Accuracy of predictive scores of hemorrhagic transformation in patients with acute ischemic stroke / Acurácia de escores preditivos de transformação hemorrágica em pacientes com isquemia cerebral aguda

ABSTRACT Background: Hemorrhagic transformation (HT) is a complication in ischemic strokes, regardless of use of reperfusion therapy (RT). There are many predictive scores for estimating the risk of HT. However, most of them include patients also treated with RT. Therefore, this may lead to a misinterpretation of the risk of HT in patients who did not undergo RT. Objective: We aimed to review published predictive scores and analyze their accuracy in our dataset. Methods: We analyzed the accuracy of seven scales. Our dataset was derived from a cohort of 1,565 consecutive patients from 2015 to 2017 who were admitted to a comprehensive stroke center. All patients were evaluated with follow-up neuroimaging within seven days. Comparison of area under the curve (AUC) was performed on each scale, to analyze differences between patients treated with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and those without this treatment. Results: Our dataset provided enough data to assess seven scales, among which six were used among patients with and without tPA treatment. HAT (AUC 0.76), HTI (0.73) and SEDAN (0.70) were the most accurate scores for patients not treated with tPA. SPAN-100 (0.55) had the worst accuracy in both groups. Three of these scores had different cutoffs between study groups. Conclusions: The predictive scores had moderate to fair accuracy for predicting HT in patients treated with tPA. Three scales were more accurate for predicting HT in patients not treated with tPA. Through standardizing these characteristics and including more patients not treated with RT in a large multicenter series, accurate predictive scores may be created.

RESUMO Background: Transformação hemorrágica (TH) é uma complicação frequente no acidente vascular cerebral (AVC) isquêmico independente do uso de terapia de reperfusão (TR). Diversos escores preditivos de TH foram elaborados. Entretanto, a maioria desses escores incluíram pacientes submetidos a TR — o que pode levar à má interpretação do risco de TH nos pacientes não submetidos a TR. Objetivo: Nosso objetivo é revisar escores preditivos já publicados e analisar a sua acurácia em nossa amostra. Métodos: Analisamos a acurácia de sete escores. Nosso banco foi criado de uma coorte de 1.565 pacientes consecutivos, admitidos entre 2015 e 2017 em um centro avançado de AVC. Os pacientes realizaram neuroimagem de controle em até sete dias. Uma comparação entre áreas abaixo da curva/característica de operação do receptor (AUC) foi realizada, analisando-se as diferenças entre grupos de pacientes tratados ou não com ativador de plasminogênio tecidual recombinante (tPA). Resultados: Nosso banco de dados proporcionou informação suficiente para avaliar sete escores, dos quais seis foram aplicados em pacientes tratados ou não com tPA. HAT (AUC 0,76), HTI (0,73) e SEDAN (0,70) foram os escores mais acurados em pacientes não tratados com tPA. SPAN-100 (0,55) teve a pior acurácia nos grupos. Três desses escores apresentaram diferentes valores de corte entre os grupos. Conclusões: Os escores apresentaram de boa a moderada acurácia na predição de TH em pacientes tratados com tPA. Três escores foram mais acurados em pacientes não tratados com tPA. A parametrização dessas características e a inclusão de mais pacientes não tratados com TR em um estudo multicêntrico poderia levar a escores mais acurados.

Proteinuria and serum creatinine after 12 months of treatment for lupus nephritis as predictors of long-term renal outcome: a case-control study

