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To identify the relationship between the Ankle Brachial Index (ABI) and the presence of cardio-metabolic diseases, alcohol, and tobacco abuse among truck drivers.This is a cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach carried out with 235 truck drivers. Demographic, professional, clinical, alcohol, and tobacco abuse data were collected through interviews. The Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) instrument was used for this study. An odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) adjusted for logistic regression were used for the association between variables. The Spearman's test was used to correlate quantitative variables. The significance level used was α = 0.05.The sample consisted of 235 truck drivers, all males, with an average age of 42.4 years, married (69.8%), self-reported white skin color (43.4%). ABI values equal to or less than 0.89 were identified in 38.7% of truck drivers. Tobacco abuse appeared in 18.5% of participants, and alcohol abuse was present in 8.9% of truck drivers according to the ASSIST rating. The most commonly found self-reported cardiometabolic diseases were obesity (29%), systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) (21.7%), and diabetes mellitus (DM) (10.6%). Those with altered ABI had 5.65 times the odds to have self-reported diabetes mellitus (95% CI 2.20-14.52; p = 0.0003), 2.86 times the odds to present alcohol abuse (95% CI 1.03-7.97; p = 0.0400), 3.03 times the odds to have edema (95% CI 1.25-7.36; p = 0.0144) and 5.10 times the odds to have varicose veins in the lower limbs (95% CI 2.22-11.73; p = 0.0001) compared to those with normal ABI values.Truck drivers have changes in the ABI which are associated with long working hours, alcohol abuse and the presence of diabetes mellitus.

Introduction This study aimed to evaluate the frequency of nail disorders and the presence of fungi on the nails of the hands and feet of patients with hand-foot syndrome secondary to treatment with paclitaxel. Methods Prospective study, carried out from October 2018 to December 2019, which included 81 patients undergoing treatment for breast cancer using paclitaxel and had signs and or symptoms of hand-foot syndrome with or without nail disorders. The data were collected through interviews guided by a structured questionnaire, information from medical records and reports of mycological exams. Results The average age of women was 54.7 ± 7.4 years. Nail disorders occurred in 69 patients (85.2%), and of these, 43 (62.3%) were positive for fungi. The fungi were yeasts ( n = 38; 69%), dermatophytes ( n = 15; 27.2%) and non-dermatophyte filamentous fungi ( n = 8; 14.5%). Conclusions Nail disorders were the most frequent manifestations in patients with hand-foot syndrome treated with paclitaxel and occurred in 85.2% of them. It was evidenced that fungi are present on the nails of these patients and can occur in up to 65.28%. The most prevalent fungi were Candida and Trichophyton. The nail lesion was associated with the type of treatment protocol used by the patient. The results of the study point to the need to select safe management alternatives for patients, so they can prevent nail lesions and prevent the proliferation of fungi, consequently reducing negative life impact during treatment.

It is known that the chronotype potentially mediates the performance and tolerance to work in shifts and that shift rotation is associated with negative effects on psychomotor performance. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of chronotype on psychomotor performance throughout a complete shift rotation schedule. Thirty males working in clockwise rotating shifts from a mining company were evaluated under a real-life condition over the following shift schedule: 2 days of day work, 2 days of evening work and 2 days of night work. The chronotype was determined using the Munich Chronotype Questionnaire adapted for shift workers and the obtained scores were categorized by tertiles (early-type, intermediate-type and late-type). Work performance was evaluated by Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT) daily just before shift starts and after shift ends. Sleep duration was evaluated by actigraphy over the whole shift. No isolated effect of the shift or interaction between shift and chronotype was found in the performance variables evaluated. A significant isolated effect of the chronotype showed that the early-type individuals had higher values of pre- and post-work Mean of Reaction Time (MRT) (308.77 ± 10.03 ms and 306.37 ± 8.53 ms, respectively) than the intermediate-type (257.61 ± 6.63 ms and 252.91 ± 5.97 ms, respectively, p

