Results of a randomized controlled trial to assess the effects of a mobile SMS-based intervention on treatment adherence in HIV/AIDS-infected Brazilian women and impressions and satisfaction with respect to incoming messages.

Objective: To assess whether a warning system based on mobile SMS messages increases the adherence of HIV-infected Brazilian women to antiretroviral drug-based treatment regimens and their impressions and satisfaction with respect to incoming messages.

Design: A randomized controlled trial was conducted from May 2009 to April 2010 with HIV-infected Brazilian women. All participants (n=21) had a monthly multidisciplinary attendance; each participant was followed over a 4-month period, when adherence measures were obtained.

Naproxen as prophylaxis against atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery: the NAFARM randomized trial.

Purpose: We sought to assess the effect of naproxen versus placebo on prevention of atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.

Methods: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-center trial of 161 consecutive patients undergoing CABG surgery, patients received naproxen 275 mg every 12 hours or placebo at the same dosage and interval over 120 hours immediately after CABG surgery. The primary outcome was the occurrence of atrial fibrillation in the first 5 postoperative days.

Transcranial Doppler in adult patients with sickle cell disease.

Background: Transcranial Doppler (TCD) is the key test in determining the need for prophylactic blood transfusion to prevent stroke in children with sickle cell disease (SCD). The role of TCD in assessing stroke risk in adults with SCD as well as the pattern of TCD velocities in these patients are still undetermined.

Methods: The authors compared TCD velocities in SCD adults (n=56) with those of healthy controls (n=56).

Estimating the length of the first antiretroviral therapy regiment durability in São Paulo, Brazil.

Brazil was the first country to provide unrestricted, cost-free access to antiretroviral (ARV) medicine for AIDS treatment. However, there is little data about the benefits of such a policy for these patients. We evaluated the duration of benefit obtained with the introduction of ARVs, defined as the durability of the first ARV regiment.