Colors in the intensive therapy environment: perceptions of patients and professionals

A utilização das cores no ambiente da Unidade de Terapia Intensiva - UTI pode interferir no bem-estar dos profissionais e clientes. Este estudo teve como objetivo analisar percepções de profissionais e pacientes quanto às cores utilizadas no ambiente de terapia intensiva, identificando aquelas consideradas agradáveis e desagradáveis. Trata-se de pesquisa descritivo-exploratória, com enfoque quanti-qualitativo. A amostra foi constituída de clientes internados e profissionais que trabalham em três UTIs de hospitais públicos localizados em Goiânia. As cores consideradas mais agradáveis para serem utilizadas em UTI foram o azul-claro e o verde-claro. Além dessas, apontaram o amarelo-claro, palha, cinza, rosa e goiaba. O vermelho e o preto foram consideradas as cores mais desagradáveis para um ambiente de UTI. Os profis-sionais e clientes referem preferência por cores variadas, as quais podem ser utilizadas no sentido de melhorar o clima da UTI.La utilización de los colores en el ambiente de la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos - UCI puede interferir en el bienestar de los profesionales y clientes. En este estudio se tuvo como objetivo analizar las percepciones de profesionales y pacientes en cuanto a los colores utilizados en el ambiente de cuidados intensivos, identificando aquellas consideradas agradables y desagradables. Se trata de una investigación descriptivo-exploratoria, con enfoque cuanti-cualitativa. La muestra estuvo constituida de clientes internados y de profesionales que trabajan en tres UCIs de hospitales públicos localizados en Goiânia. Los colores considerados más agradables para ser utilizadas en UCI fueron el celeste y el verde claro. Además de ellos, señalaron el amarillo, paja, gris, rosado y guayaba. El rojo y el negro fueron considerados los colores más desagradables para un ambiente de UCI. Los profesionales y clientes refirieron preferencia por colores variados, los cuales pueden ser utilizados en el sentido de mejorar el clima de la UCI.The use of colors in the environment of an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) may interfere in the welfare of both professionals and patients. This study is aimed at analyzing the perceptions of professionals and patients regarding the colors used in the intensive care environment, identifying those considered pleasant and unpleasant. This is a descriptive-exploratory research with a quantitative-qualitative focus. The sample was comprised of hospitalized patients and professionals at three public hospitals ICUs in the city of Goiânia, State of Goiás. The colors considered most pleasant for ICUs were light blue and light green. Light yellow, beige, gray, pink and guava were also pointed out as pleasing. Red and black were appointed as the most unpleasant. Professionals and patients demonstrated preference for varied colors, something that can be used as a way of improving the atmosphere of ICUs

AS CORES DO AMBIENTE DA UNIDADE DE TERAPIA INTENSIVA

Os objetivos deste trabalho foram descrever as cores mais freqüentemente utilizadas nas paredes, tetos, mobiliários e roupas das Unidades de Terapia Intensiva e verificar com os funcionários e pacientes desta unidade as cores que gostariam que existissem dentro deste ambiente e a associação que eles estabelecem com as cores. Foi realizada pesquisa descritiva exploratória, com enfoque quanti-qualitativo. A amostra foi constituída de pacientes e profissionais da UTI de três hospitais públicos de Goiânia em 2002. Observou-se a existência de cores monótonas e neutras nestes ambientes, em tons que vão do branco ao preto, enquanto outras nuanças de cores aparecem num percentual menor. Constatou-se uma preferência pelas cores azul-claro, branco, verde-claro e amarelo entre os dois seguimentos pesquisados. Concluiu-se que as pessoas estabelecem associações com as cores; que a cor pode auxiliar no estabelecimento do equilíbrio e contribuir para harmonia do corpo, da mente e das emoções

AS CORES DO AMBIENTE DA UNIDADE DE TERAPIA INTENSIVA

RESUMO: Os objetivos deste trabalho foram descrever as cores mais freqüentemente utilizadas nas paredes, tetos, mobiliários e roupas das Unidades de Terapia Intensiva e verificar com os funcionários e pacientes desta unidade as cores que gostariam que existissem dentro deste ambiente e a associação que eles estabelecem com as cores. Foi realizada pesquisa descritiva exploratória, com enfoque quanti-qualitativo. A amostra foi constituída de pacientes e profissionais da UTI de três hospitais públicos de Goiânia em 2002. Observou-se a existência de cores monótonas e neutras nestes ambientes, em tons que vão do branco ao preto, enquanto outras nuanças de cores aparecem num percentual menor. Constatou-se uma preferência pelas cores azul-claro, branco, verde-claro e amarelo entre os dois seguimentos pesquisados. Concluiu-se que as pessoas estabelecem associações com as cores; que a cor pode auxiliar no estabelecimento do equilíbrio e contribuir para harmonia do corpo, da mente e das emoções. PALAVRAS CHAVES: Ambiente de Instituições de Saúde; Cuidados Intensivos; Terapia pela Cor