Purpose Quality of life in colorectal cancer patients may be affected by colostomy and treatment, but relevant studies are still scarce and contradictory. The present study aimed to evaluate the association between colostomy time and treatment type with quality of life in colorectal cancer patients. Methods A prospective observational study of 41 patients with colorectal cancer was conducted on three occasions T0, T1 and T2 (0–2; 3–5 and 6–8 months after ostomy surgery, respectively). The treatments prescribed were: surgery alone, chemotherapy or radiotherapy, or chemoradiotherapy. European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer questionnaires were used to evaluate quality of life. Worsening clinical changes were evaluated considering difference in scores between times of surgery ≥±9 points. Results Regarding ostomy surgery, scores in physical function improved between T0 and T1 and these better scores were maintained at T1 to T2. The same was observed for urinary frequency, appetite loss and dry mouth. Chemoradiotherapy was associated with worse scores for global health status, nausea and vomiting, bloating and dry mouth. Although significant differences were not observed in some domains in the Generalized Estimating Equations analysis, patients showed noticeable changes for the worse in the pain, anxiety, weight concern, flatulence and embarrassment domains during these periods. Conclusions Colostomy improved quality of life at 3–5 months in most domains of quality of life and remained better at 6–8 months after surgery. Chemoradiotherapy had a late negative influence on quality of life. Health teams could use these results to reassure patients that this procedure will improve their quality of life in many functional and symptomatic aspects.

Weight gain during breast cancer treatment has not been explained yet. This study aimed to explore eating experience and its relationship with weight gain and sweet preference and intake in women in chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer. Thirty-one patients indicated for adjuvant (n = 16) or neoadjuvant (n = 15) chemotherapy containing anthracyclines were evaluated. Weight, sweet preference in cashew juice (weight/volume, 3, 6, 12, 24, and 36%), and sweet food intake frequency ["healthy sweets" (HS) for fruits and natural juices and "nonhealthy sweets" (NHS) for other sweets] were assessed prior to initiating (T0) and after the fourth chemotherapy cycle (T1). A semistructured interview was applied at T1. At baseline, patients were 46.7 ± 11.6 years old and the mean body mass index (BMI) was 29.3 ± 7.1 kg/m

INTRODUCTION: Bloodstream infection due to Candida spp. is a primary cause of morbidity and mortality in tertiary hospitals. METHODS: In this retrospective study, we included patients with a positive blood culture for Candida spp. after 48 h of hospitalization. RESULTS A total of 335 patients who had candidemia were included in this study. Risk factors associated with mortality were hospitalization in internal medicine units and surgical clinics, age >60 years, mechanical ventilation, orotracheal intubation, hemodialysis, corticosteroids use, and C. parapsilosis infection. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the importance of health care related to invasive procedures and actions to improve patient immunity.

Background Increased survival of preterm neonates who require hospitalization at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit has led to an increase in infections. This study aims to describe the temporal trend, risk factors, and outcome of healthcare-associated infections in a NICU of a high complexity hospital, with emphasis on the differences of incidence between bacterial and fungal infections. Methods The study was carried out from January 2013 to December 2016, with daily follow-up of the newborns by the National Healthcare Safety Network. Results The study included 881 newborns, of whom 214 had a bacterial infection, 19 had fungi infection, and 12 bacterial and fungal infections associated. The hospital infection rate was 12/1000 patient-days. SNAPPE>24, days of hospitalization and PICC days were independent risk factors for the development of fungal and bacterial infection, respectively, with statistical significance for bacterial and fungal infections. The mortality rate was 2.6 times higher in those who had fungal infection than in those who had a bacterial infection. The occurrence of invasive infections was higher in the years 2015 and 2016 and Gram-negative bacteria and yeasts were more frequent, impacting morbidity and mortality. Conclusions The use of invasive devices is a risk factor for the occurrence of HAI caused by bacteria and fungi. The frequency of deaths was higher in the group of neonates with fungal infection. These results point to the importance of constant epidemiological surveillance and measures of effective control of infections in NICU.

