Abstract Background Stroke is one of the most common causes of death and incapacity in the world. The benefits of reperfusion therapies and hospitalization in neurologic intensive care units (ICUs) are undeniable. However, these treatments are not widely available in a continental-sized country like Brazil. Objective To describe the treatment for ischemic stroke and the functional outcome 90 days after the hospitalization of patients in the Brazilian countryside. Methods Observational, prospective case series study design. The data collected refer to randomly selected patients hospitalized in 3 hospitals in the south region of the state of Bahia between December 2018 and December 2019. Results The population consisted of 61 consecutive patients. They were elderly (median age: 62 years old); with a predominance of hypertension (82%); and were light to moderate stroke cases (National Institute of Health Stroke Scale [NIHSS] median: 7). A total of 37.7% of the cases arrived at the hospital in a < 4.5-hour window but received no reperfusion therapy. Of these, 94.3% were discharged from the hospital with a prescription for antiplatelets or anticoagulant. A total of 64.1% of the patients received a statin prescription. At the end of the follow-up period, the general mortality was 21%. Almost half of the population (47.9%) evolved to an unfavored outcome (modified Rankin scale [mRs]: 3 to 6). Conclusion Our population presented sociodemographic and comorbidities characteristics similar to those of other national samples. No reperfusion therapy was used and the treatment was basically secondary and prophylaxis-oriented, and almost half of the population evolved with incapacities and a high mortality rate, despite the initial low clinical gravity.

Resumo Antecedentes Acidente vascular cerebral (AVC) é uma das principais causas de morte e incapacidade no mundo. Os benefícios das terapias de reperfusão e hospitalização em unidade intensiva neurológica são inegáveis. Porém, estes tratamentos não estão largamente disponíveis em um país de dimensões continentais como o Brasil. Objetivos Descrever o tratamento do AVC isquêmico agudo e a funcionalidade, 90 dias após o evento, de pacientes hospitalizados no interior do Brasil. Métodos Estudo observacional, prospectivo, tipo série de casos. Os dados foram coletados de pacientes consecutivos, aleatoriamente selecionados, internados em 3 hospitais da região Sul da Bahia entre dezembro de 2018 e dezembro de 2019. Resultados A população amostral consistiu de 61 pacientes. Houve predomínio de idosos (mediana de idade: 62 anos), hipertensos (82%), com AVC leve a moderado (mediana do National Institute ok Health Stroke Scale [NIHSS, na sigla em inglês]: 7), dos quais 37,7% chegaram ao hospital com < 4,5 horas de sintomas, mas não receberam terapias de reperfusão. Um total de 94,3% dos pacientes recebeu alta com prescrição de antiagregante plaquetário ou anticoagulante e 64,1% receberam prescrição de estatina. Ao final do período de seguimento, a mortalidade geral foi de 21% e quase metade da população amostral (47,9%) evoluiu com desfecho desfavorável (escala de Rankin modificada: 3 a 6). Conclusão A população amostral apresentou características sociodemográficas e comorbidades semelhantes às de outros recortes nacionais. Terapias de reperfusão não foram realizadas e o tratamento foi basicamente orientado para profilaxia secundária. Quase metade da população evoluiu com incapacidade ou morte, apesar da baixa gravidade clínica à admissão.

A prescrição de um medicamento sem as indicações para as quais a droga foi originalmente aprovada por órgãos reguladores é internacionalmente conhecida como prescrição off-label. Descrevemos a terapia off-label em pé diabético, relatada na literatura científica internacional, por meio de uma revisão bibliográfica qualitativa, descritiva, através de pesquisa na base de dados internacional Medline, para seleção dos artigos. Os critérios para revisão foram publicações entre janeiro de 1985 e novembro de 2013, sendo as palavras-chave MeSH "off-label use" OR "off-label" OR "off-label prescribing" plus "diabetic foot" – colocadas no formulário de busca. Foram selecionados nove artigos com informações sobre a terapia off-labelem pé diabético. Conclui-se que a prática de prescrição off-labelpossui benefícios potenciais em muitas situações. Em algumas circunstâncias, uma prescrição off-label é o único tratamento disponível, seja por não existir uma droga específica, seja porque outros métodos de tratamento são ineficazes ou não disponíveis por intolerância.

Prescription of a drug outside of the indications for which it was originally approved by regulators is internationally known as "off-label" prescription. We describe off-label treatments for the diabetic foot reported in international scientific literature. This is a qualitative and descriptive bibliographical review based on the results of a search of the Medline international database. The criteria for review were publication between January 1985 and November 2013, and the MeSH (Medical Subject Heading) keywords "off-label use" OR "off-label" OR "off-label prescribing" plus "diabetic foot" were input on the search form. Nine studies were selected that contained information about off-label treatments for the diabetic foot. We conclude that the practice of off-label prescribing has potential benefits. In some situations an off-label prescription is the only treatment available for patients, either because a more targeted drug does not exist, or because other methods of treatment are ineffective or unavailable due to patient intolerance.

