Perfluorocarbon compounds used as oxygen carriers: from liquid ventilation to blood substitutes

Perfluorocarbon compounds are fluorine substituted hydrocarbons. They exhibit unique properties due to the specificity of the carbon –fluorine linkage. Among these, the high gas solubility and the low surface tension are the most interesting characteristics for their use in clinic. There are several biological fields of potential applications of perfluorocarbons. Concerning the clinical applications for perfluorocarbons, they have been used as gas carriers and for liquid ventilation. Several clinical trials for commercial pharmaceutics of perfluorcarbon based on these compounds have been also already made.Os compostos perfluorados são análogos aos hidrocarbonetos mas onde a ligação carbonohidrogénio (C-H) é substituída pela ligação carbono-flúor (C-F). A ligação C-F confere propriedades aos compostos perfluorados que são diferentes das dos hidrocarbonetos que lhes são análogos. A capacidade de dissolução de elevadas quantidades de gases e a baixa tensão superficial apresentam são propriedades que têm levado ao desenvolvimento da investigação aplicada, baseada nestes compostos. Relativamente à parte clínica, alguns deles têm sido ensaiados com sucesso como “substituintes do sangue”, no sentido em podem ser utilizados com veículos distribuição de gases na circulação, e como líquidos adjuvantes da ventilação pulmonar, em casos de existência de obstruções pulmonares graves.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

DRUG HYPERSENSITIVITY IN PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN

Introdução: As reações de hipersensibilidade medicamen¬tosa (RHM) são reacções adversas reprodutíveis que se carac¬terizam por sintomas típicos de alergia que surgem após admi-nistração de doses terapêuticas habituais. A sua prevalência em idade pediátrica atinge os 10%. A investigação das RHM inclui a realização de testes cutâneos, pesquisa de imunoglobulinas específicas para os alergénios implicados e provas de provo¬cação. Objectivos: No presente trabalho pretendemos relatar os resultados da investigação de RHM em crianças em idade pré¬-escolar, observadas na Consulta de Alergia a Fármacos, entre janeiro de 2007 a dezembro de 2012. Material e Métodos: O estudo incluiu 189 crianças (61% do sexo masculino) cuja primeira RHM ocorreu antes dos seis anos de idade e que realizaram investigação diagnóstica no Serviço durante o período referido. Resultados: Os fármacos suspeitos foram os beta-lactâmi¬cos em 82% casos e os AINEs em 11%. A reacção descrita tinha carácter imediato em 18% dos casos e a maioria das manifes-tações descritas eram cutâneas (90%). Completaram a investi¬gação 118 doentes (62%) confirmando-se hipersensibilidade a medicamentos em seis doentes (5%). Excluiu-se o diagnóstico em 95% dos casos. Conclusão: Estes resultados demonstram a aplicabilidade e a importância destes procedimentos diagnósticos em crianças em idade pré-escolar.Introduction: Drug hypersensitivity reactions (DHRs) are reproducible adverse effects of drugs, taken at a normal therapeutic dose, which clinically resemble allergy. The reported prevalence in children is up to 10%. The investigation of these reactions may require skin testing, dosing of drug specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) and drug provocation tests. Objective: The aim of this study is to report the results of DHRs workup in pre-school children seen at the drug allergy clinic from January 2007 to December 2012. Material and Methods: This study included 189 children (61% male), which first suspected drug hypersensitivity reaction occurred before the age of six years that were evaluated for DH in the referred time period. Results: Culprit drugs were beta-lactams in 82% of the cases and NSAIDs in 10%. The clinical history was suggestive of an immediate-type reaction in 18% of the cases and the most prevalent manifestations were cutaneous (90%). The workup was completed in 118 patients (62%). Drug Hypersensitivity was confirmed in six patients (5%) and excluded in 95% of the patients who completed the workup, without any serious complications. Conclusion: These results show the applicability and value of this diagnostic approach in pre-school children

Drug-Induced Anaphylaxis: An Update on Epidemiology and Risk Factors

Drug hypersensitivity is one of the most frequent causes of anaphylaxis, particularly in adults and in hospitalized patients. Drug-induced anaphylaxis (DIA) is also associated with more severe outcomes than other anaphylaxis triggers, and drugs are responsible for the majority of deaths due to anaphylaxis. We here review the current knowledge on the incidence, prevalence, drugs involved, mortality, and mortality risk factors for DIA. The incidence of both anaphylaxis and DIA seems to be increasing worldwide. Antibiotics and analgesics are the most frequently reported triggers of DIA. However, the importance of other drug groups should be taken into account, especially in particular settings (e.g., peri-operative and oncology). The identification of risk factors, geographical variables, and drugs associated with higher risk for DIA may improve the outcomes of this entity.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Anafilaxia em idade pediátrica: uma visão global

