Abstract Introduction: Optimized allocation of medical resources to patients with COVID-19 has been a critical concern since the onset of the pandemic. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, the authors used data from a Brazilian tertiary university hospital to explore predictors of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission and hospital mortality in patients admitted for COVID-19. Our primary aim was to create and validate prediction scores for use in hospitals and emergency departments to aid clinical decisions and resource allocation. Results: The study cohort included 3,022 participants, of whom 2,485 were admitted to the ICU; 1968 survived, and 1054 died in the hospital. From the complete cohort, 1,496 patients were randomly assigned to the derivation sample and 1,526 to the validation sample. The final scores included age, comorbidities, and baseline laboratory data. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves were very similar for the derivation and validation samples. Scores for ICU admission had a 75% accuracy in the validation sample, whereas scores for death had a 77% accuracy in the validation sample. The authors found that including baseline flu-like symptoms in the scores added no significant benefit to their accuracy. Furthermore, our scores were more accurate than the previously published NEWS-2 and 4C Mortality Scores. Discussion and conclusions: The authors developed and validated prognostic scores that use readily available clinical and laboratory information to predict ICU admission and mortality in COVID-19. These scores can become valuable tools to support clinical decisions and improve the allocation of limited health resources.

PURPOSE: To report our experience with the use of the botulinum toxin-A (BoNT/A) formulations Botox® and Prosigne® in the treatment of neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO). MATERIALS AND METHODS: At a single institution, 45 consecutive patients with refractory urinary incontinence due to NDO received a single intradetrusor (excluding the trigone) treatment with botulinum toxin type A 200 or 300 units. Botox was used for the first 22 patients, and Prosigne for the subsequent 23 patients. Evaluations at baseline and week 12 included assessment of continence and urodynamics. Safety evaluations included monitoring of vital signs, hematuria during the procedure, hospital stay, and spontaneous adverse event reports. RESULTS: A total of 42 patients were evaluated (74% male; mean age, 34.8 years). Significant improvements from baseline in maximum cystometric capacity (MCC), maximum detrusor pressure during bladder contraction, and compliance were observed in both groups (P < 0.05). Improvement in MCC was significantly greater with Botox versus Prosigne (+103.3% vs. +42.2%; P = 0.019). Continence was achieved by week 12 in 16 Botox recipients (76.2%) and 10 Prosigne recipients (47.6%; P = 0.057). No severe adverse events were observed. Mild adverse events included 2 cases of transient hematuria on the first postoperative day (no specific treatment required), and 3 cases of afebrile urinary tract infection. CONCLUSIONS: Botox and Prosigne produce distinct effects in patients with NDO, with a greater increase in MCC with Botox. Further evaluation will be required to assess differences between these formulations.

Grandes perdas de tecido neural não permitem a reparação através de anastomose primária. Nesses casos, a auto-enxertia de nervo é considerada tratamento de escolha. O tubo sintético à base de ácido poliglicólico é uma opção para enxertia de nervo. O FK506 é um imunossupressor que aumenta a taxa de regeneração neural "in vivo" e "in vitro". O objetivo deste trabalho foi comparar, em ratos, o grau de regeneração neural, utilizando análise histológica, contagem do número de axônios mielinizados regenerados e análise funcional, obtida com a interposição de enxerto autógeno (grupo A), tubo de ácido poliglicólico (grupo B) e da associação do tubo de ácido poliglicólico à administração de FK506 (grupo C) em defeitos de 5 mm no nervo ciático. Foi observado a formação de neuroma apenas no grupo A. Os grupos B e C apresentaram padrões histológicos semelhantes. A avaliação quantitativa do número de axônios mielinizados regenerados determinou que: 1) o grupo B apresentou em média um menor número em ralação aos demais grupos; 2) não houve diferença significativa entre o grupo controle A e o grupo C. Na recuperação funcional, não houve diferença estatisticamente significativa entre os três grupos, a despeito das diferenças histológicas qualitativas e quantitativas verificadas.

Extensive losses of neural tissue preclude the repair performed by means of primary anastomosis. In those cases, nerve autograft is considered as the treatment of choice. The synthetic tube constituted by polyglycoic acid is an option for nerve graft. The FK506 is an immunosuppressive agent, which increases the neural regeneration rates in vivo and in vitro. The purpose of this study was to compare, in rats, the degree of neural regeneration, by using histological analysis, a count of the number of regenerated myelinated axons, and a functional analysis, obtained by interposing the autogenous graft (group A), polyglycoic acid tube (group B) and a combination of polyglycoic acid tube with FK506 (group C) in 5-cm defects of the sciatic nerve. Neuroma formation was observed only in group A. Groups B and C presented similar histological patterns. The quantitative analysis of the number of regenerated myelinated axons has determined that: 1) group B presented, in average, a lower number when compared to the other groups; 2) there was no significant difference between control group A and group C. For functional recovery, there was no statistically significant change between the three groups, despite the qualitative and quantitative histological differences seen.

