Prevalência de amputações de membros superiores e inferiores no estado de Alagoas atendidos pelo SUS entre 2008 e 2015

IMMEDIATE EFFECT OF AN ORTHOSTATIC DEVICE IN AMPUTEES WHO PRACTICE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

ABSTRACT Introduction: Lower limb amputation affects mainly economically active young adults, causing great socio-economic impact due to impaired work capacity, socialization, and quality of life. Thus, the use of orthostatic devices could make reintegration of the individual back into the work environment possible. Objective: To evaluate the immediate effect of using a postural elevation device on physiological parameters and plantar pressure levels in amputees who practice physical activity. Methods: Sociodemographic and perceived sleep quality data were collected from 14 adults of both sexes with lower limb amputations, who practice physical activity. The participants were placed in postural elevation equipment for a period of 90 minutes with monitoring of physiological parameters such as blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen saturation. Parameters related to the autonomic nervous system and plantar pressure levels were also evaluated. Data were also collected during recovery at 15- and 30-minute intervals after using the device. Data analysis was performed using two-way ANOVA or a mixed-effects model with Sidak's multiple comparisons test. Results: For all cardiovascular parameters (p>0.05) analyzed, the activation level of the autonomic nervous system (p>0.05), and plantar pressure (p>0.05), no evidence of differences was observed during use of the orthostatic device in all evaluated periods. Conclusion: The use of postural elevation equipment for 90 minutes does not generate, as an immediate effect, changes in physiological parameters and postural control in amputees who practice physical activity. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies – investigation of treatment results. Clinical relevance statement .

CLINICAL AND EPIDEMIOLOGICAL PROFILE OF PATIENTS SUBMITTED TO LOWER LIMB AMPUTATION

Objective: To characterize the clinical and epidemiological profile of patients undergoing lower limb amputation in a public hospital in southern Piauí state, Brazil. Method: Retrospective and descriptive study, with document analysis and quantitative approach. Data collection took place in July and August 2021, using an instrument developed by the researchers. Data were processed using the statistical software Statistical Package for Social Sciences, version 20.0. Results: The sample consisted of 70 patients with a mean age of 65.59 years, most of them male (61.4%), brown (88.6%), married (48.3%), retired (42.9%), coming from other cities of Piauí (87.1%). Most patients (47.1%) had a comorbidity at the time of amputation, with diabetes mellitus (34.3%) being the most prevalent, followed by systemic arterial hypertension (12.9%). Diabetes was the main cause of amputation (48.6%), being the transfemoral level (42.9%) the most affected. All procedures were performed on an emergency basis, and most hospitalizations (94.3%) progressed to discharge. Conclusion: The findings of this study reveal that people with diabetes, males, and the elderly were the individuals who most underwent amputation, with the transfemoral level being the most performed.

PERFIL CLÍNICO E EPIDEMIOLÓGICO DE PACIENTES SUBMETIDOS A AMPUTAÇÃO DE MEMBROS INFERIORES

Objetivo:Caracterizar o perfil clínico e epidemiológico dos pacientes submetidos à amputação de membros inferiores em um hospital público do sul do Piauí. Métodos: Estudo retrospectivo, descritivo, com análise documental e abordagem quantitativa. A coleta de dados ocorreu nos meses de julho e agosto de 2021, sendo realizada por meio de um instrumento elaborado pelos pesquisadores. Os dados foram processados pelo o software estatístico Statistical Package for Social Sciences, versão 20.0. Resultados: A amostra foi composta por 70 pacientes com média de idade de 65,6 anos, a maioria do sexo masculino (61,4%), de cor parda (88,6%), casada (48,3%), aposentada (42,9%), advinda de outras cidades do Piauí (87,1%). A maioria dos pacientes (47,1%) apresentava uma comorbidade no momento da amputação, sendo o diabetes mellitus (34,3%) a mais prevalente, seguido de hipertensão arterial sistêmica (12,9%). O diabetes mellitus foi a principal causa de amputação (48,6%), sendo a nível transfemoral (42,9%) a mais predominante. Todos os procedimentos foram realizados em caráter de urgência, e grande parte das internações (94,3%) evoluiu para alta. Conclusão: Os achados demonstram que pessoas com diabetes mellitus, do sexo masculino e idosas foram as que mais se submeteram a amputação, sendo o nível transfemoral o mais realizado

Spatial inequalities of major lower limb amputation rates in Paraná state, Brazil

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this observational cross-sectional study was to analyse the spatial distribution of major lower limb amputation (MLLA) rates and associate them to socioeconomic, demographic and public healthcare access-related variables in the State of Paraná, Brazil, from 2012 to 2017.

