Adiponectin and Stnfr2 peripheral levels are associated with cardiovascular risk in patients with schizophrenia.

Objectives: To investigate the association between cytokine peripheral levels and the risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with schizophrenia and controls.

Methods: A sample of 40 patients and 40 control subjects participated in the study. Psychiatric diagnosis was established following structured clinical assessment.

Cannabinoid receptor gene polymorphisms and cognitive performance in patients with schizophrenia and controls.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that genetic variations of cannabinoid receptors contribute to the pathophysiology of cognitive deficits in schizophrenia.

Methods: In this genetic association case-control study, cannabinoid receptor polymorphisms CNR1 rs12720071 and CNR2 rs2229579 were tested for association with neurocognitive performance in 69 patients with schizophrenia and 45 healthy controls. Neurocognition was assessed by the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS).

Family burden in schizophrenia: the influence of age of onset and negative symptoms.

Objectives: To investigate the determinants of family burden in a sample of patients with schizophrenia and their caregivers.

Methods: Thirty-one stable patients with schizophrenia and their main caregivers were recruited. Sociodemographic variables were assessed in a semi-structured interview, and positive and negative symptoms were assessed with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS).

Functional capacity: a new framework for the assessment of everyday functioning in schizophrenia.

Historically, measures of everyday functioning have focused exclusively on real-world performance. Despite the unquestionable value of "real-world functioning", it has become clear that instruments for its assessment might not be as accurate as desirable. Functional capacity is a domain of everyday functioning that can be assessed through performance-based measures.

UCSD Performance-Based Skills Assessment (UPSA): validation of a Brazilian version in patients with schizophrenia.

The UCSD Performance-based Skills Assessment (UPSA) is a measure of Functional Capacity and assesses skills involved in community tasks. It has good psychometrics properties, and is currently recommended as a co-primary assessment of cognition in the MATRICS Project. To our knowledge so far, there are no studies in western developing countries concerning Functional Capacity in Schizophrenia.

Management of Fournier's gangrene: experience of a university hospital of Curitiba.

Objective: To analyze the results obtained in the Department of General Surgery, Cajuru University Hospital-PUCPR, with the treatment of Fournier's gangrene.

Methods: We reviewed the charts of 40 patients diagnosed with Fournier's gangrene admitted to the Cajuru University Hospital from November 1999 to April 2006, analyzing gender, age, predisposing factors, etiology, lesion location, laboratory tests, surgical procedures, antibiotic use and hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Results: The most common etiology was the anorectal origin.

Thyroid autoimmunity in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus: prevalence and risk factors.

Unlabelled: Studies show great variation in prevalence of anti-thyroid antibodies in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1). There still is no consensus regarding screening of autoimmune thyroiditis in patients with DM1, especially in asymptomatic patients.

Aim: To investigate the natural history and prevalence of autoimmune thyroiditis in pediatric patients with DM1 and relate it to potential risk factors.