Symptoms of anxiety and depression in patients with persistent asthma: a cross-sectional analysis of the INSPIRERS studies.

Objectives: Anxiety and depression are relevant comorbidities in asthma, but, in Portugal and Spain, data on this topic are scarce. We assessed, in patients with asthma, the frequency of anxiety and depression using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the European Quality of Life Five Dimension Questionnaire (EQ-5D); the level of agreement between these questionnaires, and the factors associated with these symptoms.

Methods: This is a secondary analysis of the INSPIRERS studies.

Determinants of the Use of Health and Fitness Mobile Apps by Patients With Asthma: Secondary Analysis of Observational Studies.

Background: Health and fitness apps have potential benefits to improve self-management and disease control among patients with asthma. However, inconsistent use rates have been reported across studies, regions, and health systems. A better understanding of the characteristics of users and nonusers is critical to design solutions that are effectively integrated in patients' daily lives, and to ensure that these equitably reach out to different groups of patients, thus improving rather than entrenching health inequities.

Effects of lidocaine and magnesium sulfate in attenuating hemodynamic response to tracheal intubation: single-center, prospective, double-blind, randomized study.

Background And Objectives: Hemodynamic response to airway stimuli is a common phenomenon and its management is important to reduce the systemic repercussions. The objective of this study is to compare the efficacy of intravenous magnesium sulfate versus lidocaine on this reflex hemodynamics after laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation.

Methods: This single-center, prospective, double-blind, randomized study evaluated 56 patients ASA 1 or 2, aged 18-65 years, scheduled for elective surgeries under general anesthesia with intubation.

[Effects of lidocaine and magnesium sulfate in attenuating hemodynamic response to tracheal intubation: single-center, prospective, double-blind, randomized study].

Background And Objectives: Hemodynamic response to airway stimuli is a common phenomenon and its management is important to reduce the systemic repercussions. The objective of this study is to compare the efficacy of intravenous magnesium sulfate versus lidocaine on this reflex hemodynamics after laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation.

Methods: This single-center, prospective, double-blind, randomized study evaluated 56 patients ASA 1 or 2, aged 18 to 65 years, scheduled for elective surgeries under general anesthesia with intubation.

[Economic impact of Alzheimer's Disease in Brazil: is it possible to improve care and minimize costs?].

The scope of this study is to discuss data relating to the costs involved with Alzheimer's Disease and the initiatives in terms of care in order to reduce costs and help family members and caregivers to cope with the disease. The biggest cost for people with mild Alzheimer's Disease is the cost of time spent by the unremunerated caregiver, and for those at the advanced stages of the disease it is the cost of institutional care. In this respect, the literature proposes the adoption of models of care that maximize the functional independence of the elderly and maintain their skills, such as Day Care Centers for the Elderly and rehabilitation programs and support offered to the elderly and their family members.

Prognostic value of unrelated atypical serum immunofixation patterns during multiple myeloma therapy.

Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is the gold standard therapy for suitable multiple myeloma (MM) patients after induction with high dose therapy. To date, the evidence of a reliable marker of prognosis in these cases remains scarce. Our aim was to evaluate appearance of unrelated atypical serum immunofixation patterns (ASIPs) as a marker of prognosis in MM patients submitted to ASCT.

[Outsourcing in long-term care: a risk management approach].

This article seeks to investigate outsourcing decisions in supply chain management of healthcare organizations, namely the motives and constraints behind the decision, the selection criteria for activities to be outsourced to third parties, the type of possible agreements, and the impact of this decision on the organization per se. A case study of the start-up phase of a Long-term Care unit with an innovative approach and high levels of customization was conducted to understand the outsourcing process in a start-up context (not in the standard context of organizational change) and a risk evaluation matrix was created for outsourcing activities in order to define and implement a performance monitoring process. This study seeks to understand how to evaluate and assess the risks of an outsourcing strategy and proposes a monitoring model using risk management tools.

Morbid obesity and inflammation: a prospective study after adjustable gastric banding surgery.

Background: Inflammatory status underlying obesity seems to be implicated in several aspects of metabolic syndrome.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the association between weight loss achieved by laparoscopic gastric banding (LAGB) surgery, chronic inflammatory markers, and nutritional state.

Methods: Thirty-two morbid obese females were enrolled in the study and evaluated at baseline, 1 and 18 months after LAGB surgery.

[The role of adipose tissue and macrophages in chronic inflammation associated with obesity: clinical implications].

In the last decades, life style modifications particularly those related to food patterns and food choices, gave risen to a worldwide pandemic disease with no precedent in Human History: obesity. Energy storing and free fatty acids production were the only adipose tissue functions. However, it has been well established other adipose tissue functions like low grade pro-inflammatory molecules production (cytokines, adipokines and chemotactic factors) evolved in obese inflammatory condition.