Conclusions. The retractable non-invasive needle seems to have reasonably good capability of blinding patients and is more successful in acupuncture-naive subjects than in experienced ones. The failure to produce similar sensation of stimulation in the sham acupuncture group may be the major reason for incomplete blinding. (Abstract shortened by UMI.) / Design, participants and outcomes. We conducted a randomized controlled trial of 398 acupuncture-naive subjects and 197 acupuncture-experienced subjects who were recruited from the outpatients clinic of a university hospital in China. Acupuncture-naive and experienced subjects were randomized separately to receive the real acupuncture treatment or the placebo acupuncture at acupoint Hegu on the left hand. After the intervention, the percentage of patients who thought they had received real acupuncture was compared between the real and sham acupuncture groups. We defined the degree of blinding as 100% minus the difference in the percentage between the two groups. The score of pain, soreness, numbness, heaviness and distension during the treatment was also compared between the two groups. / Introduction. The newly designed retractable needle which can be used to produce non-invasive placebo or (sham) acupuncture seems promising and has been used in clinical trials. Several studies investigated the credibility of the retractable needle in blinding patients. These studies are generally small and mostly in acupuncture-naive patients and mainly focused on the difference in acupuncture-related sensations rather than the successfulness of blinding. / Objectives. To quantify the degree of blinding of the retractable non-invasive placebo needle in blinding both acupuncture-naive and experienced subjects in clinical trials and to explore possible reasons for incomplete blinding of the sham needle. / Results. In acupuncture-naive subjects, the percentage of those who thought they had received real acupuncture was 70.4% and 42.7% respectively in the real and sham acupuncture groups. The degree of blinding was 72.3% (95% CI: 62.9%, 81.7%). In acupuncture-experienced subjects, the degree of blinding was 58.9 (95% CI: 46.2%, 71.6%). The difference in degree of blinding between acupuncture-naive and experienced subjects was statistically significant (P<0.05). The score of pain, soreness, numbness, heaviness and distension in the real acupuncture group was all statistically significantly higher than that in the sham acupuncture group in both acupuncture-naive and experienced subjects (P<0.001). / Zhang Hongwei. / "February 2005." / Adviser: Jin Ling Tang. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-01, Section: B, page: 0161. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 93-102). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / School code: 1307.

Yes / Introduction: Skin ageing involves senescent fibroblast accumulation, disturbance in extracellular matrix (ECM) homeostasis, and decreased collagen synthesis. Objective: to assess a cell therapy product for aged skin (RCS-01; verum) consisting of ~25 × 106 cultured, autologous cells derived from anagen hair follicle non-bulbar dermal sheath (NBDS). Methods: For each subject in the verum group, 4 areas of buttock skin were injected intradermally 1 or 3 times at monthly intervals with RCS-01, cryomedium, or needle penetration without injection; in the placebo group RCS-01 was replaced by cryomedium. The primary endpoint was assessment of local adverse event profiles. As secondary endpoints, expression of genes related to ECM homeostasis was assessed in biopsies from randomly selected volunteers in the RCS-01 group taken 4 weeks after the last injection. ­Results: Injections were well tolerated with no severe adverse events reported 1 year after the first injection. When compared with placebo-treated skin, a single treatment with RCS-01 resulted in a significant upregulation of TGFβ1, CTGF, COL1A1, COL1A2, COL3A1, and lumican mRNA expression. Limitations: The cohort size was insufficient for dose ­ranging evaluation and subgroup analyses of efficacy. Conclusions: RCS-01 therapy is well tolerated and associated with a gene expression response consistent with an improvement of ECM homeostasis. / Replicel Life Sciences Inc, Vancouver, Canada.

