The gender gap in academic anesthesiology and critical care medicine: a systematic review.

Purpose: Gender disparities in academia are a growing concern, impacting various disciplines, including health care. We aimed to investigate gender-based differences in academic performance, leadership roles, and academic distinction within anesthesiology and critical care medicine.

Source: We conducted electronic searches for relevant articles published in PubMed, CENTRAL, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, Education Resources Information Center, PsychINFO, and ProQuest from database inception until 23 June 2024.

Translation and Adaptation of the STOPP/START Criteria Version 3 for Potentially Inappropriate Prescribing in Older People to European Portuguese: A Study Protocol.

Introduction: As the global population ages, managing medication use in older adults becomes increasingly complex due to polypharmacy and the associated risks of adverse drug events. To improve the safety and appropriateness of medication use in the older population, tools like the Screening Tool of Older Persons' Prescriptions (STOPP) and Screening Tool to Alert doctors to Right Treatment (START) criteria have been developed. The availability of updated criteria is crucial to better support healthcare professionals in Portuguese-speaking regions.

Systematic review of motivational interventions to improve adherence to medication in patients with hypertension and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Antihypertensive medication non-adherence is an important cause of poor control in hypertension. The role of motivational interventions to increase antihypertensive medication adherence remains unclear.

Objective: To systematically review RCTs of motivational interventions for improving medication adherence in hypertension.

The workup process of vaccination in IBD patients needs a change-Insights from a multinational survey.

Background: Immunosuppressive medications play a crucial role in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) but increase susceptibility to infections, underlining the importance of vaccination. Nevertheless, vaccination rates are often low.

Aims: This study assessed the perspective of gastroenterologists (GEs) on vaccination of IBD patients.

Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of an Attitude about Euthanasia Scale in Portuguese Older Adults with Mixed Anxiety-Depressive Disorder.

On 25 May 2023, the Portuguese parliament approved the decriminalisation of euthanasia for incurable illnesses. As the experiences of other countries show us, it will be a matter of time before mental disorders are addressed. Studying the phenomenon, particularly in vulnerable groups, in advance is essential for proper law drafting.

Blood group is a long-term cardiovascular risk factor after carotid endarterectomy.

Background: ABO blood group system has been clinically related to an increased incidence of cardiovascular diseases. Preliminary data relating Rhesus (Rh) factor and these outcomes also have been published. Our aim was to analyse the impact of blood group on the short and long-term outcomes after carotid endarterectomy (CEA).

Attitudes of the Portuguese population towards advance directives: an online survey.

Background: Advance directives (ADs) were implemented in Portugal in 2012. Although more than a decade has passed since Law 25/2012 came into force, Portuguese people have very low levels of adherence. In this context, this study aimed to identify and analyse the attitudes of people aged 18 or older living in Portugal towards ADs and to determine the relationships between sociodemographic variables (gender/marital status/religion/level of education/residence/whether they were a health professional/whether they had already drawn up a living will) and people's attitudes towards ADs.

Communication strategies for adults in palliative care: the speech-language therapists' perspective.

Background: Communication disorders are a challenge that many patients in palliative care (PC) may encounter. This intervention area is emerging for the speech-language therapist (SLT), the professional who works in preventing, assessing, diagnosing, and treating human communication disorders. This study aims to identify and classify the communication strategies considered most important by SLTs for use in PC and evaluate whether there are any differences in perception regarding the importance of strategies between SLTs with and without PC experience.

Fatigue and Mental Illness Symptoms in Long COVID: Protocol for a Prospective Cohort Multicenter Observational Study.

Background: The aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect millions worldwide, resulting in persisting postvirus complaints and impacting peoples' quality of life. Long COVID, characterized by lingering symptoms like fatigue and mental illness, can extend beyond a few months, necessitating further research to understand its implications.

Objective: This study aims to quantify the degree of physical and psychological fatigue in patients following COVID-19 infection and examine its correlation with mental health disorders.

Children's outcomes in road traffic accidents: challenges for personal injury assessment.

Unlabelled: Children represent a specific group of road traffic accident (RTA) victims. Performing a personal injury assessment (PIA) on a child presents a significant challenge, especially when assessing permanent disabilities and needs. However, medico-legal recommendations for PIA in such cases are lacking.

Risk factors associated with post-intensive care syndrome in family members (PICS-F): A prospective observational study.

Background: The family members of intensive care unit (ICU) patients play a crucial role in modern ICUs. These individuals are predisposed to the development of post-intensive care syndrome in family members (PICS-F), a syndrome experienced by family members of ICU patients in response to critical illness and characterised by new or worsening psychological symptoms. This study sought to evaluate the levels of anxiety and depression exhibited by the family members of patients hospitalised in the ICU.

Equity matrix for kidney transplant allocation.

