Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract Background: Walking training can be an adequate choice to improve physical and psychological conditions in the elderly. Studies have reported positive changes in the quality of life, depressive symptoms and pain. However, baseline characteristics of volunteers have been controlled, and some of previous studies have not investigated these parameters concomitantly. Objectives: To assess the effects of moderate-intensity walking on quality of life, depressive symptoms and physical pain in physically active elderly individuals. Methods: Sixty-nine subjects were recruited and allocated into two groups: training group (n = 40) and control group (n = 29). All were evaluated for quality of life, depressive symptoms and pain. Training group underwent 40 minutes of walking (50-70% of maximum heart rate), 3 days a week for 12 weeks. For statistical analysis, we used the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Student’s t-test and Split-Plot ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc, Pearson correlation. Significance level was set at 5%. Results: After 12 weeks of training, depressive symptoms and physical pain significantly reduced in the training group (2.7 ± 2.4 to 1.9 ± 1.8 and 4.3 ± 3.1 to 2.8 ± 2.9, respectively) compared with baseline values, and remained unchanged in the control group. There was a positive, moderate correlation between depressive symptoms and pain (r = 0.30). Conclusion: physically active elderly individuals with good quality of life show improved depressive symptoms after a short-term moderate-intensity walking training program.

Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract Background: Hemodilution, transoperative bleeding and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) are some of the factors associated with high transfusion rates in cardiac surgery. Objective: To analyze the incidence of blood transfusion and early postoperative outcomes in cardiac surgery patients. Methods: Cohort study of patients undergoing cardiac surgery in a university hospital, consecutively enrolled from May 2015 to February 2017. Data were prospectively collected and comparisons were made between two patients’ groups: transfused and not transfused. Student's t-test, chi-square test, and logistic regression were used, and a p-value < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Among the 271 patients evaluated, 100 (37%) required transfusion in the transoperative (32.1%) and/or postoperative periods (19.5%). The following predictors of transfusion were identified by multivariate analysis: EuroScore II (OR 1.2); chronic kidney disease (CKD) (OR 3.2); transoperative bleeding ≥ 500 mL (OR 6.7); baseline hemoglobin (Hb) ≤ 10 g/dL (OR 11.5); activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) (OR 1.1) and CPB duration (OR 1.03). Transfusion was associated with prolonged mechanical ventilation (≥ 24h) (2.4% vs. 23%), delirium (5.9% vs. 18%), bronchopneumonia (1.2% vs. 16%), acute renal failure (3.5% vs. 25%), acute on CKD (0.6% vs. 8%), stroke or transient ischemic attack (1.8% vs. 8%), intensive care unit stay ≥ 72 h (36% vs. 57%), longer hospital stay (8 ± 4 days vs. 16 ± 15 days), as well as increased early mortality (1.75% vs. 15%). Conclusion: EuroScore II, CKD, major transoperative bleeding, preoperative Hb and aPTT values and CPB time were independent predictors of transfusion, which was associated with a higher rate of adverse outcomes, including early mortality.

Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract Background: Cardiovascular diseases, such as acute myocardial infarction, are the main causes of death in the world. The flavonoids present in chocolate can have benefits for people who have risk factors to the development of cardiovascular diseases and have a coadjuvant effect on known therapies. Objective: To analyze the association between chocolate consumption, severity of coronary lesions, risk factors and severity of the first infarction in patients attended at the Cardiology Institute of Santa Catarina and other hospitals in the State of Santa Catarina. Methods: Subanalysis of the Catarina Heart Study cohort, evaluated 350 patients with first myocardial infarction. We evaluated clinical, echocardiographic, hemodynamic laboratorial variables. We used chi square test to evaluate qualitative variables, t student test in the case of parametric variables and U Mann Whitney test in non-parametric variables. We considered significant p < 0,05. Results: Lower prevalence of hypertension (43.2% % vs. 62.3% p = 0.003), diabetes mellitus (13.5% vs. 25.7%, p = 0.027) and smoking (24.3% vs. 37.7%, p = 0.032) among those who consume chocolate. Higher use of alcohol (40.5% vs. 26.4%, p = 0.018) and drugs (9.5% vs. 3.3%, p = 0.023) among those who consumed chocolate. Among the patients who consumed chocolate, there was a negative correlation between amount consumed and Syntax (r = -0.296, p = 0.019). Conclusion: There was association between chocolate consumption and lower prevalence of hypertension, diabetes and smoking. There was no association between amount of chocolate consumed and post-infarction ventricular function and TIMI frame count. Higher prevalence of alcohol and drug use among those who consume chocolate. Negative correlation between Syntax and the amount of chocolate consumed.

Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract Background: Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is a common complication associated with undesirable outcomes; hence, the provision of appropriate tools is important to help identify patients at risk. Objectives: To evaluate the predictive capacity of the CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc scores, alone and combined with left atrial (LA) size, for the onset of POAF in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting and/or valvular surgery. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study on 144 patients. A decision tree was used to identify the cut-off values of the CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc scores and LA size in order to calculate sensitivity, specificity, predictive-value positive (PVP), and predictive-value negative (PVN), in addition to regression models. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to estimate the accuracy of the models. The level of significance adopted was 5%. Results: Patients who developed POAF were older (p = 0.050), had reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (p = 0.045), longer hospital length of stay (p = 0,018), but their mean CHADS2 (p = 0.077) and CHA2DS2-VASc (p = 0.109) scores were similar to those of patients with no arrhythmia. LA size improved the predictive capacity of the CHADS2 score, in terms of specificity and PVP, and of the CHA2DS2-VASc score, in terms of sensitivity and PVN. However, the CHADS2 (OR = 1.198; CI95% = 0.859-1.156) and CHA2DS2-VASc (OR = 1.047; CI95% = 0.784-1.401) scores were not predictors of POAF, either alone or in combination with LA size (OR = 1.163; CI95% = 0.829-1.648 and OR = 1.065; CI95% = 0.795-1.433). Conclusion: The CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc scores alone or in combination with LA size did not show good predictive capacity for POAF.

Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract Background: Heart failure (HF) is the final pathway of most cardiac diseases. Although the prevalence of HF has increased, due to the ageing of the population, more comprehensive data have shown a reduction in the percentage of HF hospital admissions over the last years. Objective: Assess the morbidity and mortality of HF patients in Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul and Porto Alegre. Method: The study is a retrospective analysis of data from the Brazilian Unified Health System's (Sistema Único de Saúde [SUS]) Department of Informatics (DataSUS). We evaluated the incidence of HF hospital admissions, the average length of stay, hospital costs and sex ratio, during a ten-year period (2007 to 2016). Due to availability of the system, mortality rate and age range, the total duration of the study was nine years. Results: Within this period, the percentage of hospitalizations for HF decreased. On the other hand, the length of stay increased in all regions studied. Mortality rates were in decline in all regions. Hospital costs showed an increase of 110.8%. HF was more prevalent in patients between the seventh and eighth decades of life, with men being more affected than women, except in Rio Grande do Sul. Conclusion: We conclude that, in spite of the high costs of HF to healthcare providers, hospitalizations and mortality rates have shown a significant decline over the last years, which results from the advances in the treatment of this disease, through initiatives to improve patient education, engagement and planning in health care and self-care.

Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract Background: Hospital accreditation has as goal the standardization of patient care, aiming quality improvement. On 2015, a cardiology reference hospital was evaluated and got level 3 from ONA in care given to Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) patients. Objetive: To compare length of stay (LOS) at Coronary Care Unit (CCU) and the total LOS at the hospital of ACS patients before and after ONA 3 accreditation. Other clinical outcomes were also analyzed. Methods: Systematic and prospective registry of admitted ACS patients at CCU, whose population was divided into pre-accreditation (period 1) and post-accreditation (period 2). Descriptive analysis was performed. For statistical analysis the Mann-Whitney test, chi-squared, Fisher’s exact test and Multiple Linear Regression were performed. P value was considered statistically significant when < 0,05. Results: 372 patients were admitted with ACS, 186 in period 1, of which 47 (25,3%) with ST segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI), and 186 in period 2, of which 70 (37,6%) with STEMI. The mean age was 65,9 years (± 12,2). About the CCU LOS, there was a reduction from 3 (IQR: 2-4) to 2,5 days (IQR: 2-4; p value = 0,088). Regarding the hospital LOS, there was also a reduction from 8 (IQR: 5-12,25) to 6 days (IQR:4-11; p value = 0,004). Analyzing the type of ACS, there was a significant reduction only at the hospital LOS in non-STEMI patients: 8 to 6 days (p value = 0,001). Other hospitalization length of stay and clinical outcomes did not present a significant reduction in the comparison. Conclusion: After the ONA 3 accreditation, there was a reduction of hospital LOS. There were no significant differences in the other outcomes analyzed.

Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract Background: Hypertension in Brazil affects 32.5% of the population, accounting for 50% of deaths due to cardiovascular disease. The correct measurement and interpretation of blood pressure are essential for attaining an adequate disease diagnosis and management. Objective: To verify the correlation between the seasonal temperature variation during 2016 and blood pressure variation in 902 patients of a private Cardiology Service in the city of Porto Alegre/RS. Method: A total of 902 ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) results were analyzed in 2016. Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient was used to correlate blood pressure levels with the values of temperature and relative air humidity; the Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk tests were adopted for significance values, assuming an alpha error < 0.05 and a 95% confidence interval. The Analysis of Variance compared the 902 ABPM results with the continuous variables obtained for this study. Results: No statistically significant differences were found when the blood pressure values obtained from the 902 ABPM results were correlated with the minimum, mean and maximum values of temperature and relative air humidity, and also when each of the continuous variables obtained for this study were compared with these same pressure measurements. Conclusion: Despite the great variation in temperature and relative air humidity throughout the year in the region, there was no significant influence on the systemic arterial pressure in the study population. New comparative studies in the same population with different thermal variations may provide further clarification on this subject.

Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract Background: Vegetarian diets have been linked to reduced risk of chronic noncommunicable diseases, since they positively modulate biochemical parameters, particularly those related with glycemic control and lipemia, and considered as potential strategy for weight control. Objective: To compare the nutritional status, lifestyle and lipid profile of adult vegetarians with omnivores in a sample of individuals in the city of São Paulo. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Anthropometric, biochemical and lifestyle variables were compared between vegetarians and omnivores. A significance level of 5% was considered for all analyses. Results: Vegetarians were more likely to practice physical activity (64.3% vs 42.5%, p = 0.056) and consuming dietary supplements (48.1% vs 20.5%, p = 0.012). There was no statistically significant difference for the variables: age, sex, triglycerides, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein between the two groups. Vegetarians had significantly lower weight [60.8 kg (56.7 - 69.4) vs 71.1 kg (58.0 - 75.4), p = 0.038], BMI [22.4 kg/m2 (20.9 - 23.8) vs 24.6 kg/m2 (21.7 - 26.1), p = 0.001], and waist circumference [(81.8 ± 8.2 vs 87.8 ± 10.9 cm, p = 0.003)], and higher high-density lipoprotein (54.88 ± 14.44 vs 47.30 ± 12.27 mg /dL p = 0.008) than omnivores. Conclusion: Compared with omnivores, vegetarians had a better nutritional status, with lower BMI and waist circumference, significantly higher levels of plasma lipoprotein high-density, and healthier lifestyle.

Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract A 41-year-old man with end-stage heart failure due to nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy was submitted to the Batista procedure as an alternative to heart transplantation. With surgery, the patient showed progressive clinical amelioration, achieving long-term stable NYHA functional class II, despite gradual dilation of the heart chambers. Persistent atrial fibrillation appeared on the last year of life, his clinical condition deteriorated, and the patient died 14 years, four months, and 13 days after the operation. To the best of our knowledge this seems to be the longest reported survival for a patient submitted to Batista operation.