No parto normal, o trauma provocado por episiotomia ou roturas, é freqüente e a anestesia local é bastante utilizada no reparo das lesões da região vulvoperineal. Na literatura especializada, os estudos sobre as soluções anestésicas mais adequadas são escassos para essa anestesia. No entanto existem recomendações para a adoção de anestésicos com vasoconstritor pela permanência mais prolongada da solução anestésica no local, garantindo maior ação e redução da concentração plasmática da droga, mas na prática seu uso é restrito. O objetivo do estudo foi comparar a quantidade de anestésico necessária para inibir a dor durante a sutura do trauma perineal, em mulheres com episiotomia ou laceração espontânea de primeiro ou segundo graus, conforme o uso ou não de vasoconstritor na solução anestésica. Trata-se de uma pesquisa aleatorizada e controlada com mascaramento duplo, realizada no Centro de Parto Normal do Amparo Maternal na cidade de São Paulo. Foram incluídas 96 parturientes, alocadas em três blocos - laceração de primeiro grau, laceração de segundo grau e episiotomia. Em cada bloco, constituído por 32 mulheres, 16 receberam solução anestésica com vasoconstritor e 16 sem vasoconstritor. Os resultados mostraram que, na laceração de primeiro grau, a média de anestésico com vasoconstritor apresentou diferença estatisticamente significante (p=0,002), com 1,0 ml (I.C. -1,6; -0,4) menos que a média do anestésico sem vasoconstritor; em 95% dos casos, foram usados de 1 a 2 ml de solução com vasoconstritor, e em 87,5% dos casos para o anestésico sem vasoconstritor, o volume usado variou de 2 a 4 ml. Para a laceração de segundo grau, a média do anestésico com vasoconstritor foi 3,7 ml (I.C. -5,8; -1,6) menos que a média do anestésico sem vasoconstritor, sendo estatisticamente significante (p=0,001); em 87,5% dos casos, a quantidade máxima de anestésico com vasoconstritor administrada foi 6 ml, e 81,3% das mulheres que receberam anestésico sem vasoconstritor, a dose administrada foi de 7 ml ou mais. Considerando a extensão da laceração, adotou-se o tamanho da episiotomia praticada nas mulheres do estudo, como parâmetro para classificar a extensão da laceração. Foram agrupadas como pequenas as lacerações de menor extensão, como médias aquelas com tamanho semelhante à episiotomia e como grandes aquelas cuja extensão superou o tamanho da episiotomia. Para a episiotomia, a média de anestésico com vasoconstritor foi 0,3 ml (I.C. -2,1; 1,5) a menos que a média do anestésico sem vasoconstritor, considerada sem significância estatística (p=0,724). Os resultados permitiram confirmar a hipótese de que uso de anestésico com vasoconstritor na anestesia local para a sutura de lacerações perineais no parto normal aumenta a eficácia da anestesia local. Embora o volume de anestésico utilizado na sutura de laceração de primeiro e segundo graus seja significativamente reduzido pela associação com vasoconstritor, a relevância clínica desse resultado deve ser considerada. / The perineal trauma, caused by episiotomy or ruptures, is quite frequent during the spontaneous delivery, being the local anesthesia widely utilized when repairing lesions in the vulvo-perineal region. Throughout the specialized literature, scarce are the studies on the most suitable anesthetic solutions for this kind of anesthesia. Even though there are recommendations for the adoption of the anesthetic with vasoconstrictor, because of the prolonged permanence of the anesthetic solution in the region, thus ensuring a bigger time of action, and because of the reduction in the plasmatic concentration of the drug, its utilization in practice is restricted. The goal of the study was to compare the necessary quantity of anesthetic to inhibit pain during the suture of the perineal trauma in women with an episiotomy or with first or second degree spontaneous lacerations, according to the use or not of vasoconstrictor in the anesthetic solution. This is a randomized and controlled research, with double blind trial, performed in the Birth Centre at Amparo Maternal, in the city of Sao Paulo. There were 96 parturients included in the study and then divided into three blocks: first degree laceration, second degree laceration and episiotomy. In each block, constituted of 32 women, 16 women were administered the anesthetic solution with vasoconstrictor and 16 with no vasoconstrictor. Results show that in the first degree laceration block the average of anesthetic with vasoconstrictor presented a statistically significant difference (p=0,002), with 1,0 ml (C.I. -1,6; -0,4) less than the average of the anesthetic without vasoconstrictor; in 95% of the cases, 1 to 2 ml of the solution with vasoconstrictor was utilized, while in 87,5% of the cases, the anesthetic without vasoconstrictor varied from 2 to 4 ml. In the second degree laceration block, the average of anesthetic solution with vasoconstrictor was 3,7 ml (C.I. -5,8; -1,6) less than the average of the anesthetic without vasoconstrictor, being statistically significant (p=0,001); in 87,5% of the cases, the maximum quantity of anesthetic with vasoconstrictor administered was 6 ml, while in 81,3% of the cases, women who were given the anesthetic without vasoconstrictor, received 7 ml or more. Considering the extent of the laceration, the size of the episiotomy practiced on the women of the study was adopted as a parameter to classify the extent of the laceration. The lacerations of a smaller extent were grouped as small-sized, the ones in which the size was similar to the size of the episiotomy were grouped as medium-sized, and as large-sized the ones that oversized the episiotomy. For the episiotomy, the average of anesthetic with vasoconstrictor was 0,3 ml (C.I. -2,1; 1,5) less than the average of the anesthetic without vasoconstrictor, with no statistic significance (p=0,724). Results allow us to confirm the hypothesis that the utilization of the anesthetic with vasoconstrictor in the local anesthesia during the suture of the perineal lacerations in the spontaneous delivery increases the effectiveness of the local anesthesia. Although the volume of anesthetic utilized in the suture of the first and second degree lacerations is significantly reduced by the association with vasoconstrictor, the clinical relevance of this result must be taken into further consideration.

