No Brasil, o Sistema de Saúde é Universalista, com o tratamento integral gratuito ao paciente com câncer, cujo direito é assegurado por Lei e regulamentado pelo Ministério da Saúde / Instituto Nacional de Câncer José Alencar Gomes da Silva (INCA), por meio de Decreto Presidencial e Portarias. A habilitação e credenciamento de Hospitais em Unidades ou Centros de Alta Complexidade em Oncologia segue critérios rígidos, que determina como sendo obrigatória a presença do Cirurgião-Dentista na equipe multiprofissional e multidisciplinar na oncoterapia. O tratamento odontológico é compulsório e imprescindível na terapia antineoplásica, para prevenir e tratar as complicações orais: hemorragia, infecção, mucosite oral, xerostomia, cárie de radiação, trismo, alterações periodontais, osteonecrose avascular, osteorradionecrose; que podem levar à interrupção da oncoterapia, acarretando um aumento considerável nos custos da terapia implementada, a piora da qualidade de vida, e em alguns casos, podendo levar o paciente a óbito. O protocolo de cuidados orais na oncoterapia é normatizado e padronizado pelo INCA. Desta forma, foi realizado estudo do tratamento odontológico em pacientes com diagnóstico de câncer atendidos no Serviço de Odontologia Oncológica do UNACON do Hospital Geral de Palmas/Tocantins, no período de abril de 2011 a dezembro de 2016. Os dados foram obtidos de forma individualizada e estruturados segundo Variáveis Demográficas (VD), Procedimento Odontológico (PO), Procedimento Odontológico por Dente (POD) e Outras Variáveis de Interesse (OVI). O impacto financeiro de PO e POD foi avaliado pela comparação entre a tabela SIGTAP do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) e a tabela VRPO/SOESP (Valores Referenciais para Procedimentos Odontológicos/Sindicato dos Odontologistas do Estado de São Paulo). A maior incidência de pacientes foi observada na 5ª década de vida, com tendência à proporção homem/mulher de 1:1. Foram realizados 910 procedimentos preventivos/profilaxia/atividade educativa; 1826 raspagens supra e subgengival e aplicação tópica de flúor por hemiarcada; 932 restaurações de uma e duas faces com resina fotopolimerizável; 909 exodontias; 2746 sessões de laserterapia de baixa potência. O impacto financeiro mostrou uma defasagem significativa da Tabela SIGTAP/SUS. O estudo realizado revela a importância de uma base de dados estruturada para o registro do tratamento odontológico realizado em pacientes com diagnóstico de câncer atendidos no Sistema Único de Saúde; para que com isso seja possível fomentar, nos Sistemas de Saúde no Mundo, a elaboração e padronização de protocolo de cuidados orais na terapia antineoplásica, e o planejamento dos recursos humanos e financeiros destinados ao tratamento odontológico nos pacientes oncológicos. / In Brazil, the Health System is Universalist, with free comprehensive treatment for the cancer patient, whose right is guaranteed by Law and regulated by the Ministry of Health / National Cancer Institute José Alencar Gomes da Silva (INCA), through a Presidential Decree and Ordinances. The accreditation of Hospitals in Units or Centers of High Complexity in Oncology follows rigid criteria, which determines as mandatory the presence of the Dentist in the multiprofessional and multidisciplinary team in oncotherapy. Dental treatment is compulsory and essential in antineoplastic therapy to prevent and treat oral complications: hemorrhage, infection, oral mucositis, xerostomia, radiation caries, trismus, periodontal changes, avascular osteonecrosis, osteorradionecrosis; which can lead to interruption of oncotherapy, leading to a considerable increase in the costs of the therapy implemented, worsening of quality of life, and in some cases, leading to death. The protocol of oral care in oncotherapy is standardized by INCA. In this way, a study of the dental treatment was carried out in patients diagnosed with cancer attended at the UNACON Oncological Dentistry Service of the General Hospital of Palmas / Tocantins, from april 2011 to december 2016. Data were obtained individually and structured according to Demographics Variables (VD), Dental Procedure (PO), Dental Procedure by Tooth (POD) and Other Variables of Interest (OVI). The financial impact of PO and POD was evaluated by comparing the SIGTAP table of the Unified Health System (SUS) and the VRPO / SOESP table (Reference Values for Dental Procedures / Union of Dental Practitioners of the State of São Paulo). The highest incidence of patients was observed in the 5th decade of life, with a tendency to male to female ratios of 1: 1. Nine hundred and ten (910) preventive procedures / prophylaxis / educational activity were carried out; 1826 supra and subgingival scaling and topical application of fluoride by hemiarcate; 932 single and double sided restorations with photopolymerizable resin; 909 exodontia; 2746 sessions of low power laser therapy. The financial impact showed a significant lag in the SIGTAP / SUS Table. The study reveals the importance of a structured database for the registry of dental treatment performed in patients diagnosed with cancer treated in the Unified Health System; so that it is possible to promote, in the World Health Systems, the elaboration and standardization of oral care protocol in antineoplastic therapy, and the planning of human and financial resources for dental treatment in cancer patients.

