There are data suggesting that women swallow liquids at a lower flow rate and ingest smaller volumes in each swallow than men. Our objective in this work was to compare swallowing in asymptomatic men and women by videofluoroscopy. We studied 18 men [age = 33-77 years, mean = 61 (10) years] and 12 women [age = 29-72 years, mean = 53 (15) years] who swallowed in duplicate 5 and 10 ml of liquid and paste barium boluses. None of the volunteers had dysphagia, neurologic diseases, or oral, pharyngeal, or esophageal diseases. The videofluoroscopic examination showed that for the 5-ml bolus, women had a longer oropharyngeal transit [liquid: men, 0.63 (0.21) s, women, 0.88 (0.39) s; paste: men, 0.64 (0.35) s, women, 0.94 (0.58) s], longer oral transit [liquid: men, 0.41 (0.21) s, women, 0.59 (0.35) s; paste: men, 0.39 (0.28) s, women, 0.59 (0.42) s], and longer pharyngeal clearance [liquid: men, 0.36 (0.11) s, women, 0.45 (0.16) s; paste: men, 0.42 (0.25) s, women, 0.56 (0.27) s] compared with men (p < 0.05). We conclude that there are differences in swallowing between men and women, with women having a longer oropharyngeal transit than men for a 5-ml bolus.

Deficits of postural control and perceptions of verticality are disabling problems observed in stroke patients that have been recently correlated to each other. However, there is no evidence in the literature confirming this relationship with quantitative posturography analysis. Therefore, the objectives of the present study were to analyze the relationship between Subjective Postural Vertical (SPV) and Haptic Vertical (HV) with posturography and functionality in stroke patients. We included 45 stroke patients. The study protocol was composed by clinical interview, evaluation of SPV and HV in roll and pitch planes and posturography. Posturography was measured in the sitting and standing positions under the conditions: eyes open, stable surface (EOSS); eyes closed, stable surface (ECSS); eyes open, unstable surface (EOUS); and eyes closed, unstable surface (ECUS). The median PV in roll plane was 0.34° (-1.44° to 2.54°) and in pitch plane 0.36° (-2.72° to 2.45°). The median of HV in roll and pitch planes were -0.94° (-5.86° to 3.84°) and 3.56° (-0.68° to 8.36°), respectively. SPV in the roll plane was correlated with all posturagraphy parameters in sitting position in all conditions (r = 0.35 to 0.47; p < 0.006). There were moderate correlations with the verticality perceptions and all the functional scales. Linear regression model showed association between speed and SPV in the roll plane in the condition EOSS (R2 of 0.37; p = 0.005), in the condition ECSS (R2 of 0.13; p = 0.04) and in the condition EOUS (R2 of 0.22; p = 0.03). These results suggest that verticality perception is a relevant component of postural control and should be systematically evaluated, particularly in patients with abnormal postural control.

Perception of verticality is required for normal daily function, yet the typical human detection error range has not been well characterized. Vertical misperception has been correlated with poor postural control and functionality in patients after stroke and after vestibular disorders. Until now, all the published studies that assessed Subjective Postural Vertical (SPV) in the seated position used small groups to establish a reference value. However, this sample size does not represent the healthy population for comparison with conditions resulting in pathological vertical. Therefore, the primary objective was to conduct a systematic review with meta-analyses of Subjective Postural Vertical (SPV) data in seated position in healthy adults to establish the reference value with a representative sample. The secondary objective was to investigate the methodological characteristics of different assessment protocols of SPV described in the literature. A systematic literature search was conducted using Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane libraries. Mean and standard deviation of SPV in frontal and sagittal planes were considered as effect size measures. Sixteen of 129 identified studies met eligibility criteria for our systematic review (n = 337 subjects in the frontal plane; n = 187 subjects in sagittal plane). The meta-analyses measure was estimated using the pooled mean as the estimator and its respective error. Mean reference values were 0.12°±1.49° for the frontal plane and 0.02°±1.82° for the sagittal plane. There was a small variability of the results and this systematic review resulted in representative values for SPV. The critical analysis of the studies and observed homogeneity in the sample suggests that the methodological differences used in the studies did not influence SPV assessment of directional bias in healthy subjects. These data can serve as a reference for clinical studies in disorders of verticality.

Objectives: to analyze the dimensionality, convergent construct validity and internal consistency of the Informal Caregiver Burden Assessment Questionnaire (QASCI) after its semantic adaptation to Brazil. Method: this methodological study was developed with 132 informal caregivers of elders who are dependent of help for basic or instrumental activities of daily living, in a capital city in Northeast Brazil. Quality of life measures related to health, anxiety and depression were used in the analysis of the convergent construct validity of the QASCI. Results: the results of the instrument construct validation evidenced statistically signifi cant correlations with the three measures. The confi rmatory factor analysis evidenced good adjustment of the theoretical model of seven factors (domains) of the version used in the group studied. Cronbach's alpha for the scale total was 0.92. Conclusion: the Brazilian version of the QASCI was considered to be valid and reliable for assessing the burden of informal elder caregivers. Key words: Nursing Methodology Research; Validation Studies; Caregivers; Elders; Geriatric Nursing. RESUMO Objetivos: analisar a dimensionalidade, validade de constructo convergente e consistência interna do Questionário de Avaliação da Sobrecarga do Cuidador Informal (QASCI) após sua adaptação semântica para o Brasil. Método: este estudo metodológico foi realizado com 132 cuidadores informais de idosos com dependência nas atividades básicas ou instrumentais de vida diária, em uma capital do Nordeste. Para análise da validade de constructo convergente do QASCI foram utilizadas medidas de qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde, ansiedade e depressão. Resultados: no geral, os resultados da validação de constructo do instrumento evidenciaram correlações estatisticamente signifi cantes com as três medidas. A análise fatorial confi rmatória evidenciou um bom ajuste do modelo teórico de sete fatores (domínios) da versão utilizada no grupo estudado. O alfa de Cronbach para o total da escala foi 0,92. Conclusão: a versão brasileira do QASCI mostrou-se válida e confi ável na mensuração da sobrecarga de cuidadores informais de idosos. Descritores: Pesquisa Metodológica em Enfermagem; Estudos de Validação; Cuidadores; Idoso; Enfermagem Geriátrica. RESUMEN Objetivo: analizar la dimensionalidad, validad de constructo convergente y consistencia interna del Cuestionario de Evaluación de la Sobrecarga del Cuidador Informal (QASCI), adaptado semánticamente para Brasil. Método: estudio metodológico realizado con 132 cuidadores informales de ancianos con dependencia en actividades cotidianas básicas o instrumentales, en una capital del noreste. Para análisis de la validad de constructo convergente del QASCI, se utilizaron medidas de calidad

The decrease in stroke mortality will increase the burden of survivors with functional dependence (FD). The aim of this study was to evaluate how many patients become functionally dependent over 3 years after an incident event in Joinville, Brazil. The proportion of FD (defined as a modified Rankin score 3 to 5) among stroke survivors from the Joinville Stroke Registry was assessed using a validated telephone interview. Incidence of FD after stroke in Joinville in one year was 23.24 per 100,000 population. The overall proportion of FD among stroke survivors at discharge was 32.7%. Of 303 patients with first-ever ischaemic stroke (IS), one-third were FD at discharge, and 12%, 9% and 8%, respectively at 1, 2 and 3 years. Among 37 patients with haemorrhagic stroke (HS), 38% were dependent at discharge, 16% after 1 and 2 years and 14% after 3. Among 27 patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH), 19% were dependent at discharge and 4% from 1 to 3 years. Among IS subtypes, cardioembolic ones had the worst risk of FD. (RR 19.8; 95% CI: 2.2 to 175.9). Our results showed that one-third of stroke survivors have FD during the first year after stroke in Brazil. Therefore, a city with half a million people might expect 120 new stroke patients with FD each year.