Bakgrund: Akut buksmärta är en av de vanligaste sökorsakerna på en akutmottagning. Trots det är smärtlindringen till denna patientkategori omdiskuterad då smärtlindring innan läkarbedömning anses äventyra patientens hälsa och riskerar att maskera potentiellt livshotande tillstånd trots att forskning de senare årtiondena visat på motsatsen. Syfte:  Syftet med litteraturstudien var att undersöka fördelar och risker med smärtlindring administrerad av sjuksköterska innan läkarbedömning vid akut buksmärta. Metod: Systematisk litteraturstudie som granskat kvantitativa artiklar i ämnet med företrädesvis randomiserade kontrollerade studier beskrivna. De granskade artiklarna har sökts upp i medicinska databaser med hjälp av den strukturerade sökmetoden PICO. Artiklarnas resultat har granskats med innehållsanalys. Resultat: Totalt 12 vetenskapliga artiklar inkluderades och utgjorde resultatet i litteraturstudien. I resultatet framkom tre kategorier och en underkategori som belyste smärtskattning och smärtlindring, biverkningar och komplikationer, påverkan på diagnosbeslut och patientbelåtenhet. Slutsats: Tidig smärtlindring med opioider och paracetamol smärtlindrar patienten adekvat och försenar inte klinisk bedömning och efterföljande diagnosbeslut av läkare vid akut buksmärta.

No description available.

Estudos recentes têm sugerido que as imagens de tensor de difusão podem ser úteis para diagnosticar doença de Parkinson (DP). Nosso objetivo foi estimar a exatidão diagnóstica da anisotropia fracionada da substância negra (FA-SN) para o diagnóstico de DP, em uma amostra mais próxima do cenário clínico, incluindo pacientes com tremor essencial (TE) e voluntários sadios (VS). Para uma compreensão mais profunda de nossos achados, também realizamos uma revisão sistemática da literatura e meta-análise para estimar a mudança média da FA-SN induzida pela DP e a precisão diagnóstica dessa medida. Nossa amostra consistiu de 135 pacientes: 72 pacientes com DP, 21 com TE e 42 VS. Dois exames em RM 3T foram realizados em diferentes locais. Em nossa amostra, não encontramos diferenças significativas entre os grupos e a FA-SN não foi útil para o diagnóstico. O maior componente da variabilidade foi a interação sítio-sujeito. Os resultados desta amostra foram fundidos em uma meta-análise que incluiu 1549 indivíduos compostos de 896 pacientes com DP e 653 VS. Utilizaram-se os modelos bivariados e inversos de variância inversa para resumir as medidas de acurácia diagnóstica e as diferenças de médias, respectivamente. A meta-análise estimou uma pequena diminuição nos valores médios da FA-SN na DP (0,03 menor nos pacientes com DP (IC: 0,01 - 0,06)). Apesar disso, sua capacidade discriminatória para o diagnóstico da DP foi baixa. A sensibilidade e a especificidade combinadas foram, respectivamente, 70% (IC: 65 - 74) e 63% (IC: 57 - 69). Houve alta heterogeneidade entre os resultados dos estudos (I2 = 92%). O estudo de caso-controle e a meta-análise das medidas de anisotropia fracionada na substância negra de pacientes com doença de Parkinson e voluntários sadios demonstram que o seu uso como biomarcador de DP não é confiável / Recent studies have suggested that diffusion tensor images can be useful to diagnose Parkinson\'s disease (PD). Our goal was to estimate the diagnostic accuracy of substantia nigra fractional anisotropy (SN-FA) for PD diagnosis in a sample closer to the clinical setting, including patients with essential tremor (ET) and healthy controls (HC). To a deeper understanding of our findings, we also performed a systematic literature review and meta-analysis to estimate mean change of SN-FA induced by PD, and diagnostic accuracy of this measurement. Our sample consisted of 135 subjects: 72 PD and 21 ET patients and 42 HC. Two 3T MRI scans were performed in different sites. In our sample, we did not find significant mean difference between groups and SN-FA was useless for diagnosis. The largest component of explained variability of SN-FA was site-subject interaction. MRI results of this sample were merged in a meta-analysis that included 1549 subjects composed of 896 PD patients and 653 HC. The normal bivariate and the inverse-variance random-effect models were used to summarize diagnostic accuracy measures and mean differences respectively. Meta-analysis estimated a small decrease in mean SN-FA values in PD (0.03 lower in PD patients (CI: 0.01 - 0.06)). Despite this fact, its discriminatory capability to diagnose PD was low. The pooled sensitivity and specificity was respectively 70% (CI: 65 - 74) and 63% (CI: 57 - 69). There was high heterogeneity between studies results (I2 = 92 %). This case-control study and meta-analysis of substantia nigra fractional anisotropy measurements in Parkinson\'s disease and healthy volunteers demonstrate that their use as a PD biomarker is not reliable

No description available.

