Methotrexate use, not interleukin 33, is associated with lower carotid intima-media thickness in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract Background: Rheumatoid arthritis is a risk factor for early mortality due to cardiovascular disease. Interleukin-33 appears to protect against the development of atherosclerosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between serum levels of interleukin-33 and its soluble receptor with the presence of subclinical carotid atherosclerosis in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Methods: Rheumatoid arthritis patients without atherosclerotic disease were subjected to clinical and laboratory assessments, including carotid ultrasound. Interleukin-33 and its soluble receptor serum levels were measured by ELISA. Results: 102 patients were included. The prevalence of carotid plaques was 23.5% and the median intima-media thickness was 0.7 mm. The median interleukin-33 and its soluble receptor concentration was 69.1 and 469.8 pg/ml. No association was found between serum interleukin-33 or its soluble receptor and intima-media thickness or plaque occurrence. Each 0.1 mm increase of intima-media thickness raised the odds of plaque occurrence by 5.3-fold, and each additional year of rheumatoid arthritis duration increased the odds of plaque occurrence by 6%. Each additional year in patients age and each one-point increase in the Framingham Risk Score were associated with a 0.004 mm and 0.012 mm increase in intima-media thickness. Methotrexate use was associated with a 0.07 mm reduction in intima-media thickness. Conclusions: Interleukin-33 and its soluble receptor were not associated with subclinical atherosclerosis. Traditional risk factors for atherosclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis duration were associated with intima-media thickness and plaque occurrence; methotrexate use was associated with a lower intima-media thickness.

Construção e avaliação de software educacional sobre cateterismo urinário de demora / Construction and evaluation of educational software on urinary indwelling catheters / Construcción y evaluación de software educacional sobre cateterismo urinario de demora

Tratando-se de uma era na qual a informação constitui abertura concernente aos benefícios que dela advêm, o campo da informática em enfermagem ganha seu momento. Este estudo teve como objetivo construir um software educativo para o ensino-aprendizado da técnica de cateterismo urinário de demora e comparar a apreensão do conhecimento sobre a técnica de cateterismo urinário de demora antes e após a aplicação de um software educativo. Pesquisa descritiva de abordagem quantitativa tendo como fundamentação pedagógica na construção do software as teorias de Piaget e Vygotsky. Posteriormente, avaliou-se o processo ensino-aprendizagem através de um questionário composto por 10 questões de múltipla escolha, anterior à utilização do software, e o mesmo teste após o manuseio do software, resolvidos por 60 alunos participantes. Os dados obtidos demonstraram significativa contribuição do software após a aplicação do mesmo, sendo bastante útil no processo ensino-aprendizagem.

Since this is an era in which information is open concerning the benefits it brings, the field of nursing informatics earns its moment. The objective of this study was to design educational software for teaching and learning the technique of urinary indwelling catheterization and compare the acquisition of knowledge regarding the technique before and after the implementation of the educational software. This is a descriptive study using a quantitative approach. The pedagogical foundations for designing the software were the theories of Piaget and Vygotsky. The teaching-learning process was evaluated through a questionnaire consisting of 10 multiple choice questions which the 60 participants completed before and after using the software. The results showed the software made significant contributions after its application, thus being very useful in the teaching-learning process.

Tratándose de una era en la cual la información constituye una apertura en lo que concierne a los beneficios que de ella provienen, el campo de la informática en enfermería gana su momento. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo construir un software educativo para la enseñanza-aprendizaje de la técnica de cateterismo urinario de demora y comparar la comprensión temática sobre la técnica de cateterismo urinario de demora antes y después del uso de software educativo. Investigación descriptiva de abordaje cuantitativo, tuvo como fundamentación pedagógica en la programación de software las teorías de Piaget y Vygotsky. Posteriormente, se evaluó el proceso enseñanza-aprendizaje a través de un cuestionario compuesto por 10 preguntas de múltiple elección anterior al uso del software y el mismo test luego del uso del software, resuelto por los 60 alumnos participantes. Los datos obtenidos demostraron una contribución significativa del software luego de su utilización, demostrando su valor en el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje.