Introdução: A Doença do Refluxo Gastroesofágico (DRGE) possui elevada prevalência e morbidade. O tratamento clínico consiste em recomendações quanto ao estilo de vida e, essencialmente, no uso de inibidores da bomba protônica (IBP). A aderência (Ad) dos pacientes com DRGE à prescrição, embora fundamental para o sucesso terapêutico, tem sido pouco estudada. Objetivo: Avaliar a Ad ao tratamento com IBP e possíveis variáveis relacionadas em pacientes com DRGE. Métodos: Estudo transversal e prospectivo com 240 pacientes adultos consecutivos com DRGE erosiva e não-erosiva (ne-DRGE) que haviam recebido dose padrão ou dose dobrada de omeprazol em uso contínuo. Todos os pacientes foram classificados conforme o grau, segundo os achados da endoscopia digestiva alta (EDA) em ne-DRGE (162; 67,5%), classificação endoscópica de Los Angeles (LA) A (48; 20,0%), LA B (21; 8,6%), LA C (1; 0,4%), LA D (1; 0,4%) e Barrett (7; 2,9%). Foi aplicado o questionário de Morisky et al constituído de 4 questões com respostas dicotômicas para avaliar a Ad, classificando-a como baixa (0-2 pontos) e alta ad (3-4 pontos). Foi também aplicado o questionário QS-DRGE para a avaliação dos sintomas, com 10 questões com escores de 0 a 50, conforme a frequência menor ou maior dos sintomas. Os resultados de Ad foram relacionados com os dados sócio-demográficos, polifarmácia (PF) (uso de mais de cinco medicamentos diariamente), comorbidades (CM), tempo de tratamento (TT), escore QS-DRGE, presença de sintomas descrita em prontuário, achados da EDA e conhecimento do paciente sobre a doença. Resultados: (1) 126 pacientes (52,5%) apresentaram alta Ad e 114 (47,5%) baixa Ad; (2) Os pacientes mais jovens (p = 0,002) foram menos aderentes; (3) Pacientes sintomáticos de acordo com relato em prontuário apresentaram maior percentual de baixa Ad e 2 vezes maior probabilidade de ter baixa Ad em relação aos assintomáticos (p = 0,02); (4) Os pacientes casados apresentam probabilidade 2,41 vezes maior de ter baixa Ad do que os viúvos. (5) As demais variáveis estudadas não influenciaram a Ad ao tratamento. Conclusões: Pacientes em uso de IBP em tratamento ambulatorial em hospital terciário em São Paulo apresentaram grande percentual de baixa Ad ao tratamento, sendo esta uma possível causa da falha da terapia com IBP. Idade < 60 anos e estado civil casado podem ser fatores de risco para a baixa Ad / Introduction: The Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a highly prevalent disease and a major cause of morbidity. Clinical treatment is based on lifestyle recommendations and, essentially, in the use of a proton pump inhibitor (PPI). Adherence (Ad) of GERD patients to the prescribed treatment, although critical for therapeutic success, has been little studied. Objective: Assess adherence to the PPI treatment and potential associated variables in patients with GERD. Case studies and Methods: Transversal and prospective study with 240 consecutive adult patients, diagnosed with erosive GERD (e-GERD) and non-erosive GERD (ne-GERD) for whom continuous use of the standard dose or the double dose of omeprazol had been prescribed. Patients were ranked according to the findings of high digestive endoscopy (HDE) in ne-GERD (162; 67.5%); e-GERD: Los Angeles (LA) endoscopic classification A (48; 20.0%), LA B (21; 8.6%), LA C (1; 0.5%), and LA D (1; 0.5%) and Barretts esophagus (7; 2.9%). The Morisky questionnaire, that includes four questions with dicotomic responses to assess Ad, was applied. Ad was classified as low (0-2 points) and high (3-4 points). In addition, the QS-GERD questionnaire was applied to assess symptoms, using 10 questions with score 0 to 50, according to the greater or lesser symptom frequency. Ad results were correlated with personal data (gender and age), demography, polypharmacy (PF), comorbidities (CM), treatment time (TT), QS-GERD scores, symptoms described in the patients record, HDE findings and patient awareness about the disease. Results: (1) 126 patients (52.5%) exhibited high Ad and 114 (47.5%) low Ad; (2) younger patients (p = 0,002) were less compliant; (3) married patients had a 2.41 greater probability to exhibit low Ad as compared to widowers (p = 0.03); (4) patients with symptoms indicated in the patients record exhibited a lower Ad rate and twice greater probability of exhibiting low Ad as compared to asymptomatic patients (p = 0.02); (5) the other variables studied had no influence on treatment adherence. Conclusion: Patients using PPI as out-patients in third care hospital in São Paulo exhibited high rate of reduced treatment adherence, and this may be a potential cause of PPI therapy failure. Age < 60 years and marital status may be risk factors for low adherence

