Mauricio Santiago Soper

Objective: To describe the epidemiological, clinical, and seasonal patterns of respiratory viral infections in Southern Brazil between January 2023 and April 2026. Methods: A retrospective observational descriptive study was conducted at a private hospital including laboratory-confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2, influenza A (H3N2 and H1N1), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV A and B), rhinovirus, adenovirus, metapneumovirus, enterovirus, bocavirus, parainfluenza viruses, and seasonal coronaviruses. Respiratory pathogens were detected using molecular testing (XGEN MULTI PR24 FLOW CHIP) or rapid antigen detection tests. Demographic, clinical, and temporal data were analyzed according to age group. Results: A total of 18,214 detections were identified. Influenza A was the most frequent pathogen (48.08%), followed by SARS-CoV-2 (23.73%) and RSV A (8.65%). Hospitalization occurred in 20.44% of patients, 21.11% of hospitalized individuals required intensive care, and 2.93% required mechanical ventilation. Adults showed alternating seasonal peaks of influenza A and SARS-CoV-2, with influenza A predominating during colder seasons and SARS-CoV-2 during warmer periods. In children, SARS-CoV-2 incidence was lower, whereas RSV A and other respiratory viruses showed greater circulation. Declines in influenza A and COVID-19 detections were observed during periods that temporally overlapped with national vaccination campaigns; however, vaccination coverage was not assessed in this study. Conclusions: Respiratory viral infections remained frequent in the post-pandemic period, reinforcing the importance of continuous surveillance, seasonal monitoring, and vaccination strategies.

Dengue virus (DENV) remains a major global public health challenge, driven by the expanding distribution of Aedes vectors, rapid urbanization, and increasing climate variability. This review aimed to synthesize current evidence on dengue transmission dynamics, immunopathogenesis, molecular epidemiology, diagnostic and therapeutic advances, vaccine development, and the influence of climatic factors on disease patterns. A comprehensive search of major electronic databases was conducted to identify relevant literature, followed by a qualitative synthesis of the evidence. The evidence highlights complex transmission cycles involving Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, with transmission strongly influenced by temperature, humidity, rainfall, and extreme climate events. Advances in immunopathogenesis research have improved understanding of mechanisms associated with severe disease, including antibody-dependent enhancement and dysregulated inflammatory responses. Diagnostic innovations, such as reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), NS1 antigen detection, and point-of-care technologies, have enhanced case identification, while prevention strategies increasingly incorporate integrated vector management, digital surveillance systems, and emerging vaccines. Integrating epidemiological, molecular, and climatic information may strengthen early warning systems, improve outbreak prediction, and support more effective dengue prevention and control strategies.

Background/Objective: Breast cancer is one of the leading diseases affecting the Brazilian population and is often diagnosed at advanced stages. Due to its heterogeneity, treatment involves multiple therapeutic modalities, such as chemotherapy, hormone therapy, immunotherapy, and radiotherapy. The aim of this study was to characterize the profile of patients undergoing treatment for breast cancer in a private hospital in southern Brazil, and to assess the physical and psychological effects associated with different therapeutic modalities. Methods: An ambidirectional longitudinal cohort study was conducted from September 2018 to December 2024, incorporating retrospective data since 2013. Clinical and therapeutic data were collected, and Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) using the QLQ-C30 Summary Score (QLQ-BR23, FACT-ES, BREAST-Q, LMC21) and Symptom Global Score questionnaires were analyzed using mixed-effects models to evaluate physical, emotional, cognitive, social, and overall quality-of-life domains, as well as body image. The temporal trend of time-to-treatment was assessed via linear regression. Results: Among 871 individuals evaluated, 98.4% were female, and invasive ductal carcinoma was the predominant histological type (75.1%). Radiotherapy was one of the most frequently used treatment modalities (39.2%), while immunotherapy had the lowest usage rate (2.7%). A significant reduction in the time between diagnosis and initiation of treatment was observed from 2013 to 2024 (from 21.0 to 10.9 days; p < 0.01), reflecting improvements in healthcare services. Mixed-effects models for PROMs indicated significant improvements across all assessed domains (p < 0.01) over the 48-month follow-up, despite a median follow-up of 22 months. Conclusions: High-quality and timely oncological care provided to breast cancer patients in a private hospital in southern Brazil demonstrates the implementation of a dynamic, agile, and human-centered care model, contributing to improved clinical and patient-reported outcomes validated by robust longitudinal analysis.

Background/Objectives: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common and potentially fatal condition in hospitalized patients. Although appropriate risk assessment and prophylaxis reduce VTE events, preventive measures remain underutilized. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an electronic risk stratification tool within multifaceted interventions for implementing VTE prophylaxis protocols in adult clinical and surgical patients at Hospital Moinhos de Vento, Brazil. Methods: A prospective before-and-after hospital-based study was conducted from 2017 to 2019, including 772 patients admitted to clinical and surgical units for over 48 h. The electronic tool based on the Maynard risk assessment model classified patients’ VTE risk. Padua and Caprini scores served as reference standards for clinical and surgical patients, respectively. Prophylaxis was considered adequate if it complied with institutional protocols. Results: Globally, the Maynard model classified 0.9% as low risk, 76.4% intermediate, and 22.7% high risk, differing notably in orthopedic surgical patients. Overall prophylaxis adequacy was 69.3%, with no significant difference between phases. Orthopedic surgical patients showed a significant decrease in prophylaxis adequacy in phase 2 (p = 0.02). Conclusions: The Maynard model underestimated high-risk classification compared to Padua and Caprini scores, especially in orthopedic surgical patients. Implementation of the electronic tool alongside multifaceted interventions did not improve prophylaxis adequacy.

Objective: To analyze the temporal trend, hospital mortality, and cost of hospitalizations for Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) and Heart Failure (HF) in Brazil from 2001 to 2021. Methodology: Ecological study based on secondary data from DATASUS, including hospitalizations for AMI and HF among individuals aged ≥15 years. Percentage changes and temporal trends in hospitalization, mortality, and hospital costs were calculated. Results: AMI hospitalizations increased by approximately 326.66% (R² = 0.975; p<0.001), while HF hospitalizations decreased by more than 40% (R² = 0.957; p<0.001). Mortality from AMI decreased (p<0.001; R² = 0.652), whereas mortality from HF increased (p<0.001; R² = 0.961). The mean hospitalization cost was R$ 3,774.79 for AMI and R$ 1,845.05 for HF. Conclusion: The observed variations in hospitalization, mortality, and cost trends reflect changes in risk factors and health care practices, emphasizing the need for continuous surveillance and public policies aimed at reducing morbidity, mortality, and economic burden associated with cardiovascular diseases.