The Multidimensional Cough Index: A Practical Scale to Measure Cough and Sputum.

Background: There currently is a lack of easy-to-use instruments with which to assess cough. The aim of the present study was to develop a scale for measuring the characteristics of cough and sputum.

Methods: The authors developed a scale for assessing cough, including aspects such as intensity, frequency, physical impact, psychosocial impacts and sputum characteristics.

Creatine supplementation attenuates corticosteroid-induced muscle wasting and impairment of exercise performance in rats.

The objective of the present study was to investigate whether creatine (Cr) could attenuate the deleterious effects of high doses of dexamethasone (Dexa) on body mass, exercise performance, and respiratory variables of rodents. Forty-four Wistar rats performed incremental maximal exercise tests. They were then assigned to four groups: G1: subcutaneous (s.

The use of the female condom by women in Brazil participating in HIV prevention education sessions.

Objectives: To study HIV-positive women and women at risk of becoming infected with HIV who attended HIV prevention education group sessions at a university hospital in Brazil and to compare the use of the female condom and the male condom by these two groups of women.

Methods: The study subjects were 165 women participating in HIV prevention education group sessions at the Medical School Hospital of Ribeirão Preto of the University of São Paulo, in the city of Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil. Women could be enrolled in the study from August 2000 to June 2001, and the follow-up observation time period was from August 2000 to July 2001.