L’asthme est une maladie respiratoire chronique fréquente pendant la grossesse avec une prévalence de 8 %. Il a été démontré que l’asthme maternel augmente le risque de diabète gestationnel (DG), mais il y a peu d’évidences sur l’impact des médicaments antiasthmatiques d’entretien sur le risque de cette complication de grossesse. Un projet de recherche a été développé afin d’évaluer si le risque de DG est associé à la dose de corticostéroïdes inhalés (CSI) ou l’utilisation de β2-agonistes à longue durée d’action (BALA) chez les femmes enceintes asthmatiques. Pour ce faire, nous avons utilisé un devis cas-témoins niché dans une cohorte de grossesses de femmes asthmatiques qui ont accouché entre 1998 et 2010 reconstruite à partir de deux banques de données administratives de la province de Québec (Canada) : Maintenance et exploitation des données pour l’étude de la clientèle hospitalière (MED-ECHO) et Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ). Le DG était défini par au moins un diagnostic de diabète gestationnel ou mellitus ou une ordonnance remplie d’un médicament antidiabétique après la 20e semaine de grossesse. Chaque cas était apparié à 30 témoins selon l’année calendrier et l’âge gestationnel. Des modèles d’équations d’estimation généralisées ont été utilisés pour estimer les rapports de cotes (aOR) et les intervalles de confiance à 95 % (IC 95 %) de DG ajustés pour la sévérité et la maîtrise de l’asthme et d’autres facteurs de risque de DG. L’association entre le DG et la dose de CSI a été estimé parmi les femmes non exposées aux BALA tandis que l’association avec les BALA a été estimée parmi les femmes exposées aux CSI à la date de survenue de l’issue pour les cas et à la date de sélection pour les témoins. Dans la cohorte de 12 587 grossesses de femmes asthmatiques, 1001 cas de DG (8 %) ont été identifiés. Nous n’avons observé aucun risque accru de DG avec une augmentation des doses de CSI parmi les non-utilisatrices de BALA avec des aOR (IC 95 %) de 0,95 (0,74-1,23) pour les faibles doses (<251 μg en équivalence de fluticasone), 1,14 (0,80-1,64) pour les moyennes doses (251 à 500 μg) et 1,13 (0,71-1,81 pour les hautes doses (>500 μg) de CSI. De plus, le risque de DG n’était pas plus élevé quand un BALA était ajouté à un CSI (aOR=0,99; IC 95 % : 0,69-1,44). Nos résultats ajoutent de l’évidence concernant l’innocuité des BALA et des doses de CSI pendant la grossesse, mais de plus amples études sont nécessaires pour examiner les associations potentielles entre les plus hautes doses de CSI et le risque de DG. / Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease that is frequent in pregnancy with a prevalence of 8%. Maternal asthma is known to increase the risk of gestational diabetes (GD), but the evidence is scarce regarding the impact of asthma controller medications on the risk of this pregnancy complication. A research study was developed to evaluate whether the risk of GD is associated with the dose of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) or the use of long-acting β2-agonists (LABA) in pregnant women with asthma. To achieve our goals, we used a case-control design nested within a cohort of pregnancies from asthmatic women who delivered between 1998 and 2010 reconstructed from the linkage of two administrative databases from the province of Québec (Canada): Maintenance et exploitation des données pour l’étude de la clientèle hospitalière (MED-ECHO) and Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ). GD was defined as at least one recorded diagnosis of gestational or chronic diabetes or a prescription for an antidiabetic medication filled after week 20 of gestation. Each case was matched to 30 controls according to calendar year and gestational age. Generalized estimating equation models were used to estimate odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of GD adjusted for asthma severity and control and other risk factors of GD. The association between GD and ICS doses was estimated among women unexposed to LABA, while the association with LABA was estimated among women exposed to ICS at the date of the outcome for cases and the date of selection for controls. The cohort included 12 587 pregnancies from asthmatic woman and 1001 cases of GD (8.0%) were identified. The risk of GD showed no trend towards a higher risk with increasing dose of ICS among non-users of LABA with aOR (95% CI) of 0.95 (0.74 to 1.23) for low doses (<251 μg in fluticasone propionate equivalents), 1.14 (0.80 to 1.64) for medium doses (251 to 500 μg), and 1.13 (0.71 to 1.81) for high doses (>500 µg) of ICS. Moreover, the risk did not increase when LABA was added to an ICS (aOR=0.99; 95% CI: 0.69 to 1.44). Our results provide further evidence for the safety of LABA and ICS doses during pregnancy, but more studies are needed to examine the potential association between higher ICS doses and the risk of GD.