Background: The iPath telemedicine platform Basel is mainly used for histological and cytological consultations, but also serves as a valuable learning tool. Aim: To study the level of accuracy in making diagnoses based on still images achieved by experienced cytopathologists, to identify limiting factors, and to provide a cytological image series as a learning set. Method: Images from 167 consecutive cytological specimens of different origin were uploaded on the iPath platform and evaluated by four cytopathologists. Only wet-fixed and well-stained specimens were used. The consultants made specific diagnoses and categorized each as benign, suspicious or malignant. Results: For all consultants, specificity and sensitivity regarding categorized diagnoses were 83–92 and 85–93%, respectively; the overall accuracy was 88–90%. The interobserver agreement was substantial (κ = 0.791). The lowest rate of concordance was achieved in urine and bladder washings and in the identification of benign lesions. Conclusion: Using a digital image set for diagnostic purposes implies that even under optimal conditions the accuracy rate will not exceed to 80–90%, mainly because of lacking supportive immunocytochemical or molecular tests. This limitation does not disqualify digital images for teleconsulting or as a learning aid. The series of images used for the study are open to the public at http://pathorama.wordpress.com/extragenital-cytology-2013/.

Inledning: Uteruscancer är den sjätte vanligaste cancerformen hos kvinnor i världen. Ny forskning pekar på att diffusionsviktad magnetresonanstomografi (MRT) kan vara en tillförlitlig undersökningsmetod för att detektera patologiska förändringar i uterus. Syfte: Att skapa en översikt av användbarheten av diffusionsviktade sekvenser vid MRT för att påvisa uteruscancer. Metod: Allmän litteraturöversikt, tio kvantitativa studier inkluderades. Resultat: Diffusionsviktade sekvenser vid MRT har högre sensitivitet, specificitet samt diagnostisk noggrannhet för att påvisa patologiska förändringar i uterus än sekvenser utan diffusionsviktning. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) och b-värden är viktiga markörer för att skilja malign från benign vävnad, indikera patologisk parametrieinvasion samt förutse överlevnad hos patienter med cervixcancer. Slutsats: Diffusionsviktade sekvenser är bättre än sekvenser utan diffusionsviktning och kontrastmedelsförstärkta sekvenser på att hitta samt stadieindela tidiga förändringar i uterus. Undersökningen görs non-invasiv och säker för patienter med känslighet eller allergi mot kontrastmedel, samt frigör tid för röntgensjuksköterskan till omvårdnad av patienten. / Background: Uterus cancer is the sixth most common form of cancer in women in the world. New research suggests that diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be a reliable method of investigation for detecting pathological changes in the uterus. Purpose: To provide an overview of the available scientific support for the use of diffusion-weighted sequences in MRI to detect uterine cancer. Method: Literature review that included ten quantitative studies. Results: Diffusion-weighted sequences in MRI have higher sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy to detect pathological changes in the uterus compared to non- diffusion-weighted sequences. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and b-values are important markers to distinguish malignant from benign tissue, indicate pathological parametric invasion, and predict survival in patients with cervical cancer. Conclusion: Diffusion-weighted sequences are better than sequences without diffusion-weighting and contrast-mediated sequences for identifying and staging early changes in the uterus. The examination is made non-invasive and safe for patients with sensitivity or allergies toward contrast media, as well as freeing time for the radiographer to care for the patient.

