Rosa Maria Salani Mota

HIV among MSM in a large middle-income country.

Objective:To conduct the first national biological and behavioral surveillance survey for HIV among MSM in Brazil. Design:A cross-sectional surveillance study utilizing Respondent Driven Sampling (RDS) in 10 cities, following formative research. Planned sample: 350 MSM reporting sex with another man in the last 12 months, at least 18 years of age, and residing in the city of the study. Methods:Conventional RDS recruitment. Results were calculated for each city using RDSAT 5.6. For the national estimate, a new individual weight using a novel method was calculated. The 10 cities were aggregated, treated as strata and analyzed using STATA11.0. Self-reported HIV status and logistic regression was used to impute missing values for serostatus, an important issue for RDSAT. Results:A total of 3859 MSM were interviewed. Sample was diverse, most self-identified as mulatto or black, were social class C or below, and had relatively low levels of education. More than 80% reported more than one partner in the last 6 months. Only 49% had ever tested for HIV. HIV prevalence among MSM ranged from 5.2 to 23.7% in the 10 cities (3.7–16.5% without imputation) and was 14.2% for all cities combined with imputation. The overall prevalence was two and three times higher than that estimated for female sex workers and drug users, respectively, in Brazil. Half of those who tested HIV positive were not aware of their infection. Conclusion:The AIDS epidemic in Brazil is disproportionately concentrated among MSM, as has been found in other countries. Renewed efforts to encourage testing, prevention and treatment are required.

Fatores de risco para tuberculose multirresistente adquirida

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a severe and feared problem, that is difficult to control and has shown a tendency to increase worldwide. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the risk factors for acquired MDR-TB. CASUISTIC AND METHODS: A retrospective population-based case-control study was conducted. A bacillus was considered multidrug-resistant whenever it was resistant at least to rifampin (RFP) + isoniazid (INH), and a case was considered as sensitive tuberculosis (TB) if it had undergone the first treatment during a similar period as the first treatment of an MDR-TB case, but was cured at the time of the interview. Case selection was made based on the list of Sensitivity Tests (ST) performed at the Central Public Health Laboratory of the State of Ceara, from 1990 through 1999. The Proportion Method was used to investigate resistance to the six antituberculosis drugs (isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide, ethambutol, ethionamide, streptomycin) used as the standard treatment in Brazil. Controls were selected from the registry of the TB Control Program. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed, with p < 0.05 considered significant. RESULTS: Out of the 1,500 STs performed during the studied period, 266 strains were multidrug-resistant; 153 patients were identified, 19 of which were excluded. The Group of Cases comprised 134 patients, and the Group of Controls comprised 185. Multivariate analysis helped to detect the following risk factors: lack of home sewer system, alcoholism + smoking, number of previous treatments, irregular treatment, and lung cavities. CONCLUSION: These five factors are important for the development of acquired MDR-TB, and an attempt to neutralize them might contribute to control TB.

The Phase Angle and Mass Body Cell as Markers of Nutritional Status in Hemodialysis Patients

OBJECTIVE Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is a fast, noninvasive method for assessing body composition, and its role in the evaluation of nutritional status in haemodialysis (HD) has been studied. This study aimed to compare BIA parameters to clinical, biochemical, and anthropometric markers of nutrition in HD patients, such as subjective global assessment modified for renal disease (SGA-1), serum albumin, body mass index (BMI), percent of standard body weight (%SBW), deviation of triceps skinfold thickness (TSF), mid-arm circumference (MAC), mid-arm muscle circumference (MAMC) from the standard value (50th percentile), anthropometry-derived fat (FM-A), and fat-free mass (FFM-A). METHODS BIA was performed 30 minutes after a HD session and the reactance (Xc), resistance (R), phase angle (PA), body cell mass (BCM), fat mass (FM-BIA), and fat-free mass (FFM-BIA) values were recorded. The prevalence of malnutrition was estimated according to PA and percent of BCM. The correlation between methods was assessed through Pearsons correlation coefficient and Bland and Altman analysis. RESULTS A total of 58 patients were studied (30 women and 28 men; mean age of 49.2 +/- 14.8 years). The mean PA was 6.19 +/- 1.33 degrees and the mean percent of BCM was 33.75 +/- 5.91%. The prevalence of malnutrition was 17.5% and 43.9% according to the PA and percent of BCM, respectively. PA had a negative correlation with age and SGA-1 score and a positive correlation with percent SBW, MAC, MAMC, FFM-A, and albumin. Percent of BCM had a negative correlation with age, MAC, MAMC and FM-A and a positive correlation with FFM-A and albumin. A significant correlation between FFM-A and FFM-BIA was observed, as well as between FM-A and FM-BIA. CONCLUSIONS BIA indexes reflected nutritional state. PA and BCM seem to be less influenced by changes in volume and can be used for nutritional assessments of dialysis patients.

