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The objectives of this study were to analyze the maternal deaths, which occurred in a public maternity hospital in Fortaleza, Ceara State, Brazil and identify associations between time of death and the cases. An analysis was performed on the medical records, death certificates and notification forms regarding 96 maternal deaths that occurred between 2000 and 2008. The most prevalent delivery type was cesarean section (45, 46.8%) and the most prevalent causes of death were: hypertensive syndrome (27, 28.1%), infection (17, 17.7%) and hemorrhage (16, 16.7%). There was a statistically significant association between: cesarean section, hypertension syndrome and infection (x²=14.40, p=0.00; x²=4.02, p=0.04); deaths in the postpartum period and hypertensive syndrome (x²=6.13, p=0.01) and infection (x²=7.65, p=0.00). The characterization of these deaths helps in the recognition of groups at risk, and in developing preventive measures.

An investigation was made on the effectiveness of using semipermeable membrane on the skin of preterm infants on the evolution of weight loss and blood glucose values, water share, urine specific gravity and sodium. This is an experimental study, of the randomized clinical trial type, carried out from March to August 2008 in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the Teaching Maternity Assis Chateaubriand (TMAC) in the city of Fortaleza-Ceará. The sample consisted of 42 preterm infants. The data were presented in tables and charts. In the application of the semipermeable membrane, the preterm infants of the intervention group (IG) had a decrease in the sodium levels and the daily flow demands, they also presented fewer hyperglycemia episodes and the urinary density was kept within normal patterns. The semipermeable membrane is, in fact, an effective therapeutic resource to minimize transepidermal water losses.

The objective of this study was to identify risk factors for type 2 diabetes (DM2) in a population of private schools adolescents of Fortaleza-Brazil. A total 794 students aged 12 to 17 years, from 12 schools, were evaluated in the months of May, June, August and September 2007. A form was applied approaching sociodemographics aspects, BMI, blood pressure, capillary glycemia and sedentary lifestyle. Approximately 24% of the participants had high BMI, 65% were sedentary and 51% had family history of DM2. In those with larger income, 73.5% had family history of DM2 (p = 0.04). About 39% of the adolescents had at least two risk factors for DM2. Most of the risk factors for DM2 identified in this study are changeable, therefore, susceptible to preventive interventions in the school setting.

This study aimed to evaluate the association between risk factors for uterine cervical neoplasms and cervical lesions by HPV by comparison of the visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA), cytology and cervicography results. A prevalence research was made with 157 women in a health center of Fortaleza in the period of June to September 2006. The SPSS program was used to codify the data. Inferences were made through statistical tests (chi2 = chi square and LR = likelihood ratio). The VIA, cervicography and cytology obtained 43.3%, 10.19% and 3.2% of altered results. The variables with important association to cervical lesions in the VIA were: aged less than 20 years old (p = 0.0001); one or more partners in the last three months (p = 0.015); use of contraceptives (p = 0.0008); presence of vaginal discharge (p = 0.0001) and moderate or accentuated inflammatory process (p = 0.0001). In the cytology: low instructional level (p = 0.0001) and high pH (p = 0.001). It wasn't found any significant association in the cervicography.

A regionalized figure scale (RAD) was developed. The objective was to validate the scale, evaluate the correlation between the visual acuity coefficients, verify the association between the tests, and verify the agreement between the measures. This is a triple-blind, experimental, random technology validation study performed on 246 students. Sensitivity was 88.6 RAD1 and 85.7 RAD2 for the right eye (RE), and 78.6 and 92.9 for the left eye (LE), whereas RE specificity was 95.3 RAD1 and 98.1 RAD2, and, 97.7 and 98.6 for the LE, respectively. As for the positive predictive value, RAD1 was 75.6 RE and 81.5 LE, and RAD2 88.2 RE and 89.7 LE. The negative predictive value in RAD1 was 98.0 RE and 97.3 LE, and in RAD2 97.6 RE and 99.1 LE. For the correlation and association in the RE and LE, p=0.0001. Cronbach's Alpha was 0.929. A statistically significant relation was found between the standard criterion and the scale.

Children often show difficulties to identify optotypes in the picture scale. An experimental quantitative study with a sample of 384 randomly selected children was developed in order to identify pictures known by them and create suitable optotypes for a local reality. According to children's drawings, it was possible to realize how much the drawings were related to their daily lives. Considering the most meaningful drawings, we can mention: sun, human figure, house, cloud, tree, car, ball, star and heart. The most frequent figures were synthesized in order to make them more similar to the optotypes; the pictures were validated based on 95% confidence interval for the number of right answers: car (100%), house (98%), heart (98%), star (95%), ball (89%), flower (85%), sun (83%) and human figure (78%). In conclusion, those pictures belong to local culture.

The red reflex test is an important part of the newborn's ocular exam. This study investigated the relationship between red reflex in premature newborns (PN) and factors of the newborn history. It's a descriptive, exploratory, quantitative study conducted in a public maternity in Fortaleza, State of Ceará, with 114 PN between the months of April and May of 2004. For data registration was used a questionnaire, and for the ocular exam a direct ophthalmoscope. Data showed the following findings: 68% of PN had an Apgar under seven during the first minute; 112 were submitted to oxygen therapy; and 68 to phototherapy. As for the red reflex, 13 (11%) showed alterations, with significant statistical association between red reflex and the Apgar during the first minute of life (p = 0.041). The results cause concern because 10 of the 13 PN with red reflex showed retinopathy of prematurity.