Characterization of Epstein-Barr virus strains and LMP1-deletion variants in Portugal.

Variations in the genome sequence of Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) are thought to lead to differential interaction with host cells, immune evasion, and transformation. The discussion regarding EBV strains as having a geographic or disease-association has been increasing and the majority of studies are performed in Asiatic populations. We developed a case-control study with 139 individuals, including 96 subjects with different malignancies and 43 healthy individuals, from the North region of Portugal. We have used PCR protocols for the characterization of EBV strains (type A or B) based on EBNA3C genome variation and for the LMP1 30bp-deletion variants (wt-LMP1 or del-LMP1). Our study showed that type A is the most prevalent in our population (100% of healthy controls, 96.9% of aHSCT patients, 90.8% of HNSCC patients, and 94.9% of NPC patients) and that type B was significantly associated with NPC (P = 0.019; RR = 8.90). Regarding the LMP1 30bp-deletion, we found a similar distribution of both wt- and del-LMP1 variants in controls and dispare results in cases: del-LMP1 was more frequent in aHSCT and HNSCC patients (64.7% and 63.2%, respectively) and wt-LMP1 in NPC patients (100%). In fact, the study reveals that wt-LPM1 was significantly associated with NPC (P < 0.001; RR = 18.4). Hence, our study showed that EBV type B and wt-LMP1 variant seem to be associated with NPC in our population, with a clear disease-association for wt-LMP1. These results contribute for the knowledge of EBV genetic diversity among Caucasian populations.

Qualidade de vida de idosos hipertensos e diabéticos em um serviço ambulatorial / Quality of life of hypertensive and diabetic elderly in an outpatient clinic

Modelo do estudo: Estudo populacional descritivo, de corte transversal. Objetivo: Avaliar a qualidade de vida de pacientes idosos hipertensos e diabéticos em um ambulatório de um hospital universitário no interior do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil. Metodologia: Estudo realizado em um ambulatório de Geriatria, em São José do Rio Preto, envolvendo 62 pacientes idosos com pressão arterial elevada e/ou diabetes mellitus, atendidos no período de dezembro de 2009 a fevereiro de 2010. Os dados foram coletados com o WHOQOL-OLD, analisados com o Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software, com testes Mann-Whitney e Kruskal-Wallis não paramétricos e correlação de Pearson, o nível de significância foi ajustado para um valor de p<0,05. Resultados: 38 (61,3%) idosos eram hipertensos e 23 (37,1%) diabéticos. A idade dos idosos foi de 67±7 (média, DP). Houve prevalência do sexo feminino (58 %), ensino fundamental (87,1%), casados (56,5%), profissões ligadas ao setor de serviços (56,4%), renda de 1 salário mínimo (66,1%) e morando com esposo(a) (58,1%). O maior escore mediano (75,0) foi encontrado nas facetas "Atividades passadas, presentes e futuras", "Participação social", "Morte e morrer" e "Intimidade". A faceta "Autonomia" apresentou o menor escore, correspondendo a 62,5. Os idosos hipertensos tiveram escore inferior aos diabéticos na faceta do "Funcionamento Sensório" (62,2 vs. 73,6, respectivamente). Conclusão: Os idosos apresentaram qualidade de vida inferior na faceta "Autonomia" e melhor qualidade para as facetas "Atividades passadas, presentes e futuras", "Participa- ção social", "Morte e morrer" e "Intimidade". Não houve diferença na qualidade de vida entre diabéticos ou hipertensos, exceto por tendência a menor "Funcionamento do sensório" entre os hipertensos. (AU)

Model of study: The study design was a populational, cross-sectional and descriptive. Objective: To evaluate the quality of life of high blood pressure and diabetic elderly outpatients of a teaching hospital in the interior of Sao Paulo State, Brazil. Methodology: The study was done in a Geriatrics Outpatient Service in São José do Rio Preto, involved 62 elderly patients with high blood pressure and/or diabetes mellitus treated in the period from December 2009 to February 2010. The data were collected with the WHOQOL-OLD, analyzed with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software, with tests Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric and Pearson's correlation; the level of significance was set to a value of p<0.05. Results: A total of 38 elderly patients studied (61.3%) have high blood pressure, and 23 (37.1%) were diabetics. The age was 67±7 (mean, SD). Characteristics of the sample studied were: female (58.1%), elementary school (87.1%), married status (56.4%), professions linked to the sector of services (56.4%), the income of 1 minimum wage (66.1%) and living with the spouse (58.1%). The highest median score (75.0) was found in the facets "Past, present and future" "Activities", "Social participation", "Death and dying" and "Intimacy". The facet "Autonomy" showed the lowest scoring of 62.5. The elderly with high blood pressure had a lower score compared to patients with diabetes in "Sensory Functioning" facet (62.17 versus 73.64, respectively). Conclusion: The elderly showed a lower quality of life in the "Autonomy" and best quality for facets: "Past, present and future", "Activities", "Social participation", "Death and dying" and "Intimacy". There was not difference in the quality of life among elderly with diabetes and high blood pressure patients, except for a tendency to lower "Sensory Functioning" facet in high blood pressure patients. (AU)