Contexte: Le cancer colo-rectal est la deuxième cause de décès, par ordre de fréquence. L’utilisation de l’imagerie dans la stadification du cancer colo-rectal est un élément important de la prise en charge de la maladie. L’échographie endoscopique est une modalité qui permet de préciser la profondeur de l’atteinte néoplasique. Les données probantes concernant la performance diagnostique dans l’identification de cancers peu avancés sont variables. Objectif : Effectuer une revue systématique sur la performance diagnostique de l’échographie endoscopique dans l’identification de cancer de stade T1 et T2. Devis : Revue systématique. Sources bibliographiques : PubMed, EMBASE, Ovid and Cochrane library Méthodes: Dans un premier temps, une recherche de revue systématique publiée dans les 15 dernières années fût effectuée sur la précision diagnostique de l’échographie endoscopique dans les banques PubMed, Cochrne et trip database. Deux revues systématiques, publiées en 2008 et 2009 fûrent identifiées. Une deuxième recherche portant sur des études primaires a été effectuée pour la période 2009 à 2016, dans les mêmes banques bibliographiques. La qualité des études primaires a été évaluée à l’aide de la grille QUADAS2. Les mots clés utilisés étaient échographie endoscopique, EUS, cancer rectal, histo-pathologie, staging. Sélection d’études : Les critères d’inclusion : population adulte avec diagnostic de cancer du rectum pas avancé, articles complets publiés dans des revues avec comité de pairs, articles en anglais. Critères d’exclusion : population pédiatrique, cancers avancés avec atteinte métastatique, patients évalués avec d’autres modalités (CT ou IRM) sans échographie endoscopique, absence de confirmation histologique. Résultats : Dix articles, publiés depuis 2009, répondaient aux critères d’inclusion. Ces articles furent ajoutés aux articles retenus dans les revues systématiques déjà publiées. Au total,49 articles sont inclus dans cette revue systématique. La performance diagnostique de l’échographie endoscopique a été évaluée en calculant la sensitivité et la spécificité des études regroupées. Pour le stade T1, les valeurs de sensitivité et spécificité étaient 0.84 (CI 0.75-0.91) et 0.93 (CI 0.86–0.97), respectivement. Pour le stade T2 les valeurs de sensitivité et spécificité étaient 0.83 (CI 0.74–0.90) et 0.93 (CI 0.86–0.97), respectivement. Conclusion: L’échographie endoscopique présente une performance diagnostique pour l’identification de cancers de stade T1 et T2. Ceci permet d’orienter des patients vers des chirurgies moins invasives avec une survie égale et un taux de complications inférieures comparativement à des chirurgies plus invasives. / Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of death. The use of preoperative imaging in the staging of (CRC) plays a major role in the management. Endorectal ultrasound (ERUS) is a precise imaging modality to determine the depth of penetration. The data on the precision of (ERUS) to predict early stage of rectal cancer has been variable Objectives: To conduct a systematic review, on the diagnostic performance of (ERUS) in the staging of T1 and T2 CRC. Design: Systematic review. Data sources: A literature search via PubMed, EMBASE, Ovid and Cochrane library. METHODS: An initial search for systematic review articles published in the last 15 years on the diagnostic accuracy of EUS in the staging of CRC using PubMed, Cochrane library, and trip database was conducted. After finding two systematic reviews that were published in 2008 and 2009, a second search of original studies published since the systematic reviews were conducted using the same databases from 2009 to 2016. The primary studies included in the systematic reviews and the primary studies published afterwards were included in the review. Methodological quality was applied using a modified version of the quality assessment of diagnostic accuracy studies (QUADAS2) tool. Terms used for search were endoscopic ultrasound, EUS, rectal cancer, histo-pathological finding, and staging. Study selection: Inclusion criteria includes adult people diagnosed with early stage CRC, all articles in english language and must be a full manuscripts published in peer-reviews journals. Exclusion criteria includes any recurrent or metastasis cancer and children with rectal cancer. Patients who were staged preoperatively by other imaging modality (MRI or CT) and no comparison with post operative pathology. Results: The search identified 420 articles, 97 articles were duplicate and excluded, and 232 refined articles were screened for title and abstract, reviewed. Thirty-two full text studies were assessed for eligibility, and ten published as full text and met the inclusion criteria; they were added to the articles identified in the earlier systematic reviews a total of 49 articles. Results of the evaluation of the accuracy of ERUS analyzed according to the diagnostic measures of sensitivities and specificities calculated for each study. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of EUS for stage T1 CRC was 0.84 (CI 0.75-0.91) and 0.93 (CI 0.86–0.97), and for T2 was 0.83 (CI 0.74–0.90) and 0.93(CI 0.86–0.97) respectively. Conclusion: The range of sensitivity and specificity values suggest that EUS performs well in accurately staging T1 and T2 cancers. Further advancement in this technology will lead to an improved diagnosis, clinical decision-making, and reduce the over staging drawback.