Some species of Klebsiella, such as Klebsiella pneumoniae and Klebsiella oxytoca, are important nosocomial pathogens frequently involved in outbreaks in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) and have the ability to form a biofilm. This study aims to evaluate the biofilm production of K. pneumoniae and K. oxytoca isolates collected from the hands of health professionals, neonates' blood and the environment of a Brazilian NICU, using three colorimetric methods and a classical method of counting the colony-forming units and compare the analysis among these techniques. The biofilm formation was carried out by the microplate technique, using three colorimetric assays: crystal violet, safranin and 2,3-bis (2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl) -5 [(phenylamino) arbonyl] - 2H-tetrazolium hydroxide (XTT). Also, colony-forming units were determined. Twenty-eight isolates of K. pneumoniae were collected from the blood, hands and environment and five of K. oxytoca from the hands and environment. All of them were strong biofilm producers, but K. pneumoniae isolates produced more biofilm than K. oxytoca when compared to the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) strains used as positive controls. The number of viable cells in the biofilm produced by K. pneumoniae isolated from blood was significantly higher than in the control sample. Regarding the three colorimetric tests used in the study, the violet crystal obtained a higher absorbance average. The use of crystal-violet and XTT in the evaluation of biofilm in vitro make possible a complete analysis, since that it can quantify the total biomass (including the extracellular matrix) and evaluate the metabolic activity. In conclusion, this study identified isolates of K. pneumoniae and K. oxytoca that produce biofilms in the NICU and the bloodstream of neonates. This fact deserves attention since these patients are immunocompromised. The best methods will be chosen to answer research questions by always adopting more than one method so that more than one parameter or component of the biofilm is analyzed.

The aim of this study was to analyze the association between the inflammatory potential of diet and sleep parameters in individuals with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the dietary inflammatory index (DII) at predicting sleep pattern.Patients diagnosed with mild to severe OSA were included in the study (N = 296). Sleep pattern was analyzed by polysomnography and subjective sleep parameters. DII scores were calculated from a validated food frequency questionnaire. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and generalized linear models were conducted.DII scores were efficient at predicting apnea severity (P0.05) and daytime sleepiness (P = 0.02) in age stratification and predicting rapid eye movement latency in obese individuals (P = 0.03). No significant associations were found between DII scores and the majority of sleep parameters. The DII was only associated with daytime sleepiness; patients with a more proinflammatory diet (quintile 4) showed more subjective sleepiness than the group with a more anti-inflammatory diet (quintile 1; P0.05).Findings from this study indicated that the DII could be sensitive and specific for predicting apnea severity in individuals commonly associated with OSA. Although the DII was not associated with most of the sleep parameters, the few associations found demonstrated the need for more studies that evaluate whether DII is associated with the risk for OSA symptoms.