Anaphylaxis is defined as an acute severe, life-threatening hypersensitivity reaction. The condition’s real prevalence and incidence are difficult to estimate, but seem to be increasing, particularly in children. Anaphylaxis clinical presentation varies according to age and other individual factors. Although consensual clinical criteria exist, including in pediatric age, diagnosis can be challenging. Food allergy is the most common anaphylaxis cause in children, particularly in preschool age. Drug-induced reactions and hymenoptera venom sting are other major triggers, which importance increases after adolescence. Management involves diagnosis, appropriate identification of possible triggers, acute phase treatment, and long-term planning. Prompt referral to a Pediatric Allergy specialist is recommended, as complete allergy workup is usually required to implement future preventive measures. In this review, the authors discuss particular aspects regarding anaphylaxis in pediatric age to provide information that can help improve disease management.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Pharmacovigilance in Older Adults

Polypharmacy and physiological changes inherent to the aging process can cause significant modifications in the pharmacokinetic and dynamic regimens of drugs, making the elderly more susceptible to adverse drug effects. Adverse drug reactions (ADR) in older adults have a significant impact on hospital admissions, increasing hospital stay and healthcare costs. Most common ADR in this population are dose-related and predictable. However, they can be difficult to diagnose as they often have nonspecific symptoms. This could be minimized by decreasing the use and prescription of potentially inappropriate medication and being aware of possible drug interactions. Besides, being older patients underrepresented in clinical trials and due to their physiological modifications, serious or atypical ADR are more common in this age range. To minimize harm in older adults, effective pharmacovigilance must be encouraged

What determines health professionals COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy? A nationwide study

Introduction: To contain the COVID-19 pandemic, higher vaccination rates are essential. However, as vaccine hesitancy is a reality, it is important to understand what drives health professionals to refuse getting vaccinated against COVID-19, who have been in the frontline of this pandemic since its beginning and may be key actors to improve vaccine coverage among their patients. Purpose: This study aims to assess the factors associated with vaccine hesitancy (VH) among health professionals (physicians, nurses, pharmacists and dentists). Methods: A nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted through an online survey, with 890 Portuguese health professionals. A logistic regression analysis was used to determine the adjusted odds ratio (OR) of the independent variables (perceptions, knowledge and attitudes) per 1-point increase in the Likert scale and VH. Results: Complacency, communications, confidence and convenience were strongly associated with VH probability. Concerns about vaccines' efficacy (ORPhysicians = 8.33, 95% CI: 4.51-15.36) and safety (ORNurses = 11.07, 95% CI: 4.12-29.77) increase the risk of VH on all health professional groups. A reduction of VH probability is associated with higher risk perceptions of getting infected (1/ORNurses = 2.76, 95% CI: 1.52-5.02) and suffering complications (1/ORNurses = 33.72, 95% CI: 8.48-134.13), higher confidence in the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines (1/ORDentists = 12.29, 95% CI: 2.91-51.89), risk perception of getting infected if vaccinated (1/ORPhysicians = 14.92, 95% CI: 6.85-32.50), risk of suffering from complications after getting vaccinated, and higher trust levels on the information transmitted by competent authorities (1/ORDentists = 17.76, 95% CI: 3.83-82.22). Conclusions: To reduce COVID-19 VH, which appears to be highly influenced by perceptions, knowledge and attitudes, it is essential to promote interventions directed to transforming these potentially modifiable determinants

Prevalence and Significance of Antibiotic-Associated Adverse Reactions

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines Pharmacovigilance as the science and activities relating to the detection, assessment, understanding and prevention of adverse drug effects. The aim is to promote the safety and effective use of medicines through an early detection and evaluation of drug safety risks. The pharmacovigilance system is essentially based in spontaneous reports of Adverse Drug Reactions (ADR). ADR can be associated with severe outcomes and significant mortality, besides, most of them are deemed to be preventable events. Globally, antibiotics are among the most widely prescribed medications and their extensive use is linked to antibiotic-associated ADR. This chapter aims to summarize available epidemiological data concerning antibiotic use related ADR and analyze the reports received by the EudraVigilance system regarding the exclusive usage of antibiotics