Le traitement sélectif (TS) des vaches laitières au tarissement (où seuls les quartiers ou les vaches infectées sont traités avec des antimicrobiens) constitue une alternative potentielle au traitement universel (TU, où tous les quartiers de toutes les vaches reçoivent des antimicrobiens, quel que soit leur statut infectieux), pour une utilisation plus judicieuse des antimicrobiens. L'objectif de cette thèse était d’apporter plus de lumière sur les décisions de traitement antimicrobien ciblant les quartiers ou vaches infecté(e)s au tarissement. Différents devis et méthodologies ont été utilisés pour répondre à cet objectif. Un essai contrôlé randomisé a été conçu et 569 vaches (2,251 quartiers) provenant de 9 troupeaux laitiers du Québec avec un comptage de cellules somatiques (CCS) du réservoir <250 000 cellules/mL ont été systématiquement enrôlées et réparties au hasard dans 4 groupes : 1) traitement antimicrobien seul pour tous les quartiers ; 2) traitement antimicrobien combiné avec un scellant interne à trayon pour tous les quartiers ; 3) traitement antimicrobien sélectif seul basé sur les résultats de la culture bactériologique du lait sur Petrifilm® ; et 4) traitement antimicrobien sélectif combiné avec un scellant interne à trayon basé sur les résultats de la culture du lait sur Petrifilm®. Dans les groupes de TS, les quartiers non infectés n'ont reçu qu'un scellant interne à trayon. Aucune différence significative n'a été détectée entre le TS par quartier et le TU des vaches laitières au tarissement, en termes d'élimination des infections intramammaires (IIM) et de prévention de nouvelles IIM pendant la période de tarissement, de risque d'un premier cas de mammite clinique (MC), de production laitière moyenne quotidienne et de CCS au cours des 120 premiers jours de la lactation suivante. Un TS reposant sur les résultats d'une culture de lait de quartier sur Petrifilm® au tarissement a permis de réduire l'utilisation d'antimicrobiens de 52% (IC à 95%: 39 – 64) par rapport à un TU. En plus de cet essai contrôlé randomisé, la culture du lait par quartier à l'aide de Petrifilm® a été comparée à l'historique du CCS par une estimation bayésienne de leur précision pour identifier les quartiers ou les vaches qui devraient être traités avec des antimicrobiens dans des protocoles de TS au tarissement. Compte tenu de la disponibilité des données de CCS, de la facilité d'utilisation du dernier test de CCS pré-tarissement et de la valeur prédictive négative élevée qui pourrait être obtenue, les producteurs pourraient envisager d'utiliser uniquement le dernier test de CCS pré-tarissement comme outil potentiel pour identifier les vaches qui devraient être traitées avec des antimicrobiens au tarissement. Le dernier test de CCS pré-tarissement peut être utilisé seul ou en combinaison avec la culture de lait par quartier sur Petrifilm® sur les vaches avec un CCS élevé pour identifier encore plus spécifiquement les quartiers qui doivent être traités. L'ajout d'une culture de lait par quartier à la ferme sur Petrifilm® pour les vaches identifiées comme infectées à l'aide des données du CCS améliorerait la précision du test (principalement la valeur prédictive positive) et réduirait davantage l'utilisation d'antimicrobiens. Également, une revue systématique et une série de méta-analyses ont été menées pour étudier l'efficacité du TS par rapport au TU, afin de guider les décideurs et les utilisateurs qui s'engagent dans une utilisation plus efficace et judicieuse des antimicrobiens au moment du tarissement. Treize articles représentant 12 essais contrôlés, randomisés ou non, étaient disponibles pour les analyses. Le TS a permis de réduire de 66% (IC à 95%: 49 – 80) l'utilisation d'antimicrobiens au moment du tarissement. Les résultats appuient fortement l'idée que le TS réduirait l'utilisation d'antimicrobiens au moment du tarissement, sans effet négatif sur la santé du pis ou la production laitière au cours des premiers mois de la lactation subséquente, si, et seulement si, les scellant internes à trayons sont utilisés pour les quartiers non traités avec des antimicrobiens. Enfin, le suivi de l'utilisation d'un scellant interne à trayon a été effectué pour déterminer la proportion de quartiers qui ont conservé le bouchon de scellant jusqu’à la première traite après le vêlage et la persistance de résidus de scellant dans le lait après le vêlage. Un bouchon de scellant était présent jusqu'à la première traite pour 83% des quartiers, et nous pourrions émettre l'hypothèse que la perte du bouchon s'est produite près du vêlage secondaire à la tétée ou pour une autre raison (ex., la pression hydrostatique du lait), étant