Resumo Objetivo: investigar o perfil sociodemográfico e de morbidade de pacientes com demência avançada e dados sociodemográficos de seus respectivos cuidadores primários. Método: foram obtidos dados de 67 idosos recrutados para um estudo observacional, prospectivo, não randomizado e não cego de pacientes em fase avançada de demência, por meio de entrevistas realizadas com os cuidadores primários. Para as análises estatísticas, foi utilizado o Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSSr) para Windowsr, na versão 19.0. Resultados: a maioria dos pacientes com demência avançada é do sexo feminino, viúva, não institucionalizada e de baixa renda. Destacam-se as elevadas taxas de acidente vascular encefálico, sarcopenia e úlceras por pressão. A maioria dos cuidadores são do sexo feminino, casados, filhos do paciente e desempregados. Somente um terço dos pacientes apresenta cuidador contratado. Conclusão: os pacientes com demência avançada apresentam elevado grau de morbidades, baixa renda e são dependentes de cuidados de familiares, geralmente filhas desempregadas.

Summary Introduction: To investigate the sociodemographic and morbidity profile of advanced dementia patients and sociodemographic data of their primary caregivers. Method: Data was obtained from 67 elderly recruited for an observational prospective study, through interviews performed with primary caregivers. For statistical analysis, the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS(r)) for Windowsr, version 19.0. was employed. Results: Advanced dementia patients were mostly women, widows, and non-institutionalized, with low-income. An elevated rate of stroke, sarcopenia, and pressure ulcers in this population is noted. Caregivers were mostly women, married, children of the studied patients, and unemployed. Only one third of caregivers were hired for the task. Conclusion: Patients with advanced dementia present a high morbidity profile, low income, and depend on the care given by family members, mostly unemployed daughters.

Objective:The objective of this study was to evaluate the intestinal barrier function in leukemia patients before the start of the chemotherapy with an intestinal permeability test using lactulose and mannitol as markers.Methods:The study enrolled 20 patients diagnosed with leukemia (acute and chronic). Ten healthy volunteers were also submitted to the test as a control group.Results:The median lactulose/mannitol ratio was 0.019 for the Leukemia Patient Group, whereas in healthy controls the median was 0.009 (p-value = 0.244). The median lactulose/mannitol ratio in acute leukemia patients was 0.034 giving a p-value of 0.069 when compared to healthy controls. This same comparison was made between acute myeloid leukemia patients and healthy controls with a p-value of 0.149. There was no significant difference in the intestinal permeability between acute and chronic leukemia patients (p-value = 0.098).Conclusion:The intestinal barrier function measured using the intestinal permeability test was similar in leukemic patients overall and healthy controls, but a tendency toward a different pattern was found in the intestinal barrier function of acute leukemia patients.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a sobrevida e complicações de pacientes idosos com doenças neurológicas em uso de nutrição enteral (NE). MÉTODOS: Avaliaram-se pacientes acima de 60 anos acompanhados pelo serviço de atenção domiciliar de um plano de saúde de Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil. A avaliação ocorreu no domicílio após a alta hospitalar com NE, após três e seis meses e ao término do estudo. Foram realizadas avaliação nutricional, coleta de dados em prontuários e entrevistas com familiares ou cuidadores. RESULTADOS: Foram avaliados 79 pacientes, idade 82,9 ± 10,4 anos, 49,4% com demência e 50,6% com outros diagnósticos neurológicos, 100% com elevado grau de dependência avaliada pelo índice de Katz. A maioria dos pacientes (91,2%) apresentou complicações (pneumonia, perda da sonda, diarreia, constipação, vômito, extravasamento periostomia, obstrução da sonda, refluxo e miíase). Pneumonia foi a mais frequente, ocorrendo em 55,9%. A mortalidade foi de 15,2% aos três meses, 22,8% aos 6 meses e 43% ao término do estudo. A mediana de sobrevida após iniciada a NE foi de 364 dias. Não se observaram diferenças entre mortalidade e diagnóstico neurológico, vias de acesso de NE e complicações. A sobrevida foi menor em pacientes com estado nutricional inadequado e albumina < 3,5 mg/dL. CONCLUSÃO: A população acompanhada apresentou elevada taxa de complicações e óbito ao término do estudo. Os diagnósticos de demência, vias de acesso de NE e complicações não influenciaram a sobrevida. Entretanto, estado nutricional inadequado, de acordo com a avaliação clínica, e albumina inferior a 3,5 mg/dL influenciaram significativamente a sobrevida.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the occurrence of complications, as well as the survival rates, in elderly people having neurological diseases and undergoing enteral nutrition therapy (ENT). METHODS: Patients aged over 60 years, assisted by a home medical service from a healthcare plan in the city of Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil, were thoroughly evaluated. The mentioned evaluation occurred at their homes after hospital discharge with enteral nutrition (EN) after a three-month period, a six-month period, and at the end of the study. A nutritional assessment was performed along with data collection performed on the patients' electronic medical records, and interviews performed with patients' family members and caregivers. RESULTS: Seventy-nine patients aged 82.9 ± 10.4 years old were evaluated; of these, 49.4% presented dementia, and 50.6% presented other neurological diagnoses. 100% of patients presented a high dependence level, assessed by the Katz index. The majority of patients (91.2%) presented some complications such as: pneumonia, catheter loss, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, fluid leakage, periostotomy, tube obstruction, reflux, and myiasis. Pneumonia was the most frequent complication, occurring in 55.9% of cases. The mortality rates were 15.2% at a three-month period, 22.8% at a six-month period, and 43% at the end of study. The median survival after starting EN was 364 days. Differences among the mortality rate and neurological diagnosis, EN routes of access, and complications were not observed. The survival rate was lower in patients having inadequate nutritional status and albumin levels < 3.5 mg/dL. Conclusion: The population followed presented a high rate of complications and death at the end of the study. Diagnosis of dementia, EN routes of access, as well as complications, did not influence the survival rates. However, inadequate nutritional status according to the clinical assessment and albumin levels lower than 3.5 mg/dL significantly influenced the survival rates.