15th YES Meeting – Abstracts

Abstract

Internal Medicine Relationship between Physical Exercise and Major Depressive Disorder in patients with chronic renal failure: a meta-analysis Matheus Matias1, José Júnior2 1 - Medical Graduation Course. Metropolitan Union of Education and Culture, University Center for Agricultural and Health Sciences. Lauro de Freitas / BA, Brazil., 2 -Bachelor of Physical Education from the Federal University of Vale do São Francisco - UNIVASF. Petrolina / PE, Brazil. INTRODUCTION Chronic non-communicable diseases are responsible for about 60% of deaths worldwide, including Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). In turn, CKD is a risk factor for the onset of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). These disorders affect the quality of life of individuals who have it. In this context, physical exercise becomes an important ally in the treatment and reduction of MDD, in addition to bringing other benefits such as reduced body adiposity, decreased blood pressure and improved lipid profile of its practitioners. AIM To evaluate the relationship between physical activity and major depressive disorder in patients with chronic kidney disease. METHODS This study followed the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) and consists of a systematic review of the literature with meta-analysis. RESULTS A search was performed in 4 databases, Scielo, Pubmed, Embase and Scopus, where 51 clinical trials were found, excluding 7 duplicate articles, but only 3 were eligible for meta-analysis. All studies used the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) to classify patients as mild, moderate and severe. The average in years of dialysis was 7.7 and 6.1 in the intervention group of 2 works. All patients who had severe, mild or moderate depression in the intervention group at the end of the studies did not present any degree of depression. Cycling was used as an intervention. The frequency of physical exercise was 3 times a week. None of the patients were using psychotropic or antidepressant agents. The meta- analysis showed benefits for reducing major depressive disorder [- 1.30 (–2.01, –0.59), p < 0.0003]. CONCLUSION Physical exercise is an effective tool with intervention to reduce symptoms in patients with mild, moderate and severe depression associated with chronic kidney disease. Thromboembolic complications in patients with acute myeloid leukemia Aleksandar Kara-Jovanović1, Jelisaveta Rudan1, Mirjana Mitrović2 1 - Medical Faculty University of Belgrade, 2 - Institute of Hematology, Clinical center of Serbia, Medical faculty University of Belgrade INTRODUCTION The risk of thromboembolic events (TE) in patients with hematologic malignancies was thought to be lower in comparison to solid tumors. Still, new research suggests it is similar or even higher in those with hematologic illnesses. Incidence of TE in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) varies in different studies between 2 and 13%. Additionally, there is no clear data on predictive factors for TE, nor guides for thromboprophylaxis. AIM The aim of this study is to acquire data on the frequency of TE, therapy, localization, disease stage upon diagnosis and prognostic factors for their onset. METHODS This retrospective study will include 150 patients diagnosed and treated for AML in the Hematology Clinic at the Clinical Center of Serbia, diagnosed according to World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. RESULTS Venous thromboembolism (VTE) developed in 18% (n = 27) patients. Most frequently, it was the deep vein thrombosis (DVT) 17.33%, 16% of patients with central venous catheter (CVC) related thromboembolism, and 0.67% with pulmonary embolism (PE). Arterial thrombosis was not noted. Thrombosis usually occurred during the phase of administration of consolidation therapy (41.94%). Discrepancy between the groups with and without VTE was statistically relevant, concerning: gender (p = 0.009), D-dimer (p < 0.001) and lethal outcome (p = 0.002). Patients with VTE lived longer in comparison with the group without VTE (p = 0.001, SE = 0.482, 95% CI 3.056 – 4.944). The group of AML patients with thrombosis (median 10 months (0.5 – 46); SE = 3.92, 95% CI 2.324 - 17.676) had a higher five-year survival rate than the one without (median 3 months (0 – 38); SE = 0.533, 95% CI 1.955 – 4.045). After thrombosis, 24 patients were treated using anticoagulant therapy. CONCLUSION Our study showed a higher incidence of VTE then in previously published studies. Furthermore, our study showed that male patients in consolidation with a CVC and an initial high D-dimer should be considered for thromboprophylaxis. Comparison of Vitamin D Level in Preterm and Term Infant–Mother Pairs Minoo Fallahi1, Ali Sheikhy2 1 - Neonatal Health Research Center (NHRC), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Mofid Hospital, Tehran, Iran, 2 - Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran INTRODUCTION Recent studies have demonstrated the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in the general population. Pregnancy and preterm delivery are known as risk factors for vitamin D deficiency. Consequently, vitamin D level in women with preterm deliveries might vary from those with term pregnancies. AIM In this study we aimed to compare vitamin D level in term and preterm infant-mother pairs. METHODS This cross-sectional study was conducted in the neonatal intensive care unit of Mahdieh Hospital in Tehran, Iran in 2013. Serum level of 25-hydroxy vitamin D in preterm infant-mother pairs (≤ 32 weeks of gestation and birth weight ≤ 1500 g) was compared with term infant-mother pairs within the first 24 hours after delivery. RESULTS In total, 62 infant-mother pairs were recruited in this study, including 33 preterm (53.2%) and 29 term (46.8%) newborns; overall, 32 (51.6%) infants were male. the mean maternal age was 27.3 years in the preterm group and 26.4 years in the term group. The mean serum vitamin D level in preterm infants and their mothers was 13.91 ng/ml (range: 4–59 ng/ml) and 14.91 ng/ml (range:8–62 ng/ml). Also, the mean vitamin D level in term infants and mothers was 13.39 and 13.7 ng/ml. In total, 48.5% and 65.5% of preterm and term groups had vitamin D deficiency, respectively. Among all newborns, 56% had vitamin D deficiency, although the difference between term and preterm neonates was not statistically significant. Also, there was no significant correlation between the infants’ serum vitamin D level and birth weight. Based on the findings, serum vitamin D levels in mothers and newborns were significantly correlated (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION According to the present study, there was no significant correlation between gestational age and vitamin D level in infant- mother pairs; however, vitamin D levels in mothers and newborns were significantly correlated. Acknowledgements: The authors would like to thank the Neonatal Health Research Center for their support and the nursing staff of Mahdieh Hospital for their cooperation in data collection. Comparison of Maternal Serum and Umbilical Cord Blood Leptin Level in IUGR Neonates Hedyeh Saneifard1, Aida Fallah Zadeh2 1 - Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, 2 -Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran INTRODUCTION Gestational weight gain is an impressive factor in the fetal outcome. Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is one of the most important problems during fetal period that may lead to many perinatal and long-term complications and growing neonatal morbidities and mortalities. AIM The aim of the study was to ascertain the relationship between umbilical cord blood leptin concentration and fetal growth in neonates born with intrauterine growth restriction. METHODS Maternal serum and umbilical cord blood leptin concentration were measured by immune radiometric assay at term gestation. The study was conducted on 22 women with uncomplicated singleton pregnancies as control group (group A) and 22 women with fetal growth restriction in singleton pregnancies as case group (group B). All subjects had normal pregravid body mass index (BMI). RESULTS The results of the study showed that maternal serum leptin concentrations were significantly higher in group B comparing to group A (44ng/ml [28.9–58.2] vs. 24.6ng/ml [18.8–33.3]; P < 0.001). However, umbilical cord blood leptin levels were significantly lower in group B comparing to group A (8.6 ng/ml [range 4.5–12.7] vs. 14.6 ng/ml [11.7–16.7]; P < 0.001). Moreover, umbilical cord blood leptin levels were directly correlated with maternal BMI and neonatal birth weight in both groups. CONCLUSION In growth-restricted fetuses at term, umbilical cord blood leptin concentrations were significantly lower than normal fetuses, suggesting that fetal adipose tissue is a major source for leptin production. Maternal serum leptin concentrations were higher in the presence of a growth restricted fetuses. This increas may be due to early hypoxia or an intrinsic placental mechanism, by which small placenta produces more leptin as a compensatory mechanism. Human recombinant leptin may have some roles in the treatment of IUGR fetuses in future. Impact of the risks factors, age and gender on radiographic presentation of pulmonary tuberculosis Esma Kadrić1, Ivana Đurošev2 1 - Pulmonology Clinic of the Clinical Centre of Serbia, 2 -Cardiology Clinic of the Clinical Centre of Serbia INTRODUCTION Tuberculosis is still one of the leading causes of death in bacterial infections today. Therefore, knowledge of the risk factors and their impact on the beginning of the disease is crucial for the early diagnosis and course of tuberculosis. AIM The aim of this study is to determine the influence of the risk factors, age and gender on radiographic presentation of pulmonary tuberculosis in patients who were treated at the Pulmonology Clinic of the Clinical Center of Serbia. METHODS The study was conducted in the Clinic for pulmonology in the Clinical Centre of Serbia as a retrospective observational study, which enrolled patients with tuberculosis from 2017–2019. The variables included in the study, in addition to gender and age, are diabetes, alcoholism, smoking, HIV, drug addiction and socioeconomic conditions. RESULTS A total of 46 patients were analyzed, among which were 24 men (52.2%) and 22 women (47.8%). The average age of patients was 52.90 ± 17.41 years. The results indicate that there is no statistically significant correlation between risk factors, age, sex with the radiographic presentation of pulmonary tuberculosis (p≥ 0.05). In contrast, the changes were most often found in the right upper lobe (52.2%). Smokers and alcoholics had the most frequent changes in the left upper lobe, and diabetics and patients who live in poor socioeconomic conditions in the left lower lobe. CONCLUSION In the study population, lung changes were predominantly localized in the right upper lobe in middle-aged patients. These results could represent a basis for further research on the correlation between the tuberculosis distribution in the lungs in vulnerable groups. Comparison of predictive value of risk scores regarding the short-term and long- term prognosis of patients with acute myocardial infarction treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention Ivana Durosev1, Esma Kadric1 1 - University of Belgrade, Faculty of Medicine, Belgrade, Serbia INTRODUCTION Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) presents standard treatment in patients with acute myocardial infarction. In order to predict the prognosis of patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), several risks scores risk have been developed. AIM We aimed to compare the predictive value of three validated risk scores, regarding intrahospital, short-term (30-days) and long-term (1-year) mortality among patients with a diagnosis of STEMI treated with pPCI in the Catheterization lab, CCS. METHODS This retrospective study included 311 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of STEMI treated with pPCI in 2017. Patients with cardiogenic shock at admission were excluded. Data were analyzed from the electronic database. For every patient the value of CADILLAC, ZWOLLE and TIMI score was calculated. The predictive ability of the risk scores was compared by area under (AUC) the ROC (Receiver Operating Characteristic) curves. The short-term and long-term outcome of the patient was assessed by telephone and clinical contact. RESULTS The study population was 311 patients, with an average age of 61 ± 11 years, of which 237 (76.2%) were male. Rates of intrahospital, mortality at 30 days and at one year after pPCI were 1.9%, 3.2%, 6.1%. All three test scores showed very good predictive value in predicting short-term mortality, both intrahospital (0.962; 0.986; 0.964, p = ns within scores) and after 30 days (0.920; 0.956; 0.861, p = ns within scores), while after 1 year accuracy of CADILLAC and ZWOLLE was better than TIMI score (0.921; 0.905; 0.786, p vs. TIMI 0.009 and 0.056). Age, three vessel coronary disease and lower admission hemoglobin were identified as independent predictors for one-year mortality by logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSION CADILLAC and ZWOLLE showed very good predictive ability for intrahospital, short and long-term mortality, while for TIMI score, comparable accuracy was observed only for a period up to 30 days following pPCI. Relation between blood potassium concentration and in-hospital complications in patients with STEMI Algirdas Rėkus1, Gediminas Jaruševičius2 1 - Faculty of medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania, 2 -Department of Cardiology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania INTRODUCTION Abnormal potassium levels are a frequent finding in patients with ST-elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) and are associated with poor hospital prognosis. Precise pathophysiological mechanism of reducing or increasing serum K levels impairs the prognosis of patients with STEMI is uncertain. STEMI-induced stress is associated with several systemic metabolic changes, such as increased plasma catecholamine concentrations, free fatty acids, glucose, glycerol, cortisol, and cyclic adenosinophenophosphate [1,2]. Moreover, increased catecholamines in acute myocardial infarction stimulates the Na + −K + −ATPase pump, which can lead to intracellular migration of potassium, which may explain hypokalemia in the acute phase [2]. Therefore, STEMI patients with established potassium abnormalities are at risk for in-hospital adverse events. For this reason, this study will attempt to illustrate the outcome for patients who have been found to have low, normal, or excessive blood potassium levels. AIM To determine the correlations between potassium levels in patients experiencing STEMI and the most common in- hospital complications. METHODS This retrospective study involved 734 patients diagnosed with STEMI in the LSMUL KK Cardiology Clinic. Patients were divided into three groups according to their initial potassium concentration. Patient inclusion criteria: hypokalemia (count, < 3.5 mmol / L), normokalemia (count, 3.5 - 5.5 mmol/L), hyperkalemia (count, ≥ 5.5 mmol/L). The endpoints of the study were defined as early complications during in-hospital period (stroke, pulmonary edema (PE), death, atrial fibrillation (AF), ventricular extrasystole (VE), ventricular fibrillation (VF), and atrioventricular disease II-III ° block (AVB)). The identification and contact details of the survey participants are not used in the survey and the results, thereby ensuring the confidentiality of the participants. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS version 25.0. Chi- square (χ2) criteria were used to compare qualitative characteristics and study correlations. Student's T-test was used to compare the average of two variable parameters in independent samples. Compare the average values of two nonparametric variables in independent samples - Mann-Whitney U-test. The value of p ≤ 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. RESULTS The study identified 158 patients (21.5%) who met the criteria for hypokalaemia, 562 (76.6%) for normokalemia, and 14 (1.9%) for hyperkalaemia. During hospitalization, 7 (15.2%) patients in the hypokalaemia group, 35 (76.1%) in the normokalemia group, and 4 (8.7%) in the hyperkalaemia group died. In the hyperkalaemia group (n = 14), 4 deaths (28.6%) were found to be statistically significantly associated with patient mortality (p = 0.002). PE correlates statistically insignificantly with blood potassium levels. The study identified 35 in-hospital patients with II-III ° AVB. AVB was not statistically significantly associated with potassium test (p = 0.541). VF (n = 49) was not statistically significantly associated with potassium concentration. 61 patients experienced VE during in-hospital stay, of which 12 (19.7%) belonged to the hypokalemia group, 49 (80.3%) to the normokalemia group, and 0 to the hyperkalaemia group. Potassium concentration was not statistically significantly associated with the incidence of VE (p = 0.478). A total of 6 patients experienced strokes, of which 5 (83.3%) belonged to the normokalemia group and 1 (16.7%) to hypokalemia. The incidence of strokes was not statistically significant in the groups (p = 0.899). AF was experienced by 85 patients, of whom 25 (29.4%) belonged to the hypokalaemia group, 57 (67.1%) to the normokalemia group, and 3 (3.5%) to the hyperkalaemia group. Potassium concentration and AF were not statistically significantly related (p = 0.069) CONCLUSION In STEMI patients, hyperkalaemic status was an independent factor related to increased mortality. Meanwhile, the potassium concentration during the hospitalization period does not affect the development of pulmonary edema, II-III ° atrioventricular block, ventricular fibrillation frequency, ventricular extrasystoles, stroke, atrial fibrillation. References: 1. Wali V. Study of Serum Sodium and Potassium in Acute Myocardial Infarction. J Clin Diagn Res [Internet]. 2014 [cited 2020 Apr 26]; Available from: http://jcdr.net/article_fulltext.asp?issn=0973-709x&year=2014&volume=8&issue=11&page=CC07&issn=0973–709x&id=5083 2. Shiyovich A, Plakht Y. MyoK+ardial Infarction: Potassium Levels and Outcomes Following Acute Myocardial Infarction. Angiology [Internet]. 2016 Jan 13 [cited 2020 Apr 26]; Available from: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0003319715626062 3. Barkas F, Elisaf M. Serum Potassium Levels and Mortality in Acute Myocardial Infarction: Myth or Fact? Angiology. 2018 Sep 1;69(8):657–9. The impact of Nordic hamstring exercise protocol in preventing hamstring injuries in semi-professional soccer players: follow-up over a season Ana Catarina Moreira2,3, Carolina Pinto da Costa2,3, Rui Sousa5, José Barreto1, Jorge Moreira1, Catarina Aguiar Branco1,6, Bruno Guimarães1,2,3,4 1 - Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine - Centro Hospitalar de Entre o Douro e Vouga. Santa Maria da Feira, Portugal, 2 -Department of Public Health, Forensic Sciences and Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto. Porto, Portugal, 3 -Department of Surgery and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto. Porto, Portugal, 4 -Cardiovascular Research Center. Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto. Porto, Portugal, 5 -Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Centro Hospitalar do Tâmega e Sousa. Penafiel, Portugal, 6 -Rehabilitation Unit, Faculty of Dentary Medicine, University of Porto. Porto, Portugal INTRODUCTION In soccer players, the acute hamstring injuries are frequent, counting 15–20% of all the injuries. AIM The current study aims to verify the impact that a hamstring strengthening program (based on the Nordic hamstring exercise protocol) has in injury prevention amongst soccer players, as well as to evaluate the functional impact of the strengthening program. METHODS A randomized controlled trial including 90 semi-professional soccer athletes in both genders (including 16 females) was conducted. The participants were divided in two groups: the Intervention Group (IG) and the Control Group (CG). RESULTS At the end of the muscle strengthening program (12 weeks), IG showed more strength in isokinetic assessment in both quadriceps (Peak Torque (Nm): 156.48 ± 35.69 vs 176.56 ± 38.97 p = 0.0125) and hamstring muscles (Peak Torque (Nm): 145.99 ± 29.08 vs 168.08 ± 35.25 p = 0.0017), as well as, better sprint performance (4.568 ± 0.857 vs 4.190 ± 0.743 p = 0.0279). At the end of the season, the IG showed better performance in isokinetic assessment, in both quadriceps (Peak Torque (Nm): 149.93 ± 31.66 vs 170.19 ± 40.13 p = 0.0093) and hamstring muscles (138.06 ± 26.10 vs 160.35 ± 31.27 p = 0.0004), as well as, better sprint performance (4.788 ± 0.941 vs 4.279 ± 1.081 p = 0.0194). The IG registered a lesser number of injuries at the hamstring level (IG vs CG: 5 vs 13, p = 0,035), and a lesser number of re-injuries (IG vs CG: 0 vs 3). The average absence number of days due to injury was also smaller in the IG (IG vs CG: 17,4 ± 7,1 vs 22,1 ± 6,6 p = 0,0016). CONCLUSION The hamstring strengthening, had a relevant impact in injury prevention and in functional performance in soccer players. Clinical characteristic of patients with chronic heart failure accompanying atrial fibrillation fibrillation Justyna Kacperczyk1, Krzysztof Pietrończyk1, Leszek Gromadziński, MD PhD2 1 - Students scientific society of Cardiology and Internal Medicine, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 2 - Cardiology and Internal Medicine in Clinical University Hospital in Olsztyn INTRODUCTION According to WHO, cardiovascular diseases are main cause of death in the world. Chronic heart failure (CHF) concerns up to 1 million of Polish population and almost 10 million are likely to be affected by this disease in the future because of their lifestyle. It is a cause of death for up to 60 000 (30% of deaths caused by cardiovascular diseases) people and 150 000 patients are hospitalised because of it every year. Atrial fibrillation is a dangerous arrhythmia common among elder population, concerning about 23% of patients over 65 y.o. and 33% over 85 y.o. [1]. It is a risk factor of diseases such as stroke, which may be lethal. AIM The aim of the study was to characterise patients with chronic heart failure and atrial fibrillation in terms of accompanying diseases and admitted drugs. METHODS One hundred and seventy-nine patients suffering from chronic heart failure and atrial fibrillation, who were hospitalised in Clinic of Cardiology and Internal Medicine in Clinical University Hospital in Olsztyn were included into this study. Data were extracted from hospital intranet and analysed. RESULTS Among 179 patients (92 F, 87 M) the average age was 81 (F) and 73 (M) y.o. The most common accompanying disease were arterial hypertension (81%), DM type 2 (38%), stroke in medical history (16%), obesity (15%), cholelithiasis (11%), BPH (10%), hyperthyroidism (10%) and COPD (9%). Patients were taking drugs such as beta-blockers (88%), loop diuretics (76%), ACEI (73%), spironolactone (39%), digoxin (32%). Patients were taking anticoagulants: vit. K antagonists (41%), NOAC (31%), antiplatelet drugs (17%), LMWH (11%). CONCLUSION Patients suffering from CHF with atrial fibrillation are high risk patients for accompanying other disease. Multipharmacotherapy presents risk of organism strain, ineffective therapy and multiplying side effects, so the complex care and optimal pharmacotherapy are crucial for these patients. References: [1] Z. Kalarus et al., “NOninvasive monitoring for early detection of Atrial fibrillation: Rationale and design of the NOMED-AF study,” Kardiol. Pol., vol. 76, no. 10, pp. 1482–1485, 2018, doi: 10.5603/KP.a2018.0193. The clinical management and outcomes in pregnancy complicated by GCK-MODY and HNF1A-MODY Karolina Zawadzka1, Katarzyna Cyganek1,2, Przemysław Witek1,2, Magdalena Szopa1,2 1 - Department of Metabolic Diseases, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland, 2 -Department of Metabolic Diseases, University Hospital, Krakow, Poland INTRODUCTION Mutations in the genes encoding glucokinase (GCK) and hepatocyte nuclear factor 1α (HNF1A) are responsible for most forms of maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) in the European population. The identification of the GCK or HNF1A mutation has important implications for clinical management during pregnancy. AIM The aim of the study was to assess clinical management and pregnancy outcomes among women with GCK-MODY and HNF1A-MODY. METHODS We retrospectively analyzed medical records of 36 pregnancies: 18 pregnancies from 13 GCK-MODY patients and 18 pregnancies from 14 HNF1A-MODY women. Patients’ characteristics, their mode of treatment, glycaemic control assessed by the Hb1Ac level, daily mean blood glycaemia (MBG) as well as maternal and fetal outcomes were assessed. RESULTS The body weight gain during pregnancy was higher among GCK-MODY patients: 18.5 ± 4.37 vs. 13.16 ± 5.37 kg, p < 0.05. There were no differences on week of pregnancy at first admission to the clinic between GCK-MODY and HNF1A-MODY group (12 ± 8 vs 10.0 ± 8 week, p = 0.31), pregnancy planning (50% vs 46%, p = 0.84), HbA1c at admission (6.2 ± 0.36 vs 6.0 ± 1.17%, p = 0.14). 66.7% of GCK-MODY and 33.3% of HNF1A-MODY patients changed the mode of therapy during pregnancy. The percentage of basal insulin was significantly higher in the first (40.43 ± 13.75 vs 27.48 ± 13.61%, p = 0.027) and the second trimester (33.07 ± 11.54 vs 20.69 ± 12%, p = 0.017) in GCK-MODY women. There were no differences in mean newborn birth weights (3412.5 vs. 3307 g, p = 0.59) and rates of obstetric complications (27.7 vs 44.4%, p = 0.49). The caesarean section rate was high in both GCK-MODY and HNF1A-MODY patients (83.3 vs. 81.25%, p = 0.89). CONCLUSION GCK-MODY pregnant women received a higher daily dose of insulin compared to HNF1A-MODY patients. The higher dose of given insulin could be responsible for the greater weight gain among GCK-MODY patients. The value of Magnetic Resonance Enterography (MRE) in the assessment of possible intestinal complications in both pediatric and adult patients with Crohn's disease Monika Piekarska1,4, Maryla Kuczyńska1,2, Monika Zbroja1,4, Weronika Cyranka1,4, Magdalena Grzegorczyk1,4, Małgorzata Nowakowska1,4, Karolina Siejka1,4, Magdalena Maria Woźniak3,4, Agnieszka Brodzisz3,4 1 - Students’ Scientific Society at the Department of Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology Lublin, 2 -Department of Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology Lublin, 3 -Department of Pediatric Radiology Lublin, 4 -Students’ Scientific Society at the Department of Pediatric Radiology Lublin INTRODUCTION Crohn's disease (CD) is one of chronic inflammatory bowel diseases. Magnetic resonance Enterography (MRE) can demonstrate mural and extramural inflammatory sings and complications which makes it a valuable diagnostic modality. AIM The aim of the study was to demonstrate the value of Magnetic Resonance Enterography (MRE) in the assessment of possible intestinal complications in both pediatric and adult patients with Crohn's disease. METHODS The study included 76 adults and 36 children diagnosed with Crohn's disease. Each patient underwent MRE with intravenous administration of a contrast agent. All the studies were performed using Siemens Aera 1.5T scanner according to a local study protocol. Whenever applicable, MR findings were verified with endoscopy. RESULTS 40 adults and 36 children had active phase of CD according to MRE criteria. In both groups a thickened edematous ileum wall was the most common manifestation of an active disease. 58% of adults (N = 23) and 89% (N = 32) of children presented with edematous swelling of Bauhin's valve, whereas inflammatory infiltration of the mesenteric adipose tissue was observed in 34% (N = 9) adult and 64% (N = 23) pediatric patients. Penetrating complications of Crohn's disease were particularly found in adult population (40%, N = 16). 18 fistulas (14 adults, 4 children) and 6 abscesses (2 adults, 4 children) were detected. CONCLUSION MRE is a non-invasive and reliable method in the evaluation of Crohn's disease activity. CD manifestations seem to be age-dependent – focal edomatous lesions are more often encountered among children, while there are more penetrating complications in adults. Effects of vitamin D supplementation on colorectal cancer risk and adenomas: a meta-analysis. Sylwia Skocelas1, Krzysztof Więckowski1, Paulina Pietrzyk1, Patrycja Kojm1 1 - Jagiellonian University Medical College INTRODUCTION Epidemiological studies to-date provided inconsistent findings about the effects of vitamin D supplementation on the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) and adenomas. AIM The purpose of this review is to examine recent literature on the relationship between high and low vitamin D supplemantation and risk of CRC incidence and presence of any adenomas among man and woman above 45 years of age. METHODS We conducted a meta-analysis of prospective and rectrospective studies that looked at high and low vitamin D supplementation, CRC incidence and presence of hyperplastic, advanced or serrated adenomas. Pertinent studies were identified by searching Embase and Pubmed up to May 2020. Of 719 titles evaluated, 7 met the inclusion criteria. There were 2589 CRC cases and 4563 cases of adenomas. Random-effect model was used to combine the results. RESULTS Analysis of the differences beetwen high and low vitamin D supplementation found an association for decreased risk of colorectal cancer and adenomas (OR: 0.91; 95%CI 0.85, 0.98). CONCLUSION This meta-analysis provided further evidence supporting the beneficial effect of vitamin D supplementation and decreased incidence of CRC and adenomas. Milk intake and stroke risk: a meta-analysis. Paulina Pietrzyk1, Sylwia Skocelas1, Patrycja Kojm1, Krzysztof Więckowski1 1 - Jagiellonian University Medical College INTRODUCTION Epidemiological studies to-date provided inconsistent findings on the effects of milk consumption and the risk of stroke. AIM The purpose of this review is to examine recent literature on the relationship between high and low milk consumption and the risk of stroke incidence and mortality for men and women above 34 years of age. METHODS We performed a meta-analysis of prospective and retrospective studies that looked at high and low milk consumption and stroke incidence and mortality. Pertinent studies were identified by searching the Embase and Pubmed databases up to January 2020. Of 1017 titles evaluated, 7 met the inclusion criteria. There were 6,853 stroke cases. Random-effect model was used to combine the results. RESULTS Analysis of the differences between high and low milk consumption did not find an association for decreased or increased risk of stroke (OR: 1.00; 95%CI 0.89, 1.12). CONCLUSION This meta-analysis provided no further evidence supporting the beneficial nor harmful effect of milk consumption and the risk of stroke. The prevalence of White Coat Hypertension in patients evaluated with Telemedicine and Home Blood Pressure Monitoring in Brazil Pedro Guimarães Moreira da Silva1, Arthur Marot de Paiva1, Mariana Braga Teixeira1, Victoria Alves Melo1, Gabriel Baeta Branquinho Reis1, Vinícius Sousa Santana1, Larissa de Moura Goulart Assis1, Fernanda Marinho Machado Guimarães2, Patrícia Mendonça Leite1, Luis Henrique Akutsu Hirako1 1 - Federal University of Goiás, 2 - Pontifical Catholic University of Goiás INTRODUCTION White Coat Hypertension (WCH) is characterized by persistently high blood pressure (BP)(≥140/90mmHg) measured in the doctor's office and a normal BP (≤135/85mmHg) at home.[1] In order to detect this disorder, avoiding improper drug management, home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) is crucial.[2] AIM Evaluate, in hypertensive treated patients, the behavior of BP with office and HBPM, and the prevalence of WCH. METHODS A retrospective cross-sectional study of hypertensive patients in treatment, evaluated by HBPM between May/2017 and September/2019. The exclusion criteria were: inconsistent medication use, 3 or more drug-combination, or in spironolactone or alpha-2-agonists monotherapy. The variables: number of valid measurements (NVM), mean systolic blood pressure (MSBP), and mean diastolic blood pressure (MSDBP) levels by office evaluation and HBPM and data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and a parametric t-test. RESULTS 6,731 patients met the aforementioned criteria. The average NVM was 23.5 (±1.6). The MSBP in the office was 132.8mmHg and 84.0mmHg of MDBP. The MSBP in HBPM was 126.2mmHg and MDBP was 79.6mmHg. The difference between the MSBP and MDBP was 6.6mmHg and 4.4mmHg (p < 0.001), respectively. Evaluating the BP control according to the goal of <140mmHg and 90mmHg for the office and <135mmHg and 85mmHg for the HBPM, in agreement with current guidelines[1,3], we found rates of 57.0% and 61.3%(p<0.001) of controlled patients, respectively. The prevalence of WCH was 15.4%(p < 0.001). These results were persistent with treatment strategies with statistical significance. CONCLUSION The literature demonstrates an association between the WCH and worse prognosis regarding patients’ BP.[1,4,5] The collected data revealed the presence of the WCH phenotype in the observed population by the decrease of SBP and DBP when evaluated by HBPM, with a prevalence that is consistent with international studies.[6] These results also show that evaluation and management of BP should not be done considering the office measurement alone and that the HBPM enables the BP control and WCH by providing more accurate values. References: 1. Williams B, Mancia G, Spiering W, Agabiti Rosei E, Azizi M, Burnier M, et al. 2018 ESC/ESH Guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension: The Task Force for the management of arterial hypertension of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the European Society of Hypertension (ESH). Eur Heart J [Internet]. 2018 Aug 25;39 (33):3021–104. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehy339 2. Franklin SS, Thijs L, Hansen TW, O’Brien E, Staessen JA. White-coat Hypertension: New Insights From Recent Studies. Hypertension. 2013;62 (6):982–7. 3. Sociedade Brasileira de Cardiologia (SBC), Sociedade Brasileira de Hipertensão (SBH), Sociedade Brasileira de Nefrologia (SBN). V Diretriz de monitoração ambulatorial da pressão arterial (MAPA) e III Diretriz de monitoração residencial da pressão arterial (MRPA). Arq Bras Cardiol. 2011;97 (3):1–24. 4. Huang Y, Huang W, Mai W, Cai X, An D, Liu Z, et al. White-coat hypertension is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and total mortality. J Hypertens. 2017;35 (4):677–88. 5. Cohen JB, Lotite MJ, Trivedi UK, Denker MG, Cohen DL, Townsend RR. Cardiovascular Events and Mortality in White Coat Hypertension: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Ann Intern Med. 2018;170(12):853–62. 6. Gorostidi M, Vinyoles E, Banegas JR, de la Sierra A. Prevalence of white-coat and masked hypertension in national and international registries. Hypertens Res [Internet]. 2015;38(1):1–7. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1038/hr.2014.149 The effectiveness of Dynamic Tape on young male handball athletes’ single leg hop test and dynamic balance: A Randomized Controlled Trial Carolina Pinto da Costa2, Bruno Guimarães1,2,3,4, Ricardo Cardoso5,6, Bernardo Moreno2, Ana Cristina Carvalho5, Miguel Joana1, José Barreto1, Catarina Aguiar Branco1,7 1 - Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Department, Entre o Douro e Vouga Hospital Center (CHEDV), Santa Maria da Feira, Portugal., 2 -Department of Biomedicine – Unit of Anatomy. Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto. Porto, Portugal., 3 -Department of Public Health, Forensic Sciences and Medical Education – Unit of Medical Education and Simulation. Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto. Porto, Portugal., 4 -CINTESIS - Center for Research in Health Technologies and Information Systems. Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto. Porto, Portugal., 5 -Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School-Hospital of Fernando Pessoa University. Porto, Portugal., 6 -Transdisciplinary Center of Consciousness Studies of Fernando Pessoa University, Porto, Portugal and FP-B2S – Behaviour and Social Sciences Research Center of Fernando Pessoa University, Porto, Portugal., 7 -Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Porto. Porto, Portugal. INTRODUCTION Handball, as a contact sport, foresees technical skills which reflects the dynamics and methodology of physical training, being the handball players’ dynamic balance abilities vital for their performance success. AIM The current study aims to evaluate the effects of Dynamic Tape on single leg hop test and in the dynamic balance in handball athletes. METHODS A randomized controlled trial including 40 semi-professional male handball athletes was conducted, randomly allocating the athletes in two groups of 20 elements each: the intervention group with Dynamic Tape (DT) and the Control Group (GC). The Single leg hop test and Y balance test were performed before and 24 hours after bandage application, according to the group. The statistical meaningfulness was determined by the level of p < 0,05. RESULTS At the final moment (M1), the DT group showed better performance in both functional assessment in the Single leg hop test (CG vs DT 1,52 ± 0,18m vs 1,66 ± 0,14m, p = 0,009), and in balance assessment in Dynamic anterior balance (CG vs DT 0,82 ± 0,09m vs 0,89 ± 0,07m, p = 0,009) and in Dynamic posterolateral balance (CG vs DT 0,84 ± 0,19m vs 0,94 ± 0,11m, p = 0,0487). These differences were not found at M0 evaluation. CONCLUSION Thus, Dynamic Tape has a positive effect in the one-leg horizontal jump and in the dynamic balance when applied in the lower limb of young handball athletes. Therefore, its application as an auxiliary measure to the practice of this sport, might contribute to better sports performance and results. Evaluation of thyroid function in patients hospitalized for acute heart failure Ana Rita Leite1, João Sérgio Neves1,2, Marta Borges-Canha1,2, Catarina Vale1, Madalena von Hafe1, Davide Carvalho2,3, Adelino Leite-Moreira1,4 1 - Department of Surgery and Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal, 2 -Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João, Porto, Portugal, 3 -Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Portugal., 4 -Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João, Porto, Portugal INTRODUCTION Thyroid hormones (TH) are crucial for cardiovascular (CV) homeostasis. Recent evidence suggests that acute CV alterations, particularly acute heart failure (AHF), significantly impair the thyroid axis. However, the impact of these TH variations in the clinical evolution of AHF remains largely unknown. AIM To evaluate the association of thyroid function with inpatient cardiovascular parameters, and short- and long-term clinical outcomes in AHF patients. METHODS We performed a single-centre retrospective cohort study including patients hospitalized for AHF between January 2012 and December 2017. Patients missing thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) measurement within 72 hours after admission or taking medications that could interfere with thyroid function were excluded. We used linear regression models to analyse the association of TSH and free thyroxine (FT4) with several inpatient cardiovascular parameters, and logistic regression models to evaluate the association of TH with in-hospital mortality, 30-days readmission for heart failure and 30-days all-cause mortality. Associations between TH and long-term all-cause and cardiovascular mortality were assessed using Cox proportional hazard regression models. Two models were used: 1) unadjusted, and 2) adjusted for age and sex. RESULTS The included population (n = 226) had an average age of 77.5 ± 10.4 years and 58% were female. Diastolic blood pressure was positively associated with TSH levels [b = 2.51 (0.08 to 4.93); p = 0.043 in the adjusted model]. Ejection fraction was negatively associated with FT4 [b = −26.80 (−50.29 to −3–32); p = 0.027 in the adjusted model]. A trend for a positive association was found between 30-days all-cause mortality and FT4 levels [OR = 3.63 (0.93 to 14.18); p = 0.064 in the adjusted model]. Neither TSH nor FT4 were relevant predictors of long-term all-cause or cardiovascular mortality. CONCLUSION Thyroid function variations in AHF patients are associated with markers of cardiovascular function during hospitalization. FT4 may be useful in predicting the risk of short-term adverse outcomes in these patients. Influence of Anemia in Heart Failure Progression Djordje Jevtic1 1 - University of Belgrade School of Medicine INTRODUCTION Heart failure (HF) is a chronic and deadly disease, accompanied by comorbidities which severely affect quality of life and survival of HF patients. Studies have conflicting opinions if anemia is such a risk factor, although most have proven its predictive value. AIM To examine characteristics, readmission and survival of anemic HF patients. METHODS We prospectively observed 285 patients admitted for HF. Patients were stratified into anemic and non-anemic, using World Health Organization criteria: Hemoglobin (Hb) < 12 g/dL in women & < 13 g/dL in men. Following parameters were analyzed and compared between the groups: history & physical (H&P), electrocardiography, echocardiography, laboratory, therapy, readmission & survival. Follow-up was 33 months. RESULTS Out of 285 HF patients, 45.6% were anemic with a mean Hb of 10.9 ± 1.5 g/dL. Hb depleted patients had higher incidence of ascites (p = .05) and New York Heart Association (NYHA) class IV (37.6% vs 28.3%) on H&P. Echocardiography showed higher mean ejection fraction (EF) of 36% (p = .052, borderline statistical significance) and lower mean left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD) of 60 mm (p = .041) in anemic patients. Inotropic therapy prescription (p = .042), length of hospital stay (p = .02) and readmission rates (p < .01) were higher in anemic patients. At discharge, only 13% received iron therapy and mean Hb persistently stayed below 12 g/dL during the follow-up. Death rates were double in anemic compared to non-anemic patients (26.9% & 13.5%, p < .01) and Kaplan-Meier curves confirmed worse survival (Log-rank test, p = .003). CONCLUSION Our study yields two important conclusions about anemic HF patients. First is that seemingly better left-side echocardiographic parameters don’t necessarily indicate better prognosis. Second is that, even though it severely affects readmission & survival, anemia is a commonly undertreated comorbidity (evidenced by continuously low Hb). Therefore, clinicians should be aware of anemias influence in HF progression and apply adequate therapeutic protocols to treat it. SIZES ALWAYS WERE A PROBLEM: Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in female population of Tetovo Region Dijedona Murtishi1, Atilla Rexhepi1 1 - Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, State University of Tetovo INTRODUCTION The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) is to clarify the impact of age, race and ethnicity, basically at women, being the main focus for study among the researchers, especially taking into consideration the social, economic and lifestyle factors which also affect the occurrence of MetS. AIM The aim of this study is to gain overview data for Tetovo region, in order to determine the factors that impact the prevalence of MetS in women and therefore be able to tackle them and promote healthy lifestyle. METHODS 320 women, a questionnaire was provided, according to the WHO STEPS Instrument for Chronic Disease Risk Factor Surveillance modified for current conditions. The questionnaire consisted of 5 parts. The first part contains general and socio-demographic data relating to ethnicity, marital status, education, occupation, employment, and family income. The second part deals with behavioral data (habits) such as tobacco use, alcohol, fat, salt, fruit and physical activity. The third part contains medical history with hypertension, diabetes and heart diseases. The fourth part with anthropometric measurements and the fifth part with biochemical parameters. RESULTS 178 participants responded with MetS prevalence rate of 28.25%, of whom 109 (61.24%) were women, with significantly lower HDL-C values compared to men and also 190 women (30.16%), with visceral adiposity. Ethnicity based, Albanian women had greater prevalence rate of MetS, than Macedonian women (34.72% vs 26.83%) between the age 30-39. CONCLUSION In addition, the influence of socioeconomic status, age, gender and ethnicity, associated with education level, family income, physical activity on MetS prevalence rate suggests a MetS prevention strategy planning, including pharmacological treatment that should be directed towards programs to promote healthy lifestyle, awareness for physical activity and body weight care, with the main focus being the categories with lower socioeconomic status. IgM antibodies and maternal age: risk factors for the development of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in patients with congenital rubella Rodrigo Dominic Cerqueda Audirac1, Laura Escobar2 1 - Universidad Nacional Autónoma de mexico, 2 -Harvard medical university INTRODUCTION Rubella is an RNA virus classified as a Rubivirus from the Tongaviridae family. The congenital disease is the worse form of infection by rubella. Some of the consequences of congenital rubella are stillbirth, miscarriage, and preterm birth, as well as organ damage. The eyes are most affected organs, presenting diseases such as cataracts and retinopathy. Factors associated to heart defects, like patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and ventricular septal defect, remain unknown. AIM Congenital rubella, risk, patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) METHODS A retrospective cohort study was performed to compare two groups of people that accounted for a total sample of 18 patients from the Tigoni Hospital (Kenya). The patients from both groups were confirmed to have congenital rubella; however, only 7 (38.8%) developed PDA whilst 11 (61.1%) did not. The inclusion criteria were: (1) maternal age between 20 and 40 years of age at the moment of pregnancy, (2) patients with congenital rubella from 1 to 6 months of age and with a birth weight between 3.5 kg and 4 kg. The variables assessed in the mother and the rubella positive patients were the following: advanced maternal age (older than age 35), month of pregnancy in which the birth occurred, obesity, tobacco use, drug consumption, and presence of IgM antibodies against rubella virus during the pregnancy. Odds ratio was used to determine factors correlation and a Chi square test, to determine the statistical significance. RESULTS Maternal age had an OR of 3 (p = 0.04) and the presence of IgM antibodies against rubella virus, an OR of 1.8 (p = 0.049) CONCLUSION The risk of developing PDA is 3 times higher in patients who have congenital rubella when the mother's age by the time of pregnancy is older than age 35 and 1.8 times higher when IgM antibodies against rubella virus are present during the pregnancy. The acute cardiotoxic effects of 5-fluorouracil - electrophysiological observations. Michał Jurczyk1, Magdalena Kinga Król1, Aleksandra Midro1, Paulina Stach1, Kamil Skowron1, Krzysztof Gil1 1 - Department of Pathophysiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland INTRODUCTION According to the recent reports, every sixth death in the world is associated with a cancer and about half of the population will be diagnosed with the cancer at some point of life. One of the most commonly used antineoplastic agent placed on WHO List of Essential Medicines is 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) which is also at the second place of the cardiotoxic drugs list, after anthracyclines. Many studies reported, that the patients treated with 5-FU are at the highest of cardiotoxic symptoms after the first dose of 5-FU, although the reason and mechanisms are unknown. AIM The aim of the study was to assess the electrophysiological basis of an increased cardiotoxicity risk after the first dose of 5-fluorouracil. METHODS The study included 30 Wistar rats. The ECG measurements were performed 6 times: before the first injection of 5- fluorouracil, 3 days after every injection of 5-FU (4 doses in total with 2 weeks interval) and 2 weeks after the last dose of chemotherapy. Intervals, waves, and segments of the QRS complex were assessed and calculated. RESULTS The highest increase in Pdt and the highest values of QRSt were both observed after the first dose. Furthermore, after the first injection even a stronger increase was observed in aQRSt. The values of QT, aQT, cQT and Tt were similarly at the highest level then. CONCLUSION After the first dose of 5-fluorouracil we observed numerous ECG parameters disturbances. These changes represent disruption of ventricles depolarization (QRSt and aQRSt) as well as repolarization (Tt) processes. The electrophysiological findings may contribute to better understanding of the mechanisms of an underlying growth in incidence of cardiotoxicity after the first injection of 5-fluorouracil. Results in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis: six-year experience Nikola Bakić1, Violeta Knežević1,2, Gordana Stražmešter Majstorović1,2, Aleksandra Popović3, Djurdja Cvjetković3, Marko Bogić4 1 - University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Medicine Novi Sad, Department of Internal Medicine, 2 -Clinical Centre of Vojvodina, Nephrology and imunology clinic, 3 - University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Medicine Novi Sad, Department of Physiology, 4 -University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Medicine Novi Sad INTRODUCTION Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) is one of the modalities for the treatment of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). One of the biggest problems with this method is the complications and comorbidities associated with CAPD. AIM The goal of the study was to determine the prevalence of complications and comorbidities in patients on CAPD. Also to identify the reasons for transitioning patients to hemodialysis and determine whether there is a correlation between transitioning patients to hemodialysis and particular complications and comorbidities. METHODS The study was clinical, retrospective and it included 35 patients. From complications, we analyzed infections like peritonitis and tunnel infections, dialysate leakage around the catheter, catheter malfunction and herniation. From comorbidities we analyzed: diabetes, hypertension and digestive diseases. RESULTS Peritonitis and peritoneal catheter malfunction were the most common complications (51.4%). Next in frequency were exit site leaks (28.6%) and hernias (20%), while tunnel infections were least present (8.6%). From comorbidities, hypertension was the most common (94.7%), digestive diseases (54.3%) and diabetes (42.9%) were present in a slightly smaller percentage. Patients who had peritonitis (p = 0.003), peritoneal catheter malfunction (p = 0.018), and digestive disease (p = 0.007) were more frequently transitioned to hemodialysis. CONCLUSION In patients on CAPD, complications and comorbidities that affect the length of peritoneal dialysis and transitioning patients to hemodialysis, as a method of renal function replacement, are present in a large proportion. The relationship between body mass index and body fat percentage in medical students from a University in the Middle-West of Brazil Ronan Vieira Borba1, Anna Klycia Monteiro Magalhães1, Kerolainy Estefane Freire Santos1, Pedro Guimarães Moreira da Silva1, Murilo Souza Vieira da Silva1, Lyna Mariana Alves da Costa2, Fernanda Marinho Machado Guimarães3, Maria Eduarda Freire Santos1, Renata Machado Pinto1 1 - Federal University of Goiás, 2 - University of Rio Verde - Aparecida de Goiânia, 3 - Pontifical Catholic University of Goiás INTRODUCTION Obesity, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), is defined as excessive fat accumulation that may impair health.[1] Body mass index (BMI) is a commonly used index to evaluate anthropometry, although it is not complex enough to identify the body fat proportion. The bioelectrical impedance serves as an adequate device for the purpose of this evaluation, once it is capable of providing fat levels.[2,3,4] AIM Analyze the relationship between BMI and body fat percentage among medical students at the Federal University of Goiás (UFG). METHODS This is a cross-sectional analytical study performed with medical students at UFG, in which we evaluate a sample of 180 students (27%), chosen randomly. A Pearson chi-square test with a 5% significance level was adopted. The variables were: age, sex (>18 years), and year of graduation. BMI assessment and bioelectrical impedance were performed using the OMRON-Body Composition Monitoring. RESULTS 177 students met the criteria and were selected. In accordance with the guidelines[4], the classification of the students’ nutritional status using the BMI revealed that 112 (63.27%) had adequate weight, 56 (31.6%) were above normal and 9 (5.08%) were low weight (p < 0.05). The average percentage of fat was 24.4%, being 31.55% for females and 20.97% for males (p < 0.1). 119 (67.23%) students were above the normal fat percentage, considering a normal range of 8–20% for men and 13–28% for women[4]. CONCLUSION The results are consistent with a high rate of students with elevated body fat indexes, regarding the current consensus.[3,4] The anthropometric assessment also identified that even though 63.27% of the students were within adequate limits of BMI, a high rate also found to have elevated rates of body fat (67.23%). The study limited itself to the descriptive analysis of the data, although it may indicate an uncalculated rate of normal weight obesity among the students. This concept is known to be related to increased cardiovascular risk, metabolic syndrome, and mortality.[3,4,5] References: [1] World Health Organization (2020, April 1st) Obesity and Overweight. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight [2] Martinez EZ, Diez-garcia RW, Jordao A. New body mass index adjusted for fat mass (BMlfat) by the use of electrical impedance. 2011;(January). Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alceu_Jordao/publication/306200162_New_body_mass_index_adjusted_for_fat_mass_BMIfat_by_the_use_of_electrical_impedance/links/5cd1931292851c4eab89694b/New-body-mass-index-adjusted-for-fat-mass-BMIfat-by-the-use-of-electrical-impedance.pdf [3] Oliveros E, Somers VK, Sochor O, Goel K, Lopez-Jimenez F. The Concept of Normal Weight Obesity. Prog Cardiovasc Dis [Internet]. 2014;56(4):426–33. Available from: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S003306201300176X [4] Gallagher D, Heymsfield SB, Heo M, Jebb SA, Murgatroyd PR, Sakamoto Y. Healthy percentage body fat ranges: an approach for developing guidelines based on body mass index. Am J Clin Nutr [Internet]. 2000 Sep 1;72(3):694–701. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/72.3.694 [5] Madeira FB, Silva AA, Veloso HF, et al. Normal weight obesity is associated with metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance in young adults from a middle-income country. PLoS One. 2013;8(3):e60673. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0060673 Renal Impairment in Critically ill Premature Newborns Mashkur Abdulhamid Isa1, Alina Frunza2, Anastasiya Babintseva2 1 - Department of Pediatric Surgery and Otolaryngology, Bukovinian State Medical University, Chernivtsi, Ukraine, 2 -Department of Pediatrics, Neonatology and Perinatal Medicine, Bukovinian State Medical University, Chernivtsi, Ukraine INTRODUCTION Critically ill premature newborns (PNs) are at high risk of developing renal impairment (RI) [1], including acute kidney injury, which is associated with short- and long-term pathological outcomes and increased mortality [2,3,4]. AIM To identify the urinary diagnostic criteria of RI in critically ill PNs with different gestational age (GA). METHODS Sixty-eight PNs were included in the study: 25 newborns with GA of 24–31 weeks (Group I), 25 newborns with GA of 32- 33 weeks (Group II), and 18 newborns with GA of 34–36 weeks (Group III). All PNs had neonatal Therapeutic Intervention Scoring System score 10 or higher during early neonatal period. The levels of creatinine, urea, total protein, albumin, α1- microglobulin, and β2-microglobulin were measured in urine. The research ethics committee of the Bukovinian State Medical University (Chernivtsi, Ukraine) approved the study. RESULTS The Median levels of urinary creatinine were 895.0 μmol/l in Group I, 975.0 μmol/l in Group II, 1316.5 μmol/l in Group III (рІ-ІIІ = 0.0089, рІI-ІІІ = 0.0097), of urinary urea – 52.0 mmol/l, 72.0 mmol/l, and 67.0 mmol/l respectively (рІ-ІІ = 0.0354). The Median levels of urinary β2-microglobulin were 4.89 mg/l, 3.4 mg/l, and 6.15 mg/l respectively (рІI-ІІІ = 0.0011), while that of urinary α1-microglobulin – 24.6 mg/l, 17.1 mg/l, and 22.6 mg/l respectively (рІ-ІІ = 0.0169, рІI-ІІІ = 0.0158). There was no significant difference in levels of urinary total protein and albumin between groups of study found CONCLUSION This result demonstrated that most critically ill PNs have some aspects of impaired of tubular and glomerular functions. This is evidenced by changes in new urinary biomarkers. We found direct correlations between GA and urinary creatinine (r = 0.40, p < 0.05), urinary α1-microglobulin (r = 0.37, p < 0.05), and urinary β2-microglobulin (r = 0.51, p < 0.05) [5]. Longer longitudinal cohort studies on PNs are required to determine the prognostic and diagnostic criteria of RI in these patients. Acknowledgements: We thank the staff of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Maternity Hospital №2, Chernivtsi, Ukraine. References: 1. Askenazi, D.J., Ambalavanan, N., Goldstein, S.L. (2009). Acute kidney injury in critically ill newborns: what do we know? What do we need to learn? Pediatric Nephrology. 24, 265-274. 2. Al Malla, M., Varghese, N.V., AlAbdullatif, M., Narchi, H., Khassawneh, M. (2017). Prevalence and outcome of acute kidney injury, as defined by the new Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes guideline, in very low birth weight infants. World Journal of Nephrology, 6(5), 229–235. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.5527/wjn.v6.i5.229 3. Adiyanti Sri, S., Loho, T. (2012). Acute kidney injury (AKI) biomarker. Acta Medica Indonesiana. 44, 3, 246-255. 4. Askenazi, D.J., Koralkar, R., Patil, N. (2016). Acute Kidney Injury urine biomarkers in very low-birth-weight infants. Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, 11, 1527–1535. doi: 10.2215/CJN.13381215 5. Askenazi, D.J., Koralkar, R., Levitan, E.B. … Ambalavanan N. (2011). Baseline values of candidate urine acute kidney injury (AKI) biomarkers vary by gestational age in premature infants. Pediatric Research, 70(3), 302–306. doi:10.1203/PDR.0b013e3182275164. The prevalence of uncontrolled masked hypertension among hypertensive patients evaluated with Telemedicine and Home Blood Pressure Monitoring in Brazil Arthur Marot de Paiva1, Pedro Guimarães Moreira da Silva, Mariana Braga Teixeira1, Victoria Alves Melo1, Vinicius Sousa Santana1, Larissa de Moura Goulart Assis1, Gabriel Baeta Branquinho Reis1, Patrícia Mendonça Leite1, Luis Henrique Akutsu Hirako1, Fernanda Marinho Machado Guimarães2 1 - Federal University of Goiás, 2 - Pontifical Catholic University of Goiás INTRODUCTION Masked hypertension characterizes a condition in which the patient presents with normal blood pressure (<140/90mmHg) in the doctor's office combined with abnormal values at home, increasing cardiovascular risk, and target organ damage. Home Blood Pressure Monitoring (HBPM) provides the means to detect this disorder. AIM The aim of the study is to evaluate the behavior of blood pressure (BP) with office and HBPM and the prevalence of uncontrolled masked hypertension. METHODS This is a retrospective cross-sectional study of hypertensive patients in treatment, evaluated by HBPM between May/2017 and September/2019. The exclusion criteria were: inconsistent medication use, 3 or more drug-combination, or in spironolactone or alpha-2-agonists monotherapy. The variables: number of valid measurements (NVM), mean systolic blood pressure (MSBP), and mean diastolic blood pressure (MSDBP) levels by office evaluation and HBPM and data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and a parametric t-test. RESULTS 6,731 patients met the criteria, among 22,446 selected ones. 61.3%(4,127) of them were considered controlled by the HBPM guidelines, which establishes the home adequate systolic pressure of <135 mmHg and 85 mmHg for diastolic BP.[4] Additionally, the study also showed that 744 patients with controlled BP at the office (<140/90mmHg) had an increased BP when evaluated with HBPM. These values represent 11.1% of the patients and are consistent with masked uncontrolled hypertension (MUCH). CONCLUSION The study indicated that even though 61.3% of the patient's blood pressures were controlled by the HBPM, 11.1% of the patients with controlled BP at the office fit the phenotype of MUCH. This condition is related to worse prognosis regarding BP management and treatment, as well as to increased cardiovascular risk within the hypertensive population.[5,6] In this context, the HBPM qualifies as an effective apparatus to detect and control the MUCH, allowing medication adjustments in patients under antihypertensive therapy.[6] References: [1] Trudel X, Brisson C, Gilbert-Ouimet M, Duchaine CS, Dalens V, Talbot D, et al. Masked hypertension incidence and risk factors in a prospective cohort study. Eur J Prev Cardiol [Internet]. 2018 Sep 26;26(3):231–7. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1177/2047487318802692 [2] Cardiologia SB de. VI Diretriz de monitorização ambulatorial da pressão arterial e IV Diretriz de monitorização residencial da pressão arterial. Rev Arq Bras Cardiol. 2018;119:1–48. [3] Anstey DE, Pugliese D, Abdalla M, Bello NA, Givens R, Shimbo D. An Update on Masked Hypertension. Curr Hypertens Rep [Internet]. 2017;19(12):94. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11906–017-0792-4 [4] Williams B, Mancia G, Spiering W, Agabiti Rosei E, Azizi M, Burnier M, et al. 2018 ESC/ESH Guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension: The Task Force for the management of arterial hypertension of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the European Society of Hypertension (ESH). Eur Heart J [Internet]. 2018 Aug 25;39(33):3021–104. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehy339 [5] Shi X, Zhang K, Wang P, Kan Q, Yang J, Wang L, et al. Association of masked uncontrolled hypertension and cardiovascular diseases in treated hypertensive patients. Arch Med Sci [Internet]. 2020;16(3):538–44. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.5114/aoms.2019.89218 [6] Franklin SS, O’Brien E, Staessen JA. Masked hypertension: understanding its complexity. Eur Heart J [Internet]. 2016 Nov 10;38(15):1112–8. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehw502 Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α as a mediator of cardiovascular complications development in patients with obstructive sleep apnea Filip Karuga1, Szymon Turkiewicz1, Oliwa Weiner1, Agata Gabryelska1, Marcin Sochal1, Piotr Białasiewicz1 1 - Department of Sleep Medicine and Metabolic Disorders; Medical University of Lodz; Poland INTRODUCTION Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a chronic condition characterized by recurrent pauses in breathing during sleep, which cause intermittent hypoxemia. The hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF) is key regulator of cellular oxygen. HIF-1α protein is highly unstable under normoxia condition. Hypoxia leads to stabilization of HIF-1α and its expression. This protein is thought to be responsible for activation of a vast number of genes and involvement in pathogenesis of many diseases. Moderate and severe OSA is associated with a significant increase in the cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity. AIM The aim of the study was to compere serum HIF-1α protein levels among OSA patients with and without CVD. METHODS The study group (n = 60) underwent polysomnography (PSG) examination and were diagnosed with OSA. CVD encompasses heart failure, myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathy, and cardiac arrythmia. CVD diagnosis was based on patient's medical documentation. Peripheral blood samples were collected in the evening before and in the morning after PSG. The HIF-1α concentration was assessed using ELISA. RESULTS It was found that the serum HIF-1α protein level was increased in individuals with CVD (n = 18), both in the evening (median, 1071.2 vs 1504.9 pg/ml; p = 0.049) and in the morning (median, 1193 vs 1694.4 pg/ml; p = 0.045), as compared with patients without history of CVD (n = 42). In the applied ANCOVA model, only the presence of CVD differentiated serum HIF-1α protein levels in the evening and in the morning: F = 4.737, P = 0.032 and F = 5.477, P = 0.022, respectively. Body mass index (BMI) and apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) did not affect the observed differences in serum HIF-1α protein levels. CONCLUSION Serum HIF-1α protein levels are increased in OSA patients with comorbid CVD independently from AHI and BMI. The results suggest the involvement of HIF-1α in the development and manifestation of CVD. Comorbidities and antibiotic-resistance bacteria occurrence in chronic rhinosinusitis Daniel Surgot1,2, Iga Grabarczyk1,2 1 - Department of Otorhinolaryngology, 2 -Jagiellonian University Medical College INTRODUCTION Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a condition where symptoms of sinusitis are present longer than 12 weeks and there are at least two symptoms like nasal blockage/obstruction/congestion, nasal discharge, face pain/pressure and reduction or loss of smell. Currently the correlation between CRS, bacterial flora and coexisting diseases is poorly understood. AIM The aim of the study was to analyse the prevalence of diseases like asthma, aspirin-exacerbated asthma, allergy or GERD, as well as to determine frequency of individual bacteria occurrence and their antibiotic resistance in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis. METHODS To accomplish the study a group of 100 patients with a primary diagnose of CRS, treated in Department of Otorhinolaryngology JUMC, was selected. Each patient was asked to fill in a questionnaire concerning their health and had a swab from the middle nasal meatus taken. Collected data was analysed in relation to comorbidities. RESULTS The occurrence of comorbidities was observed in 71 patients. Asthma and allergy were the most common (each in 47 patients), whereas AERD and GERD were rarer (each in 24 patients). In most patients coexisting diseases overlapped – only 27 patients had one of them. The most frequent combination was the prevalence of CRS, asthma and allergy (16 patients). 5 patients had all four comorbidities. 15 different species of bacteria were identified from the swabs collected from the middle nasal meatus. The most common bacteria were S. aureus, S. epidermidis and E. coli. Antimicrobial resistance was observed frequently. Most of the patients with comorbidities had 1 or 2 species of bacteria and one patient had 5 bacteria. CONCLUSION In patients with CRS there is a frequent occurrence and usually concomitance of asthma, AERD, allergy and GERD. What ought to be emphasized is that there is a wide variety of microbiota indicated by differences in the occurrence of individual species and their resistance. BIOMARKERS FOR EARLY DIAGNOSIS OF NEONATAL SEPSIS: INDIVIDUAL AND COMBINED USES Bruna Natália Rausch.1, Amanda Saccol.1, Thayane Kühl.1, Fernanda Maurer D’Agostini.2, Liliane Simara Fernandes.2, Marcelina Mezzomo Debiasi.2 1 - Universidade do Oeste de Santa Catarina - Brazil, 2 - Universidade do Oeste de Santa Catarina - Brazil INTRODUCTION Sepsis presents itself as a primary cause of morbidity and mortality in neonates. For instance, numerous studies seek biomarkers to assist in the early clinical diagnosis of Neonatal Sepsis (NS). As a result, the C Reactive Protein (PCR), Procalcitonin (PCT), Interleukin 6, and Interleukin 8, become more noticeable, being great biomarkers. AIM The objective of this study was to verify articles addressing the efficiency of PCR, PCT, IL-6, and IL-8 used individually or combined, in the diagnosis of early and late-onset neonatal sepsis. METHODS Accordingly, research was carried out in the PubMed database in English, containing articles from 2015 to 2020. The descriptors were “Neonatal Sepsis” and “Early Diagnosis,” generating 91 results. RESULTS During the study, it was indicated that biomarkers contain numerous degrees of viability for use in the diagnosis of Neonatal Sepsis. Thus, there was a greater sensitivity, specificity, and precision of results in the diagnosis of NS of IL-6, when compared to IL-8. Simultaneously, PCT showed greater diagnostic precision, while PCR showed greater specificity, however, both showed very close sensitivities. The use of IL-6 highlighted greater effectiveness in the diagnosis of early- onset NS, with its peak on the first day of infection, with good sensitivity and specificity. PCR, which was the most used in studies, revealed greater efficiency in the identification of late-onset NS, with its peak on the fourth day, demonstrating reduction efficiency in the identification of early NS, in addition to highlighting high Negative Predictive Value and Positive Predictive Value. During the review, the use of IL-6 and PCR concurrently proved to be promising in the efficient identification of early and late-onset neonatal sepsis. CONCLUSION It is inferred in this study that the biomarkers analyzed are essential in affirming SN diagnostic hypotheses, however, it emphasizes the union of an efficient clinical evaluation by health professionals. Analysis of the quality of colonoscopy preparation in a high-demand outpatient unit in Belo Horizonte: a retrospective cross-sectional study José Celso Cunha Guerra Pinto Coelho1,2,3, Anna Cecília Santana do Amaral4, Ana Campos Pires5, Enzo Luiz Rezende Novaes5, Isadora Catão Silva Lara5, Jacqueline Araújo Lima5, Lucas Oliveira Nacif5, Maria Paula Costa Lima de Castro Miserani5, Nathalia Lacerda Eller Costa5, Rafael Faleiro Guerra Pinto Coelho5 1 - Head of gastrointestinal endoscopy unit at Vera Cruz Hospital (HVC), 2 -Director of Gastrocenter Clinic, 3 -Dean of Faculdade de Ciências Médicas de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte - Brazil, 4 -Endoscopy unit at HVC Belo Horizonte - Brazil, 5 -Faculdade de Ciências Médicas de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte - Brazil INTRODUCTION In Brazil colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common type among men and the second among women. Colonoscopy is the gold standard screening method for detection of polyps and cancer. Colon preparations is a key point for detection. and is considered one of the quality indicators for its performance. AIM Analyze the quality of this preparation in patients who underwent colonoscopy, in a high-demand outpatient unit in Belo Horizonte - Brazil, in comparison with the values required by the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE). METHODS Retrospective cross-sectional, descriptive and documentary study, about medical records of 757 patients submitted to colonoscopy from november 2017 to november 2018. All patients received writing information regarding colon preparation added with images by a trained nurse. During the colon preparation all patients received a call to check if everything is doing fine and for clarify any further doubts. RESULTS 3.43% of the patients (26) had an unsatisfactory preparation for performing CL in this outpatient unit. Thus, 96.57% of patients underwent a satisfactory colorectal preparation for the exam. CONCLUSION According to ASGE, the rate of patients with inadequate preparation for CL should not exceed 15%, otherwise the protocols must be reviewed. [1] [2] Writting information with images explained by a trainned professional and call phones during the preparation should be responsible for results 5 times lower than that required by ASGE achieved at this study. References: 1. Colorectal cancer screening: Recommendations for physicians and patients from the U.S. Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer. Gastrointest Endosc July 2017 Volume 86, Issue 1, Pages 18–33 / DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gie.2017.04.003 2. Screening and surveillance for the early detection of colorectal cancer and adenomatous polyps. CA Cancer J Clin 2008;58:130–160 / DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3322/CA.2007.0018 Does the risk of iatrogenic cardiac tamponade after coronary artery perforation depends on the coronary artery involved? Michał Surdacki1, Marcin Major1, Michał Chyrchel2, Łukasz Rzeszutko2 1 - Students’ Scientific Group at the Second Department of Cardiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Cracow, Poland, 2 -Second Department of Cardiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Cracow, Poland INTRODUCTION Coronary artery perforation (CAP) type III is a rare but potentially dangerous complication of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). There is still a strong need to develop an optimal way of CAP management. AIM The aim of the study was to compare the risk of CAP-induced cardiac tamponade between different coronary arteries. METHODS We retrospectively collected data from seven centers of invasive cardiology in southern Poland over 16 years. During that period, 81 patients (mean age 70 ± 9 years; 56% of men, 80% with acute coronary syndromes [ACS]) with contrast streaming or cavity spilling at angiography (i.e. iatrogenic CAP type III by the Ellis classification) were eligible for the study. RESULTS CAP occurred more frequently in left artery descending artery (LAD) (51%, n = 41) in comparison to right coronary artery (RCA) (24%, n = 19), left circumflex artery (LCx) (16%, n = 13) and marginal branches (7%, n = 6), and left main coronary artery (2%, n = 2). The percentage of patients who required urgent pericardiocentesis was estimated at 24% for LAD, 19% for RCA and 33% for LCx. Urgent pericardiocentesis was performed in 67% of patients with CAP in LCx, whereas in only 33% of subjects in CAP in a non-LCx artery (p = 0,03). The tendency remained consistent regardless of treatment strategy: prolonged balloon inflation (PBI) only (n = 26: 67% vs 13%) or PBI with subsequent stent implantation (n = 55: 55% vs. 24%). No differences in demographical, clinical and biochemical characteristics were observed between patients according to the need of urgent pericardiocentesis. CONCLUSION Iatrogenic LCx perforation appears to lead to more frequent severe clinical implications compared to other coronary arteries. This association may possibly be linked to distinct features of LCx anatomy and/or well-recognized delays in diagnosis and management of LCx-related ACSs. Effects of the left ventricle outflow tract obstruction on sudden cardiac death probability in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Aleksandra Budkiewicz1, Łukasz Żydzik1, Monika Kaciczak1, Krystian Mróz1, Arman Karapetyan1, Mateusz Winiarczyk1, Matylda Gliniak1, Aleksandra Karabinowska, MD2, Paweł Rubiś, MD2 1 - SSG of Heart Failure at Department of Cardiac and Vascular Diseases of the Jagiellonian University Medical College in John Paul II Hospital in Krakow, 2 - Department of Cardiac and Vascular Diseases of the Jagiellonian University Medical College in John Paul II Hospital in Krakow INTRODUCTION Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a genetically determined cardiac disease characterized by left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy. Depending on LV outflow tract (LVOT) gradient, HCM can be classified as obstructive and nonobstructive. Both types can increase the risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD). The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) recommends HCM Risk-SCD calculator to guide SCD management strategy, including prophylactic implantation of cardioverter- defibrillator (ICD). Based on: age, maximal LV wall thickness, LVOT gradient, left atrial diameter, family history of SCD, history of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (nsVT) and unexplained syncope, the 5-year probability of SCD is calculated. AIM The aim of the study was to compare parameters of the HCM Risk-SCD calculator among patients with nonobstructive (LVOT gradient <30mmHg) and obstructive (LVOT gradient >  = 30mmHg) type of HCM. METHODS We included 245 HCM patients enrolled between 2011 and 2019; 133 males (54.29%), mean age 56 ± 14 years, mean NYHA class 1.83 ± 0.77. The clinical data were obtained retrospectively from phone calls, discharge summaries, and other medical records. RESULTS Based on LVOT gradient, 107 (43.67%) patients were classified as obstructive HCM. The comparison of SCD predictors between patients with nonobstructive and obstructive HCM is presented below. Age [years] LVOT < 30mmHg: 53.9 ± 14.8 LVOT >  = 30mHg: 58,1 ± 13.5 p = 0.02 Maximal wall thickness [mm] I: 20.1 ± 4.6 II: 21.1 ± 4.3 p = 0.04 Left atrium diameter [mm] I: 43.6 ± 7.9 II: 44.2 ± 6.7 p = 0.46 LVOT gradient [mmHg] I: 10.7 ± 5.5 II: 87.7 ± 40.1 p<0.001 Family history of SCD I: 12 (8.7%) II: 8 (7.5%) p = 0.73 nsVT I: 29 (21%) II: 16 (14.9%) p = 0.22 Syncope I: 16 (11.6%) II: 18 (16.8%) p = 0.24 5-year risk of SCD I: 2.7 ± 1.9 II: 3.8 ± 3 p < 0.01 Recommendation ICD is not indicated I: 116 (84.1%) II: 78 (72.90%) ICD can be considered I: 13 (9.4%) II: 17 (15.9%) ICD should be considered I: 9 (6.5%) II: 12 (11.2%) p = 0.10 CONCLUSION Except for the LVOT gradient, obstructive and nonobstructive HCM patients differ also in terms of age and maximal LV wall thickness. Although numerically 5-year risk of SCD significantly differs between obstructive and nonobstructive HCM, nevertheless, the ESC recommendations regarding prophylactic ICD implantation are similar between two HCM types. Interaction between hypoxia and circadian rhythm in obstructive sleep apnea patients Szymon Turkiewicz1, Marcin Sochal, MD1,2, prof. Piotr Białasiewicz1, Agata Gabryelska, MD, PhD1 1 - Department of Sleep Medicine and Metabolic Disorders, 2 - Department of Sleep Medicine and Metabolic Disorders INTRODUCTION Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a chronic condition that is characterized by intermittent hypoxia. Key regulator of oxygen metabolism is hypoxia inducible factor 1 (HIF-1), which consist of two subunits: α and β. Circadian clock is composed of set of gens functioning as activators (CLOCK and BMAL1) or repressors (PER1 and CRY1). Under hypoxia, HIF-1α heterodimerizes with HIF-1β and binds to E-box-like hypoxia response elements in the promoter regions of hypoxia-induced genes, which include circadian clock genes. AIM The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between HIF-1α, HIF-1β, BMAL1, CLOCK, PER1, CRY1 and polysomnography (PSG) variables in healthy individuals and severe OSA patients. METHODS The study included 20 individuals, who underwent PSG and based on apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) were divided into severe OSA group (n = 10; AHI≥30) and healthy controls (n = 10; AHI < 5). All participants had their peripheral blood collected in the evening (9:00–10:00 pm) before and in the morning (6:00–7:00 am) after the PSG. Protein concertation measurements were performed using ELISA. RESULTS Significant difference was observed in the following protein measurements between study groups: evening and morning HIF-1α (p = 0.020 and p = 0.043, respectively), evening HIF-1β (p = 0.047), evening and morning CLOCK (p = 0.037 and p = 0.019, respectively) and morning BMAL1 (p = 0.016), evening and morning PER1 (p = 0.004 and p = 0.029, respectively) and evening CRY1 (p = 0.035). In a multivariate general linear model with the concentration of all circadian clock proteins as dependent variables, evening HIF-1α protein level was the only significant covariant (p = 0.025). Evening HIF-1α protein level had an influence only on the evening PER1, while corrected models were significant for morning and evening PER1 (p = 0.008 and p = 0.006, respectively), evening CRY1 (p = 0.043), and evening CLOCK (p = 0.046). CONCLUSION Results suggests OSA patients are in risk of circadian clock disruption due to present hypoxia. This process might be mediated by HIF-1α. The study was financed by Polish National Centre Grant no. 2018/31/N/NZ5/03931 Relation of the enzyme angiotensin converting 2 (ACE2) with gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with COVID-19 Lucas Lopes Fagundes1, Ana Laura Oliveira Santos Dias Guimarães1, Melanie Monteiro Rodrigues1, Marjorie Monteiro Rodrigues2 1 - Centro Universitário FIPMoc - UNIFIPMoc, Montes Claros, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil., 2 -Department of Radiation Oncology, Centro Oncológico AZ do Noroeste, Patos de Minas, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. INTRODUCTION SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is responsible for many respiratory manifestations in infected individuals through an interaction mechanism with the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). However, the presence of the enzyme in the enterocytes is also quite dense, explaining the gastrointestinal symptoms in infected patients.[1] AIM To relate the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 with gastrointestinal symptoms presented in patients with COVID-19. METHODS Articles published in English were selected, prioritizing studies conducted in 2020 and indexed in the PubMed database. Descriptors used were: gastroenterology and coronavirus infections. The literature search returned a total of 93 results, of which 4 were included in the final analysis. RESULTS The binding of SARS-CoV-2 to the target cell begins with the interaction between the glycoprotein Spike and ACE2. Then, the Spike protein is processed by a plasma membrane–associated type II transmembrane serine protease (TMPRSS2), allowing the virus to fuse with the human cell and to develop the ability of reproduction.[2,3] The expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in the gastrointestinal tract, mainly in enterocytes, contributes to a modification in intestinal permeability, resulting in malabsorption by epithelial cells in this region. In addition, ACE2 is recognized as an important regulator of intestinal microbiota homeostasis. Its alteration may increase the susceptibility to inflammation and, consequently, contribute to the appearance of digestive symptoms such as abdominal pain and diarrhea in patients diagnosed with COVID-19.[2,4] CONCLUSION ACE2 is capable of influencing gastrointestinal symptoms manifested by patients with COVID-19, due to its synergic action with TMPRSS2, especially in enterocytes, inducing manifestations such as diarrhea and abdominal pain. Hence, it is required special attention by health professionals regarding digestive symptoms presented by patients with suspected disease to improve early diagnosis and direct effective treatment, as needed. References: 1. F. Xiao, M. Tang, X. Zheng, Y. Liu, X. Li, H. Shan, Evidence for Gastrointestinal Infection of SARS-CoV-2, Gastroenterology 158 (6) (2020) 1831-1833. 2. D. Cyranoski, Profile of a killer: the complex biology powering the coronavirus pandemic, Nature 581 (7806) (2020) 22-26. 3. R. Zang, M. F. G. Castro, B. T. McCune, Q. Zeng, P. W. Rothlauf, N. M. Sonnek, et al., TMPRSS2 and TMPRSS4 promote SARS-CoV-2 infection of human small intestinal enterocytes, Sci. Immunol. 5 (47) (2020) 1-10. 4. F. D’Amico, D. C. Baumgart, S. Danese, L. Peyrin-Biroulet, Diarrhea during COVID-19 infection: pathogenesis, epidemiology, prevention and management, Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology (2020) 1-10. Reduction of mortality rate in children from meningitis in Brazil after larger vaccination coverage against Haemophilus influenzae. Fernanda Adélia Almeida Custódio Pires de Jesus1, Lucas Piason de Freitas Martins2, Beatriz Silva Silveira2, Ingred Paixão Vasconcelos3, Luiza Lemos Pinto Castanheira2, Laura Araújo Paulino2 1 - Universidade Salvador, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil., 2 -Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Pública, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil., 3 -Universidade Estadual da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. INTRODUCTION Meningitis can result from viral/bacterial infecctions, other diseases or can be aseptic. One of the most prevalent etiology in children is Haemophilus influenzae (Hi). In order to reduce the morbimortality from Hi, Brazil adhered in 1999 the vaccine against Hi serotype b (Hib) to its vaccination schedule, but only in 2001 it became a nationwide effective campaign. AIM Compare the overall meningitis mortality rate in children between the period of 4 years before and after the implementation of Hib vaccine in the nacional schedule, considered as 2001. METHODS We collected data about the overall and per sex mortality rate from 1998 to 2019 due to all etiologies of meningitis, and the overall and per sex incidence of Hi from 2001 to 2019 in pediatric patients (0–14 years old) from DataSUS database. Kolmogorov-Smirnoff test was performed to describe the normality pattern. The Student's T test was performed to compare between the period of 4 years before (1998–2001) and after (2002–2005) the campaign implementation. We compared between the sexes the meningitis mortality rate using Student's T test and the incidence of Hi using Kruskall- Wallis test. RESULTS The mean of mortality rate from meningitis in group 1 (1998–2001) was 5.798 (sd = 0.56718), while in group 2 (2002- 2005) was 4.085 (sd = 0.50573), with a difference of 41,93% (p = 0.002). From 1998 to 2019, the male mean from all cause of meningitis mortality rate found was 3.10 (SD = 1.3882), while the female mean was 3.7 (SD = 1.6582) with difference non-statistically relevant 19.35% (p = 0.337). The incidence of Hi between 2001 and 2019 had more expression in the male group, the median was 56, while the female median was 43, with difference of 30.23% (p = 0.007). CONCLUSION According to our findings, the Hib vaccine campaign could be the responsible for the reduction seen in the mortality rate of meningitis in children. Neurosciences Intracellular Fragment of BDNF Receptor, TrkB-ICD: Impact on Genetic Expression João Fonseca-Gomes1,2, Maria Roque2, Juzoh Umemori3, Eero Castrén3, Ana M. Sebastião1,2, Francisco J. Enguita1, Maria J. Diógenes1,2 1 - Instituto de Medicina Molecular—João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal, 2 -Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal, 3 -Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland INTRODUCTION Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is the most common irreversible, progressive cause of dementia. [1] One of the main hallmarks of AD is the accumulation of Amyloid-beta peptide, which induces the calpain-processing of the full-length tropomyosin- receptor kinase B (TrkB-FL) and lead to the production of a new truncated receptor (TrkB-T’) and an intracellular fragment (TrkB-ICD). [2] Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) binds to TrkB-FL and, consequently, its truncation compromises phsyiological function of BDNF, such as neuronal survival, differentiation and sinaptic plasticity. [3,4] Recently we showed that TrkB-ICD is a stable protein that is translocated into the nucleus overtime. [5] AIM This work aimed to evaluate the influence of TrkB-ICD fragment on genetic expression. METHODS In order to achieve this goal, neuronal cultures were transduced with TrkB-ICD-IRES-ZsGreen (expressing TrkB-ICD and a fluorescent marker, ZsGreen) and eGFP (control). After 7 days of expression, RNA was extracted and whole transcriptome analysis was performed by next generation sequencing in GeneCore EMBL Facility, Germany. RESULTS After classification of differentially expressed coding genes into functional groups by gene ontology and pathway enrichment analysis, we observed several interesting findings. Particularly, we observed that TrkB-ICD overexpression was mainly associated with the up-regulation of genes involved in regulatory responses of neurotransmitter activity and neural development. Whereas TrkB-ICD fragment promoted the down-regulation of genes involved in functions related with chromosome structure stability and telomere organization. In addition, we also observed that TrkB-ICD was associated with the expression of genes related with some specific cellular compartments, for instance presynaptic area, endosome and phosphatase complexes. CONCLUSION In this work we show, for the first time, that TrkB-ICD per se has a strong impact upon genetic expression, which could underly some pathophysiological features of AD. Acknowledgements: Gabinete de Apoio À Investigação Científica, Tecnológica E Inovação (GAPIC) da FMUL; Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa. References: [1] Duthey B. 2013. Alzheimer Disease and other Dementias. World Health Organization. [2] Jerónimo-Santos A, Vaz SH, Parreira S, Rapaz-Lérias S, Caetano AP, BuéeScherrer V, Castrén E, Valente, Blum D, Sebastião AM, Diógenes MJ. 2014. Dysregulation of TrkB Receptors and BDNF Function by Amyloid-β Peptide is Mediated by Calpain. Cerebral Cortex. [3] Song JH, Yu JT, Tan L. 2014. Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in Alzheimer's Disease: Risk, Mechanisms, and Therapy. Mol Neurobiol. [4] Weinstein G, Beiser AS, Choi SH, Preis SR, Chen TC, Vorgas D, Au R, Pikula A, Wolf PA, Destefano AL, Vasan RS, Seshadri S. 2013. Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor and the risk for dementia: the Framingham Heart Study. JAMA Neurol. doi:10. 1001/jamaneurol.2013.4781) [5] Fonseca-Gomes J. 2016. Study the function of the newly discovered TrkB receptor fragment (TrkB-ICD) formed by calpain cleavage. Universidade de Lisboa. Prrxl1 controls the expression of distinct sets of transmitter and peptide receptor genes in the developing dorsal spinal cord Marta Samina1,2, Alexandre Raposo3, Adrien Clavairoly4, Sandra Rebelo1,2, Carlos Parras4, Deolinda Lima1,2, Carlos Reguenga1,2, Diogo S. Castro3, Filipe Monteiro1,2 1 - Departamento de Biomedicina, Unidade de Biologia Experimental, FMUP – Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto, 2 -Pain Research Group, IBMC – Instituto de Biologia Celular e Molecular & i3S – Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 3 -Molecular Neurobiology, IGC - Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Portugal, 4 -Développement Oligodendrocytaire et Interactions Neurovasculaires, ICM – Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière, France INTRODUCTION Spinal dorsal horn neurons receive nociceptive sensory input from dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. It is though that dorsal-ventral patterning of the embryo is imperative during spinal cord development, namely through combinatorial expression of sets of transcription factors induced by patterning signals (1). Paired related homeobox protein-like 1 (Prrxl1) is a homeodomain transcription factor expressed in both DRG and their putative central targets in the spinal dorsal horn, suggesting a functional role in establishing connectivity between first and second order nociceptive neurons. Accordingly, studies on Prrxl1-/- mouse embryos revealed that Prrxl1 is necessary for migration, differentiation, axon guidance and maintenance of nociceptive neurons (2–4). Furthermore, Prrxl1 appears to be involved in the differentiation of 2/3 of glutamatergic superficial dorsal horn neurons (5). AIM To unravel the transcriptional network downstream of Prrxl1 in the developing dorsal spinal cord. METHODS We performed a genome-wide study combining chromatin immunoprecipitation assays followed by next generation sequencing (ChIP-Seq) with microarray expression profiling in Prrxl1-/- and Prrxl1+/+ mouse embryos at E14.5. Next, a subset of Prrxl1 direct target genes are being validated through in situ hibridization and real time quantitative PCR. RESULTS By integrating ChIP-Seq and microarray datasets, we generated a comprehensive list of 244 potential direct Prrxl1 transcriptional targets. Further gene ontology analysis showed that the most enriched functional categories are associated with late aspects of neuronal development, which is in which is in accordance with the developmental defects observed in Prrxl1−/− mice. A subset of 17 Prrxl1 direct target genes, which attribute to Prrxl1 a novel function in the segregation of excitatory dorsal horn neuron subsets, are being experimentally validated through gene expression studies in Prrxl1−/− embryos. CONCLUSION Taken together, these results suggest that Prrxl1 controls the generation of diverse subtypes of dorsal horn excitatory neurons. References: 1. Luis R. Hernandez-Miranda, T. M., Carmen Birchmeier. (2017) The dorsal spinal cord and hindbrain: From developmental mechanisms to functional circuits. Developmental Biology 432, 34–42 2. Yu-Qiang Ding, J. Y., Artur Kania, Zhong-Qiu Zhao, Randy L. Johnson and Zhou-Feng Chen. (2004) Lmx1b controls the differentiation and migration of the superficial dorsal horn neurons of the spinal cord. Development 131, 3693–3703 3. Zhou-Feng Chen, S. R., Fletcher White, Hiroshi Baba, Deolinda Lima, Allan I. Basbaum and David J. Anderson. (2001) The Paired Homeodomain Protein DRG11 Is Required for the Projection of Cutaneous Sensory Afferent Fibers to the Dorsal Spinal Cord. Neuron 31, 59–73 4. Sandra Rebelo, Z.-F. C., David J. Anderson, and Deolinda Lima. (2006) Involvement of DRG11 in the development of the primary afferent nociceptive system. Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience 33, 236–246 5. Sandra Rebelo, C. R., Cláudia Lopes, and Deolinda Lima. (2010) Prrxl1 is Required for the Generation of a Subset of Nociceptive Glutamatergic Superficial Spinal Dorsal Horn Neurons. Developmental dynamics 239, 1684–1694 Computational analysis of perihemorrhagic area of intracerebral haemorrhage – association with outcome and risk of expansion Maciej Jakub Frączek1 1 - Students’ Scientific Group at Department of Neurosurgery and Neurotraumatology, Jagiellonian University Medical College INTRODUCTION However computational analysis of intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) is useful in determining treatment outcome and risk of its expansion, most analysis is applied to hematoma mass, neglecting its surroundings. AIM We determine whether analysis of perihemorrhagic density can be associated with outcome and ICH expansion. METHODS We retrospectively analysed 60 patients with spontaneous supratentorial ICH. For each patient we obtained their head CT and transformed image to obtain exact contour of ICH. We extracted circular area around contour, with circle centre in its centroid and perimeter equal to distance between two furthest point on contour. For such area, we calculated four moments of a distribution: standard deviation (SD), coefficient of variance (CoV, variance/mean), skewness (S, third moment) and kurtosis (K, fourth moment). Upon admission patients were assessed using Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and upon discharge using Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS). ICH expansion was defined as any increase in ICH volume on control CT. Poor outcome was defined as GOS < 3. RESULTS A total of 34 (56.67%) patients had poor treatment outcome and 15 (25%) had ICH expansion. Patients with poor outcome had lower GCS upon admission (4.97 ± 3.24 vs. 10.84 ± 4.52; p < 0.01) and were older (69.18 ± 12.56 vs. 55.58 ± 17.91; p < 0.01). They also had higher SD (32.18 ± 9.70 vs. 27 ± 9.04; p = 0.039), CoV (8.43 ± 4.62 vs. 5.36 ± 3.16; p < 0.01) and S (0.16 ± 0.84 vs. −0.25 ± 0.67; p = 0.045). Patients with ICH expansion had higher SD (34.87 ± 11.37 vs. 28.29 ± 8.59; p = 0.021) and CoV (9.6 ± 5.6 vs. 6.27 ± 3.46; p < 0.01) and lower K (−0.61 ± 0.72 vs. −0.07 ± 0.86; p = 0.034). In multivariate logistic regression analysis higher CoV (OR: 1.711; 95% CI: 1.113–3.289; p = 0.048) and age (OR: 1.103; 95% CI:1.024–1.229; p = 0.03) and lower GCS (OR: 0.691; 95% CI: 0.513–0.852; p < 0.01) remained associated with higher risk of poor treatment outcome. Lower K (OR: 0.382; 95% CI: 0.132–0.879; p = 0.042) was associated with higher risk of ICH expansion. CONCLUSION Computational analysis of perihemorrhagic density can be useful in determining outcome and risk of ICH expansion. Acknowledgements: Tutors of study: Kornelia Kliś MD, PhD, Roger Krzyżewski MD, Borys Kwinta MD, PhD Does embolization of cerebral aneurysms influence arterial tortuosity? – Single center retrospective analysis Małgorzata Ewa Czuba1 1 - Students’ Scientific Group at Department of Neurosurgery and Neurotraumatology, Jagiellonian University Medical College INTRODUCTION Arterial tortuosity is a phenomenon that affects hemodynamics of blood flow. It is influenced by patients age, atherosclerosis, collagen defects and deficiencies. Impact of surgical procedures of aneurysms on arterial tortuosity is still unknown. AIM We decided to determine, whether tortuosity of internal carotid artery (ICA) is affected by performing coiling of cerebral aneurysm. METHODS We retrospectively analyzed 52 patients with single intracranial aneurysm, treated with endovascular procedure. Based on their Digital Subtraction Angiography images, obtained prior to the procedure and after first follow-up examination (avg. 15 months), we analyzed tortuosity of ICA, both on the side of embolization and on the other side. Following tortuosity descriptors were calculated: relative length (RL), sum of angle metrics (SOAM), triangular index (TI), product of angle distance (PAD), and inflection count metric (ICM). To represent changes in tortuosity, for each descriptor we defined Δ as value of the descriptor on follow-up examination minus value of the descriptor before procedure. RESULTS In the follow up the tortuosity of ICA changed on both coiled and not coiled side. Mean ΔRL was smaller on coiled side (-0.02 ± 0.03 vs -0.01 ± 0.03; p = 0.002) in comparison to the other side. ΔPAD (1.06 ± 0.98 vs 0.54 ± 0.92; p = 0.007) and ΔICM (2.41 ± 2.18 vs 1.1 ± 1.85; p = 0.001) were bigger on the embolized side. Furthermore, male patients had higher ΔTI (- 0.04 ± 0.12 vs 0 ± 0.07; p = 0.018) of both ICA. Additionally, patients taking angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) had smaller ΔSOAM (−0.12 ± 0.17 vs 0.58 ± 0.59; p = 0.011) and ΔPAD (0.12 ± 0.25 vs 1.16 ± 0.98; p = 0.023). We also observed that there is a negative correlation between age and ΔTI (R = −0.23; p = 0.018). Logistic regression analysis showed that embolization independently influenced the increase of ΔICM (OR 1.29, 95%CI: 1.04–1.65; p = 0.027) and reduction of ΔRL (OR 0.18, 95%CI: 0.03–0.92; p = 0.046). CONCLUSION Coiling procedures performed on cerebral aneurysms as well as patients’ age, sex and ACEI intake may influence the tortuosity of ICA. Acknowledgements: Tutors of study: Roger Krzyżewski MD, Kornelia Kliś MD, PhD, Borys Kwinta MD, PhD Spinal cord injury induces time-dependent changes in the urethra.-induced histological and innervation changes in the urethra. Preliminary observations in the female rat. Ana Ferreira1,2, Sílvia Chambel1,2, Raquel Oliveira1,2, António Avelino1,2, Célia Duarte Cruz1,2 1 - Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Dept. of Biomedicine, Porto, Portugal, 2 -Translational NeuroUrology Group, Institute for Innovation and Health Research (i3S), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal INTRODUCTION Spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO) and detrusor-sphincter-dyssynergia (DSD), causing urinary incontinence. These are accompanied by histological and innervation reorganization in the bladder. Although SCI-induced urinary impairment also reflects alterations in the urethra, the consequences of SCI in this organ remain unexplored. AIM To investigate if SCI affects the urethra and causes alterations in tissue arrangement and innervation associated to SCI- induced urinary incontinence. METHODS Female Wistar rats were divided in 3 groups: spinal intact, and SCI animals, left to recover 1 and 4 weeks (n = 4–6/group). The model chosen was the largely incomplete spinal cord transection (T8/T9). To evaluate bladder function, animals underwent 1 h cystometry before euthanasia and tissue collection. Urethral tissues were impregnated in paraffin and sectioned for haematoxylin and eosin staining. The detection of neuronal markers was performed by immunohistochemistry in frozen sectioned tissue. RESULTS Bladder contractions were abolished 1 week post-SCI. At 4 weeks, NDO was established, evidenced by the increased frequency and amplitude of bladder contractions (p < 0.05 versus spinal intact animals). Haematoxylin-Eosin staining revealed an increase in the thickness of the urethral epithelium and lamina propria in 1 and 4-weeks SCI animals (p < 0.05 versus spinal intact animals). The structure of the external urethral sphincter (EUS) was not affected but the expression of actin in the internal urethral sphincter (IUS) was significantly decreased 4 weeks post-lesion (p < 0.001 versus spinal intact). Evaluation of β-III tubulin expression, a general marker of nerve fibres, showed signs of denervation of the urethral sphincter, evident in EUS at 1 and 4 weeks post-lesion and in the IUS only at 4 weeks later (p < 0.05 versus spinal intact). CONCLUSION Results demonstrate significant SCI-induced tissue rearrangement of the urethra, which may be linked to DSD. Ongoing work will allow the identification of the specific nerve fibres affected and establish a functional correlation with urethral dysfunction Mitoxantrone impairs Bax and phosphorylated Tau expression on the brain of adult mice: an in vivo ‘chemobrain’ study on clinically relevant doses. Ana Dias-Carvalho1, Ana Reis-Mendes1, Margarida Duarte-Araújo2,3, Félix Carvalho1, Maria de Lourdes Bastos1, Susana I. Sá4,5, João Paulo Capela1,6, Vera Marisa Costa1 1 - UCIBIO, REQUIMTE, Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal, 2 -LAQV/REQUIMTE, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal; 3Department of Imuno-Physiology and Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Portugal, 3 -Department of Imuno-Physiology and Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Portugal, 4 -Faculty of Medicine, Department of Anatomy, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal., 5 -Faculty of Medicine, Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal, 6 -FP-ENAS (Unidade de Investigação UFP em Energia, Ambiente e Saúde), CEBIMED (Centro de Estudos em Biomedicina), Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Fernando Pessoa, Porto, Portugal INTRODUCTION Long-term cognitive deficits observed on patients treated with systemic chemotherapy, also known as ‘chemobrain’, has been given more attention recently. Doxorubicin (DOX) and mitoxantrone (MTX) are topoisomerase II inhibitors extensively used in a wide range of tumours and despite their effectiveness in cancer treatment, their brain neurotoxicity is poorly understood. AIM Our work aimed to evaluate the underlying neurotoxicity mechanisms of DOX and MTX in the brain of male CD-1 mice of different ages [juvenile (4 weeks), adult (3 months) and old (18–20 months)], after exposure to clinically relevant doses of DOX and MTX. METHODS Mice received biweekly intraperitoneal administrations of each drug, for 3 weeks. MTX-treated mice received a total cumulative dose of 6 mg/kg MTX. Regarding DOX, a total cumulative dose of 18 mg/kg DOX was used for infant and one adult group, while another adult group and the oldest group received a total cumulative dose of 9 mg/kg DOX. Mice were euthanized one week (adults and old animals) or seventeen days (juvenile) after the last injection. To assess the brain's oxidative stress, total glutathione (GSHt), reduced glutathione (GSH), oxidized glutathione (GSSG) levels, and the GSH/GSSG ratio were evaluated. For brain's energetic status evaluation, ATP was measured. Moreover, in adult mice, coronal sections from the left hemisphere were used for immunofluorescent detection of Bax and phosphorylated Tau (pTau) proteins in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. RESULTS Brain levels of GSHt, GSH and GSH/GSSG ratio were decreased in DOX adults (18 mg/kg), while the same DOX regimen increased brain ATP levels in juvenile mice. MTX did not cause significant changes neither in glutathione nor ATP brain levels in the groups tested. Immunocytochemistry revealed that MTX increased the expression of Bax and pTau in the prefrontal cortex. CONCLUSION In summary, MTX and DOX impact the brain differently and their underlying neurotoxicity mechanisms requires further research. Acknowledgements: ARM and VMC acknowledge FCT for their grants: SFRH/BD/129359/2017 and SFRH/BPD/110001/2015, respectively, being the later funded by national funds through FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., under the Norma Transitória – DL57/2016/CP1334/CT0006. This work received financial support from PT national funds (FCT/MCTES, Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia and Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior) through UID/MULTI/04378/2019 (UCIBIO-REQUIMTE Associate Laboratory). The role of quantitative volumetry of computed tomography in the prediction of sequel of subarachnoid hemorrhage Marko Bogić1, Nikola Bakić1, Marijana Basta Nikolić1,2, Jagoš Golubović3,4, Nataša Dragić5,6, Violeta Knežević7,8 1 - University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Medicine Novi Sad, Department of Radiology, 2 -Clinical Center of Vojvodina, Radiology Center, 3 -University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Medicine Novi Sad, Department of Surgery, 4 -Clinical Center of Vojvodina, Neurosurgery Clinic, 5 -University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Medicine Novi Sad, Department of Hygiene, 6 -Institute of Public Health of Vojvodina, Center for Hygiene and Human Ecology, 7 -University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Medicine Novi Sad, Department of Internal Medicine, 8 -Clinical Center of Vojvodina, Nephrology and Imunology Clinic INTRODUCTION Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) of aneurysmal etiology is a disease that affects young adults with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Complications that occur after SAH are vasospasm and hydrocephalus. AIM The aim of this study was to assess the influence and possibility of subarachnoid hemorrhage volume in an initial CT scan as a predictive factor for delayed cerebral ischemia. METHODS This retrospective study included 30 patients treated at the Clinic for Neuro-surgery of the Clinical Center of Vojvodina for spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage of aneurysmal etiology. Non-contrast computed tomography CT was performed on all patients on admission. The extent of SAH and the presence of other fresh intracranial hemorrhages were determined radiologically, that is the presence of acute hydrocephalus, and then finds on the Fisher scale were classified. RESULTS The incidence of complications after SAH is 60% for hydrocephalus and 16.7% for vasospasm. Statistically significant difference was obtained between the amount of blood; intracranially in relation to the presence of complications and the treatment outcome. CONCLUSION Blood volume intracranially, after aneurysm rupture statistically significantly affects both the development of possible complications and the outcome of treatment of patients after SAH. Low-cost Lumbar Puncture Model: Universalization of medical practice in low and middle-income countries socioeconomic context Leonardo Jose Monteiro de Macedo Filho1, Thiago Matos Albuquerque Fonseca1, Paulo Levi Bezerra Martins1, Ian Araujo Moura1, Ana Carolina Albuquerque Aragao1, Lucas Loiola Ponte Albuquerque Ribeiro1, Samir Camara Magalhaes1 1 - University of Fortaleza INTRODUCTION During the academic formation of health professionals, mainly in medical courses, clinical skills are important to adequately meet the demanded clinical knowledge[1–8]. Some training procedures are not suitable to be performed on real patients or actors due to the complexity, discomfort, and potential damage to the lives of those who would volunteer for this process[3,4]. AIM To increase the viability and accessibility of the practice of lumbar puncture between students in the health field, improving the necessary techniques for the good and safe execution of this medical procedure. METHODS This work will be carried out with students from all terms of a medical course in the period 2019 to 2020, who engaged in the activities of lumbar puncture training with a low-cost model made by the Academic League of Neurology, Neurosurgery, Genetics and Psychiatry (LANNGEP). RESULTS For the assembly of the low-cost lumbar puncture model, a total of U$ 14.42 was invested. The model had been built using a mannequin, biscuit dough, cyanoacrylic adhesive and silicone glue, nasogastric tube, and EVA polymer as a reliable representation of the model as material. CONCLUSION Most universities currently offer models for training, but in limited quantity, and with a long time of use, which can cause material wear and, due to their high cost, are not frequently replaced[5,6]. Thus, low-cost models are a solution to the problem presented, since they can be renewed frequently and made in greater quantity, without significantly losing the real feeling of the procedure. In this context, it is expected to improve or develop skills and universalize medical education through low-cost models[1–3,5–6]. Besides, it is believed that the use of this methodology is essential for the composition of teaching and learning consistent with the economic reality of developing countries, being a sustainable and accessible project. Acknowledgements: For our academic league that forges great students in science. References: 1- BENSON, J. E. et al. Design and Evaluation of a Low-Cost Speculum Examination Training Model. Simulation in Healthcare: The Journal of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare. 2017. 