Hypersensitivity pneumonitis: an overlooked cause of cough and dyspnea.

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is an immune-mediated pulmonary disorder involving inflammation of the lung interstitium, terminal bronchioles, and alveoli caused by the immune response to the inhalation of an offending environmental airborne agent. It can manifest as exertional dyspnea, fatigue, weight loss, and progressive respiratory failure if left untreated. Because of its protean features, it can be misdiagnosed as other common obstructive lung conditions such as asthma. If triggers are not avoided, it can progress to irreversible pulmonary fibrosis. In this article, we present the case of a 51-year-old male who presented to our hospital with recurrent bouts of dyspnea and cough, initially diagnosed as an asthma exacerbation. He received a final diagnosis of HP after investigation of his workplace revealed airborne spores and surface molds from multiple fungal species, serology revealed eosinophilia, and computed tomography showed bronchiectasis. Avoidance of occupational exposure resulted in significant improvement of his respiratory symptoms after two months

Premissas para a compreensão da saúde dos trabalhadores no setor serviço

O setor serviço ou terciário responde atualmente por mais de dois terços do PIB nos países desenvolvidos e, no Brasil, emprega cerca de três quartos da população economicamente ativa. Muitos autores consideram que esse fenômeno expressa uma transição da sociedade industrial para a sociedade de serviços. Entretanto, os estudos sobre a saúde do trabalhador, mesmo atentos às mutações tecnológicas e à reestruturação produtiva, não se aprofundam suficientemente no conhecimento das características do setor serviço, persistindo em referências aos processos industriais. O presente ensaio tem por objetivo analisar determinados conceitos sobre os processos de trabalho no setor serviço considerados importantes para compreensão da saúde dos trabalhadores desse setor. Formula-se a hipótese da proximidade entre trabalhador e consumidor como uma das principais características das relações de trabalho desse setor com possibilidades de repercussões específicas nos processos saúde e doença. Sob essa perspectiva de análise são incorporados os conceitos de simultaneidade, co-presença, co-produção, autosserviço e gestão emocional. Conclui-se que essas peculiaridades, além de permitirem uma compreensão mais adequada do processo saúde/doença dos trabalhadores no setor serviço, indicam a necessidade da construção de uma nova interface entre a saúde do trabalhador e as práticas emergentes de proteção à saúde do consumidor.At the present time the service sector is responsible for over two thirds of the GNP in developed countries and, in Brazil, it employs nearly 75% of the economically active population. Many authors view this phenomenon as a manifestation of the transition from industrial society to a service society. Yet, in spite of considering technological changes and the restructuring of production, studies on workers' health do not search far enough for a comprehension of the characteristics of the service sector, basically keeping to references to industrial processes. The present study analyzes specific concepts related to work processes in the service sector, which are considered important for an understanding of workers' health in this sector. This analysis puts forward the hypothesis that worker-consumer physical proximity is one of the main characteristics of work relations in that sector, leading to potential impacts on health and disease processes. From this perspective, the concepts of simultaneousness, co-presence, co-production, self-service and emotional management are incorporated. Such peculiarities, besides allowing a better understanding of workers' health/illness processes in the service sector, point to the need to create a new interface between workers' health and the emerging consumer health protection practices

Laparoscopy in management of appendicitis in high-, middle-, and low-income countries: a multicenter, prospective, cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Appendicitis is the most common abdominal surgical emergency worldwide. Differences between high- and low-income settings in the availability of laparoscopic appendectomy, alternative management choices, and outcomes are poorly described. The aim was to identify variation in surgical management and outcomes of appendicitis within low-, middle-, and high-Human Development Index (HDI) countries worldwide. METHODS: This is a multicenter, international prospective cohort study. Consecutive sampling of patients undergoing emergency appendectomy over 6 months was conducted. Follow-up lasted 30 days. RESULTS: 4546 patients from 52 countries underwent appendectomy (2499 high-, 1540 middle-, and 507 low-HDI groups). Surgical site infection (SSI) rates were higher in low-HDI (OR 2.57, 95% CI 1.33-4.99, p = 0.005) but not middle-HDI countries (OR 1.38, 95% CI 0.76-2.52, p = 0.291), compared with high-HDI countries after adjustment. A laparoscopic approach was common in high-HDI countries (1693/2499, 67.7%), but infrequent in low-HDI (41/507, 8.1%) and middle-HDI (132/1540, 8.6%) groups. After accounting for case-mix, laparoscopy was still associated with fewer overall complications (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.42-0.71, p < 0.001) and SSIs (OR 0.22, 95% CI 0.14-0.33, p < 0.001). In propensity-score matched groups within low-/middle-HDI countries, laparoscopy was still associated with fewer overall complications (OR 0.23 95% CI 0.11-0.44) and SSI (OR 0.21 95% CI 0.09-0.45). CONCLUSION: A laparoscopic approach is associated with better outcomes and availability appears to differ by country HDI. Despite the profound clinical, operational, and financial barriers to its widespread introduction, laparoscopy could significantly improve outcomes for patients in low-resource environments. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02179112

Global economic burden of unmet surgical need for appendicitis

Background: There is a substantial gap in provision of adequate surgical care in many low-and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify the economic burden of unmet surgical need for the common condition of appendicitis. Methods: Data on the incidence of appendicitis from 170 countries and two different approaches were used to estimate numbers of patients who do not receive surgery: as a fixed proportion of the total unmet surgical need per country (approach 1); and based on country income status (approach 2). Indirect costs with current levels of access and local quality, and those if quality were at the standards of high-income countries, were estimated. A human capital approach was applied, focusing on the economic burden resulting from premature death and absenteeism. Results: Excess mortality was 4185 per 100 000 cases of appendicitis using approach 1 and 3448 per 100 000 using approach 2. The economic burden of continuing current levels of access and local quality was US $92 492 million using approach 1 and$73 141 million using approach 2. The economic burden of not providing surgical care to the standards of high-income countries was $95 004 million using approach 1 and$75 666 million using approach 2. The largest share of these costs resulted from premature death (97.7 per cent) and lack of access (97.0 per cent) in contrast to lack of quality. Conclusion: For a comparatively non-complex emergency condition such as appendicitis, increasing access to care should be prioritized. Although improving quality of care should not be neglected, increasing provision of care at current standards could reduce societal costs substantially