ABSTRACT Objective To describe and compare the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients admitted to intensive care units during the first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods In this retrospective single-center cohort study, data were retrieved from the Epimed Monitor System; all adult patients admitted to the intensive care unit between March 4, 2020, and October 1, 2021, were included in the study. We compared the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients admitted to the intensive care unit of a quaternary private hospital in São Paulo, Brazil, during the first (May 1, 2020, to August 31, 2020) and second (March 1, 2021, to June 30, 2021) waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results In total, 1,427 patients with COVID-19 were admitted to the intensive care unit during the first (421 patients) and second (1,006 patients) waves. Compared with the first wave group [median (IQR)], the second wave group was younger [57 (46-70) versus 67 (52-80) years; p<0.001], had a lower SAPS 3 Score [45 (42-52) versus 49 (43-57); p<0.001], lower SOFA Score on intensive care unit admission [3 (1-6) versus 4 (2-6); p=0.018], lower Charlson Comorbidity Index [0 (0-1) versus 1 (0-2); p<0.001], and were less frequently frail (10.4% versus 18.1%; p<0.001). The second wave group used more noninvasive ventilation (81.3% versus 53.4%; p<0.001) and high-flow nasal cannula (63.2% versus 23.0%; p<0.001) during their intensive care unit stay. The intensive care unit (11.3% versus 10.5%; p=0.696) and in-hospital mortality (12.3% versus 12.1%; p=0.998) rates did not differ between both waves. Conclusion In the first and second waves, patients with severe COVID-19 exhibited similar mortality rates and need for invasive organ support, despite the second wave group being younger and less severely ill at the time of intensive care unit admission.

Resumen Marco contextual: Considerando que gran parte de los cuidados se realiza en la atención primaria, se necesita una mejor comprensión de la seguridad del paciente en este nivel de atención. Objetivo: Analizar la percepción de los profesionales sanitarios que trabajan en los equipos de salud familiar sobre la seguridad del paciente. Metodología: Estudio exploratorio con enfoque cualitativo. Participaron 23 profesionales (enfermeros, técnicos de enfermería, médicos y trabajadores comunitarios) de seis equipos de estrategia de salud familiar de Brasil. Los datos se recogieron mediante entrevistas con un guion semiestructurado. Se utilizó la técnica de análisis de contenido temático de Bardin. Resultados: Del análisis de los datos surgieron dos categorías temáticas: (Des)conocimiento de los principios de la seguridad del paciente y Actuación de los profesionales y estrategias para la promoción de la seguridad del paciente. Conclusión: La seguridad del paciente en la atención primaria sigue siendo un tema que presenta cierta fragilidad de conocimiento por parte de los profesionales del estudio. Los enfermeros fueron los únicos profesionales que destacaron la repercusión actual del tema.

Resumo Enquadramento: Considerando que muitos cuidados acontecem na atenção primária à saúde, é necessária uma melhor compreensão da segurança do doente neste nível de atenção. Objetivo: Analisar a perceção de profissionais de saúde que atuam em equipas de saúde da família acerca da segurança do doente. Metodologia: Estudo exploratório com abordagem qualitativa. Participaram 23 profissionais (enfermeiros, técnicos de enfermagem, médicos e agentes comunitários) de seis equipas de estratégia de saúde da família no Brasil. Os dados foram recolhidos através de entrevistas com guião semiestruturado. Utilizou-se a técnica de análise de conteúdo temática de Bardin. Resultados: Da análise dos dados emergiram duas categorias temáticas: (Des) Conhecimento sobre os princípios da segurança do doente e Atuação dos profissionais e estratégias para a promoção da segurança do doente Conclusão: A segurança do doente na atenção primária à saúde ainda é um tema que apresenta fragilidade de conhecimento por parte dos profissionais do estudo. Os enfermeiros foram os únicos profissionais que destacaram a repercussão atual da temática.

Abstract Background: Given that a considerable amount of care is provided in primary health care settings, a better understanding of patient safety at this level of care is essential. Objective: To explore the perceptions of patient safety among healthcare professionals working in family health teams. Methodology: An exploratory study, using a qualitative approach, was carried out with 23 health professionals (nurses, nurse technicians, physicians, and community health agents) from six family health strategy teams in Brazil. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Bardin’s thematic content analysis method. Results: Two thematic categories emerged from the data analysis: (Lack of) Knowledge about patient safety principles and Professionals’ actions and strategies for promoting patient safety. Conclusion: Patient safety in primary health care is an issue still poorly understood among the study participants. The nurses were the only professionals who highlighted its current impact.

