Knowledge and habits of sun exposure in university students: a cross-sectional study in Southern Brazil

Abstract BACKGROUND: Excessive sun exposure is the major risk factor for skin cancer. Thus, sun exposure behavior is the major focus for prevention of this disease, since it is potentially modifiable. Increasing the knowledge on sun related habits and other skin cancer risk factors is fundamental in the development of preventive programs, especially when directed to young people. OBJECTIVES: To assess the photoprotection habits and the knowledge about skin cancer in college students. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study from Oct. 16 to Feb. 17, including 371 students from the Federal University of Santa Maria, RS, Brazil, through a self-administered questionnaire. RESULTS: The level of knowledge about skin cancer and photoprotection was unsatisfactory in more than 10% of the students. The occurrence of sunburn was extremely high among students, and 25% reported at least one episode of second degree sunburn. Proper use of sunscreen was referred by only 34% of individuals. Students who reported having received photo education in college were associated with a more consistent use of sunscreen. STUDY LIMITATIONS: health area represented a large part of the sample; instrument validated outside Brazil. CONCLUSIONS: Young people are unaware of basic information about sun protection and exposure. Even among those with proper knowledge, the use of photoprotective measures is very low. The sun exposure has shown to be excessive in most of the students, which makes this population an important target for photo-educational measures.

Nail involvement in adult patients with plaque-type psoriasis: prevalence and clinical features

Abstract BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is a disease of worldwide distribution with a prevalence of 1 to 3%. Nail psoriasis is estimated in 50% of patients with psoriasis, and in the presence of joint involvement, it can reach 80%. OBJECTIVE: To study the nail changes - and their clinical implications - presented by patients with psoriasis vulgaris under surveillance in a university hospital from the south of Brazil. METHODS: his cross-sectional study evaluated 65 adult patients from January 2012 to March 2013. Cutaneous severity was assessed according to the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI). The Nail Psoriasis Severity Index (NAPSI) was used to evaluate patient's nails. The diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis was established according to the Classification Criteria for Psoriatic Arthritis (CASPAR). RESULTS: The prevalence of NP was 46.1%. These patients had a median [interquartilic range (IQR)] NAPSI of 1 (0-15). A total of 63.3% of patients reported aesthetic discomfort or functional impairment related to their nails. Onycholysis was the most common feature (80%). When compared with patients without nail involvement, patients with NP had lower mean age at psoriasis onset [21 (18-41) vs. 43 (30-56) years, p=0,001]; longer disease duration [15.5 (10-24) vs. 6 (2-12) years, p=0.001]; higher PASI [9.2 (5-17) vs. 3.7 (2-10), p=0.044], higher frequency of psoriatic arthritis (43.3 vs. 3.7, p = 0.002) and more often reported family history of psoriasis (40% vs. 7.4%, p = 0.011). CONCLUSION: Onycholysis was the most frequent finding and most patients feel uncomfortable with the psoriatic nail changes that they experience. .

Sarcopenia: evaluation of different diagnostic criteria and its association with muscle strength and functional capacity / Sarcopenia: avaliação de diferentes critérios diagnósticos e sua associação com a força muscular e capacidade funcional

INTRODUCTION: Sarcopenia has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality in older people. However, there is still no consensus about the best diagnostic criteria for it. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate different diagnostic criteria of sarcopenia and their relationship with muscle strength and functional capacity. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out in Santa Maria-RS, Brazil. Body composition was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Physical performance was evaluated by the Timed-get-up-and-go test (TGUG). Muscle strength was measured with a handgrip dynamometer. The proposed criteria of sarcopenia were evaluated as follows: A) appendicular lean mass index (aLM/ht2), cutoffs 5.5 kg/m2, 2SD, 10th percentile, and 20th percentile of young reference; B) a linear regression model was used to adjust appendicular lean mass (aLM) for both height and fat mass, cutoff 20th percentile of elderly. RESULTS: In total, 104 women agreed to participate in the research, 39 young (20 to 40 years) and 65 elderly (over 60 years). The prevalence of sarcopenia varied from 0% to 17.2% according to the diagnostic criteria. Regarding muscle strength, the aLM/ht2 cutoff 10th percentile was the criterion with greater area under the ROC curve. However, there were no criteria with an area under the ROC curve greater than 0.5 when TGUG was the outcome. The reclassification showed that the criterion B reclassified 66.7% with normal grip strength as sarcopenic. CONCLUSION: Of these criteria, aLM/ht2 cutoff 10th percentile had stronger correlation with muscle strength.

