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Biomedical subjects

C Moreira

Publications and source records attributed to C Moreira.

53 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

[Disodium pamidronate (APD) in the treatment of bone metastases].

Diphosphonates are potent inhibitors of bone resorption, they have been evaluated in several clinical trials for bone metastases. We performed a clinical study to evaluate the therapeutic effect of Disodium Pamidronate over pain and radiologic evolution in bone metastases (Breast Cancer and Multiple Myeloma patients). The results regarding the first 10 patients concluded that there is good drug tolerability and significant analgesic activity in 6 patients, with sclerosis of lytic skull lesions in one breast cancer patient.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Influence of the use of Swan-Ganz catheter on the mortality from acute myocardial infarction].

OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the statistical significance of the haemodynamic examination making use of the Swan-Ganz catheter (S-G) on the hospitalary mortality of patients (pts) with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). CONCEPTION: Not randomized, not controlled and retrospective study. SETTING: Intensive coronary care unit (CCU). PATIENTS: 2562 pts with AMI sequentially admitted to a CCU were studied. METHODS: The 2562 pts were divided in two groups: Group A--involving 2117 pts not submitted to haemodynamic examination; Group B-constituted by 445 pts (17% of all pts) submitted to haemodynamic examination. All pts admitted to the study were distributed according to the four classes of Killip. The pts included in each Killip class were distributed by the groups A (not catheterized) and B (catheterized). Hospitalary mortalities of the pts included in the global A and B groups, and the mortalities of the patients included in the particular A and B groups in each Killip class were determined. To evaluate the statistical significance of the differences in distributions of the number of pts who survived and who died in each set of A and B groups square chi test was used. Values of p less than 0.05 were considered as statistical significant. RESULTS: The distributions of the pts who died and who survived during the stay in the hospital by the A and B groups, be it in the total group of patients be it in each Killip class, were not significant different (p greater than 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The mortalities of pts with AMI submitted or not to haemodynamic examination with S-G catheter did not significantly differ even in each Killip class, which means that it was not demonstrated a benefit with the S-G catheter use in the pts with AMI. In the presence of this conclusion and considering that retrospective studies must be interpreted with circumspection, it seems necessary to accomplish a prospective randomized and controlled study for evaluation the risk/benefit relation of the haemodynamic examination with the S-G catheter in pts with AMI.

Catheterization, Swan-Ganz↗
PubMed1991

[Determination of endoxin in hypertensive patients].

Digoxin like immunoreactive factor (DLIF), has been implicated on the effect of sodium in essential hypertension. The different concentration of DLIF as a function of sodium intake was demonstrated in animal experience by some authors. In this work the urinary DLIF excretion is evaluated by RIA and its biological activity by Na+/K+ ATPase inhibition, in 5 urine samples at the end of a free sodium diet week and in 10 urine samples in the last day of a week with 250 mg sodium diet. The urinary DLIF excretion after the free sodium diet week was 0.3460 +/- 0.055 and at the end of sodium restriction diet week of 0.2910 +/- 0.061 nmol/l. Although the DLIF values in the sodium restriction week were smaller than the DLIF values of the free sodium diet week, there was no statistical difference (p = 0.113). In five patients the DLIF could be evaluated at the end of the first and second weeks without changes in the hypertensive therapeutics, with clonidine and nifedipine, along the two weeks. In these five patients at the end of the free sodium diet week and at end of the sodium restricted diet week were 0.3460 +/- 0.055 and 0.2780 +/- 0.060 nmol/l. The reduction of urinary DLIF excretion in the sodium restricted diet week, was significative (p = 0.020). The results of the Na/K ATPase inhibition in the same five patients were: 34.6 +/- 6.51% at the end of the free sodium diet week and 31.7 +/- 6.32% at the end of the sodium restricted diet week, the differences were not statistically significant.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1991

[Arterial pressure and race. A study in pauper children attending schools in an urban strip in Lisbon].