2-DANIEL, L.E. et al. A low-cost passive navigation training system for image-guided spinal intervention. World Neurosurgery, 95, 322–328. 2015. 3-DEWAN, M.C. et al. Subspecialty pediatric neurosurgery training: a skill-based training model for neurosurgeons in low-resourced health systems. Neurosurg Focus 45 (4).2018. 4-JAIMOVICH, S. G., et al. Neurosurgical training with simulators: a novel neuroendoscopy model. Child's Nervous System.32(2), 345–349.2015. 5-MASHARI, A., et al (2018). Low-cost three-dimensional printed phantom for neuraxial anesthesia training: Development and comparison to a commercial model. 2018. 6-NETTO, F. A. C. S. et al. Teaching project: a low-cost swine model for chest tube insertion training. Revista Do Colégio Brasileiro de Cirurgiões, 43(1), 60–63. 2016. 7-ODOM, M., et al. Development of a Homemade Spinal Model for Simulation to Teach Ultrasound Guidance for Lumbar Puncture. Neurocritical Care. 2019. 8-OTI, A. T. et al. Development of a laparoscopic training model using a smartphone. Revista Do Colégio Brasileiro de Cirurgiões, 44(5), 471–475. 2017. Quality of life, pain and motor aspects in individuals with cervical dystonia before botulinum toxin injection in a Brazilian tertiary care center Alex Foppa Tames1, André Sobierajski2,3 1 - Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina (UNISUL), Palhoça, SC, Brazil, 2 -Treatment program for spasticity and dystonia with botulinum toxin from Centro Catarinense de Reabilitação, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil, 3 - Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina (UNISUL), Palhoça, SC, Brazil INTRODUCTION Cervical dystonia (CD) is a neurological disorder that affects the basal ganglia circuitry causing intermitente, involuntary and sustained contractions of neck muscles that can be painful [1]. The unexpected absence of muscle control can result in abnormal posture leading to social life interference, stigma and reduced quality of life (QoL) [2]. The discovery of botulinum toxin was beneficial in the treatment of this disorder and has been the therapy of choice [3]. AIM The purpose of this study was to evaluate quality of life, pain and motor aspects in individuals with cervical dystonia before the treatment with botulinum toxin be instituted. METHODS A cross-sectional study including thirty patients with primary CD from the Centro Catarinense de Reabilitação in Florianópolis - Brazil. The patients were evaluated between January and March of 2019 by two validated instruments: Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale [4] to asses motor aspects from severity scale which can range 0- 35 points; and Craniocervical Dystonia Questionnarie-24 [5] to evaluate five domains of QoL, including pain domain, that can range 0–96 points. Data were described as frequencies, mean and standard deviation. The difference between means was established by Student's T test (p < 0.05), from SPSS 18.0. RESULTS Severity scale showed significant association with QoL total points (p = 0,03) which obtained a mean of 18.8 ± 7.8 and 44.4 ± 20.2 points, respectively. There was association between pain domain and QoL total points (p = 0,005). The pain symptom was discribed by 20 (66,6%) individuals and had a positive association with the domains of well-being emotional (p < 0,001), stigma (p = 0,047) and social life (p = 0,036). No relevant results was found between the association of severity scale and pain domain. CONCLUSION Quality of life was significant decreased in CD patients that refered pain symptoms. However, the presence or absence of pain didn’t show association with the various types of CD. Hereupon, it could suggest that the magnitude of pain, expirienced by some patients, could be more related to a well-being emotional deterioration caused by the motor CD symptoms than actually pain being a motor directed cause. These findings may help health professionals to predict which characteristics could lead to worse quality of life, and therefore, better target their interventions to lessen the burden caused by CD. References: 1. Albanese A, Bhatia K, Bressman SB, DeLong MR, Fahn S, Fung VSC, et al. Phenomenology and classification of dystonia: a consensus update. Mov Disord. 2013;28(7):863-873. 2. Van den dool J, Tijssen M, Koelman J, Engelbert R, Visser B. Determinants of disability in cervical dystonia. Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2016;32:48-53 3. Kongsaengdao S, Maneeton B, Maneeton N. Quality of life in cervical dystonia after treatment with botulinum toxin A: a 24-week prospective study. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2017;13:127- 132 4. Consky E, Basinski A, Belle L, Ranawaya R, Lang AE. The Toronto Wetern Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS): assessment of validity and inter-rater reliability. Neurology. 1990;440:455. 5. Muller J, Wisse J, Kemmler G, Bodner T, Schneider A, Wenning GK et al. Craniocervical dystonia questionnaire (CDQ-24) development and validation of a disease-specific quality of lide instrument. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiaty 2004;75:749-753. Clinical Correlation between pathophysiology of ASD and the intestinal microbiota: A meta-analysis. Sarah Raquel Martins Rodrigues1, Giovanna Cecília Freitas Alves de Arruda1, Joëlle Villanova Bezerra Moreira1, Camilla de Andrade Tenorio Cavalcanti2, Maria Eduarda dos Santos Pereira de Oliveira2, Isvânia Maria Serafim da Silva Lopes3 1 - Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE)., 2 - Department of Biological Sciences at Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE)., 3 - Department of Biophysics and Radiobiology at Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE). INTRODUCTION The brain-intestine axis has been increasingly highlighted as a factor related to ASD, since in addition to having a high rate of gastrointestinal complaints, children with ASD have changes in the intestinal microbiota that probably interfere in the nervous system [1,2,3]. The increasing prevalence rates of ASD and its repercussions on individual's life, evidence the need for a greater understanding about the pathophysiology of this disorder [4,5,6,7]. AIM This review aimed to examine what are the main changes in the microbiota of children with ASD that result in worsening of the clinical picture, in relation to neurodevelopment and/or metabolic changes, evidenced from the most recent clinical studies. METHODS For this purpose, a search was performed on the PUBMED, BVS Portal and SCIENCE DIRECT platforms, using the descriptors “Autistic disorder”, “metabolism” and “microbiota”. The PRISMA method and the PICOS model were used to direct this review. Finally, 12 articles were used to analyze the results. Articles with a main theme and methodologies suitable for our purpose were included, without language restriction, and those with non-human guinea pigs or publication prior to 2016 were excluded. RESULTS Significant differences in the composition of the microbiota of individuals with ASD were identified when compared to neurotypicals. Although Actinobactérias, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Proteobactérias are the most abundant in both groups, Burkholderia, Rothia spp., Lactobacillus spp., Desulfovibrio spp, Sutterella, Bacillus, Lachnospira, Lactococcus, Oscillospira, Bilophila and Lachnobacterium predominates in TEA. Also, Neisseria, Moraxella, Gemella, Megasphera and Escherichia coli were outnumbered in neurotypical [1,2,3,4,5,7,8,9,10,11]. In addition to immunomodulation, some of these microorganisms have been linked to the synthesis of metabolites capable of contribute to neurodevelopmental disorder [6,12]. CONCLUSION Hence, the restrictive and repetitive behavioral manifestations typical of ASD might be triggered by multi-causal factors including metabolism altered by the differentiated microbiota [2,3,5]. Acknowledgements: Our gratitude to the advisors and teachers in the neuroscience studies extension project (UFPE). References: 1. KANG, D.; ILHAN, Z.; ISERN, N.; HOYT, D.; HOWSMON, D.; SHAFFER, M.; LOZUPONE, C.; HAHN, J.; ADAMS, J.; KRAJMALNIK-BROWN, R. Differences in fecal microbial metabolites and microbiota of children with autism spectrum disorders. Anaerobe, [s.l.], v. 49, p. 121–131, fev. 2018. Elsevier BV. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anaerobe.2017.12.007. 2. SANCTUARY, M.; KAIN, J.; CHEN, S.; KALANETRA, K.; LEMAY, D.; ROSE, D.; YANG, H.; TANCREDI, D.; GERMAN, J.; SLUPSKY, C. Pilot study of probiotic/colostrum supplementation on gut function in children with autism and gastrointestinal symptoms. Plos One, [s.l.], v. 14, n. 1, p. 1–30, 9 jan. 2019. Public Library of Science (PLoS). http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0210064. 3. TOMOVA, A.; HUSAROVA, V.; LAKATOSOVA, S.; BAKOS, J.; VLKOVA, B.; BABINSKA, K.; OSTATNIKOVA, D. Gastrointestinal microbiota in children with autism in Slovakia. Physiology & Behavior, [s.l.], v. 138, p. 179–187, jan. 2015. Elsevier BV. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2014.10.033. 4. FORSYTH, A.; RASLAN, K.; LYASHENKO, C.; BONA, S.; SNOW, M.; KHOR, B.; HERRMAN, E.; ORTIZ, S.; CHOI, D.; MAIER, T. Children with autism spectrum disorder: pilot studies examining the salivary microbiome and implications for gut metabolism and social behavior: Pilot studies examining the salivary microbiome and implications for gut metabolism and social behavior. Human Microbiome Journal, [s.l.], v. 15, p. 1–7, mar. 2020. Elsevier BV. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.humic.2019.100066. 5. FULCERI, F.; MORELLI, M.; SANTOCCHI, E.; CENA, H.; BIANCO, T.; NARZISI, A.; CALDERONI, S.; MURATORI, F. Gastrointestinal symptoms and behavioral problems in preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Digestive And Liver Disease, [s.l.], v. 48, n. 3, p. 248–254, mar. 2016. Elsevier BV. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dld.2015.11.026. 6. ROSE, D.; YANG, H.; SERENA, G.; STURGEON, C.; MA, B.; CAREAGA, M.; HUGHES, H.; ANGKUSTSIRI, K.; ROSE, M.; HERTZ-PICCIOTTO, I. Differential immune responses and microbiota profiles in children with autism spectrum disorders and co-morbid gastrointestinal symptoms. Brain, Behavior, And Immunity, [s.l.], v. 70, p. 354–368, maio 2018. Elsevier BV. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2018.03.025. 7. KUSHAK, R.; WINTER, H.; BUIE, T.; COX, S.; PHILLIPS, C.; WARD, N. Analysis of the Duodenal Microbiome in Autistic Individuals. Journal Of Pediatric Gastroenterology And Nutrition, [s.l.], v. 64, n. 5, p. 110–116, maio 2017. Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health). http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/mpg.0000000000001458. 8. GRIMALDI, R.; GIBSON, G.; VULEVIC, J.; GIALLOUROU, N.; CASTRO-MEJÍA, Josué L.; HANSEN, L.; GIBSON, E.; NIELSEN, D.; COSTABILE, A. A prebiotic intervention study in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Microbiome, [s.l.], v. 6, n. 1, p. 1–13, 2 ago. 2018. Springer Science and Business Media LLC. http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s40168-018-0523-3. 9. HICKS, S; UHLIG, R.; AFSHARI, P.; WILLIAMS, J.; CHRONEOS, M.; TIERNEY-AVES, C.; WAGNER, K.; MIDDLETON, F. Oral microbiome activity in children with autism spectrum disorder. Autism Research, [s.l.], v. 11, n. 9, p. 1286–1299, 14 ago. 2018. Wiley. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/aur.1972. 10. LI, N.; YANG, J.; ZHANG, J.; LIANG, C.; WANG, Y.; CHEN, B.; ZHAO, C.; WANG, J.; ZHANG, G.; ZHAO, D. Correlation of Gut Microbiome Between ASD Children and Mothers and Potential Biomarkers for Risk Assessment. Genomics, Proteomics & Bioinformatics, [s.l.], v. 17, n. 1, p. 26–38, fev. 2019. Elsevier BV. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gpb.2019.01.002. 11. ZHAI, Q.; CEN, S.; JIANG, J.; ZHAO, J.; ZHANG, H.; CHEN, W. Disturbance of trace element and gut microbiota profiles as indicators of autism spectrum disorder: a pilot study of chinese children: A pilot study of Chinese children. Environmental Research, [s.l.], v. 171, p. 501–509, abr. 2019. Elsevier BV. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2019.01.060. 12. KUSHAK, R.; WINTER, H.; BUIE, T.; COX, S.; PHILLIPS, C.; WARD, N. Analysis of the Duodenal Microbiome in Autistic Individuals. Journal Of Pediatric Gastroenterology And Nutrition, [s.l.], v. 64, n. 5, p. 110–116, maio 2017. Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health). http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/mpg.0000000000001458. 13. CARISSIMI, C.; LAUDADIO, I.; PALONE, F.; FULCI, V.; CESI, V.; CARDONA, F.; ALFONSI, C.; CUCCHIARA, S.; ISOLDI, S.; STRONATI, L. Functional analysis of gut microbiota and immunoinflammation in children with autism spectrum disorders. Digestive And Liver Disease, [s.l.], v. 51, n. 10, p. 1366–1374, out. 2019. Elsevier BV. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dld.2019.06.006. HISTOLOGICAL AND COGNITIVE ANALYSIS FROM NIMESULIDE TREATMENT IN PARKINSON DISEASE EXPERIMENTAL C57BL/6 MICE MODEL Letícia Nunes Campos1, Brayan Marques da Costa2, Júlio Cesar Dias de Melo Silva3,4, Ana Clara Santos Costa2, Yasmim Lopes de Moraes3,5, Débora Dantas Nucci2, Matheus Cézar dos Santos Alves1, Isabela Cristina de Farias Andrade2, Gabriele Rodrigues Rangel2, Sura Wanessa Santos Rocha2 1 - Faculty of Medicine, Universidade de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil, 2 -Faculty of Biological Sciences, Universidade de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil, 3 -Faculty of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife-PE, Brazil, 4 -Nursing Department, Faculdade de Ciências Humanas de Olinda, Recife, Brazil, 5 -Faculdade Frassinetti do Recife, Recife, Brazil INTRODUCTION Although dopaminergic agonists are considered the gold standard treatment for Parkinson Disease (PD), dopaminergic- resistant symptoms still require drugs to be attenuated [1]. Since nimesulide (Nim) influences distinct inflammatory mechanisms [2], evaluating its therapeutic properties for PD becomes vital. AIM To analyze Nim effects on experimental PD induced by LPS in C57BL/6J mice. METHODS This study was approved by the Universidade de Pernambuco Ethics Committee in the Use of Animals, under protocol number 004/2018. Both 10–11 weeks old male and female C57BL/6J mice were divided into control; Nim; PD; and PD + Nim groups, for an 8 weeks experiment. PD was induced by administrating 5 mg/kg LPS (i.p) twice, on a 2 weeks interval. After the first LPS injection, Nim (10 mg/kg) was administered orally to Nim and PD + Nim groups. Rotarod test was performed 3 times with all animals, on 2 weeks intervals. Mice were positioned on a horizontally oriented rotating cylinder with auto-acceleration from 5 to 40 rpm. Aiming to assess motor activity, the latency time of each animal was recorded [3]. Ended the experiment, brains were processed to histopathology in hematoxylin and eosin. Data was statistically appraised by ANOVA one-way with Dunnett's and Tukey's tests, using GraphPad Prism v.05. RESULTS PD + Nim male group showed higher performance on the Rotarod test, compared to other groups (p < 0.05). Nevertheless, this effect was not observed on females performance. Regarding histopathology, a low degree of neuroinflammatory damage and reactive glial cells were seen in PD + Nim males, in comparison to PD males. Interestingly, both PD and PD + Nim females demonstrated preserved brain tissue morphology. CONCLUSION The results, especially from male groups, indicate an optimistic application of Nim to mitigate neuroinflammation induced by PD. Furthermore, the physiological differences between sexes demand further investigation to improve the experimental model. Keywords: Parkinson Disease; Neurodegeneration; Nimesulide. Acknowledgements: Fundação de Amparo à Ciência e Tecnologia de Pernambuco (FACEPE) – Institutional Scientific Initiation Scholarship Program. Fundação Oswaldo Cruz FIOCRUZ – Aggeu Magalhães Institute (Recife, Brazil). References: 1. Elkouzi A, Vedam-Mai V, Eisinger RS, Okun MS. Emerging therapies in Parkinson disease — repurposed drugs and new approaches. Nat Rev Neurol [Internet]. 2019;15(4):204–23. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41582-019-0155-7 2. Caiazzo E, Ialenti A, Cicala C. The relatively selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor nimesulide: What's going on? Eur J Pharmacol [Internet]. 2019;848(April 2019):105–11. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejphar.2019.01.044 3. Lin X, Parisiadou L, Sgobio C, Liu G, Yu J, Sun L, et al. Conditional expression of Parkinson's disease-related mutant α-synuclein in the midbrain dopaminergic neurons causes progressive neurodegeneration and degradation of transcription factor nuclear receptor related 1. J Neurosci. 2012;32(27):9248–64. Autism spectrum disorder: an in vitro assay of the pathophysiology behind the SCN2A and RENL genes Moisés Santana Oliveira1,2,3, Bruno Solano de Freitas Souza1,3, Erik Aranha Rossi1,3, Luciana Souza De Aragão França1,3, Dandara Alana dos Santos Alcântara1,3, Carolina Kymie Vasques Nonaka1, Bruno Raphael Ribeiro Cavalcante1, Gabriel de Araújo Grisi1,2, Ana Beatriz Gouveia de Almeida1,2 1 - Centro de Biotecnologia e Terapia Celular, 2 -Escola Bahiana de Medina e Saúde Pública, 3 -Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ) INTRODUCTION The incidence of autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) is growing, but the pathophysiology and the etiology is still uncertain. This disorder is caused by genetic and environmental factors causality, with the SCN2A and RELN genes being the most prominent associated to ASD. AIM Hence, this study aims to investigate the role of SCN2A and RELN genes at ASD phenotype expression. METHODS Previously produced induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) lineages from healthy donors (EA1, EB4), SCN2A gene knockout (EB4CRISPR) and autistic patient (iM5) with this mutation proceed to cerebral organoids and neurospheres generation. Following maturation, their immunofluorescence analysis were performed. For statistical assay were used One-way ANOVA test with Tukey's post-test for multiple comparisons. RESULTS iM5 embryoid bodies didn’t develop cerebral organoids, in contrast to EB4 and EA1. All NSCs were cell-type validated with Q-PCR, indicating higher iM5 differentiation. iM5 neurospheres had atypical morphology and smaller neuronal extensions when compared with others at immunofluorescence. Also, knockout clone kept migrating and growing more than iM5 one – this clone also had a mutation at genes like RELN. At last, iM5 cultivated with conditioned medium (50% neurospheres basal medium and 50% medium collected from other neurospheres) from knockout clone showed better growing and migration, compared with healthy cells conditioned or basal mediums iM5 cultures. CONCLUSION Normal migration of knockout clone when compared with impaired one from iM5, improoved with conditionated medium, indicates that SCN2A doesn’t have a main role at neuronal migration and leads to hypothesys that RELN is related to neuronal migration and growth. More experiments are needed to confirm this results. Neurosciences CLINICAL-RADIOLOGICAL CORRELATION IN THE NEUROLOGICAL EVALUATION OF PATIENTS WITH MUCOPOLYSACCHARIDOSIS TYPE IVA Wilker John Barreto1, Beatriz Bezerra de Oliveira1, Maria das Graças Loureiro das Chagas Campêlo1,2, Rayana Elias Maia2,3, Paula Frassineti Vasconcelos de Medeiros1,2, Alexandre Magno da Nóbrega Marinho1,2 1 - Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG), Paraíba, Brazil, 2 -Hospital Universitário Alcides Carneiro (HUAC), Paraíba, Brazil, 3 -Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB), Paraíba, Brazil INTRODUCTION Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) is a rare genetic disease, inborn error in the lysossomal metabolism of glycosaminoglycans, leading to systemic changes with large spectrum [1]. Brazil is the second country with the highest incidence of MPS in the world, only lower than Portugal [2]. Mucopolysaccharidosis IVA, or Morquio's Syndrome, is caused by a deficiency of N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulfatase and it has neurological repercussions as morbidity factors [3,4]. AIM The present study aimed to perform a clinical-radiological correlation of the neurological impairment of patients with MPS IVA, by physical examination and spine magnetic resonance (MRI) findings. METHODS The observational, cross-sectional and descriptive research involved ten patients with MPS IVA, all over the age of 18 years, whose mean age was 32.5 years (± 10.2), ranging from 18 to 49 years, with a biochemical diagnosis confirmed at mean age of 25 years (± 14), ranging from 1.5 to 45.5 years, followed up in a brazilian northeast hospital. RESULTS Neurological examination identified several degrees of atrophy, motor weakness and tone muscle changes, with hypotonia found in the ten patients evaluated. Deep tendon reflexes were graded as absent, diminished, normal or hyperactive and Babinski's reflex was present in 50% of them. MRI showed hypoplasia of odontoid and generalized platyspondilia in all samples, with 90% of patients presenting myelomalacia and cervical stenosis. CONCLUSION No direct clinical-radiological correspondence was stablished: the presence of paresis, hyperreflexia and Babinski's sign was not equivalent in terms of intensity in relation to the radiological findings. This finding is in line with the literature and suggests that neurological impairment in patients with MPS IVA seems to involve other factors, such as peripheral neuropathies and osteoarticular disorders, in addition to anatomical changes in the central nervous system [5,6,7,8]. Thus, a multidisciplinary and early approach to patients would be the most appropriate form of assessment, follow-up and management. Acknowledgements: This research was developed as an academic research program. We acknowledge Alexandre Magno da Nóbrega Marinho and Maria das Graças Loureiro das Chagas Campêlo, for encouraging research and teaching, and to Paula Frassinetti Vasconcelos de Medeiros, Rayana Elias Maia and the entire Medical Genetics team at HUAC, for all the support and provision of necessary information and data. Futhermore, we thank the patients and their families for their full willingness and participation. References: [1] Harmatz, P. et al. The Morquio A Clinical Assessment Program: Baseline results illustrating progressive, multisystemic clinical impairments in Morquio A subjects. Molecular Genetics and Metabolism, v. 109, n. 1, p. 54–61, 2013; [2] Pinto, R., Caseiro, C., Lemos, M., Lopes, L., Fontes, A., Ribeiro, H., … Ribeiro, I. (2004). Prevalence of lysosomal storage diseases in Portugal. European Journal of Human Genetics, 12(2), 87–92; [3] Mollmann, C. et al. Development of a Scoring System to Evaluate the Severity of Craniocervical Spinal Cord Compression in Patients with Mucopolysaccharidosis IVA (Morquio A Syndrome). JIMD reports, v. 11, p. 65–72, 2013; [4] Nelson et al. Clinical findings in 12 patients with MPS IVA (Morquio's disease). Clinical Genetics, v.33: p. 126–130, 1988; [5] Baratela W A R et al. Cervicothoracic Myelopathy in Children With Morquio Syndrome A: A Report of 4 Cases. J Pediatr Orthop, Volume 34, Number 2. 223–228, 2014; [6] Borlot F et al. Mucopolysaccharidosis Type IVA: Evidence of Primary and Secondary Central Nervous System Involvement. Am J Med Genet Part A, v. 64A: p. 1162–1169, 2014; [7] Ebara S et al. A case of mucopolysaccharidosis IV with lower leg paresis due to thoraco-lumbar kyphoscoliosis. Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, v. 10(3), p. 358–361, 2003; [8] Hughes D G et al. MRI of the brain and craniocervical junction in Morquio's disease. Neuroradiology, v. 39: p. 381–385, 1997. A Brazilian epidemiologic study of traumatic brain injury Gustavo Marques Miranda1, Raquel Araújo Lucas Novack1, Patricia Lelis Marques2, Amanda Ribeiro Dias3, Dellaiane Caroline Barbosa4, Diélitha Aparecida de Paula3, Isadora Pereira Brito5, Josué da Silva Brito6, Nicollas Nunes Rabelo6, Amador Alves Santos3, Gabriel Nojosa Oliveira7, Luiza Rodrigues Oliveira8 1 - FAMP - Faculdade Morgana Potrich, Goiás, Brazil, 2 - UNIFG (Centro Universitário FG), Campus São Sebastião, Brazil, 3 - Universidade de Rio Verde - campus Goianésia, Goiás, Brazil, 4 - UNIG (Universidade Iguaçu) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 5 - Universidade de Rio Verde - campus Aparecida Go, 6 - Centro Universitário Atenas, Paracatu, Minas Gerais, Brasil, 7 - Centro universitario christus - Brazil, 8-Universidade de Rio Verde - campus Rio Verde Goiás, Brazi INTRODUCTION Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is the major morbimortality causa of young adults and children. In North American and Europe, the mortality rate varies between 8.4–23.6 deaths per 100,000 population. According to the Glasgow Coma Scale, the TBI can classify in mild (GCS > 12), moderate (GCS 9–12), or severe (GCS < 9). AIM Identification of Brazilians with traumatic brain injury through a retrospective and qualitative study, where we researched patients with TBI treated at a trauma center. METHODS In this retrospective and qualitative study, we search the profiles of patients affected by TBI seen at a Trauma Center in between 2007–2017, excluding medical records that did not have a record of identification, demographics, admission and outcome. The examined data in this study included a demographic, etiologic, clinic, and computed tomography (CT) scan results. RESULTS The study included 1347 patients (82.1% male; mean age 36.4 years, CI 95% 35.4–37.5). TBI was predominant in young adults (29.7%, p < 0.001, OR: 1.49; CI 95%: 1.15–1.93; p: 0.003). Mild TBI is predominant (56.6%), followed by severe (30.6%) and moderate TBI (12.8%). The most common cause of TBI was traffic-accidents, regardless of severity rating. They were the main etiology associated with severe TBI (OR: 1.54; CI95%: 1.21–1.97, p < 0,001). Severe TBI also presented a greater significance of tomographic alteration (90.8%; p < 0.001) and presence of chest and abdominal trauma (OR: 1.65. 95% CI: 1.29–2.10; p < 0.001). The average hospital stay was also higher in severe TBI 16.8 days (16.4–17.2). The study shows a significant association between moderate TBI (OR: 3.31; CI95%: 1.95–5.60, p < 0,001) and severe TBI (OR: 12.78; CI95%: 8.76–18.64, p < 0,001) with the death outcome. CONCLUSION The mild TBI is predominant in Brazilian studies, however CRASH found a higher frequency of severe TBI in poor countries. The exclusion of GCS 15 patients explains the different results. Conclusion: The Brazilian epidemiological characterization demonstrates the need for more efficient traffic accident prevention programs, the main cause of TBI, and serious events. References: 1-Correia MM. Perfil do traumatismo cranioencefálico e sua associação prognóstica com a dosagem sérica de creatinina à admissão [dissertação]. Uberaba: Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro; 2019. 2-Perel P, Arango M, Clayton T, Edwards P, et al. Predicting outcome after traumatic brain injury: practical prognostic models based on large cohort of international patients. BMJ 2008 Feb 23; 336(7641):425–9. doi: 10.1136/bmj.39461.643438.25. 3- Maximino NP. Perfil epidemiológico do traumatismo crânio encefálico em Unidade de Terapia Intensiva referenciada [Dissertação]. São Paulo: Universidade Estadual Paulista, 2018. 4- Alvis-Miranda HR. Craniocerebral Gunshot Injuries; A Review of the Current Literature. Bulletin of emergency and trauma 2016; 4(2):65–74. 5- Senkowski CK, McKenney MG. Trauma Scoring Systems: A Review. Journal of the American College of Surgeons 1999; 189:491–503. 6- Lanno E, Rietvelde VF, Colardyn F, Lemmerling M, et al. Early Predictors of Mortality and Morbidity After Severe Closed Head Injury. Journal of Neurotrauma. 2000 May 17(5):403–414. 7- Colantonio A. Trends in hospitalization associated with traumatic brain injury in a publicly insured population, 1992–2002. Journal of Trauma - Injury, Infection and Critical Care 2009; 66(1):179-183. Oncology & Molecular Biology High frequency of CHEK2 mutations in patients with multiple primary tumors. Galina Medvedeva1,4, Svetlana Aleksakhina1, Alexander Ivantsov1,2, Tatyana Sokolova1, Sophia Baskina1, Aglaya Iyevleva1,2, Evgeny Imyanitov1,2,3 1 - Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, N.N. Petrov National Medical Research Center of Oncology, St.-Petersburg, Russia., 2 -St.-Petersburg Pediatric Medical University, St.-Petersburg, Russia., 3 -I.I. Mechnikov North-Western Medical University, St.-Petersburg, Russia., 4 -Saint-Petersburg State Institute of Technology. St.-Petersburg, Russia. INTRODUCTION Germline mutations in the cell cycle checkpoint kinase 2 (CHEK2) tumor suppressor gene have been linked to a wide range of cancers [1]. CHEK2 is the one of major genes for breast cancer predisposition [2]. It is expected that CHEK2 mutations predispose to multiple primary cancers of the breast and thyroid [3]. However, the distribution of CHEK2 mutations in multiple primary tumors cases has not been yet sufficiently investigated. AIM To assess the frequency of CHEK2 mutations in patients with multiple primary tumors. METHODS The study included 35 multiple primary tumors patients (combination of breast and thyroid cancer). Peripheral leucocyte DNA samples were genotyped for Slavic founder CHEK2 mutations (1100delC, del5395, and IVS2 + 1G > A), using real- time allele-specific PCR [4,5]. Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of the CHEK2 in breast tumors (tumor tissue was available in 3 cases) was assessed by comparison of status of informative polymorphism alleles in paired tumor and normal DNA samples by digital droplet PCR. To calculate the odds ratio, we used the database of genotyped controls obtained earlier. RESULTS CHEK2 mutations was detected in 5 of 35(14.3%) multiple primary tumors cases: 2 CHEK2 1100delC (5.7%), 2 CHEK2 IVS2+1G > A (5.7%), 1 CHEK2 del5395 (2.9%). LOH analysis was performed in 3 tumors, and revealed no instance of somatic loss of the wild-type allele. CONCLUSION In this report CHEK2 variants demonstrated elevated occurrence (14.3%, 5 of 35) in double primary cancers of the breast and thyroid cases (OR 28.3; 95% CI: 8.2 to 97.8; P < 0.0001). The differences in age of onset, family history and histologic subtype were not statistically significant, but most of CHEK2 carriers had positive family history (4/5, 80%). Acknowledgements: This work has been supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (grant number 17-29-06046). References: 1. CHEK2 checkpoint kinase 2. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Search database: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/11200 (12.02.2020) 2. Pfeifer, W. Sokolenko, A.P. et al. (2014). Breast cancer sensitivity to neoadjuvant therapy in BRCA1 and CHEK2 mutation carriers and non-carriers. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment 148, 675–683. 3. Siolek, M. Cybulski, C. Gąsior-Perczak, D. et al. (2015). CHEK2 mutations and the risk of papillary thyroid cancer. International Journal of Cancer 137(3), 548-552. 4. Chekmariova, E.V. Sokolenko, A.P. Buslov, K.G. et al. (2006). CHEK2 1100delC mutation is frequent among Russian breast cancer patients. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment 100, 99–102. 5. Sokolenko, A.P., Rozanov, M.E., Mitiushkina, N.V. et al. (2007). Founder mutations in early-onset, familial and bilateral breast cancer patients from Russia. Familial Cancer 6, 281– 286. Preventative effect of Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) against induction of bladder cancer (BC) in a rat model Yara A. Elshennawi1 1 - Mansoura University Egypt INTRODUCTION The available data in urological literature regarding the role of n-3 PUFAs in the field of BC chemo-prevention are scarce and conflicting. The present work aims to test the chemo-preventative effects of n-3 PUFAs against BC induction in a rat model and the potential anti-neoplastic mechanisms of the drug. AIM The role of n-3 PUFAs in the field of BC chemo-prevention are conflecting. It aims to test the chemo-preventative effects of n-3 PUFAs against BC induction in a rat model and the potential anti-neoplastic mechanisms of the drug. METHODS Ninety male Fisher rats were divided into 3 groups during a 22-week protocol: group 1 (control), group 2 (Placebo+ N- butyl-N-4-hydroxybutyl nitrosamine (BBN) for induction of BC) and group 3 received n-3 PUFAs at a daily dose of 1200 mg/kg/day + BBN (figure 1). At the end, blood samples and bladder tissues were collected and checked for the presence of malignancy, markers of angiogenesis (CD34 expression and VEGF relative gene expression), inflammation (IL-6), proliferation (KI-67 expressions), redox status (serum MDA) and epigenetic control (miRNA-145 level). RESULTS Survival was [30/30 rats (100%),18/30 (60%) and 26/30(86.6%)] for group (1,2 and 3 respectively). There was significant weight loss among rats in group 2 (carcinogen) when compared with n-3PUFAs rats(group 3) P. value < 0.001. The frequency of neoplastic and paraneoplastic lesions was less in group 3 when compared with group 2 (table.1). Staining for CD34 expression and KI-67 were less in group 3 when compared with group 2. Moreover, there were significant up regulation of miRNA-145 expression (tumor suppressor) in group 3 when compared with group 2. Finally, there were significant lower VEGF, IL-6 and serum MDA levels in group 3 when compared with the group 2 (table.2). We also managed to prove that our modification of the dose was not harmful and tolerated by rats. CONCLUSION The n-3 PUFAs at our modified dose were able to inhibit tumor growth in the BBN induced rat model of BC, which might be due to anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-proliferative, and anti-angiogenic properties together with epigenetic control. The comparison between the two most common histological subtypes of breast cancer – invasive ductal and invasive lobular breast carcinoma Marta Fudalej1, Sylwia Jopek2, Aleksandra Sobiborowicz1, Agnieszka Borowiec1, Andrzej Deptała3, Anna M. Badowska- Kozakiewicz3 1 - Students’ Scientific Organization of Cancer Cell Biology, Department of Cancer Prevention, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland, 2 -Students’ Scientific Organization of Medical Law, Department of Health Economics and Medical Law, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland, 3 -Department of Cancer Prevention, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland INTRODUCTION Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) accounts for 8–14% of all cases of breast cancer [1]. In comparison to invasive ductal carcinoma, ILC is reported to be more common among older patients, form larger tumors, present with ill-defined margins and have higher rate of contralateral breast relapse [1,2] in many clinicopathological studies [3,4,5,6,7,8]. AIM The main aim of the study was to conduct extensive comparison encompassing clinicopathological features including patients’ age, histological grade, tumor size, nodal and receptors’ status between two most common invasive breast cancers – ductal and lobular ones. METHODS Histological preparations obtained from 651 patients suffering from breast cancer, stained with hematoxylin and eosin were used to identify tumor type grading. Samples underwent a basic molecular profile evaluation entailing ER, PR and HER2 expression. RESULTS 592 cases of IDC and 59 cases of ILC were detected. Median age of patients diagnosed with either histological subtype was found to be 60. While there were no statistically significant differences between IDC and ILC in nodal status and tumor size for all age groups, there was one as far as grading is concerned. ER+/PR+/HER2- status had the highest prevalence in both groups. Both estrogen and progesterone receptor expression were positive in vast majority of ILC and just over half of IDC cases. No HER2 amplification was noted in most cases of both cancer subtypes. CONCLUSION Striking contrast between IDC and ILC prognosis still cannot be established. ILC is suggested to be diagnosed significantly more frequently in patients over 50 years of age [3,4,7,9]. Majority of ILC tumors are classified as G2 [7,10,11,12], however no clear differences in local advancement of ILC and IDC at the diagnosis are detected. ER+/PR+/HER2- hormone status is the most commonly reported one, with HER2+ proved to be an independent prognostic factor associated with worse survival outcomes. References: 1. Cao AY, Huang L, Wu J, Lu JS, Liu GY, Shen ZZ, et al. Tumor characteristics and the clinical outcome of invasive lobular carcinoma compared to infiltrating ductal carcinoma in a Chinese population. World J Surg Oncol. 2012;10:152. 2. Moran MS, Yang Q, Haffty BG. The Yale University experience of early-stage invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) and invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) treated with breast conservation treatment (BCT): analysis of clinical-pathologic features, long-term outcomes, and molecular expression of COX-2, Bcl-2, and p53 as a function of histology. Breast J. 2009;15(6):571–8. 