Caracterização sociodemográfica de idosos com doença renal crônica em tratamento hemodialítico / Demographic characterization of older adults with chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis treatment / Caracterización demográfica de adultos mayores con insuficiencia renal crónica en tratamiento con hemodiálisis

Objetivo: caracterizar o perfil sociodemográfico de idosos com doenças renais crônicos (DRC) submetidos a tratamento hemodialítico. Método: estudo descritivo e exploratório de caráter quantitativo realizado com 132 idosos, no período de setembro de 2013 a abril de 2014. Resultados: a média de idade foi de 70,8 (+7,5) anos, sendo mais frequente o sexo masculino (59,09%). As etiologias com maior distribuição da insuficiência renal foram diabetes mellitus, hipertensão arterial sistêmica e diabetes mellitus associada à hipertensão arterial sistêmica. Quanto ao tempo de tratamento, observou-se que a maioria dos indivíduos apresentava mais de um ano de tratamento (101 pacientes; 76,52%) e havia 31 pacientes (23,48%) com menos de um ano de tratamento. A prevalência de tabagismo entre a os pacientes estudados foi de 113 pacientes (85,61%) que revelaram que não fumavam e 19 pacientes (14,39%) que continuavam fumando. A prevalência de etilismo foi insignificante. Conclusão: a partir dos resultados, este estudo reforça a importância da ampliação de trabalhos voltados para os pacientes com DRC que necessitam da assistência publica, contribuindo assim para a situação econômica e social do município e de todo o Brasil.(AU)

Objective: to characterize the demographic profile of older adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD) undergoing hemodialysis treatment. Method: descriptive, exploratory and quantitative study conducted with 132 older adults from September 2013 to April 2014. Results: the median age was 70.8 (+7.5) years and the majority was composed of male individuals (59.09%). The etiologies with greater distribution of kidney disease were diabetes mellitus, systemic arterial hypertension, and diabetes mellitus associated with systemic arterial hypertension. With respect to duration of treatment, it was observed that the majority of the individuals had been undergoing treatment for more than one year (101 patients; 76.52%) and there were 31 patients (23.48%) who had been undergoing treatment for less than one year. The prevalence of smoking among the patients studied was 113 (85.61%) who reported that they were non-smokers, and 19 patients (14.39%) who were still smoking. The prevalence of alcoholism was insignificant. Conclusion: based on the results, this study reinforces the importance of conducting studies geared toward patients with CKD who need public healthcare, thus contributing to the economic and social situation in the city and throughout Brazil.(AU)

Objetivo: caracterizar el perfil demográfico de adultos mayores con enfermedad renal crónica (ERC) sometidos a tratamiento con hemodiálisis. Método: estudio cuantitativo, descriptivo y exploratorio llevado a cabo con 132 adultos mayores entre septiembre de 2013 y abril de 2014. Resultados: la edad promedio fue de 70,8 (+7,5) años, siendo el sexo masculino más frecuente (59,09%). Las etiologías con mayor distribución de insuficiencia renal fueron diabetes mellitus, hipertensión arterial sistémica y diabetes mellitus asociada con hipertensión arterial sistémica. En cuanto al tiempo de tratamiento, se observó que la mayoría de los individuos lo venía realizando hacía más de un año (101 pacientes; 76,52%) y hubo 31 pacientes (23,48%) con menos de un año de tratamiento. La prevalencia del tabaquismo entre los pacientes estudiados fue de 113 pacientes (85,61%) que reportaron que no fumaban y 19 pacientes (14,39%) que continuaban fumando. La prevalencia de alcoholismo fue insignificante. Conclusión: basado en los resultados, este estudio refuerza la importancia de llevar a cabo trabajos dirigidos a los pacientes con ERC que necesitan asistencia pública, contribuyendo así a la situación económica y social de la ciudad y de todo Brasil.(AU)