Background & aims Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have greater predisposition to obesity, but the mechanisms are still unknown. Hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance and low levels of ghrelin are common in this group. For the purposes of the present study, it was assumed that such changes could have an influence on hunger. This study aimed to assess the hunger pattern before and after an ad libitum meal and the association between insulin and plasma ghrelin with hunger perception in women with obesity, with and without PCOS. Method This cross-sectional study included 53 women with obesity, 30 with PCOS, and 23 controls (with obesity but without PCOS). Insulin, ghrelin, glucose and subjective ratings of hunger (by 100 mm visual analogue scales) were analyzed in a fasting state, preprandially at 12:00 before the ad libitum meal, and postprandially 15, 45, 75 and 135 min after the beginning of the ad libitum meal. Results There was a significant increase in hunger one hour after the beginning of the ad libitum meal (75 min) in the PCOS group (p = .01) compared to 15 min, whereas this only occurred after 135 min in the control group (2 h later). The usual energy intake adjusted by the intra-individual variability was higher in the PCOS group than in the control group (2309 ± 461 kcal·d−1 × 2124 ± 480 kcal·d−1; p = .04). The concentrations of insulin and ghrelin, in both preprandial and postprandial periods, were not associated with the perception of hunger. Conclusions Women with obesity and PCOS had an earlier return of hunger in the postprandial period after an ad libitum meal, but there was not associated with postprandial ghrelin and insulin levels.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the hemodynamic behavior of the ophthalmic artery by means of the Doppler ultrasound, in postpartum preeclamptic women. It was an observational prospective study with 44 postpartum preeclamptic women (group 1) and 49 postpartum normal women with normal blood pressure and with no previous illnesses known (group 2). All the pregnant women had a Doppler ultrasound exam of the ophthalmic artery in the immediate puerperium, that is, 10 days for the delivery (time 1). Group 1 was then followed prospectively, 26 patients of which returned to the last test in the remote puerperium in 45 days (time 2) and 29 patients returned to the last test in the remote puerperium in 90 days (time 3). All these women had preeclampsia before the delivery. The resistance index (RI), pulsatility index (PI), peak systolic velocity (PSV), end diastolic flow velocity (EDV), second peak of systolic velocity (P2), and the peak ratio (PR) were calculated. The data obtained are expressed in average and standard deviation, by using the Lilliefors test for normality. The average of the Doppler indexes in groups 1 and 2 was compared by means of test t of the student. Group 1 was analyzed separately, comparing the three times, using the test of ANOVA for repetitive measures and Tukey post-hoc range test. In the "Results" section, the statically meaningful differences in RI, PI, P2, RPV, and EDV (p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001, p < 0.0009, p < 0.0001, p < 0.0028) were found in the immediate puerperium of group 1 in relation to group 2, indicating the persistence of hyperperfusion and orbital vasodilatation in the immediate postpartum period in patients who had complicated pregnancies previously due to preeclampsia. In the evolutionary analysis of group 1, comparing the Doppler indexes between the immediate and late puerperium, statistically relevant differences between the rates of RI, P2, and PR (p < 0,01) were observed, showing a raise of RI and reduction of P2 and PR, and also a tendency of normalization of these rates in the late puerperium. When the same indexes were compared (PI, P2, and PR) now in times 2 and 3, the remote, and late puerperium, respectively, there were no significant differences, indicating the stabilization of these indexes since the 45th day of the puerperium. Within 90 days, RI, PI, and PR are not stabilized yet in relation to the control, even though there is a tendency of these indexes to reach the control. In conclusion, there was persistence of signs of vasodilatation and hyperperfusion of the orbital territory, represented by Doppler of the ophthalmic artery in the immediate puerperium of preeclamptic women. A tendency of normalization of the orbital hemodynamic standard in the pregnant women from the period of the late puerperium was observed, but there was no complete normalization of the vascular pattern on the remote postpartum.