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether race is a factor of blood pressure levels in school-age children of similar social status, and to investigate other potential determinants of the levels of blood pressure. DESIGN: Inquiry in schools of the suburbs of Lisbon. SETTING: Three schools, four medical observers (general practitioners with school-health functions). SUBJECTS: Three hundred ninety seven children, aged 6-14 years, both sexes, 296 being white and 101 non-white. INTERVENTIONS: Inquiry to the following individual characteristics--sex, age, race, birthplace, type of housing, house availability of water, electricity and waste water, type of transportation to school, number of cohabitans, family income, school marks. Individual determination of systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR), weight and height. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Blood pressure values were cross-analyzed with all the determined variables, and the virtual correlations were checked. Main results as follows: Race does not influence either SBP or DBP. In this age group, sex does not influence blood pressure values. The used markers of socioeconomical status have equally no influence on blood pressure. Age has only a significant repercussion on SBP. No significant correlation was found between height and blood pressure. Body weight, however, influence either SBP or DBP. SBP was found to be lower in the second of two successive measurements, and the difference increases with age. CONCLUSIONS: In this school-aged biracial population, body weight seems to be the major factor of blood pressure levels, in the sense-bigger weight, higher SBP and DBP.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

[Neurological complications of the anemia-geophagia syndrome].

The authors report five, mortal, vasculo-cerebral hemorrhage complications in anaemic and geographic patients. The five observations are stereotyped, the accidents occurring two weeks after the start of treatment, which included a complete blood transfusion and the admission of injectable iron and oral folic acid. Physiopathogenesis is obscure, and no identical case seems to be described in literature. The authors link these accidents to less serious neurological manifestations normally observed during iron-deficient anaemia. They blame cerebral anoxia and the deficient terrain.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Study of the left ventricular function in pregnancy-induced hypertension.

Left ventricular (LV) morphological and functional characteristics in 9 women suffering from pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) were studied by means of echocardiograms. In order to distinguish which changes depended on the pressure values and which were the result of pregnancy, 10 nonpregnant control women with no heart disease and 10 normal pregnant women (NP) were studied and the results of each of the groups compared. To evaluate the structure, left ventricular systodiastolic diameters and wall thickness were measured. The only statistically significant difference was in the diastolic diameters between the PIH (4.7 +/- 0.3 cm) and the control group (4.4 +/- 0.2 cm) p less than 0.01. Left ventricular mass was significantly increased (p less than 0.01) in the PIH patients (185 +/- 53.1 g) compared to the NP patients (161 +/- 29.6 g) and the control group (125 +/- 17.4 g). No statistically significant differences were found in the radius thickness ratio in the three groups. The systolic function assessed by the shortening percentage was significantly lower (p less than 0.05) in the control group (32.8 +/- 4.4%) and in the NP patients (37.8 +/- 5.2%) than in the PIH group (39 +/- 6.5%). Afterload assessed by isovolumic period stress was significantly greater (p less than 0.01) in the PIH patients (157 +/- 10.6 dyne/cm2) compared with the NP group (118.9 +/- 7.01 dyne/cm2). There were no significant differences between the first group and the control group (134.09 +/- 8.7 dyne/cm2). As evidence of the diastolic function, analysis was made, on the one hand, of diastolic isovolumic period length (DIP).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Prevalence of pulmonary hypertension in systemic sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in patients with the diagnosis of systemic sclerosis (SSc) followed at a tertiary university service. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fifty-seven patients with SSc were studied by clinical assessment directed at the cardiopulmonary system, pulmonary function tests and Doppler echocardiography (ECHO). The following criteria were considered for the diagnosis of PAH: pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) > or = 40 mmHg and/or the presence of other direct and indirect signs of PAH detected upon ECHO. RESULTS: Sixteen patients (28%) were diagnosed with PAH upon ECHO, 13 based on PASP > or = 40 mmHg and 3 based on direct and indirect signs of PAH; 8 patients had isolated PAH and 8 had PAH secondary to pulmonary fibrosis. Nine patients showed signs suggestive of cor pulmonale upon ECHO; among these patients, 6 had pressure recordings > or = 40 mmHg and 3 had a PSAP between 35 and 40 mmHg; one patient was asymptomatic and 8 showed signs suggestive of PAH upon clinical examination. Among the clinical and laboratory variables studied, a correlation was only observed between PAH and an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of PAH associated with SSc observed in this study was similar to those reported in the literature. However, the cut-off of PSAP measured by ECHO and used for the diagnosis of PAH associated with SSc needs to be revised.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Evaluation of interests, experiences and chemistry knowledge among students admitted to the Lisboa Medical School en 1989/1990].

