Sex Differences in Patients with Stroke: A Hospital-Based Multicenter Prospective Study in Brazil.

Introduction: Stroke in Brazil disproportionately affects women, despite men having higher age-adjusted incidence and mortality rates. Women's longer lifespan contributes to their increased stroke burden, particularly among older individuals.

Objective: This study examines sex disparities in stroke epidemiology and treatment in Fortaleza, Brazil, addressing the lack of sex-specific stroke data.

Mobile application-based oximetry: a potential toolfor appropriate referral of patients with respiratory symptoms examined via telemedicine.

Objective: To calculate the positive likelihood ratio to determine whether telemedicine is able to optimize referral to the emergency department.

Methods: Unicenter study with 182 consecutive patients admitted to Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein due to respiratory symptoms. All patients were submitted to oxygen saturation measurement using the standard method Welch Allyn finger device vital sign monitor and a 2-minute evaluation (Binah.

Retinal exams requested at Primary Care Unit: indications, results and alternative strategies of evaluation.

Objective: To evaluate indications, results and strategy of retinal exams requested at Primary Care Units.

Methods: A retrospective study that analyzed the indications and results of retinal exams, in the modalities clinical dilated fundus exams and color fundus photographs. In the following situations, patients were considered eligible for color fundus photographs if visual acuity was normal and ocular symptoms were absent: diabetes mellitus and/or hypertension, in use of drugs with potential retinal toxicity, diagnosis or suspicion of glaucoma, stable and asymptomatic retinopathies, except myopia greater than -3.

Qualitative assessment of online information about age-related macular degeneration available in Portuguese.

Objective: To evaluate the quality of online information on age-related macular degeneration available in Portuguese.

Methods: The search term "age-related macular degeneration" was used to browse the web using four different search engines. The first 40 websites appearing on match lists provided by each search engine were recorded and those listed in at least three tab pages selected.

Structural and functional analyses of the optic nerve and lateral geniculate nucleus in glaucoma.

Purpose: To analyze the correlation between structural characteristics of intraorbital optic nerve (ION) and lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) measured by 3-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (3T MRI), and the severity of glaucomatous damage.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 41 glaucoma patients and 12 age- and sex-matched controls underwent standard automated perimetry (SAP) and frequency doubling technology (FDT) as functional evaluation; optic disc stereophotograph, spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) and confocal scanning laser tomography as ocular structural evaluation; and 3T MRI. Structure-structure and structure-function correlation were performed using bootstrap resampling method for clustered data.

Vision status, ophthalmic assessment, and quality of life in the very old.

Purpose: To determine the vision status, ophthalmic findings, and quality of life among the very elderly.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional observational study of individuals aged 80 years and above. A comprehensive ophthalmic exam was performed with mea surement of both the presenting (PVA) and best-corrected visual acuity.

Psychophysical Measurements of Luminance Contrast Sensitivity and Color Discrimination with Transparent and Blue-Light Filter Intraocular Lenses.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to measure luminance contrast sensitivity and color vision thresholdfs in normal subjects using a blue light filter lens and transparent intraocular lens material.

Methods: Monocular luminance grating contrast sensitivity was measured with Psycho for Windows (version 2.36; Cambridge Research Systems) at 3.

Retinal diseases in a reference center from a Western Amazon capital city.

Objective: To describe retinal diseases found in patients who were waiting for treatment at a tertiary care hospital in Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil.

Methods: Patients underwent slit lamp biomicroscopy, dilated fundus exam and ocular ultrasound. Patients were classified according to phakic status and retinal disease of the most severely affected eye.

Georeferencing deaths from stroke in São Paulo: an intra-city stroke belt?

Background: The role of socioeconomic status in the worldwide stroke burden has been studied with various methods using vital statistics and research-generated data.

Aim: The objective of our study was to describe the stroke mortality rates and the stroke mortality distribution, and to evaluate the association between stroke mortality rates and geographical distribution with the human development index in São Paulo, Brazil.

Methods: This ecological study evaluated a historical series of stroke mortality in São Paulo, Brazil, from 2004 to 2010.

Association between participation and compliance with Continuing Medical Education and care production by physicians: a cross-sectional study.