Infections by Candida species are a high-impact problem in public health due to their wide incidence in hospitalized patients. The goal of this study was to evaluate frequency, susceptibility to antifungals, and genetic polymorphism of Candida species isolated from clinical specimens of hospitalized patients. The Candida isolates included in this study were obtained from blood cultures, abdominal fluids, and central venous catheters (CVC) of hospitalized patients at the Clinical Hospital of the Federal University of Uberlândia during the period of July 2010 - June 2011. Susceptibility tests were conducted by the broth microdilution method. The RAPD-PCR tests used employed initiator oligonucleotides OPA09, OPB11, and OPE06. Of the 63 Candida isolates, 18 (28.5%) were C. albicans, 20 (31.7%) were C. parapsilosis complex species, 14 (22.2%) C. tropicalis, four (6.4%) C. glabrata, four (6.4%) C. krusei, two (3.3%) C. kefyr, and one (1.6%) C. lusitaniae. In vitro resistance to amphotericin B was observed in 12.7% of isolates. In vitro resistance to azoles was not detected, except for C. krusei. The two primers, OPA09 and OPB11, were able to distinguish different species. Isolates of C. albicans and C. parapsilosis complex species presented six and five clusters, respectively, with the OPA09 marker by RAPD-PCR, showing the genetic variability of the isolates of those species. It was concluded that members of the C. parapsilosis complex were the most frequent species found, and most isolates were susceptible to the antifungals amphotericin B, flucozanole, and itraconazole. High genetic polymorphisms were observed for isolates of C. albicans and C. parapsilosis complex species, mainly with the OPA09 marker. As infecções causadas por espécies de Candida são problema de grande impacto para a saúde pública, devido à alta incidência em pacientes hospitalizados e como causa de mortalidade. O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a frequência de Candida spp. isoladas de pacientes hospitalizados, assim como a sensibilidade aos antifúngicos e o polimorfismo genético por RAPD-PCR. Os microrganismos incluíram isolados de hemocultura, líquido abdominal e ponta de cateter venoso central de pacientes internados no Hospital de Clínicas da Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, região do Triângulo Mineiro, Minas Gerais, Brasil, no período de julho de 2010-junho de 2011. Os testes de sensibilidade aos antifúngicos foram realizados por microdiluição em caldo e na análise por RAPD-PCR foram utilizados os oligonucleotídeos OPA09, OPB11, e OPE06. Dos 63 isolados, 18 (28,5%) foram C. albicans, 20 (31,7%) C. parapsilosis, 14 (22,2%) C. tropicalis, quatro (6,4%) C. glabrata, quatro (6,4%) C. krusei, dois (3,3%) C. kefyr, e um (1,6%) C. lusitaniae. Resistência in-vitro à anfotericina B foi observada em 12,7% dos isolados. Não foi observada resistência in-vitro aos azólicos, exceto para os isolados de C. krusei. Os oligonucleotídeos OPA09 e OPB11 possibilitaram distinguir diferentes espécies. Isolados de C. albicans apresentaram seis clusters e o complexo C. parapsilosis, cinco clusters, com o iniciador OPA09, por RAPD-PCR, mostrando a variabilidade genética daquelas espécies. Conclui-se que o complexo C. parapsilosis foi a espécie mais frequente, e a maioria dos isolados foi sensível in vitro aos antifúngicos testados. Alto polimorfismo genético foi observado para os isolados de C. albicans e complexo C. parapsilosis, principalmente com o oligonucleotídeo OPA09.

