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  • Prevalence of antibodies to a new histo-blood system: the FORS system
    Publication . Jesus, C; Hesse, C; Rocha, C; Osório, N; Valado, A; Caseiro, A; Gabriel, A; Svensson, L; Moslemi, AR; Siba, WA; Srour, MA; Pereira, C; Tomaz, J; Teixeira, P; Mendes, F
    In 1987, three unrelated English families were reported with a putative blood subgroup called Apae. Swedish researchers later found evidence leading to abolishment of the Apae subgroup and establishment instead of the FORS blood group system (System 31 - ISBT, 2012). It is important to know the prevalence of antibodies in order to make the best decisions in transfusion medicine. Cells expressing the Forssman saccharide, such as sheep erythrocytes, are needed to detect the anti-Forssman antibody. The aim of this study was to define the prevalence of human anti-Forssman antibody.
  • Plasma exchange in severe acute relapses of multiple sclerosis - Results from a Portuguese cohort
    Publication . Correia, I; Ribeiro, JJ; Isidoro, L; Batista, S; Nunes, C; Macário, C; Borges, C; Tomaz, J; Sousa, L
    Relapses in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) are often associated with significant disability impairment which is resultant from poor response to corticosteroids. In such severe cases, plasma exchange (PLEX) may be used, although only a few studies with MS patients have been reported. Our objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of PLEX in severe relapses of MS. METHODS: Retrospective study of MS patients treated with PLEX in acute relapses. Data regarding EDSS, annualized relapse rate (ARR), treatment with corticosteroids, number of PLEX sessions, adverse events, and gadolinium enhancement in brain MRI were analysed. RESULTS: Included 46 patients, 76.09% female (n = 35) with mean age of 38.76 years and mean disease duration of 5.99 years, of which 84.78% had a Relapsing Remitting MS (n = 39), 15.22% Secondary Progressive MS (n = 7). The previous ARR was 1.1 and in 28.26% of the cases (n = 13) PLEX was used in the relapse that led to MS diagnosis. The majority of relapses had motor impairment (69.6%, n = 32), with a median EDSS increase of 1.5 points from baseline (maximum of 6.5) and higher than 1.5 points in 45.65% of cases (n = 21). Brain MRI was available in 69.57% of the cases (n = 32), and gadolinium enhancing lesions were present in 68.75% of cases (n = 22). Corticosteroids were used before PLEX in all patients for a mean of 6.09 days, without any immediate benefit in 41.30% of cases (n = 19), with the remaining cases showing only mild disability recovery. After a mean of 7.39 PLEX sessions, there was clinical benefit with complete EDSS recovery in 41.30% of patients (n = 19), and partial in 39.13% (n = 18). There were no adverse events related to PLEX in 89.13% of patients (n = 41) and in the remaining patients the reported adverse events included deep venous thrombosis (n = 1), anaemia (n = 1), fever (n = 1), hypoalbuminemia (n = 1) and arterial hypotension (n = 1). CONCLUSION: Our results support the use of PLEX in severe relapses unresponsive to corticosteroids, since it was an effective and relatively safe treatment for most of our patients.
  • O significado da filosofia da humanitude, no contexto dos cuidados de enfermagem à pessoa dependente e vulnerável
    Publication . Simões, M; Rodrigues, M; Salgueiro, N
    Revisão sistemática seguindo a metodologia dos sete passos do Cochrane Handbook, formulando a seguinte questão: Qual o significado do conceito integrador de humanitude, no contexto dos complexos e delicados cuidados que os enfermeiros prestam, a pessoas doentes vulneráveis e dependentes? No processo de resposta à questão, seguindo a metodologia sistemática, com base numa estratégia de pesquisa refinada e exaustiva a bases de dados relevantes, não se obtiveram respostas aos descritores relacionados com cuidados de enfermagem, que intersectem o conceito humanitude. No entanto, através de motores de busca e contacto com investigadores nacionais e estrangeiros, foi possível recolher um pequeno acervo de documentos, que revelam a pertinência da questão de investigação e indicam a existência de trabalho avançado na aplicação da filosofia da humanitude aos cuidados de enfermagem. O trabalho mais relevante é o método de Gineste e Marescotti, no cuidado a doentes dependentes e vulneráveis, desde 1975. Com este estudo de revisão, observa-se uma nova oportunidade de investigação, através da implementação e monitorização do método, com uma população de pessoas doentes dependentes, em Portugal.