The Impact of a Sustained Virologic Response to Hepatitis C Virus Treatment on Liver Stiffness in the Puerto Rico Veterans Attending Liver Clinics in the Veterans Affairs Caribbean Healthcare System.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of sustained virologic response (SVR) on liver stiffness, as measured by transient elastography (TE), in Hispanic patients treated with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) in the outpatient clinics in the Veterans Affairs Caribbean Healthcare System. METHODS: We included hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients treated with DAA regimens from 11/2017 through 06/2019. Patient demographics and variables such as body mass index, HCV genotype, and treatment regimen were collected. The patients had a TE measurement before treatment initiation, and a repeat study 6 to 9 months after the achievement of SVR. A comparison between pre and post-treatment TE scores was performed via a paired t test. RESULTS: Forty-three subjects met all the inclusion criteria and completed a posttreatment TE. Most of the subjects were infected with genotypes 1a or 1b. Six to 9 months post SVR, we measured liver stiffness and found a statistically significant reduction in TE score (P value = .0003). The pretreatment median TE score was 10.2 kPa. On a repeat TE study at 6 to 9 months post-treatment, our subjects had a median score of 7.2 kPa. CONCLUSION: The eradication of HCV infection with DAAs is associated with improved TE scores. Fibrosis-stage reduction was more frequent in those who had stage 4 fibrosis prior to treatment. These results suggest that achieving SVR may spare patients from future clinical decompensation and complications. Adequate screening of this potentially deadly chronic infection can lead to early therapy with DAAs and the significant regression of fibrosis in this kind of patient.

Ethical, pedagogical, socio-political and anthropological implications of quaternary prevention / Implicações éticas, pedagógicas, sócio-políticas e antropológicas da prevenção quaternária / Implicaciones éticas, pedagógicas, sociopolíticas y antropológicas de la prevención cuaternaria

The concept of quaternary prevention, resulting from a reflection on the doctor-patient relationship, is presented as a renewal of the age-old ethical requirement: first, a doctor must do no harm; second, the doctor must control himself/herself. The origin of the concept, its endorsement by the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA) and the European Union of General Practitioners (UEMO), its dissemination, and the debates to which it has given rise, are presented by a panel of authors from 10 countries. This collective text deals more specifically with: the bioethics of prevention, the importance of teaching Quaternary prevention and factual medicine, the social and political implications of the concept of quaternary prevention, and its anthropological dimensions.

Sobre la definición de salud / About the definition of health

Mucho se ha escrito sobre la definición de salud de la OMS que continúa siendo un patrón de referencia con sus aspectos positivos y negativos. El motivo de la presente reflexión, es que no hemos encontrado menciones o referencias al marco en que se publicó dicha definición que es el del Preámbulo de la Constitución de la OMS que consta de nueve principios. Es llamativo que no se haya hecho mención a los otros ocho. El primer principio, la definición que se hizo conocida, responde al paradigma del positivismo que buscaba una definición unívoca y objetiva de la salud, coincidiendo con el pensamiento que puede ser identificado con el Modelo Médico Hegemónico. Postulamos que una definición unívoca y objetiva es algo inalcanzable y que no se condice con la humanidad, los otros ocho principios introducen las dimensiones éticas, políticas y económicas que creemos la medicina debe recuperar. La Prevención Cuaternaria es un movimiento político y científico que reivindica la recuperación de esos aspectos en el ejercicio de la medicina por lo que hemos ensayado otras definiciones de salud de acuerdo a esta perspectiva. Esta nueva mirada sobre la medicina incluye la humanización, el contexto de incertidumbre, la falibilidad e incorpora los aspectos políticos, económicos y sociales que son parte inalienable de la medicina.

Much has been written about WHO's definition of health that continues to be a benchmark with its positive and negative aspects. The reason for the present reflection is that we have not found any references or references to the framework in which that definition was published, which is the Preamble to the WHO Constitution, which consists of nine principles. It is striking that no mention has been made of the other eight. The first principle, the definition that became known, responds to the paradigm of positivism that sought a univocal and objective definition of health, coinciding with the thinking that can be identified with the Hegemonic Medical Model.We postulate that a univocal and objective definition is something unattainable and does not conform to humanity, the other eight principles introduce the ethical, political and economic dimensions that we believe medicine must recover.The Quaternary Prevention is a political and scientific movement that claims the recovery of these aspects in the practice of medicine so we have tried other definitions of health according to this perspective. This new view on medicine includes humanization, the context of uncertainty, fallibility and incorporates the political, economic and social aspects that are an inalienable part of medicine.

