O objetivo deste estudo retrospectivo de base hospitalar foi descrever as condições de saúde e estimar a sobrevida de 252 pacientes, com diagnóstico prévio de câncer de mama, tratadas e acompanhadas no Ambulatório de Mastologia do Hospital Universitário de Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil, no período de 1980 a 2000. Para a análise estatística foram utilizados o estimador de Kaplan-Meier e o modelo de Cox. A idade média das pacientes foi 54 anos, sendo que 73,4% apresentaram diagnóstico histológico de carcinoma ductal invasor, 63,9% não apresentaram comprometimento dos linfonodos regionais e 57,6% encontravam-se no estadiamento clínico II. Ao final do estudo, 64,7% das mulheres estavam vivas e sem câncer de mama, e 5,1% morreram por outra causa. A sobrevida estimada em 5 anos, foi de 87,7%, sendo os fatores prognósticos associados: tamanho do tumor (RR = 12,03; > 5cm), comprometimento (RR = 3,08; N1) e número de linfonodos ressecados (RR = 4,66; Nenhum), receptor de estrógeno (RR = 0,34) e c-erbB-2 (RR = 2,51). Com base nos achados deste estudo, destaca-se a importância de ações intensivas de orientação para implementar o rastreamento do câncer de mama, levando a diagnósticos em estádios precoces dessa neoplasia.

In order to better understand the exact mode and risk of vertical transmission in asymptomatic pregnant women, as well as the relationship between HPV transmission and mode of delivery, we have proposed this systematic quantitative review of prospective cohort studies. A comprehensive search was performed in the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, LILACS, CANCERLIT, and EMBASE, as well as in the reference lists from the identified studies. Nine primary studies, which included 2,111 pregnant women and 2,113 newborns, met our selection criteria and were analyzed. A positive HPV test in the mother increased the risk of vertical HPV transmission (RR: 4.8; 95%CI: 2.2-10.4). We also observed a higher risk of HPV infection after vaginal delivery than after cesarean section (RR: 1.8; 95%CI: 1.3-2.4). The results of this meta-analysis showed the HPV DNA-positive rate only after birth, but an HPV DNA-positive neonatal sample does not necessarily indicate infection; it could merely indicate contamination (perinatal HPV contamination may have occurred). Infants born through vaginal delivery were at higher risk of exposure to HPV.

OBJECTIVE:To analyze neonatal mortality determinants using multilevel logistic regression and classic hierarchical models. METHODS:Cohort study including 138,407 live births with birth certifi cates and 1,134 neonatal deaths recorded in 2003, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Southern Brazil. The Information System on Live Births and mortality records were linked for gathering information on individual-level exposures. Sociodemographic data and information on the pregnancy, childbirth care and characteristics of the children at birth were collected. The associated factors were estimated and compared by traditional and multilevel logistic regression analysis. RESULTS:The neonatal mortality rate was 8.19 deaths per 1,000 live births. Low birth weight, 1-and 5-minute Apgar score below eight, congenital malformation, pre-term birth and previous fetal loss were associated with neonatal death in the traditional model. Elective cesarean section had a protective effect. Previous fetal loss did not remain signifi cant in the multilevel model, but the inclusion of a contextual variable (poverty rate) showed that 15% of neonatal mortality variation can be explained by varying poverty rates in the microregions. CONCLUSIONS:The use of multilevel models showed a small effect of contextual determinants on the neonatal mortality rate. There was found a positive association with the poverty rate in the general model, and the proportion of households with water supply among preterm newborns.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) types cause approximately 70% of cervical cancer worldwide. Two vaccines have been recently evaluated in randomized controlled trials: the bivalent vaccine for HPV 16 and 18 (Cervarix, GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, Rixensart, Belgium) and the quadrivalent vaccine for HPV 6, 11, 16, and 18 (Gardasil, Merck and Co, Inc, Whitehouse Station, NJ). We have performed a systematic review of all randomized controlled trials in which vaccines against HPV were compared with placebo regarding efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity. Six studies met the inclusion criteria, which included 47,236 women. The first objective in this systematic review was to assess vaccine efficacy in the prevention of cytologically and/or histologically proven lesions. And the secondary objective was the evaluation of safety and vaccine immunogenicity. Bivalent and quadrivalent HPV vaccines significantly reduced the rate of lesions in the cervix, vulva, vagina, and anogenital region, with efficacy of 93% (95% confidence interval [CI], 87-96) and 62% (95% CI, 27-70), respectively, when compared with the control groups according to intention to treat. Regarding safety, we found more symptoms in the bivalent vaccine group (35%; 95% CI, 5-73) when compared with the control groups. In regard to vaccine immunogenicity, there was seroconversion in the group that received the vaccine when compared with the placebo group in the bivalent and quadrivalent vaccines. Prophylactic vaccination can prevent HPV infection in women aged 9 to 26 years not previously infected with the HPV subtypes covered by the vaccines. To evaluate cervical cancer incidence and mortality, a longer follow-up is necessary.