Submitted by JOSIANE SANTOS DE OLIVEIRA (josianeso) on 2018-08-08T13:48:43Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Fabiane Raquel Motter_.pdf: 88399023 bytes, checksum: 3b609e9bf1fb7252cd2973a8db6869be (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-08T13:48:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Fabiane Raquel Motter_.pdf: 88399023 bytes, checksum: 3b609e9bf1fb7252cd2973a8db6869be (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-03-20 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / UNISINOS - Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos / O uso de Medicamentos Potencialmente Inapropriados (MPIs) em idosos pode comprometer a efetividade ou a segurança da farmacoterapia e têm se destacado como importante desafio para saúde pública, visto que está associado a elevados índices de morbidade e mortalidade. Pesquisas nacionais que investigaram esse tema revelam que as prevalências de uso de MPIs variam de 28,0% a 82,6%; contudo, esses estudos utilizaram listas de MPIs validadas na América do Norte e Europa, uma vez que o primeiro consenso brasileiro sobre MPIs foi publicado somente no final de 2016. Segundo os autores, a lista desenvolvida apresenta algumas lacunas no conhecimento, uma vez que foi baseada em critérios publicados até 2012 e, portanto, não inclui as versões mais atualizadas publicadas em 2015, bem como não incorpora possíveis alternativas terapêuticas para os medicamentos que compõem a lista. Dessa forma, este estudo teve como objetivo estabelecer critérios explícitos para avaliação de MPIs prescritos aos idosos no Brasil e suas respetivas alternativas terapêuticas. O projeto englobou duas etapas complementares: 1- Elaboração da lista de critérios explícitos para avaliação de medicamentos inapropriados para idosos a partir de revisão sistemática já realizada; 2- Validação da proposta por consenso de especialistas utilizando técnica Delphi; A primeira etapa, elaboração da lista preliminar de MPIs, foi baseada em um estudo de revisão sistemática das listas publicadas entre janeiro/1991 e abril/2017.Realizou-se também uma análise qualitativa das listas com o objetivo de verificar a aplicabilidade destas ao mercado brasileiro em termos de disponibilidade e frequência de prescrição. Dessa forma, selecionaram-se três listas de MPIs: Beers 2015, STOPP 2015, European Union (7) PIM list. Ao final desse processo, obteve-se 153 critérios distribuídos em sete instrumentos: Dor e Inflamação, Sistema Cardiovascular, Sistema Endócrino, Geniturinário, Sistema Respiratório, Sistema Nervoso Central, sendo os dois primeiros já validados por meio da técnica Delphi modificada. Considerou-se validados os itens para os quais o limite inferior do IC 95% foi superior ou igual a 4,0. O consenso sobre MPIs - Dor e inflamação foi constituído duas rodadas. Um grupo de nove especialistas atingiu consenso sobre 98 (63,2%) das 155 questões apresentadas: 31/34 preocupações independente do diagnóstico, 4/4 preocupações quanto à dose, 4/4 preocupações quanto a duração do tratamento, 19/20 preocupações quanto ao uso em condições específicas, 12/23 considerações especiais de uso e 28/68 alternativas terapêuticas. No consenso sobre MPIs -Sistema Cardiovascular, um grupo de sete especialista atingiu consenso sobre 84 das 257 questões apresentadas: 20/25 preocupações independente do diagnóstico, 4/4 preocupações quanto à dose, 37/57 preocupações quanto ao uso em condições específicas, 20/105 considerações especiais de uso e 3/66 alternativas terapêuticas. Embora a validação de listas de MPIs a partir da opinião de especialistas seja um processo complexo, a listas