Abstract High age is a distinguished risk factor of falling, but there remains gaps in epidemiological data among very old people. Also, effects of exercise-oriented intervention implemented by geriatric teams is not known. The aims were to describe the incidence and risk factors of falls, the risk of fall-related injuries associated with physical activity, and to investigate the effect of pragmatic exercise intervention on fall risk among a home-dwelling population aged 85 years and older. The target population consisted of home-dwelling citizens of Oulu aged 85 years or more (N = 827). Altogether 555 people (mean age 88 SD ± 3), representing 67% of the population sample, were evaluated by interviews and clinical assessments. Falls and physical activity were monitored via telephone nine times during a 27-month follow-up constituting 1114 person years. Risk factors of falls were determined during an 11-month period before intervention, as were the effects of the intervention during a 16-month period thereafter. Negative binomial regression, pooled logistic regression and Cox regression analyses were used to analyze data. The incidence rates of falls, major soft tissue injuries and fractures were 1039 (95% CI 974–1093), 74 (58–92) and 89 (72–108), respectively. The probability of getting injured was higher in the morning and evening than in the daytime. The contribution of the ongoing activity and the type of falling to the risk of injury was less than that previously reported among younger home-dwellers. The risk factors of falls were a history of recurrent falling, trouble with vision when moving, use of an antipsychotic drug, and feelings of anxiety, nervousness or fear. Exercise other than walking was associated with a reduced risk of injury-causing falls. Pragmatic intervention wasn’t effective in preventing falls, but it was effective in preserving balance performance. Among those with better functional abilities, intervention was effective in reducing the risk of the first four falls. Adherence to recommended interventions was relatively low. In conclusion, the frequency of falls and fall-related fractures increases up to the highest ages. Anxiety-related disorders may be more important risk factors of falls than are drugs commonly used in treatment. Exercise related to everyday activities is safe among the most elderly. The effects of practical exercise intervention are promising, but attention needs to be paid to adherence to exercise in order to improve these effects.

Purpose: The Internet has provided an unprecedented opportunity for psychotropic medication consumers, a traditionally silenced group in clinical trial research, to have voice by contributing to the construction of drug knowledge in an immediate, direct manner. Currently, there are no systematic appraisals of the potential of online consumer drug reviews to contribute to drug knowledge. The purpose of this research was to explore the content of drug information on various websites representing themselves as consumer- and expert-constructed, and as a practical consideration, to examine how each source may help and hinder treatment decision-making. Methodology: A mixed-methods research strategy utilizing a grounded theory approach was used to analyze drug information on 5 exemplar websites (3 consumer- and 2 expert-constructed) for 2 popularly prescribed psychotropic drugs (escitalopram and quetiapine). A stratified simple random sample was used to select 1,080 consumer reviews from the websites (N=7,114) through February 2009. Text was coded using QDA Miner 3.2 software by Provalis Research. A combination of frequency tables, descriptive excerpts from text, and chi-square tests for association were used throughout analyses. Findings: The most frequently mentioned effects by consumers taking either drug were related to psychological/behavioral symptoms and sleep. Consumers reported many of the same effects as found on expert health sites, but provided more descriptive language and situational examples. Expert labels of less serious on certain effects were not congruent with the sometimes tremendous burden described by consumers. Consumers mentioned more than double the themes mentioned in expert text, and demonstrated a diversity and range of discourses around those themes. Conclusions: Drug effects from each source were complete relative to the information provided in the other, but each also offered distinct advantages. Expert health sites provided concise summaries of medications’ effects, while consumer reviews had the added advantage of concrete descriptions and greater context. In short, consumer reviews better prepared potential consumers for what it’s like to take psychotropic drugs. Both sources of information benefit clinicians and consumers in making informed treatment-related decisions. Social work practitioners are encouraged to thoughtfully utilize online consumer drug reviews as a legitimate additional source for assisting clients in learning about treatment options.