3. Arpino G, Bardou VJ, Clark GM, Elledge RM. Infiltrating lobular carcinoma of the breast: tumor characteristics and clinical outcome. Breast Cancer Res. 2004;6(3):R149–56. 4. Gonzalez-Angulo AM, Sahin A, Krishnamurthy S, Yang Y, Kau SW, Hortobagyi GN, et al. Biologic markers in axillary node-negative breast cancer: differential expression in invasive ductal carcinoma versus invasive lobular carcinoma. Clin Breast Cancer. 2006;7(5):396–400. 5. Mersin H, Yildirim E, Gulben K, Berberoglu U. Is invasive lobular carcinoma different from invasive ductal carcinoma? Eur J Surg Oncol. 2003;29(4):390–5. 6. Orvieto E, Maiorano E, Bottiglieri L, Maisonneuve P, Rotmensz N, Galimberti V, et al. Clinicopathologic characteristics of invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast: results of an analysis of 530 cases from a single institution. Cancer. 2008;113(7):1511-20. 7. Pestalozzi BC, Zahrieh D, Mallon E, Gusterson BA, Price KN, Gelber RD, et al. Distinct clinical and prognostic features of infiltrating lobular carcinoma of the breast: combined results of 15 International Breast Cancer Study Group clinical trials. J Clin Oncol. 2008;26(18):3006–14. 8. Winchester DJ, Chang HR, Graves TA, Menck HR, Bland KI, Winchester DP. A comparative analysis of lobular and ductal carcinoma of the breast: presentation, treatment, and outcomes. J Am Coll Surg. 1998;186(4):416–22. 9. Zengel B, Yararbas U, Duran A, Uslu A, Eliyatkin N, Demirkiran MA, et al. Comparison of the clinicopathological features of invasive ductal, invasive lobular, and mixed (invasive ductal + invasive lobular) carcinoma of the breast. Breast Cancer. 2015;22(4):374–81. 10. Biglia N, Maggiorotto F, Liberale V, Bounous VE, Sgro LG, Pecchio S, et al. Clinical-pathologic features, long term-outcome and surgical treatment in a large series of patients with invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) and invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). Eur J Surg Oncol. 2013;39(5):455–60. 11. Brouckaert O, Laenen A, Smeets A, Christiaens MR, Vergote I, Wildiers H, et al. Prognostic implications of lobular breast cancer histology: new insights from a single hospital cross- sectional study and SEER data. Breast. 2014;23(4):371–7. 12. Bharat A, Gao F, Margenthaler JA. Tumor characteristics and patient outcomes are similar between invasive lobular and mixed invasive ductal/lobular breast cancers but differ from pure invasive ductal breast cancers. Am J Surg. 2009;198(4):516–9. Epi-Drugs: Effect on PCa cell lines Filipa Moreira-Silva1,2, Vânia Camilo1, Xabier Agirre3, Felipe Prosper3,4, Rui Henrique1,5,6, Carmen Jerónimo1,6 1 - Cancer Biology and Epigenetics Group, IPO Porto Research Center (CI-IPOP), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto), Porto, Portugal, 2 -Master in Oncology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar-University of Porto (ICBAS-UP), Porto, Portugal, 3 -Area de Hemato-Oncología, Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada, IDISNA, Ciberonc, Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain, 4 -Departamento de Hematología, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain, 5-Department of Pathology, Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO-Porto), Porto, Portugal, 6 -Department of Pathology and Molecular Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar-University of Porto (ICBAS-UP), Porto, Portugal INTRODUCTION Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most common malignancy among men and 30% of the patients will progress to a castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). CRPC presents several epigenetic alterations, being DNA hypermethylation and histone modifications the most studied. Several epigenetic enzymes are responsible for the referred processes, specifically, DNMT1 and G9a/EHMT2, which are overexpressed in CRPC. Moreover, in 2006, Estève et al reported that these enzymes work together during DNA replication. Consequently, targeting both G9a and DNMT1 could be a promising tool for CRPC treatment. AIM Assess the phenotypic responses of different PCa (DU145, PC-3, LNCaP) and non-malignant cell lines (RWPE, WPMY-1) to CM-272, which is a dual small and reversible inhibitor against methyltransferase activity of G9a and DNMT1. METHODS To verify if DNMT1 and G9a are overexpressed in CRPC, an immunohistochemistry was performed in a cohort of 33 samples of localized PCa and 33 of CRPC. Afterwards all the cell lines of interest were treated with increasing concentrations of CM-272. The effect of this Epi-Drug on cell viability, proliferation and apoptosis was evaluated using resazurin viability assay, BrdU assay and ApoPercentage™ assay. RESULTS We detected a significant higher expression of both DNMT1 and G9a in CRPC, when compared to localized PCa tissues. Furthermore, DU145, PC-3 and LNCaP cell lines treated with CM-272 depicted reduced cell viability and proliferation alongside with increased apoptosis, in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, this Epi-Drug display no significant influence on cell viability and proliferation in the non-malignant cell lines. CONCLUSION Our findings support the hypothesis that the dual inhibition of DNMT1 and G9a constitutes a promising approach for CRPC management. Endometriosis and the Heart – Could Metformin affect anti-aging Sirtuin expression? Rodrigo Felgueiras1,2, Catarina Neto1,2, Adriana Rodrigues1,2, Alexandra Gouveia1,2,3, Henrique Almeida1,2, Delminda Neves1,2 1 - Department of Biomedicine - Experimental Biology Unit, Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto, 4200–319 Porto, Portugal, 2 -Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (I3S), 4200–135 Porto, Portugal, 3 -Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Porto, 4200–465 Porto, Portugal INTRODUCTION Endometriosis is characterized by the presence of endometrial glands and stroma in extrauterine locations. Besides pain and gynecological symptoms, women with endometriosis present a higher risk of adverse cardiovascular events. It has also already been shown that endometrial tissue presents overexpression of SIRT1 [1], a gene with oncoprotective and stem-cell preserving functions. It is a recognized anti-aging molecule, however, in defined conditions, certain oncogenic properties could be attributed to SIRT1. AIM Our aim is to study whether Metformin, an Insulin-sensitizing medication, intervenes on the expression of SIRT1 and SIRT3 in heart cells of mice with surgically-induced Endometriosis. METHODS A total of 40 B6CBA/F1 mice were divided into 4 groups: Control (C; sham-operated), Metformin (M), Endometriosis (E) and Endometriosis with Metformin (EM). Metformin was administrated orally, 50 mg/kg/day in drinking water for 3 months. After tissue harvest, the expression of SIRT1 and SIRT3 was assessed by double immunofluorescence labelling, using α-actin detection simultaneously to identify smooth muscle cells. RESULTS Fluorescence microscope imaging clearly evidences expression of SIRT1 and SIRT3 on the heart cells of all groups of animals. Both proteins are predominantly expressed on the endothelial cells, in proximity to the smooth muscle layer, however without co-localization. CONCLUSION The expression of both SIRT1 and SIRT3 is clearly present on all samples. While fluorescence intensity differences are mild, work is already underway for semi-quantitative analysis of SIRT1 and SIRT3 expression through Western Blotting. We eagerly await these further results, which could reveal a previously unknown action of metformin as a possible therapeutic agent for endometriosis-associated cardiovascular disease. References: 1. Mvunta, D.H., et al., Overexpression of SIRT1 is Associated With Poor Outcomes in Patients With Ovarian Carcinoma. Applied Immunohistochemistry & Molecular Morphology,2017. 25(6):415-21. Metformin impact on ET-1, iNOS, eNOS, VEGF and VEGFR-2 cardiac expression on a novel mouse-model of endometriosis Ana Filipa Martins1,2, Ana Catarina Neto1,2, Adriana Raquel Rodrigues1,2, Alexandra Maria Gouveia1,2,3, Henrique Almeida1,2, Delminda Neves1,2 1 - Department of Biomedicine - Experimental Biology Unit, Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto, 4200–319 Porto, Portugal, 2 -Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (I3S), 4200–135 Porto, Portugal, 3 -Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Porto, 4200–465 Porto, Portugal INTRODUCTION Endometriosis, an ectopic growth of endometrial glands and stroma, associates with endocrine, metabolic, inflammatory and angiogenic dysregulation and increases the risk for cardiovascular diseases. The expression of multiple regulators of vascular function, such as ET-1 (endothelin-1), a vasoconstrictor, iNOS (inducible nitric oxide synthase), involved in inflammatory response and endothelial protective eNOS, could be impaired. As well, pro-angiogenic pathways involving VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) and its receptor VEGFR-2, could be activated. Currently available treatments are based on symptoms alleviation and do not consider cardiovascular risk in patients. Indeed, we hypothesize that metformin, an insulin-sensitizing and anti-inflammatory drug, could be an option to lessen the cardiovascular burden in endometriosis. AIM We aimed to characterize the cardiac expression of VEGF, VEGFR-2, iNOS, eNOS and ET-1 on a mouse-model of endometriosis treated with metformin. METHODS 37 B6CBA/F1 mice were divided into 4 groups: S–sham operated, M–treated with metformin (50 mg/kg/day-3 months), E–endometriosis, and EM–endometriosis treated with metformin. Proteins expression were detected by dual- immunolabelling on heart sections. ET-1 expression was assayed by western blotting. RESULTS In all experimental groups, ET-1 was found on muscular vascular cells and iNOS and eNOS on the endothelium and endocardium. VEGF was detected on muscular vascular cells and myocardium. VEGFR-2 was observed on the endothelium, endocardium and muscular vascular cells. ET-1 was identified by a 24 kDa single band. No significant differences were observed among the groups, however, a decreasing tendency that almost reached statistical significance for ET-1 expression was group EM (p = 0,08), comparatively with group E. CONCLUSION In this study we established the expression pattern, on a qualitative approach, of several proteins involved in the vascular response to endometriosis in the heart. Data suggest that metformin downregulates the expression of ET-1, which could confer cardiovascular protection. The semi-quantitative analysis of the remaining vascular regulators is in progress. Urinary volatile signature of bladder cancer as a tool for non-invasive diagnosis Ângela Carapito1,2, Filipa Amaro2, Ana Rita Lima2, Carina Carvalho-Maia3,4, Carmen Jerónimo3,4,5, Rui Henrique3,4,5, Maria de Lourdes Bastos2, Paula Guedes de Pinho2, Joana Pinto2 1 - Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050–313, Porto, Portugal, 2 -UCIBIO/REQUIMTE, Department of Biological Sciences, Laboratory of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050–313, Porto, Portugal, 3 -Cancer Biology & Epigenetics Group, Research Centre (CI-IPOP) Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto), 4200–072, Porto, Portugal, 4 -Department of Pathology, Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto), 4200–072, Porto, Portugal, 5 -Department of Pathology and Molecular Immunology-Biomedical Sciences Institute (ICBAS), University of Porto, 4050–313, Porto, Portugal INTRODUCTION Bladder cancer (BC) is the 10th most common form of cancer worldwide, having higher incidence and mortality rates in men compared with women [1]. Current standard diagnostic methods include urinary cystoscopy and cytology. Though, both methods have important drawbacks including invasiveness (cystoscopy) and low sensitivity for low-grade tumors (cytology). Hence, there is an increased need for more accurate and less invasive methods for early BC diagnosis to markedly improve patient survival. AIM To investigate the performance of the volatile composition of human urine to discriminate patients diagnosed with BC from cancer-free controls. METHODS Urine collected from BC patients (n = 60) and cancer-free controls (n = 60) was analysed by headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) using experimental conditions focused in the detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and volatile carbonyl compounds (VCCs) [2]. RESULTS The urinary volatile signature of BC unveiled statistically significant alterations in the levels of 30 metabolites when compared with cancer-free controls, providing a sensitivity of 82.3%, specificity of 84.5% and accuracy of 83.3%. These metabolites belong mostly to the chemical classes of aldehydes, alkanes, ketones and benzene derivatives. Several metabolite correlations were found providing the identification of metabolites that can participate in the same metabolic pathway or are under common regulatory mechanisms. CONCLUSION These results provide a set of candidate biomarkers with potential to be used as a non-invasive tool for BC diagnosis. Additional studies are underway to define a smaller panel of candidate biomarkers with high accuracy for BC detection, envisaging a possible translation into clinics using a volatile sensor-based approach. Acknowledgements: This work was financed by FEDER (COMPETE 2020–POCI) and Portuguese funds (FCT) in the framework of the project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-030388-PTDC/SAU-SER/30388/2017. References: [1] Bray F et al. CA Cancer J Clin. 2018;68(6):394–424. [2] Lima AR et al. Br J Cancer. 2019;121(10):857-868. Immunomodulation in Pancreatic Cancer: Exosomes Take Center Stage Sofia Quintas1,2,3, Inês Batista2,3, Nuno Bastos2,3, Bárbara Adem2,3, José Carlos Machado1,2,3, Sónia A. Melo1,2,3 1 - Medical Faculty of the University of Porto (FMUP), 4200–319 Porto, Portugal, 2 -Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Portugal (i3S), 4200–135 Porto, Portugal, 3 -Institute of Molecular Pathology & Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP), 4200–135 Porto, Portugal INTRODUCTION Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal cancer with less than 9% of patients surviving past 5 years [1] due to lack of effective treatment options [2,3]. Immunotherapy has yielded remarkable clinical results, but it is still not applicable to PDAC as the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) suppresses T cell activation [2]. Cancer exosomes reprogram cells of the TME [4–6]. We hypothesize that cancer exosomes are critical modulators of the immune response against PDAC. AIM We aim to dissect the molecular links coordinated by pancreatic cancer exosomes in the interplay between cancer cells and the anti-tumor immune response, unravelling new immunotherapy targets. METHODS To confirm exosomes uptake by immune cells, we used a unique genetically engineered mouse model (GEMM) that secretes color-coded pancreatic cancer exosomes. To study how the immune system influences PDAC progression, PDAC GEMMs were crossed into an immunodeficient background (no T and B cells; no T, B and NK cells). We also developed a GEMM to knockout Rab27a (essential for exosomes’ exocytosis) to assess exosomes-mediated immunomodulatory changes in PDAC. RESULTS We demonstrate that cancer cells communicate with distinct subtypes of immune cells through exosomes. Tumors with impaired cancer exosomes secretion (Rab27a knockout tumors) show an altered immune landscape (e.g., altered numbers of CD4+ T cells and NKs). Most importantly, we demonstrate using PDAC GEMMs in an immunodeficient background that depletion of NKs has a significant impact in disease progression, enhancing the establishment of liver and metastasis. CONCLUSION We show the immune system is not blind to PDAC. Our data suggests that PDAC exosomes are instrumental in immunomodulation, and the crosstalk between cancer cells and NKs is involved in disease progression. Our in vivo models will shed light on cancer exosomes’ role in the anti-tumor immune response, opening new avenues for implementation of immunotherapy in PDAC. Acknowledgements: The work is supported by the FEDER – Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional funds European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through COMPETE 2020 – Operacional Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalization (POCI), Portugal 2020, and by FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT)/Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação in the framework of the project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-032189; and by AstraZeneca Foundation FAZ Ciência Award 2017. References: 1. Siegel RL, Miller KD, Jemal A. Cancer statistics, 2019. CA Cancer J Clin. 2019;69(1):7-34. 2. Chiaravalli M, Reni M, O’Reilly EM. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: State-of-the-art 2017 and new therapeutic strategies. Cancer Treat Rev. 2017;60:32-43. 3. Werner J, Combs SE, Springfeld C, Hartwig W, Hackert T, Büchler MW. Advanced-stage pancreatic cancer: therapy options. Nat Rev Clin Oncol. 2013;10(6):323-33. 4. Zhang X, Yuan X, Shi H, Wu L, Qian H, Xu W. Exosomes in cancer: small particle, big player. J Hematol Oncol. 2015;8:83. 5. Guo W, Gao Y, Li N, Shao F, Wang C, Wang P, et al. Exosomes: New players in cancer (Review). Oncol Rep. 2017;38(2):665-75. 6. Ruivo CF, Adem B, Silva M, Melo SA. The Biology of Cancer Exosomes: Insights and New Perspectives. Cancer Res. 2017;77(23):6480–8. Evaluation of mesenchymal stem cell induced changes in transcriptomic profiles of eosinophilic and neutrophilic experimental asthma. Adrian Janucik1, Miłosz Nesterowicz1, Barbara Makowska1, Aleksandra Starosz1, Kamil Grubczak1, Arkadiusz Żbikowski2, Marlena Tynecka1, Marcin Moniuszko1,3, Andrzej Eljaszewicz1 1 - Department of Regenerative Medicine and Immune Regulation, Medical University of Bialystok, 2 -Department of Medical Biology, Medical University of Bialystok, 3 -Clinical Department of Allergic And Internal Diseases, Medical University of Bialystok INTRODUCTION Eosinophilic and neutrophilic asthma refers to the clinical phenotypes of asthma. Both differ significantly in the profiles of immune responses within the lung, which is reflected in their transcriptomic profiles. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) were shown to regulate lung inflammation in experimental asthma models with both eosinophilic and neutrophilic phenotypes. However, to date, the mechanisms of MSC-mediated immune suppression are not fully elucidated. AIM Here we aimed to analyze MSC-induced changes in the transcriptomic profiles of eosinophilic and neutrophilic experimental asthma models. METHODS Eosinophilic and neutrophilic asthma models were induced by different doses of HDM. Adipose tissue-derived MSCs were administrated intranasally to limit lung inflammation at day six of the experiment. Total RNA was isolated by using an RNA isolation kit (Qiagen) from one of the lung lobes. NGS based transcriptomic analysis was performed on the Illumina platform. Biostatistics and bioinformatics analyses have been conducted through R (R Core Team) and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA, QIAGEN) software. RESULTS We found distinct transcriptomic profiles of both induced experimental asthma phenotypes. Moreover, we found that MSC-mediated immunosuppression causes significant changes in transcriptomic profiles in both analyzed phenotypes. More importantly, the signature of differentially regulated genes differs among analyzed phenotypes. IPA analysis allowed us to define putative mechanisms of MSC-mediated suppression of eosinophilic and neutrophilic asthma. CONCLUSION In summary, here we showed that adipose tissue-derived MSC may limit eosinophilic and neutrophilic lung inflammation and causes significant changes in the transcriptomic signatures of the lung. More importantly, observed differences in transcriptomic signatures and related pathways suggest distinct mechanisms of MSC-mediated regulation of eosinophilic and neutrophilic lung inflammation. Ovarian cancer recurrence in patients with complete response after first-line treatment. Ksawery Goławski1, Iga Płachta1, Katarzyna Rylewicz1, Julia Kotyza1, Caroline Banas1 1 - Student's Scientific Circle of Multidisciplinary Oncology “Onkosfera”, Gynaecologic Oncology Section. The Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology in Warsaw. INTRODUCTION Risk of ovarian cancer relapse is high, even among patients achieving complete response after first-line treatment. Determining the location of relapse and its extent is crucial to apply second-line treatment. AIM The aim of the study was to analyze the clinicopathological factors affecting localisation of ovarian cancer recurrence. METHODS 162 patients with recurrent ovarian cancer after first-line treatment were included to the retrospective study. All patients underwent debulking surgery followed by platinum-based chemotherapy. Clinicopathological factors regarding localisation of tumor recurrence were analyzed (CA-125 at the moment of diagnosis and recurrence, staging, histology, grading, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, bevacizumab, time between end of the treatment and recurrence). Statistical analysis was performed with Python Software. RESULTS Peritoneum and retroperitoneal lymph nodes were the most common localisations of relapse - 70 patients (25.83% of all locations of recurrences) and 59 (21.77%), respectively. Other locations of relapse were: the vagina 17 (6.27%), extra- abdominal lymph nodes 17 (6.27%), parenchymal organs 15 (5.54%), thorax 13 (4.43%), 7 (2.58%) in the abdominal wall, 4 (1.48%) in the bones. Mean CA-125 concentration at the moment of first diagnosis was 1085 U/ml, while at the moment of recurrence was 274.44 U/ml. Among 137 patients with elevated CA-125 levels before treatment relapse was accompanied by increased CA-125 level in 127 (78.4%) patients, while in 35 (21.6%) patients was not. Mean CA-125 concentration depending on the localisation of relapse was: 453.51 U/ml (abdominal wall), 432.78 U/ml (peritoneum), 352.67 U/ml (extra abdominal lymph nodes), 291.6 U/ml (parenchymal organs); 262.7 U/ml (retroperitoneal lymphnodes), 245.45 U/ml (bones), 185.8 U/ml (thoracic cavity) 91.52 U/ml (vagina). CONCLUSION Knowledge of the clinical and pathological factors associated with relapse can help find the location of recurrence, especially in asymptomatic patients and may contribute to the selection of appropriate second-line treatment. Tackling the mystery of the “small xenografts”: RANK-pathway activation in RANK overexpressing breast cancer xenografts in an immune deficient mouse host Guilherme Vilhais1, Inês Gomes2, Bernardo P. de Almeida3, Nuno L. Barbosa Morais3, Luís Costa2,4, Sandra Casimiro2 1 - Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, 2 -Luís Costa Lab, iMM-JLA, 3 -Nuno Morais Lab, iMM-JLA, 4 -Serviço de Oncologia, HSM-CHULN INTRODUCTION The RANK-RANKL pathway has recently emerged as a major mediator of breast carcinogenesis. We have shown that RANK activation in ER+/HER2- RANK-overexpressing cells induces stemness and mesenchymal features, leading to a potentially more aggressive phenotype. AIM However, these cells generate small tumors when implanted orthotopically into NSG mice which lead us to hypothesize that the in vivo growth of RANK OE cells could be impaired by low RANKL concentration at the mammary gland of immune deficient NSG mice. METHODS Tumor growth of parental and RANK OE cells inoculated into the mammary gland of NSG mice was measured weekly by bioluminescence analysis under supplementation with exogenous RANKL. At necropsy, tumors were harvested and Ki67 and ER analyzed by immunohistochemistry. In vitro cells were cultured for six weeks under standard conditions and in the presence of exogenous RANKL. Interest protein expression was assessed by Western blot. The correlation between RANK expression and predicted proliferation rate was analyzed in TCGA's human breast cancer cohort. RESULTS Contrary to our hypothesis, in vivo supplementation with RANKL did not increase the growth of RANK OE xenografts, having decreased the growth of parental MCF-7 xenografts instead. Cell proliferation in MCF-7, T47D and their RANK OE counterparts was lower in all cells continuously exposed to RANKL. p-p65, p-ERK and Cyclin D1, downstream of RANK, were decreased, as were ER and PR. Moreover, RANK OE cells have an increased doubling time in vitro. In TCGA's human breast cancers, RANK expression was associated with a decreased predicted proliferation rate. CONCLUSION Environmental RANKL is not the limiting factor sustaining the low proliferation of RANK OE cells in vivo. Instead, these cells may constitute a reservoir of slow cycling, staminal and mesenchymal-like cancer cells. These results pave the way to study the effectiveness of RANK pathway inhibition as a way to improve ER+/HER2- breast cancer outcomes. Acknowledgements: Gabinete de Apoio à Investigação Científica, Tecnológica e Inovação (GAPIC) da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa. Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) Histopathological patterns of primary tumors predict metastatic potential and regional lymph node architecture in colorectal cancer Marharyta Shynkevich1, Kseniya Ruksha1, Elena Kulesh2, Alexander Trebuhovski2, Lidziya Hramyka2, Alexandra Kavenchuk2, Denis Davydov1,2, Anna Portyanko1,2 1 - Belarusian State Medical University, 2 -N.N. Alexandrov National Cancer Center of Belarus INTRODUCTION Histological type, grade and pTNM staging of the primary colorectal cancer (CRC) are the features which are reported routinely by histopathologist. However, it is not well-established which features can predict metastatic potential at the early stages when lymphovenous invasion or tumor budding are not present. AIM The aim of the study was to evaluate the histological features of the primary CRC tumors and to assess the relation of their combination to disease prognosis. METHODS The study was performed on the retrospective surgical material from 124 patients (55 male, 69 female, 64,6 ± 11,1 y.o.). We evaluated the histological type, grade, complexity of tumor glands, the presence of pyogenic and Crohn-like reactions, nuclear polarity, intraepithelial lymphocytes, stroma type, lymphatic and venous invasion, growth type. Chi-square test was performed to compare the frequency of the characteristics in metastatic and non-metastatic groups. The grouping of the features was assessed by cluster analysis. We used Kaplan-Meier curves with the log-rank test for survival analysis. RESULTS The presence of intraepithelial lymphocytes (p = 0,004), Crohn-like reaction (p = 0.040) and pyogenic reaction (p < 0.001) were more frequently observed in the group of the non-metastatic tumors while the keloid type of stroma (pcs < 0.001) was the characteristic feature of the metastatic group. Cluster analysis revealed three patterns of the primary tumors based on the localization, growth type, the presence of invasion and histological features. Pyogenic reaction and non- keloid type of stroma were associated with the pattern with the lower progression-free (p = 0,003) and tumor-specific (p = 0,002) 10 year survival. CONCLUSION We described predominant histopathological patterns of the primary tumors in metastatic and non-metastatic CRC patients. The assessment of described features and reflecting them in histopathological report can help to predict the metastatic potential and prognosis at early stages when lymphovenous invasion or tumor budding can be still not present. Outcomes of multidisciplinary treatment of fibromatosis – retrospective analysis from a reference center. Izabela Maria Agnieszczak1,2, Wiktoria Grycuk1,2, Paweł Sobczuk1, Anna Małgorzata Czarnecka1,2, Tomasz Świtaj1, Hanna Koseła-Paterczyk1, Tadeusz Morysiński1, Marcin Zdzienicki1, Piotr Rutkowski1 1 - Department of Soft Tissue/Bone Sarcoma and Melanoma, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland, 2 -Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland INTRODUCTION Fibromatosis is a locally aggressive tumor with a high tendency for local recurrence. Treatment modality of fibromatosis has changed from surgery to conservative management including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). For patients with this rare and difficult to treat tumor, it is important to establish optimal treatment guidelines. AIM This study aims to evaluate the outcomes of fibromatosis treatment in the reference center. METHODS The retrospective analyses included 258 (178 females and 80 males) patients diagnosed with fibromatosis in Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology in Warsaw between 1999 and 2020. Collected data were analysed using Kaplan-Meier estimator, log-rank test, Cox regression model and Chi-squared test. RESULTS 123 patients (47.7%) underwent surgical resection and 103 (39.9%) received conservative therapy with NSAIDs (mainly meloxicam) alone in the first line. Remaining patients were observed or treated with chemo-/hormone- or radiotherapy. Disease recurrence/progression occurred in 91 (35.3%) patients – in 24.4% of surgical group and in 45.6% of conservative group (p = 0.001). 5-year disease-free survival rate was 65% in the whole population - 78% in treated with surgery, and 48% with NSAIDs. Considering the combination of 1st and 2nd line together, the disease control rate was approximately 85% and was not significantly different in both groups. Location outside the abdominal wall (HR 2.8; 95%CI 1.5–5.0) and active surveillance with NSAIDs in the 1st line (HR 3.6; 95%CI 2,2–6,0) were independently associated with a higher risk of disease progression. CONCLUSION Our results showed that surgery in the 1st line is associated with a lower risk of disease progression but active surveillance with NSAIDs allows to avoid unnecessary surgery in a significant group of patients, especially with fibromatosis located in the abdominal wall. Surgery in the 1st line or treatment with NSAIDs followed by surgery after progression results in similar disease control rate. References: 1. The management of desmoid tumours: A joint global consensus-based guideline approach for adult and paediatric patients. Eur J Cancer, 2020. 127: p. 96–107. 2. Nishida, Y., et al., Successful treatment with meloxicam, a cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor, of patients with extra-abdominal desmoid tumors: a pilot study. J Clin Oncol, 2010. 28(6): p. e107–9. 3. Kasper, B., P. Strobel, and P. Hohenberger, Desmoid tumors: clinical features and treatment options for advanced disease. Oncologist, 2011. 16(5): p. 682–93. Prevalence of benign findings in female genital tract in women with endometrial cancer. Aleksandra Winiarska1, Monika Sledzik1, Damian Sroka1, Tomasz Banas1,2 1 - Jagiellonian University Medical College, Faculty of Medicine; Kraków, Poland, 2 -Department of Gynecology and Oncology; Kraków, Poland INTRODUCTION Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecological malignancy in developed countries [1]. Therefore, we investigated incidence of benign findings in genital tract of these patients. AIM The aim of this study was to analyze prevalence of benign pathological changes in uterus and ovaries in women with endometrial cancer. METHODS The study is a retrospective analysis based on anonymous data from The University Hospital in Kraków. Endometrial cancer (EC) patients encountered between 2009 and 2019 were identified from pathology records. We determined the presence of benign pathological changes in uterus body (adenomyosis and leiomyomata), cervix (cervicitis, metaplasia, dysplasia, ovula Nabothi) and ovaries (endometriosis). 524 patients were included in the analysis. RESULTS Median age of patients was 61 with interquartile range 14. The most common condition coexisting with EC were leiomyomata – 318 cases (60,69%). The coincidence of adenomyosis or endometriosis with EC was confirmed in 86 (16,41%) and 80 (15,27%) cases respectively. Concerning cervix pathologies: cervicitis was diagnosed in 67 (12,62%), cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) in 33 (6,30%) and metaplasia in 29 (5,53%) cases subsequently. Cancerous infiltration of the cervices was confirmed in 71 cases (13,55%) - mostly diagnosed as stage II according to FIGO classification: 47 cases (66,20%), but also present in 24 (33,80%) stage III cases. The vast majority of patients 329 (62,79%) had the cervix free of abnormalities. CONCLUSION The analysis showed that the incidences of leiomyomata and adenomyosis among women with endometrial cancer are slightly lower compared to white women general population [2,3]. On the contrary, the incidence of endometriosis in the study group was comparable to general population as well as CIN [4,5]. Further investigations are needed to clarify the influence of the benign changes in female genital tract on clinical and pathological features of the endometrial cancer. References: 1. Banas T, Juszczyk G, Pitynski K, Nieweglowska D, Ludwin A, Czerw A. Incidence and mortality rates in breast, corpus uteri, and ovarian cancers in Poland (1980–2013): an analysis of population-based data in relation socio-economic changes. OncoTargets and Therapy. 2016, 9:4121-4127. 2. Stewart EA, Cookson C, Gandolfo RA, Schulze-Rath R. Epidemiology of uterine fibroids: a systematic review. BJOG. 2017; 124: 1501–1512. 3. Vercellini P, Viganò P, Somigliana E, Daguati R, Abbiati A, Fedele L. Adenomyosis: epidemiological factors. Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol. 2006; 20: 465–477. 4. Basta A, Brucka A, Górski J, Kotarski J, Kulig B, Oszukowski P, Poreba R, Radowicki S, Radwan J, Sikora J, Skret A, Skrzypczak J, Szyłło K, Polish Gynocologic Society Experts Group. The statement of Polish Society's Experts Group concerning diagnostics and methods of endometriosis treatment. Ginekol Pol. 2012; 83: 871–876. 5. Macdonald M, Crossley J, Ellis K, Dudding N, Lyon R, Smith JHF, Tidy JA, Palmer JE. Prevalence of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia in women with persistent high-risk HPV genotypes and negative cytology. Cytopathology 2018; 29: 133–142. A role of radiotherapy for adrenal gland metastases – a single institution experience. Michał Kostrzanowski1, Mateusz Spałek2, Piotr Rutkowski2 1 - Medical University of Warsaw, 2 -Department of Soft Tissue/Bone Sarcoma and Melanoma, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw INTRODUCTION Adrenal glands are often the metastatic site of various cancers. Radiotherapy (RT) techniques such as stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and motion-management methods could be new promising modalities in this indication. AIM The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of RT in the management of patients with adrenal metastases. METHODS The study group was a retrospective cohort of patients who received RT for adrenal metastases in our institute between 2013–2019. The following parameters were analyzed: indication for RT, pathology of primary tumor, radiotherapy technique, total dose (TD), equivalent 2-Gy dose (EQD2), dose per fraction (FD), early and late tolerance, local response (LR), progression free survival (PFS). Toxicity was assessed using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v4.0. RESULTS Totally n = 40 patients were found. Two patients were irradiated sequentially to both glands with at least two months interval, thus n = 42 RTs were analyzed. The indications for RT were: oligometastases (n = 12), oligoprogression (n = 27), palliative (n = 3). The most common diagnoses were: melanoma (n = 21) and lung cancer (n = 12). The following RT techniques were used: 3D-conformal (n = 8), IMRT/VMAT (n = 10), SBRT (n = 24). In n = 27 patients motion-management were used. FD varied from 2 to 12 Gy, and TD from 20 to 50 Gy. EQD2 varied from 23 to 116 Gy. Acute grade 2 toxicities were observed in two patients. No significant late toxicity was observed. RT allowed to obtain complete response in two patients, partial response in 15 patients, stable disease in 14 patients and progressive disease in three patients. In eight patients, data regarding LR were not available. In-field progression at any time occurred in nine patients. PFS was 6 months (2–8). CONCLUSION Modern RT allowed for high LR with good treatment tolerance in patients with adrenal gland metastases. FOXO3-REST Axis: a Therapeutic Target for Medulloblastoma? Ricardo Monteiro1, Monica Baiula2, Marlene Santos1,3, Santi Spampinato2 1 - School of Health, Polytechnic Institute of Porto, Porto, Portugal, 2 -Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy, 3 -Health and Environment Research Center, Porto, Portugal INTRODUCTION Medulloblastoma has poor outcome due also to adverse events caused by the treatment [1]. An improved anti-tumor strategy is needed to enhance patient survival rate. REST is a transcription factor overexpressed in medulloblastoma cells and it's associated with the formation of this brain tumor and the low survival rate, suggesting an oncogenic role [2][3]. AIM Resveratrol is able to reduce REST expression and the transcription factor FOXO3 could be an intermediate, since FOXO binding sites are present in REST promoter and its activity can be modulated through acetylation status modification [4][5]. Based on this, the aims of this study were to confirm the resveratrol-induced REST reduction, understand the engagment of FOXO3 in this mechanism and verify if resveratrol can also modulate FOXO3 expression. METHODS DAOY cells were transfected with siRNA against FOXO3 for 48 hours to study the modulation of REST expression. Moreover, DAOY cells were treated with resveratrol, at three concentrations (100 micromolar, 200 micromolar and 400 micromolar) and at three timepoints (24 h, 48 h and 72 h), to evaluate the expression of both transcription factors. RESULTS Transfected cells demonstrated a significant decrease of FOXO3 protein levels. On the other hand, these cells demonstrated a substantial increase of REST expression. Furthermore, resveratrol-treated cells demonstrated a significant decrease of REST and FOXO3 protein levels in a dose-dependent manner, in two timepoints. In turn, these cells demonstrated a noteworthy decreased of REST mRNA levels in a dose-dependent manner, in all timepoints. CONCLUSION According to this study, resveratrol was able to significantly decrease FOXO3 and REST protein levels. It's important to study the role of resveratrol in FOXO3 transcription, to confirm that both transcription factors are downregulated at mRNA level. Future perspectives will also include studies to evaluate that FOXO3 could bind REST promoter and the consequent effect on its expression, and the role of REST in FOXO3 expression. Acknowledgements: To School of Health from Polytechnic Institute of Porto, for the opportunity to develop abroad my research project. To the University of Bologna for providing all the equipment, materials and reagents in order to perform all the experiments. To Doctorated Professor Marlene Santos and Doctorated Professor Monica Baiula for the guidance and supervision, respectively. References: 1. Ribi, K., Relly, C., Landolt, M., Alber, F., Boltshauser, E., & Grotzer, M. (2006). Outcome of Medulloblastoma in Children: Long-Term Complications and Quality of Life. Neuropediatrics, 36, 357–365. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2005-872880 2. Lawinger, P., Venugopal, R., Guo, Z. S., Immaneni, A., Senguita, D., Lu, W., … Majumder, S. (2000). The neuronal repressor REST/NRSF is an essential regulator in medulloblastoma cells. Nature Medicine, 6(7), 826–831. https://doi.org/10.1038/77565 3. Taylor, P., Fangusaro, J., Rajaram, V., Goldman, S., Irene, B., Macdonald, T., … Gopalakrishnan, V. (2012). REST is a Novel Prognostic Factor and Therapeutic Target for Medulloblastoma. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, 11(8), 1713–1723. https://doi.org/10.1158/1535-7163.MCT-11-0990 4. Brunet, A., Sweeney, L. B., Sturgill, J. F., Chua, K. F., Greer, P. L., Lin, Y., … Greenberg, M. E. (2004). Stress-Dependent Regulation of FOXO Transcription Factors by the SIRT1 Deacetylase. Science, 303(5666), 2011 LP – 2015. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1094637 5. Guida, N., Laudati, G., Anzilotti, S., Secondo, A., Montuori, P., Renzo, G., … Formisano, L. (2015). Resveratrol Via Sirtuin-1 Downregulates RE1-Silencing Transcription Factor (REST) Expression Preventing PCB-95-Induced Neuronal Cell Death. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 288. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.taap.2015.08.010 Volatile exometabolome profiling of human renal cell carcinoma cell lines for biomarker discovery Sílvia Rocha1,2, Filipa Amaro2, Joana Pinto2, Ana Margarida Araújo2, Vera Miranda-Gonçalves3, Carmen Jerónimo3,4, 5, Rui Henrique3,4,5, Maria de Lourdes Bastos2, Márcia Carvalho2,6, Paula Guedes de Pinho2 1 - Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar–University of Porto (ICBAS-UP), 4050–313, Porto, Portugal, 2 -UCIBIO, REQUIMTE, Laboratory of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050–313, Porto, Portugal, 3 -Cancer Biology & Epigenetics Group, Research Centre (CI-IPOP) Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto), 4200–072, Porto, Portugal, 4 -Department of Pathology and Molecular Immunology-Biomedical Sciences Institute (ICBAS), University of Porto, 4050–313, Porto, Portugal, 5 -Department of Pathology, Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto), 4200–072, Porto, Portugal, 6 -UFP Energy, Environment and Health Research Unit (FP-ENAS), University Fernando Pessoa, 4249–004, Porto, Portugal INTRODUCTION Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) constitutes approximately 90–95% of all kidney neoplasms and is the second most lethal urological cancer. Current diagnostic techniques rely on imaging techniques and an invasive procedure (biopsy) is always required for histopathologic confirmation of malignancy. For these reasons, the identification of accurate biomarkers to develop faster, less invasive and more sophisticated diagnostic techniques is of utmost importance. Metabolomics has been widely applied in cancer biomarker discovery arising from the fact that cancer cells are metabolically reprogrammed to control the energy required by the rapid growth and development of the tumor, producing a specific “metabolic signature”. AIM To evaluate the potential of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and volatile carbonyl compounds (VCCs) to discriminate the exometabolome of RCC from non-tumoral cell lines, and two different histological subtypes (clear cell and papillary RCC) in both metastatic and non-metastatic stages. METHODS Headspace-solid phase microextraction/gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME/GC-MS)-based metabolomics was applied for the volatile profiling of culture medium of five different tumoral cell lines, namely three clear cell (769-P, 786-O and Caki-1) and two papillary RCC (Caki-2 and ACHN), and one non-tumoral cell line (HK-2). RESULTS Multivariate and univariate analysis unveiled a panel of metabolites responsible for the discrimination between each RCC cell line vs. non-tumoral cells, metastatic vs. non-metastatic and clear cell vs. papillary RCC cell lines, mostly belonging to alcohols, aldehydes, alkanes and ketones classes. Some metabolites were found similarly altered for all RCC cell lines compared to the non-tumoral, while others unveiled specificity for each RCC cell line. CONCLUSION The volatile exometabolome signature of RCC cells can provide candidate biomarkers for the development of a volatile sensor-based approach for non-invasive diagnosis of RCC in urine. Acknowledgements: This work was financed by FEDER (COMPETE 2020–POCI) and Portuguese funds (FCT) in the framework of the project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-030388-PTDC/SAU-SER/30388/2017. Retrospective analysis of the treatment outcome in children with brain tumors treated in Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology in Krakow, Poland from 2013 to 2019 Aleksandra Marciszewska1, Paulina Suder1, Małgorzata Czogała2 1 - Students Research Group of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 2 -Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Institute of Pediatrics, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland INTRODUCTION The brain tumors are the second most common pediatric malignancy and comprise more than 20% of all neoplastic diseases in children under the age of 14. Moreover, they are known as those with the highest mortality in childhood. AIM The aim of the study was analysis of the treatment results in children with brain tumors who were treated in Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology in Krakow, Poland from 2013 to 2019. METHODS There were 105 children (56 girls and 49 boys) enrolled to the retrospective study. Patients treated only with neurosurgery were excluded. Median age at diagnosis was 7 years (range 1 month to 17 years). Glioma was diagnosed in 43 children (21 with low grade glioma (LGG) and 22 with high grade glioma (HGG)), medulloblastoma (MBL) in 21, ependymoma in 15, germinal tumors in 4, atypical rhabdoid theratoid tumor (ATRT) in 3, pineoblastoma in 3, embryonal tumors in 6, brain stem tumors without histopathological examination in 7 and other tumors in 3 patients. Neurosurgery was used in 92 patients (88%), chemotherapy in all children and radiotherapy in 66 (63%). Median observation time was 36 months (range 3 months-119 months). RESULTS Probabilities of 3-years overall survival (OS) in whole group, LGG, HGG, MBL and ependymoma were 0.7, 1.0, 0.43, 0.72 and 0.7 respectively, and the probabilities of 3-years event free survival (EFS) in those groups were 0.46, 0.63, 0.18, 0.57 and 0.52 respectively. Proportion of deaths from disease progression was 3/3 in patients with ATRT, 4/7 with brain stem tumors, 2/6 with embryonal tumors and 1/4 with germinal tumors. There was no death of disease in patients with pineoblastoma. CONCLUSION The poorest prognosis was observed children with ATRT, HGG and brain stem tumors, the best outcome was achieved in children with LGG and pineoblastoma. The results are similar as described in literature. Identification of new biomarkers in gastric cancer – the role of the epitranscriptome. Ferreira, Diana1,2,3, Amaral, Ana Luísa1,2, Valentini, Elvia1,2, de Oliveira, Catarina1,2, Póvoas, Luís F.C.1,2, Mesquita, Patrícia1,2, Coelho, Ricardo1,2, Pereira, Bruno1,2, Almeida, Raquel1,2,3,4 1 - I3S – Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200–135 Porto, Portugal., 2 - Instituto de Patologia e Imunologia Molecular da Universidade do Porto (IPATIMUP), 4200–465 Porto, Portugal., 3 - Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Departamento de Biologia, 4169–007 Porto, Portugal., 4 - Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto, 4200–319 Porto, Portugal. INTRODUCTION Gastric cancer is the fifth most common and the third cause of death by cancer worldwide. Its incidence has been decreasing, but the prognosis remains poor due to the late diagnosis and lack of more efficient therapies. For these motifs, it's important to identify new biomarkers of prognosis and therapy response, as well as new therapeutic targets. mRNA chemical modifications, namely methylation of the adenines (m6A), alter mRNA expression and the respective proteins. This process is executed by the combined activity of enzymes called “readers” (identify the adenines), “writers” (methylate the adenines) and “erasers” (remove the methylation). The expression and function of these enzymes are still unknown in cancer. AIM The aim of this study was to determine if YTHDF3 was a biomarker in gastric cancer, METHODS through the evaluation of its expression by immunohistochemistry in a series of gastric carcinomas operated in Centro Hospitalar de S. João, with clinicopathological and treatment data. RESULTS The results revealed that 61% of the cases expressed this enzyme while 39% either didn’t or had low expression. We identified a significant association between the expression of this protein and clinicopathological parameters: Laurèn and WHO classification, and perineural invasion. Low expression of YTHDF3 was more frequent in diffuse, papillary and poorly cohesive tumours, as well as in tumours with perineural invasion. In addition we identified an association between the YTHDF3 expression and the chemotherapy response, particularly in patients with tumours in stage III and IV. After stratification of the patients based on the administration of adjuvant chemotherapy, it became clear that the patients with high expression of YTHDF3 had a superior response to chemotherapy then those with low expression. CONCLUSION Thus, the results suggest that m6A modifications have an impact in the biological behavior of gastric cancer and that this enzyme may be useful at the clinical level. Combination of local and systemic inflammatory markers to predict survival in testicular germ cell tumors. Adrian Perdyan1, Michał Kunc1, Marta Popęda2, Anna Starzyńska3, Michał Piątek4, Michał Bieńkowski1, Rafał Pęksa1 1 - Department of Pathomorphology, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland, 2 -Laboratory of Translational Oncology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland, 3 -Department of Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland, 4 -Department of Clinical Oncology/Chemotherapy, St Barbara Regional Specialist Hospital No 5, Sosnowiec, Poland INTRODUCTION Recently the interactions between testicular germ cell tumors (GCTs) and immune system have gathered considerable attention. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) constitute a part of the tumor immune microenvironment and interact with cancer cells by immune synapses. The expression of immune checkpoint regulators, such as VISTA or PD-L1 by cancer cells or TILs, may reflect the local activity of host immune response against cancer. Additionally, the analysis of complete blood count (CBC) may indicate the general status of systemic inflammation. AIM The purpose was to investigate if CBC components combined with the expression of VISTA and PD-L1 in TILs could predict the overall survival (OS) in patients with GCTs. METHODS Tissue microarrays (TMAs) were constructed using 1.5 mm core needles. All TMAs were stained with the antibodies against PD-L1 (clone 22C3, 1:50 dilution; cat. no M3653, DAKO) and VISTA (clone D5L5T, XPr Rabbit mAb) with the appropriate positive and negative controls. The staining were independently evaluated in tumor cells and TILs separately. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis were performed to estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS There were 116 patients enrolled in this study. The median follow-up was 37 months (IQR:14–56). TILs with high VISTA expression were observed in 27 cases (23.27%), while with high PD-L1 expression in 32 cases (27.58%). High VISTA or PD-L1 expression was associated with a longer OS irrespective of systemic markers status. In patients with low expression of both checkpoint regulators OS could be further stratified by CBC markers. Advanced stage and the combination of low NLR with high PD-L1 expression were independent predictors of OS in the multivariable model [HR 7.07 (95% CI: 1.97–25.34), p = 0.003 and HR 10.25 (95% CI: 2.17–48.45), p = 0,003; respectively]. CONCLUSION We demonstrated that preoperative CBC parameters combined with VISTA and PD-L1 expression on TILs may be inform on OS in patients with GCTs. GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY–MASS SPECTROMETRY (GC–MS) FOR ANALYSIS OF BIODISTRIBUTION AND METABOLIC PROFILE OF 3,4-DIMETHYLMETHCATHINONE (3,4- DMMC) IN WISTAR RATS Daniela Rouxinol1, Diana Dias da Silva1, João Pedro Silva1, Maria de Lourdes Bastos1, Félix Carvalho1, Helena Carmo1 1 - UCIBIO, REQUIMTE, Laboratory of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Portugal INTRODUCTION 3,4-Dimethylmetcathinone (3,4-DMMC) is a new psychoactive substance belonging to the first group of synthetic cathinones, that was detected via the EU Early Warning System in 2010, and urges knowledge about its toxicological and toxicokinetic profile. AIM The present work aimed at characterizing its biodistribution profile. METHODS Adult Wistar rats were administered with 20 mg/Kg 3,4-DMMC i.p. After 1 h or 24 h, rats were anaesthetized, euthanized and blood, brain, liver, heart, kidneys, lungs, spleen, a portion of gut, muscle and adipose tissue, and urine (only at 24 h) were subsequently collected for analysis. Following a solid phase extraction, samples were derivatized with trifluoroacetic anhydride prior to GC-MS analysis. RESULTS The method was fully validated (limit of detection 0.004 μg/mL; limit of quantification 0.0135 μg/mL; linearity within 0.078–2.5 μg/mL and correlation coefficients above 0.9937; selectivity, inter-day and intra-day precision with CV < 15%; accuracy between 80–120%; and recovery 78–98%). After 1 h, 3,4-DMMC was distributed to all matrices analysed, reaching higher concentrations in the spleen, lungs, kidneys and brain. At the same time point, two metabolites (tentatively identified as nor-dimethylmethcathinone and 3-hydroxymethyl-4-methyl-methcathinone or 3-methyl-4- hydroxymethyl-methcathinone) were detected in all matrices. After 24 h, 3,4-DMMC and five metabolites (tentatively identified as nor-dimethylmethcathinone, 3-hydroxymethyl-4-methyl-methcathinone or 3-methyl-4-hydroxymethyl- methcathinone, nor-3-methyl-4-hydroxymethyl-methcathinone, nor-3-hydroxymethyl-4-methyl-methcathinone, and 3- methyl-4-carboxy-dihydro-methcathinone or 3-carboxy-4-methyl-dihydro-methcathinone) were only present in urine. Enzymatic hydrolysis demonstrated that 3,4-DMMC and most of the metabolites were also excreted as glucuronide or sulphate conjugates. CONCLUSION The proposed identification of the metabolites showed differences in the metabolic pathways between rats and humans, as compared to the data described in the literature. With the present study we conclude that 3,4-DMMC has a rapid and extensive biodistribution, similarly to other classic amphetamines. Acknowledgements: This work was financed by FEDER-COMPETE 2020 and FCT in the framework of the project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-029584. This work was also supported by UID/MULTI/04378/2019 through FCT/MCTES funds. COMBINATION EFFECTS BETWEEN ENVIRONMENTAL CARCINOGENS IN PRIMARY RAT HEPATOCYTES Ana Cristina Pinto1, Vânia Monteiro1,2, Joana Pinto1, Paula Guedes de Pinho1, Mário Diniz2, Marta Martins2,3, Diana Dias da Silva1 1 - UCIBIO, REQUIMTE, Laboratory of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Portugal, 2 -IINFACTS – Institute of Research and Advanced Training in Health Sciences and Technologies, Department of Sciences, University Institute of Health Sciences (IUCS-CESPU), Gandra, Portugal, 3 -MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Caparica, Portugal INTRODUCTION Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) constitute one of the major groups of potent carcinogens that are ubiquitous in the environment. The scant research on PAH mixtures shows complex and poorly understood interaction effects, often compromising risk assessment, even though these toxicants are present in the environment as complex mixtures. AIM The present study aimed at evaluating the toxic effects of mixtures of five PAHs: phenanthrene (Phe), fluoranthene (FLU), chrysene (CHRY), benzo[b]fluoranthene (B[b]F) and benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) in the primary rat hepatocytes (PRH). METHODS PRH were isolated from Wistar rats through collagenase perfusion, and were cultured overnight. The concentration- response curves for individual PAHs and their mixtures were recorded using the MTT reduction viability assay, after 24 h of drug exposure. The data obtained for the individual agents was then used to compute additivity expectations for mixtures of definite composition, using the pharmacological models of concentration addition (CA) and independent action (IA) [1]. In an attempt to obtain an in-depth understanding of the potential interactions between the tested PAHs, four different mixtures (binary, ternary, quaternary, quinary) combining PHE, FLU, CHRY, B[b]F and B[a]P at varying ratios, were designed with the purpose of mimicking “real-life” exposure scenario. RESULTS Cytotoxic potency in PRH was as follows: B[b]F > PHE > B[a]P > FLU > CHRY (according to the EC50 1.73 mM, 2.52 mM, 2.63 mM, 3.37 mM, 5.85 mM, respectively). By comparing the predicted responses for all mixtures with the experimentally observed combination effects, we found that PAHs acted together to generate additive and synergistic effects. Notably, for the most complex mixtures, we observed substantial mixture responses even when each chemical was present at very low concentrations which individually produced unnoticeable effects. CONCLUSION This work provided important information on the magnitude of PAHs interactions and the possible health consequences in the context of environmental exposure. Acknowledgements: This work was supported by the Project PAHMIX (PTDC/CTA-AMB/29173/2017), the MARE (UID/MAR/04292/2020), and UID/MULTI/04378/2020 through FCT/MCTES funds. References: D. Dias da Silva, et al., Toxicol In Vitro. 27(6):1670–8 (2013). THE FOUNDER EFFECT OF RARE GENETIC VARIANTS IN CANCER PREVALENCE AMONG MENNONITE Jacqueline Justino Nabhen1, Gabriela Tulio Struck1, Viktoria Weihermann1, Luana Caroline Oliveira1, Caroline Grisbach Meissner1, Fabiana Leão Lopes2, Francis J MacMahon2, Angelica Beate Winter Boldt1 1 - Federal University Of Paraná; Human Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Genetics Department, Federal University Of Paraná, 2- Human Genetics Branch, National Institute Of Mental Health, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes Of Health, US Department Of Health And Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland INTRODUCTION Mennonites are a Christian Anabaptist group from Europe that underwent three bottleneck events and has been living in closed communities for approximately 25 generations, some of them located in Brazil. This genetic isolate is ideal to study genetic epidemiology of complex diseases, such as cancer AIM To evaluate the influence of the founder effect in cancer prevalence among the Brazilian Mennonite population. METHODS We interviewed 502 Mennonite and 141 non-Mennonite individuals from three colonies in Brazil. Exomes of 139 Mennonites were sequenced using the Illumina HiSeq platform. We selected the variants with Polyphen-2 score≥0.80 and CADD≥20, passing Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (p < 10–6) and call rates > 99%. A total of 27.304 missense and 50 start lost variants were evaluated for cancer association with multivariate logistic regression (PLINK v1.9) corrected for sex and age. Fisher's exact test was performed using the Sisa online application to check the allele frequency homogeneity across populations. RESULTS Cancer prevalence among Mennonites was 13.4%. Mennonite origin (OR 2.95, p < 0.009) and having a first-degree family history of cancer (OR 3.58, P < 0.0001) were risk factors for cancer diagnosis. Seven rare variants were more frequent among Mennonites affected by cancer (OR > 27, p < 0.01), five of them in genes previously associated with cancer. Three variants presented higher frequency (p < 0.007) when compared to the non-Finnish european population, all of them in genes previously associated with cancer. CONCLUSION Mennonites in Brazil have a higher cancer prevalence (13.4%) compared to the Brazilian general population (0.4%) and Europeans (1.1%), its population of origin. This is probably due to a founder effect increasing frequencies of rare, high- impact variants, which may represent new possible targets for cancer prevention and treatment Physiology & Immunology Combined intravenous pulse and topical corticosteroid therapy for severe pediatric alopecia areata: what are the benefits of topical corticosteroids? Katarina Ivanović1, Mirjana Gajić Veljić1,2, Dr. Jovan Lalošević1,2, Jovana Lina Kessler1 1 - Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 2 -Departments of Dermatovenerology INTRODUCTION Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease, mediated by T-cellular immune response, which results in loss of hair. Prevalence of AA in global population measures up to 2%, and more than 60% of patients are younger than 20 years. It occurs more often people with associated autoimmune diseases. Preference for gender isn’t shown. The diagnosis of AA is clinical, and curative therapeutic approach in the menagment of disease hasn’t been discovered yet, so it remains a challenge for future researches AIM Examine importance of an adjuvant topical corticosteroid therapy in combination with intravenous pulse corticosteroid therapy in treatment of severe forms of AA amongst children. METHODS Study covered 32 patients, younger than 18 years with severe forms of AA, in which more than 30% of scalp was affected. One group consisted of patients who were getting puls corticosteroid therapy (in form of dexametasone 1.5 mg/kg per day dissolved in 0.9% NaCl), in other group patients were given topical potent corticosteroid therapy (0.05% clobetasol propionate unguent) in addition to pulse therapy. RESULTS Average age of patients was 7.9 ± 3.073 years and average duration of disease before start of treatment was 7.22 ± 8.03 months. Amoung observed groups there wasn’t significant differences in age, duration of AA or average affection of capilitium in beginnig of therapy (p > 0.05). After the first, second and third month of therapy, there was statistical siginifacnce difference in Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) score between observed groups (p = 0.035, p = 0.011, p = 0.033). The group treated with combination therapy had a greater reduction in SALT score. CONCLUSION The usege of potent topical corticosteroid therapy in combination with adjuvant puls corticosteroid therapy is significant and justified in treatment of severe forms od AA in children. The effectiveness of cannabinoid receptor type 1 cessation on adipokines, IL-6 and IFN- gamma concentration in hepatic and adipose tissue in experimental animals with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease Lazar Malesevic, Anastasija Joksimovic, Kristina Savic, Andrea Tamindzic, Andjela Nikolic, Shon Parnett, Vasilija Lazarevic INTRODUCTION Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is widely accepted as hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome (MS) and it is associated with obesity, insulin resistance, increased production of proinflammatory cytokines and altered adipokine secretion. Balanced production of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines has a fundamental role in the control of systemic and hepatic insulin sensitivity. In high-fat diet (HFD) - induced NAFLD, there is an increase in the endocannabinoid system (ECS) activity, inducing fatty acid synthesis, which significantly contributes to steatosis development. AIM The aim of Our study was to investigate the effects of CB1 receptor blockade on adipokines and proinflammatory cytokines in adipose and hepatic tissue in mice with NAFLD. METHODS Male mice C57BL/6 were divided into: a control group fed with control diet 20 weeks (C; n = 6); a group fed with high- fat diet (HFD) for 20 weeks (HF; n = 6); a group fed with control diet and treated with rimonabant after 18 weeks (R; n = 9); and a group fed with HFD and treated with rimonabant after 18 weeks (HFR; n = 10). Rimonabant (10 mg/kg) was administered daily to the HFR and R group by oral gavage. RESULTS Rimonabant significantly reduced the concentration of leptin, resistin, visfatin and proinflammatory cytokines in visceral adipose tissue in HFR group compared to HF group (p < 0.01). In the liver rimonabant reduced the concentration of IL-6 and IFN-γ in HFR group compared to HF group (p < 0.01). Rimonabant significantly decreased the concentration of plasma glucose and insulin, as well as HOMA index in the HFR group compared to the HF group (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION According to Our results, it can be concluded the usefulness of CB1 blockade in the treatment of HFD-induced NAFLD, due to modulation of adipokines profile and proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IFN- γ) in both adipose tissues and liver. We have shown that CB1 blockade reduces inflammation in the liver. References: 1. Fujii, J., Homma, T., Kobayashi, S., and Seo, H.G. 2018. Mutual interaction between oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress in the pathogenesis of diseases specifically focusing on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. World J. Biol. Chem. 9(1): 1–15. doi:10.4331/wjbc.v9.i1.1. PMID:30364769 2. Jorgacević, B., Mladenović, D., Ninković, M., Vesković, M., Dragutinović, Vatazevic, A., etal.2015. Rimonabant improves oxidative/nitrosative stress in mice with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Oxid. Med. Cell. Longev. 2015: 842108. doi:10.1155/2015/842108. PMID:26078820. 3. Abenavoli, L. 2014. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: today and tomorrow. Rev. Recent Clin. Trials, 9(3): 125. doi:10.2174/1574887109999141224150207. PMID: 25600478. Preliminary Study of Levofloxacin Tissue Distribution determined by Microdialysis Anastasija Jelić1, Ana Tomas Petrović2, Nebojša Stilinović3, Saša Vukmirović4 1 - Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Serbia. 2 -Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Serbia. 3 -Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Serbia. 4 - Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Serbia. INTRODUCTION Microdialysis (MD) has been recognized as a gold standard for pharmacokinetic studies of antibiotics, as allowing for determination of drug concentration in target tissues. AIM Our aim was to analyze and determine pharmacokinetics of unbound levofloxacin in rat muscle tissue via microdialysis. METHODS A MD combined with high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescent detector method was implemented to determine levofloxacin concentrations after per os administration in rat plasma and skeletal muscle simultaneously. CMA 20MD probes (100kDa cut-off) were implanted in m. vastus lateralis of 6 male Wistar rats, continuously perfused through CMA 420 MD pump with standard perfusion solution at rate of 2 μg/ml and dialysate samples were gathered at 20 mins intervals using CMA 142 collector. Blood samples were collected from tail vein at 13 time-points. Recovery rates were determined in vitro and in vivo for each animal. Non-compartmental analysis was performed on data obtained. RESULTS In vivo recovery MD was 66 ± 16% for skeletal muscles. The mean areas under the concentration-time curves (AUC) for plasma were AUC0–7 = 261,0191 μg/ml∗min and for m. vastus lateralis was AUC0–7 = 153,7895 μg/ml∗min. The ratio AUCmicrodialysis /AUCplasma was 0.589, which after correcting for protein biding showed that the ratio was 85% of free plasma fraction. CONCLUSION This study confirms levofloxacin gives excellent drug exposure in peripheral tissues after per oral administration. There is a high translational potential for MD which has been successfully implemented in this study. Immunomodulatory Transcriptomic Profile of Adipose Stem Cells Stimulated with Growth Differentiation Factor-6 for Intervertebral Disc Degeneration Ashley Coope1 1 - University of Manchester INTRODUCTION Mesenchymal stem cells are multipotent, adherent cells with significant capacity for immunomodulation. These properties make them promising candidates as a cell-based therapy for intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration, with strategies aiming to replace degenerate disc cells and supress inflammation. Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs) stimulated with growth differentiation factor-6 (GDF-6) have achieved the closest phenotype to the nucleus pulposus of the IVD. Research has demonstrated that priming ASCs with cytokines, and more recently growth factors, may enhance cells immunomodulatory capabilities through upregulation of anti-inflammatory genes. AIM This study aimed to I) Examine expression of genes and signalling pathways associated with immunomodulation in ASCs stimulated with GDF-6 through analysis of existing RNA-Sequencing data. II) Determine whether expression changes could be advantageous for application in IVD degeneration therapies. METHODS High-throughput paired-end RNA-Sequencing data for primary ASCs from 3 donors was analysed post-stimulation with GDF-6. Differentially expressed genes were subjected to hierarchical and K-means clustering, followed by gene ontology and pathway analysis. RESULTS Gene ontology results for 1028 differentially expressed genes (padj < 0.05) showed significant enrichment for biological processes related to immune cell development and cytokine signalling after GDF-6 stimulation. Canonical pathway analysis showed significant enrichment of transforming growth factor- β (TGF-β) and Interleukin (IL) pathways IL-10 and IL-6 (p < 0.05 Log2 fold change > 0.55). Significantly upregulated molecules TGF- β1 and Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) were predicted as master transcriptional regulators in the top regulatory network, acting through significantly activated NF-kB signalling (p < 0.05 Z-score > 2). CONCLUSION The significant upregulation of key genes IL-1 receptor antagonist, TGF-β1, and HGF support that stimulation of ASCs with GDF-6 promotes an upregulation in a profile of anti-inflammatory genes comparable to that of stimulation experiments with inflammatory cytokines. Upregulation of IL-6 family members without significant upregulation of IL-6 itself indicates an anti-inflammatory profile of expression which may be advantageous to potential IVD therapies. Acknowledgements: Francis Wignall - For dataset collection and project supervision Professor Judith A. Hoyland- For project supervision Dr. Stephen M. Richardson- For project supervision Different Mechanical Ventilation Parameters Impact on Mechanical Power in Volume-Controlled Continuous Mandatory Ventilation, Pressure-Controlled Continuous Mandatory Ventilation and Adaptive Support Ventilation Elija Januskeviciute1, Justina Krauklyte1, Saulius Vosylius2 1 - Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, 2 -Republican Vilnius University Hospital INTRODUCTION It is known that ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) can occur due to mechanical power (MP), especially if ventilation method and settings are inadequate. AIM Aim of this study was to evaluate different mechanical ventilation parameters impact on MP generated while using conventional mechanical lung ventilation methods - volume (V-CMV) and pressure (P-CMV) controlled and automatic ventilation techniques (Intellivent-ASV). METHODS Mechanical lung ventilation was performed using a ‘Hamilton S1’ device. Ventilation methods were applied in the following order: V-CMV → P-CMV → V-CMV → P-CMV → Intellivent-ASV. Single patient data recording lasted for 31 minutes: 5 minutes for each method and up to 2 minutes for adaptation. Normocapnia and normoxemia were maintained. Two different equations were used to calculate the MP caused by different ventilation methods. To evaluate results statistical analyses were carried out. RESULTS Our study included 11 patients with a median age of 74 years [36,82]. The average MP caused was: V-CMV (12.4 ± 4.4), P-CMV (15.4 ± 6.4), Intellivent-ASV (13.6 ± 6.0). No significant differences between the MP caused by different ventilation methods were found (p = 0.81). In V-CMV MP correlated significantly with peak pressure, Ppeak (p = 0.007, r = 0.755), respiratory rate, Ftotal (p = 0.001, r = 0.836), inspiration time, Tinsp (p = 0.01, r = −0.738), inspiratory flow, Finsp (p = 0.00, r = 0.873) and mean pressure, Pmean (p = 0.009, r = 0.77). In P-CMV and Intellivent-ASV MP correlated significantly with Tinsp (p = 0.02, r = −0.685; p = 0.004, r = −0.791), driving pressure, ΔP (p = 0.029, r = 0.655; p = 0.00, r = 0.891) and mean pressure, Pmean (p = 0.005, r = 0.806; p = 0.048, r = 0.636). CONCLUSION In terms of generated MP conventional ventilation methods did not differ statistically and can therefore be safely applied in clinical practice. Ftotal, Finsp in V-CMV and ΔP, Pmean in P-CMV and Intellivent-ASV appeared to have greatest effect on mechanical ventilation caused MP. The effectiveness of dynamic cupping on senior male handball athletes’ shoulder active range of motion: A randomized controlled trial Diogo Duarte1, Adérito Seixas1,2, Sandra Rodrigues1, Isabel Moreira-Silva1,3, Nuno Ventura1, Joana Azevedo1, Ricardo Cardoso1,4 1 - Escola Superior de Saúde, Universidade Fernando Pessoa, Porto, Portugal., 2 -LABIOMEP, INEGI-LAETA, Faculdade de Desporto, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal, 3 -CIAFEL, Faculdade de Desporto, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal, 4 -Transdisciplinary Center of Consciousness Studies of Fernando Pessoa University, Porto, Portugal and FP-B2S – Behaviour and Social Sciences Research Center of Fernando Pessoa University, Porto, Portugal. INTRODUCTION Shoulder adaptations to overhead practice includes, but are not limited to, higher medial rotation torque external rotation range of motion, combined with a decrease in total range and internal rotation range of motion. The combination of these different factors can lead to adjustments in shoulder mobility in the handball player with decreased flexibility. AIM To analyze the immediate effects of dynamic cupping on shoulder active range of motion (AROM) of senior male handball athletes. METHODS After completing the socio-demographic and clinical questionnaire, 80 senior male handball athletes were randomly assigned to two designated groups, Dynamic Cupping Therapy Group (DCTG; n = 40) and Control Group (CG; n = 40) (no intervention). Shoulder AROM (flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, horizontal adduction, horizontal abduction, internal rotation and external rotation movements) was assessed in both groups before (M0) and after (M1) intervention. RESULTS After intervention, the DCTG demonstrated a statistically significant increase in shoulder AROM for all movements, while the CG increased only in internal rotation (p = 0,042), adduction (p = 0,011), horizontal abduction (p = 0,004) and horizontal adduction (p = 0,005) movements. The DCTG demonstrated a statistically significant increase in shoulder AROM in all movements, compared to CG in M1. CONCLUSION The present study demonstrates that dynamic cupping improves shoulder AROM in senior male handball athletes. Melanocortins repress stress-specific responses to attenuate oxidative damage of adipose tissue in obesity Nádia Silva1,2, Maria J. Salazar1,2, Elisabete Silva1,2, Delminda Neves1,2, Henrique Almeida1,2, Alexandra M. Gouveia1,2,3, Adriana R. Rodrigues1,2 1 - Faculty of Medicine of Porto – Department of Biomedicine, University of Porto; Porto, Portugal, 2 -i3S/IBMC- Institute for Research and Innovation in Health/ Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Porto; Porto, Portugal, 3 -Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Porto; Porto, Portugal INTRODUCTION Progressive dysfunction of adipose tissue (AT) is considered to be a hallmark in obesity progression and development. Inappropriate remodelling of obese AT is recognized to impair redox homeostasis and stress-related signalling pathways, further compromising AT metabolism. AIM Recently, our group established a new role for the melanocortin neuropeptide alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH), as an ameliorator of the metabolic profile of diet-induced obese mice [1]. We now intend to access whether the observed metabolic improvement occurs concomitantly with the modulation of stress-signalling pathways and autophagy responses in AT, mechanisms known to be impaired in obesity. METHODS In order to do so, 10-week-old C57BL/6 mice were maintained in a high-fat diet for 10 weeks, and then intraperitoneally injected with α-MSH (150 μg/Kg/day) or saline solution for two weeks. After euthanasia, inguinal subcutaneous white adipose tissue (ingWAT) was collected and analysed for the expression of ER-stress, oxidative stress and autophagy biomarkers, through qPCR and Western-Blotting techniques. Protein and lipid oxidation was evaluated using oxyblot and TBARs methods, respectively. RESULTS Our data shows that α-MSH negatively regulates two-main ER-stress signalling cascades in ingWAT: PERK and IRE1α pathways. In conformity, α-MSH also attenuates oxidative stress in ingWAT by diminishing expression levels of antioxidant enzymes (such as SOD2), as well as by decreasing the activation of the stress-related transcription factor NF-ΚB. Accordingly, as markers of oxidative damage, lipid and protein oxidation also significantly decline in ingWAT of α-MSH-treated mice. Additionally, α-MSH selectively downregulates the transduction of autophagy-related genes (LAMP2, Sqstm1 and LpL) and proteins (LAMP1) in ingWAT of obese mice. CONCLUSION The present study highlights a new therapeutic role for α-MSH in obesity, aiding in the restitution of AT redox homeostasis, through the modulation of stress signalling pathways. Acknowledgements: FCT/MEC (PIDDAC) and FEDER–Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional, COMPETE 2020–Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização (PTDC/BIM-MET/2123/2014); Adriana Rodrigues is supported by FCT (DL57/2016/CP1355/CT009). References: [1] Rodrigues, A.R., et al., Peripherally administered melanocortins induce mice fat browning and prevent obesity. Int J Obes (Lond), 2019. 