ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate whether distal rectus femoris transfer (DRFT) is related to postoperative increase of knee flexion during the stance phase in cerebral palsy (CP). Methods: The inclusion criteria were Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels I-III, kinematic criteria for stiff-knee gait at baseline, and individuals who underwent orthopaedic surgery and had gait analyses performed before and after intervention. The patients included were divided into the following two groups: NO-DRFT (133 patients), which included patients who underwent orthopaedic surgery without DRFT, and DRFT (83 patients), which included patients who underwent orthopaedic surgery that included DRFT. The primary outcome was to evaluate in each group if minimum knee flexion in stance phase (FMJFA) changed after treatment. Results: The mean FMJFA increased from 13.19° to 16.74° (p=0.003) and from 10.60° to 14.80° (p=0.001) in Groups NO-DRFT and DRFT, respectively. The post-operative FMJFA was similar between groups NO-DRFT and DRFT (p=0.534). The increase of FMJFA during the second exam (from 13.01° to 22.51°) was higher among the GMFCS III patients in the DRFT group (p<0.001). Conclusion: In this study, DRFT did not generate additional increase of knee flexion during stance phase when compared to the control group. Level of Evidence III, Retrospective Comparative Study.

OBJECTIVE: To identify gait patterns in a large group of children with diplegic cerebral palsy and to characterize each group according to age, Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level, Gait Deviation Index (GDI) and previous surgical procedures. METHODS: One thousand eight hundred and five patients were divided in seven groups regarding observed gait patterns: jump knee, crouch knee, recurvatum knee, stiff knee, asymmetric, mixed and non-classified. RESULTS: The asymmetric group was the most prevalent (48.8%). The jump knee (9.6 years old) and recurvatum (9.4 years old) groups had mean age lower than the other groups. The lowest GDI (43.58) was found in the crouch group. There were more children classified within GMFCS level III in the crouch and mixed groups. Previous surgical procedures on the triceps surae were more frequent in stiff knee and mixed groups. The jump knee group received less and the stiff-knee group more surgical procedures at hamstrings than others. CONCLUSIONS: The asymmetrical cases were the most frequent within a group of diplegic patients. Individuals with crouch gait pattern were characterized by the lowest GDI and the highest prevalence of GMFCS III, while patients with stiff knee exhibited a higher percentage of previous hamstring lengthening in comparison to the other groups. Level of Evidence III, Retrospective Comparative Study.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of alcoholism among inpatients, to identify social and demographic factors associated with this prevalence and to determine its rate of recognition by the medical team. METHODS: The study population consisted of all patients admitted to the emergency room at Hospital São Lucas, Porto Alegre, Brazil, between July and September of 2005. The data were collected in two steps: an interview with the patient and a review of the medical records to investigate the cases of alcoholism recorded by the medical team. The questionnaire consisted of questions concerning social and demographic data, smoking habits and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. RESULTS: We interviewed 248 patients. Twenty-eight (11.3%) were identified as alcoholics. Compared to the patients with a negative Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test value (less than 8), those with a positive Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test were more likely to be male, illiterate and smokers. The medical records of 217 (87.5%) patients were reviewed. Only 5 (20.0%) of the 25 patients with a positive Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test whose medical records were reviewed were identified as alcoholics by the medical team. The diagnosis made by the medical team, compared to Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, shows only a 20% sensitivity, 93% specificity and positive and negative predictive values of 29% and 90%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Alcoholism has been underrecognized in patients who are hospitalized, and, as such, this opportunity for possible early intervention is often lost. Key social and demographic factors could provide physicians with risk factors and, when used together with a standardized diagnostic instrument, could significantly improve the rate of identification of alcoholic patients.

INTRODUÇÃO: Dados observacionais da década de 90 sugerem que pacientes com mais de 70 anos de idade evoluem com maior risco de eventos quando submetidos a intervenção coronariana percutânea (ICP). OBJETIVO: Avaliar os desfechos hospitalares em pacientes com idade superior a 70 anos submetidos a ICP na era contemporânea. MÉTODO: Entre janeiro de 2005 e junho de 2007, pacientes submetidos a ICP foram incluídos consecutivamente em um registro. Informações referentes a fatores de risco, indicação do exame, detalhes técnicos da ICP e desfechos intra-hospitalares foram prospectivamente coletadas. Os pacientes foram divididos em dois grupos: idade < ou > 70 anos. Para comparação, foram utilizados os testes t de Student e qui-quadrado, para variáveis contínuas e categóricas, respectivamente. Valores de p < 0,05 foram considerados diferença estatisticamente significante. RESULTADOS: Foram incluídos na análise 296 pacientes (186 com < 70 anos e 110 com > 70 anos). Não foi observada diferença em relação às características clínico-angiográficas entre os grupos e o sucesso angiográfico foi semelhante (96,6% vs. 97,1%; p = 0,91). Ocorreu tendência a maior mortalidade (1,81% vs. 0,53%; p = 0,06) e a maior incidência de acidente vascular encefálico (1,81% vs. 0%; p = 0,06) no grupo mais idoso. A incidência de cirurgia de urgência e de complicações vasculares não diferiu entre os grupos. Ocorreu maior incidência de nefropatia induzida pelo contraste no grupo > 70 anos (2,7% vs. 0%; p = 0,02). CONCLUSÃO: Pacientes com idade > 70 anos apresentaram incidência aumentada de nefropatia induzida pelo contraste e tendência a maior mortalidade e a maior ocorrência de acidente vascular encefálico.

INTRODUCTION: Observational data from the 90's demonstrates that elderly population has an increased risk when treated by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate in-hospital outcomes in patients aged > 70 years old who underwent PCI in the current era. METHODS: In a single center, from January/2005 to June/2007, a total of 296 patients who underwent PCI were included in this analysis. The presence of risk factors, angiographic characteristics and in-hospital outcomes were recorded and compared among patients < 70-yo (n = 186) and > 70-yo (n = 110) in a dedicated database. For comparison purposes, unpaired t test and chi-square were used for continuous and dichotomous variables respectively. An alpha < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: There was no difference between groups < 70-yo and > 70-yo regarding clinical presentation and the presence of risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Also, there was a homogenous distribution of treated vessels, angiographic pattern, coronary calcification and success rate (96.6% in > 70-yo group x 97.1% < 70-yo, p = 0.91). Regarding complications, there was an increased rate of contrast induced nephropathy in the older group (2.7% x 0%, p = 0.02) that required dialysis. Additionally, we observed a trend in higher mortality (1.81% x 0.53%, p = 0.06) and neurological compromise (1.81% x 0%, p = 0.06) in the elderly population. Vascular complication rates and urgent surgical revascularization were similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: Patients older and younger than 70-yo present similar clinical profile, angiographic characteristics and success rate. However, the incidence of contrast-induced nephropathy requiring dialysis, mortality and neurological compromise are higher in the older group.