INTRODUÇÃO: Sarcopenia está associada com aumento da morbidade e mortalidade em pessoas idosas. No entanto, ainda não existe consenso sobre o melhor critério diagnóstico para ela. OBJETIVO: Avaliar os diferentes critérios diagnósticos de sarcopenia e sua relação com a força muscular e capacidade funcional. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal realizado em Santa Maria-RS, Brasil. A composição corporal foi avaliada através de absorciometria por dupla emissão de raios-x (DXA). A capacidade funcional foi inferida por meio dos testes Timed-get-up-and-go (TGUG) e preensão manual com um dinamômetro. Os critérios de sarcopenia propostos foram: A) índice de massa muscular apendicular (aLM/ht²), pontos de corte de 5,5 kg/m2, dois desvios-padrões (dp), percentil 10 e percentil 20 da amostra jovem de referência; B) modelo de regressão linear utilizando massa muscular apendicular (aLM) ajustado para altura e massa gorda (percentil 20 da amostra de idosos). RESULTADOS: No total, 104 mulheres concordaram em participar da pesquisa, 39 jovens (20 a 40 anos) e 65 idosas (acima de 60 anos). A prevalência de sarcopenia variou de 0% a 17,2%, conforme o critério utilizado. Em relação à força muscular, o percentil 10th do aLM/ht² foi o critério com maior área sob a curva ROC. No entanto, nenhum dos critérios diagnósticos para sarcopenia apresentou área sob a curva ROC maior que 0,5 quando TGUG foi utilizado. CONCLUSÃO: Dos critérios avaliados, aLM/ht2 percentil 10 apresentou melhor correlação com força muscular.

Choque: diagnóstico e tratamento na emergência / Shock: emergency diagnosis and treatment

O choque é uma síndrome caracterizada pela redução da perfusão tecidual sistêmica, levando a disfunção orgânica. É essencial o reconhecimento precoce para correção das disfunções e diagnóstico e tratamento da causa de base.

Shock is a syndrome characterized for the reduction of the systemic tissue perfusion. It leads to global organic dysfunction. Early recognition is essential for dysfunctions correction and to diagnosis and treat the basic cause.

Transverse myelitis associated to HCV infection

Complications involving the central nervous system in patients suffering from hepatitis C virus (HCV) infectionhave been rare. Among them, it appears the transverse myelitis, which has already been reported in likely association with HCV. This paper presents the case study of a 65-year-old woman who developed cervical transverse myelitis linked to chronic HCV infection and anti-HCV antibodies in the spinal fluid, being excluded other etiologies for transverse myelitis. Current evidence has reinforced the likely association between chronic HCV infection and transverse myelitis, especially as recurrent manifestations of the disease. These findings reveal the need for more searching to establish the causal relationship between transverse myelitis and hepatitis C.

Neurofibroma de tireóide em uma paciente com neurofibromatose tipo 1 / Neurofibroma of thyroid in a patient with neurofibromatosis type 1

A neurofibromatose tipo 1 (NF1), também conhecida como doença de von Recklinghausen, é uma doença autossômica dominante com alto grau de variabilidade da expressão clínica, comumente envolvida na formação de tumorações na maioria das vezes de origem benigna, localizadas principalmente na região da cabeça e do pescoço, sendo a tireóide acometida raramente. Porém existe na literatura a associação com carcinoma medular da tireóide (CMT), necessitando sempre sua exclusão. Relatamos o caso de uma paciente com NF1, com um nódulo de tireóide não-funcionante e sintomas obstrutivos. Foi realizada ressecção cirúrgica da lesão, com achados histopatológicos compatíveis com neurofibroma em tecido tireoidiano. A importância desse caso deve-se não só à raridade dessa apresentação da NF1, mas também à possibilidade de associação desta com CMT, tumor agressivo com possibilidade de cura pela ressecção cirúrgica.

The neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), also known as von Recklinghausen’s disease, is an autosomal dominant disorder, with high degree of variability of clinical expression, usually involved with formation of tumors, with benign origin in the majority of cases mainly localized in the region of the head and neck and rarely incident in the thyroid area. However, the association with medullary carcinoma of the thyroid (MCT) exists in literature and needs to be excluded. We report a case of a patient with NF1, nonfunctional thyroid nodule and obstructive symptoms. Surgical resection of lesion was performed, with histopathologic findings compatible with neurofibroma in thyroid tissue. This case is relevant not only because of the rarity of the presentation of NF1, but also due to the likely association with MCT, an aggressive tumor that can be cured by surgery.

Neuropatia autônoma cardiovascular em pacientes com diabetes “mellitus” tipo 2 / Cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy in diabetic mellitus type 2 patients

A neuropatia autônoma acomete grande parte dos pacientes diabéticos. Este acometimento pode envolver diversos órgãos e sistemas e isso geralmente ocorre de forma desigual. O envolvimento do sistema nervoso autônomo no decurso do diabetes mellitus (DM) é bem estabelecido e está associado com aumento da mortalidade. A presença de neuropatia autônoma cardíaca (NAC), evidenciada por alterações nas variações de freqüência cardíaca, está associada a uma mortalidade de 29 por cento em 10 anos, enquanto que naqueles pacientes ilesos de NAC essa taxa representa apenas 6 por cento. Devido ao valor prognóstico na NAC, é importante avaliarmos a sua presença nos pacientes com DM, bem como orient´-alos quanto às suas associações. Descrevemos os dados encontrados em nosso ambulatório e discutimos as evidências na NAC encontradas na literatura