desenvolvidas poderão ampliar o conhecimento sobre MPIs no país, uma vez que são baseadas em consensos recentes. Desse modo, esta pesquisa possibilitará um melhor entendimento da magnitude do uso de MPIs no Brasil, e poderá contribuir para o desenvolvimento de estratégias e intervenções mais eficazes para a redução dos problemas relacionados ao uso de medicamentos em idosos no país. / The use of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) for older patients is a public health problem because it can compromise the effectiveness or safety of pharmacotherapy and is responsible for high rates of morbidity and mortality in this age group. Brazilian studies that investigated PIMs show that the prevalence of PIM use ranges from 28.0% to 82.6%. However, these studies used PIM lists developed in other countries in North America and Europe. The first Brazilian consensus on PIMs was published in 2016. Limitations reported by the authors included that the PIM list was based on previous versions of Beers (2012) and STOPP (2008), therefore, it did not include the most up-to-date versions published in 2015, and did not incorporate therapeutic alternatives. The aim of the present study is to develop and validate explicit criteria for the evaluation of PIMs prescribed to older patients in Brazil and their respective therapeutic alternatives. The development of this project comprises of two steps: 1- Elaboration of the preliminary PIM list for older patients based on a systematic literature review; 2 - Validation of the preliminary PIM list with the consensus of experts using modified Delphi technique; The elaboration of the preliminary list of MPIs was based on a systematic review of PIM lists published between January 1991 and April 2017. A qualitative analysis of the PIM lists was performed with the objective of verifying their applicability to the Brazilian market. This way, three lists of PIMs were selected: Beers’ 2015, STOPP 2015, and European Union (7) PIM. Thus, we obtained 153 explicit criteria distributed across seven instruments: PIMs–Pain and Inflammation, PIMs–Cardiovascular System, PIMs–Endocrine System, PIMs–Genitourinary, PIMs–Respiratory System, and PIMs–Central Nervous System. The first two were already validated using the modified Delphi technique. The items for which the lower limit of the 95% confidence interval (CI) was greater than or equal to 4.0 were considered to have been validated. The consensus on PIMs–Pain and Inflammation was formed by two rounds. A group of nine experts reached consensus on 98 (63.2%) of the 155 items. A consensus was reached for 31/34 concerns regardless of diagnosis, 4/4 dose concerns, 4/4 concerns about the duration of treatment, 19/20 concerns about use under specific conditions, 12/23 special considerations of use, and 28/68 therapeutic alternatives. In the consensus on PIMs–Cardiovascular System, a group of seven experts reached consensus on 84 of the 257 questions. A consensus was reached for 20/25 concerns independent of diagnosis, 4/4 concerns regarding dose, 37/57 concerns regarding use under specific conditions, 20/105 special considerations of use and 3/66 therapeutic alternatives. Although the development and validation of PIM lists based on expert opinion is a long and complex process, the development of PIM list based on recent consensuses will expand the knowledge about the PIMs in Brazil. Thus, this research will improve the understanding of the magnitude of PIM use in this country, and may contribute to the development of more effective strategies and interventions to reduce drug-related problems among older Brazilian patients.