Intravaginal and Intranasal Immunizations Are Equally Effective in Inducing Vaginal Antibodies and Conferring Protection against Vaginal Candidiasis

Oophorectomized, estrogen-treated rats were immunized by the intravaginal or intranasal route with a mannoprotein extract (MP) or secreted aspartyl proteinases (Sap) of Candida albicans, with or without cholera toxin as a mucosal adjuvant. Both routes of immunization were equally effective in (i) inducing anti-MP and anti-Sap vaginal antibodies and (ii) conferring a high degree of protection against the vaginal infection by the fungus. These data suggest that appropriate fungal antigens and adjuvant can be used to protect against candidal vaginitis, by either route

Immune Cell-Mediated Protection against Vaginal Candidiasis: Evidence for a Major Role of Vaginal CD4(+) T Cells and Possible Participation of Other Local Lymphocyte Effectors

The protective roles of different lymphocyte subsets were investigated in a rat vaginal candidiasis model by adoptive transfer of vaginal lymphocytes (VL) or sorted, purified CD3(+) T cells, CD4(+) or CD8(+) T cells, or CD3(−) CD5(+) B cells from the vaginas of naïve or immune rats following three rounds of Candida albicans infection. The adoptive transfer of total VL from nonimmune animals did not alter the course of vaginal candidiasis of the recipient rats. In contrast, the animals receiving total VL or CD3(+) T cells from immune rats showed a highly significant acceleration of fungus clearance compared with animals which received nonimmune VL. The animals with vaginal CD3(−) CD5(+) B cells transferred from immune rats also had fewer Candida CFU than the controls, but fungal clearance was significantly retarded with respect to the animals administered immune T cells. Sorted, purified CD4(+) and CD8(+) vaginal T cells from immune rats were also adoptively transferred to naïve animals. Although both populations were seen to accelerate the clearance of the fungus from the vagina, CD4(+) T cells were much more effective than CD8(+) T cells. Overall, there was no difference between the antifungal effects of immune vaginal CD4(+) T cells and those achievable with the transfer of whole, immune VL. Histological observations of the vaginal tissues of rats with adoptively transferred immune T cells demonstrated a remarkable accumulation of lymphocytes in the subepithelial lamina propria and also infiltrating the mucosal epithelium. These results strongly suggest that distinct vaginal lymphocyte subsets participate in the adaptive anti-Candida immunity at the vaginal level, with the vaginal CD4(+) T cells probably playing a major role

Phenotypic and Functional Characterization of Vaginal Dendritic Cells in a Rat Model of Candida albicans Vaginitis

This study analyzes the phenotype of vaginal dendritic cells (VDCs), their antigenic presentation and activation of T-cell cytokine secretion, and their protective role in a rat model of Candida vaginitis. Histological observation demonstrated a significant accumulation of OX62(+) VDCs in the mucosal epithelium of Candida albicans-infected rats at the third round of infection. We identified two subsets of OX62(+) VDCs differing in the expression of CD4 molecule in both noninfected and Candida-infected rats. The OX62(+) CD4(+) subset of VDCs displayed a lymphoid cell-like morphology and expressed the T-cell antigen CD5, whereas the OX62(+) CD4(−) VDC subset exhibited a myeloid morphology and was CD5 negative. Candida infection resulted in VDC maturation with enhanced expression of CD80 and CD134L on both CD4(+) and CD4(−) VDC subsets at 2 and 6 weeks after Candida infection. CD5(−) CD4(−) CD86(−) CD80(−) CD134L(+) VDCs from infected, but not noninfected, rats spontaneously released large amounts of interleukin-12 (IL-12) and tumor necrosis factor alpha, whereas all VDC subsets released comparable levels of IL-10 and IL-2 cytokines. Furthermore, OX62(+) VDCs from infected rats primed naïve CD4(+) T-cell proliferation and release of cytokines, including gamma interferon, IL-2, IL-6, and IL-10, in response to staphylococcal enterotoxin B stimulation in vitro. Adoptive transfer of highly purified OX62(+) VDCs from infected rats induced a significant acceleration of fungal clearance compared with that in rats receiving naive VDCs, suggesting a protective role of VDCs in the anti-Candida mucosal immunity. Finally, VDC-mediated protection was associated with their ability to rapidly migrate to the vaginal mucosa and lymph nodes, as assessed by adoptive transfer of OX62(+) VDCs labeled with 5 (and 6-)-carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester