Biomedical subjects

H Barros

Publications and source records attributed to H Barros.

78 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Psychosocial indexes and cardiovascular risk factors in a community sample.

BACKGROUND: Psychosocial characteristics might contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of cardiovascular disease as it is increasingly recognised that biomedical risk factors do not fully explain its dynamics. This study aimed to describe psychometric indexes in a Portuguese community sample relating them to known cardiovascular disease risk factors. METHODS: Anthropometric, blood pressure, serum measurements and information on demographic, social, medical and behavioural characteristics were obtained for 215 women and 156 men. Self-administered questionnaires were used for the psychometric evaluation (Bortner scale, Beck Depression Inventory, Hopkins Symptom Distress Checklist 90-Revised, Psychological General Well-Being and the Nottingham Health Profile, NHP). RESULTS: There were significant differences according to gender regarding almost every psychometric dimension assessed. After adjusting for the presence of different biomedical risk factors, significant decreasing mean behaviour pattern scores were found with increasing age. Mean depression scores were significantly higher in women and in individuals with lower educational level. As to general psychological well-being, the highest scores were obtained for men and individuals with higher educational level. For the assessed dimensions of quality of life, as well as indexes of psychopathology, men scored better than women. No significant differences in mean scores of behaviour pattern, depression, psychological general well-being and dimensions of NHP were found according to the presence of an increasing number of cardiovascular risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: The study shows that the clustering of multiple biomedical risk factors does not result in additive deleterious psychological effects and that psychometric indexes are mainly dependent on gender and education, common confounders in most studies evaluating cardiovascular risk factors.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Depression and the severity of substance abuse.

BACKGROUND: Psychosocial factors have been considered important in the initiation of drug abuse and seem to affect its clinical course and outcome. Several studies have reported psychopathology, namely depression, to be consistently high in addiction. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the prevalence of depression and its relationship to the severity of drug abuse in a Portuguese sample of drug addicts. METHODS: Two hundred and eighty-five drug addicts (23 women and 262 men, aged between 16 and 41 years old), diagnosed according to the DSM-IV criteria, were contacted during their first visit for treatment at public health centres. Social, demographic and behavioural characteristics of the study sample were obtained by interview using a structured questionnaire. The severity of drug abuse was evaluated using a Portuguese version of the Drug Abuse Screening Test, and depression was assessed by the Zung self-rating depression scale. RESULTS: The prevalence of depression was 51.2% and was higher in females than males (77.8 vs. 48.7%, p = 0.034). A significant correlation was also found between the severity of drug abuse and depression scores, which was also stronger in females (r = 0.53 vs. r = 0.24). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed a high prevalence of depression in drug addicts, regardless of the type and duration of drug abuse, and a significant association between depression and severity of drug addiction.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Conversion factors in laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Although laparoscopic cholecystectomy already occupies an important role in acute cholecystitis, a high rate of conversion continues to be referred to in the series published. One of the objectives of this study is to assess the preoperative factors that might lead to conversion. METHODOLOGY: 100 laparoscopic cholecystectomies for acute cholecystitis were studied of which 24 were converted. Several parameters are taken into consideration: age, sex, ASA, echographic data, bacteriological examination of the bile, time elapsing between diagnosis and surgery, morbidity and mortality. RESULTS: The analysis made in relation to the preoperative, predetermining factors with regards to the converted cases provided the following elements in unvaried analysis: Preoperative existence of: "plastron" gallbladder (P < 0.002), temperature above 38 degrees C (P < 0.04), leucocytosis (P < 0.02)), time elapsing between diagnosis and surgery (P < 0.005), presence in the echography of pericholecystic liquid (P < 0.0005) and edema (P < 0.001); Klebsiella in the gallbladder bile (P < 0.005). Age (P = 0.136), sex (P = 0.992), associated diseases (P = 0.961), and gallbladder pathology (P = 0.282) did not present statistical differences that would prevent valid conclusions. In multi-varied analysis it was only possible to consider as independent factors the leucocytosis and the time between diagnosis and surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a safe and efficient technique in the treatment of acute cholecystitis, which should constitute the first choice of treatment for this disease. However, it should be carried out within the first 4 days following surgical diagnosis.

Acute Disease↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[The risk factors for breast cancer: a case-control study].

In western countries, female breast cancer is a major cause of death. Many risk factors for breast cancer have been identified, but the magnitude of the risks is clearly different between high and low risk areas. In this hospital-based case-control study we evaluated risk factors for female breast cancer in 158 women with breast cancer and 131 controls. Cases presented a later age at first birth and a lower median number of pregnancies. The risk of breast cancer increased with increasing age at first birth, particularly for women with lower parity. After controlling for other variables the risk significantly decreased with abortion history (OR = 0.5, 95% CI: 0.3-0.7) and oral contraception (OR = 0.5, 95% CI: 0.3-0.9). Premenopausal and postmenopausal women presented different risk factors. Among premenopausal cases the risk was lower for parous women (OR = 0.1, 95% CI: 0.0-0.7) and higher for those with a positive family history (OR = 4.5, 95% CI: 1.3-16). Compared to controls, postmenopausal cases only presented a significantly lower rate of abortions (OR = 0.2, 95% CI: 0.1-0.4). The present study shows that these women can be regarded as belonging to an intermediate risk population.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Pattern of intrauterine growth and Doppler flowmetry].

The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of ultrasound biometric and hemodynamic fetal parameters for the prenatal diagnosis of intrauterine retardation in a sample of 438 pregnant women who had their first visit before the 16th week of gestation at the outpatient clinic of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, S. Joào Hospital. The results are presented for 427 mother-infant pairs corresponding to singleton pregnancies uncomplicated by congenital malformations. The prevalence of SGA was 4.9%, 86.2% for AGA and 8.9% for LGA. A relatively low sensitivity and high specificity were calculated for the ultrasound parameters evaluated, as observed in previous studies performed in other populations. Mean values for the differences of umbilical vessels resistance index measured at 28-32 and 35-37 gestation weeks were significantly lower in SGA newborns, probably reflecting a sustained compromise of vascular compliance (umbilical/placental). The observed lack of agreement between the pre and the postnatal diagnosis of SGA emphasises the need to define local reference birthweight curves or the careful adoption of European standards obtained in populations identical to our.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Small for gestational age newborn infants. The effect of standard curves of birth weight on the calculation of the prevalence and of the risk factors].

Sampling decisions, statistical methods and criteria for dating pregnancy all influence birth-weight percentiles and the ability to classify a newborn as growth retarded or small for date. Consequently the prevalence of small for date, the type and the magnitude of risk factors associated with this condition, and the evaluation of preventive interventions are dependent on the standards used. In this study we established birthweight standards for sex and gestational age (36 to 41 weeks) in a sample of 7518 singleton newborns delivered from 1989-92 at Famalicão Hospital. Later, these reference percentiles were applied to a sample of 2210 to calculate the prevalence of small for date, to evaluate associated risk factors, and to compare these estimates with those obtained using Thompson or Lubchenco published charts. The prevalence of small for gestational age was significantly higher using local standards (9.9 or 10.0%) when compared with those obtained using Thompson (8.8%, p < 0.005) or Lubchenco (4.4%, p < 0.005) percentiles. However, the risk factors identified and the magnitude of the point estimates for odds ratios were similar regardless of the reference percentiles. This study shows a significant misclassification of newborns as small or adequate for gestational age that may affect individual prognosis, but this is not reflected in the type and the importance of detected risk factors at a group level.

Birth Weight↗