Background: Fifty percent of medications are not taken as prescribed. This is a major public health issue yet there is very limited evidence on the factors associated with medicines adherence in people with mild to moderate Intellectually Disabilities and diabetes (IDD). This study evaluated the frequency of, and factors associated with, medicines non-adherence in this group compared to people without ID but with diabetes (non-IDD).Methods: A systematic review of the literature informed the theoretical model tested. A two-stage, sequential mixed methods study with 111 people with type 1 and 2 diabetes, (IDD = 33, non-IDD = 78) was then carried out. Stage one (quantitative) compared frequency of medication adherence in the group overall, IDD and non-IDD. Univariate and multiple regression analysis evaluated associations between factors (ID, depression, side effects, self-efficacy and perceived level of social support) and medicines non-adherence. Stage two (qualitative) explored findings of stage one with 12 stage one participants' carers using semi-structured interviews. Results: Data were collected between July 2014 and May 2016. The frequency of medicines adherence was similar in the IDD and non-IDD population (70% vs 62%, p = 0.41). The theoretical model did not predict medicines non-adherence. After controlling for support with medicines and complexity of regime (number of medications and use of insulin), depression was an independent predictor in the non-IDD and group overall (p < 0.001). In the IDD group, perceived side effects was an important, but non-significant, predictor of non-adherence (p = 0.06). Carers' perceptions of adherence and depression were consistent with stage one findings. Conclusions: Optimising adherence to diabetes medicines is equally challenging in IDD and non-IDD populations. Associations between independent factors and adherence differed between the two groups: in the non-IDD population, depressive symptoms were associated with non-adherence whereas in the IDD population perceived level of side effects appeared most dominant. Due to small sample sizes findings were inconclusive therefore, a sufficiently powered study further investigating the relationship between adherence and side effects in people with ID and diabetes is recommended.

INTRODUÇÃO: O polivinilpirrolidona-iodo (PVP-I) tópico vem sendo descrito como um agente esclerosante para pleurodese de fácil obtenção, baixo custo e com boa eficácia. Apesar disso, sua segurança ainda não foi estudada de maneira sistemática e alguns autores apresentam restrições ao seu uso por relatos de determinados eventos adversos. OBJETIVOS: descrever a ocorrência de eventos adversos sérios e comuns à pleurodese com PVP-I tópico. Avaliar se existe relação de dose-dependência na ocorrência dos eventos adversos; a efetividade clínica e a qualidade de vida dos pacientes. MÉTODOS: ensaio clínico envolvendo pacientes submetidos a pleurodese com PVP-I tópico, randomizados em dois grupos: grupo 1 com PVP-I tópico a 1% e grupo 2 com PVP-I tópico a 2%. A análise de segurança foi baseada na ocorrência de eventos adversos, graduados de acordo com o Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. Foram realizadas avaliações clínicas e exames complementares no pré-operatório e em vários momentos do seguimento pós-operatório. Os dados clínicos avaliados foram dor, dispnéia, temperatura, pressão arterial, freqüência cardíaca, saturação de oxigênio e acuidade visual. Exames complementares envolveram hemograma, função renal, hepática e tireoidiana, eletrocardiograma e radiografia de tórax. A efetividade clínica foi determinada pela necessidade de procedimentos adicionais após a pleurodese e a qualidade de vida através de questionário específico. RESULTADOS: foram avaliados 60 pacientes, 30 em cada grupo. Predominou o sexo feminino, em 55 pacientes. A média de idade foi de 55,9 ± 11,7 anos. A etiologia mais comum do derrame pleural foi neoplasia de mama em 43 pacientes, seguida por neoplasia pulmonar e de ovário. Foram encontrados 47 eventos adversos sérios relacionados ao procedimento distribuídos em 34 pacientes nos primeiros 30 dias de avaliação. Foram eles: dor, em onze pacientes, hipertensão em dez, empiema em um, hiponatremia em oito pacientes, elevação da fosfatase alcalina, transaminase oxalacética e transaminase pirúvica em dez, três e um pacientes respectivamente e hipocalemia em um paciente. A taxa de sucesso foi de 96% e não houve mudança na qualidade de vida após o procedimento. Na comparação dos grupos não se