A eficácia e a segurança do acamprosato foram avaliadas no tratamento ambulatorial de setenta e cinco pacientes do sexo masculino, com idade entre 18 e 59 anos, com diagnóstico de dependência de álcool pelo CID-10. O estudo foi controlado duplo-cego, com duração de 24 semanas. Transtornos clínicos e/ou psiquiátricos que necessitassem de internação, uso de medicação psiquiátrica, quadros psicóticos prévios independentes do consumo de álcool e hipersensibilidade ao acamprosato foram critérios de exclusão. Após um período de desintoxicação de uma semana, os pacientes foram divididos aleatoriamente em dois grupos: o primeiro grupo recebeu acamprosato (6 comprimidos de 333 mg por dia durante 12 semanas), e o segundo recebeu placebo (6 comprimidos por dia durante 12 semanas). Após as primeiras 12 semanas, os pacientes continuaram o tratamento por mais 12 semanas sem uso de medicação. Os grupos foram comparados quanto a sintomas depressivos, uso de álcool, efeitos colaterais das medicações, exames laboratoriais e tempo de abstinência contínuo. 25% dos pacientes que estavam recebendo acamprosato e 20% dos pacientes que estavam recebendo placebo foram excluídos do seguimento. Os pacientes que receberam acamprosato mostraram maior taxa de abstinência contínua no final das 24 semanas de tratamento quando comparados aos que receberam placebo (57% versus 25%, p = 0,014), e tiveram uma duração média de abstinência contínua de 18,8 semanas enquanto o grupo placebo teve uma duração média de abstinência contínua de 12 semanas (p = 0,003). Efeitos colaterais foram registrados. O acamprosato mostrou-se ser seguro e eficaz no tratamento de pacientes dependentes de álcool e na manutenção da abstinência durante 24 semanas. / The efficacy and security of acamprosate were evaluated in the treatment of 75 men, between 18 and 59 years of age, with diagnosis of alcohol dependence by ICD-10. It was a double-blind, placebo controlled study, 24 weeks long. Patients with disorders that should be treated in an inpatient setting, using psychiatric medications, relating previous psychoses without alcohol use and with hipersensibility to acamprosate were excluded. After a one-week detoxification period, the patients were randomily divided in two groups: the first group received acamprosate (6 tablets of 333 mg a day during 12 weeks) and the second group received placebo (6 tablets during 12 weeks). After the first 12 weeks, the patients continued the follow-up for 12 weeks more without medication. The groups were compared in terms of depressive symptoms, use of alcohol, side effects of medications and laboratory tests. 25% of patients who were receiving acamprosate dropped out, whereas 20% of the placebo-treated patients dropped out of the study. Patients who were receiving acamprosate showed significantly higher continuous abstinence rate within the 24 weeks of treatment compared with patients who were assigned to placebo treatment (57% versus 25%, p = 0,014), and they had significantly longer mean abstinence duration of 18,8 weeks versus 12 weeks abstinent (p = 0,003). Few side effects were related. Acamprosate proved to be safe and an effective aid in the treatment of alcohol dependent patients and in maintaining the abstinence of patients during 24 weeks.

Subjects in laboratory experiments are prone to effects of social desirability. This reactive behavior is due to the subjects perceived anonymity in the entire experiment. Especially, socially desirable behavior is also triggered by assembling and/or payment procedures that are not anonymous. Indeed, in a laboratory experiments with a one-shot prisoner’s dilemma (PD) and perfect stranger anonymity subjects (n=174) showed significantly different cooperation rates depending on the anonymity conditions during assembling and the payment procedure, ranging from 33.3% to 19.9%. In addition, a first experiment with the PD and anonymous payment and double blind experimenting lead to a cooperation rate of 33.3%. Only after the same subjects (n=34) took part a second time in same, entire experiment, the cooperation rate fell to 8.8%. Therefore this measurement of the cooperation rates in a laboratory experiment failed the test-retest check on reliability. This happened though all manipulations used fulfilled the standards of fully anonymous experimenting. This means that such processes could go unnoticed and bias the results of any standard laboratory experiment on cooperation in one shot decisions. Therefore, in accordance with the textbook logic of laboratory experiments, but in contrast to a common practice (cf. Behavioral Game Theory) marginal totals from cooperation experiments in the laboratory should not be interpreted.

