Impact of Donor Age on Long-Term Outcomes in Simultaneous Pancreas-Kidney Transplantation.

Background: Simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation (SPKT) is the treatment of choice for type 1 diabetes patients with end-stage renal disease. Donor characteristics are determinants of graft and patient survival. We aimed to study the impact of donor age on outcomes in SPKT.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Prescribing of Antiasthmatic Treatments in Portugal: A Nationwide Study.

Purpose: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a profound impact on everyday life, the environment, and health care services. A shift from in-person medical appointments to telemedicine was a main adjustment. Such changes can have repercussions on the control and management of chronic respiratory diseases, such as asthma.

Adaptation and Validation of Portuguese Version of Olfactory Disorders Questionnaire (PT-ODQ).

Introduction Olfactory dysfunction (OD) is often a devaluated sensorial affection. The objective evaluation of this dysfunction doesn't evaluate its compromise in patients' daily life. Therefore, the use of a Portuguese-validated tool is of uttermost importance to objectively scale the pathology presented by these patients.

Unravelling the drivers behind COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy and refusal among teachers: A nationwide study.

This study aims to assess the determinants of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination hesitancy and refusal (VHR) among teachers, from pre-school to higher education, through an online survey. A logistic regression analysis was used to determine the adjusted odds ratio (OR) of the independent variables (perceptions, knowledge, and attitudes) per 1-point increase in the Likert scale, and VHR. Concerns about the vaccines' efficacy and safety increase the risk of VHR (OR = 6.

Why Donors Do Not Donate: A Living Donation Program Experience.

Background: A living donor (LD) kidney transplant is the best therapeutic option for end-stage kidney disease. Potential donors must undergo multiple analyses and the rates of live donation can be as low as 8% to 18%. Here, we report on the live kidney donor program in our unit with emphasis on the reasons why potential donors do not proceed to donation.

What determines health professionals' COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy? A nationwide study.

Introduction: To contain the COVID-19 pandemic, higher vaccination rates are essential. However, as vaccine hesitancy is a reality, it is important to understand what drives health professionals to refuse getting vaccinated against COVID-19, who have been in the frontline of this pandemic since its beginning and may be key actors to improve vaccine coverage among their patients.

Purpose: This study aims to assess the factors associated with vaccine hesitancy (VH) among health professionals (physicians, nurses, pharmacists and dentists).

The Role of ROS as a Double-Edged Sword in (In)Fertility: The Impact of Cancer Treatment.

Tumor cells are highly resistant to oxidative stress resulting from the imbalance between high reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and insufficient antioxidant defenses. However, when intracellular levels of ROS rise beyond a certain threshold, largely above cancer cells' capacity to reduce it, they may ultimately lead to apoptosis or necrosis. This is, in fact, one of the molecular mechanisms of anticancer drugs, as most chemotherapeutic treatments alter redox homeostasis by further elevation of intracellular ROS levels or inhibition of antioxidant pathways.

Metabolomics as a tool for the early diagnosis and prognosis of diabetic kidney disease.

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is one of the most prevalent comorbidities of diabetes mellitus and the leading cause of the end-stage renal disease (ESRD). DKD results from chronic exposure to hyperglycemia, leading to progressive alterations in kidney structure and function. The early development of DKD is clinically silent and when albuminuria is detected the lesions are often at advanced stages, leading to rapid kidney function decline towards ESRD.

Perceptions, knowledge and attitudes about COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in older Portuguese adults.

Background: Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has become a public-health emergency of international concern. Most efforts to contain the spread and transmission of the virus rely on campaigns and interventions targeted to reduce Vaccine Hesitancy and Refusal (VHR).

Objective: this study aims to assess the major factors associated with VHR in the older population in Portugal.

Breast metastases of eccrine porocarcinoma.

Eccrine porocarcinoma is a rare skin adnexal malignant neoplasm that may arise from a pre-existing benign eccrine poroma or without a predisposing factor. It is a highly invasive neoplasm and has a strong metastatic potential. The most frequently affected organs are the lymph nodes and rarely solid organs such as the liver, lungs and breast.

A Case of Peritoneal Dialysis-Related Peritonitis Caused by .

Peritoneal dialysis (PD)-related peritonitis is a frequent complication. PD units should be aware of all possible pathogens and share their experience about prevention and optimal management. Uncommon bacteria, a special group with crescent incidence in PD practice, may require singular considerations.

Reduced Levels of Circulating Endothelial Cells and Endothelial Progenitor Cells in Patients with Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction.