43(5): p. 1058-1069. The role of Urocortin-2 in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction Pedro Simão Vaz de Salvador1, Rui Miguel da Costa Adão1, Glória de Fátima Almeida Conceição1, Daniela Maria Miranda da Silva1, Sónia Filipa Batista Miranda1, Luís Daniel Ribeiro Pimentel1, Carolina Maia Rocha1, Pedro Mendes Ferreira1, André Pedro Leite Martins Lourenço1, Inês Maria Falcão Sousa Pires Marques1, Joaquim Adelino Correia Ferreira Leite Moreira1, Carmen Dulce da Silveira Brás Silva Ribeiro1,2 1 - Department of Surgery and Physiology, Cardiovascular Research and Development Center - UnIC, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200–319 Porto, Portugal, 2 -Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Porto, 4200–319 Porto, Portugal. INTRODUCTION Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is frequently accompanied by the metabolic syndrome and kidney disease. Because current treatment options of HFpEF are limited, evaluation of therapies in experimental models of HFpEF with the metabolic syndrome is needed. Urocortin 2 (Ucn2) is a cardioprotective peptide belonging to the corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) family. In animal models and humans with HF with reduced ejection fraction, Ucn2 has been shown to exert favorable effects on left ventricle (LV) function, as well as on neurohumoral and renal parameters. AIM In this work we studied the role of the Ucn2/CRHR2 system in the pathophysiology of HFpEF, and we evaluated the efficacy of Ucn2 as a novel therapeutic strategy in this disease. METHODS Either Ucn2 (15 μg/Kg/day, subcutaneously) or vehicle were administered to lean and obese ZSF1 rats aged 18 to 30 weeks (6–7 animals/group). Animals were then tested for oxygen consumption under maximum effort (VO2max), oral glucose tolerance and insulin resistance, and samples were collected after 12 weeks of treatment. Temporal evolution of cardiac (dys)function was assessed by echocardiography. RESULTS mRNA expression of Ucn2 and CRHR2 is decreased in LV from ZSF1 obese rats compared to ZSF1 lean, and it is correlated to LV structure and diastolic function. Although Ucn-2 chronic treatment did not attenuate the body weight gain and the impaired exercise capacity in experimental HFpEF, Ucn-2 treatment improved glucose tolerance in ZSF1 obese rats. By echocardiography, we demonstrated that there are no differences in the ejection fraction between groups and that the Ucn-2 therapy attenuated LV mass in ZSF1-Obese animals compared to non-treated group. No differences were observed in E/E ´. CONCLUSION This study suggests that chronic administration of Ucn2 could be beneficial in patients with HFpEF, attenuating LV remodeling and improving glucose tolerance. CAR-T immunotherapy toxicity mechanisms Fernanda Dominique de Souza Gonçalves1, Flávia da Costa Silva1 1 - Faculdade Ciências Médicas - MG INTRODUCTION CAR-T cells are a type of immunotherapy that uses Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CAR) on patient-specific lymphocytes. This type of immunotherapy uses genetically modified cells that express specific receptors against neoplastic cells. Thus, these cells mediate the anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory effects. This treatment gained great prominence in Brazil in October 2019, when a patient who had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma presented a great remission of his cancer after intervention. However, despite its promising results, CAR-T immunotherapy can have serious adverse effects. AIM Conduct meta-analytical research to demonstrate possible side effects of CAR-T immunotherapy. METHODS This work is a meta-analytical review with scientific articles in English and Portuguese indexed in Scielo and NCBI databases between the years 2015 and 2020. RESULTS Among the adverse effects of immunological therapy, seven patterns of toxicity have been described, namely: genotoxicity of the transduction system, systemic toxicity by the release of cytokines, tumor lysis syndrome, neurotoxicity, target toxicity, extra-tumor, target toxicity, extra-tissue and allergic reactions. These effects are mostly related to the expression of the target epitope in CAR, in indistinguishable non-tumor cells, in receptors and in systemic syndrome of inflammatory cytokine release after the infusion of CAR-T. To reduce the occurrence of these effects, modified or fully human CAR are used, associated with less immunogenicity from shorter hinge regions in the antibody. CONCLUSION Despite the risks associated with CAR immunotherapy, its benefits and therapeutic potential are recognized from its clinical trials, which makes immunotherapy an alternative approach to neoplastic cells. Through the recognition of the types and mechanisms of toxicity, it is possible to develop and advance CAR trials, reducing risks and increasing the safety standard of the procedure, as well as the clinical application. Activated macrophages induce inflammatory COX-2 expression in human ovarian granulosa cells Ana Magalhães1, Beatriz Pinto1,2, Mariana Castelôa1, Bruno M. Fonseca1,2, Irene Rebelo1,2 1 - Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, Portugal, 2 -UCIBIO/REQUIMTE, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, Portugal INTRODUCTION The immune system responds to both endogenous and exogenous stress factors by triggering an inflammatory response, which can be either acute or chronic. Chronic inflammation disrupts and unbalances normal physiological processes, which may affect women's reproductive health at different levels [1,2]. Granulosa cells (GCs) are predominant cells of the ovarian follicle and contribute to steroidogenesis and follicular fluid (FF) composition and thus, they play a crucial role in follicular development and oocyte maturation [3]. However, the impact of inflammation in GCs function and reactive oxygen species generation (ROS) are poorly studied. AIM The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the inflammatory parameters on the cell line COV434 using conditioned medium (CM) from THP-1. METHODS THP-1 cells were previously differentiated into M1 and M2 macrophages and can be generally categorised into “M1”— pro-inflammatory or “M2”—immunoregulatory. Therefore, COV434 cell viability and cytotoxicity were evaluated by MTT assay and LDH release, respectively, and cell morphology through phase contrast microscopy and Giemsa staining. Additionally, the presence of COX-2 was analysed by Western Blot, and the quantification of ROS was evaluated by fluorometric techniques. RESULTS The results showed no difference in cell viability or cytotoxicity, which was consistent with the images obtained from the phase contrast and Giemsa staining. However, there was an increase in production of ROS in the presence of M2- CM, and there was expression of COX-2 at the Western Blot procedure, which was more significant in M1-CM and M2- CM. CONCLUSION In summary, macrophages appear to affect GC, although more studies are needed to confirm and identify which inflammatory parameters are involved in these processes. Acknowledgements: The work was supported by UID/MULTI/04378/2019 with funding from Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT)/MCTES and by FEDER - Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional funds through the COMPETE 2020 – Operacional Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalisation (POCI), and by Portuguese funds through FCT in the framework of the project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-028931. References: [1] - Royani, Z., Heidari, M., Vatanparast, M., Yaghmaei, F., Sarcheshme, A., & Majomerd, J. (2019). Predictors of Quality of Life in Infertile Couples. Journal of Menopausal Medicine, 25, 35. [2] - Niringiyumukiza, J. D., Cai, H., & Xiang, W. (2018). Prostaglandin E2 involvement in mammalian female fertility: ovulation, fertilization, embryo development and early implantation. Reproductive biology and endocrinology: RB&E, 16(1), 43–43. [3] - Moreira-Pinto, B., Costa, L., Fonseca, B. M., & Rebelo, I. (2020). Dissimilar effects of curcumin on human granulosa cells: Beyond its anti-oxidative role. Reproductive Toxicology, 95, 51–58. Mechanisms of drug resistance of bacteria cultured from medical students stethoscopes Krzysztof Sacha1, Paweł Harbut1,2, Amadeusz Hajduk1,2, Monika Kabała1, Kuba Orszulak1 1 - Department of Medical Microbiology, 2 -Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care INTRODUCTION European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) reports that 1 in 18 patients in Europe has HAI and about 80.000 patients become infected by hospital pathogens every day. Medical students’ stethoscopes used during clinical classes are potential sources of HAI etiologic agents AIM The aim of this work was to examine the presence and to compare drug resistance of bacterial strains on the stethoscopes of medical students attending classes in different wards in 2 hospitals in Silesia, Poland. METHODS Sixty four samples taken from stethoscopes were obtained using sterile swabs and transport medium. Twenty four samples were swabbed in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 18 - in the Internal Medicine Department and 22 - in the Gastroenterology Department. All samples were cultured on Columbia, Chapman, MacConkey agars and BHI, enriched with 1% horse serum at 37°C for 24 h. Then colonies were re-isolated using the same media and BHI. Isolated strains were identified in the automatic system - VITEK 2 Compact (bioMérieux, Marcy L’Etoile, France). Drug resistance mechanisms were performed according to The European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) 2019 RESULTS Samples taken from stethoscopes contained coagulase-negative Staphylococci (CNS), Micrococci, Aerococci, Bacilli and Corynebacteria. Four samples: three from ICU and one from Gastroenterology ward, contained Staphylococcus aureus. 9 samples presented no bacterial growth. Out of 26 examined samples, 18 were resistant to antibiotics (penicillin, methicillin, linezolid, MSB and MLSB resistance), 7/9 from ICU, 5/10 from Internal Medicine ward and 6/7 from Gastroenterology ward. Three presented multidrug resistance, 2 strains from ICU: Staphylococcus hominis with methicillin and MSB, Staphylococcus warneri with methicillin and MLSB and 1 from the Gastroenterology ward: Staphylococcus epidermidis with methicillin and MSB CONCLUSION Because student’ stethoscopes are potential sources of HAI etiologic agents, their carefully disinfection between patients is required to prevent transmission of HAI Sorological Markers of Hepatitis B and C in Academics of a University of the State of Minas Gerais VIANA, Matheus S.1, COSTA, Maria C. A1, JUNIOR, Onés S.1, MACIEL, Julia A.1, SILVÉRIO, Alessandra S. D.2 1 - Academic of the University José do Rosário Vellano, 2 -Professor of the University José do Rosário Vellano INTRODUCTION Infections by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) cause a serious public health problem worldwide, because they associate a high level of schedule and can progress to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. In addition, they are the largest cause of liver transplants in the world. AIM Thus, the objective of this work was to study the positivity of serological markers of these hepatitis in screening tests in academics in the health area of a University in the state of Minas Gerais. METHODS Study approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of UNIFENAS, Doc. No. 2. 895. 986. For qualitative detection of the serum marker of immunity to hepatitis B: Anti-HBsAg and evaluation of the presence of antigen surface detection of HBV: HBsAg) and detection of Anti-HCV IgM and IgG), the lateral flow immunochromatographic method TR - Rapid Test was used. RESULTS The partial results show that the population was composed mainly of adults or women n = 86 (68.8%). The positivity values in the screening tests were n = 36, 28.8% only for Anti-HBsAg. Meanwhile, for other markers or HBsAg and Anti- HCV IgM and reduced IgG. Thus, positive individuals must have their positivity confirmed by highly specific techniques, and referred for follow-up in specialized services. CONCLUSION According to the MS, these tests are recommended mainly for face-to-face tests. This serological screening performed does not confirm positivity for hepatitis B and C, serving only to exclude potentially infectious individuals. Thus, sensitive individuals can have their positivity confirmed by highly specific techniques and referred for follow-up in specialized services. The CYP2E1 metabolism increases in vitro hepatotoxicity of the synthetic psychostimulant 4-fluoromethamphetamine Rita Roque Bravo1, Helena Carmo1, João Pedro Silva1, Félix Carvalho1, Maria de Lourdes Bastos1, Diana Dias da Silva1 1 - 1UCIBIO/REQUIMTE - Laboratory of Toxicology, Biological Sciences Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal. INTRODUCTION 4-Fluoromethamphetamine (4-FMA) is a stimulant and entactogenic amphetamine, with alleged nootropic effects. Many drug users describe its subjective effects as similar to those of other amphetamines, but the potential health effects of recreational use of 4-FMA is hitherto unknown. AIM Because the liver plays a pivotal role in the metabolism and toxicity of amphetamines, we set out to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of 4-FMA using three complementary in vitro hepatocyte models. METHODS Viability of human immortalised HepG2 and HepaRG cells, and primary rat hepatocytes (PRH) was evaluated by MTT reduction, after exposing cells for 24 h to a concentration range of the drug that enable obtaining complete concentration vs. effect curves. RESULTS 4-FMA was shown to induced concentration-dependent toxicity, primary rat hepatocytes being the most sensitive in vitro model (LC50 2.21 mM), followed by HepaRG and HepG2 (LC50 5.59 mM and 9.57 mM, respectively). Also, 4-FMA significantly impaired the glutathione and energetic storages in PRH, as well as disrupted redox homeostasis. Finally, 4- FMA activated the apoptosis common pathway, following activation of caspase-8 and caspase-9. The co-incubation of PRH with 4-FMA and cytochrome P450 specific inhibitors suggested that its toxicity is metabolism-dependent. CYP2D6 inhibition increased 4-FMA-induced cytotoxicity, while CYP2E1 inhibition decreased the cytotoxicity. These data suggest that 4-FMA may be metabolically activated by CYP2E1, while metabolism through CYP2D6 results in detoxification. CYP3A4 inhibition had no impact in the toxic effects of 4-FMA. CONCLUSION Our results show that 4-FMA is potentially hepatotoxic to its users. Since the metabolism of the drug is likely to greatly affect its toxicity, interindividual variability in susceptibility and potential for toxicologically relevant drug interactions are of concern. Acknowledgements: This work was financed by FEDER-COMPETE 2020 and FCT in the framework of the project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-029584. This work was also supported by UID/MULTI/04378/2020 through FCT/MCTES funds. Public Health & Medical Informatics Gender Preference amongst Antenatal Women in Coastal South India Shivangini Duggal1,2,3 1 - Kasturba Medical College, 2 -Manipal University, 3 -Undergraduate, MBBS INTRODUCTION India has 48.20% female population and 51.80% male population. This inverted sex ratio leads to serious socio-cultural problems such as population imbalance and violence. AIM To observe the desire for female child in the Indian household. METHODS A cross-sectional study was undertaken, taking a sample size of 120 women, who came for antenatal checkups in the obstetrics OPD of the Lady Goschen Hospital, Mangalore. The participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire that included questions on their socioeconomic status, their family size and composition, their gender preference for current pregnancy and inquired about their awareness of the current status of the sex ratio in India. Analysis was done using chi square test. A statistical package SPSS version 17.0 was used for analysis. RESULTS The study mostly includes families belonging to upper lower(IV) class of Kuppuswamy scale. The study showed that 51.8% primgravidas preferred a male child compared to only 26.8% that preferred the female child. Multigravidas who bore male child before preferred a female child(50%); the ones who bore a female child before preferred a male child(42.8%). The most common reason prevailing in multigravidas for gender preferences was to diversify their family composition. We also see that the desired family composition in the study includes preference for 2 children. Only 2 out of 120 women knew about India's current sex ratio. CONCLUSION Our study highlights the preference for a male heir in the first time pregnant women. It also unveiled the prevalence of poor sex ratio knowledge in this study group. To overcome this we need better community outreach programs that deal with couple's counselling and education to maintain an equal sex ratio for a stable and progressive society. Acknowledgements: Dr. Sharan J Pal, associate professor, department of obstetrics and Gynaecology, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Manipal University References: 1. Roberts LR, Montgomery SB. India's distorted sex ratio: dire consequences for girls. Journal of Christian nursing: a quarterly publication of Nurses Christian Fellowship. 2016 Jan;33(1):E7. 2. Government of India Census (2011). http://mospi.nic.in/statistical-year-book-india/2018/171 3. Vadera BN, Joshi UK, Unadakat SV, Yadav BS, Yadav S. Study on knowledge, attitude and practices regarding gender preference and female feticide among pregnant women. Indian Journal of Community Medicine. 2007 Oct 1;32(4):300. 4. Khatri M, Acharya R, Sharma G (2012) Knowledge, Attitude and Practices (KAP) Related to Pre-Conception & Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC & PNDT) Act Among the Antenatal Women in Bikaner. 1: 121. 5. Kumar N, Kanchan T, Bhaskaran U, Rekha T, Mithra P, Kulkarni V, Holla R, Bhagwan D, Reddy S. Gender preferences among antenatal women: a cross-sectional study from coastal South India. African health sciences. 2015;15(2):560–7. Drowning: Forensics and Epidemiology Jelisaveta Rudan1, Aleksandar Kara-Jovanović2, Milenko Bogdanović3 1 - Author, 2 -Co-author, 3 -Mentor INTRODUCTION Drowning is an important public health problem worldwide, especially considering that it belongs to the category of preventable causes of mortality. AIM Recognizing the risk factors for drowning victims of determined manner of death (suicidal or accidental), with a descriptive analysis of the characteristics of the drowning during a twelve-year period in Belgrade. METHODS This research is designed as a retrospective descriptive study. Analyzed variables were: gender, age, location of drowning, psychiatric illness, blood alcohol content, drugs /drug metabolites in blood (benzodiazepines, antidepressants, antipsychotics and antiepileptics), chronic organ disease, data confirming weather the victim was a swimmer or not, season of the year when the incident took place. RESULTS Identified risk factors for the victim to be classified as a suicidal drowning were: female gender (OR 0.07; CI 95% 0.02- 0.22; p < 0.05), psychiatric illness (OR 26.0; CI 95% 6.95–97.2; p < 0.05) and chronic organ disease (OR 5.02; CI 95% 1.52- 16.58; p&lt; p < 0.05). Risk factors for the victim to be classified as an accidental drowning were: age less than 65 (OR 0.17; CI 95% 0.059–0.522; p < 0.05), positive blood alcohol content (BAC) (OR 0.25; CI 95% 0.09–0.63; p < 0.05) and drug addiction (OR 0.32; CI 95% 0.13–0.78; p < 0.05). CONCLUSION Considering the characteristics of drowning victims and recognized risk factors, especially when it comes to accidental deaths, the need for adopting preventative measures towards these deaths is unequivocal, with the use of organized monitoring at the places of these incidents. Complications of illegal abortions in Poland during interwar period Wojciech Koziołek1, Kamil Hapkiewicz1, Gabriela Szypuła1, Jerzy Król1, Patrycja Szczepaniak1, Gabriela Kanclerz1 1 - Jagiellonian University Medical College INTRODUCTION Foeticide widely known as abortion is reported since antiquity. During interwar period termination of pregnancy was legally forbidden in Poland. Hence this obstacle women were compelled to seek solutions for their unwanted pregnancy in hazardous methods which often led to death of both mother and foetus. AIM Analysis of different methods of abortion, cause of death of women that undergone the procedure and foeticide prevalence in the interwar period. METHODS We investigated autopsy protocols from years 1920–1939 gathered in The Department of Forensic Medicine in Cracow. We found 101 cases of illegal lethal foeticides and studied them focusing on its complications. RESULTS In almost 21% of cases, the abortion was carried out by a accoucheuse. A qualified physician was present only for less than 2% of the procedures performed. In most of researched protocols, the way in which pregnancy was terminated remain unknown. In 27% of cases abortion was performed through usage of implements such as wire or catheter. Injection or rinsing out a fetus and it was carried out on 8.90% of women. In 88% of cases there was no trace of trauma in the uterus; in 9,9% it was perforated. The remnants of the amniotic sac were present in 48% of autopsy protocols, while uterine abscess in 37%. In majority of cases a cause of death was fibrino-purulent peritonitis and sepsis with the uterus as a source of infection. CONCLUSION Unwanted pregnancy is always a serious problem, though it must have been even more diffucult situation in the interwar period as numerous offspring could lead to financial misery. Since abortion was illegal lots of women decided to use variety of hazardous methods which often led to death. Therefore, abortion should always be performed by a professional medical team in a properly equipped clinic to avoid its serious complications. Assessment of Awareness of Deprescribing amongst Doctors of a Tertiary Care Hospital Japmehr Sandhu1 1 - Government Medical College, Amritsar, Punjab INTRODUCTION Deprescribing, the basic component of good prescribing practices is the systematic review and reduction of dose or complete cessation of drugs intended for chronic use following a risk-benefit analysis whilst remaining in congruence with the patient's quality of life and economic circumstances. Deprescribing is a crucial pillar in public matters of growing concern about polypharmacy and drug cascading. AIM This study aims to shine light on the prevalence of deprescribing amongst Indian doctors and hence affecting the phenomenon of “legacy prescribing” in the Indian population. METHODS A validated PACPD-12 Questinnaire on Deprescribing was filled by the doctors working in a Departments of a tertiarry care hospital. Data was collected and recorded on Microsoft Excel 2019 spread sheet and assessed by conversion into percentages. RESULTS Out of the surveyed doctors, 55% were previously unaware of the term ‘deprescribing’ and a 100% believed there existed a lack of awareness on the topic in the Indian community. Steroids, Benzodiazepines, antibiotics and Proton pump inhibitors were the most preferred drugs for deprescription and the most prevalent reason cited was to protect the patient from adverse drug reactions. 65% doctors did not use any specific criteria for deprescription however 90% of them expressed being amenable to following set guidelines on the same. The biggest barrier to deprescribing was reported to be the current doctor being unsure of the rationale behind previously prescribed medications by other doctors. Lack of experience (25%) and resistance from the patient (30%) was also outlined. CONCLUSION It is the first time that the prevalence of depresciption was assessed at a government tertiary healthcare centre. This study concludes that there exists a lack of awareness of the concept stemming from a lack of representation in the degree curriculum and absence of department set criteria for deprescribing. Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Diabetic Foot Patients Admitted to the Surgical Wards at Baghdad Teaching Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Study Ameer Al-Jasim1, Osama Al-Kubaisy1, Aktham Al-Khafaji1 1 - College of Medicine-University of Baghdad INTRODUCTION Diabetic foot disease (DFD) is a common complication of DM. It forms a huge burden on the surgical wards worldwide, yet it can be prevented extensively by patients with appropriate level of knowledge, attitudes and practices towards their diabetes. AIM To assess the level of knowledge, attitudes and practices of DFD patients using a structured questionnaire specifically developed for that purpose. METHODS A structured questionnaire was developed to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices towards the prevention of both DM and DFD. A pilot study was conducted to examine the effectiveness and practicality of the questionnaire and scoring method, which retained scientific desirable results. The questionnaire was approved by Department of Community and Family Medicine at College of Medicine-University of Baghdad. Questionnaire scores were compared with similar studies and with the study sample itself. A total of 77 patients were included in the study. RESULTS 58% were males. Only 27% had finished secondary school education. 27% were presenting with diabetic foot complications for the first time. The mean total score of the sample was 28.4 ± 5.8 out of a possible total of 44. People with secondary school education and those who’ve had DM for more than 15 years had better questionnaire scores overall. Higher knowledge scores of DM and diabetic foot disease were weakly correlated with better attitudes & practices scores for those two diseases. CONCLUSION The study showed good DM & DFD knowledge, but moderate DM & DFD attitudes and practices, which is consistent with other similar studies. The weak association between knowledge scores & attitudes and practices scores can be attributed mainly to poor compliance. A large part of subjects failed to translate their knowledge in many aspects of DM & diabetic foot prevention into actual attitudes and practices pertaining to that knowledge. Modifiable stroke risk factors as prognostic tools for patient outcome Adnan Mujanovic1, Merjem Begic2 1 - Medical Faculty, University of Tuzla, 2 -Medical University of Vienna INTRODUCTION Ischemic stroke is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. As the number of people with hypertension, diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia increase, it is highly likely that this problem worsens. AIM This paper represents up-to-date data on stroke in Tuzla Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Certain modifiable stroke risk factors have been analyzed in this study, with the aim of their further use as prognostic tools for patient's clinical outcome. METHODS Data was collected through a retrospective hospital-based study at the Neurology Clinic Tuzla. All patients which were admitted between January 1st and December 31st 2018 with first-ever ischemic stroke (FEIS) on this clinic were included in the analysis. RESULTS FEIS was diagnosed in 749 patients (mean age 72,33 ± 10,779) out of which the 48,4% (n = 358) were men and 51,6% (n = 381) women (mean age 71,00 ± 11,014 & 73,59 ± 10,413 respectively). Leading modifiable risk factors were hypertension (94,0%; n = 695), diabetes (40,7%; n = 301), dyslipidemia (38,8%; n = 287), cigarette (25,6%; n = 189) and alcohol (10,7%; n = 79) consumption. Diabetes (p < 0,004) was mostly registered with female patients, while alcohol (p < 0,001) and cigarette (p < 0,001) abuse were statistically more present in male patients. There was no statistical significance in other risk factors between the genders. Higher mortality rate was observed in individuals who had diabetes (χ2 = 3,852; p = 0,05) or dyslipidemia (χ2 = 45,879; p < 0,001) as risk factors. In the surviving patient group, one of the deciding predictors for severity of disability or dependence in daily activities (modified Rankin Scale > 2) was dyslipidemia (χ2 = 25,191; p < 0,001). CONCLUSION The need to intensify intervention programs to manage diabetes, dyslipidemia and other stroke risk factors should be prioritized. Improving stroke outcomes in individuals with modifiable risk factors requires prompt and persistent implementation of evidence-based medical protocols as well as adoption of beneficial lifestyle practices. Changes in weight and body mass index of patients in transtibial amputee after three months of amputation. Rohit Shahi, Satya Kumar Koduru INTRODUCTION There are about a million amputations every year and 70% of amputations are related to diabetes. The number of people with lower-limb amputations is expected to double by the year 2050, largely because of vascular disease associated with an ageing population and increased incidence of diabetes and heart disease.[1] AIM The change in weight pattern will help us in designing linear spring-based prosthetic for people living in a hilly area with amputation have difficulty in walking in the hilly area living in Himalayan foothill due to irregular surfaces. METHODS It is a prospective study, N = 100 was selected for the study. We used weights and heights obtained during inpatient and outpatient clinical encounters. Patients going under transtibial amputation were selected the patients were first categorized under two Diabetic amputee and Non-diabetic amputee further diabetic patients were categorized into two groups Type-1 and Type -2 diabetes. Height and B.M.I. were taken from the case record form at the time of the entry of patient in the general surgery department.[2] Since we were not interested in assessing weight changes because of limb loss, in persons with an amputation baseline weight was the median of weights obtained two to four days after their index amputation. Per cent weight change, calculated as the difference between weight at time x and weight at baseline, divided by baseline weight x 100, was the primary outcome of interest.[3] RESULTS Among Hundred patients selected for the study (n = 100). Out of which 11 patients were non-diabetic amputee and rest 89 were diabetic patient out which 7 were Type 1 diabetic and 82 were Type 2 diabetics. The height of twenty patient was ranging from 154 cm-174 cm. with a mean height of 163.8 cm CONCLUSION It is well documented that obesity is related to many health conditions to which this sample is susceptible, including additional amputations, heart disease, and stroke. High blood sugar may have resulted in Increase body weight among diabetics Acknowledgements: I would like to thank my professor and H.O.D. of Orthopedics Satya Kumar Koduru and General Surgery T.J. Prassana Kumar without their help this research would not be possible. References: 1) Viswanathan Vijay MD, PHD, WHO collaborating centre for Research, Amputation prevention initiative in South India. (January 26, 2005). 