A eficácia e a segurança do acamprosato foram avaliadas no tratamento ambulatorial de setenta e cinco pacientes do sexo masculino, com idade entre 18 e 59 anos, com diagnóstico de dependência de álcool pelo CID-10. O estudo foi controlado duplo-cego, com duração de 24 semanas. Transtornos clínicos e/ou psiquiátricos que necessitassem de internação, uso de medicação psiquiátrica, quadros psicóticos prévios independentes do consumo de álcool e hipersensibilidade ao acamprosato foram critérios de exclusão. Após um período de desintoxicação de uma semana, os pacientes foram divididos aleatoriamente em dois grupos: o primeiro grupo recebeu acamprosato (6 comprimidos de 333 mg por dia durante 12 semanas), e o segundo recebeu placebo (6 comprimidos por dia durante 12 semanas). Após as primeiras 12 semanas, os pacientes continuaram o tratamento por mais 12 semanas sem uso de medicação. Os grupos foram comparados quanto a sintomas depressivos, uso de álcool, efeitos colaterais das medicações, exames laboratoriais e tempo de abstinência contínuo. 25% dos pacientes que estavam recebendo acamprosato e 20% dos pacientes que estavam recebendo placebo foram excluídos do seguimento. Os pacientes que receberam acamprosato mostraram maior taxa de abstinência contínua no final das 24 semanas de tratamento quando comparados aos que receberam placebo (57% versus 25%, p = 0,014), e tiveram uma duração média de abstinência contínua de 18,8 semanas enquanto o grupo placebo teve uma duração média de abstinência contínua de 12 semanas (p = 0,003). Efeitos colaterais foram registrados. O acamprosato mostrou-se ser seguro e eficaz no tratamento de pacientes dependentes de álcool e na manutenção da abstinência durante 24 semanas. / The efficacy and security of acamprosate were evaluated in the treatment of 75 men, between 18 and 59 years of age, with diagnosis of alcohol dependence by ICD-10. It was a double-blind, placebo controlled study, 24 weeks long. Patients with disorders that should be treated in an inpatient setting, using psychiatric medications, relating previous psychoses without alcohol use and with hipersensibility to acamprosate were excluded. After a one-week detoxification period, the patients were randomily divided in two groups: the first group received acamprosate (6 tablets of 333 mg a day during 12 weeks) and the second group received placebo (6 tablets during 12 weeks). After the first 12 weeks, the patients continued the follow-up for 12 weeks more without medication. The groups were compared in terms of depressive symptoms, use of alcohol, side effects of medications and laboratory tests. 25% of patients who were receiving acamprosate dropped out, whereas 20% of the placebo-treated patients dropped out of the study. Patients who were receiving acamprosate showed significantly higher continuous abstinence rate within the 24 weeks of treatment compared with patients who were assigned to placebo treatment (57% versus 25%, p = 0,014), and they had significantly longer mean abstinence duration of 18,8 weeks versus 12 weeks abstinent (p = 0,003). Few side effects were related. Acamprosate proved to be safe and an effective aid in the treatment of alcohol dependent patients and in maintaining the abstinence of patients during 24 weeks.

