comparados através do teste t de Student bicaudal para amostras independentes. O nível de significância foi estabelecido como p<0,05. RESULTADOS: Um total de 85 mulheres, com idade entre 18 e 49 anos, participou do estudo. A maioria era casada (75,3%), com filhos (51,8%), não apresentava história familiar de endometriose (89,4%), não tinha conhecimento sobre endometriose (77,6%) e tinha ensino médio completo (43,5%). Achados ultrassonográficos sugeriram endometriose em 25 (29,4%) mulheres. A dismenorreia foi o sintoma mais prevalente (88,2%), seguida pela dispareunia (61,2%). Em comparação com aquelas sem sinais ultrassonográficos, as pacientes cujos achados ultrassonográficos sugeriram endometriose tinham idade mais avançada (37,16±6,83 anos vs. 30,37±6,8 anos, p<0,001) e maior duração dos sintomas (9,06±6,49 anos vs. 5,27±4,79 anos, p=0,004). Além disso, apresentaram níveis séricos de antígeno CA-125 mais elevados (50,07±54,05 U/mL vs. 17,71±14,09 U/mL, p=0,011). Lesões compatíveis com endometriose foram encontradas principalmente nos ovários (60%) e na região retossigmoide (52%). A doença foi confirmada nos nove casos que foram submetidos a videolaparoscopia. CONCLUSÕES: A ultrassonografia transvaginal confirmou a endometriose em cerca de um terço das pacientes sintomáticas, que eram mais velhas, apresentavam sintomas por mais tempo e tinham níveis mais altos de antígeno CA-125 sérico, em comparação àquelas sem diagnóstico de endometriose com base na ultrassonografia transvaginal. Ovários e região retossigmoide foram os locais com maior frequência de sinais ultrassonográficos de endometriose.

Malnutrition risk and hospitalization in elderly assisted in Primary Care / Risco de desnutrição e internação hospitalar em idosos atendidos na Atenção Básica

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the association of malnutrition risk and single items of the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA®) with hospitalization in the last 12 months in the elderly assisted in primary care. A cross-sectional study was conducted with the evaluation of 1229 elderly persons assisted in Family Health Strategies in seven cities of South Brazil. Malnutrition risk was evaluated using the MNA®, and hospitalization was determined by one question of the Probability of Repeated Admission (PRA) instrument. Most of the elderly were women (61.7%), with a mean age of 71.7 ± 7.7 years. The malnutrition risk rate was 23.3% and hospitalization was 32.9%. The frequency of malnutrition and risk of malnutrition was two times greater among the elderly who were hospitalized (36.8 versus 18.6% - P < 0.001). There was a significant association between hospitalization and 11 (64.7%) of the 17 items on the MNA® evaluated (P < 0.05). Of these, seven items were independently associated with hospitalization by multivariate analysis. We observed an association of malnutrition risk and most of the single MNA® items as well, with hospitalization in the elderly assisted in primary care.

Resumo O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a associação do risco de desnutrição e dos itens isolados da Mini Avaliação Nutricional (MNA®) com a ocorrência de internação hospitalar nos últimos 12 meses em idosos atendidos na atenção básica. Trata-se de um estudo transversal no qual foram avaliados 1229 idosos atendidos em Estratégias Saúde da Família de sete municípios da região Sul do Brasil. O risco de desnutrição foi avaliado através da MNA® e a ocorrência de hospitalização foi determinada por uma questão do instrumento Probability of Repeated Admission (PRA). Os idosos eram, em sua maioria, mulheres (61,7%), com média de idade de 71,7 ± 7,7 anos. A frequência de risco de desnutrição foi de 23,3% e de hospitalização foi de 32,9%. A frequência de desnutrição e de risco de desnutrição foi duas vezes maior entre os idosos que internaram (36,8% versus 18,6% - P < 0,001). Houve associação significativa entre hospitalização e 11 (64,7%) dos 17 itens da MNA® avaliados (P < 0,05). Destes, sete itens estavam independentemente associados com a ocorrência de hospitalização na análise multivariada. Observou-se associação do risco de desnutrição, bem como da maioria dos itens isolados da MNA®, com a ocorrência de internação hospitalar em idosos da atenção básica.

Cervical human papillomavirus infection and persistence: a clinic-based study in the countryside from South Brazil

Abstract Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is common in sexually active women and viral persistence may cause intraepithelial lesions and eventually progress to cervical cancer (CC). The present study aimed to investigate epidemiological factors related to HPV infection and to evaluate viral persistence and CC precursor lesions frequencies in women from a city in the countryside of South Brazil. Three hundred women were recruited from a primary public health care clinic. The patients were interviewed and underwent sampling with cervical brushes for HPV-DNA detection/typing by a PCR-based assay and cytological analysis by Pap smear test. HPV was detected in 47 (15.7%) women. HPV infection was significantly associated with young age (<30 years) and low socio-economic status. Seventeen (5.7%) women presented cytological abnormalities, three of them with precursor CC intraepithelial lesions. A subgroup of 79 women had been previously analyzed and thirteen (16.4%) were persistently infected, two with precursor CC intraepithelial lesions and high-risk HPV types infection (both of them without cervical abnormalities in the first exam). In conclusion, HPV infection was associated with young age (<30 years) and low family income; viral persistence was low (16.4%) but related to CC precursor lesions; and HPV-DNA high risk types detection would help to screen CC in the population.