To compare the neuropsychomotor development in the first year of life of premature infants with and without bronchopulmonary dysplasia.A cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted between January 1, 2014, and December 30, 2015, with premature infants weighing1,500g at birth and diagnosed with bronchopulmonary dysplasia at the corrected ages of 6 and 9 months, assessed using the DENVER II Developmental Screening Test. Quantitative variables were described as the means, medians and standard deviations. Variables with normal distribution were tested using Student's t test; otherwise, the Mann-Whitney test was used, considering significance at p-value0.05. Qualitative variables were expressed as frequencies and percentages. Logistic regression was used with odds ratio analysis to evaluate the effects of other variables as risk factors for changes in neuropsychomotor development.Infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia showed greater developmental delay compared with those without bronchopulmonary dysplasia (p-value = 0.001). The factors associated with a higher incidence of changes in neuropsychomotor development, in addition to bronchopulmonary dysplasia, were antenatal steroid, gender, birth weight, 5-minute Apgar score, Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology-Perinatal Extension, duration of oxygen therapy, duration of mechanical ventilation and length of hospital stay. Other variables may also have influenced the result, such as drug use by mothers of infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia.Bronchopulmonary dysplasia associated with other pre- and postnatal factors may be considered a risk factor for delayed neuropsychomotor development in the first year of life in premature infants born weighing less than 1,500g.Comparar o desenvolvimento neuropsicomotor de lactentes nascidos prematuramente, com e sem displasia broncopulmonar, no primeiro ano de vida.Estudo retrospectivo, do tipo transversal, realizado no período de 1º de janeiro de 2014 a 30 de dezembro de 2015, com lactentes prematuros, com peso1.500g ao nascer e diagnóstico de displasia broncopulmonar, na idade corrigida de 6 e 9 meses, avaliados pelo Teste de Triagem do Desenvolvimento DENVER II. As variáveis quantitativas foram descritas em médias, medianas e desvio padrão. Para as variáveis que apresentaram distribuição normal, aplicou-se o teste t de Student; do contrário, foi aplicado o teste de Mann-Whitney, considerando significância o valor de p0,05. As variáveis qualitativas foram descritas em frequências e porcentagens. Utilizou-se a regressão logística com análise da razão de chances para avaliar os efeitos das outras variáveis, como fatores de risco para alterações no desenvolvimento neuropsicomotor.Os lactentes com displasia broncopulmonar apresentaram maior atraso no desenvolvimento neuropsicomotor quando comparados àqueles sem displasia broncopulmonar (p = 0,001). Os fatores associados com maior incidência para alterações no desenvolvimento neuropsicomotor, além da displasia broncopulmonar, foram: esteroide antenatal, sexo, peso ao nascimento, escore de Apgar no quinto minuto, Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology with Perinatal Extension, tempo de oxigenoterapia, ventilação mecânica e internação. Outras variáveis também podem ter influenciado o resultado, como uso de drogas pelas mães dos lactentes com displasia broncopulmonar.A displasia broncopulmonar associada a outros fatores pré e pós-natais pode ser considerada fator de risco para o atraso do desenvolvimento neuropsicomotor em lactentes nascidos prematuramente e com peso inferior a 1.500g, no primeiro ano de vida.

Cryptococcosis, a systemic disease caused by the fungus Cryptococcus neoformans/ Cryptococcus gattii is more severe in immunocompromised individuals. This study aimed to analyze the epidemiology of the disease, the molecular characteristics and the antifungal susceptibility of C. neoformans isolated from patients treated in a Brazilian university hospital. This retrospective study was conducted in the Clinical Hospital, Federal University of Uberlândia, and evaluated cases of cryptococcosis and strains of C. neoformans isolated from 2004 to 2013. We evaluated 41 patients, 85% of whom were diagnosed with AIDS. The fungus was isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 21 patients (51%); 19.5% had fungemia and in 24% the agent was isolated from the CSF and blood, concurrently. Meningoencephalitis was the most frequent (75%) manifestation of infection. Despite adequate treatment, the mortality of the disease was 58.5%. Most isolates (97.5%) presented the VNI genotype (serotype A, var. grubii) and one isolate was genotyped as C. gattii (VGI); all the isolates were determined as mating type MATa and showed susceptibility to the tested antifungals (fluconazole, voriconazole, amphotericin B and 5-flucytosine). Although AIDS detection rates remain stable, opportunistic infections such as cryptococcosis remain as major causes of morbidity and mortality in these patients.

The aim of this study was to evaluate hepatic Doppler ultrasound (US) indices for steatosis diagnosis and grading, having biopsy as reference.Doppler and conventional US were performed in 49 healthy volunteers, without risk factors for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and in 49 patients with NAFLD and at least one risk factor: obesity, dyslipidemia and/or diabetes mellitus. Significant alcohol intake and hepatitis B or C were exclusion criteria. NAFLD patients were biopsied, and steatosis severity graded histologically. Portal Venous Pulsatility Index (PVI), Hepatic Artery Resistance Index (HARI) and Pulsatility Index (HAPI) were analyzed in hilum. Hepatic vein waveform pattern (HVWP) was classified as triphasic, biphasic or monophasic. Two pathologists analyzed histological samples. ROC curve defined sensitivity and specificity and multivariate analysis defined an equation for classifying patients.In NAFLD group, 89.79% had histologic criteria for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Mild steatosis was present in 44.89%, moderate steatosis in 38.77% and severe steatosis in 16.32%. In NAFLD group, 65.29% were obese and body mass index (BMI) had significant correlation with steatosis grading (r=0.77; P0.0001). PVI correlated with presence of steatosis (r=-0.69, P0.0001) as HVWP (r=-0.61, P0.0001). PVI ideal cutoff for predicting steatosis was 0.26 (sensitivity, 91%; specificity, 79.6%). The equation 16.15PVI+1.96HVWP enables to differentiate the healthy and the steatosis patients. HARI and HAPI could not differentiate the healthy from the steatosis group. None of the indices correlated with steatosis grading.Portal and hepatic vein indices allow non-invasive steatosis diagnosis but are limited to quantify it. Histology remains important for steatohepatitis diagnosis and for steatosis grading.

