Paulo Carvalho Vilela

Impacto das malformações congênitas na mortalidade perinatal e neonatal em uma maternidade-escola do Recife

OBJECTIVES: to determine the incidence of congenital malformations in newborns in a university maternity hospital in Recife and assess the impact of malformation in perinatal and neonatal mortality. METHODS: a longitudinal study was performed from September 2004 to May 2005 with all deliveries at the Instituto Materno Infantil Prof. Fernando Figueira, IMIP analyzed. The type and incidence of congenital malformations were determined, and fetal mortality, perinatal mortality, early and late neonatal mortality coefficients were calculated. RESULTS: malformation incidence was of 2.8% (in 4.043 births). Malformation percentages among live births was of 2.7% and among stillbirths of 6.7%. The most frequent malformations involved the central nervous system (principally hydrocephaly and meningomyelocele), the skeletal and muscular system and cardiopathies. There was no association between malformation and gender, but prematurity and low birthweight were more frequent among the malformation cases. It was determined that among malformed infants early neonatal mortality was of 32.7% and late neonatal mortality was of 10.6%. Malformation cases were 6.7% of stillborn babies, 24.2% of early neonatal deaths and 25.8% the total of neonatal deaths. CONCLUSIONS: malformation incidence corresponded to 2.8% of the births. Malformation was the second more frequent neonatal death cause following prematurity.

Delayed diagnosis of leukemia and association with morbid-mortality in children in Pernambuco, Brazil.

The objectives of this study were to describe the interval between symptom onset and diagnosis of acute leukemia, to assess risk factors for delayed diagnosis, and its effect on early morbid-mortality and event-free survival (EFS). Records of children aged 1 month to 18 years diagnosed with acute leukemia were reviewed for clinical, demographic, and health care provider factors, and for time to diagnosis. Of 288 patients diagnosed, 55% had a delay in diagnosis. The median time to diagnosis was 31 days. There were significant associations between the diagnostic delay and the distance from the tertiary care hospital (P=0.04), initial consultation in an outpatient clinic (P=0.04), presenting symptoms of bone/joint pain (P=0.04), family with more than 3 children (P=0.02), birth order of third or greater (P=0.009), paternal age <30 years (P=0.03), and paternal education <8 years (P=0.008). There was no association between delayed diagnosis and early morbid-mortality or EFS at 5 years. Initial consultation in an outpatient setting, presenting symptoms of bone/joint pain, and birth order of third or greater remained statistically significant in multivariate analyses, but the delay did not have an impact on early morbid-mortality or EFS. Education of primary care providers in atypical presentations of acute leukemia may decrease the diagnostic delay.

Fatores prognósticos para óbito em recém-nascidos com gastrosquise

Gastroschisis remains associated with an adverse outcome in developing countries and the factors associated with neonatal death are not known. The aim of this study was to determine the factors associated with neonatal death in cases of gastroschisis managed in a tertiary hospital in Brazil. It was included 49 cases of gastroschisis managed at IMIP, Recife - Brazil, between 1995 and 2001. The dependent variable was neonatal death and the independent variables were: prenatal diagnosis, route and site of delivery, gestational age, birthweight, birth-to-admission interval, birth-to-surgery interval, primary or staged-silo repair, need of mechanical ventilation and postoperative infection. Prevalence ratio (PR) and its 95% confidence interval of neonatal death was determined. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine adjusted relative risk of neonatal death. Overall mortality was 53% (26 cases) and infection was the main cause of death (92%). Prenatal diagnosis was associated with significant reduction of 74% in the risk of death. This risk was significantly increased ( > twice) among newborns with gestational age below 37 weeks, birthweight below 2.5Kg and outborn babies. A significantly greater risk of neonatal death was observed for birth-to-admission interval of 2h or more and birth-to-surgery interval of 4h or more (2.5 and 3.4 times, respectively). Need of mechanical ventilation was associated with an increased risk of death (2.6 times). In multivariate analysis, variables that persisted strongly associated to neonatal death were gestational age below 37 weeks and birth-to-surgery interval greater than 4h. A high mortality was observed among babies of gastroschisis which is explained by factors like absence of prenatal diagnosis, prematurity, low birthweight, delivery outside the tertiary center, longer birth-to-surgery intervals and need of mechanical ventilation.