METHOD

Data on MLLA, revascularisation surgeries, diagnostic exams and healthcare coverage were obtained from the Brazilian Public Hospital Information System. Socioeconomic data were obtained from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. Spatial autocorrelation of the MLLA rates was tested using Moran's I method. Multivariate spatial regression models using ordinary least squares regression (OLS) and geographically weighted regression (GWR) were used to identify the variables significantly correlated with MLLA.

RESULTS

A total of 5270 MLLA were included in the analysis. Mean MLLA rates were 24.32 (±18.22)/100 000 inhabitants, showing a positive global spatial autocorrelation (Moran's I=0.66; p<0.001). Queen contiguity matrix demonstrates that MLLA rates ranged from 7.6 to 46.6/100 000 with five large clusters of high MLLA rates. OLS showed that four of the nine studied variables presented significant spatial correlation with MLLA rates. Colour Doppler ultrasound showed a negative association (p<0.001), while revascularisation surgeries and illiteracy showed a positive correlation (p<0.01). GWR presented the best model (adjusted R²=0.77) showing that the predictors differentially affect the MLLA rates geographically.

CONCLUSION

The high MLLA rates in some regions of the state are influenced by the high rate of illiteracy and low utilisation rate of colour Doppler, indicating a social problem and difficulty in accessing health. On the other hand, the high rates of revascularisation surgeries are related to higher MLLA rates, possibly due to delayed access to specialised hospitals. This indicates that attention must be given to population access to public healthcare in the State of Paraná in order to ensure proper and timely medical attention.

Identifying priorities and developing strategies for building capacity in amputation research in Canada

BACKGROUND

Compared to other patient population groups, the field of amputation research in Canada lacks cohesion largely due to limited funding sources, lack of connection among research scientists, and loose ties among geographically dispersed healthcare centres, research institutes and advocacy groups. As a result, advances in clinical care are hampered and ultimately negatively influence outcomes of persons living with limb loss.

OBJECTIVE

To stimulate a national strategy on advancing amputation research in Canada, a consensus-workshop was organized with an expert panel of stakeholders to identify key research priorities and potential strategies to build researcher and funding capacity in the field.

METHODS

A modified Delphi approach was used to gain consensus on identifying and selecting an initial set of priorities for building research capacity in the field of amputation. This included an anonymous pre-meeting survey (N = 31 respondents) followed by an in-person consensus-workshop meeting that hosted 38 stakeholders (researchers, physiatrists, surgeons, prosthetists, occupational and physical therapists, community advocates, and people with limb loss).

RESULTS

The top three identified research priorities were: (1) developing a national dataset; (2) obtaining health economic data to illustrate the burden of amputation to the healthcare system and to patients; and (3) improving strategies related to outcome measurement in patients with limb loss (e.g. identifying, validating, and/or developing outcome measures). Strategies for moving these priorities into action were also developed.

CONCLUSIONS

The consensus-workshop provided an initial roadmap for limb loss research in Canada, and the event served as an important catalyst for stakeholders to initiate collaborations for moving identified priorities into action. Given the increasing number of people undergoing an amputation, there needs to be a stronger Canadian collaborative approach to generate the necessary research to enhance evidence-based clinical care and policy decision-making.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONLimb loss is a growing concern across North America, with lower-extremity amputations occurring due to complications arising from diabetes being a major cause.To advance knowledge about limb loss and to improve clinical care for this population, stronger connections are needed across the continuum of care (acute, rehabilitation, community) and across sectors (clinical, advocacy, industry and research).There are new surgical techniques, technologies, and rehabilitation approaches being explored to improve the health, mobility and community participation of people with limb loss, but further research evidence is needed to demonstrate efficacy and to better integrate them into standard clinical care.

Evaluation of multi-class support-vector machines strategies and kernel adjustment levels in hand posture recognition by analyzing sEMG signals acquired from a wearable device

One-vs-One (OVO) and One-vs-All (OVA) are decomposition methods for multi-class strategies used to allow binary Support-Vector Machines (SVM) to transform a given k-class problem into pairwise small problems. In this context, the present work proposes the analysis of these two decomposition methods applied to the hand posture recognition problem in which the sEMG data of eight participants were collected by means of an 8-channel armband bracelet located on the forearm. Linear, Polynomial and Radial Basis Function kernels functions and its adjustments level were implemented combined to the strategies OVO and OVA to compare the performance of the SVM when mapping posture data into the classification spaces spanned by the studied kernels. Acquired sEMG signals were segmented considering 0.16 s e 0.32 s time windows. Root Mean Square (RMS) feature was extracted from each time window of each posture and used for SVM training. The present work focused in investigating the relationship between the multi-class strategies combined to kernels adjustments levels and SVM classification performance. Promising results were observed using OVA strategy which presents a reduced number of binary SVM implementation achieved a mean accuracy of 97.63%.