Biomarkers of myocardial fibrosis: Revealing the natural history of fibrogenesis in fabry disease cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathy is a major determinant of overall Fabry disease (FD) prognosis, with the worst outcomes in patients with myocardial fibrosis. Late gadolinium enhancement is currently the gold standard for evaluation of replacement myocardial fibrosis; however, this event is irreversible, thus identification of biomarkers of earlier diffuse fibrosis is paramount.This study has been supported by an investigator-initiated research grant from Shire Pharmaceuticals. The funder did not have a role in study design; collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; writing the report; or the decision to submit the report for publication.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

O perfil do idoso assistido em serviço universitário ambulatorial

Objetivos: Elaborar un banco de datos de los ancianos asistidos en el Núcleo de Atenção ao Idoso – NAI/UFPE; identificar el perfil del anciano en función de variables sociales demográficas y de la salud; evaluar elresultado obtenido en un Micro Examen del Estado Mental (MEEM). Metodología: pesquisa de naturalezade exploración descriptiva que consistió en el análisis de 1194 relatos escritos de los ancianos participantesentre los años de 2000 y 2004. Resultados: Con relación a la distribución por género, 23,4% de los ancianosson del sexo masculino y 76,6% del femenino. En relación a la escolaridad 60% tenían menos de cuatroaños de estudio. El número de viudas (38%) fue tres veces mayor que el de los viudos (12%). Los registrosclínicos más prevalentes sobre la salud de los ancianos fueron: problema de visión, hipertensión arterial,antecedente quirúrgico, dislipidemía, vértigo, catarata, fractura del hueso, reacción alérgica y sedentarismo.El desarrollo en el Micro Examen del Estado Mental presentó una media 24 (DP = 3,7) y mediana 23,5.Destacase que 4,9% de los ancianos tienen resultados menores o iguales a 10 puntos. Conclusiones:Considerando la importancia integral en la atención en la salud, los datos investigados podrán subsidiar laestructuración de acciones dirigidas a clientela anciana atendida en el servicio del dispensario estudiado.Objectives: Develop a database of elder people assisted in the Núcleo de Atenção ao Idoso – NAI/UFPE;identify the profile of the elderly in terms of socio-demographic and health variables; evaluate the scoreobtained on the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). Methodology: Quantitative research of exploratorydescriptive nature consisting on the analysis of 1,194 medical records of elderly participants between2000 and 2004. Results: Concerning the distribution by gender, 23.4% of the elderly are male and 76.6%are female. In relation to education, 60% had less than four years of study. The number of female widows(38%) was three times higher than the number of male widows (12%). The most prevalent clinical recordsof the elderly people’s health were: visual problems, hypertension, surgical history, dyslipidemia, dizziness,cataract, bone fractures, allergic reaction and sedentism. The performance on the MMSE had an averageof 24 (SD = 3.7) and median of 23.5. It was found that 4.9% of seniors have scored less than 10 points.Conclusions: Considering the importance of completeness in health care, the data investigated can supportthe structure of actions directed to the elderly patients at the ambulatory place studied.Objetivos: Elaborar banco de dados dos idosos assistidos no Núcleo de Atenção ao Idoso – NAI/UFPE; identificar o perfil do idoso em função das variáveis sociodemográficas e de saúde; avaliar o escore obtido no Mini-Exame do Estado Mental (MEEM). Metodologia: Pesquisa quantitativa de natureza exploratório-descritiva que consistiu na análise de 1.194 prontuários médicos de idosos participantes entre 2000 a 2004. Resultados: Com respeito à distribuição por gênero, 23,4% dos idosos são do sexo masculino e 76,6% do feminino. Em relação à escolaridade 60% tinham menos de quatro anos de estudo. O número de viúvas (38%) foi três vezes maior que o de viúvos (12%). Os registros clínicos mais prevalentes sobre a saúde dos idosos foram: problema de visão, hipertensão arterial, antecedente cirúrgico, dislipidemia, tontura, catarata, fratura óssea, reação alérgica e sedentarismo. O desempenho no MEEM apresentou média 24 (DP = 3,7) e mediana 23,5. Destaca-se que 4,9% dos idosos têm escores menores ou iguais a 10 pontos. Conclusões: Considerando a importância da integralidade na atenção em saúde, os dados investigados poderão subsidiar a estruturação de ações dirigidas à clientela idosa atendida no serviço ambulatorial estudado