Gastrosquise: Diagnóstico Pré-natal x Prognóstico Neonatal

Purpose: to determine the frequency of prenatal diagnosis in newborns with gastroschisis operated at the Instituto Materno-Infantil de Pernambuco (IMIP) and to analyze its repercussions on neonatal prognosis. Patients and Methods: a cross-sectional study was carried out, including 31 cases of gastroschisis submitted to surgical correction in our service from 1995 to 1999. Prevalence risk (PR) of neonatal death and its 95% confidence interval were calculated for the presence of prenatal diagnosis and other perinatal and surgical variables. Multiple logistic regression analysis was carried out to determine the adjusted risk of neonatal death. Results: only 10 of 31 cases of gastroschisis (32.3%) had prenatal diagnosis and all were delivered at IMIP. No newborn with prenatal diagnosis was preterm but 43% of those without prenatal diagnosis were premature (p 4 hours, staged silo surgery, need of mechanical ventilation and postoperative infection. Conclusions: prenatal diagnosis was infrequent among infants with gastroschisis and neonatal death was extremely high in its absence. It is necessary to achieve greater rates of prenatal diagnosis and to improve perinatal care in order to reduce this increased mortality.

Peritonite meconial como diagnóstico diferencial de ascite fetal: relato de caso

Introduction: meconium peritonitis as result of fetal intestinal perforation has a low incidence (1:30,000 deliveries) and high mortality (50% or more). Prenatal ultrasound findings include fetal ascites and intra-abdominal calcifications. Evidence suggests that prenatal diagnosis can improve postnatal prognosis. Case Report: R.C.M.S., 22 years, II pregnancy O para, presented ultrasound (12/02/98) with diagnosis of fetal ascites. Investigation for hydrops fetalis was performed and immune and nonimmune causes were excluded. Severe fetal ascites persisted on subsequent ultrasound examinations, without calcifications. Vaginal delivery occurred at 36 weeks (01/02/99), with polyhydramnios. Female neonate weighing 2,670 g, with signs of respiratory distress, abdominal distension and petechiae. Abdominal distension worsened progressively, with palpation of a petrous tumor in the right upper quadrant and elimination of white mucus at rectal examination. Radiological findings (01/04/99) were disseminated abdominal calcifications, intestinal dilatation and absence of gas at rectal ampulla. Exploratory laparotomy was indicated with diagnosis of meconium peritonitis. A giant meconium cyst and ileal atresia were observed and lysis of adhesions and ileostomy were performed. Initial postoperative evolution was satisfactory but was subsequently complicated by sepsis and neonatal death occurred (01/09/99). Conclusion: meconium peritonitis should be remembered at differential diagnosis of fetal ascites. In the present case, surgical indication could be anticipated if prenatal diagnosis were established, with improvement of neonatal evolution.

Tratamento não-cirúrgico de abscessos intra-cavitários pós-apendicectomia

OBJECTIVES: to evaluate the effectiveness of non-surgical treatment of post appendectomy, abdominal abscesses in children at the Instituto Materno Infantil de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil and to compare the results of two anti-microbial schemes (Cefoxitin versus Amikacin plus Metronidazole). METHODS: the study corresponds to the period from January 1997 to January 2000. There were 427 appendectomies performed in children during this period and 41 of them developed intra-abdominal abscesses. Thirty-nine were studied. The diagnosis of the abscesses was based on clinical signs, laboratorial tests and ultrasound examination. RESULTS: abscesses developed in 9,6% of the cases. Healing of the abscess occurred in 89,7% of the patients treated with the anti-microbial schemes. There was no difference between the effectiveness of the two anti-microbial schemes used. CONCLUSIONS: non-surgical treatment of post appendectomy intra-abdominal abscesses, based on anti-microbial endovenous therapy is safe, effective and without mortality. The anti-microbial schemes tested showed similar results. The Amikacin plus Metro-nidazole association is recomended.