Primary care in supplementary health: assessment of costs in the care of older adult patients with heart diseases.

Objectives: to identify whether implementing a supplementary Primary Health Care (PHC) system makes it possible to reduce care costs for older adults with heart diseases.

Methods: a retrospective cohort of 223 patients with heart disease aged ≥ 60 years. Data were obtained from medical records and cost databases, assessed for a period of one year before and after PHC implementation.

A Cross-Sectional Study of Quality of Life Among Brazilian Adults With Type 1 Diabetes Treated With Insulin Glargine: Findings and Implications.

This article describes a cross-sectional study involving 401 adults with type 1 diabetes treated with insulin glargine in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Health-related quality of life was assessed, and worse scores were found to be associated with a low level of education, self-perceived health reported as poor/very poor, being bedridden and not physically exercised, having seen a doctor more than four times in the past year, and having reported comorbidities and episodes of hypoglycemia.

Functionality assessment in patients with rheumatic diseases undergoing treatment in the Public Health System.

Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic response (functionality) and its associated factors in patients on biological drugs on the Public Health System for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.

Methods: An open prospective cohort was carried out from 2011 to 2019, in Belo Horizonte (MG). Functionality was assessed using the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability-Index at baseline, and after 6 and 12 months of follow-up.

The increasing burden of pancreatic cancer in Brazil from 2000 to 2019: estimates from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.

Introduction: Pancreatic cancer is increasing worldwide. The burden of pancreatic cancer in Brazil and its states was analyzed and compared with that from the USA and China.

Methods: This is a descriptive study of the incidence and mortality estimates from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 study, from 2000 to 2019.

A demographic and clinical panorama of a sixteen-year cohort of soft tissue sarcoma patients in Brazil.

Little is known about soft tissue sarcomas (STS) in Brazil, once the federal statistics regarding estimates on incidence and mortality of the most common cancers that affect the Brazilian population currently do not include STS. This study aims to perform a broad evaluation and description of the epidemiological profile, access to treatment and main clinical outcomes of the Brazilian STS patient. A population-based cohort study of 66,825 patients who underwent procedures related to STS treatment registered in the Brazilian public health system (Sistema Único de Saúde, SUS) databases.

Health-Related Quality of Life in Psoriatic Arthritis: Findings and Implications.

Objectives: To assess the quality of life (QOL) and its associated factors in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) who would start treatment with biologic drugs at the Brazilian Unified Health System.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed at a single center pharmacy in Belo Horizonte, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. EQ-5D was used to assess the patients' QOL.

Influence of pharmaceutical services organization on the availability of essential medicines in a public health system.

To evaluate the influence of organizational structure and technical-management activities on the availability of essential medicines in the primary healthcare. Cross-sectional, exploratory and evaluative study. The availability was evaluated according to parameters established by the WHO.

FIRST LINE OF SUBCUTANEOUS ANTI-TNF THERAPY FOR RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: A PROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY.

: This study aims to evaluate and compare the use of subcutaneous anti-TNF for RA in a Brazilian real-life setting. : A prospective cohort of biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (bDMARD)-naïve patients treated with adalimumab, etanercept, golimumab, and certolizumab was developed. Medication persistence, disease activity by the Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI), functionality by the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), quality of life by the European Quality of Life 5 Dimensions (EQ-5D), and safety were evaluated at 6 and 12 months.

Sexual function and metabolic/hormonal changes in women using long-term hormonal and non-hormonal contraceptives: a pilot study.

Background: Female sexual dysfunction is a common condition that negatively impacts the emotional health and quality of life of the affected individuals. Long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) are becoming increasingly popular due to their effectiveness and convenience. LARCs can be hormonal (etonogestrel releasing implant-ENG and Levonorgestrel intrauterine system-LNG) or non-hormonal (copper intrauterine device-CuIUD and copper-silver intrauterine device-SIUD).

Cost-utility analysis of the anti-TNF therapy for rheumatoid arthritis in a real-world based model.

Background: Spending on drugs provided by the Brazilian Public Health System (BPHS) for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) increased substantially with the beginning of the supply of biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARD). This study aims to perform a cost-utility analysis of the most used biological drugs for the treatment of RA in Brazil.

Methods: a Markov model was used to carry out the cost-utility analysis.

Impact of biologic DMARDs on quality of life: 12-month results of a rheumatic diseases cohort using the Brazilian EQ-5D tariff.