Associação entre carência social e causas de morte entre idosos residentes no Município de Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil Association between social deprivation and causes of mortality among elderly residents in the city of Recife, Pernambuco State, Brazil

Este trabalho objetivou analisar a associação entre carência social e causas de morte da população idosa residente na cidade do Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil, no ano 2000. Realizou-se um estudo ecológico, cuja unidade de análise foi composta por 94 bairros e cinco estratos de carência social. A variável independente consistiu de um indicador composto de carência social, obtido para cada bairro e calculado através da técnica de formação de escores, a partir de variáveis censitárias: abastecimento de água, instalação sanitária, analfabetismo, anos de estudo e renda do chefe de domicílio. As variáveis dependentes foram: coeficiente de mortalidade em maiores de 60 anos e coeficientes específicos em causa básica do óbito. A associação foi calculada através do coeficiente de correlação de Pearson, regressão linear e razão de mortalidade entre os estratos de carência social formados a partir do agrupamento dos bairros por quintil do indicador. Os dados referem correlação positiva estatisticamente significativa da carência social com a mortalidade de idosos ocasionada por pneumonia, desnutrição protéico-calórica, tuberculose, diarréia/gastroenterite e acidentes de transporte e correlação negativa para mortes por neoplasias de brônquios/pulmões e de mama.This paper aims to analyze mortality among elderly residents in the city of Recife, Pernambuco State, Brazil, and its association with social deprivation (hardship) in the year 2000. An ecological study was performed, and 94 neighborhoods and 5 social strata were analyzed. The independent variable consisted of a composite social deprivation indicator, obtained for each neighborhood and calculated through a scoring technique based on census variables: water supply, sewerage, illiteracy, and head-of-household's years of schooling and income. The dependent variables were: mortality rate in individuals > 60 years of age and cause-specific mortality rates. The association was calculated by means of the Pearson correlation coefficient, linear regression, and mortality odds between social deprivation strata formed by grouping of neighborhoods according to the indicator's quintiles. The data show a statistically significant positive correlation between social deprivation and mortality in the elderly from pneumonia, protein-energy malnutrition, tuberculosis, diarrhea/gastroenteritis, and traffic accidents, and a negative correlation with deaths from bronchopulmonary and breast cancers

Aids information among elderly people attending the health family program in Brazil

OBJECTIVE: To asses information level and preventive attitudes toward Aids, as well as the risk perception regarding the disease among elderly people attending the Health Family Program. METHOD: Descriptive cross-sectional study. The sample was composed by 60 individuals, aged 60 years or older attending, and assisted by the Family Health Public Program (PSF) through September 2005 and residents in Ibura, Recife, PE. For data collection a semi-structured questionnaire was applied using the interview technique, with 14 questions, being 5 open questions and 9 closed ones. RESULTS: Most investigated seniors reported some knowledege on Aids and how to protect themselves against the disease; however 100% of the interviewed reported not using any preventive strategy; 83% of the interviewed reported to be aware that an aged person can be contaminated with Aids and 80% of elderly knowed that and apparently healthy individual might be contaminated with the HIV virus. Regarding risk perception, 60% of respondents believed that they were not at risk to be infected by HIV virus and 48% head already been tested for HIV virus. CONCLUSION: The results from this study highligth the need for educational policies towards Aids prevention among elderly people.</p

Costs and length of stay of hospitalization for elderly residents in Recife - PE

OBJECTIVE: To describe the distribution of hospitalizations in the Unified Health System (SUS) of elderly in Recife, with respect to cost and length of hospitalization, according to gender, age and major causes from 1998 to 2005. METHODS: A study of descriptive and cross-sectional nature were performed, using data obtained from the Bank of the Hospitalization System of the SUS, focusing on the analysis of Hospitalization Authorizations (AIHs) issued for elderly patients (aged 60 and over) in the referred period. Gender, age and primary diagnosis were studied as independent variables while cost and length of hospitalization were the dependent variables. The statistical analysis were performed by means of Pearson's chi-square test and linear regression. RESULTS: A total number of 137,546 hospitalizations with cost of R$101,019,926.20 have been described throughout the study period. Of this total, R$ 49,661,829.38 was allocated for males (49.2%) and R$51,358,096.77 for females (50.8$ 71,480,950.14) were for circulatory diseases, mental disorders, respiratory diseases, digestive tract, and neoplasms. The mean length of hospitalization was longer for the mental and behavioral disorders. CONCLUSION: Knowing the profile of hospitalizations has shown to be very important for monitoring and evaluating the health care system and the outcome of this study reinforces the need for implementing prevention activities and health programs throughout the life course.</p

