Author: Daniela Barros

Extreme obesity is a challenging disease to manage and requires a multifactorial approach

Photograph of a person's mid section. They are holding a measuring tape around their waist

Extreme obesity is a challenging disease that can present with multiple comorbidities and high rates of mortality and complications. Although lifestyle changes and anti-obesity drugs are recommended, they are less effective than bariatric surgery. Read More →

Budget impact of adding cabergoline is lower than other treatments for Cushing’s disease In Brazil

Tornado diagram from the article illustrating the univariate sensitivity analyses of selected variables affecting the total costs in Scenario 2

The estimated budget impact of adding cabergoline to the formulary for Cushing’s disease (CD) treatment within the Brazilian Public Health System would be about BRL $6 million. While cost savings cannot be expected, the budget impact of adding cabergoline would be lower than that of adding other treatment options. Read More →

Active surveillance is cheaper than immediate surgery in low-risk papillary thyroid microcarcinoma

Photograph of a young woman lying down, with a doctor examining her neck using an ultrasound scanner.

When comparing long-term medical costs of active surveillance (AS), partial thyroidectomy, and total thyroidectomy in patients with low-risk papillary thyroid microcarcinoma that receives care covered by their Public Health System, researchers concluded that the AS approach was less costly than immediate surgery over a 30-year follow-up period. Read More →

Pregnant women treated with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion have better glycemic control

Photograph of a pregnant woman with hands on her belly.

In a comparison of maternal-fetal outcomes among T1D patients treated with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) or multiple daily injections during pregnancy, a higher frequency of cesarean and a lower occurrence of congenital malformations group were observed in the CSII. Adjusted results might indicate that these are influenced by glycemic control. Read More →

Central fat accumulation in women with polycystic ovary syndrome evaluated by different methods

Stock photo. A person wears a tape measure around her body. She is wearing a beige underwear.

In women with polycystic ovary syndrome and normal body mass index, both dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and the adiposity indices, visceral adiposity index and lipid accumulation product, are the most sensitive methods to evaluate total body fat and fat accumulation in the central abdominal region. Read More →

Stratifying hypoechogenicity into 3 degrees improves ultrasound thyroid nodule risk stratification

Collage of four ultrasound images. Arrows point to the hypoechoic nodules in different degrees.

The analysis of different degrees of hypoechogenicity in thyroid nodules shows that the classification into three grades (mild, moderate, and severe) allows for better differentiation between benign and malignant nodules. The method can avoid unnecessary invasive procedures, in addition to improving efficiency and accuracy in the evaluation of thyroid nodules. Read More →

Serum magnesium concentrations one day after total thyroidectomy are predictors for calcium replacement

Graph. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve for the magnesium concentration in the first postoperative day as a predictor of the need for calcium replacement.

The ability of serum magnesium (Mg) (measured on the first postoperative day; Mg1PO) to predict the need for calcium (Ca) replacement, was assessed in patients undergoing total thyroidectomy (TT). In this group of subjects, serum Mg1PO was identified as the isolated predictor for the need for Ca replacement. Read More →

Predictive factors for permanent congenital hypothyroidism was shown by a real-life study in Brazil

Photo: A doctor is holding a baby on an office table. She is smiling and looking at the baby. Baby looks at the camera and seems to bite a finger.

Congenital hypothyroidism can be permanent (PCH) or transient. A real-life retrospective trial aimed to determine predictive factors for PCH and verify its prevalence changes over time. It discovered the most important PCH predictors are the initial thyroid-stimulating hormone serum (TSH) and the blood spot TSH. Read More →

Homeostasis model assessment is negatively associated with the clamp-derived insulin sensitivity index in adolescents

Photo: a hand holding a glucose meter and pointing to a finger of the other hand. In the background, a glucose monitor.

The increase in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome in children and adolescents is a health concern. Therefore, a valid and accessible method of assessing insulin resistance in this age group must be developed to monitor its progression and identifying adolescents at risk of developing associated factors. Read More →

Epidemiology and risk factors of hypoglycemia in type 1 diabetes in Brazil

Photo or composition. A cell phone and a blood glucose meter kit (two cylindrical objects, a round jar and the monitor with two buttons). Solid orange background.

Factors associated with hypoglycemia and severe hypoglycemia (SH) in individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) in Brazil shows that avoiding high doses of basal insulin and educating individuals about alcohol consumption and its consequence on glycemic control are simple measures that can contribute to reducing SH events. Read More →