The colonization of the oral cavity is a prerequisite to the development of oropharyngeal candidiasis. Aims: The aims of this study were: to evaluate colonization and quantify Candida spp. in the oral cavity; to determine the predisposing factors for colonization; and to correlate the levels of CD4+ cells and viral load with the yeast count of colony forming units per milliliter (CFU/mL) in HIV-positive individuals treated at a University Hospital. Saliva samples were collected from 147 HIV patients and were plated on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) and chromogenic agar, and incubated at 30 ºC for 72 h. Colonies with similar morphology in both media were counted and the result expressed in CFU/mL. Results: Of the 147 HIV patients, 89 had positive cultures for Candida spp., with a total of 111 isolates, of which C. albicans was the most frequent species (67.6%), and the mean of colonies counted was 8.8 × 10³ CFU/mL. The main predisposing factors for oral colonization by Candida spp. were the use of antibiotics and oral prostheses. The use of reverse transcriptase inhibitors appears to have a greater protective effect for colonization. A low CD4+ T lymphocyte count is associated with a higher density of yeast in the saliva of HIV patients. RESUMO A colonização da cavidade oral pode ser considerada um pré-requisito para o desenvolvimento de candidíase orofaríngea. Os objetivos deste estudo foram: avaliar e quantificar espécies de Candidaisoladas da cavidade oral, para determinar os fatores predisponentes para a colonização, e correlacionar os níveis de células CD4+ e carga viral em indivíduos HIV-positivos atendidos em um hospital universitário. Foram coletadas amostras de saliva de 147 pacientes portadores do HIV, as quais foram semeadas em Ágar Sabouraud Dextrose (ASD) e ágar cromogênico e incubadas a 30 °C por 72 horas. As colônias com morfologia semelhante em ambos os meios foram contadas e o resultado expresso em unidade formadora de colônias por mililitro (UFC/mL). Dos 147 pacientes HIV positivos, 89 apresentaram culturas positivas para Candidaspp., totalizando 111 isolados, e C. albicansfoi a espécie mais frequente (67,6%). A contagem média de colônias foi de 8.8 × 10³ UFC/mL. Os principais fatores predisponentes para colonização oral por Candidaspp. foram a utilização de antibióticos e de próteses orais. O uso de antirretroviral da classe de inibidores da transcriptase reversa pareceu ter maior efeito protetor para a colonização. Baixa contagem de linfócitos T CD4+ está relacionada com maior densidade de leveduras na saliva de indivíduos HIV positivos.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The increased use of epidural analgesia with catheter leads to the need to demonstrate the safety of this method and know the incidence of catheter colonization, inserted postoperatively for epidural analgesia, and the bacteria responsible for this colonization. METHODS: From November 2011 to April 2012, patients electively operated and maintained under epidural catheter for postoperative analgesia were evaluated. The catheter tip was collected for semiquantitative and qualitative microbiological analysis. RESULTS: Of 68 cultured catheters, six tips (8.8%) had positive cultures. No patient had superficial or deep infection. The mean duration of catheter use was 43.45 h (18-118) (p = 0.0894). The type of surgery (contaminated or uncontaminated), physical status of patients, and surgical time showed no relation with the colonization of catheters. Microorganisms isolated from the catheter tip were Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Sphingomonas paucimobilis. CONCLUSION: Postoperative epidural catheter analgesia, under these study conditions, was found to be low risk for bacterial colonization in patients at surgical wards. OBJETIVOS: O aumento do uso de analgesia pela via peridural com uso de cateteres leva à necessidade de se demonstrar a segurança do método. O presente estudo