observou diferença estatística em relação aos dados avaliados. CONCLUSÕES: Os eventos adversos sérios mais esperados após a realização de pleurodese com PVP-I tópico são dor, hipertensão e alguns distúrbios metabólicos. A pleurodese com PVP-I tópico mostrou ser um procedimento eficaz, mas não ofereceu melhora na qualidade de vida dos pacientes. Não se observou relação de dose-dependência na ocorrência dos eventos adversos e na eficácia do procedimento / BACKGROUND: Iodopovidone has been described as a sclerosing agent easily obtained, inexpensive and with good results. Despite this, its safety has not been systematically evaluated and some authors have restrictions to its use because of reports of some adverse events related. OBJECTIVE: To describe the occurrence of common and serious adverse events after iodopovidone pleurodesis. Second endpoints were to describe dose-dependent relation to adverse events, procedure efficacy and patient\'s quality of life. METHODS: clinical trial including patients with recurrent malignant pleural effusion, undergone to pleurodesis, randomized into two groups: group 1 received 1% iodopovidone and group 2 received 2% Iodopovidone. We sought adverse events systematically with clinical and complementary evaluations since before pleurodesis and on several times postoperative. Clinical evaluation involved pain analog scale, dyspnea scale, oxygen saturation, heart frequency, arterial blood pressure, body temperature and visual acuity. Complementary evaluation was done by electrocardiogram, chest x-ray and laboratory tests (hemogram, renal function, liver function and thyroid function). All adverse events were graduated according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAEV). Efficacy was considered when the patients did not need further pleural procedure after pleurodesis and quality of life analysis was determined by questionnaire. RESULTS: Sixty patients were enrolled, thirty in each group, 55 females and 5 males. Mean age was 55,9 ± 11,7. The mainly etiology of malignant pleural effusion was breast cancer, in 43 patients, followed by lung cancer and ovarian tumor. We found 47 serious adverse events, possibly related to iodopovidone pleurodesis that occurred in 34 patients on 30 days follow-up. Most frequent clinical adverse events of these were pain, eleven patients, hypertension, ten and empyema in one patients. Serious metabolic events founded were hyponatremia in eight patients, alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase increased in ten, three and one patients respectively and hypokalemia in one patient. Success rate occurred in 96%. We didn\'t find change on quality of life after pleurodesis. We found no difference in patient\'s demographical data, occurrence of adverse events, efficacy and quality of life between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Observed common and serious adverse events related to iodopovidone pleurodesis were pain, hypertension, and some metabolic alterations. We found good efficacy for iodopovidone pleurodesis, but no significant change in patient\'s quality of life after procedure. This report does not suggest dose-dependent relation for the occurrence of adverse events

Os antimaláricos, cloroquina e hidroxicloroquina, têm sido usados há décadas com bons resultados terapêuticos para o tratamento do lupus eritematoso e são considerados medicações seguras, muito embora, haja preocupação em relação à retinotoxicidade, notadamente com a cloroquina. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a ocorrência dos efeitos adversos desencadeados pelo tratamento com 250mg/d de difosfato de cloroquina em doentes com lupus eritematoso, dando ênfase à retinotoxicidade. Foram estudados 350 doentes e reavaliados seus respectivos prontuários, que datavam de 1980 a 2003. Os doentes foram acompanhados no ambulatório de colagenoses da Divisão de Dermatologia do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo. A ocorrência dos efeitos adversos foi de 35,7%, sendo que 17,4% decorreram de alterações oculares. Em 12% dos doentes ocorreu pigmentação retiniana sugestiva de retinopatia antimalárica, em 3,1% depósitos corneanos e, em 2,3%, sintomas visuais agudos. Em 10% dos doentes houve alterações gastrointestinais: epigastralgia (6%), náuseas e vômitos (3,7%) e diarréia (0,3%). Alterações dermatológicas ocorreram em 3,4% dos doentes: rash cutâneo no início do tratamento (2%), exacerbação de quadro de psoríase pré-existente (0,3%) e pigmentação cutânea (1,1%). Ocorreram ainda cefaléia (2,9%), alterações