No parto normal, o trauma provocado por episiotomia ou roturas, é freqüente e a anestesia local é bastante utilizada no reparo das lesões da região vulvoperineal. Na literatura especializada, os estudos sobre as soluções anestésicas mais adequadas são escassos para essa anestesia. No entanto existem recomendações para a adoção de anestésicos com vasoconstritor pela permanência mais prolongada da solução anestésica no local, garantindo maior ação e redução da concentração plasmática da droga, mas na prática seu uso é restrito. O objetivo do estudo foi comparar a quantidade de anestésico necessária para inibir a dor durante a sutura do trauma perineal, em mulheres com episiotomia ou laceração espontânea de primeiro ou segundo graus, conforme o uso ou não de vasoconstritor na solução anestésica. Trata-se de uma pesquisa aleatorizada e controlada com mascaramento duplo, realizada no Centro de Parto Normal do Amparo Maternal na cidade de São Paulo. Foram incluídas 96 parturientes, alocadas em três blocos - laceração de primeiro grau, laceração de segundo grau e episiotomia. Em cada bloco, constituído por 32 mulheres, 16 receberam solução anestésica com vasoconstritor e 16 sem vasoconstritor. Os resultados mostraram que, na laceração de primeiro grau, a média de anestésico com vasoconstritor apresentou diferença estatisticamente significante (p=0,002), com 1,0 ml (I.C. -1,6; -0,4) menos que a média do anestésico sem vasoconstritor; em 95% dos casos, foram usados de 1 a 2 ml de solução com vasoconstritor, e em 87,5% dos casos para o anestésico sem vasoconstritor, o volume usado variou de 2 a 4 ml. Para a laceração de segundo grau, a média do anestésico com vasoconstritor foi 3,7 ml (I.C. -5,8; -1,6) menos que a média do anestésico sem vasoconstritor, sendo estatisticamente significante (p=0,001); em 87,5% dos casos, a quantidade máxima de anestésico com vasoconstritor administrada foi 6 ml, e 81,3% das mulheres que receberam anestésico sem vasoconstritor, a dose administrada foi de 7 ml ou mais. Considerando a extensão da laceração, adotou-se o tamanho da episiotomia praticada nas mulheres do estudo, como parâmetro para classificar a extensão da laceração. Foram agrupadas como pequenas as lacerações de menor extensão, como médias aquelas com tamanho semelhante à episiotomia e como grandes aquelas cuja extensão superou o tamanho da episiotomia. Para a episiotomia, a média de anestésico com vasoconstritor foi 0,3 ml (I.C. -2,1; 1,5) a menos que a média do anestésico sem vasoconstritor, considerada sem significância estatística (p=0,724). Os resultados permitiram confirmar a hipótese de que uso de anestésico com vasoconstritor na anestesia local para a sutura de lacerações perineais no parto normal aumenta a eficácia da anestesia local. Embora o volume de anestésico utilizado na sutura de laceração de primeiro e segundo graus seja significativamente reduzido pela associação com vasoconstritor, a relevância clínica desse resultado deve ser considerada. / The perineal trauma, caused by episiotomy or ruptures, is quite frequent during the spontaneous delivery, being the local anesthesia widely utilized when repairing lesions in the vulvo-perineal region. Throughout the specialized literature, scarce are the studies on the most suitable anesthetic solutions for this kind of anesthesia. Even though there are recommendations for the adoption of the anesthetic with vasoconstrictor, because of the prolonged permanence of the anesthetic solution in the region, thus ensuring a bigger time of action, and because of the reduction in the plasmatic concentration of the drug, its utilization in practice is restricted. The goal of the study was to compare the necessary quantity of anesthetic to inhibit pain during the suture of the perineal trauma in women with an episiotomy or with first or second degree spontaneous lacerations, according to the use or not of vasoconstrictor in the anesthetic solution. This is a randomized and controlled research, with double blind trial, performed in the Birth Centre at Amparo Maternal, in the city of Sao Paulo. There were 96 parturients included in the study and then divided into three blocks: first degree laceration, second degree laceration and episiotomy. In each block, constituted of 32 women, 16 women were administered the anesthetic solution with vasoconstrictor and 16 with no vasoconstrictor. Results show that in the first degree laceration block the average of anesthetic with vasoconstrictor presented a statistically significant difference (p=0,002), with 1,0 ml (C.I. -1,6; -0,4) less than the average of the anesthetic without vasoconstrictor; in 95% of the cases, 1 to 2 ml of the solution with vasoconstrictor was utilized, while in 87,5% of the cases, the anesthetic without vasoconstrictor varied from 2 to 4 ml. In the second degree laceration block, the average of anesthetic solution with vasoconstrictor was 3,7 ml (C.I. -5,8; -1,6) less than the average of the anesthetic without vasoconstrictor, being statistically significant (p=0,001); in 87,5% of the cases, the maximum quantity of anesthetic with vasoconstrictor administered was 6 ml, while in 81,3% of the cases, women who were given the anesthetic without vasoconstrictor, received 7 ml or more. Considering the extent of the laceration, the size of the episiotomy practiced on the women of the study was adopted as a parameter to classify the extent of the laceration. The lacerations of a smaller extent were grouped as small-sized, the ones in which the size was similar to the size of the episiotomy were grouped as medium-sized, and as large-sized the ones that oversized the episiotomy. For the episiotomy, the average of anesthetic with vasoconstrictor was 0,3 ml (C.I. -2,1; 1,5) less than the average of the anesthetic without vasoconstrictor, with no statistic significance (p=0,724). Results allow us to confirm the hypothesis that the utilization of the anesthetic with vasoconstrictor in the local anesthesia during the suture of the perineal lacerations in the spontaneous delivery increases the effectiveness of the local anesthesia. Although the volume of anesthetic utilized in the suture of the first and second degree lacerations is significantly reduced by the association with vasoconstrictor, the clinical relevance of this result must be taken into further consideration.

