Reliability and internal consistency of questionnaire for evaluating weight cycling in Southern Brazil.

Aims And Objectives: To determine the reliability and internal consistency of a questionnaire that was designed to assess weight cycling.

Background: A large part of the obese population attempt to lose weight. Of those who had lost at least 10% of their initial weight, 33·5% regained weight.

[Glycemic control in type 2 diabetic patients in public and private healthcare service].

Objective: To compare the treatment of type 2 diabetic patients from a private clinic with those of a public health service.

Methods: It was designed a retrospective cohort study, including 80 patients attended at the Central Clinic of Universidade de Caxias do Sul (AMCE), which is related to the Single Health System, and 277 patients attended at a private clinic, whom consult between May 2001 and October 2007.

Results: Patients attended at AMCE showed a worse metabolic control, although only the values of A1c and total cholesterol have reached statistical significance.

[Factors associated to glycaemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes].

Objective: Evaluate the factors influencing blood glucose control of type 2 diabetic patients attended at a tertiary health care center.

Methods: A retrospective study by review of medical records of patients who attended the Diabetes Clinic at the University of Caxias do Sul was carried out. Patients were evaluated for glycaemic and metabolic control and divided according to glycated hemoglobin at the beginning and end of the period in question, in compensated and not compensated.

The use of psychoactive substances among medical students in southern Brazil.

The objective of our study was to investigate the patterns of use of psychoactive substances among students of a medical school in Southern Brazil and to explore a putative role of discrete behavioral and social variables in their drug use. This is a descriptive and transversal cut study. All regularly enrolled medical students at the University of Caxias do Sul were invited to participate in the study.

[Dermatological disease among HIV-infected patients with CD4-lymphocyte count].

Objective: To correlate the prevalence of dermatological diseases among HIV-infected patient with CD4-lymphocyte count.

Methods: A case series study was carried out in the region of Caxias do Sul, state of Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. Data was collected by reviewing the records of HIV-infected patients admitted to a public hospital (198 patients from March 1998 to June 2002) or seen at the university outpatient clinic (40 patients from March to June 2002).