Objective: Physician participation in Continuing Medical Education programs may be influenced by a number of factors. To evaluate the factors associated with compliance with the Continuing Medical Education requirements at a private hospital, we investigated whether physicians' activity, measured by volumes of admissions and procedures, was associated with obtaining 40 Continuing Medical Education credits (40 hours of activities) in a 12-month cycle.

Methods: In an exclusive and non-mandatory Continuing Medical Education program, we collected physicians' numbers of hospital admissions and numbers of surgical procedures performed.

Advanced units: quality measures in urgency and emergency care.

Objective: To evaluate, through care indicators, the quality of services rendered to patients considered urgency and emergency cases at an advanced emergency care unit.

Methods: We analyzed data from managerial reports of 64,891 medical visits performed in the Emergency Care Unit of the Ibirapuera Unit at Care during the period from June 1st, 2012 through May 31st, 2013. The proposed indicators for the assessment of care were rate of death in the emergency care unit; average length of stay of patients in the unit; rate of unplanned return visits; admission rate for patients screened as level 1 according to the Emergency Severity Index; rate of non-finalized medical consultations; rate of complaints; and door-to-electrocardiogram time.

Effect of implementing an acute myocardial infarction guideline on quality indicators.

Objective: To evaluate the compliance rates to quality of care indicators along the implementation of an acute myocardial infarction clinical practice guideline.

Methods: A clinical guideline for acute myocardial infarction was introduced on March 1st, 2005. Patients admitted for acute myocardial infarction from March 1st, 2005 to December 31st, 2012 (n=1,431) were compared to patients admitted for acute myocardial infarction before the implementation of the protocol (n=306).

Spine surgery cost reduction at a specialized treatment center.

Objective: To compare the estimated cost of treatment of spinal disorders to those of this treatment in a specialized center.

Methods: An evaluation of average treatment costs of 399 patients referred by a Health Insurance Company for evaluation and treatment at the Spine Treatment Reference Center of Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein. All patients presented with an indication for surgical treatment before being referred for assessment.

Real-time PCR in infectious uveitis as an alternative diagnosis.

Purpose: Uveitis is a major visual impairment disease affecting parts or the entire uveal tract and occasionally the sclera, the cornea or the optic nerve. The disease is a major cause of ocular morbidity and blindness in immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients. In this work we analyzed the sensitivity and specificity of real-time PCR to detect the etiological agent from blood, plasma, vitreous and aqueous humor and compared with the diagnostic hypothesis.

Stroke epidemiology, patterns of management, and outcomes in Fortaleza, Brazil: a hospital-based multicenter prospective study.

Background And Purpose: Little information exists on the epidemiology and patterns of treatment of patients admitted to Brazilian hospitals with stroke. Our objective was to describe the frequency of risk factors, patterns of management, and outcome of patients admitted with stroke in Fortaleza, the fifth largest city in Brazil.

Methods: Data were prospectively collected from consecutive patients admitted to 19 hospitals in Fortaleza with a diagnosis of stroke or transient ischemic attack from June 2009 to October 2010.

The potential neuroprotective effects of weekly treatment with glatiramer acetate in diabetic patients after panretinal photocoagulation.

Purpose: Evaluation of the neuroprotective effect of weekly glatiramer acetate (GA) on retinal structure and function in diabetic patients who underwent panretinal photocoagulation (PRP).

Patients And Methods: patients with severe nonproliferative or early diabetic proliferative retinopathy and no previous laser treatment were randomly divided into two groups: (1) those who received four GA treatments and (2) those who received placebo treatment. The subcutaneous injections were administered 1 week prior to laser and weekly in the subsequent three sessions of PRP in both groups.

Hyperemia reduction after administration of a fixed combination of bimatoprost and timolol maleate to patients on prostaglandin or prostamide monotherapy.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the change in hyperemia and intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients who switch from prostaglandin or prostamide to a fixed combination of prostamide and timolol maleate.

Design: A multicenter, longitudinal, noncontrolled, nonrandomized open trial was conducted.

Participants: One hundred forty-four patients (282 eyes) were selected: 60 (41.