Selected medical students for undergraduate medical courses in Portugal exhibit each year substantial deficiencies in chemistry. The group of students admitted to the Faculty of Medicine of Lisbon in 1989/1990 were selected by admission criteria apparently more restrictive than before. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of the theoretical knowledge in chemistry showed by those students before learning biochemistry. Eight-four of the admitted students were invited to participate in the study, by replying to an anonymous questionnaire on chemistry. A second questionnaire to identify a variety of personal/social factors was completed by the same students some days later. The results obtained have confirmed a clearly insufficient chemical background, in spite of the high scores achieved by those students in chemistry and other science subjects on the application. The majority of the students here studied declared financial security, live with their families, study at home, and report scarce outside distractions. It may be concluded that the new admission criteria to the faculties of medicine do not select students with better academic performances on chemistry than before. Otherwise, the sociocultural characteristics of the entrants do not fulfill the expectations that could contrast them clearly with average groups of students.

Chemical Phenomena↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[A survey on gastric diseases in black Africans in Dakar (Senegal) (author's transl)].

The authors report on a survey about 1.188 Senegaleses affected by gastric disease. The diagnosis was established by either endoscopy or, less often, by a surgical control. The findings were ulcer (43,09 p. 100) with duodenal localisation in most cases (67 p. 100), non malignant tumor (0,84 p. 100), malignant tumor (1,85 p. 100) and most often (53,95 p. 100) non ulcerous and non tumorous gastropathies. Noticed clinical features are not much different from the ones observed in Caucasian patients. Sex ratio gives male preponderance and there is an etiologic role of age: superficial gastritis and duodenal ulcer prevail from 20 to 40, chronic gastritis from 20 to 50 and gastric ulcer after 35. Smoking tobacco, misuse and overdose of aspirin and antiphlogistic drugs seem to be facilitating factors which were recorded in 50 p. 100 of non ulcerous gastropathies, 40 p. 100 of gastric ulcers and 27 p. 100 of duodenal ulcers. Neither ethnic origin, nor blood group, nor diet have shown any etiologic influence. Most patients with an ulcer have 3 periods of pain every year and one among three needs a surgical intervention.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Assessment of glomerular filtration rate in a hospital population. Comparison of two methods].

OBJECTIVES: This study was undertaken to assess the value of Cockroft-Gault Formula (FCG) in the patients of an Internal Medicine ward. METHODS: FCG was compared with creatinine clearance (DC) adjusted for corporal area. Serum creatinine was measured after 24 h urine collection and 8 h fast. By the subtraction of FCG from DC, the variable difference (DIF) was calculated. FCG was calculated using total body weight (PT) and lean body weight (PS). All patients were included unless they had renal failure. RESULTS: Renal function was calculated in 92 patients, 33 women and 59 men. Mean age was 60.8 +/- 17.9 (13-87). Mean FCG (64.7 +/- 27.4) and mean DC (68.4 +/- 32.6) were not significantly different and a correlation between them was found (r = 0.68; p < 0.001). Using PS to estimate FCG the correlation coefficient was increased to 0.75 (p < 0.001). DC and FCG using PT or PS correlated inversely with age (r = 0.59; r = 0.53; r = 0.66, respectively; p < 00.1). In a cluster analysis model we could find that for extremes of renal function FCG overestimated (DIF = -10.4 +/- 13.3) or underestimated (DIF = 29.8 +/- 29.7) DC. The main influence for the difference between the two methods was body weight (r = -0.69; p < 0.001). The distribution by diagnosis led to two classes of patients for whom DIF was significantly different (p < 0.02), and body weight was the main factor. CONCLUSION: Cockroft-Gault formula, although correlating with creatinine clearance, over or underestimates creatinine clearance for extremes of renal function. Age and body weight were the main factors for the differences found between the two methods.

Adolescent↗