MAMMALS IN PORTUGAL : A data set of terrestrial, volant, and marine mammal occurrences in P ortugal

Mammals are threatened worldwide, with 26% of all species being includedin the IUCN threatened categories. This overall pattern is primarily associatedwith habitat loss or degradation, and human persecution for terrestrial mam-mals, and pollution, open net fishing, climate change, and prey depletion formarine mammals. Mammals play a key role in maintaining ecosystems func-tionality and resilience, and therefore information on their distribution is cru-cial to delineate and support conservation actions. MAMMALS INPORTUGAL is a publicly available data set compiling unpublishedgeoreferenced occurrence records of 92 terrestrial, volant, and marine mam-mals in mainland Portugal and archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira thatincludes 105,026 data entries between 1873 and 2021 (72% of the data occur-ring in 2000 and 2021). The methods used to collect the data were: live obser-vations/captures (43%), sign surveys (35%), camera trapping (16%),bioacoustics surveys (4%) and radiotracking, and inquiries that represent lessthan 1% of the records. The data set includes 13 types of records: (1) burrowsjsoil moundsjtunnel, (2) capture, (3) colony, (4) dead animaljhairjskullsjjaws, (5) genetic confirmation, (6) inquiries, (7) observation of live animal (8),observation in shelters, (9) photo trappingjvideo, (10) predators dietjpelletsjpine cones/nuts, (11) scatjtrackjditch, (12) telemetry and (13) vocalizationjecholocation. The spatial uncertainty of most records ranges between 0 and100 m (76%). Rodentia (n=31,573) has the highest number of records followedby Chiroptera (n=18,857), Carnivora (n=18,594), Lagomorpha (n=17,496),Cetartiodactyla (n=11,568) and Eulipotyphla (n=7008). The data setincludes records of species classified by the IUCN as threatened(e.g.,Oryctolagus cuniculus[n=12,159],Monachus monachus[n=1,512],andLynx pardinus[n=197]). We believe that this data set may stimulate thepublication of other European countries data sets that would certainly contrib-ute to ecology and conservation-related research, and therefore assisting onthe development of more accurate and tailored conservation managementstrategies for each species. There are no copyright restrictions; please cite thisdata paper when the data are used in publications.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Mammals in Portugal: a data set of terrestrial, volant, and marine mammal occurrences in Portugal

Mammals are threatened worldwide, with ~26% of all species being included in the IUCN threatened categories. This overall pattern is primarily associated with habitat loss or degradation, and human persecution for terrestrial mammals, and pollution, open net fishing, climate change, and prey depletion for marine mammals. Mammals play a key role in maintaining ecosystems functionality and resilience, and therefore information on their distribution is crucial to delineate and support conservation actions. MAMMALS IN PORTUGAL is a publicly available data set compiling unpublished georeferenced occurrence records of 92 terrestrial, volant, and marine mammals in mainland Portugal and archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira that includes 105,026 data entries between 1873 and 2021 (72% of the data occurring in 2000 and 2021). The methods used to collect the data were: live observations/captures (43%), sign surveys (35%), camera trapping (16%), bioacoustics surveys (4%) and radiotracking, and inquiries that represent less than 1% of the records. The data set includes 13 types of records: (1) burrows | soil mounds | tunnel, (2) capture, (3) colony, (4) dead animal | hair | skulls | jaws, (5) genetic confirmation, (6) inquiries, (7) observation of live animal (8), observation in shelters, (9) photo trapping | video, (10) predators diet | pellets | pine cones/nuts, (11) scat | track | ditch, (12) telemetry and (13) vocalization | echolocation. The spatial uncertainty of most records ranges between 0 and 100 m (76%). Rodentia (n =31,573) has the highest number of records followed by Chiroptera (n = 18,857), Carnivora (n = 18,594), Lagomorpha (n = 17,496), Cetartiodactyla (n = 11,568) and Eulipotyphla (n = 7008). The data set includes records of species classified by the IUCN as threatened (e.g., Oryctolagus cuniculus [n = 12,159], Monachus monachus [n = 1,512], and Lynx pardinus [n = 197]). We believe that this data set may stimulate the publication of other European countries data sets that would certainly contribute to ecology and conservation-related research, and therefore assisting on the development of more accurate and tailored conservation management strategies for each species. There are no copyright restrictions; please cite this data paper when the data are used in publications