neuromusculares (1,7%) com quadro gripal símile no início do tratamento (1,1%), neuropatia sensitiva (0,3%) e miopatia compatível com miastenia (0,3%) e, sintomas neuropsiquiátricos (0,3%). A droga foi suspensa devido aos efeitos adversos em 22,9% dos doentes, principalmente, em decorrência de alterações oculares, gastrointestinais e dermatológicas. A reavaliação oftalmológica de 12% dos doentes com pigmentação retiniana, confirmou a retinopatia antimalárica em apenas 2,6%, o que demonstrou uma tendência à valorização de alterações retinianas inespecíficas, discretas e unilaterais, com indicação desnecessária da suspensão da droga em 9,4% dos doentes. Não ocorreram casos de retinopatia antimalárica avançada com lesão do tipo bull-eye. Não houve associação estatisticamente significativa entre a ocorrência de efeitos adversos e alterações retinianas com dose diária de difosfato de cloroquina por quilo de peso e com o tipo clínico do lupus eritematoso. As alterações retinianas foram estatisticamente significativas nos doentes acima de cinqüenta anos quando comparado ao grupo abaixo dos cinqüenta anos, possivelmente pela dificuldade em diferenciar as alterações iniciais da retinopatia antimlárica daquelas decorrentes da degeneração macular senil. O controle oftalmológico foi realizado em intervalo médio de 10,5 meses, demonstrando que o controle anual foi eficaz para o acompanhamento dos doentes. Nove doentes foram expostas durante o primeiro trimestre gestacional, não ocorrendo casos de mal formação fetal / Antimalarial agents, chloroquine and hydroxichloroquine, have been used for decades leading to good therapeutic outcomes at treatment approach for lupus erythematosus and are considered safe medication; however, the main concern is retina toxicity, especially with chloroquine. The purpose of the present study was to conduct analysis of the occurrence of adverse effects, triggered by use of 250 mg/d of chloroquine diphosphate at treatment for lupus erythematosus, especially retina toxicity. We analyzed 350 patients and reviewed their medical charts, from 1980 to 2003. The patients were followed up by the outpatient unit of collagenosis, Division of Dermatology, Hospital das Clinicas, Medical School, University of São Paulo. The occurrence of adverse effects was 35.7%, and eye affections were detected in 17.4% of patients. Impairment of retina pigmentation suggestive of antimalarial retinopathy occurred in 12%, cornea deposits in 3,1%, and acute visual symptoms in 2.3%. Gastrointestinal affections were detected in 10% of patients: epigastralgia (6%), nausea and vomiting (3.7%) and diarrhea (0.3%). Dermatological affections occurred in 3.4% of patients: skin rash in the beginning of treatment (2%), exacerbation of preexisting psoriasis (0.3%) and skin pigmentation (1.1%). We also detected headache (2.9%), neuromuscular disorders (1.7%) with flu-like episode at the beginning of treatment (1,1%), sensitive neuropathy (0,3%) and myopathy compatible with myasthenia (0.3%) and neuropsychiatric symptoms (0.3%). Discontinuation of drugs owing to side effects occurred in 22.9% of the patients, being that the main affections were eye, gastrointestinal and dermatological occurrences. Ophthalmologic reevaluation of retina pigmentation affections occurred in 12% of the patients, but we confirmed antimalarial retinopathy only in 2.6%, detecting a tendency to value nonspecific, discreet and unilateral affections, which generated unnecessary recommendations for discontinuation of drug in 9.4% of the patients. There were no cases of advanced retinopathy with bull-eye type lesion. There was no statistically significant association between occurrence of adverse effects and retina affections with daily dose per kg of chloroquine diphosphate and the differents types of lupus erythematosus. In patients over the age of 50, there was statistically significant increase in number of retina affections when compared to the group aged below 50 years, possibly owing to difficulty to differentiate between initial affections in antimalarial retinopathy from those resultant from senile macular degeneration. Ophthalmologic control was conducted on average after 10.5 months, showing that annual follow-up was effective to keep track of patients. Nine of the patients were exposed during the first gestational trimester and there were no cases of fetal malformations