donné que les associations observées entre la présence ou non d'un bouchon de scellant observable et les chances de nouvelles IIM étaient relativement faibles. Les résidus de scellant pouvaient être observés dans le lait jusqu'à 12 jours après le vêlage, quoique 75% des quartiers n’excrétaient plus de scellant au bout de 5 jours en lait. / Selective dry cow therapy (SDCT, in which only infected quarters or cows are treated with antimicrobials) represents an alternative to blanket dry cow therapy (BDCT, in which all quarters of all cows at dry off are treated with antimicrobials, regardless of their infection status), for a more judicious use of antimicrobials. The objective of this thesis was to shed more light on targeted antimicrobial treatment decisions of infected quarters or cows at dry-off. Different study designs and methodologies were used to meet this objective. A randomized controlled trial was designed and a total of 569 cows (2,251 quarters) from 9 dairy herds in Québec with bulk tank somatic cell count (SCC) <250,000 cells/mL were systematically enrolled and randomly allocated to 4 groups: 1) antimicrobial treatment alone of all quarters; 2) antimicrobial treatment combined with an internal teat sealant (ITS) of all quarters; 3) selective antimicrobial treatment alone based on milk bacteriological culture results on Petrifilm®; and 4) selective antimicrobial treatment combined with an ITS based on milk culture results on Petrifilm®. In the selective antimicrobial treatment groups, uninfected quarters received only an ITS. No significant differences were detected between quarter-based selective and blanket dry cow therapies, in terms of elimination of intramammary infections (IMI) and prevention of new IMI during the dry period, risk of a first case of clinical mastitis (CM), daily average milk yield and somatic cell count in the first 120 days of the subsequent lactation. A selective antimicrobial treatment relying on results of quarter milk culture using Petrifilm® at dry off enabled a reduction in antimicrobial use of 52% (95% CI: 39 – 64) as compared to blanket dry cow treatment. In addition to this randomized controlled trial, quarter milk culture using Petrifilm® was compared with SCC history through a Bayesian estimation of diagnostic accuracy to identify quarters or cows that should be treated with antimicrobials in selective treatment protocols at dry off. Considering the availability of SCC data, the easiness of using just the last Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI) test before dry off, and the high negative predictive value that could be achieved, producers may consider using just the last DHI test before dry off results as a potential tool to identify cows that should be treated with antimicrobials at dry off. The last SCC test before 7 dry off may be used alone or in combination with quarter-level on-farm Petrifilm® milk culture on high SCC cows to more specifically identify quarters that need to be treated. Adding quarter-level milk culture using Petrifilm® to cows identified as unhealthy using cow-level SCC data could improve the test accuracy (mainly the positive predictive value) and further reduced the use of antimicrobials. Also, a systematic review and a series of meta-analyses were conducted to investigate the efficacy of SDCT compared with BDCT, to guide decision-makers and users to engage in a more effective and judicious use of antimicrobials at dry-off. Thirteen articles representing 12 controlled trials, randomized or not, were available for analyses. SDCT reduced the use of antimicrobials at dry off by 66% (95% CI: 49 – 80). Evidences strongly support that SDCT would reduce the use of antimicrobials at dry off, without any detrimental effect on udder health or milk production during the first months of the subsequent lactation, if, and only if, ITS are used for healthy quarters untreated with antimicrobials. Finally, a follow up on the use of ITS was performed to determine the proportion of quarters that had retained the sealant plug until the first milking after calving and the persistence of ITS residues in milk after calving. A sealant plug was present at first milking after calving for 83% of the quarters, and we could hypothesize that the loss of the plug occurred closely around calving due to suckling or for another reason (e.g., milk hydrostatic pressure), since the observed associations between the presence or not of an observable sealant plug and the odds of new IMI were relatively small. The sealant residues could be observed in milk up to 12 days in milk, although 75% of the quarters had expelled the last ITS residues by 5 days in milk.