Úlceras de pressão são úlceras decorrentes de isquemia tecidual provocadas pela alteração do reflexo de dor em pacientes com lesão medular, pacientes debilitados, idosos ou cronicamente doentes. No Brasil, poucos estudos vem sendo realizados a respeito das úlcera de pressão e seu tratamento. O objetivo desse trabalho é avaliar a distribuição epidemiológica, o tratamento e complicaçòes das úlceras de pressão no Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, no período de 01 de fevereiro de 1997 a 01 de março de 1999 no Instituto de Ortopedia e Traumatologia. Um estudo prospectivo foi realizado neste período através de um protocolo que avaliava sexo, idade, fatores de risco, localização, dimensões, classificação das úlceras, tipo de tratamento, complicações pós-operatórias, tempo de internação e cronicidade da úlcera. O tratamento era avaliado através da taxa de sucesso e recorrência. O tempo de seguimento médio foi de 1 ano e 6 meses. (6 meses a 2 anos). Com 45 pacientes com 77 úlceras foram avaliados neste período. Em relação ao sexo , foi encontrada uma predomibância masculina 4:1. 32,47% das úlceras tiveram sua localização em região sacral e 32,47% trocantérica e 15,58% isquiáticas. Na maioria jovem (média de 34,78 anos), com lesão medular (100% dos pacientes), vítimas de lesões por arma de fogo (60% dos pacientes), de caráter crônico (93,3%) e lesão grau IV (67,53%). As úlceras trocantéricas possuiam dimensões maiores (9,5 cm). 77,92% das úlceras de pressão foram tratadas cirurgicamente, com predomínio dos retalhos miocutâneos (45%) . Em relação a avaliação do tratamento temos: a taxa de sucesso do tratamento das úlcera de pressão foi de 80% trocantérica, 84% sacral e 66,6% isquiática. A taxa de recorrência foi de 25%. A taxa de complicação variou segundo a localização: úlcera trocantérica 84%, 50% isquiática e 64% sacral.

Prolonged tissue crompression due to sitting, lying or wearing brace in a heathy person results in discomfort and pain due to local isquemia. The normal protective pahtways are interrupted, however, in paraplegics, quadriplegic or the signals are ignored in severely de hibilitade, eldery or chronic ill patients. The pressure sore develops in these patients. Few papers have been done in Brazil abour pressure sores, despite economic problem envolved with. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the epidemiology, treatment and complications of pressure sores in the Hospital das Clínicas (University of São Paulo) from February 1997 to March 1999 in the Orthopedics Institute. A prospective study has been done. Data were evaluated as to the sex, age, sites, classification, type of treatment employed, length of stay and complications. The treatment was evaluated by the success rate and recurrence rate . The average follow-up period was 1 year and a half, ranging from 6 month to 2 years. 77 pressure sores in 45 patients were apraised. 36 men and 9 women, age range 17-64, mean 34,78 years. Of the patients, 100% had severe spinal cord injuries, and most of them victims of gun shot (60%). 93,3% of the wound were chronic (present longer than 3 months). 77,92% were treated by surgical procedures, and most of them with myocutaneous flaps (45%). The success rate changed with the site of the lesion: 80% trochanter, 84% sacrum and 66,6% ischium. The recurrence rate was 25%. The complication rate also changed with the site of the lesion: 84% trocanter, 64% sacrum and 50% isquium.

Angiossarcoma primário do osso é muito raro, representando menos de 1% de todos os angiossarcomas(4). Neoplasias vasculares também são incomuns, ocorrendo em 14% dos tumores malignos primários do osso. Os autores relatam caso em coluna lombar que merece atenção porque inicialmente tratava-se de um hemangioendotelioma, um tumor de malignidade intermediária, definido pelos critérios estabelecidos por Stout(11). Foi tratado com embolização local e radioterapia. Após dez anos, recidivou, com maior grau de malignidade, fenômeno interpretado como progressão tumoral, com características de Angiossarcoma epitelióide. O estudo imuno-histoquímico revelou positividade para marcadores vasculares. (Fator VIII, CD31 e CD34). O paciente evoluiu com metástases pulmonares. Em revisão bibliográfica, não foi encontado nenhum relato de caso semelhante, tendo em vista a longa evolução e progressão tumoral após dez anos de seguimento e expressão do fenotipo epitelióide.

Primary angiosarcoma of bone is rare and accounts for less than 1% of all angiosarcomas(4). Vascular bone neoplasms represent 1,4% of primary malignant bone tumors. The authors describe an unusual case of bone angiosarcoma located in the spine. The diagnosis was initially hemangioendothelioma, a borderline endothelial vascular tumor, as stated by Stout(11). The lesion was treated by local embolization and radiation therapy. The tumor recurred locally ten years later as a high-grade angiosarcoma, showing epithelioid features, which indicates tumor progression. Immunohistochemical studies were positive for vascular markers such as factor VIII, CD31 and CD 34. The patient developed lung metastasis. I was not observed in the literature any other case with ten-year follow-up and tumor progression with epithelioid features.