Prevención Cuaternaria: Ética Médica, Evaluación y Eficiencia en los Sistemas de Salud / Quaternary Prevention: Medical Ethics, Evaluation and Efficiency in the Health Systems / Prevenção Quaternária: Ética Médica, Avaliação e Eficiência nos Sistemas de Saúde

La prevención Cuaternaria consiste en desarrollar cuidados de salud y de ejercer la medicina, priorizando los cuidados centrados en la persona. Su marco conceptual se sustenta en aspectos éticos y filosóficos centrales en el ejercicio de la medicina, en aspectos epistemológicos y de carácter social. Su objeto es proteger fundamentalmente a los pacientes, pero también a los integrantes del equipo de salud, de los excesos de la medicalización y de los excesos o prácticas innecesarias o dañinas. El presente artículo es el resultado de la síntesis de los documentos de trabajo, discusión y propuestas llevadas adelante por un amplio grupo de comprometidos profesionales de CIMF, con interés particular sobre la Prevención Cuaternaria. Los materiales se produjeron en forma colaborativa por medio de un largo y complejo proceso de trabajo a distancia, realizado durante los foros preparatorios de la VI Cumbre Iberoamericana de Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria. A estos materiales se sumaron los documentos de trabajo elaborados durante la misma cumbre en San José de Costa Rica, en el mes de abril de 2016. El cometido de este artículo es difundir el estado de desarrollo y de compromiso actual con este enfoque y el destacado impulso que ha tenido en Iberoamérica en los últimos cinco años. Por su relevancia, se pretende estimular una mayor difusión del concepto: la implementación de contenidos relacionados con él en la formación y en el nivel académico. A nivel político promover su consideración en la toma de decisión, en políticas de salud pública. Difundir a nivel poblacional y promover la elaboración de contenidos de calidad. Ofrecer pistas de reflexión y herramientas concretas para su aplicación.

Quaternary Prevention as main focus and practice, promotes changes in developing health care and practicing medicine, prioritizing the person centred care.Their conceptual framework is sustained on ethical and philosophical aspects essential to medicine practice, in epistemological aspects of social and others related to political nature. Its objective is to protect fundamentally the patients, but also the members of the health group from excessive medicalization and unnecessary and hurtful practices. The present article is the result of the synthesis of the work documents, discussion and proposals carried forward by a large group of committed professionals from CIMF, with particular interest in Quaternary Prevention. The materials were produced in collaboration through a complex long distance work process, done during preparatory forums of the VI Ibero-American Summit of Family And Community Medicine. The work documents made during the same summit in San José of Costa Rica, in April 2016 were added to this material. The purpose of this document is to spread the state of development and current commitment to this approach and the outstanding initiative that it has had in Ibero America in the last five years. Due to its relevance, the intention is to stimulate greater dissemination of the concept; the implementation of content related to at in the training and academic levels. At a political level, to promote its consideration on decision making and public health issues so as to broadcast to demographic levels and promote the making of quality content. Finally to offer reflection clues to consider and concrete application tools.

A Prevenção Quaternária consiste em desenvolver cuidados de saúde e exercer a medicina priorizando o cuidado centrado na pessoa. Seu arcabouço conceitual se sustenta em aspectos éticos e filosóficos fundamentais ao exercício da prática médica, também em aspectos epistemológicos e de caráter social. O seu objetivo é proteger os pacientes, mas também os membros da equipe de saúde, dos excessos da medicalização e das práticas excessivas ou desnecessárias ou prejudiciais. Este artigo é o resultado da síntese dos documentos de trabalho, discussão e propostas levada a cabo por um numeroso grupo de profissionais comprometidos com a CIMF, com particular interesse na Prevenção Quaternária. Os materiais foram produzidos de forma colaborativa através de um extenso e complexo processo de trabalho a distancia, realizado durante as reuniões preparatórias da VI Cúpula Ibero-Americana de Medicina de Família e Comunidade. A estes materiais se somaram os documentos de trabalho preparados durante a mesma cúpula em San Jose, Costa Rica, em abril de 2016. O objetivo deste artigo é o de difundir o estado de desenvolvimento e de compromisso atual com esta abordagem e o impulso notável que tem havido na Iberoamerica nos últimos cinco anos. Por sua relevância, pretende-se estimular uma maior difusão do conceito, bem como a implementação de conteúdos relacionados a ele na formação e em nível acadêmico; a nível político, promover sua consideração na tomada de decisões de políticas públicas de saúde; difundir a nível da população e promover o desenvolvimento de conteúdo de qualidade; oferecer pistas de reflexão e ferramentas práticas para sua implementação.

Because of Science You Also Die... Comment on "Quaternary Prevention, an Answer of Family Doctors to Over Medicalization".

