Patient-physician discordance in assessment of adherence to inhaled controller medication: a cross-sectional analysis of two cohorts

We aimed to compare patient's and physician's ratings of inhaled medication adherence and to identify predictors of patient-physician discordance.(SFRH/BPD/115169/2016) funded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT); ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) through the operations: POCI-01-0145-FEDER-029130 ('mINSPIRERS—mHealth to measure and improve adherence to medication in chronic obstructive respiratory diseases—generalisation and evaluation of gamification, peer support and advanced image processing technologies') cofunded by the COMPETE2020 (Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização), Portugal 2020 and by Portuguese Funds through FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Identification of clusters of asthma control: A preliminary analysis of the inspirers studies

This work was funded by ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) through the operations: POCI- -01-0145-FEDER-029130 (“mINSPIRERS—mHealth to measure and improve adherence to medication in chronic obstructive respiratory diseases - generalisation and evaluation of gamification, peer support and advanced image processing technologies”) co-funded by the COMPETE2020 (Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização), Portugal 2020 and by Portuguese Funds through FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia).© 2020, Sociedade Portuguesa de Alergologia e Imunologia Clinica. All rights reserved. Aims: To identify distinct asthma control clusters based on Control of Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma Test (CARAT) and to compare patients’ characteristics among these clusters. Methods: Adults and adolescents (≥13 years) with persistent asthma were recruited at 29 Portuguese hospital outpatient clinics, in the context of two observational studies of the INSPIRERS project. Demographic and clinical characteristics, adherence to inhaled medication, beliefs about inhaled medication, anxiety and depression, quality of life, and asthma control (CARAT, >24 good control) were collected. Hierarchical cluster analysis was performed using CARAT total score (CARAT-T). Results: 410 patients (68% adults), with a median (percentile 25–percentile 75) age of 28 (16-46) years, were analysed. Three clusters were identified [mean CARAT-T (min-max)]: cluster 1 [27(24-30)], cluster 2 [19(14-23)] and cluster 3 [10(2-13)]. Patients in cluster 1 (34%) were characterised by better asthma control, better quality of life, higher inhaler adherence and use of a single inhaler. Patients in clusters 2 (50%) and 3 (16%) had uncontrolled asthma, lower inhaler adherence, more symptoms of anxiety and depression and more than half had at least one exacerbation in the previous year. Further-more, patients in cluster 3 were predominantly female, had more unscheduled medical visits and more anxiety symp-toms, perceived a higher necessity of their prescribed inhalers but also higher levels of concern about taking these inhalers. There were no differences in age, body mass index, lung function, smoking status, hospital admissions or specialist physician follow-up time among the three clusters. Conclusion: An unsupervised method based on CARAT--T, identified 3 clusters of patients with distinct, clinically meaningful characteristics. The cluster with better asthma control had a cut-off similar to the established in the validation study of CARAT and an additional cut-off seems to distinguish more severe disease. Further research is necessary to validate the asthma control clusters identified.publishersversionpublishe

The Moore-Penrose Pseudoinverse. A Tutorial Review of the Theory

In the last decades the Moore-Penrose pseudoinverse has found a wide range of applications in many areas of Science and became a useful tool for physicists dealing, for instance, with optimization problems, with data analysis, with the solution of linear integral equations, etc. The existence of such applications alone should attract the interest of students and researchers in the Moore-Penrose pseudoinverse and in related sub jects, like the singular values decomposition theorem for matrices. In this note we present a tutorial review of the theory of the Moore-Penrose pseudoinverse. We present the first definitions and some motivations and, after obtaining some basic results, we center our discussion on the Spectral Theorem and present an algorithmically simple expression for the computation of the Moore-Penrose pseudoinverse of a given matrix. We do not claim originality of the results. We rather intend to present a complete and self-contained tutorial review, useful for those more devoted to applications, for those more theoretically oriented and for those who already have some working knowledge of the sub ject.Comment: 23 page