Incidência de fratura do quadril em área urbana do Nordeste brasileiro

Hip fractures involve high morbidity and mortality and extensive treatment costs and are thus considered an important public health issue. Hip fracture incidence varies greatly between countries and even between cities in the same region. This study aimed to determine hip fracture incidence in Fortaleza, Ceará State, Brazil. Hip fracture cases were identified prospectively in patients aged 45 and over attending private and public hospitals in Fortaleza from July 2001 to June 2002. The study identified 673 patients with hip fractures, 382 of whom from Fortaleza. Annual hip fracture incidence in Fortaleza for patients over 60 years was 21.7/10,000 inhabitants (13.0/10,000 for men and 27.7/10,000 for women). Hip fractures were more frequent among women and with advancing age. Hip fracture incidence in Fortaleza was very low compared to rates reported from other parts of the world.

Clinical and laboratory features of disseminated histoplasmosis in HIV patients from Brazil

Objectives  To identify the main clinical and laboratory features of disseminated histoplasmosis (DH) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients and compare them with those of HIV patients with other opportunistic diseases.

Wasting and intestinal barrier function in children taking alanyl-glutamine-supplemented enteral formula.

Objective: We examined the effect of a diet supplemented with alanyl-glutamine (AG) or placebo glycine (G) on intestinal barrier function and growth in children in northeastern Brazil. Patients and Methods: One hundred seven children ages 7.9 to 82.2 months with a weight-for-age (WAZ), height-for-age (HAZ), or weight-for-height (WHZ) z-score less than −1 were studied. From July 2003 to November 2004, 51 study patients received AG (24 g/d) and 56 received G (25 g/d; isonitrogenic concentration) control for 10 days. Lactulose/mannitol excretion ratio was used as a measure of intestinal permeability and was performed on days 1 and 10 of nutritional supplementation. Weight and height were measured on days 1, 10, 30, and 120 of the protocol. Results: The patients were similar on admission with regard to age, sex, birth weight, nutritional status, lactulose/mannitol ratio, and serum concentrations of glutamine and arginine. The percentage of lactulose urinary excretion significantly improved (decreased) in children receiving AG for 10 days but not in those receiving glycine controls. AG significantly increased cumulative change over 120 days in WHZ and WAZ scores but not HAZ scores after adjustment for age and season in comparison with the placebo glycine group. Conclusions: Children tolerated AG-supplemented enteral formula well, and it significantly improved cumulative WHZ and WAZ over 120 days in comparison with children in the placebo glycine group. The data also suggested a beneficial effect of AG in the barrier function paracellular pathway, albeit with reduced mannitol excretion. Thus, although the effect of AG on reduced mannitol concentration requires clarification, AG appears to improve nutrition and barrier function.

Effects of vitamin A supplementation on intestinal barrier function, growth, total parasitic, and specific Giardia spp. infections in Brazilian children: a prospective randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: This study evaluates the effects of retinol on intestinal barrier function, growth, total parasites, and Giardia spp infections in children in northeastern Brazil. Subjects and Methods: The study was a double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial (http://clinicaltrials.gov; register no. #NCT00133406) involving 79 children who received vitamin A 100,000–200,000 IU (n = 39) or placebo (n = 40) at enrollment, 4, and 8 months and were followed for 36 months. Intestinal barrier function was evaluated using the lactulose:mannitol ratio test. Stool lactoferrin was used as a marker for intestinal inflammation. Results: The groups were similar with regard to age, sex, nutritional parameters (z scores), serum retinol concentrations, proportion of lactoferrin-positive stool samples, and intestinal barrier function. The lactulose:mannitol ratio did not change during the same time of follow-up (P > 0.05). The proportion of lactoferrin-positive samples evaluated at 1 month did not change between groups (P > 0.05). Total intestinal parasitic, specifically new, infections were significantly lower in the vitamin A treatment compared with control group; these were accounted for entirely by significantly fewer new Giardia infections in the vitamin A treatment group. The cumulative z scores for weight-for-length or height, length or height-for-age z scores, and weight-for-age did not change significantly with vitamin A intervention for 36 months of follow-up. Conclusions: These data showed that total parasitic infection and Giardia spp infections were significantly lower in the vitamin A treatment group when compared with the placebo group, suggesting that vitamin A improves the hosts defenses against Giardia infections.

Effect of melatonin administration on subjective sleep quality in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Disturbed sleep is common in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Conventional hypnotics worsen nocturnal hypoxemia and, in severe cases, can lead to respiratory failure. Exogenous melatonin has somnogenic properties in normal subjects and can improve sleep in several clinical conditions. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was carried out to determine the effects of melatonin on sleep in COPD. Thirty consecutive patients with moderate to very severe COPD were initially recruited for the study. None of the participants had a history of disease exacerbation 4 weeks prior to the study, obstructive sleep apnea, mental disorders, current use of oral steroids, methylxanthines or hypnotic-sedative medication, nocturnal oxygen therapy, and shift work. Patients received 3 mg melatonin (N = 12) or placebo (N = 13), orally in a single dose, 1 h before bedtime for 21 consecutive days. Sleep quality was assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and daytime sleepiness was measured by the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. Pulmonary function and functional exercise level were assessed by spirometry and the 6-min walk test, respectively. Twenty-five patients completed the study protocol and were included in the final analysis. Melatonin treatment significantly improved global PSQI scores (P = 0.012), particularly sleep latency (P = 0.008) and sleep duration (P = 0.046). No differences in daytime sleepiness, lung function and functional exercise level were observed. We conclude that melatonin can improve sleep in COPD. Further long-term studies involving larger number of patients are needed before melatonin can be safely recommended for the management of sleep disturbances in these patients.

Desnutrição na insuficiência renal crônica: qual o melhor método diagnóstico na prática clínica?

INTRODUCTION: Protein-energy malnutrition, systemic inflammation, and metabolic disorders are frequent among patients with chronic kidney failure undergoing dialysis, contributing to their morbidity and mortality. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In the present study, the prevalence of malnutrition in chronic renal patients undergoing hemodialysis in one single center in the Northeastern region of Brazil was assessed according to the following: three different methods of subjective global assessment (SGA); body mass index (BMI); percent of standard body weight; adequacy to the 50th percentile of triceps skinfold (TSF) and arm muscle circumference (AMC) thicknesses; pre-dialysis albumin; phase angle; and percentage of body cell mass (%BCM). Agreement of the nutritional status diagnosis performed through SGA with anthropometric, biochemical, and bioelectrical impedance measures was assessed. RESULTS: The study assessed 58 patients [females, 30 (51.7%); mean age = 49 years]. The prevalence of malnutrition according to the different methods ranged from 12.1% to 94.8%. Conventional SGA showed a moderate agreement with patient-generated SGA (PG-SGA), BMI (cutoff point, 22.0 kg/m2), and AMC; a fair agreement with BMI (cutoff point, 18.5 kg/m2), percent of standard body weight, AC, and phase angle; and a poor agreement with SGA adapted to the renal patient, TSF, and %BCM. CONCLUSIONS: The nutritional assessment methods commonly used in clinical practice are subject to restrictions when applied to the dialysis population, considering the different percentages obtained with the different methods. Longitudinal, prospective studies on the association of nutritional markers with adverse events, such as hospitalization and mortality, should be carried out to clarify remaining issues.

Acute kidney injury after trauma: Prevalence, clinical characteristics and RIFLE classification.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is an uncommon but serious complication after trauma. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence, clinical characteristics and outcome of AKI after trauma. Patients and Methods: This was a retrospective study performed from January 2006 to January 2008 in an emergency specialized hospital in Fortaleza city, northeast of Brazil. All patients with AKI admitted in the study period were included. Prevalence of AKI, clinical characteristics and outcome were investigated. Results: Of the 129 patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), 52 had AKI. The mean age was 30.1 ± 19.2 years, and 79.8% were males. The main causes of AKI were sepsis in 27 cases (52%) and hypotension in 18 (34%). Oliguria was observed in 33 cases (63%). Dialysis was required for 19 patients (36.5%). Independent risk factors associated with AKI were abdominal trauma [odds ratio (OR) = 3.66, P = 0.027] and use of furosemide (OR = 4.10, P = 0.026). Patients were classified according to RIFLE criteria as Risk in 12 cases (23%), Injury in 13 (25%), Failure in 24 (46%), Loss in 1 (2%) and End-stage in 2 (4%). Overall in-hospital mortality was 95.3%. The main cause of death was sepsis (24%). Mortality was 100% among patients with AKI. Conclusions: AKI is a fatal complication after trauma, which presented with a high mortality in the studied population. A better comprehension of factors associated with death in trauma-associated AKI is important, and more effective measures of prevention and treatment of AKI in this population are urgently needed.