The concept of quaternary prevention (P4) refers to the idea that medicine has acquired the ability to damage through the proper exercise. Family medicine or general practice has the duty of recovering the ethical values and the exercise of a profession with the doctor-patient relationship serving to people's humanity. In the fourth Congress of Family and Community Medicine, held in Montevideo (Uruguay) last March 18-21, 2015, it was established the Working Group P4 WONCA-CIMF with communication tools included as constitutive part of P4. It was also remarked that we should be wary of attempts to denature the P4, diminishing its ethic value and limiting it to a reason for cost control.

[Dabigatran etexilate use among older adults in a home-care system after hip or knee replacement surgery]. / Utilización de dabigatrán etexilato en postoperatorios traumatológicos de adultos mayores en un sistema de hospitalización a domicilio.

INTRODUCTION: Hip replacement surgery (HRS) and knee replacement surgery (KRS) require long-term deep venous thrombosis (DVT) prophylaxis. This study describes dabigatran etexilate (DE) use in post-surgical older adults who underwent HRS and KRS in a clinical practice setting in a home-care system. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective descriptive cohort study included elective HRS and KRS postsurgical older adults under home care receiving either DE (n=76) or enoxaparin (n=80). DE was indicated by using the same selection criteria and dosing as in the RE-MODEL and RE-NOVATE studies. The enoxaparin 40 mg/day patients were included as historic controls when they met the same selection criteria as DE patients. Symptomatic DVT, bleeding rate, re-admission rate and mortality during the 90-day postsurgical period were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean age of the DE group was 74 (5) years old, with 74% females. There were no significant differences in age, gender and type of replacement between the two groups. There were four DVT in each group (50% proximal), with no significant differences found between groups. There was one pulmonary thromboembolism in the DE group, and one major bleeding in the enoxaparin group. There were no deaths during the 90-day follow-up; however, two re-hospitalizations occurred in the DE group. The details on introducing DE use in our home-care system are also described. CONCLUSIONS: In appropriately selected older adults DE seems to be an effective choice for DVT prophylaxis in home-care in a clinical practice setting.

Acuidade visual de escolares em uma cidade do interior de Santa Catarina, 2003 / Visual acuity in students from in a Santa Catarina state country town

Objetivo: Conhecer a prevalência de baixa acuidade visual em escolares da primeira série do ensino fundamental da rede municipal, na zona urbana, de Correia Pinto, SC, Brasil, e posterior encaminhamento das crianças com baixa acuidade visual para atendimento com oftalmologista. Verificar a prevalência da baixa acuidade visual por sexo e faixa etária, a prevalência de baixa acuidade visual com presença de sintomas e com reprovação na escola. Método: Trata-se de um estudo transversal que visava a avaliar os 240 alunos matriculados em escolas municipais da cidade. Para o teste da acuidade visual, foi utilizada a Tabela de Snellen e foram preenchidos questionários com: sexo, idade e uso de óculos e presença de sintomas oftalmológicos. Resultados: Foi encontrada uma prevalência de 22,8% de baixa acuidade visual nos 162 alunos submetidos ao teste. Destes, 88 eram do sexo feminino (54,3%), 88 (54,3%) estavam com sete anos de idade, apenas 5 (3%) relataram uso de óculos. Os que tiveram acuidade visual igual ou menor a 0,7 foram encaminhados para consulta oftalmológica. Conclusão: A prevalência de baixa acuidade visual encontrada mostra que quase um quarto das crianças precisava de uma consulta oftalmológica. Apresenta-se aos órgãos públicos de saúde a necessidade de organizar uma proposta de avaliação da acuidade visual a ser realizada por professores orientados por profissionais capacitados da área da saúde, originando ações sistemáticas para a melhora na qualidade de vida das crianças do município (AU)

Objective: To find out the prevalence of low visual acuity in first grade students of the municipal school system in the urban area of the city of Correia Pinto ­ SC, Brazil and to direct the children with low visual acuity for treatment with an ophthalmologist. To verify the prevalence of low visual acuity by gender and age, and the prevalence of low visual acuity with symptoms and related to school failure. Method: A cross sectional study was carried out in order to evaluate the 240 students enrolled in the municipal school system. The Snellen Chart and questionnaires about gender, age, glasses wearing and ophthalmologic symptoms were used for the visual acuity testing. Results: It was found a prevalence of 22.8% of low visual acuity in the 162 students submitted to the test. 88 of them were female (54.3%), 88 (54.3%) were seven years old and only 5 (3%) reported glasses wearing. The ones that were found to have visual acuity of 0.7 or less were sent to an ophthalmologist. Conclusion: The prevalence of low visual acuity demonstrates that almost a quarter of the children needed ophthalmologic assistance. It suggests to the Public Healthcare System the need of implementing a visual acuity evaluation program to be executed by teachers guided by healthcare professionals, originating systematic actions in order to improve the life quality of the children in this city (AU)