ABSTRACT
Abstract Introduction: A resurgence of syphilis in Brazil has been reported in recent years. Objective: With this in mind, the present study sought to investigate the frequency, demographics, and clinical characteristics of patients with acquired syphilis with oral involvement who received medical care at an Oral Medicine Reference Center in a Brazilian Public Hospital. Methods: A retrospective study, spanning a period of 12 years, was performed to identify changing trends in syphilis over time. Medical records from all patients diagnosed with acquired syphilis who received medical care at the Hospital's Oral Medicine Clinic from 2005 to 2016 were reviewed, and the demographic and clinical data were collected. Results: A total of 85 patients had been diagnosed with acquired syphilis, with a significant increase in the number of cases over the past 5 years. Patients ranged from 16 to 76 years of age, with a peak in the third and fourth decades. Forty-eight cases affected males (56.5%), while 37 cases affected females (43.5%). Most of the oral lesions appeared as unique ulcers or plaques, with the lips and tongue representing the most affected sites. All cases were positive for Venereal Disease Research Laboratory or Fluorescent Treponemal Antibody Absorption, and treatment was performed with Penicillin G benzathine in most cases (84.7%). Conclusion: The frequency of oral syphilis has been rising over time and oral lesions may well represent a diagnostic clue; therefore, oral health professionals must be made aware and properly trained in an attempt to develop a high degree of clinical suspicion in the diagnosis of syphilis.
Resumo Introdução: Um ressurgimento da sífilis no Brasil tem sido relatado nos últimos anos. Objetivo: Investigar a frequência, as características demográficas e clínicas dos pacientes com sífilis adquirida com envolvimento oral que receberam atendimento médico em um centro de referência em medicina oral em um hospital público brasileiro. Método: Estudo retrospectivo, abrangeu 12 anos, feito para identificar tendências de mudança na sífilis. Registros médicos de todos os pacientes diagnosticados com sífilis adquirida que receberam atendimento médico na clínica de medicina oral do hospital de 2005 a 2016 foram revisados e os dados demográficos e clínicos foram coletados. Resultados: Foram diagnosticas 85 pacientes com sífilis adquirida, com um aumento significativo no número de casos nos últimos 5 anos. A idade dos pacientes variou de 16 a 76 anos, com pico na terceira e quarta décadas; 48 casos eram do sexo masculino (56,5%) e 37 do sexo feminino (43,5%). A maioria das lesões orais apareceu como úlceras ou placas únicas, os lábios e a língua representaram os locais mais afetados. Todos os casos foram positivos para Venereal Disease Research Laboratory e Fluorescent Treponemal Antibody Absorption Test e o tratamento foi feito com penicilina G benzatina na maioria dos casos (84,7%). Conclusão: A frequência da sífilis oral tem aumentado com o tempo e as lesões orais podem representar uma pista diagnóstica; portanto, os profissionais de saúde bucal devem ser conscientizados e devidamente treinados na tentativa de desenvolver um alto grau de suspeição clínica no diagnóstico da sífilis.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Adolescent , Adult , Middle Aged , Aged , Young Adult , Syphilis/diagnosis , Mouth Diseases/diagnosis , Penicillin G Benzathine/therapeutic use , Syphilis/drug therapy , Retrospective Studies , Mouth Diseases/drug therapyABSTRACT
Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the response rate of the SF-36 quality of life questionnaire sent and received by mail and over a social network to caregivers of individuals with epidermolysis bullosa (EB) in Brazil. Methods: All volunteers were first-degree relatives of patients with EB that directly spent time helping them with their basic activities of daily living. A maximum of two caregivers per patient could answer the questionnaire. Volunteers were divided into two groups: for group 1, questionnaires were sent to 53 members of a support association for the disease by mail, and for group 2, 798 members of the Facebook™ page of friends and relatives of patients with EB were invited to participate using an access link to Google Drive™ to gain access to the questionnaire. The data from both groups were analyzed 150 days after the start the study. Descriptive analysis was performed by EpiInfo8 and the return of questionnaires was evaluated according to age, sex, and time of return using the Chi-squared and Fisher's exact test. Results: After 150 days, 30 questionnaires were returned, 17 (56.7%) of which from group 1 and 13 (43.3%) from group 2. Approximately 12 questionnaires were returned by mail and 11 over the social network. Conclusions: The data collection of the SF-36 quality of life questionnaire from caregivers of individuals with EB over a social network seems to be efficient mainly when it is necessary to collect results within a short timeframe, highlighting the importance of social networks as a means for conducting this type of research. However, in our study, the most efficient method was distributing the questionnaires by mail