Many dieters and compulsive overeaters report that sugar and chocolate are the most commonly craved foods. Further, many individuals have proclaimed themselves to be "addicted" to sugar or chocolate. It remains unclear, however, what factors lead to report of specific food addictions. A number of researchers have suggested that highly repetitive consumption of sugar and chocolate may result from various physiological processes (e.g., neurochemical imbalances, glucose/insulin malfunctioning). However, there is also considerable evidence that psychosocial factors (i.e., expectancies, classical, and operant conditioning) play the major role in the development and maintenance of excessive sugar,chocolate intake. Empirical studies examining factors that underlie this behavior are almost nonexistent. Therefore, it is useful for researchers to explore perspectives about the causes of addictive or compulsive behavior. This study addressed the question, "Are adverse eating symptoms/outcomes for women who believe they are addicted to sugar or chocolate explained primarily by learning factors or by the key chemical constituents in these foods?" This study involved procedures that influenced subjects' perceptions and expectations about the sugar/chocolate content of a beverage (i.e., real chocolate, sugar versus synthetic substitute [placebo]) in a laboratory taste test situation. In an ABAB experimental design, self-avowed addict and control subjects were tested on four consecutive days receiving two chocolate/sugar (A) and two placebo (B) beverages. Changes in mood and food cravings were measured, as was an index of perceived eating dyscontrol following the consumption of beverages. In addition to establishing a baseline measure each day, subjects' mood and cravings were assessed immediately after consumption of chocolate or placebo as well as 45 minutes later. The responses (mood, food cravings, food intake) that occurred after exposure to drinks containing placebo or sugar/chocolate suggested that subjects do not always respond in the manner they purport to (e.g., increased cravings, mood improvement, subsequent overeating of treats). Other factors such as learning and conditioning may play a key role in accounting for their report of excessive behavior. Specifically, individuals who believe they are addicted to sugar or chocolate evidence similar responses and symptoms irrespective of wether they consumed a placebo versus sugar or chocolate.

INTRODUÇÃO: Não há tratamento ideal para o bócio multinodular (BMN). A cirurgia é o método mais utilizado, por proporcionar uma redução imediata do volume tiroidiano (VT), dos sintomas compressivos e permitir um diagnóstico histológico definitivo. O iodo radioativo (I¹³¹) é considerado uma excelente opção terapêutica em situações de contra-indicação cirúrgica ou recusa do paciente a este método. Entretanto doses elevadas de I¹³¹ são utilizadas para obtenção de resultados satisfatórios na redução do VT. Esta estratégia leva a uma maior exposição dos pacientes à radiação ionizante e a um maior custo devido à necessidade de internações. Administração prévia do TSH humano recombinante (rhTSH) ao I¹³¹ no tratamento do BMN, permite a utilização de doses menores deste radiofármaco, obtendo resultados satisfatórios na redução do VT e em menor tempo. Porém esta associação pode acentuar efeitos colaterais descritos neste tipo de terapia. OBJETIVOS: Avaliar a efetividade e segurança de pequenas e diferentes doses do estímulo prévio do rhTSH ao I¹³¹ em dose fixa, no tratamento do BMN. PACIENTES e MÉTODOS: Trinta portadores de BMN foram divididos em três grupos de 10 pacientes. Os pacientes do grupo I foram estimulados previamente com 0,1 mg de rhTSH ; Os pacientes do grupo II com 0,01 mg e o grupo III foi caracterizado como controle. Todos os participantes do estudo foram submetidos à mesma dose terapêutica de I¹³¹. As variáveis medidas foram: captação do I¹³¹ às 24 horas; VT e a menor área seccional transversal da traquéia (MATT) avaliados através da ressonância magnética (RM), antes, 2, 7, 180 e 