Objectives: To evaluate the association between biological Disease-Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs (bDMARDs) use and quality of life (QoL) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

Patients And Methods: We evaluated adult patients prescribed biological DMARDs whose quality of life was evaluated at six and 12 months. The EuroQol 5 dimensions (EQ-5D) was used with the Brazilian tariff.

Access to high-cost medications for psoriatic arthritis in the National Health System in Brazil: the long path up to dispensation.

Background: Pharmaceutical Assistance (PA) is a dynamic and multidisciplinary process that aims to supply health systems, programs or services with quality medicines, enabling access and health care, in an efficient and timely manner. The objective of the study was to evaluate the profile of administrative processes for the treatment of PsA, identify the time elapsed in the flow of processes and its associated factors.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of medication requests for the treatment of PsA was carried out between November 2014 and December 2016.

The use of probiotics as a supplementary therapy in the treatment of patients with asthma: a pilot study and implications.

Objectives: Evaluate the use of probiotics as an additional therapy in the treatment of children and adolescents with asthma in Belo Horizonte, MG-Brazil.

Methods: A pilot longitudinal, experimental and nonrandomized study with 30 patients from six to 17 years old from Belo Horizonte. In the baseline appointment, all patients received beclomethasone, and one group also received a probiotic containing Lactobacillus reuteri (n=14).

Biological therapy in the treatment of psoriatic arthritis: economic and epidemiological considerations.

: Biological therapies have a significant economic and clinical burden but, in general, lose their effectiveness over time. This study evaluated the medication persistence and costs associated to use of anti-TNF agents for psoriatic arthritis (PsA) treatment. : A historical cohort composed of individuals in Brazil with PsA diagnosis was developed during the period between 2010 and 2015.

Evaluation of Cardiovascular Risk in Climacteric Women: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Purpose: To identify cardiovascular risk factors in women between 40 and 65 years old in two private clinic of gynecology in Minas Gerais.

Methods: Cross-sectional study from January/2016 to January/2017 in 137 climacteric women. A standardized questionnaire was used to evaluate socio-demographic characteristics, climacteric phases, cardiovascular risk factors, menopause (age, time and type), number of pregnancies, normal births, abortions, partners and hormonal therapy.

Effectiveness and safety of anti-TNF in psoriatic arthritis patients in Brazil: a post-incorporation analysis.

Aim: Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic disease that can result in disability and decreased quality of life.

Materials & Methods: A prospective cohort was conducted in Brazil. Disease activity was measured by the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) and Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI), functionality by the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI) and the quality of life by the EuroQol 5D (EQ-5D).

[Profile of spending on the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis for patients of the Unified Health System in the state of Minas Gerais - 2008-2013].

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic condition that affects about 1% of the adult population. In a historical cohort of Minas Gerais State, 11,573 RA patients registered in the Outpatient Information System (SIA) between 2008 and 2013 were identified. For this study we adopted the public funding body's perspective and the values were adjusted by the national inflation index (IPCA) of December 2015.

Quality of Life of Patients with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Using Insulin Analog Glargine Compared with NPH Insulin: A Systematic Review and Policy Implications.

Introduction: Insulin analog glargine (GLA) has been available as one of the therapeutic options for patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus to enhance glycemic control. Studies have shown that a decrease in the frequency of hypoglycemic episodes improves the quality of life (QoL) of diabetic patients. However, there are appreciable acquisition cost differences between different insulins.

Access to medicines by patients of the primary health care in the Brazilian Unified Health System.

Objective: To evaluate the access to medicines in primary health care of the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS), from the patients' perspective.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that used data from the Pesquisa Nacional sobre Acesso, Utilização e Promoção do Uso Racional de Medicamentos - Services, 2015 (PNAUM - National Survey on Access, Use and Promotion of Rational Use of Medicines), conducted by interviews with 8,591 patients in cities of the five regions of Brazil. Evaluation of access to medicines used concepts proposed by Penshansky and Thomas (1981), according to the dimensions: availability, accessibility, accommodation, acceptability, and affordability.

National Survey on Access, Use and Promotion of Rational Use of Medicines: methods.

The Pesquisa Nacional sobre Acesso, Utilização e Promoção do Uso Racional de Medicamentos -Serviços (PNAUM - National Survey on Access, Use and Promotion of Rational Use of Medicines - Services) aimed to characterize the organization of pharmaceutical services in the Primary Health Care of the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS). PNAUM - Services is a cross-sectional and evaluative study, with planned sample of 600 cities, held between 2014 and 2015, composed of a remote phase, with telephone interviews with health managers. Of these 600 cities, 300 were selected for a survey on health services.