Yeast as a Biotechnological factory

For thousands of years, yeast has been used for making beer, wine and bread. Production of these commodities relies on yeasts natural ability to rapidly consume sugars and convert them into carbon dioxide and alcohol. Mostly due to tremendous progress in genetic engineering during the past 50 years, yeast is nowadays also used for production of biofuels, pharmaceuticals and chemicals. It can even be engineered to consume cheap waste materials instead of sugar, thus lowering the costs of production. With these striking possibilities, yeast is truly a biotechnological factory on a cellular level, which presents a greener and sustainable alternative to many oil-based production processes. We have developed the workshop “Yeast as a Biotechnological factory“, targeted for families, and presented at the European Researcher´s Night, in Braga, Portugal. We will discuss how the participants were engaged in several hands-on activities, that highlighted the power of yeast in the production of several products, of our daily life. The results of inquiries applied to the participants will also be presented

New evidences on the diagnostic value of indirect immunofluorescence test and delayed hypersensitivity skin test in human infection by Leishmania (L ) infantum chagasi in the Amazon, Brazil

Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil / Universidade Federal do Pará. Núcleo de Medicina Tropical. Belém, Pará, Brasil.Estudo prospectivo realizado no período de maio/2006-setembro/2008, numa coorte de 1.099 indivíduos, ambos os sexos, com idades de 1 a 84 anos (média 24,4 anos), residente em área endêmica de leishmaniose visceral americana (LVA) no Município de Cametá, Pará, Brasil, objetivando analisar a prevalência e a incidência da infecção humana por Leishmania (L.) infantum chagasi, assim como a dinâmica da evolução dos seus perfis clínico-imunológicos previamente definidos: 1. Infecção assintomática (IA); 2. Infecção sintomática (IS=LVA); 3. Infecção subclínica oligossintomática (ISO); 4. Infecção subclínica resistente (ISR); e 5. Infecção inicial indeterminada (III). O diagnóstico da infecção baseou-se no uso simultâneo da reação de imunofluorescência indireta (RIFI) e reação intradérmica de hipersensibilidade tardia. Um total de 304 casos da infecção foi diagnosticado no período do estudo (187 na prevalência e 117 na incidência), gerando prevalência acumulada de 27,6%, cuja distribuição no âmbito dos perfis clínico-imunológicos foi da seguinte ordem: IA 51,6%, III 22,4%, ISR 20,1%, ISO 4,3% e, IS (=LVA) 1,6%. Com base na dinâmica da infecção, o principal achado recaiu no perfil III, que teve papel fundamental na evolução da infecção, dirigindo-a ora para o pólo imunológico de resistência, perfis ISR (21 casos - 30,8%) e IA (30 casos - 44,1%), ora para o polo imunológico de susceptibilidade, perfil IS (um caso - 1,5%); além destes, 16 casos mantiveram o perfil III até o fim do estudo. Concluiu-se que esta abordagem diagnóstica pode ajudar no monitoramento da infecção na área endêmica, visando, principalmente, prevenir a morbidade da LVA, assim como reduzir o tempo e despesas com o tratamento.This is a prospective study on a cohort of 1099 individuals of both genders, aged 1-84 years (mean 24.4 years), living in an endemic area of American visceral leishmaniasis (AVL) in the Municipality of Cametá, Brazil, from May 2006 to September 2008. It aimed to analyze the prevalence and incidence rates of human infection by Leishmania (L.) infantum chagasi, as well as the evolutional process of its previously defined clinical and immunological profiles: 1. Asymptomatic infection (AI); 2. Symptomatic infection (SI = AVL); 3. Subclinical oligosymptomatic infection (SOI); 4. Subclinical resistant infection (SRI); and 5. Indeterminate initial infection (III). The diagnosis was based on the simultaneous use of indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and delayed hypersensitivity skin test. A total of 304 cases of infection were diagnosed during the period studied (187 for prevalence and 117 for incidence), generating an accumulated prevalence rate of 27.6%. The distribution regarding their clinical and immunological profiles presented the following order: AI 51.6%; III 22.4 %; SRI 20.1%; SOI 4.3%; and SI (= AVL) 1.6%. Based on the dynamics of the infection, the main discovery was about the III profile, which had an instrumental role in its evolution, directing it either to the resistant immunological pole – SRI (21 cases - 30.8%) and AI (30 cases - 44.1 %) profiles – or to the susceptible immunological pole – SI (1 case - 1.5%) profile. In addition, 16 cases remained within the III profile until the end of the study. It was concluded that this diagnostic approach can help monitor the infection in endemic areas, aiming mainly at preventing morbidity caused by AVL, and reducing the treatment time and expenses