360 dias, após o tratamento; dosagens seriadas de T3 total, T4 livre, TSH e anticorpos anti-tiroidianos. RESULTADOS: Após seis meses da terapia actínica houve redução no VT de 30,3 ± 16,5 % no grupo I, 22,6 ± 14,5 % no grupo II e 5,0 ± 14,6 % no grupo controle (p=0,01). Aos 12 meses de seguimento o VT reduziu 39,2 ± 16,9 % no grupo I, 38,8 ± 24,4% no grupo II e 23,4 ± 23,59 % no grupo controle (p=0,205). Houve elevação dos níveis dos hormônios tiroidianos e consequente redução das medidas de TSH nos primeiros trinta dias de maneira similar entre os grupos, porém em valores não considerados como tireotoxicose na maioria dos pacientes. Após doze meses do I¹³¹, oito pacientes desenvolveram hipotiroidismo, sendo três no grupo I, três no grupo II e dois no grupo placebo, não havendo diferença estatística entre os grupos. Os níveis de anticorpos antitireoglobulina (AATg) elevaram-se no sexto mês do estudo e retornaram aos níveis basais aos doze meses. Os níveis de anticorpos antitireoperoxidase (ATPO) foram mais elevados no grupo I que nos demais ao final do estudo. Não houve alteração significativa do VT e da MATT durante a primeira semana após o I¹³¹, em nenhum dos grupos estudados. CONCLUSÕES: O estímulo prévio do rhTSH a uma dose fixa de I¹³¹ levou a uma redução maior e mais significativa do bócio aos 6 meses de tratamento, que o uso isolado do I¹³¹. Após 12 meses esta tendência se manteve, entretanto sem significância estatística. / BACKGROUND: There is not an optimal treatment for multinodular goiter (MNG). Surgery is the main therapeutic option because it decreases thyroid volume, reduces compression symptoms and provide histological diagnosis. Radioiodine (131I) is an efficient therapeutic option for the treatment of MNG mainly when surgery is not indicated or when the patient refused it. However, high activities of 131I are frequently required for clinically significant results. This procedure increases the body radiation exposure and the hospitalization costs. Recombinant human TSH (rhTSH) allows a reduction in the administered activity of ¹³¹ I with effective thyroid volume (TV) reduction. However, this combination therapeutic can increase collateral effects. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of low and intermediate doses of rhTSH compared to placebo, associated with a fixed activity of 131I in MNG treatment. PATIENTS and METHODS: Thirty patients with MNG received 0.1 mg of rhTSH (group I, n=10), 0.01 mg of rhTSH (group II, n=10), or placebo (control group, n=10). After 24 hours, 30 mCi of 131I was given to all patients. Radioactive iodine uptake (RAIU) was determined before and 24 hours after rhTSH. Before and 2, 7, 180 and 360 days after the TV was measured by magnetic resonance image (MRI). The smallest cross-sectional area of traqueal lumen (Scat) was also measured with MRI before, 2 and 7 days after treatment. Antithyroid antibodies, TSH, T3 and free T4 were assessed regularly. RESULTS: After 6 months, the decrease in TV was more significant in groups I (30.3±16.5%) and II (22.6±14.5%), than in control group (5.0±14.6%; p=0.01). After 12 months, TV decreased more in group I (39.2±16.9%) and group II (38.8±24.4%) than in group III (23.4±23.59%) but it was not statistically significant (p=0.205). During the first 30 days,total T3 and free T4 increased, without reaching thyrotoxic levels and TSH decreased. After 12 months, 8 patients developed hypothyroidism (3 in group I, 3 in group II and 2 in group III). Anti-thyroglobulin antibodies (anti-TG) titers increased after 6 months and returned to basal levels after 12 months similarly in all groups. There was more patients with anti-thyroperoxidase antibodies ( anti-TPO) titers incresead after 12 months on group I. There was not TV increase after ¹³¹I on the first week ,with or without rhTSH. CONCLUSION: The previous stimulus with rhTSH using a fixed 131I activity lead to a greater and more significant goiter reduction after six months of treatment than 131I alone. After twelve months this tendency was maintained, but without statistic relevance.