Abstract Background: Lupus nephritis (LN) is a major source of morbidity and mortality in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), with 10-25% of patients progressing to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Objective: This study aims to elucidate the predictive capabilities of 24-h proteinuria (24PTU) and serum creatinine (sCr) after 12 months of treatment with respect to long-term renal outcomes in LN in a single-center cohort of LN patients. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 214 patients diagnosed with LN followed in our center. Values of 24PTU and sCr were assessed at baseline and after 3, 6 and 12 months, and after 5 years and/or the last evaluation. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 for 3 months or longer. End-stage renal disease (ESRD) was defined as the need for permanent dialysis. Receiver operating characteristics curves (ROC) were used to test the best cut-off value of 24PTU and sCr at 12 months who predict bad long-term renal outcomes. Results: The mean follow-up period was 11.2 ± 7.2 years. The best cut-off values for 24PTU and sCr as predictor of CKD were, respectively, 0.9 g/24 h and 0.9 mg/dL. ROC curve for 24PTU had a slightly lower performance than ROC curve for sCr as predictor for CKD (PTU AUC = 0.68; sCr AUC = 0.70), but sensitivity and specificity were better for 24PTU (24PTU: sensitivity = 63.5%, specificity = 71.2%; sCr: sensitivity = 54.8%, specificity = 75.3%). When the outcome was ESRD the best cut-off points were 0.9 g/24hs and 1.3 mg/dL for 24PTU and sCr, respectively, and the curve performance was better for 24PTU (PTU AUC = 0.72; sCr AUC = 0.61). Conclusions: In this ethnically diverse population with LN followed for a long time (> 10 years), levels of 24PTU > 0.9/day at 12 months was a good predictor of bad long-term renal outcome. The serum creatinine > 0.9 mg/dL and > 1.3 mg/dL at 12 months were also good predictors of CKD and ESRD, respectively. Patients with 24PTU < 0.9 g/day and sCr < 1.3 mg/dL at 12 months are not likely to develop ESRD because of the high negative predictive values (NPV) (93.2% and 82%). 24PTU and sCr are relevant as components for a treat-to-target strategy for LN treatment, since their high NPV corroborates their importance as good predictors of long-term renal outcome.

Predictors of hemorrhagic transformation after acute ischemic stroke based on the experts opinion / Preditores de transformação hemorrágica após acidente vascular cerebral isquêmico agudo a partir da opinião de especialistas

ABSTRACT Background: Hemorrhagic transformation (HT) is a common complication after ischemic stroke. It may be associated to poor outcomes. Some predictors of HT have been previously identified, but there remain controversies. Objective: To describe the risk factors for HT more frequently reported by a panel of experts surveyed for this project. Methods: We sent a standard questionnaire by e-mail to specialists in Vascular Neurology from 2014 to 2018. Forty-five specialists were contacted and 20 of them responded to the invitation. Predictors cited by three or more specialists were included in a table and ranked by the frequency in which they appeared. A review of the literature looking for published predictive scores of HT was performed, comparing to the answers received. Results: The 20 responding specialists cited 23 different risk factors for HT. The most frequent factors in the order of citation were the volume of ischemia, previous use of antithrombotic medication, neurological severity, age, hyperglycemia at presentation, hypertension on admission, and cardioembolism. Most variables were also found in previously published predictive scores, but they were reported by the authors with divergences of frequency. Conclusion: Although many studies have evaluated HT in patients with acute ischemic stroke, the published risk factors were neither uniform nor in agreement with those cited by the stroke specialists. These findings may be helpful to build a score that can be tested with the goal of improving the prediction of HT.

RESUMO Introdução: A transformação hemorrágica (TH) é uma complicação comum após a isquemia cerebral e pode estar associada a desfechos desfavoráveis. Alguns fatores de risco para TH têm sido identificados, mas ainda há controvérsias. Objetivo: Descrever os fatores de risco para TH mais frequentemente reportados por um painel de especialistas consultados para esse projeto. Métodos: Enviamos um questionário padronizado por e-mail para 45 especialistas em Neurologia Vascular no período de 2014 a 2018. Vinte dos 45 especialistas responderam ao convite. Preditores citados por três ou mais especialistas foram incluídos em uma tabela e classificados pela frequência em que foram reportados. Uma revisão de literatura foi realizada em busca de escores preditivos de TH publicados anteriormente, comparando-os com as respostas recebidas. Resultados: Os 20 especialistas citaram 23 diferentes fatores de risco para TH. Os fatores mais frequentemente citados foram, pela ordem, volume da isquemia, uso prévio de medicação antitrombótica, gravidade neurológica, idade, hiperglicemia na apresentação, hipertensão na admissão e cardioembolismo. A maioria das variáveis também foi incluída em escores preditivos de TH já publicados, mas sem a mesma frequência e com divergências entre os especialistas consultados. Conclusão: Embora muitos estudos tenham avaliado a TH em pacientes com isquemia cerebral, os fatores de risco já publicados não foram uniformes na concordância com aqueles reportados pelos neurologistas vasculares consultados. Esses achados podem ser úteis para elaborar um escore que possa ser testado para aperfeiçoar a predição de transformação hemorrágica.