ContextoA gordura mesentérica é drenada pelo sistema venoso portal, estando relacionada à síndrome metabólica, que é um importante fator de risco para doença de infiltração gordurosa do fígado.ObjetivosGraduar a espessura do tecido adiposo visceral e correlacionar com o grau de doença de infiltração gordurosa do fígado através do exame ultrassonográfico.MétodosForam estudados 352 indivíduos, avaliando-se idade, gênero, medidas da espessura da gordura subcutânea e tecido adiposo visceral, a presença e o grau de doença de infiltração gordurosa do fígado. Foi analisada a relação independente entre tecido adiposo visceral e doença de infiltração gordurosa do fígado, e a regressão linear foi utilizada para prever a tecido adiposo visceral pela espessura da gordura subcutânea.ResultadosA idade média de 225 (63,9%) mulheres e 127 (36,1%) homens foi 47,5 ± 14,0 (18-77) anos, 255 indivíduos apresentaram exames normais, 97 apresentaram doença de infiltração gordurosa do fígado assim distribuídos: 37 grau 1, 32 grau 2 e 28 grau 3. A espessura da gordura subcutânea variou de 0,26 e 3,50 cm, com uma média de 1,3 ± 0,6 cm e a tecido adiposo visceral variou de 0,83 a 8,86 cm, com uma média de 3,6 ± 1,7 cm. A regressão linear demonstrou que para cada aumento de 1 cm da espessura da gordura subcutânea o tecido adiposo visceral aumentará 0,9 cm.ConclusãoO tecido adiposo visceral medido por ultrassonografia é um instrumento útil e parece ser capaz de estimar o risco de doença de infiltração gordurosa do fígado.

ContextThe mesenteric fat is drained by the portal system, being related to the metabolic syndrome which is an important risk factor for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).ObjectivesGraduate of visceral fat thickness and correlate with the NAFLD degree through ultrasonography method.MethodsWe studied 352 subjects for age, gender, measures of subcutaneous fat thickness and visceral fat thickness as well as the presence and degree of liver fatty. Was analyzed the independent relationship between visceral fat thickness and NAFLD, and linear regression analysis was used in order to predict the visceral fat thickness from subcutaneous fat thickness.ResultsThe mean age of 225 women (63.9%) and 127 men (36.1%) was 47.5 ± 14.0 (18-77) years, 255 subjects had normal examinations, 97 had NAFLD thus distributed, 37 grade 1, 32 grade 2, and 28 grade 3. The subcutaneous fat thickness ranged from 0.26 to 3.50 cm with a mean of 1.3 ± 0.6 cm and visceral fat thickness ranged from 0.83 to 8.86 cm with a mean of 3.6 ± 1.7 cm. Linear regression showed that for every increase of 1 cm in subcutaneous fat thickness the visceral fat thickness will increase 0.9 cm.ConclusionsThe visceral fat thickness measured by ultrasonography is a useful and seems to be able to help estimate the risk of NAFLD.

Cryoglobulinemia and non-organ-specific-autoantibody are biomarkers of autoimmunity of the chronic infection caused by hepatitis C virus (HCV). In this work, we report the association between the presence of smooth muscle antibodies (SMA) and cryoglobulinemia and chronic liver disease in HCV carriers. Sixty-five untreated HCV patients, 38 women and 27 men were included in this study. Cryoglobulinemia was tested by cryoprecipitation, SMA by indirect fluorescent antibody test, and liver fibrosis and hepatocellular inflammation activity was investigated by histology of liver biopsy using the METAVIR score. The prevalence of SMA in the patients was 33.8% and cryoglobulinemia was demonstrated in 36.9% patients. Cryoglobulinemia and SMA seropositivity was associated with advanced fibrosis (p < 0.05). The presence of SMA and cryoglobulinemia was not associated with hepatocellular inflammation activity, age, carrier gender or HCV genotype. We concluded that liver biopsy should be recommended for HCV carriers that are seropositive for SMA or cryoglobulinemia.

By 2002, dengue virus serotype 1 (DENV-1) and DENV-2 had circulated for more than a decade in Brazil. In 2002, the introduction of DENV-3 in the state of Bahia produced a massive epidemic and the first cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever. Based on the standardized frequency, timing and location of viral isolations by the state's Central Laboratory, DENV-3 probably entered Bahia through its capital, Salvador, and then rapidly disseminated to other cities, following the main roads. A linear regression model that included traffic flow, distance from the capital and DENV-1 circulation (r² = 0.24, p = 0.001) supported this hypothesis. This pattern was not seen for serotypes already in circulation and was not seen for DENV-3 in the following year. Human population density was another important factor in the intensity of viral circulation. Neither DENV-1 nor DENV-2 fit this model for 2001 or 2003. Since the vector has limited flight range and vector densities fail to correlate with intensity of viral circulation, this distribution represents the movement of infected people and to some extent mosquitoes. This pattern may mimic person-to-person spread of a new infection.