The COVID-19 pandemic adversely affected the lives of most Americans. People with Substance Use Disorder (SUD) were particularly vulnerable to the negative effects brought on by the pandemic. This study explored the increase in deaths due to opioid overdose during the pandemic exacerbated by factors such as increased stress, decrease in treatment options due to social distancing requirements and facility closures, social isolation, and an increase in spare time. Access to treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) was interrupted by the measures meant to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Through a systematic review of current literature, it was demonstrated that existing patients were able to maintain access to care, while few new patients were able to initiate treatment. Telehealth proved to be a vital means of assuring PWUD were able to access life-saving treatment amid a pandemic. Further research is needed to determine whether SUD treatment measures during the COVID-19 pandemic warrants changing the policies long term.

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<p>  </p> <p>Polypharmacy in older adults presents several challenges, such as suboptimal therapeutic outcomes and increased adverse effects. Deprescribing, a clinically supervised process of decreasing dosage or stopping the medication when risks outweigh benefits, has emerged as one possible solution to these problems. However, the literature describing deprescribing intervention frameworks is heterogenous regarding targeted medications to deprescribe, population characteristics, clinical settings, and measured outcomes. This dissertation utilizes Linsky et al.'s deprescribing conceptual model, which details factors influencing decisions regarding initiating deprescribing interventions and their direct impact on the process. </p> <p>This dissertation utilizes a multimethod approach to investigate factors that facilitate and improve the deprescribing of anticholinergic medications for older adults, addressing gaps in this population's anticholinergic medication use. The three studies included in this dissertation provide a comprehensive understanding of deprescribing anticholinergic medications for this population, each contributing unique insights and results. </p> <p>The first study explores the feasibility of in-person and remote Home Medication Inventory Method (HMIM) approaches to evaluate over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medication possession and use, including anticholinergics. Results demonstrate that both methods can accurately assess anticholinergic medication usage patterns, providing healthcare providers with reproducible methods and detailed medication profiles to make informed deprescribing decisions based on complete medication lists.</p> <p>The second study examined the intertwined roles of social determinants of health and health beliefs in predicting older adults' self-reported deprescribing behaviors, proposing the Deprescribing Health Belief Model (DeRx-HBM) framework that can be utilized for these efforts. These results emphasize the importance of considering these elements when creating a patient-centric and culturally sensitive intervention since they significantly shape deprescribing behaviors.</p> <p>In the third study, we explored the use of a symptom-specific scale for measuring the symptom burden in older adults during the deprescribing of anticholinergic medications prescribed for urinary incontinence, depression, and pain management. This research introduces a validated scale for assessing anticholinergic symptom burden prior to, throughout, and following the deprescribing attempt. The implementation of this scale has the potential to enhance the reproducibility and standardization of deprescribing decisions. Furthermore, it can improve communication between healthcare professionals and patients, as well as monitor the effectiveness of interventions during and after the deprescribing process.</p> <p>Collectively, these studies provide invaluable insights into factors influencing deprescribing decisions, obstacles to implementing deprescribing practices, and potential strategies to optimize medication management in older adults. The major takeaway from these studies is that addressing these factors leads to more informed decisions among healthcare professionals and patients - potentially leading to improved patient outcomes, ensure the ongoing effectiveness of deprescribing initiatives among older adults, and the promotion of health equity throughout the deprescribing process.</p>