[pt] O envelhecimento em todo o mundo é um dos maiores desafios da saúde. Nesse contexto, condições clínicas como demências e Comprometimento Cognitivo Leve (CCL) também aumentam suas prevalências. A causa de demência mais frequente e estudada é demência de Alzheimer (DA). Tradicionalmente, DA é caracterizada pelo déficit precoce na memória episódica. Entretanto, estudos atuais mostram que a DA apresenta heterogeneidade neuropsicológica e alguns pacientes apresentam déficits cognitivos precoces não-amnésticos. Essas apresentações são chamadas por alguns autores de DA atípica. Dessa forma, a primeira parte dessa tese dedicou-se a estudar a heterogeneidade neuropsicológica na DA através de dois estudos: uma revisão sistemática sobre heterogeneidade neuropsicológica na DA (publicado) e um estudo de casos sobre perfis típico e atípico na DA (publicado). A revisão sistemática tornou-se necessária já que foi a primeira revisão sistemática publicada sobre o tema. Os achados dos dois estudos mostraram que aspectos atípicos na DA precisam ser mais explorados, já que DA não é uma condição homogênea. Compreender esses perfis cognitivos na DA irá interferir nos métodos diagnósticos e intervenções terapêuticas, seja farmacológica ou comportamental. A segunda parte dessa tese explora esses aspectos atípicos em três amostras: envelhecimento normal, CCL e AD. Assim, um estudo transversal foi realizado para comparar medidas de velocidade de processamento (VP), controle inibitório e automonitoramento nas três amostras. Os resultados desse estudo mostram que medidas de VP podem ser indicadores precoces do declínio cognitivo envelhecimento. Ao comparar CCL com o grupo de envelhecimento saudável, os dados mostram diferença nas medidas de VP e erros cometidos nos testes de VP. Entretanto, as duas amostras não apresentaram diferenças nas medidas de funções executivas (FEs) e nas medidas de funcionalidade. CCL versus AD mostraram diferenças nas medidas de VP, funções executivas e funcionalidade. Dessa forma, esse estudo traz resultados relevantes para o diagnóstico precoce de CCL e novas diretrizes para o cenário clínico e pesquisa. Além disso, na segunda parte desta tese foi realizado um artigo sobre acurácia diagnóstica das medidas de VP nos casos de CCL e AD. A literatura mostra falta de estudos sobre diferenças nas medidas de VP no envelhecimento e parâmetros diagnósticos dos instrumentos de VP. Esse estudo mostrou que medidas de VP apresentam habilidades discriminativas, para DA e CCL. Esses dados são necessários, já que apresentamos um cenário de escassez de instrumentos com elevados parâmetros diagnósticos para medidas de VP no envelhecimento. Esse cenário torna-se ainda mais drástico, quando falamos de Brasil. / [en] Aging is a major healthcare challenge worldwide. With aging, the prevalence of conditions such as dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment increase. The most frequent and studied cause of dementia is Alzheimer s dementia (AD). Traditionally, AD is characterized by early deficit in episodic memory. However, current studies show that AD presents heterogeneity in clinical manifestations, especially cognitive manifestations. Thus, some patients present a non-amnestic cognitive profile. These profiles are called by some authors as atypical AD. The first part of this thesis was aimed at studying the neuropsychological heterogeneity in AD by means of 2 studies: a systematic review on neuropsychological heterogeneity in AD (published) and cases of study with typical and atypical AD patients (published). The systematic review was necessary, as it was the first published review about the topic. The findings of the two studies show that atypical aspects in AD need to be further explored, since AD is not a homogeneous condition. Understanding these cognitive profiles in AD will interfere in diagnostic methods and therapeutic interventions, either pharmacological or behavioral ones. The second part of this thesis explores atypical aspects in three samples: normal aging, MCI and AD. Thus, a cross-sectional study was conducted to compare measures of processing speed (PS), inhibitory control, working memory and cognitive flexibility in the three samples. The results of this study showed that PS measures may be early indicators of cognition decline in aging. MCI versus normal aging showed differences in PS measures and errors in tests of PS. However, these samples did not show differences in executive function measures (EFs) and functional measures. Nevertheless, MCI versus AD show differences in PS measures, executive functions and functionality. Thus, this study showed relevant results for the diagnosis process of MCI and new guidelines for clinical settings and research. In addition, in the second part of this thesis an article was written on diagnostic accuracy of the PS measures used in cases of MCI and AD. The literature shows a lack of studies on differences in PS measures in aging and diagnostic parameters of PS instruments. This study showed that PS measures present discriminative abilities in AD and MCI. These data are important, as there is a lack of diagnostic tools for PS in aging, especially in the Brazilian scenario.