Background: Endothelial dysfunction has been suggested as a potential mechanism contributing to the development and progression of heart failure (HF). Levels of circulating endothelial cells (CECs), endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), and hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) have been recognized as useful markers of vascular damage and endothelial repair in response to tissue injury.

Aims: To evaluate the circulating levels of EPCs, CECs, and HSPCs among patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).

Mitochondrial Pathophysiology on Chronic Kidney Disease.

In healthy kidneys, interstitial fibroblasts are responsible for the maintenance of renal architecture. Progressive interstitial fibrosis is thought to be a common pathway for chronic kidney diseases (CKD). Diabetes is one of the boosters of CKD.

Septic arthritis of the sternoclavicular joint in a patient with human immunodeficiency virus infection.

Septic arthritis is an unusual manifestation in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The sternoclavicular joint is rarely affected, although it should be considered in immunosuppressed patients and users of intravenous drugs. is the most common pathogen detected and should be covered by empiric antibiotic therapy.

Pleural effusion and multiple myeloma - more than meets the eye: A case report.

Multiple myeloma (MM) accounts for 1% of all cancers. It consists of malignant proliferation of plasma cells, which is often associated with hypersecretion of a monoclonal protein. Pleural effusion (PE) in MM is not an uncommon finding, comprising about 6-14% of patients with MM.

Lung cancer survival and sex-specific patterns in Portugal: A population-based analysis.

Introduction: In Portugal, lung cancer (LC) is the first cause of cancer-related death and of death and disability combined. This study aims to analyze the overall survival (OS) and relative survival (RS) of patients diagnosed with LC in 2009-2011 by socio-demographic and tumor characteristics, and analyze sex-specific patterns.

Methods: We estimated 5-year OS using the Kaplan-Meier method and 5-year net survival through the RS framework.

Prescription of anxiolytics, sedatives, hypnotics and antidepressants in outpatient, universal care during the COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal: a nationwide, interrupted time-series approach.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the population's mental health. However, its impact on the consumption of anxiolytics, sedatives, hypnotics and antidepressants remains to be evaluated. Hence, this article aims to assess the prescription trends of these drugs in Portugal, from January 2018 to March 2021, while critically examining whether the COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on these prescription trends or not.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Antibiotic Prescribing Trends in Outpatient Care: A Nationwide, Quasi-Experimental Approach.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread globally and is currently having a damaging impact on nearly all countries in the world. The implementation of stringent measures to stop COVID-19 dissemination had an influence on healthcare services and associated procedures, possibly causing antibiotic consumption fluctuations. This paper aims to evaluate the immediate and long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on antibiotic prescribing trends in outpatient care of the Portuguese public health sector, including in primary healthcare centers and hospitals, as well as on specific antibiotic groups known to be closely associated with increased resistance.

European Guidelines on Perinatal Care - Oxytocin for induction and augmentation of labor[Formula: see text].

OF RECOMMENDATIONS1. Oxytocin for induction or augmentation of labor should not be started when there is a previous scar (such as previous classical cesarean section, uterine perforation or myomectomy when uterine cavity is reached) or in any other condition where labor or vaginal delivery are contraindicated. (; ).

Long-term efficacy and safety of eslicarbazepine acetate monotherapy for adults with newly diagnosed focal epilepsy: An open-label extension study.

Objective: To assess the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of eslicarbazepine acetate (ESL) monotherapy during long-term treatment.

Methods: An open-label extension (OLE) study was conducted in adults completing a phase 3, randomized, double-blind, noninferiority trial, during which they had received monotherapy with either once-daily ESL or twice-daily controlled-release carbamazepine (CBZ-CR) for newly diagnosed focal epilepsy. In the OLE study, all patients received ESL (800-1600 mg/d) for 2 years.

Glycans as Immune Checkpoints: Removal of Branched N-glycans Enhances Immune Recognition Preventing Cancer Progression.

Tumor growth is accompanied with dramatic changes in the cellular glycome, such as the aberrant expression of complex branched N-glycans. However, the role of this protumoral N-glycan in immune evasion and whether its removal contributes to enhancement of immune recognition and to unleashing an antitumor immune response remain elusive. We demonstrated that branched N-glycans are used by colorectal cancer cells to escape immune recognition, instructing the creation of immunosuppressive networks through inhibition of IFNγ.

Lung Cancer: A Nationwide Study to Characterize Sex Differences, Incidence, and Spatial Patterns in Portugal.

Background/aim: This study characterized lung cancer (LC) in Portugal, to capture sex differences, regional variation, and spatial distribution.

Patients And Methods: Variables: age, sex, vital status, region of residence, degree of urbanization, histologic types and stage at diagnosis. Spatial analyses conducted to identify high (HIC) and low incidence (LIC) clusters.