Acta Medica Port
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The consumption of potentially inappropriate medicines is high among institutionalized elderly, predisposing to potential drug interactions, adverse drug events, risk of iatrogenic cascade, increased morbidity and mortality and health costs. Medication review is a promising strategy for therapeutic optimization, although scarcely documented in Portugal. The aim of this study was to characterize, using explicit criteria, the existence of potentially inappropriate medicines, among institutionalized elderly, and to calculate the eventual cost savings, with their discontinuation. ⋯ The consumption of potentially inappropriate medicines is high, which suggest the need for adoption of improvement measures.
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This study aims to describe the translation and adaptation of the European Portuguese Clinical Frailty Scale and assess its convergent validity and test-retest reliability. ⋯ This version has an excellent test-retest reliability and good convergent validity, and is both a reliable and valid test for application in clinical practice for assessing Portuguese elderly population admitted in convalescence units and outpatient clinics.
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Rabies is one of the oldest and deadliest infectious diseases known by human beings and is commonly transmitted by animal bites. Dogs have a major role in the transmission of the virus. Rabies has no approved curative therapy, and its prevention, even though it is highly effective, it is complex, expensive and challenging in terms of accessibility, particularly regarding immunoglobulin. This review aims to provide a practical approach to cost-effective prevention as well as the future perspectives regarding the development of an effective and secure cure. ⋯ The development of new and more effective therapeutic and prophylactic approaches is a goal not yet achieved and relies on a better understanding of the disease pathophysiology.
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Case Reports
Non-Secretory Multiple Myeloma with Patchy Marrow Involvement and Aberrant Cytokeratin Expression.
Non-secretory multiple myeloma is a rare form of the disease that presents a diagnostic challenge. A 69-year-old woman presented to the emergency department with a pathological fracture of the right clavicle, along with a history of asthenia and middle back pain in the preceding three months. ⋯ Non-secretory multiple myeloma is in itself a rare diagnosis. However, the combination of a patchy marrow involvement and aberrant cytokeratin expression makes this a noteworthy presentation.
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In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 as a pandemic, and Portugal reported its initial cases. In this study, we aimed to determine the impact of COVID-19 on Portuguese individuals aged over 60 years old. ⋯ In conclusion, a COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the elderly population, particularly regarding their mental health.