Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most frequent cause of dementia. This work aims to assess the effectiveness of reality orientation (RO), a traditional, extensively documented cognitive enhancement technique, when combined with acetylcholinesterase inhibitors in the treatment of AD. Fourteen patients with AD having mild to moderate dementia receiving standard treatment with donepezil were randomly assigned to control and treatment groups. Patients in the treatment group were submitted to weekly RO sessions for 6 months. Cognitive outcomes were assessed based on scores in the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD) neuropsychological battery and the Clock Drawing Test (CDT). Mean CERAD neuropsychological battery, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and CDT scores improved in the treatment group and worsened in the control group. A number of CERAD neuropsychological battery and MMSE scores were statistically significant. Our findings suggest that RO is a valuable long-term complementary intervention for dementia in AD.

The aim of this study was to describe a clinical case of a patient with Alzheimer's disease (AD) in use of an anti-TNF-α agent for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The patient reported is an 81-year-old Caucasian man and retired teacher, diagnosed with RA in 2008 and AD in 2011. Treatment with donepezil was started in 2011 and the use of etanercept introduced in 2012. He was previously treated with adalimumab in 2010 for 18 months. In 2013, the subject was engaged in a clinical trial to assess a complementary non-pharmacological approach for AD, presenting significant cognitive improvement during the follow-up period. We propose the hypothesis of a synergistic effect of anti-TNF-α medication used for the treatment of RA as the cause of the improvement in cognitive response observed. These findings could suggest a possible use of this drug class in the therapeutic management of AD.

ResumoContextoA incapacidade das fístulas arteriovenosas (FAVs) atenderem aos quesitos mínimos para realização da hemodiálise (HD) corresponde a uma das maiores causas de morbidade nos pacientes em terapia renal substitutiva. Identificar os fatores de risco associados com a falência do acesso vascular é fundamental para o manejo e sucesso da terapia hemodialítica.ObjetivoComparar o tempo médio de patência e a sobrevida das fístulas arteriovenosas realizadas nos pacientes portadores de diabetes mellitus com pacientes não portadores de diabetes mellitus (DM) em HD.MétodosTrata-se de um estudo retrospectivo observacional, no qual foram observados os prontuários médicos de todos os pacientes em HD no Hospital Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Ponta Grossa, no período de fevereiro de 2014. Foram analisados dados clínicos referentes à confecção, manutenção e utilização das FAVs como adjuvante na terapia dialítica, comparando o tempo médio de patência das fístulas em uso para HD, bem como a sobrevida das FAVs ocluídas. Os pacientes selecionados foram divididos em dois grupos para comparação, conforme a presença ou ausência de DM.ResultadosOs indivíduos do Grupo DM apresentaram maior média de idade (59,97 ± 10,12), menor tempo de acompanhamento no serviço de hemodiálise (25,42 ± 21,03 meses), menor tempo médio até a oclusão da fístula arteriovenosa (9,03 ± 11,60 meses) e menor média de sobrevida dos acessos vasculares em 24 meses (50,25%).ConclusõesO estudo concluiu que para os pacientes diabéticos houve um menor tempo médio da patência das FAVs e menor taxa de sobrevida dos acessos em 24 meses.

Dementia is characterized by deficits in more than one cognitive domain, affecting language, praxis, gnosis, memory or executive functions. Despite the essential economic growth observed in many developing countries, especially over the last century, huge differences remain in health care, whether among nations themselves or across different regions of the same country.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to assess the management and main features of dementia, comparing public (PUBL) and private (PRIV) reference services.MethodsWe performed a retrospective analysis of medical records of subjects with dementia. Sociocultural data, mean follow-up time in the service, Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE) scores at admission, main diagnosis of dementia, family history of dementia, comorbidities, imaging methods and treatment were assessed.Resultsthe time elapsed before admission in the service of the PUBL group (2.08±2.06 years) was higher than for the PRIV group (1.24±2.55 years) (p=0.0356); the MMSE score at admission in the PUBL group (15.05±8.16 years) was lower than in the PRIV group (18.95±6.69 years) (p=0.016); the PUBL group showed lower treatment coverage with cholinesterase inhibitors (52.94%) than the PRIV group (84.93%) (p=0.0001).ConclusionPatients seeking the public health service have less access to medical care, reaching the system at more advanced stages of disease. The public service also offered lower pharmacological coverage.