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OBJETIVOS. Verificar os efeitos da terapia hormonal com derivados estrogênicos e progestogênicos, isolados ou associados à metiltestosterona, na sexualidade e nos sintomas climatéricos em mulheres na pós-menopausa e comparar os dois tipos de terapia hormonal. CASUÍSTICA. Selecionaram-se sessenta mulheres sexualmente ativas, com queixas sexuais, com relacionamento estável com parceiro capacitado para o coito, com idade de 42 a sessenta anos (média etária 52,1 + 4 anos) e tempo de menopausa de um a 28 anos (média 5,6 anos). Excluíram-se mulheres com doenças sistêmicas, doenças psiquiátricas, endócrinas, distopias genitais, tabagistas e usuárias de terapia hormonal ou de medicamentos que apresentavam interferência na sexualidade. METODOLOGIA. Realizou-se estudo de coorte progressiva, duplo-cego, randomizado, com duração de 12 meses. As mulheres foram divididas em dois grupos: EP (n=29), medicadas com estrogênios conjugados (EEC) 0,625 mg + acetato de medroxiprogesterona (AMP) 2,5 mg + placebo, e grupo EP+A (n=31), medicadas com EEC 0,625 mg + AMP 2,5 mg + metiltestosterona 2,0 mg. Para estudar a sexualidade, utilizou-se o Questionário Sexual do Hospital das Clínicas e foram avaliados o desejo sexual, a excitação e a capacidade orgástica nas atividades desenvolvidas com o parceiro, o interesse sexual não vinculado, exclusivamente, às atividades desenvolvidas com o parceiro, a dispareunia, a secura vaginal e a freqüência sexual. Para as análises estatísticas, utilizaram-se Modelos Lineares Gerais para Medidas Repetidas, Análise de Variância (ANOVA), Modelos de Regressão Logística Multinomial e Qui-quadrado de Pearson. O nível de significância foi de 5%. RESULTADOS. Nos grupos EP e EP+A, houve aumento no escore de desejo sexual vinculado, exclusivamente, às atividades desenvolvidas com o parceiro (F=18,334; p<0,001), no escore de excitação sexual (F=14,022; p < 0,001), na capacidade orgástica (F=34,650; p < 0,001) e na freqüência sexual (F=7,687; p=0,008), bem como redução da secura vaginal (?2=44,153; p<0,001), da dispareunia (?2=34,447; p < 0,001) e do índice menopausal de Kupperman (F=158,460; p < 0,001). A análise comparativa entre os grupos EP e EP+A mostrou maior interesse sexual não vinculado, exclusivamente, às atividades com o parceiro (?2=11,551; p=0,021) e mais altos índices de Castelli I (F=8,542; p < 0,001) e índices de Castelli II (F=11,500; p < 0,001) no grupo EP+A. Não se observaram hirsutismo nem alopécia em nenhum dos grupos; acne grau I foi observada em duas mulheres do grupo EP e em 13 do grupo EP+A. CONCLUSÕES. As terapias hormonais com derivados estrogênicos e progestogênicos, isolados ou associados à metiltestosterona, causaram impacto positivo em todos os parâmetros sexuais e nos sintomas climatéricos analisados. A associação de metiltestosterona ao tratamento estro-progestacional aumentou o interesse sexual não vinculado, exclusivamente, às atividades com o parceiro e os índices de Castelli I e II. Nos demais parâmetros estudados, não houve diferença entre os dois grupos / Objectives: To verify the effects of hormone therapy with estrogen and progesterone derivatives when used singly or combined with methyltestosterone, on sexuality and on climacteric symptoms in postmenopausal women. Subjects: The series included sixty-sexually active women, with sexual complaints, in a stable relationship with a partner capable of intercourse, ages ranging from 42 to sixty years (average 52,1 + 4) and menopause time from one to 28 years (average 5,6). Excluded were women with systemic diseases, psychiatric and endocrine disorders, genital dystopias, smokers and those on hormone therapy or medications that affect sexuality. Method: A double blind, randomized, progressive cohort study was performed over a twelve month period. The women were divided into two groups: EP (n=29), medicated with conjugated estrogens (EEC) 0,625 mg + medroxyprogesterone acetate (AMP) 2,5 mg + placebo, and group EP+A (n=31), medicated with EEC 0,625 mg + AMP 2,5 mg + methyltestosterone 2,0 mg. For the study of sexuality, the Hospital das Clínicas Sex Questionnaire was utilized, assessing sexual desire linked exclusively to activities developed with the partner; excitation and orgasmic capacity in activities with the partner; sexual interest not linked exclusively to activities developed with the partner; dyspareunia, vaginal dryness and sexual frequency. For statistical analysis, the General Linear Models for Repeated Measures, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Multinomial Logistic Regression Models and Pearson Chi square were employed. A 5% significance level was adopted. Results: In groups EP and EP+A, was observed an increase in the sexual desire score linked exclusively to activities developed with the partner (F=18,334; p<0,001), sexual excitation (F=14,002; p<0,001), orgasmic capacity (F=34,650; p < 0,001) and in sexual frequency (F=7,687; p=0,008), as well as an reduction in vaginal dryness (x2=44,153; p < 0,001), dyspareunia (x2=34,447; p < 0,001) and in the Kupperman menopausal index (F=158,460; p < 0,001). Comparative analysis between groups EP and EP+A revealed a greater sexual interest not linked exclusively to activities with the partner (x2=11,551; p=0,021) and higher Castelli I index (F=8,542; p < 0,001) and Castelli II index (F=11,500; p<0,001) in group EP+A. Neither hirsutism nor alopecia were noticed in either group; Class I acne was observed in two women of group EP and in 13 of group EP+A. Conclusion: Hormone therapy with estrogen and progesterone derivatives used singly or together with methyltestosterone had a positive result on all sexual parameters and on climacteric symptoms analyzed. Association of methyltestosterone to estrogen-progesterone treatment increased sexual interest not linked exclusively to activities with the partner and Castelli I and II indexes. No difference between the two groups in the other parameters studied was demonstrated