New biomarkers defining a novel early stage of Fabry nephropathy: A diagnostic test study

Renal involvement in Fabry disease is a major determinant of overall disease prognosis and early enzyme replacement therapy seems effective in preventing progression of kidney injury. Gb3 storage, glomerular sclerosis and tubulo-interstitial fibrosis may occur with minimal or no changes on standard renal tests, hence alternative markers of renal dysfunction are crucial. In this study we compared several biomarkers with albuminuria in the identification of incipient Fabry nephropathy and their diagnostic accuracy to identify chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage≥2.nvestigator-initiated research grant from Shire Pharmaceuticals (grant number: IIR-PRT-000784). The funder did not have role in: study design; collection, analysis and interpretation of data; writing the report; the decision to submit the report for publicatio

When is statistical significance not significant?

The article provides a non-technical introduction to the p value statistics. Its main purpose is to help researchers make sense of the appropriate role of the p value statistics in empirical political science research. On methodological grounds, we use replication, simulations and observational data to show when statistical significance is not significant. We argue that: (1) scholars must always graphically analyze their data before interpreting the p value; (2) it is pointless to estimate the p value for non-random samples; (3) the p value is highly affected by the sample size, and (4) it is pointless to estimate the p value when dealing with data on population

O conhecimento sobre Aids de homens idosos e adultos jovens: um estudo sobre a percepção desta doença Awareness about Aids among elderly males and young adults: a study of the perception of this disease

O objetivo foi comparar conhecimento de homens idosos ao de adultos jovens sobre Aids, considerando escolaridade. Estudo epidemiológico, descritivo e de corte transversal, em que foram analisadas informações de 30 idosos e 62 adultos jovens sobre conceito, transmissão, prevenção, diagnóstico e tratamento de Aids, investigadas por entrevista estruturada baseada em questionário validado padronizado. Para análise de contingência e de variância, empregaram-se distribuições de frequências e testes de Qui quadrado ou exato de Fisher e teste t de Student ou Mann-Whitney em nível de significância de 0,05. Foram empregados o teste de Mantel-Haenszel, em nível de significância de 0,05, e os Odds Ratio com intervalos de confiança a 95%, para influência da escolaridade. Constataram-se percepção individual de boa saúde maior em jovens (61,3% contra 43,3% dos idosos) e atividade sexual maior em idosos (80% contra 62,9% dos jovens). Apesar disso foi menos frequente idosos afirmarem conhecimento satisfatório sobre Aids (26,7% contra 80,6% dos jovens); história de teste de HIV (13,3% contra 24,2% dos jovens) e ter recebido orientação sobre Aids (36,7% dos idosos e 98,4% dos jovens). Os idosos tinham informação insuficiente sobre HIV/Aids comparados a adultos jovens, reforçando a necessidade de maior atenção à população idosa.<br>The scope was to compare awareness of elderly males and young adults about aids, taking education into consideration. By means of an epidemiological, descriptive and cross-sectional study, the information of 30 elderly males and 62 young adults about the concept, transmission, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of aids was investigated by structured interviews based on a standardized and validated questionnaire. Frequency distribution, Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test, as well as Student's t test or the Mann-Whitney test were used, with a significance level of 0.05 for contingency and variance analysis. The Mantel-Haenszel test with a significance level of 0.05 and Odds Ratio with 95% confidence intervals were used to determine scholarship influence. Individual perception of good health was greater among young adults (61.3% vs 43.3% for elderly) and major sexual activity for elderly males was detected (80% vs 62.9% of young adults). Nevertheless, the elderly males declared adequate knowledge about aids less frequently (26.7% vs 80.6% of young adults); prior HIV test (13.3% vs 24.2% of young adults) and receiving orientation about aids (36.7% vs 98.4% of young adults). Elderly males had insufficient information on HIV/aids, when compared with young adults, highlighting the need to pay closer attention to the elderly population