ObjectiveComparative analysis of the quality of life and functionality of patients undergoing lumbar spine arthrodesis due to degenerative lumbar spine disease. The authors sought to correlate the influence of anxious and depressive symptoms before and after surgery.MethodsA prospective cohort study was performed, with 32 patients submitted to arthrodesis due to degenerative lumbar spine disease and the visual analogue pain scale pain questionnaire, the Oswestry Disability Index questionnaire, the Medical Outcomes Survey Short Form questionnaire – 36 items (SF-36), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, applied in the preoperative period and four months after the procedure.ResultsThere was improvement in the mean scores of the visual analogue pain scale (p < 0.001) and the Oswestry Disability Index (p < 0.001). In the preoperative period, the variables that presented a difference between patients with and without anxiety symptoms were the SF-36 domains of general health (p = 0.031), social aspects (p = 0.008), and mental health (p = 0.035). In the postoperative period, patients without anxiety symptoms showed better results in the vitality (p = 0.004), social aspects (p = 0.001), mental health (p < 0.001), and pain (p = 0.011) domains. In the preoperative period, the variable that presented a difference between patients with and without depression was the SF-36 domain of emotional aspects (p = 0.022). In the post-operative period, patients without depression presented better vitality (p < 0.001), social aspects (p < 0.001), emotional aspects (p = 0.004), and mental health results (p = 0.001).ConclusionLumbar spine arthrodesis was effective in improving pain, low back pain, functional capacity, limitation due to physical aspects, vitality, and social and emotional aspects. Patients without anxiety and depression symptoms had better results on the scales compared to those with such symptoms.

Objectives: to analyze both frequency and risk factors for seroconversion among newborns of HIV-positive mothers to HIV. Methods: a cohort study was conducted with children residing in Southern Region of Santa Catarina. Secondary data from the notification files and medical records of newborn's mothers of infected infants were used. The participants were all the newborns from 2005 to 2015 that were exposed to HIV through vertical transmission and attended a municipal health care center. Results: there were 104 cases of infant exposure to HIV. Seroconversion was confirmed in three cases, two of them died of AIDS during the study period. Breastfeeding (PR= 32.7; CI95%= 10.7-99.5; p= 0.002) and non-use of antiretroviral drugs during pregnancy (PR=18.2; CI95%= 2.0-163.0; p= 0.008) were risk factors for HIV seroconversion. Conclusions: seroconversion rates among neonates in Southern Region of Santa Catarina were similar to the national average. Seroconversion was associated with non-use of antiretroviral therapy during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

BACKGROUNDInternal malignancies such as breast cancer, as well as their treatment can often result in skin changes.OBJECTIVETo assess the prevalence of dermatological complaints in patients who are undergoing oncological treatment for breast cancer in a hospital in Tubarão, Santa Catarina, Brazil.METHODSObservational, cross-sectional study, from October 2015 to February 2016 in which 152 patients with the diagnosis of breast cancer, undergoing treatment with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormone therapy and/or surgery, were interviewed and completed a research protocol developed by the author.RESULTSThe treatment of breast cancer was associated with dermatological complaints in 94.1% of the interviewed, being with hair loss the most frequent, present in 79.6% of the sample, followed by nail changes (56%). Patients with lighter skin phototypes (I, II and III) had a lower risk (p=0.045) of developing skin changes when compared to darker phototypes. Radiation therapy (p=0.011) and oncological surgery (pFisher=0.004) were statistically significant when related to skin changes.STUDY LIMITATIONSInherent to the design of the study, as well as recall bias.CONCLUSIONSIt was found that most patients diagnosed with breast cancer showed dermatologic manifestations during the proposed cancer treatment. Patients undergoing radiotherapy and surgery showed skin changes with greater statistical significance.

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IntroductionIn Brazil, 92,210 HIV-infected pregnant women were notified from 2000 through June 2015, most of whom living in the Southeast (40.5%) and South (30.8%). Detection rates of pregnant women living with HIV in Brazil have increased in the last ten years. In 2005, rates of seropositivity for newborns were as high as 2.0 cases per 1000 live births, which increased to 2.6 in 2014, indicating a 30.0% rise. The aim of this study was to analyse the frequency of seroconversion among newborns to HIV-positive mothers living in southern Santa Catarina, Brazil, from 2005 through 2015.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted to collect secondary data. All the newborns that were exposed to HIV by vertical transmission, and attended the municipal healthcare centre between 2005–2015 participated in the study. The study included all infants between 0 and 18 months of age, exposed to HIV vertically, who attended the healthcare centre that serves 18 municipalities in southern Santa Catarina, Brazil, over the 2005–2015 period.ResultsDuring the study period, there were 93 exposures to HIV, of which 3 (3.2%) seroconversions were confirmed and 2 (2.1%) died of AIDS during the follow-up period. Seroconversion was associated with breastfeeding (PR=29.3; 95% CI=9.6–89.2; p=0.002) and the lack of antiretroviral therapy during pregnancy (PR=21.0; 95% CI=2.4–184.5; p=0.006).ConclusionThe results from this study allowed us to conclude that seroconversion among newborns was 5.4%, resulting in a rate of 3.4 cases per 1000 live births, which was higher than the national average. Seroconversion was associated with breastfeeding and the lack of antiretroviral therapy during pregnancy.