There is a general agreement that the distribution of kidneys for transplantation should balance utility criteria with justice. Moreover, a kidney allocation system must be based on transparent policies and seen as an ongoing process. This study aims to present an allocation system grounded on an equity matrix that balances the criteria of utility and justice.

'': a Portuguese focus group study of parents' experiences, needs and preferences in parenting support during prenatal and well-child care.

Objective: To explore the experiences, needs and preferences of a group of parents regarding the parenting support received during prenatal and well-child care in the Portuguese National Health Service.

Design And Setting: We undertook descriptive-interpretive qualitative research running multiple focus groups in Porto, Northern Portugal.

Participants, Data Collection And Analysis: Purposive sampling was used between April and November 2018.

Characterization of an obese population: a retrospective longitudinal study from real-world data in northern Portugal.

Background: Obesity is a serious and largely preventable global health problem. Obesity-related electronic health records can be a useful resource to identify and address obesity. The analysis of real-world data from T82-coded (International Classification of Primary Care coding, for obesity) primary care individuals can be an excellent national source of data on obesity's prevalence, characteristics, and impact on the National Health Service.

Machine learning models based on clinical indices and cardiotocographic features for discriminating asphyxia fetuses-Porto retrospective intrapartum study.

Introduction: Perinatal asphyxia is one of the most frequent causes of neonatal mortality, affecting approximately four million newborns worldwide each year and causing the death of one million individuals. One of the main reasons for these high incidences is the lack of consensual methods of early diagnosis for this pathology. Estimating risk-appropriate health care for mother and baby is essential for increasing the quality of the health care system.

Association of lifestyle and sociodemographic factors on multimorbidity: a cross-sectional study in Portugal.

Background: Lifestyle factors are widely recognized as modifiers and major risk factors for non-communicable diseases. Previous studies on the prevalence of multimorbidity in Portugal predict an unfavourable reality. The aim of the present study was to analyse 1) the prevalence of multimorbidity in Portugal and 2) the association of individuals' lifestyles and sociodemographic factors with multimorbidity.

Portuguese Family Physicians' Perceptions on Pain Management-A Qualitative Study Protocol.

Pain is an important cause of disability and constitutes the main reason people seek medical care, especially in general practice. Nevertheless, nearly half of adult Europeans with chronic pain receive inadequate pain treatment. Limited knowledge about pain among physicians is recognized as a key barrier to treatment.

Avatar and distance simulation as a learning tool - virtual simulation technology as a facilitator or barrier? A questionnaire-based study on behalf of Netzwerk Kindersimulation e.V.

Background: Virtual simulation modalities have been implemented widely since the onset of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pandemic restrictions in March 2020, as educators face persistent restrictions to face-to-face education of medical students and healthcare professionals.There is paucity of published data regarding the benefits and barriers of distance and avatar simulation training modalities.

Methods: Following a 2-day virtual pediatric simulation competition facilitated by Netzwerk Kindersimulation e.

Tailoring gut microbiota with a combination of Vitamin K and probiotics as a possible adjuvant in the treatment of rheumatic arthritis: a systematic review.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease of multifactorial etiology, characterized by a chronic inflammatory reaction of the joints, but can also affect other tissues. Some environmental factors can trigger an immune system response in genetically susceptible individuals, activating the disease. Lower diversity of gut microbiota, and dysbiosis, have been observed in RA patients.

The impact of early versus late initiation of renal replacement therapy in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury on mortality and clinical outcomes: a meta-analysis.

Background: Renal replacement therapy (RRT) is essential in the presence of life-threatening complications associated with acute kidney injury (AKI). In the absence of urgent indications, the optimal timing for RRT initiation is still under debate. This meta-analysis aims to compare the benefits between early and late RRT initiation strategies in critically ill patients with AKI.

Comprehensive geriatric assessment of older patients and associated factors of admission to Emergency Departments in pre-covid 19 Era - A Portuguese study.

Objectives: Identifying frequent users' (≥3admissions/year) associated factors in an emergency department (ED), using a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA), describing the characteristics of patients over 65 years of age.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed between August 2017 and June 2018 in an ED in Lisbon, Portugal. CGA was applied and completed with clinical records.

Number Needed to Quarantine and Proportion of Prevented Infectious Days by Quarantine: Evaluating the Effectiveness of COVID-19 Contact Tracing.

Objectives: Information on the effectiveness of COVID-19 contact tracing is lacking. We proposed 2 measures for evaluating the effectiveness of contact tracing and applied them in a public health unit in northern Portugal.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included the contacts of people with COVID-19 diagnosed July 1-September 15, 2020.

Kidney allocation rules simulator.

The greatest challenge of any kidney transplant program lies in finding enough organ donors (in number and quality) for all waitlisted transplant candidates. Unfortunately, we must resign ourselves to a manifestly insufficient supply of organs for the current demand. Furthermore we must be able to predict kidney transplant success at organ allocation if we want to minimize the number of patients who return to an already overcrowded waiting list for transplantation.