Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Background: Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. // Methods: We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung's disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. // Findings: We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung's disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middle-income countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in low-income countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. // Interpretation: Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

Melanoma cutâneo: estudo prospectivo de 65 casos Cutaneous melanoma: prospective study of 65 cases

FUNDAMENTOS: A incidência e a mortalidade por melanoma cutâneo vêm aumentando em todo o mundo. Os registros brasileiros de bases populacionais não refletem precisamente a real dimensão do problema. OBJETIVOS: Estudo prospectivo de 65 casos de melanoma cutâneo observados no Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho no período de 1993 a 2003. MÉTODOS: Foram analisadas as variáveis idade, sexo, cor, localização, tipos clínico-histológicos e estadiamento. RESULTADOS: 64,7% na faixa etária de 40 a 69 anos, distribuição etária homogênea entre o sexo masculino (49,2%) e o sexo feminino (50,8%), predominância de brancos (83%), localização no tronco (35,3%), tipo clínico-histológico expansivo superficial (63%/30,7%) e relação de significância entre tipo acral localizado no pé em não brancos. Segundo o American Joint Committee on Cancer, em 2002, 22 casos (33,8%) no estádio IA, 14 (21,5%) melanomas in situ e um caso indeterminado. CONCLUSÕES: O melanoma cutâneo primário na amostra estudada mostrou padrões semelhantes aos classicamente reconhecidos e maior freqüência do estádio IA e melanoma in situ.<br>BACKGROUND: Incidence and mortality of cutaneous melanoma are increasing all over the world. The data base for the Brazilian population is still inadequate. OBJECTIVES: Prospective study of 65 cases seen at University Hospital Clementino Fraga Filho, from 1993 to 2003. METHODS: Patient's age, sex, ethnic group, anatomic site, clinical histological presentation and staging were analyzed. RESULTS: The case distribution was 64.7% aged 40 to 69 years, males (49.2%) and females (50.8%), majority white (83.1%), most lesions in the trunk (35.3%), more frequently of the clinical histological superficial spreading type (63%/30.7%) and significant relationship between foot acral type in non-whites. According to American Joint Committee on Cancer 2002 system, 22 cases (33.8%) in stage IA, 14 (21.5%) melanomas in situ, and one indeterminate case. CONCLUSIONS: Primary cutaneous melanoma in the present study has a similar pattern to other published series and higher frequency of stage IA and in situ melanomas

Anos potenciais de vida perdidos por mulheres vítimas de homicídio na cidade do Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil Years of potential life lost by female homicide victims in Recife, Pernambuco State, Brazil

Estudo epidemiológico, transversal, objetivando calcular os anos potenciais de vida perdidos por mulheres vítimas de homicídio na cidade do Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil, no quinquênio 2003-2007. Utilizou-se de um banco de dados da Gerência Operacional de Informação de Mortalidade e Natalidade da Secretaria de Saúde do Recife, e foram revisadas todas as declarações de óbitos das vítimas de homicídio, com idade fértil no quinquênio analisado. Os resultados revelaram que houve 12.120 anos potenciais de vida perdidos, no período, por mulheres jovens, negras (88%), de escolaridade desconhecida (78,2%), solteiras (80%), mortas na Região Político-administrativa III, que foram assassinadas com uso de arma de fogo, no próprio domicílio. A taxa de mortalidade específica, no período, correspondeu a 10,8 por 100 mil mulheres em idade fértil. Os 43,3 anos de vida perdidos por cada vítima refletem, entre outros aspectos, as características do município, relativas ao nível de pobreza, desemprego, densidade populacional, instabilidade residencial, desigualdade social, que expõem seus habitantes a crises sociais, crimes e violência.<br>This cross-sectional epidemiological study aimed to calculate the potential years of life lost by female homicide victims in Recife, Pernambuco State, Brazil, in 2003-2007. A database was used from the Operational Division for Information on Births and Deaths under the Recife Municipal Health Department. All death certificates for childbearing-age women were reviewed for the five-year period. The results showed a total of 12,120 potential years of life lost by these women, mostly young, black (88%), with unknown levels of schooling (78.2%), single (80%), in District III of the city, and murdered with firearms in their own homes. The specific mortality rate was 10.8 homicides per 100,000 childbearing-age women. The 43.3 years of life lost per woman express the city's characteristics, poverty levels, unemployment, population density, residential instability, and social inequality, exposing residents to social strife, crime, and violence