teve como objetivo conhecer a incidência de colonização de cateteres inseridos para analgesia peridural no pós-operatório e as bactérias responsáveis por estas colonizações. MÉTODOS: No período de novembro de 2011 a abril de 2012 foram avaliados pacientes operados eletivamente mantidos sob analgesia por cateter peridural no pós-operatório. A ponta do cateter foi coletada para análise microbiológica semi-quantitativa e qualitativa. RESULTADOS: Seis (8,8%) pontas dos 68 cateteres cultivados apresentaram culturas positivas. Nenhum paciente apresentou infecção superficial ou profunda. O tempo médio de permanência do cateter foi de 43,45 horas (18-118 horas) (p = 0,0894). O tipo de cirurgia (contaminada ou não contaminada), estado físico dos pacientes e tempo cirúrgico não mostraram relação com a colonização dos cateteres. Os micro-organismos isolados da ponta de cateter foram Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa e Sphingomonas paucimobilis. CONCLUSÃO: Conclui-se que, a analgesia por cateter peridural no pós-operatório, nas condições do presente estudo, revelou-se procedimento com baixo risco de colonização bacteriana em pacientes de enfermarias cirúrgicas. OBJETIVOS: El aumento del uso de analgesia por vía epidural con el uso de catéteres nos lleva a la necesidad de demostrar la seguridad del método. El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo conocer la incidencia de la colonización de catéteres insertados para la analgesia epidural en el postoperatorio y las bacterias responsables de estas colonizaciones. MÉTODOS: En el período de noviembre de 2011 a abril de 2012, se evaluaron pacientes operados electivamente que fueron mantenidos bajo analgesia por catéter epidural en el postoperatorio. La punta del catéter fue recolectada para análisis microbiológico semicuantitativo y cualitativo. RESULTADOS: Seis (8,8%) puntas de los 68 catéteres cultivados presentaron cultivos positivos. Ningún paciente presentó infección superficial o profunda. El tiempo medio de permanencia del catéter fue de 43,45 h (18-118 h) (p = 0,0894). El tipo de cirugía (contaminada o no contaminada), estado físico de los pacientes y tiempo quirúrgico no mostraron relación con la colonización de los catéteres. Los microorganismos aislados de la punta del catéter fueron Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa y Sphingomonas paucimobilis. CONCLUSIÓN: Concluimos que la analgesia por catéter epidural en el postoperatorio, en las condiciones del presente estudio, mostró ser un procedimiento con bajo riesgo de colonización bacteriana en pacientes quirúrgicos.

Objective To our knowledge, none of the articles has been published in the literature which analyse the alterations of saliva in different stages of chronic renal failure (CRF). The objective of this study has been to analyse the flow, pH and biochemical composition of saliva in patients with moderate–severe CRF (M–S CRF) and with terminal renal failure (TRF). Design The study group was formed of 50 CRF patients: 22 with M–S CRF and 28 with TRF included in a haemodialysis programme. A control group with similar characteristics was established (n = 64). Saliva samples were taken from both patients and controls to determine the salivary pH and biochemical composition. Results Whole salivary flow was similar in patients and controls. Salivary concentrations of creatinine, urea, sodium, potassium, chloride and alpha-amylase were significantly higher in patients than in controls. Calcium concentration was significantly lower in patients than in controls. Creatinine, urea and potassium concentrations were significantly higher in patients with M–S CRF than in those with TRF. The salivary pH was significantly higher in patients than in controls. Conclusions Salivary composition in patients with CRF is conditioned by the stage of renal failure. The relationship between these biochemical parameters and the oral health status has still not been definitively clarified.