Thyroid volume is associated with family history of thyroid disease in pregnant women with adequate iodine intake: a cross-sectional study in southern Brazil.

UNLABELLED: Maternal euthyroidism is important for fetal neural development. For this reason, adequate iodine nutrition during pregnancy is an important public health objective and should be periodically revised. The objective of this study was to measure urinary iodine (UI) excretion and the factors associated with thyroid volume (TV), in a group of healthy pregnant women in southern Brazil, to evaluate iodine nutrition. The median UI of the 147 women was 224 microg/l (P25=164 microg/l and P75=286 microg/l). Serum levels of free T4 and thyroglobulin did not correlate with UI, but there was a weak inverse correlation between serum TSH levels and UI (r=-0.200; p=0.02). TV, calculated through ultrasound in 57 women, was significantly associated with family history of thyroid diseases (p=0.002) and BMI (p=0.03), but there was no association with UI, corrected or not for creatinine, serum free T4, TSH or thyroglobulin, current or past smoking, gestational age, parity or oral contraceptive. CONCLUSIONS: The healthy pregnant women studied had adequate iodine intake. In this situation, the main thyroid size determinants are probably genetic factors.

[The use of psychotropics by dental patients in Minas Gerais, Brazil]. / Utilização de psicofármacos por pacientes odontológicos em Minas Gerais, Brasil.

In Brazil, psychotropics and other drugs are often indiscriminately overused. Nevertheless, there are few studies regarding the use of psychotropics, especially among dental patients. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of psychotropic consumption among patients of the general primary care clinic of the Dentistry School at the Minas Gerais Federal University, in Brazil. To collect data, students working in the clinic interviewed all patients over 12 years of age seen at the clinic during June 1997 and asked them about their use of psychotropics during the preceding 2-week and 12-month periods. The results showed that 4% of the patients had used psychotropic drugs in the 2 weeks before the study and that 10% of them had used psychotropics in the preceding 12 months. The drugs used most frequently in the 12-month period were anxiolytics (around 40% of total use). The median age of the patients was 23 years old. Persons under the median had used psychotropics less in comparison with older persons (P < 0.01). A significant association (P < 0.05) was found between using drugs and being female, and also between the use of drugs and being a housekeeper or a housewife (P < 0.03). Patients with a regular relationship (married or living together) used more psychotropics than patients who were single, widowed, or divorced (P < 0.03). There was no association between the use of drugs and the level of education. Even though information on the use of psychotropics is important for dental diagnosis and planning, only 40% of the students said they noted this information in their patients' charts. That fact suggests that dental student education may be lacking in this regard and that dentistry training should take into consideration the issue of patients' use of drugs.

[Determination of the dispersion of microorganisms in the course of dental surgical activity]. / Verificação da dispersão de respingos durante o trabalho do cirurgião-dentista.

The professionals and patients involved in dental examinations are at risk for infection by various disease-causing bacteria, viruses, and fungi, such as those responsible for hepatitis, tuberculosis, herpes, and AIDS. It is known that aerosols and spatter containing pathogenic microorganisms can spread during an examination. Nevertheless, some dental clinics are designed to have multiple examination areas in the same room, with no physical barriers between them. The objective of this study was to verify the reach of spatter resulting from the use of a triple syringe and high-rotation turbine during five simulated exams in a collective clinic, bearing in mind that spatter can contain the patient's saliva and blood. To facilitate tracking of the spatter, aniline dye (pink, blue, yellow, green, and brown) was added to the water in the appropriate receptacle in each of the five units. The room, the equipment, and the patient's and operator's clothing were covered with white paper. A high concentration of spatter was observed on the chair, the operator, and the floor of each unit, and it also appeared on the chairs and trays of the surrounding units. The maximum distance reached by spatter was 1.82 m from a point on the chair corresponding to the position of the patient's mouth. During real simultaneous examinations, the surrounding chairs and their patients and operators, as well as the trays containing sterilized instruments, are within spatter range. Therefore, there is a real possibility of cross-infection, and physical barriers should be placed between the units. This study also confirmed the need for protection of the operator's face, body, hair, and arms, since these regions were heavily affected by spatter.