RESUMO Objetivo: Descrever características clínicas, uso de recursos e desfechos e identificar preditores de mortalidade intra-hospitalar de pacientes com COVID-19 admitidos na unidade de terapia intensiva. Métodos: Estudo de coorte retrospectivo, em centro único, realizado em um hospital privado localizado em São Paulo (SP). Pacientes adultos (≥18 anos) admitidos consecutivamente na unidade de terapia intensiva, entre 4 de março de 2020 a 28 de fevereiro de 2021, foram incluídos neste estudo. Os pacientes foram classificados como sobreviventes e não sobreviventes, de acordo com a alta hospitalar. Resultados: Durante o período do estudo, 1.296 pacientes [mediana (intervalo interquartil) de idade: 66 (53-77) anos] com COVID-19 foram admitidos na unidade de terapia intensiva. Destes, 170 (13,6%) pacientes morreram no hospital (não sobreviventes), e 1.078 (86,4%) receberam alta hospitalar (sobreviventes). Comparados aos sobreviventes, os não sobreviventes eram mais idosos [80 (70-88) versus 63 (50-74) anos; p<0,001], apresentavam pontuação mais alta no sistema prognóstico Simplified Acute Physiology Score 3 [59 (54-66) versus 47 (42-53); pontos p<0,001] e tinham mais comorbidades. Durante a internação na unidade de terapia intensiva, 56,6% dos pacientes usaram ventilação não invasiva, 32,9% usaram ventilação mecânica invasiva, 31,3% usaram cateter nasal de alto fluxo, 11,7% foram submetidos à terapia renal substitutiva, e 1,5% usou oxigenação por membrana extracorpórea. Os preditores independentes de mortalidade intra-hospitalar foram idade, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment, Índice de Comorbidade de Charlson, necessidade de ventilação mecânica, uso de cateter nasal de alto fluxo, uso de terapia renal substitutiva e suporte por oxigenação por membrana extracorpórea. Conclusão: Pacientes com quadros graves da COVID-19 admitidos na unidade de terapia intensiva apresentaram considerável mortalidade e morbidade, com alta demanda de terapia de suporte e internação prolongada em unidade de terapia intensiva e hospitalar.

ABSTRACT Objective: To describe clinical characteristics, resource use, outcomes, and to identify predictors of in-hospital mortality of patients with COVID-19 admitted to the intensive care unit. Methods: Retrospective single-center cohort study conducted at a private hospital in São Paulo (SP), Brazil. All consecutive adult (≥18 years) patients admitted to the intensive care unit, between March 4, 2020 and February 28, 2021 were included in this study. Patients were categorized between survivors and non-survivors according to hospital discharge. Results: During the study period, 1,296 patients [median (interquartile range) age: 66 (53-77) years] with COVID-19 were admitted to the intensive care unit. Out of those, 170 (13.6%) died at hospital (non-survivors) and 1,078 (86.4%) were discharged (survivors). Compared to survivors, non-survivors were older [80 (70-88) versus 63 (50-74) years; p<0.001], had a higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score 3 [59 (54-66) versus 47 (42-53) points; p<0.001], and presented comorbidities more frequently. During the intensive care unit stay, 56.6% of patients received noninvasive ventilation, 32.9% received mechanical ventilation, 31.3% used high flow nasal cannula, 11.7% received renal replacement therapy, and 1.5% used extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Independent predictors of in-hospital mortality included age, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score, Charlson Comorbidity Index, need for mechanical ventilation, high flow nasal cannula, renal replacement therapy, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support. Conclusion: Patients with severe COVID-19 admitted to the intensive care unit exhibited a considerable morbidity and mortality, demanding substantial organ support, and prolonged intensive care unit and hospital stay.

ABSTRACT Objectives: Retrospective clinical evaluation of 31 patients who underwent ulnar nerve decompression at the elbow and subcutaneous anterior transposition. Methods: From January 2000 to December 2013, 71 patients underwent subcutaneous anterior transposition of the ulnar nerve. Thirty-one patients returned for evaluation. The mean follow-up period was 60 months. Patients were evaluated for the degree of satisfaction after surgery, paresthesia, pain, Tinel sign, Froment test and sensitivity test by esthesiometer, muscle strength of the intrinsic muscles and deep flexor of the fifth digit, visual analogic pain scale (VAS) and were subjected to the QuickDash questionnaire. Results: Thirty-nine per cent of patients had compression on the right side and 61% on the left side. Sixty-one percent were idiopathic, 35% post traumatic and 3% had Poems syndrome. Forty-eight per cent of patients were very much satisfied after surgery and 52% were satisfied. Forty-eight per cent had paresthesia after surgery and 52% did not. Conclusion: The ulnar neurolysis of the cubital tunnel with anterior subcutaneous transposition is a safe and effective technique for treating idiopathic or post-traumatic compressive neuropathy, with high success rate and excellent function for activities of daily living. Level of Evidence IV, Case Series.

We aimed to evaluate whether the occurrence of cryptic species of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, S1, PS2, PS3 and Paracoccidioides lutzii, has implications in the immunodiagnosis of paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM). Small quantities of the antigen gp43 were found in culture filtrates of P. lutzii strains and this molecule appeared to be more variable within P. lutzii because the synonymous-nonsynonymous mutation rate was lower, indicating an evolutionary process different from that of the remaining genotypes. The production of gp43 also varied between isolates belonging to the same species, indicating that speciation events are important, but not sufficient to fully explain the diversity in the production of this antigen. The culture filtrate antigen AgEpm83, which was obtained from a PS3 isolate, showed large quantities of gp43 and reactivity by immunodiffusion assays, similar to the standard antigen (AgB-339) from an S1 isolate. Furthermore, AgEpm83 was capable of serologically differentiating five serum samples from patients from the Botucatu and Jundiaí regions. These patients had confirmed PCM but, were non-reactive to the standard antigen, thus demonstrating an alternative for serological diagnosis in regions in which S1 and PS2 occur. We also emphasise that it is not advisable to use a single antigen preparation to diagnose PCM, a disease that is caused by highly diverse pathogens.

A Síndrome dos Ovários Policísticos (SOP) afeta de 6 a 10% das mulheres em idade reprodutiva. Resistência à insulina e hiperinsulinemia estão presentes em praticamente todas as pacientes com SOP e desempenham papel central no desenvolvimento tanto do hiperandrogenismo como da síndrome metabólica (SM). SM ocorre em aproximadamente 43% das pacientes com SOP, elevando em até sete vezes o risco de doença cardiovascular nestas pacientes. Vários marcadores séricos, funcionais e estruturais de disfunção endotelial e de aterosclerose subclínica foram descritos em pacientes com SOP, mesmo nas jovens e não-obesas. Entretanto, embora a SOP afete adversamente o perfil cardiovascular, estudos a longo prazo não demonstraram consistentemente aumento da mortalidade cardiovascular, a qual parece ser mais observada no período da pós-menopausa. Recentemente, os anticoncepcionais orais estão sendo substituídos pelos agentes sensibilizadores de insulina (metformina e glitazonas) no tratamento da SOP, devido aos seus efeitos sobre a resistência à insulina e o risco cardiovascular.

The Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) affects 6 to 10% of women of childbearing age. Insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia are present in nearly all PCOS patients and play a central role in the development of both hyperandrogenism and metabolic syndrome (MS). MS occurs in approximately 43% of PCOS patients, raising the cardiovascular risk to up seven fold in these patients. Several serum, functional and structural markers of endothelial dysfunction and subclinical atherosclerosis were described in PCOS patients, even those young and non-obese. However, despite the fact that PCOS adversely affects the cardiovascular profile, long-term studies did not demonstrate a consistent raise in cardiovascular mortality, which seems to be more observed in the post-menopausal period. Recently, oral contraceptives are being substituted for insulin sensitizing agents (metformin and glitazones) in the PCOS treatment, due to their effects on insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk.

Entry of human immunodeficiency type 1 virus (HIV-1) into target cells requires both CD4and one of the chemokine receptors. Viruses predominantly use one, or occasionally both, of the major co-receptors CCR5 and CXCR4, although other receptors, including CCR2B and CCR3, function as minor co-receptors. A 32-nucleotide deletion (delta32) within the beta-chemokine receptor 5 gene (CCR5) has been described in subjects who remain uninfected despite extensive exposition to HIV-1. The heterozygous genotype delays disease progression. This allele is common among Caucasians, but has not been found in people of African or Asian ancestry. A more common transition involving a valine to isoleucine switch in transmembrane domain I of CCR2B (64I), with unknown functional consequences, was found to delay disease progression but not to reduce infection risk. As the Brazilian population consists of a mixture of several ethnic groups, we decided to examine the genotype frequency of these polymorphisms in this country. There were 11.5% CCR5 heterozygotes among the HIV-1 infected population and 12.5% among uninfected individuals, similar to data from North America and Western Europe. The prevalence of CCR2-64I homozygotes and heterozygotes was 0.06 and 15.2%, respectively, also similar to what is known for North America and Western Europe.