<p>The aim with this thesis was to study cardiovascular disease and hypertension, use of drugs and health from an epidemiological perspective. Various methods - self-rated health (SRH), health related quality of life (HRQL) - the 36-item short form questionnaire (SF-36) - and health utility measurements - the rating scale (RS) and the time-trade off (TTO) methods - were employed.</p><p>Data from the Swedish Adoption/Twin Study of Aging (SATSA) in 1984, 1987, 1990, and 1993 as well as a general population survey conducted in Uppsala County in 1995 were used.</p><p>Persons who have cardiovascular disease, both with and without drug treatment, were found to have a lower SRH as compared to others in the population. Longitudinal analyses showed that SRH was relatively stable over time among persons with cardiovascular disease. Both having a low SRH and having cardiovascular disease were associated with a higher mortality rate.</p><p>Hypertensives were found to have a lower HRQL than do others in the general population as measured by the SF-36. The lowest scoring was found in the general health perception scale (GH), whereas role emotional (RE) and mental health (MH) were the scales least affected by hypertension.</p><p>Nearly 20 percent of the antihypertensive drug users reported side effects.The pattern of side effects was similar to that reported in clinical trials. Both hypertension itself and the drug treatment were found to have an impact on the patient's health-state utility as measured by the RS. Comparative analyses showed that health utilities and psychometric quality-of-life instruments were only moderately correlated among hypertensives. </p><p>The results also showed that inequalities in HRQL were present with respect to several sociodemographic factors. </p><p>In summary, this thesis revealed that persons with cardiovascular disease and/or with hypertension experience poorer health than others in the population. The poor health may be caused both by the disease and/or the drug treatment. The results in this thesis also suggested that special attention and care should be directed to persons with cardiovascular disease and/or hypertension reporting ill health. This especially is important given that low HRQL can be a riskfactor for subsequent cardiovascular events or complications which in turn might result in higher mortality rate.</p>

The aim with this thesis was to study cardiovascular disease and hypertension, use of drugs and health from an epidemiological perspective. Various methods - self-rated health (SRH), health related quality of life (HRQL) - the 36-item short form questionnaire (SF-36) - and health utility measurements - the rating scale (RS) and the time-trade off (TTO) methods - were employed. Data from the Swedish Adoption/Twin Study of Aging (SATSA) in 1984, 1987, 1990, and 1993 as well as a general population survey conducted in Uppsala County in 1995 were used. Persons who have cardiovascular disease, both with and without drug treatment, were found to have a lower SRH as compared to others in the population. Longitudinal analyses showed that SRH was relatively stable over time among persons with cardiovascular disease. Both having a low SRH and having cardiovascular disease were associated with a higher mortality rate. Hypertensives were found to have a lower HRQL than do others in the general population as measured by the SF-36. The lowest scoring was found in the general health perception scale (GH), whereas role emotional (RE) and mental health (MH) were the scales least affected by hypertension. Nearly 20 percent of the antihypertensive drug users reported side effects.The pattern of side effects was similar to that reported in clinical trials. Both hypertension itself and the drug treatment were found to have an impact on the patient's health-state utility as measured by the RS. Comparative analyses showed that health utilities and psychometric quality-of-life instruments were only moderately correlated among hypertensives. The results also showed that inequalities in HRQL were present with respect to several sociodemographic factors. In summary, this thesis revealed that persons with cardiovascular disease and/or with hypertension experience poorer health than others in the population. The poor health may be caused both by the disease and/or the drug treatment. The results in this thesis also suggested that special attention and care should be directed to persons with cardiovascular disease and/or hypertension reporting ill health. This especially is important given that low HRQL can be a riskfactor for subsequent cardiovascular events or complications which in turn might result in higher mortality rate.

