Sun protection in children: a behavioural study.

Background: Incidence of skin cancer is increasing worldwide and UV exposure at a young age is an important risk factor.

Objectives: To compare sun exposure-related knowledge and behaviour among children during school and holiday periods.

Material & Methods: A cross-sectional study was undertaken at 12 Oporto public primary schools.

The effect of a test ordering software intervention on the prescription of unnecessary laboratory tests - a randomized controlled trial.

Background: The way software for electronic health records and laboratory tests ordering systems are designed may influence physicians' prescription. A randomised controlled trial was performed to measure the impact of a diagnostic and laboratory tests ordering system software modification.

Methods: Participants were family physicians working and prescribing diagnostic and laboratory tests.

Are General Physicians Prepared for Struggling Skin Cancer?-Cross-Sectional Study.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of general practitioners (GP) in selecting higher risk population for skin cancer screening. GP's training was organized to examine a specific high risk population consisting mainly of fisherman and farmers in a city of North of Portugal. Health care professionals of local health units training was performed by two dermatologists 2 months before the screening.

HIV disease burden, cost, and length of stay in Portuguese hospitals from 2000 to 2010: a cross-sectional study.

Background: The number of HIV-related hospitalizations has decreased worldwide in recent years owing to the availability of highly active antiretroviral therapy. However, the change in HIV-related hospitalizations in Portugal has not been studied. Using comprehensive hospital discharge data from mainland Portuguese hospitals, we examined trends in HIV-related inpatient admissions, length of stay (LOS), Elixhauser comorbidity measures, in-hospital mortality, and mean cost from 2000 to 2010.

Clinical predictors of colectomy in patients with ulcerative colitis: systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies.

Introduction: Colectomy is a major event that may significantly affect the outcome of ulcerative colitis (UC) in terms of both quality of life and mortality. This paper aims to identify clinical prognostic factors that may be significantly associated with this event.

Methods: PubMed, ISI Web of Knowledge and Scopus were searched to identify studies investigating the association between clinical factors in adult patients with UC and studied events.

[Hospital readmissions in Portugal over the last decade].

Introduction: Hospital readmissions are associated with increased healthcare expenses and with higher hospital fatality rates. We aim to characterize unplanned hospital readmissions occurred within 30 days after discharge, according to its Major Diagnosis Category, hospital type and location, and patients' demographic attributes. We also intend to estimate the hospital fatality rates associated to those readmissions, as well as to study the evolution of hospital readmissions rates in the last decade (2000-2008).

Clinical prognostic factors for disabling Crohn's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aim: To identify demographic and clinical factors associated with disabling Crohn's disease (CD).

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies, focusing on the factors that can predict the prognosis of different outcomes of CD was undertaken. PubMed, ISI Web of Knowledge and Scopus were searched to identify studies investigating the above mentioned factors in adult patients with CD.

Definition of a core set of quality indicators for the assessment of HIV/AIDS clinical care: a systematic review.

Background: Several organizations and individual authors have been proposing quality indicators for the assessment of clinical care in HIV/AIDS patients. Nevertheless, the definition of a consensual core set of indicators remains controversial and its practical use is largely limited. This study aims not only to identify and characterize these indicators through a systematic literature review but also to propose a parsimonious model based on those most used.

Promoting spontaneous adverse drug reaction reporting in hospitals using a hyperlink to the online reporting form: an ecological study in Portugal.

Background: Spontaneous adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting has been described as an efficient method to detect drug safety signals. However, under-reporting is a major issue undermining the effectiveness of spontaneous reports. Among hospitalized patients, ADRs are a particularly serious problem because these patients are often treated with more than one drug, and these drugs are often new and aggressive.

Clinical practice in Crohn's disease in bordering regions of two countries: different medical options, distinct surgical events.

Unlabelled: Contemplating the multifactorial nature of Crohn's disease (CD), the purpose of this study was to compare two neighbouring CD populations from different nations and examine how clinical characteristics of patients can influence therapeutic strategies and consequently different surgical events in routine clinical practice. Cross-sectional study based on data of an on-line registry of patients with CD in northern Portugal and Galicia. Of the 1238 patients, all with five or more years of disease, 568 (46%) were male and 670 (54%) female.

Ulcerative colitis in northern Portugal and Galicia in Spain.

Background: Clinical and therapeutic patterns of ulcerative colitis (UC) are variable in different world regions. The purpose of this study was to examine two close independent southern European UC populations from 2 bordering countries and observe how demographic and clinical characteristics of patients can influence the severity of UC.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted during a 15-month period (September 2005 to December 2006) based on data of 2 Web registries of UC patients.

Crohn's disease in a southern European country: Montreal classification and clinical activity.

Background: Given the heterogeneous nature of Crohn's disease (CD), our aim was to apply the Montreal Classification to a large cohort of Portuguese patients with CD in order to identify potential predictive regarding the need for medical and/or surgical treatment.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was used based on data from an on-line registry of patients with CD.

Results: Of the 1692 patients with 5 or more years of disease, 747 (44%) were male and 945 (56%) female.

Feasibility and cost-effectiveness of using magnification chromoendoscopy and pepsinogen serum levels for the follow-up of patients with atrophic chronic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia.

Background: The follow-up of patients with atrophic chronic gastritis or intestinal metaplasia may lead to early diagnosis of gastric cancer. However, to-date no cost-effective model has been proposed. Improved endoscopic examination using magnification chromoendoscopy together with non-invasive functional assessment with pepsinogen serum levels are accurate in the diagnosis of intestinal metaplasia (extension) and minute dysplastic lesions.

Validity of serum pepsinogen I/II ratio for the diagnosis of gastric epithelial dysplasia and intestinal metaplasia during the follow-up of patients at risk for intestinal-type gastric adenocarcinoma.

A cohort of individuals (n = 136) with lesions as severe as atrophic chronic gastritis (ACG) was cross-sectionally evaluated for the validity assessment of pepsinogen I (PGI) and pepsinogen II (PGII) serum levels for the diagnosis of intestinal metaplasia (IM) and gastric dysplasia. PGI/PGII ratio [median (range)] was 4 (0.5-7.

Magnification chromoendoscopy for the diagnosis of gastric intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia.

Background: The aim of this study was to define the reproducibility and accuracy of magnification chromoendoscopy for the diagnosis of lesions associated with gastric cancer (intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia).

Methods: A total of 136 patients with previously diagnosed lesions and 5 gastrectomy specimens were studied. Endoscopic examination was performed with a magnification endoscope after methylene blue (1%) spraying.