Browsing by Author "Maia, J."
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- Clinical Usefulness of Streptococcus pneumoniae Urinary Antigen in Patients Hospitalized with Non-Nosocomial PneumoniaPublication . Ferreira, J.; Abreu, M.; Rodrigues, P.; Maia, J.; Leuschner, P.; Correia, J.Introduction : Community acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a major cause of hospital admissions and mortality in developed countries. Nevertheless, in about half of the cases a microbial etiology can`t be determined. The need to improve the diagnostic tools of this disease has led to the development of new techniques, such as Streptococcus pneumoniae urinary antigen. Objectives : To analyse the usefulness of the urinary antigen in determining the etiologic diagnosis of pneumonias and its influence in the antibiotherapy modification. Methods : Retrospective analysis of hospitalized patients in 2010 with CAP (n=226) and healthcare associated pneumonia (HCAP) [n=64] diagnosis whose urinary pneumococcal antigen has been analyzed. Results: Median age was significantly greater in HCAP. HCAP patients had more co-morbidities and higher severity scores. Twenty-one patients in the CAP group and 4 patients in the HCAP group had positive pneumococcal antigen. The sensibility of urinary antigen in determining pneumococcal pneumonias was 36% and the specificity 89%. Almost one quarter of the 25 patients with positive urinary antigen had appropriate reductions in antimicrobial spectra, which was not statistically significant when compared with the group with negative urinary antigen. There was a significant relation between a positive urinary antigen and pneumonia severity. Conclusions: Considering its high specificity, the urinary antigen is useful to confirm the presence of pneumococcal pneumonia. Potentially urinary antigen can help to avoid unnecessary treatments in hospitalized patients with CAP.
- Descrição, factores, preditores e prognóstico dos derrames parapneumónicosPublication . Ferreira, J.; Maia, J.; Mendonça, C.; Carvalho, D.; Paiva, P.; Correia, J.Resumo Introdução: A infecção pleural é um problema comum na prática clínica. Uma porção significativa das infecções no espaço pleural representa um processo progressivo que leva à transformação de um derrame simples em complicado. A maioria dos autores sugere que a decisão terapêutica depende do estadio de evolução da doença. Objectivos: Descrever e caracterizar os derrames parapneumónicos quanto à forma de apresentação, características, terapêutica instituída e evolução. Métodos: Estudo observacional, retrospectivo e longitudinal com base na análise dos processos clínicos dos doentes com o diagnóstico de derrame parapneumónico, entre Janeiro de 2005 e Junho de 2011. Trinta e quatro casos cumpriram critérios de inclusão. Resultados: A evolução do quadro clínico parece ser independente do tipo de dreno/catéter usado (p=0,608). Os empiemas associam-se com significado estatístico a não resolução inicial do quadro (p=0,024). A presença de derrames loculados aumentou o tempo de internamento médio em aproximadamente 10 dias (p=0,071) e acarretou um prolongamento no tempo médio de antibioterapia de 13 dias (p=0,049). Conclusões: O derrame parapneumónico com significado clínico parece ter baixa incidência, contudo é uma patologia que acarreta prolongamento no tempo de internamento e potenciais complicações. Deve preferir-se a utilização de catéteres de pequeno diâmetro (10-14F). Os parâmetros que pioram significativamente o prognóstico são a presença de empiema ou de derrames loculados.
- Left-sided infective endocarditis: analysis of in-hospital and medium-term outcome and predictors of mortalityPublication . Ferreira, J.; Gomes, F.; Rodrigues, P.; Araújo Abreu, M.; Maia, J.; Bettencourt, P.; Luz, A.; Torres, S.; Araújo Correia, J.Abstract Introduction: Despite diagnostic and therapeutic advances, infective endocarditis (IE) remains a challenging and potentially lethal disease. The prognosis of IE remains poor; in the last 30 years, its incidence and mortality have only been marginally reduced. Early identification of high-risk patients can change the course of the disease and improve outcomes. Objectives and methods: To describe and investigate predictors of mortality during hospital stay and in the six months after discharge in a cohort of left-sided IE patients in two tertiary centers. All patients diagnosed with IE (ICD9 code 133) were registered in a uniform database. Results: One hundred and forty-seven consecutive case patients with left-sided IE were included in this study. Thirty-five patients (23.8%) died during hospital stay. The variables significantly associated with increased mortality in univariate analysis were Charlson index ≥5, use of immunosuppressants, sepsis (severe sepsis and/or septic shock), cardiogenic shock and inappropriate use of antibiotic therapy. Conversely, surgical therapy and hospital length of stay ≥30 days were significantly associated with lower mortality. In multivariate analysis the most important predictors of in-hospital mortality were sepsis (severe and/or shock), use of immunosuppressants and inappropriate use of antibiotic therapy. There was a significant relation between the use of immunosuppressants and the occurrence of sepsis. The presence of significant valve disease after IE significantly increased the risk of heart failure. Conclusions: Our results may help to identify IE patients at increased risk for in-hospital mortality and medium-term disability. These findings can help to identify candidates for earlier and more aggressive management.
- Stability of blood gases when refrigeratedPublication . Ferreira, J.; Silva, S.; Rodrigues, P.; Abreu, M.; Maia, J.; Carvalho, D.; Carvalho, L.Background: Blood gas analysis is a widely used procedure. In clinical practice, the physicians may not always have a blood gas analyzer in their proximity. Not infrequently, blood gas samples are stored in a fridge or on ice and read retrospectively. Continued anaerobic and aerobic metabolism in the blood may alter blood gases in the interval between drawing arterial blood and its analysis, which may cause a fall in the PaO2 and pH and a rise in the PaCO2. Methods: Two sets of arterial blood samples were obtained from hospitalized patients. After the initial analysis, one sample from each patient was put in raw ice within a specimen bag (0 to +1 oC) and the other in the fridge (+4 to +8 oC). These samples were submitted to serial analysis at 30 minutes, 1 hour and 2 hours after the initial analysis. Results: Two hundred arterial blood gas results from 25 patients were analysed. The mean values of PaO2, PaCO2, HCO3-, Na+, K+, Ca2+ and lactate at 0 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour and 2 hours were not signifi cantly different between the two alternatives of storage. However, within each group, signifi cant changes were found over time for PaO2, K+, Na+, Ca2+ and lactate. Conclusions: When using plastic syringes, arterial blood gas analysis should be processed shortly after collecting the sample. Despite the fact that low temperatures can slow down the metabolism, neither the ice nor the fridge preserved all the sample parameters.