Os episódios depressivos constituem a principal causa de morbidade e disfuncionalidade para indivíduos acometidos de transtorno bipolar (TB) ao longo do curso da doença. Os tratamentos disponíveis atualmente para esta fase do transtorno possuem eficácia limitada, o que implica na necessidade de pesquisas que busquem novas opções terapêuticas. Os prejuízos cognitivos presentes em todas as fases do TB, incluindo as depressivas, e associados em seu curso evolutivo a neuroprogressão consistem noutra dimensão psicopatológica que não é beneficiada pelos tratamentos farmacológicos atualmente empregados. Uma mudança de paradigma temse delineado na literatura nos últimos anos a partir do modelo de pesquisa translacional, na qual novas substâncias, incluindo nutracêuticos, têm sido propostas ou estudadas em ensaios clínicos no tratamento da depressão bipolar. Destacam-se entre estes compostos aqueles que atuam no metabolismo energético e na modulação de funções mitocondriais, em vista de extensa linha de evidências que aponta para a existência no TB de alterações fisiopatológicas nestes aspectos da neurobiologia. Escolhemos o monoidrato de creatina como suplemento alimentar a ser estudado como candidato a terapia adjuvante da depressão bipolar, especialmente em razão de sua atuação na bioenergética celular e na potencialização da cognição. Método: Conduzimos um ensaio clínico duplo-cego em que trinta e cinco (35) pacientes portadores de TB do tipo I ou II em episódio depressivo pelos critérios do DSM-IV e que se encontravam em uso de medicamentos preconizados para o tratamento desta fase da doença foram randomicamente alocados em dois grupos de tratamento adjuvante durante 6 semanas: monoidrato de creatina 6 gramas/dia (N=17) ou placebo (N=18). As comparações entre os grupos para as medidas de desfecho escolhidas, sendo determinada como primária a alteração na pontuação na MADRS (Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale) após 6 semanas, foram realizadas considerando em uma análise principal por intenção-de-tratar os 27 sujeitos (N=16 no grupo creatina; N=11 no grupo placebo) reavaliados em pelo menos uma ocasião ao longo do ensaio clínico, utilizando-se o método da last-observation-carried-forward (LOCF). Procedemos também a análises secundárias que avaliaram os desfechos clínicos de 23 pacientes (N=12 no grupo creatina; N=11 no grupo placebo) que completaram as 6 semanas e os desfechos cognitivos de 18 sujeitos (N=9 no grupo creatina; N=9 no grupo placebo) que foram submetidos a uma bateria de testes neuropsicológicos antes e após o tratamento de 6 semanas. Resultados: Não foram encontradas diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre os grupos de tratamento após 6 semanas nas variáveis clínicas analisadas por intençãode- tratar ou por-protocolo. O grupo creatina apresentou melhora significativa (p < 0,05) em comparação ao grupo placebo do desempenho no teste de fluência verbal após as 6 semanas de tratamento. Conclusão: O presente estudo, ressalvadas suas limitações metodológicas, não corrobora a hipótese de eficácia do monoidrato de creatina como terapia adjuvante da depressão bipolar, mas pode encorajar ensaios clínicos de duração mais prolongada e com amostras maiores que procurem confirmar o efeito potencializador da cognição da creatina nos indivíduos portadores de TB / Depressive episodes are a major cause of morbidity and dysfunction in individuals suffering from bipolar disorder (BD) throughout the course of the disease. The currently available treatments for bipolar depression have limited efficacy, which implies the need for research on new therapeutic options. The cognitive deficits presented in all stages of BD including depressive and that are associated to neuroprogression consist in another psychopathological dimension which is not affected by current pharmacological treatments. A paradigm shift inspired by the translational research approach has been outlined in the literature in recent years, in which new substances, including nutraceuticals, have been proposed or studied in clinical trials for the therapy of bipolar depression. Prominent among these compounds are those that work in energy metabolism and modulation of mitochondrial function in view of extensive line of evidence pointing to the existence in BD of pathophysiological changes in these aspects of neurobiology. We chose to study the dietary supplement creatine monohydrate as a candidate for adjunctive therapy in bipolar depression, especially due to its role in cellular bioenergetics and enhancement of cognition. Methods: We conducted a double-blind trial in which thirty-five (35) patients with BD type I or II in a depressive episode by DSM-IV criteria and in use of regular medication for the treatment of this phase of the disease were randomly allocated into two adjunctive treatment groups for 6 weeks: creatine monohydrate 6 grams daily (N =17) or placebo (N = 18). Comparisons between groups for the chosen outcome measures, being determined as primary the change in score on the MADRS (Montgomery- Asberg Depression Rating Scale) after 6 weeks, were performed considering in a major analysis by intention-to-treat 27 subjects (N=16 in the creatine group; N=11 in the placebo group) reassessed on at least one occasion during the clinical trial using the method of the last-observation-carriedforward (LOCF). We also proceed to a secondary analysis that evaluated the clinical outcomes of 23 patients (N=12 in the creatine group; N=11 in placebo group) who completed the 6 weeks and the cognitive outcomes of 18 subjects (N=9 in the creatine group; N=9 in the placebo group) who were subjected to a battery of neuropsychological tests before and after the 6- week treatment. Results: There were no statistically significant differences between treatment groups after 6 weeks in the clinical variables analyzed by intention-to-treat and per-protocol. The creatine group showed significant improvement (p < 0.05) in the performance in the verbal fluency test when compared to the placebo group after the 6-week treatment. Conclusion: This study, although subject to methodological limitations, does not support the hypothesis of efficacy of creatine monohydrate as adjunctive therapy for bipolar depression, but it can encourage the execution of clinical trials of longer duration and with larger samples that seek to confirm the cognitiveenhancing effect of creatine in individuals with BD