O Uso da Estratégia Gameficação na Educação Médica / The Use of Gamefication Strategy in Medical Education

RESUMO Introdução O ensino por meio de metodologia ativa vem ganhando cada vez mais destaque no cenário da educação médica, complementando, ou mesmo substituindo, o método de ensino tradicional. Diante disso, o sistema de gameficação, bem aceito por estudantes, inova, uma vez que o aprendizado se torna lúdico e participativo, contribuindo para a formação holística dos acadêmicos. Objetivos: Descrever a realização de uma gincana - composta por quatro fases e de caráter competitivo -, bem como comprovar a eficácia do método como uma forma inovadora de aprendizagem. Ao todo, 16 acadêmicos de Medicina participaram da gincana. Metodologia Caracteriza-se como um estudo de delineamento observacional transversal, com uso de metodologias quantitativas e qualitativas. O estudo é composto pela aplicação de um método de ensino e aprendizado baseado no processo de gameficação, com posterior aplicação de um questionário avaliativo aos alunos, para análise crítica. Resultados Foi observada satisfação dos alunos quanto à atividade, sendo unânime a afirmação de que a técnica utilizada facilita o aprendizado. Entre os integrantes, 87,5% preferiram a aplicação de práticas de metodologias ativas em detrimento das tradicionais, e 81,25% dos participantes apontaram a necessidade de integrar métodos com abordagens lúdicas às suas atividades curriculares. Por outro lado, 12,5% dos estudantes concordaram em que a atividade lúdica aplicada não contribui para o trabalho em equipe e 6,25% preferiram adesão às práticas de metodologia tradicional. Conclusão O método de gameficação desenvolve um ambiente propício ao aprendizado, com grande adesão dos estudantes. Percebe-se também a necessidade de mudança, apoiada pelos alunos, nas formas de ensino utilizadas na graduação, devendo-se buscar metodologias que abranjam o desenvolvimento de múltiplas competências e que possam usar a ludicidade como atrativo para o processo de aprendizado.

ABSTRACT Introduction Education through active methodology is increasingly gaining attention in the medical education scenario, complementing, or even replacing, the traditional teaching method. Bearing this in mind, the system of gamification, a well-accepted one among students, innovates, since the learning process becomes playful and participatory, contributing to the holistic formation of the students. Objectives To describe the accomplishment of a four-round, competitive championship, and to prove the effectiveness of the method as an innovative form of learning. In all, 16 medical students participated in the championship. Methods This was a cross-sectional, observational study, using quantitative and qualitative methodologies. The study consists of the application of a teaching and learning method based on the gamification process and the subsequent application of an evaluation questionnaire to the students for critical analysis. Results Student satisfaction with the activity was observed, with the unanimous assertion that the technique used facilitates learning. 87.5% of the members preferred the application of active methodologies over traditional ones. 81.25% of the participants asserted the need to integrate methods with playful approaches into their curricular activities. On the other hand, 12.5% of the students agreed that the applied leisure activity does not corroborate for teamwork and 6.25% preferred the traditional teaching methods. Conclusion It was demonstrated that the method of gamification develops a propitious environment for the learning process, with substantial student support. The requirement for change in the educational methods used in undergraduate training could also be perceived, as well as support for such changes among students, and hence the need to seek more and more methodologies that support the development of multiple competences and that can use playfulness as an incentive for the learning process.