Israel Souza

Translation to Portuguese and Validation of the Douleur Neuropathique 4 Questionnaire

UNLABELLED The Douleur Neuropathique 4 (DN4) questionnaire was developed by the French Neuropathic Pain Group and is a simple and objective tool, with the ability to distinguish nociceptive from neuropathic pain. The purpose of this work was to validate the DN4 questionnaire in the Portuguese language in order to allow its use in clinical and research settings. A double-blind, accuracy study was conducted, consisting of translation, back-translation, literal evaluation, semantic equivalence, and communication with the target population. The Portuguese version of the questionnaire was applied in a sample of 101 patients with neuropathic (N = 42) or nociceptive pain (N = 59), ranked according to medical diagnosis. The reproducibility, reliability and validity of the instrument were analyzed, and showed a high diagnostic power for this version of the DN4 questionnaire. The Portuguese version of the DN4 questionnaire presented good validity and reliability, allowing it to identify neuropathic pain and neuropathic characteristics of mixed pain syndromes. PERSPECTIVE This article presents the first validated neuropathic pain questionnaire in the Portuguese language and represents a useful tool in the assessment of neuropathic pain both in the clinical setting and in population-based studies. The sensible and quick format of this instrument are key factors that will contribute to its widespread use, permitting a true recognition of patients with neuropathic pain.

Pilates exercises improve low back pain and quality of life in patients with HTLV-1 virus: a randomized crossover clinical trial

BACKGROUND Low back pain is highly prevalent in patients with HTLV-1. The effects of physical activity on this condition are not known, but postural misalignment and motor deficits are frequently present. OBJECTIVES To assess the effect of Pilates exercises on chronic low back pain in these patients, and its impact on quality of life. METHODS A randomized crossover clinical trial was conducted, involving 22 patients from a reference center in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. The VAS was used to evaluate the effect of Pilates on pain intensity and the SF-36 to assess its impact on quality of life. RESULTS Our results provide evidence of positive effects on pain intensity and almost all domains of quality of life when patients followed the Pilates exercise program described. CONCLUSION The Pilates method may be a useful tool in alleviating the symptoms of low back pain, and had a significant impact on quality of life in this sample of patients.

Prevalência e fatores associados ao excesso de peso em adultos do Brasil: um estudo de base populacional em todo território nacional

Avaliou-se a prevalencia e fatores associados ao excesso de peso (IMC ? 25kg/m2) em adultos (81.745) do Brasil. Realizou-se regressao de Poisson, bruta e ajustada. Os resultados mostraram maiores prevalencias de excesso de peso em adultos de 50 a 59 anos (RP=1,21, IC95%: 1,20;1,22), do sexo masculino (RP=1,01, IC95%: 1,01;1,02), da cor-raca negra (RP=1,01, IC95%: 1,00;1,02), nivel de escolaridade medio (RP=1,02, IC95%: 1,01;1,02), renda alta (RP=1,09, IC95%: 1,08;1,10) e da Regiao Sul (RP=1,02, IC95%: 1,01;1,02). Os resultados apontam para a necessidade de acoes estrategicas que levem em conta as prevalencias de excesso de peso verificadas nos diferentes estratos da populacao brasileira.

Impact of Neuropathic Pain at the Population Level

Background One of the chief complaints of individuals who frequent the Family Health Units is chronic pain which, in Salvador, affects over 40% of the population. However, little is known about the type of pain and its impact on quality of life (QoL) at population level. The aim of the study is to evaluate the impact of neuropathic pain on QoL in a community. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from March to October 2012, in a Family Health Unit, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. The DN-4 (type of pain), body map (location), VAS (intensity) and SF-36 (QoL) instruments were applied. The Chi-square (univariate analysis) and logistic regression (multivariate) tests were used, with IC 95% and P < 0.05. Results In a sample of 191 individuals with chronic pain, predominantly women (86.4%), single (48.7%), nonwhite (93.2%), low educational (46.6%) and low economic (100%) level. The most affected locations of the body were knees, lumbar region and head. In 60.2% of interviewees, neuropathic pain, of high intensity (VAS = 7.09 ± 3.0) predominated, with duration of 8.53 ± 8.8 years and mean QoL was reduced in 47.13%. Conclusions Intense pain in the dorsal region and type of neuropathy are independent predictors for greater compromise of QoL.

