ABSTRACT Objective This study aimed to establish the utility values of different health states associated with diabetic retinopathy in a Brazilian sample to provide input to model-based economic evaluations. Subjects and methods This cross-sectional study was performed in a sample of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) who underwent teleophthalmology screening at a primary care service from 2014 to 2016. Five diabetic retinopathy health states were defined: absent, non-sight-threatening, sight-threatening, and bilateral blindness. Utility values were estimated using the Brazilian EuroQol five dimensions (EQ-5D) tariffs. Descriptive statistics were calculated. Analysis of covariance was performed to adjust the utility values for potential confounders. Results The study included 206 patients. The mean (± standard deviation [SD]) utility value was 0.765 ± 0.19 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.740–0.790). The adjusted mean utility value was 0.748 (95% CI, 0.698–0.798) in patients without diabetic retinopathy, 0.752 (95% CI, 0.679–0.825) in those with non-sight-threatening state, 0.628 (95% CI, 0.521–0.736) in those with sight-threatening state, and 0.355 (95% CI, 0.105–0.606) in those with bilateral blindness. A significant utility decrement was found between patients without diabetic retinopathy and those with a sight-threatening health state (0.748 vs. 0.628, respectively, p = 0.04). Conclusions The findings suggest that a later diabetic retinopathy health state is associated with a decrement in utility value compared with the absence of retinopathy in patients with T2D. The results may be useful as preliminary input to model-based economic evaluations. Further research is needed to investigate the impact of diabetic retinopathy on health-related quality of life in a sample more representative of the Brazilian population.

Resumo Pacientes selecionados com insuficiência cardíaca (IC), clinicamente estáveis que necessitam de terapia inotrópica intravenosa prolongada podem se beneficiar de sua continuidade fora da unidade de terapia intensiva (UTI). Nosso objetivo foi relatar a experiência inicial e a segurança de um protocolo estruturado para terapia inotrópica em unidades de terapia não-intensiva em 28 pacientes consecutivos hospitalizados com IC que receberam alta da UTI. A utilização de doses inotrópicas baixas a moderadas, orientadas por um processo de cuidado focado na segurança, pode reconfigurar seu papel como terapia de transição enquanto aguarda terapias avançadas definitivas e permite a alta precoce da UTI.

Abstract Selected clinically stable patients with heart failure (HF) who require prolonged intravenous inotropic therapy may benefit from its continuity out of the intensive care unit (ICU). We aimed to report on the initial experience and safety of a structured protocol for inotropic therapy in non-intensive care units in 28 consecutive patients hospitalized with HF that were discharged from ICU. The utilization of low to moderate inotropic doses oriented by a safety-focused process of care may reconfigure their role as a transition therapy while awaiting definitive advanced therapies and enable early ICU discharge.

Resumo Fundamentos: Crianças com hipercolesterolemia familiar podem desenvolver dano endotelial precoce, aumentando o risco de desenvolver doenças cardiovasculares. As estatinas tiveram sua eficácia em diminuir níveis de colesterol LDL e eventos cardiovasculares em adultos comprovada. O efeito das estatinas na população pediátrica não está claramente demonstrado. Objetivo: Revisar sistematicamente a literatura para avaliar os efeitos e a segurança de diferentes estatinas e suas dosagens nos níveis de colesterol total em crianças e adolescentes com hipercolesterolêmica familiar. Métodos: Artigos publicados desde o início até fevereiro de 2016 foram pesquisados nas bases PubMed, EMBASE, Bireme, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, SciELO e LILACS. Dois revisores independentes avaliaram a qualidade dos estudos incluídos. Realizamos meta-análise com efeitos aleatórios e variância inversa. Análises de subgrupos foram realizadas. Resultados: Dez ensaios envolvendo 1.543 pacientes preencheram os critérios de inclusão. Em nosso estudo, as análises demostraram reduções nos níveis de colesterol, de acordo com a intensidade das doses de estatina (alta, intermediária e baixa): (-104,61 mg/dl, -67,60 mg/dl, -56,96 mg/dl) e no nível de lipoproteínas de baixa densidade: [-105,03 mg/dl (IC95% -115.76, -94.30), I2 19.2%], [-67.85 mg/dl (IC95% -83.36, -52.35), I2 99.8%], [-58.97 mg/dl (IC95% -67.83, -50.11), I2 93,8%. A duração da terapia com estatina variou de 8 a 104 semanas, impedindo conclusões sobre os efeitos a longo prazo. Conclusão: O tratamento com estatinas é eficiente na redução de lipídios em crianças com hipercolesterolemia familiar. É necessário realizar ensaios controlados randomizados de longo prazo para estabelecer a segurança do uso de estatinas a longo prazo.

Abstract Background: Children with familial hypercholesterolemia may develop early endothelial damage leading to a high risk for the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Statins have been shown to be effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels and cardiovascular events in adults. The effect of statin treatment in the pediatric population is not clearly demonstrated. Objective: To systematically review the literature to evaluate the effects of different statins and dosages in total cholesterol levels in children and adolescents with familial hypercholesterolemia. We also aimed to evaluate statin safety in this group. Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, Bireme, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, SciELO and LILACS databases, were searched for articles published from inception until February 2016. Two independent reviewers performed the quality assessment of the included studies. We performed a meta-analysis with random effects and inverse variance, and subgroup analyses were performed. Results: Ten trials involving a total of 1543 patients met the inclusion criteria. Our study showed reductions in cholesterol levels according to the intensity of statin doses (high, intermediate and low): (-104.61 mg/dl, -67.60 mg/dl, -56.96 mg/dl) and in the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level: [-105.03 mg/dl (95% CI -115.76, -94.30), I2 19.2%], [-67.85 mg/dl (95% CI -83.36, -52.35), I2 99.8%], [-58.97 mg/dl (95% CI -67.83, -50.11), I2 93.8%. The duration of statin therapy in the studies ranged from 8 to 104 weeks, precluding conclusions about long-term effects. Conclusion: Statin treatment is efficient in lowering lipids in children with FH. There is need of large, long-term and randomized controlled trials to establish the long-term safety of statins.