No description available.

The aim of the thesis is to describe and analyse how a group of women experience that their every-day lives are affected during and after primary breast cancer treatment. The thesis is a consecutive, longitudinal study that takes an explorative qualitative approach. Seventy-one women younger than 60 years of age with primary breast cancer were consecutively included in the study. The women were interviewed four or five times over a period of 4 to 6 years from end of radiotherapy. The analyses of the interviews were inspired by grounded theory and narrative analysis.  The thesis encompasses four papers. Paper I focused on the women’s contact with health care. The results of this study indicate that it is crucial for patients in a vulnerable situation to be admitted into a supportive system – ‘admitted into a helping plan’ – that, more or less explicitly, displays a well-thought-out plan of care. This is a process built on individual relationships with members of the health-care staff, but it ends up in a relationship to health care as a helping system, a ‘safe haven’ to attach to. Study II explored the women’s ideas about what motivated and discouraged their return to work. The results illustrate that the meaning of work fluctuates over time and that the processes of returning to work are conditioned by the patients’ individual life situations. Returning to work was regarded as an important part of the healing process because of how it generated and structured the women’s everyday lives. Returning to work meant demonstrating well-being and normalcy after breast cancer. Study III examined how life was lived and valued during and after treatment for breast cancer compared to pre-cancer life. The analysis showed that being afflicted with breast cancer was evaluated from a context of the women’s former everyday lives and stressed that how the women experienced breast cancer was a matter of personal circumstances. Study IV focused on how the women experienced and dealt with their altered bodies. The results showed that the women followed three different body-mind trajectories that depended to a significant extent on the severity of side effects and bodily alterations that resulted from their treatments. Being afflicted by breast cancer implies vulnerability and losses, but it can also involve benefits and provide new perspectives on life. How the overall breast cancer experience is valued seems to be very much a matter of circumstances in everyday life. This thesis highlights circumstances that focus in particular on contacts with health care, the body, the work situation, and the family situation.

The most useful drugs in the management of nephrotic syndrome are the corticosteroids. These drugs are as well known for their adverse effects as they are for their therapeutic advantages. The two most common paediatric side effects are suppression of linear growth and posterior subcapsular cataracts. Both of these untoward effects are insiduous and therefore less easily perceived. Although many workers have studied the growth inhibiting effects of the corticosteroids in the various diseases e.g. asthma, very little work was done to investigate these effects in patients with nephrotic syndrome. Furthermore, the Renal Clinic, King Edward VIII Hospital, Durban continues to use a daily regime of prednisone instead of the alternate day regime which is widely recommended to minimise growth retardation. This study was therefore undertaken to investigate the growth inhibiting effects of repeated courses of daily, high-dose prednisone in African and Indian children with nephrotic syndrome. All children with nephrotic syndrome with relevant data in their records and with no other chronic illness were selected from the Renal Clinic. Of the 125 selected, 87 children had been treated with prednisone for an average of 35,9 weeks and 38 had been treated symptomatically. The heights of those that received prednisone were measured at an averace of 77 weeks after completion of therapy. The mean height standard deviation score (SDS) of the treatment and control groups of Indian children were -1,06 and -0,92 respectively, both being between the 10th and 25th percentile, whilst the mean height SDS of the treatment and control groups of African children were -1,82 (just below the 5th percentile) and -1,77 (between the 5th and 10th percentile) respectively. From the results, it is evident that repeated courses of daily prednisone therapy, even when it exceeds 36 weeks, does not inhibit growth in both African and Indian children. Although there was no significant difference between the races and sexes with respect to growth and corticosteroid therapy, this study does confirm earlier reports that most of the African children with nephrotic syndrome had obvious glomerular lesions whilst most of the Indians had minimal change nephrotic syndrome. / Thesis (M.Med.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1986.