Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Detection of Leprosy in Micro-Regions with a High Risk of Illness in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Background: Leprosy control remains challenging in Brazil and has been aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective: To analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the epidemiological scenario of leprosy through the detection rate of new cases, the risk of illness, and the hidden prevalence of leprosy according to high-risk micro-region in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Methods: An ecological study conducted in the health micro-regions of Minas Gerais, using data on new leprosy cases diagnosed between 2015 and 2023.

Inhaled sedation with sevoflurane in a critically ill pediatric patient.

In pediatric intensive care units (PICU), achieving adequate sedation for patients can be a challenging task for healthcare staff. While the use of intravenous sedatives helps improve comfort and treatment tolerance, it is a priority to develop strategies to use in patients who are difficult to sedate. This case study presents the first reported use of inhaled sevoflurane in a patient admitted to a PICU who was unresponsive to conventional intravenous sedatives.

[More Doctors Program: characterizing the quality of primary care by the type of medical provision].

This study characterized the quality of primary care based on the responses of professionals and users, focusing on the type of physician - whether or not they were included in the More Doctors Program (PMM, acronym in Portuguese). A cross-sectional study was conducted applying the Quality and Strengthening of Primary Care Questionnaire to 149 physicians and 795 users in basic health units in Pernambuco State, Brazil, from February to November 2018. The present study used the concept of PMM provision which foresees the allocation of medical professionals to an areas of social vulnerability.

Telemedicine minimum viable product for post-exposure prophylaxis to biological material in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic brought new challenges for health services. The follow-up of cases of exposure to biological material is regulated by protocols of the Ministry of Health in Brazil. Telemedicine can be useful in maintaining appointments and reducing patient crowding.

Biomarkers of Frailty in Patients with Advanced Chronic Liver Disease Undergoing a Multifactorial Intervention Consisting of Home Exercise, Branched-Chain Amino Acids, and Probiotics.

Frailty in cirrhosis or advanced chronic liver disease (ACLD) is a relevant prognostic factor. In the present study, we aimed to analyze potential biomarkers associated with frailty and its improvement in patients with ACLD. We analyzed the serum of outpatients with ACLD who participated in a previous study (Román, Hepatol Commun 2024) in which frailty was assessed using the liver frailty index (LFI), and patients who were frail or prefrail were randomized to a multifactorial intervention (home exercise, branched-chain amino acids, and probiotics) or control for 12 months.