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- Giardia duodenalis and soil-transmitted helminths infections in children in São Tomé and Príncipe: do we think Giardia when addressing parasite control?Publication . Ferreira, F; Baptista-Fernandes, T; Oliveira, D; Freitas, PT, et al.Giardia duodenalis prevalence is commonly as high as soil-transmitted helminths (STH), nevertheless is not considered for large-scale chemotherapy through mass drug administration (MDA) due to its short incubation period and frequent reinfections, its control being associated to improving access to water and sanitation. A study enrolling 444 children attending preschools was conducted in May 2011 during a deworming campaign. Faecal samples were obtained and analysed through microscopy of wet mounting and after Kato-Katz and formol-ether concentration techniques. The majority of children were infected with at least one pathogenic parasite (86.7%, 385 of 444). Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura (56.3%, 250 of 444 and 52.5%, 233 of 444, respectively) were the most frequent parasites followed by G. duodenalis infecting 41.7% (185 of 444) of the children. The present work aimed at obtaining updated information concerning intestinal parasite infections in children attending preschools in São Tomé and Príncipe and to contribute for the adequate management of the enteric infections.
- Transient and persistent acute kidney injury in acute liver failurePublication . Coelho, S; Fonseca, JN; Gameiro, J, et al.BACKGROUND: Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) is a very frequent complication in the Acute Liver Failure (ALF) population associated with negative outcomes. We aim to evaluate the impact of AKI duration on the outcomes of an ALF population. METHODS: A 20-year retrospective analysis of ALF patients admitted to an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) was performed. Chronic liver failure, chronic kidney disease on renal replacement therapy, dialysis requirement within the week prior or an ICU stay of less than 48 h after AKI diagnosis, were exclusion criteria. AKI was defined according to the KDIGO criteria and classified into transient (< 48 h duration) or persistent (48 h duration). RESULTS: A total of 51 patients were included in the analysis and most had AKI (66.7%). Persistent AKI patients (70.6%) presented more frequently with AKI at admission and a higher SOFA score than transient AKI and no AKI, p < 0.05. More severe AKI, sepsis, vasopressor support and mechanical ventilation were also more common (p < 0.05). Nineteen (55.9%) were classified as persistent AKI exclusively by serum creatinine and 15 (44.1%) by both serum creatinine and urine output criteria. Mean survival time at 30 days was 11.3 days for persistent AKI, 25.3 days for transient AKI and 27.0 days for no AKI, p = 0.01. Adjusted multivariate cox regression analysis showed that persistent AKI predicted in-hospital mortality but it lost significance when AKI severity was introduced in the model. CONCLUSION: Persistent AKI was common in ALF patients and associated with more severe AKI, worst systemic complications and a higher 30-day mortality, compared to transient and no AKI patients.
- Can We Really Discuss About RRT Starting Time Before We Have a Recovery Biomarker?Publication . Coelho, S; Lopes, JA
- Renal regeneration after acute kidney injury.Publication . Coelho, S; Cabral, G; Lopes, J; Jacinto, AAcute kidney injury is common and associated with negative renal and patient outcomes. The human kidney has a real but limited regeneration capacity. Understanding renal regeneration may allow us to manipulate this process and thus develop therapeutic weapons to improve patients' outcome. In the first part of this paper we discuss the clinical factors associated with renal recovery: baseline patient particularities, acute kidney injury characteristics and the medical approach taken in the short and long-term. In the second part, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying renal regeneration are explored. The immune system seems to have an important role, first promoting inflammation and then tissue healing. Other players, such as cellular senescence, mitochondrial dysfunction, renal haemodynamics and metabolic reprogramming also have a role in renal regeneration. We aim to develop a short review of renal regeneration, offering a holistic view of this process.
- Imaging Screening of Catastrophic Neurological Events Using a Software Tool: Preliminary ResultsPublication . Fernandes, AP; Gomes, A; Veiga, J; Ermida, D; Vardasca, TBACKGROUND: In Portugal, as in most countries, the most frequent organ donors are brain-dead donors. To answer the increasing need for transplants, donation programs have been implemented. The goal is to recognize virtually all the possible and potential brain-dead donors admitted to hospitals. The aim of this work was to describe preliminary results of a software application designed to identify devastating neurological injury victims who may progress to brain death and can be possible organ donors. METHODS: This was an observational, longitudinal study with retrospective data collection. The software application is an automatic algorithm based on natural language processing for selected keywords/expressions present in the cranio-encephalic computerized tomography (CE CT) scan reports to identify catastrophic neurological situations, with e-mail notification to the Transplant Coordinator (TC). The first 7 months of this application were analyzed and compared with the standard clinical evaluation methodology. RESULTS: The imaging identification tool showed a sensitivity of 77% and a specificity of 66%; predictive positive value (PPV) was 0.8 and predictive negative value (PNV) was 0.7 for the identification of catastrophic neurological events. CONCLUSION: The methodology proposed in this work seems promising in improving the screening efficiency of critical neurological events.
- Is Manchester (MTS) more than a triage system? A study of its association with mortality and admission to a large Portuguese hospital.Publication . Martins, H; Cunha, L; Freitas, PTBACKGROUND: The Manchester Triage System (MTS) is a 5-point triage scale used to triage patients presenting to the emergency department. It was introduced in the UK in 1996 and is now widespread, especially in Europe, and has been in use in our hospital since 2000 via a computerised protocol. A study was undertaken to determine whether the subgroups created by the application of MTS have different propensities for indirect triage outcomes such as death in the A&E department or being admitted to hospital. METHODS: A database of 321 539 patients triaged during a 30-month period (from January 2005 to June 2007) was used. MTS codes, death outcomes, admission and admission route were used to estimate the proportions and association between MTS codes and the remaining variables by chi(2) univariate analysis. RESULTS: There was a clear association between the priority group and short-term mortality as well as with the proportion of patients admitted to hospital. CONCLUSIONS: The MTS provides information that extends beyond its immediate usefulness as a prioritisation mechanism. It is a powerful tool for distinguishing between patients with high and low unadjusted risk of short-term death as well as those who will stay in hospital for at least 24 h and those who will return home. Its discriminatory power is not equal for medical and surgical specialities, which may be linked to the nature of its inbuilt discriminators.