Correspondence between overweight and socioeconomic and demographic indicators in the adult Brazilian population

OBJECTIVE To verify the correlation between overweight and socioeconomic and demographic indicators among Brazilian adults, using data from the Brazilian Household Budget Survey from 2008/2009. METHODS We analyzed the joint relationships between overweight and socioeconomic and demographic indicators in the Brazilian adult population (99,532,672 individuals), through the multiple correspondence analysis technique. RESULTS The featured profile of the Brazilian adult population with regard to overweight was correlated with ages from 30 years of the most developed and economically social geographic regions of Brazil; however between genders, the correlation was in the opposite direction in the variables income, education, and subjective issues about life conditions related to food and nutrition security. CONCLUSION By the joint relationship between overweight and selected demographic and socioeconomic indicators, the urgency of the development of strategies and/or preventive public health programs of health problems with overweight in the Brazilian adult population is suggested.

Prevalence and factors associated with overweight adults in Brazil: a study of population-based throughout the national territory

Avaliou-se a prevalencia e fatores associados ao excesso de peso (IMC ? 25kg/m2) em adultos (81.745) do Brasil. Realizou-se regressao de Poisson, bruta e ajustada. Os resultados mostraram maiores prevalencias de excesso de peso em adultos de 50 a 59 anos (RP=1,21, IC95%: 1,20;1,22), do sexo masculino (RP=1,01, IC95%: 1,01;1,02), da cor-raca negra (RP=1,01, IC95%: 1,00;1,02), nivel de escolaridade medio (RP=1,02, IC95%: 1,01;1,02), renda alta (RP=1,09, IC95%: 1,08;1,10) e da Regiao Sul (RP=1,02, IC95%: 1,01;1,02). Os resultados apontam para a necessidade de acoes estrategicas que levem em conta as prevalencias de excesso de peso verificadas nos diferentes estratos da populacao brasileira.

Evolução e associação do IMC entre variáveis sociodemográficas e de condições de vida em idosos do Brasil: 2002/03-2008/09

This study aimed to describe BMIs short-term trends and analyze the association between the Body Mass Index (BMI) and the sociodemographic variables and variables of family perception of the sufficiency and type of food consumed by Brazilian elderly of both sexes. The authors used data from the Household Budget Surveys (HBS) collected by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) in 2002/03 and 2008/09. The prevalence of overweight and obesity increased, whereas normal and low weight decreased. Multinomial regression models were used for 2008/09 to analyze the association between BMI and sociodemographic variables and variables of family perception of the sufficiency and type of food intake. Income and age were more associated with BMI. We suggest that health and nutrition prevention and monitoring measures be implemented through public policies, considering multifactorial overweight in the Brazilian elderly.

Prevalencia y factores asociados al exceso de peso de adultos en Brasil: un estudio de la población basada en todo el territorio nacional

Avaliou-se a prevalencia e fatores associados ao excesso de peso (IMC ? 25kg/m2) em adultos (81.745) do Brasil. Realizou-se regressao de Poisson, bruta e ajustada. Os resultados mostraram maiores prevalencias de excesso de peso em adultos de 50 a 59 anos (RP=1,21, IC95%: 1,20;1,22), do sexo masculino (RP=1,01, IC95%: 1,01;1,02), da cor-raca negra (RP=1,01, IC95%: 1,00;1,02), nivel de escolaridade medio (RP=1,02, IC95%: 1,01;1,02), renda alta (RP=1,09, IC95%: 1,08;1,10) e da Regiao Sul (RP=1,02, IC95%: 1,01;1,02). Os resultados apontam para a necessidade de acoes estrategicas que levem em conta as prevalencias de excesso de peso verificadas nos diferentes estratos da populacao brasileira.