Feasibility of a mobile app to improve inhaler adherence in real‐world patients with asthma: A multicentre observational study in Portugal and Spain

InspirerMundi app aims to transform adherence into a positive experience through gamification and social support, while allowing objective monitoring of inhaler adherence. This study assessed the feasibility of the app in adolescents and adults with persistent asthma.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Novas evidências sobre o valor diagnóstico da reação de imunofluorescência indireta e reação intradérmica de hipersensibilidade tardia na infecção humana por Leishmania (L.) infantum chagasi na Amazônia, Brasil

itemItensArtigos publicados na "Revista Pan-Americana de Saúde"

Fatal outcome of chikungunya virus infection in Brazil

Federal University of Ceará. Fortaleza, CE, Brazil / Central Public Health Laboratory of Ceará State. Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.University of São Paulo. Virology Research Center. Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.Federal University of Ceará. Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.University of Oxford. Department of Zoology. oxford, United Kingdom.University of São Paulo. Virology Research Center. Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.University of Oxford. Department of Zoology. oxford, United Kingdom / Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies. Department of Research in Virology and Biotechnology. Panama City, Panama.Central Public Health Laboratory of Ceará State. Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.Central Public Health Laboratory of Ceará State. Fortaleza, CE, Brazil / Centro Universitário Christus. Faculdade de Medicina. Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.Central Public Health Laboratory of Ceará State. Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.Federal University of Ceará. Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.State Health Secretariat of Ceará. Death Verification Service Dr Rocha Furtado. Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.Federal University of Ceará. Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Federal University of Ceará. Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Centro Universitário Christus. Faculdade de Medicina. Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Centro Universitário Christus. Faculdade de Medicina. Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Centro Universitário Christus. Faculdade de Medicina. Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.Centro Universitário Christus. Faculdade de Medicina. Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.Centro Universitário Christus. Faculdade de Medicina. Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.Federal University of Ceará. Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil / Ministry of Health. Brasilia, DF, Brazil.Ministry of Health. Brasilia, DF, Brazil.Ministry of Health. Brasilia, DF, Brazil.Ministry of Health. Brasilia, DF, Brazil.Faculdade de Medicina São Leopoldo Mandic. Campinas, SP, Brazil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.University of Oxford. Department of Zoology. Oxford, United Kingdom.University of São Paulo. Virology Research Center. Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.University of Oxford. Department of Zoology. Oxford, United Kingdom / Imperial College London. Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology. London, United Kingdom.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Federal University of Ceará. Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.Federal University of Ceará. Fortaleza, CE, Brazil / Oswaldo Cruz Foundation - Branch Ceará. Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.BACKGROUND: Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) emerged in the Americas in 2013 and has caused approximately 2.1 million cases and >600 deaths. A retrospective investigation was undertaken to describe clinical, epidemiological, and viral genomic features associated with deaths caused by CHIKV in Ceará state, northeast Brazil. METHODS: Sera, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and tissue samples from 100 fatal cases with suspected arbovirus infection were tested for CHIKV, dengue virus (DENV), and Zika virus (ZIKV). Clinical, epidemiological, and death reports were obtained for patients with confirmed CHIKV infection. Logistic regression analysis was undertaken to identify independent factors associated with risk of death during CHIKV infection. Phylogenetic analysis was conducted using whole genomes from a subset of cases. RESULTS: Sixty-eight fatal cases had CHIKV infection confirmed by reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (52.9%), viral antigen (41.1%), and/or specific immunoglobulin M (63.2%). Co-detection of CHIKV with DENV was found in 22% of fatal cases, ZIKV in 2.9%, and DENV and ZIKV in 1.5%. A total of 39 CHIKV deaths presented with neurological signs and symptoms, and CHIKV-RNA was found in the CSF of 92.3% of these patients. Fatal outcomes were associated with irreversible multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. Patients with diabetes appear to die at a higher frequency during the subacute phase. Genetic analysis showed circulation of 2 CHIKV East-Central-South African (ECSA) lineages in Ceará and revealed no unique virus genomic mutation associated with fatal outcome. CONCLUSIONS: The investigation of the largest cross-sectional cohort of CHIKV deaths to date reveals that CHIKV-ECSA strains can cause death in individuals from both risk and nonrisk groups, including young adults. © The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America