2) Canavan J. Ronan MB, MRCP, Connolly M. Vinvent MD, FRCP. Diabetes and nondiabetes Related lower extremity amputation incidence before and after the introduction of better-organized diabetes foot care, National diabetes journal (November 27, 2007) 3) Kinetics of transfemoral amputees with osseointegrated fixation performing common activities of daily living Winson C.C. Leeab Laurent A. Frossardab Kerstin Hagbergc Eva Haggstromd Rickard Brånemarkc John H. Evansab Mark J. Pearcyab The importance of herd immunity from a geographic and demographic viewpoint Elisabeth Antonia Marchis Hund1, Ioana Alina Colosi2 1 - University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iuliu Hatieganu, 2 -Department of Microbiology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iuliu Hatieganu INTRODUCTION Preventable diseases are a concern for global health. Measles is particularly representative of this issue as they continue to pose a threat to certain communities. Romania, for example, reached 200,072 infections from 2016 till May of 2019 and is still reporting new cases. AIM We intend to find the significance of the geographical and demographical factors on provoking the measles outbreak, in order to identify the correlation between vaccination and the rising incidence and mortality. METHODS We collected data from 2015 until 2019 from the official site of the National Institute of Public Health and Statistics in Romania. RESULTS A small correlation between the measles in neighboring countries and the numbers in the bordering counties of Romania (p < 0.01 r = 0.131) was found. The fraction of the Roma ethnic group did not have an impact on the incidence (p < 0.01 r = 0.131, r = −0.044). There was a strong correlation between morbidity and mortality in 2016(p < 0.01 r = 0.922), 2018 (p < 0.01 r = 0.480), but the vaccination percentage had a different influence on mortality (2016:p < 0.01 r = −0.312, 2018: p < 0.05 r = 0.098). A weak link between vaccination and morbidity was found (p < 0.05 r = −0.165). CONCLUSION The absent influence from the bordering countries was caused by sufficient immunity rates to act as a barrier in some regions. The low compliance to the healthcare and educational system makes Roma ethnical groups more susceptible to high carriage rates. Immunosuppressive conditions and naturally acquired immunity have not been taken into consideration, resulting in weak correlations. To conclude, the lack of herd immunity and compliance to the healthcare system puts Romania at risk for future outbreaks, which can easily propagate beyond its borders. Incidence and prevalence of urolithiasis in Kazakhstan from 2015 to 2018: Analysis from the Republican Centre for Health Development. Ilyas Kairgaliyev1, Ulanbek Zhanbyrbekuly1 1 - Astana Medical University INTRODUCTION In Kazakhstan, the incidence of urinary calculi is increasing due to the changes in nutritional trends, environment and living standards. AIM This study aimed to evaluate and analyze population tendency to urolithiasis in Kazakhstan over the last 4 years from 2015 to 2018, assess the incidence by age groups, region, gender using the Republican Centre for Health Development (RCHD) sample cohort data. METHODS Sample cohort data for the period from 2015 to 2018 from the RCHD was obtained. Patients with the international classification of diseases code N13.2, N20.1, N20.2, N20.9 were included. Comparison between the incidence and prevalence of urolithiasis by age groups, gender, region was conducted. RESULTS In total, from 2015 to 2018, 37347 patients were registered with urolithiasis diagnosis, while 18909 patients found out urinary stones for the first time (FT). Over this period, the incidence in females was 19952 (FT = 9345), in males was 17395 (FT = 9564), the ratio between women and men is 1.14:1 (for the first time diagnosed patients almost the same 1:1.02). The incidence rate was highest in N20.1 code, ureter stone only (N = 15372, FT = 8306). The least in N13.2 code (N = 1438, FT = 679). From 2015 to 2018, the East Kazakhstan region had the highest incidence rate of 3.5393 people per 1000 people and the Karaganda region had the lowest rate of 0.78 people per 1000 people. In gender analysis, the Almaty region had the highest rate (4.19) in females, and the Akmola region had the highest rate in males (3.56). CONCLUSION There was a slight increase in the general incidence rate of urolithiasis over the reported period. The incidence rate among females was a little bit higher than in males. The highest incidence of urolithiasis is seen in eastern parts of our country, while the central part demonstrated the lowest rate. HCV Genotype Distribution In Georgian Population And It's Correlation With Ledipasvir/sofosbuvir Treatment Efficiency Shweta Tilante1, Mohammed Qumar Naick2, Maia Zhamutashvili3 1 - European university, 2 -Infectious Diseases, AIDS and Clinical Immunology Research Center, 3 -Georgian-FrenchJoint Hepatology Clinic “Hepa” INTRODUCTION Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is of growing global concern due to its significant impact on morbidity and mortality. Over 180 million people worldwide are infected with the HCV [1]. Georgia has one of the highest burdens of HCV infections around the globe with an estimated 5.4% of the adult population (150,000 people) living with HCV [2,3]. In response to this HCV epidemic the Government of Georgia launched world's first HCV Elimination Program. This program includes the detection of HCV infected people, treatment of patients and disease prevention. According to survey conducted in (2000–2003), the prevalence of HCV genotype-1 was 62% higher compared to other HCV genotypes (HCV2- 10.2% and HCV3–27.8%) [4]. AIM The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in HCV genotype spectrum in Georgia, and to access the HCV genotype-based treatment efficiency of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir. METHODS We conducted a retrospective analysis of the medical records of patients registered in the Georgian National Elimination Program (2016–2018) in the Infectious Disease, AIDS and Clinical Immunology Research Centre, Georgia. These patients were treated with ledipasvir/sofosbuvir with or without ribavirin for 12 or 24 months (with or without cirrhosis, respectively). RESULTS The study showed that among 4342 patients, Genotype 1b was detected in (n = 2421; 55.75%) patients, Genotype 2 in (n = 795; 18.30%) and Genotype 3a in (n = 1122; 25.84%); also two patients with recombinant (3a/1b, 2k/1b) and 2 patients with undetectable genotypes were revealed. As for ledipasvir/sofobuvir treatment (n = 41; 0.94%) patients relapsed; 5 patients -1b (2 non-cirrhotic, 3 cirrhotic), 9 patients -G2 (4–2a non-cirrhotic; 3-2a/2c non-cirrhotic; 2-2c non-cirrhotic), 27 patients - 3a (21 non-cirrhotic; 6 cirrhotic). NS5A resistance test was done only in some patients after relapse. Only in 2 cases has been detected resistance against the direct antiviral drugs (DAAs). CONCLUSION Thus, the study of HCV genotypes has shown changes in the prevalence of different genotypes in recent years. The majority of patients are still infected with genotype 1b but are relatively smaller compared to the study materials measured in 2000-2003; in contrast, the proportion of other genotypes has increased. There is no clear relationship between genotypes and drug efficacy in terms of treatment effectiveness. References: [1] Hadigan C, Kottilil S. Hepatitis C virus infection and coinfection with human immunodeficiency virus: challenges and advancements in management. JAMA 2011; 306: 294–301 doi: 10.1001/jama.2011.975 pmid: 21771990. [2] Gvinjilia L, Nasrullah M, Sergeenko D, Tsertsvadze T, Kamkamidze G, Butsashvili M, Gamkrelidze A, Imnadze P, Kvaratskhelia V, Chkhartishvili N, Sharvadze L, Drobeniuc J, Hagan L, Ward JW, Morgan J, Averhoff F. National Progress Toward Hepatitis C Elimination - Georgia, 2015–2016. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2016 Oct 21;65(41):1132–1135; [3] Nasrullah M, Sergeenko D, Gvinjilia L, Gamkrelidze A, Tsertsvadze T, Butsashvili M, Metreveli D, Sharvadze L, Alkhazashvili M, Shadaker S, Ward JW, Morgan J, Averhoff F. The Role of Screening and Treatment in National Progress Toward Hepatitis C Elimination - Georgia, 2015–2016. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2017 Jul 28;66(29):773-776. [4] Baliashvili, D. et al. Prevalence and genotype distribution of hepatitis C virus in Georgia: a 2015 nationwide population-based survey. A retrospective study of the association of gender and age differences with the levels of HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol measured separately and in the calculation of atherosclerotic index. Irini Kasolli1, Artjola Puja2, Zaide Sulejmani2,3 1 - Diagnostic center “Pegasus Med”, 2 -University of Medicine, Faculty of Technical Medical Sciences, Tirana, 3 -Albanian Institute of Public Health. INTRODUCTION Previous studies show that females tend to have higher HDL-c and lower LDL-c levels compared to males, but this pattern changes with aging. However, the relationship between LDL-c/HDL-c ratio or atherosclerotic index (AI) with age and gender has not been previously investigated. AIM The purpose was to evaluate the association between serum lipoprotein levels and AI, in male and female subjects categorized into 3 age groups. METHODS In this retrospective study we involved 100 patients who tested lipid profiles in the fasting state during a 2 months period (May to July 2019). The data were selected randomly and collected electronically (s-Lis) from the Diagnostic Center “Pegasus Med” in Tirana, Albania. The lipid profiles, including HDL-C, and LDL-C were assessed using Architect ci8200 analyzer and AI was calculated. RESULTS Statistical data showed from 100 patients, females constituted 48% and males 52% out of the sample tested while the mean age was 48.8 ± 15.4 years. Levels of LDL-c and HDL-c were examined and AI was calculated in our sample population categorized into 3 age groups: 18–39 (34%), 40–59 (43%), > 60 (23%). We found out after the age of 60, levels of LDL-c decreased in both males and females, but females had a higher level of LDL-c than males (130.3 ± 34.9). Similar higher levels of AI were calculated in this age group of females compared to males (AI = 3.2, AI = 3, respectively). LDL-c level was the most influencing factor for AI (ρ=0.79). CONCLUSION Age and gender differences were not independent predictors of AI. However, other factors influencing serum lipoprotein levels should be considered to better define the age and gender-related changes of HDL-c and LDL-c. Acknowledgements: We would like to express our gratitude towards the organizing committee of this conference that despite the current situation of emergency is encouraging students and professionals from different medical backgrounds and excellence to conduct quality scientific research which will be of an impact in academia and healthcare sector. We hope our research work will contribute to a fruitful discussion and scientific interaction in the medical field. To conclude, i would like to express my very great appreciation to MD. PhD Zaide Sulejmani for her assistance during this research project and to my colleague Artjola Puja for supporting and helping me with the statistical analysis of the study data. Knowledge, opinions and attitudes of Polish women towards human milk banks Joanna Pergoł1, Julia Smyk1, Zuzanna Danielecka1 1 - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland INTRODUCTION Human milk banks (HMBs) are services involved in the collection, storage, screening and distribution of human milk. They provide natural nutrition to children who cannot be fed their own mother's milk. AIM The study aimed to assess the knowledge, opinions, and attitudes of Polish women towards HMBs. METHODS A cross-sectional survey was conducted to obtain 871 female responses. The author's questionnaire was used and made available on Internet forums. It was also distributed in paper form to patients of the obstetrics and gynecology hospital and in workplaces between December 2019 and February 2020. Statistical analysis was performed with IBM SPSS Statistics program using Shapiro-Wilk and Pearson's chi-square test with the p value of 0.05. RESULTS Of the 871 respondents, 69.4% have ever heard of human milk banks. 68.6% of them learned about HMB from the Internet, and 4% from a doctor. 3.3% of respondents who could donate milk to the bank decided to donate. 53% of Polish women, who did not use the opportunity to donate milk, indicated the lack of knowledge about this procedure. 99% of women who have heard of HMBs believe that knowledge about them is not sufficiently widespread in Poland. 57.2% of all respondents are willing to broaden their knowledge on this issue. 83% of them declare a willingness to search for information on the Internet. CONCLUSION Awareness of the existence of HMBs in the population of Polish women is high, but their knowledge about them is low and cursory. We acknowledge a great need for education on HMBs, as it could significantly increase the percentage of donations. The main source of obtaining information for women is the Internet, so it is worth using this information channel for education. It is also important to increase the role of doctors in making patients aware of the functioning of HMBs and donations. REASONS OF VACCINE HESITANCY AMONG PEOPLE OF KIEV Nausheen Ansari1, Gnyloskurenko G.V.1, Grechukha Y.O.1 1 - Bogomolets National Medical University INTRODUCTION The vaccination is one of the greatest medical achievements in human history. Despite the fact vaccine hesitancy remains a global threat and as a result promotes the outbreaks of vaccine preventable disease. AIM This study seeks to assess the factors influencing parental decision-making about vaccination. METHODS The questionnaire method developed by the EAPRASnet was used. The study was conducted among 795 parents whose children were treated at Children's clinical hospital, kiev Ukraine. The survey contains variations of multichotomous type of response and 5-point Likert scale. We analysed following factors which influenced the decision about vaccination (gender of parents, age, education, consultation with doctors). The data collected from the questionnaire was processed with Microsoft Excel software and analysed statistically with Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS version 12.0) RESULTS Analysis showed that 86.1% of parents who got consultation from paediatricians believe that vaccines are effective, compared to the 60.7% (p < 0.01) of parents who got consultation by other specialists. “The vaccination of children is important” was acknowledged by 81.5% of parents with higher university degree whereas only 67% of parents (p≤0.05) who graduated from high school agreed to the above statement. The statement that “I only vaccinate my child because it is required for kindergarten admissions” was supported by only 4.5% of highly educated parents. 94.9% of Parents between age of 17–24 years old accept that children should get vaccination as compared to 85.1% of parents of age 25+ years (p < 0.05). Considering gender 91.9% of men believe that vaccination is important, compared to 84% of females. About 96–98% parents got the negative information about vaccination from mass media, doctors etc CONCLUSION Our study shows that major part of population still believe in the importance of vaccination. simultaneously there are range of factors which influenced vaccine hesitancy. Educational needs of patients with coronary artery disease. Ewa Kowalewska1, Katarzyna Komnacka1, Krzysztof Wójcicki1 1 - Jagiellonian University Medical College, 2nd Department of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Interventions in Cracow INTRODUCTION The education about coronary artery disease (CAD) is the base of the prevention programs that may limit the impact of CAD on patients’ health. Understanding of the current educational process might be a key to improving the education itself and consequently the prevention of CAD. AIM Our study was designed in an attempt to find patterns characterizing several groups of patients that might be helpful in creating targeted and more efficient education projects. METHODS Data was collected using self designed questionnaire assessing sociodemografic and clinical profile, sources of knowledge and expectations referring to the education about heart diseases. It was conducted among patients at the cardiology department and at the First Cardiological Patients’ Congress during New Frontiers in Interventional Cardiology workshop 2018. The results were analyzed comparing the data between several groups of respondents divided according to the sociodemografic and clinical factors. RESULTS Of 488 respondents 74% were male, the median age was 68 years (IQR 62–73). History of CAD was reported by 68% of patients. Among all patients the most popular source of knowledge were cardiologist and general practitioner (GP) indicated by 64% and 41% of patients respectively. Patients with higher education were more likely to use books and Internet sources but they relied less on education provided by cardiologists. The source reported as a most valuable was the cardiologist, indicated by 34% of patients. Meetings with health care professionals were indicated as the most preferable form of education regardless of the sociodemografic or clinical factors. CONCLUSION Patients perceive doctors as a most reliable and trusted knowledge source. The role of GPs and the their cooperation with specialists is invaluable in the process of education and prevention. Patients over 65 years old also search for health information, including internet sources, but they prefer forums which is the less reliable sources of knowledge. Identifying problems in the appointment scheduling system of a major portuguese public hospital - Is there room for improvement? Maria Daniel Loureiro1, Gustavo Bacelar1,2, Pedro Pereira Rodrigues1,2 1 - Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto, 2 -CINTESIS – Center for Health Technology and Services Research INTRODUCTION With the increase in costs and demand for health services (particularly in countries with an aging population, such as Portugal), it is essential to find ways to optimize all processes associated with the provision of care. Therefore, in this project, we seek to identify issues related to the scheduling and executing consultations in Portuguese secondary health care. AIM Authors Cox and Boyd [1] reviewed academic literature concerning appointment scheduling and execution and identified fourteen frequently occurring problems. Based on their work, we answer the question: what are the problems resulting from the current appointment scheduling system of a large Portuguese public hospital? METHODS We surveyed doctors, nurses and administrative staff from the Outpatient Center of Hospital de São João (those who primarily intervene in the scheduling and execution of medical appointments) using a questionnaire about difficulties experienced in their daily practice, based on the problems identified in Cox and Boyd's work. A request for participation was sent to the 39 medical departments in the Outpatient Center. Eleven departments effectively took part in this study, represented by 53 doctors. Furthermore, 13 nurses and six administrative workers also took part. RESULTS Our results show that professionals regard some problems as both impactful and frequent. Specifically, more than 70% of doctors believe this is the case for problems “Patient wait times in the hospital are long”, “Sometimes providers are interrupted during a consultation” and “It is necessary to perform overbooking in order to see acute patients”. Additionally, all surveyed nurses agree that “Long patient wait times in the hospital” and “High waiting-room congestion” are two serious and frequent issues. Lastly, all administrative staff believes this to be the case for “The no-show rate is high”, “Many patients are given appointments later than they need/desire” and “Doctors have to cancel appointments (i.e., due to congresses or vacation)”. CONCLUSION Our research identified a number of specific areas of concern; For example, we find that problems related to patient no- shows, unpunctuality, and long wait times at the hospital are intrinsically related and could potentially be solved by encouraging patients to participate in choosing their appointment date and time and by calling them ahead of their appointment to make sure they remember it. We hope our findings can contribute to describing the existing problems in outpatient appointment scheduling in large Portuguese public hospitals, and we believe this investigation can be an important foundation for their improvement. References: [Cox and Boyd, 2018] Cox, J. F. and Boyd, L. H. (2018). Using the theory of constraints’ pro- cesses of ongoing improvement to address the provider appointment scheduling system design problem. Health Systems, pages 1–35. Medication adherence of patients with selected chronic diseases in Baghdad teaching hospital: A Cross-Sectional Study. Mustafa Ismail Al-Batryni1, Khudher Mohammed Khudher1, Naseem Wajdi Shaheen1 1 - University of Baghdad / College of Medicine. INTRODUCTION Adherence to medication is considered one of the primary determinants to assess the success of treatment, and it is defined, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), as “the extent to which the patient's history of therapeutic drug-taking coincides with the prescribed treatment.” AIM To measure the adherence levels in Baghdad Teaching Hospital and assess the risk factors affecting patients’ adherence. and to determine the reliability of the Arabic version of the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale-8 (A-MMAS-8) Questionnaire in the Iraqi population. METHODS A cross-sectional study conducted in Baghdad's Teaching Hospital, Medical City in Baghdad, Iraq. Patients on medication of chronic disease for at least the past 6 months were chosen from medical wards and the Arabic version of the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale-8 (A-MMAS-8) Questionnaire was used to assess adherence to medication and another one was to collect potential risk factors that could affect medication adherence. RESULTS Pearson's Chi-Square test was performed for attributed factors and the Adherence Score. Of those factors, two were found to be significant, belief (P = 0.004) and Administration Method (P = 0.05). Also, there was a weak, negative correlation between the Score and Age (rs = −0.139, P = .05) and a weak, negative correlation between the Score, and Duration of the Illness (rs = −0.179, P = .013). Cronbach's alpha of the reliability analysis showed the questionnaire to reach acceptable reliability, α = 0.608. CONCLUSION The high percentage of patients (90.5%) having poor medication adherence gives us an insight into the Iraqi patients admitted to the hospital. This creates a problem, as many of these patients will develop complications at some point in their lives that require another hospital admission and so on. Belief and administration methods are associated with better adherence so more effort must be done to better convince the patients to take their medication regularly. A- MMAS-8 is reliable to measure adherence in the Iraqi population. Acknowledgements: We want to thank professor Husam Ali Salman a Dermatologist at Baghdad teaching hospital for his collaboration and assistance in making this project see the light. The Effects of Climacteric on Systemic Blood Pressure Laura Castanheira Machado1, Izabelle Rezende de Assis1, Werlayne Adriana dos Santos Silva1, Letícia Braga Camargos1, Sofia Brito Silva Gonçalves1, Fernanda Brandão Machado Carneiro1 1 - Faculdade de Medicina de Barbacena INTRODUCTION Systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) is characterized by elevated and sustained levels of blood pressure (BP > 140 / 90mmHg). In women, the increase in blood pressure (BP) with age is associated with the arrival of the climacteric, a phase in which they experience a reduction in the production of estrogen. This reduction can result in an increase LDL- cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and a decrease in HDL-cholesterol, increasing the risk for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), and a parallel increase in the level of circulating androgens. There is a linear relationship between weight gain and increased systolic blood pressure. AIM To evaluate the influence of climacteric on blood pressure control in hypertensive women. METHODS A prospective observational case-control study was performed with 224 hypertensive women attended in six campaigns in the city of Barbacena-MG between January and December of 2018. A complete anamnesis was performed, women had their systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) measured and anthropometric assessments were realized. Blood sample was collected for biochemical and hormonal dosages. RESULTS Based on information on menstruation and follicle-stimulating hormone levels, participants were divided into three groups: menacme, premenopausal, and postmenopausal. The women showed adequate adherence to the pharmacological treatment, influencing the pressure parameters evaluated. The most commonly used classes of antihypertensive agents were diuretics and angiotensin II receptor blockers, with a low frequency of side effects. The body profile observed was homogeneous among the three groups, with no significant differences in waist circumference and BMI. Postmenopausal women had a higher cardiovascular risk despite reduced DBP. CONCLUSION In the present study, postmenopausal women, even without estrogen protection, maintained blood pressure values within the recommended range, emphasizing the importance of adequate adherence to antihypertensive treatment. Differences in methodological features according to the randomization status of registers about COVID-19 in ClinicalTrials.gov Pedro Fernandes Abbade1 1 - Bahia's Medical School - Federal University of Bahia (FMB-UFBA) INTRODUCTION Randomized clinical trials are considered the best method to test treatments [1]. Following the arise of the COVID-19 pandemic, an enormous amount of interventional studies were designed and registered at platforms. One of these platforms is ClinicalTrials.gov, linked to the National Institutes of Health, containing about 340.00 studies from 214 countries [2]. Randomization can reduce bias [3], but there is no evidence stating that randomized studies are consistently different regarding methodological features compared to non-randomized ones. AIM Compare interventional methods in randomized, non-randomized and not available randomization status (NARS) registers about COVID-19 with treatment as primary purpose at ClinicalTrials.gov. METHODS Observational cross-sectional study. First, 1701 registers were collected at ClinicalTrials.gov on May 26th, 2020 with “COVID-19” as research term. Secondly, 665 interventional registers containing COVID-19 or similar as condition and with treatment as primary purpose were included. Also, 1036 registers were excluded for not meeting the inclusion criteria. Statistical analysis was performed by R-project 4.0.0. [4] using Kruskal-Wallis, Pairwise-Wilcox, and Fisher's- Exact tests. RESULTS Regarding the included registers, 537 were randomized, 43 non-randomized and 85 NARS. Enrollment differed between groups (p < 0.001), with less difference between non-randomization (median = 50, IQR = 20–100) and NARS (median = 29, IQR = 15–60) (p = 0.038) than compared to randomized registers (media = 150, IQR = 60–390). Any NARS, 5% non-randomized and 48% randomized registers were blinded (p < 0.001). Non-randomized registers accounted for one single-blinded and one double-blinded. The most frequent blinding format in randomized registers was quadruple (37%). Single-group assignment was the most frequent intervention model in NARS (99%), while parallel assignment was conceived for non- randomized (58%) and randomized registers (94%). Overall phase distribution was also different (p < 0.001). However, randomized and no-randomized registers were predominantly Phase 2 (respectively, 36 and 35%). CONCLUSION Randomized, non-randomized and NARS registers about COVID-19 with treatment as primary purpose at ClinicalTrials.gov are different concerning phase distribution, enrollment, blinding and intervention model. References: [1] R. Bonita, R. Beaglehole, T. Kjellström. 2006. Basic Epidemiology. WHO Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data. 2nd editio. Geneva 27, Switzerland: World Health Organization. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139696951.003. [2] U.S. National Library of Medicine - National Institute of Health. 2020. “ClinicalTrials.Gov.” 2020. https://clinicaltrials.gov/. [3] Berwnager, Otávio, Hélio Penna Guimarães, Álvaro Avezum, and Leopoldo Soares Piegas. 2016. “Medicina Baseada Em Evidências e Hipertensão Arterial -o – Princípios Para Avaliação Crítica Da Literatura Médica.” Rev Bras Hipertens 13 (1): 65–70. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(78)92496-0. [4] R Core Team (2020). R: A language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria. URL https://www.R-project.org/. Knowledge of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among 2nd to 4th Phase Medical Students of Bangladesh Alvee Ahsan1, Mostofa Arafat Islam2, Moomtahina Fatima1, Raisa Nawal Mahboob1 1 - Mymensingh Medical College, 2 -Chattogram Medical College INTRODUCTION Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), being one of the fastest growing disabilities in children are omnipresent and immutable neurodevelopmental disorders are characterized by impaired socialization, impaired verbal and non verbal communication, restricted interests and repetitive patterns of behavior[1,2,3]. In 2018 the CDC(Centre for Disease Control & Prevention) determined that approximately 1 in 59 children is diagnosed with ASD[4]. AIM This research was aimed to assess knowledge of ASD among medical students. METHODS A descriptive type of cross sectional study was conducted from 30th October to 25th November 2019 in 21 medical colleges among 483 undergraduate MBBS students of Bangladesh via preformed questionnaire titled as “Knowledge about Childhood Autism among Health Workers(KCAHW)”. Data was collected through self-administered questionnaires and online-form consisting of 4 domains. Convenient type of non-probability sampling was done and data was analyzed using Google Spreadsheets, MS Excel & SPSS v25. RESULTS The total mean score in the KCAHW questionnaire is 12.01 ± 4.03 out of 19. The study shows that students’ knowledge of Autism Spectrum Disorder(ASD) is not up to the mark. When assessing the knowledge in each domain, Domain 3 (knowledge regarding the motor skills) shows that only 46.25%(n = 225) students have scored ≥ 50% of their answers right, revealing that medical students were not familiar with the obsessive and compulsive patterns of behavior in ASD. CONCLUSION ASD can be reliably diagnosed before 2 years of age, but the practical scenario is a different picturesque. Thus, medical students should have bona fide knowledge to diagnose this progressively prevailing disorder at the earliest possible time. We conducted this research to assess knowledge of ASD among medical students with an aim to decreasing the knowledge gap in the long run. We hope aftermath of this study will have significant impact on the integrity and diversity of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Acknowledgements: 1. Dr. A.B.M Kamrul Hasan Assistant Professor & Department Head Department of Endocrinology Mymensingh Medical College Hospital 2. Dr. Basana Rani Muhuri Ex-Professor, Department of Pediatric Nephrology Chattogram Medical College Hospital 3. Dr. Fatema Ashraf Professor & Department Head Department of OBS & Gynae Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital 4. Dr. Sharmeen Yasmeen Professor & Department Head Department of Community Medicine Bangladesh Medical College Hospital References: 1. Imran N, Chaudry MR, Azeem MW, Bhatti MR, Choudhary ZI, Cheema MA. A survey of Autism knowledge and attitudes among the healthcare professionals in Lahore, Pakistan. BMC Pediatr. 2011 Dec;11(1):107. 2. Rahbar MH, Ibrahim K, Assassi P. Knowledge and Attitude of General Practitioners Regarding Autism in Karachi, Pakistan. J Autism Dev Disord. 2011 Apr 1;41(4):465–74. 3. Segal DL. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR). In: The Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology [Internet]. American Cancer Society; 2010 [cited 2019 Dec 22]. p. 1–3. 4. CDC increases estimate of autism's prevalence by 15 percent, to 1 in 59 children [Internet]. Autism Speaks. [cited 2019 Dec 22]. Neuroticism and Academic Perfomance: two distinct realities? Ana Carolina Areias1, Bruno Costa1, Carlos Silva1, Daniel Gaspar1, Mafalda Rodrigues1, Milton Severo1,2,3 1 - Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto, 2 -Departamento de Educação e Simulação Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal, 3 -Departamento de Epidemiologia, Medicina Preventiva e Saúde Pública, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal INTRODUCTION Academic Performance is related with students’ cognitive characteristics, but also with their character. Neuroticism is often associated with debilitating anxiety and irritability. AIM The goal is to study the association between the neuroticism personality trait and the results obtained in the 4th year at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto (FMUP). METHODS In this cross-sectional study, it was used a sub-sample of 78 students who were enrolled in the 4th year at FMUP, who underwent the Clinical Epidemiology exam in Normal Season and who completed the NEO-Five Factor Inventory questionnaire (NEO-FFI). The difficulty index (% of correct answers) and the discrimination index (biserial correlation) were calculated for each item of the test. The 1-PL item response theory model was used to estimate the level of knowledge that maximizes the test's precision. The Person's correlation coefficients were used to estimate the association between Neuroticism and the final classifications. RESULTS In relation to this sub-sample, on the exam was obtained an average classification of 16.4 values (SD = 1.7), on a scale from 0 to 20. All students were approved and a standard error of measurement of 1.9 was obtained. Taking into account the Classical Theory of Tests, the median difficulty index was 0.9 (AIQ = 0.2), the median discrimination index was 0.1 (AIQ = 0.2) and Cronbach's alpha was 0.67. The majority of the item characteristic curves showed maximal discrimination for a lower than average knowledge level. The correlation coefficient was 0.04 (p = 0.73). CONCLUSION The Neuroticism personality trait showed not to have effect on the classifications of Clinical Epidemiology. The national and regional burden of liver diseases in Brazil: a systematic analysis from 1996 to 2018 Jordana Almeida Mesquita1,2, Thais Yuki Kimura1,2, Paula Teixeira Vidigal2,3, André Gustavo Oliveira1,2 1 - Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Federal University of Minas Gerais, 2 -Liver Center at UFMG, Federal University of Minas Gerais, 3 -School of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais INTRODUCTION Liver diseases are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In Brazil, they represent the eighth cause of death; however, the burden of this group of diseases in the Brazilian public health system (SUS) is still unknown, both on a national and regional basis. AIM We report on the dynamics and burden of liver diseases from 1996 to 2018 in Brazil and its regions. METHODS Data were collected from the Unified Health System Information Technology Department (DataSus). All liver diseases in the International Classification of Diseases were included. RESULTS From 1996 to 2018, the main causes of death associated with liver diseases per year in Brazil were cirrhosis (K74), hepatocellular carcinoma (C22) and alcoholic liver disease (K70); however they presented distinct dynamics: C22 showed a continuous growth tendency in the period of analysis, whereas K70 growth rate stabilized since 2012. In turn, K74 mortality remained constant. Surprisingly, viral hepatitis (B18) mortality rate increased from 2000 to 2005 and then stabilized. Brazil is divided into five regions; therefore, we evaluated this dynamics in a regional basis. Hepatocellular carcinoma mortality had a continuous, high slope growth curve in all regions. Alcoholic liver disease was the leading cause of death in Northeast and Center-West regions with a high slope growth curve over the years and stable since 2010's in South and Southeast. Cirrhosis mortality rate increased only in North and was stable in other regions. The specificities in regional dynamics of liver diseases in Brazil resulted in a differential impact in SUS, especially considering the number, period and costs of hospitalizations in the last 20 years. CONCLUSION The burden and underlying causes of liver diseases in Brazil differ across locations and demographic groups. We highlight the importance of specific public policies for prevention and treatment of such diseases. Acknowledgements: Conflict of interest: the authors do not have any disclosures to report. Financial support: CNPq, Capes, FAPEMIG. Health inequalities and social exclusion of Gypsy, Roma and Travellers in the United Kingdom: a critical policy study Hannah Barker1,2, Preeti Sushama2 1 - Queen's University Belfast, 2 -Maastricht University INTRODUCTION Gypsy Roma and Traveller (GRT) people are the largest and most disadvantaged minority group in Europe. In the UK, GRT people experience inequities in health, education, housing and employment. AIM This study sought to explore social exclusionary processes embedded within policy development which contribute to health inequities via social, economic, political and cultural capabilities and resources. The case of GRT in the UK was utilised to provide an in depth critical analysis of these exclusionary processes within policy. METHODS A Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) of governmental debates was conducted to identify exclusion of GRT within parliamentary discourse. A policy analysis was conducted utilising the Bacchi (2009) ‘What is the Problem Represented to Be?’ (WPR) approach to identify the framing of ‘problems’ in integration policies. RESULTS Four overarching problem representations of GRT issues were identified: GRT as a threat to communities, as exploitative, as culturally inferior and as (non-)recipients of discrimination. Integration was framed from either a human rights or security based perspective. Policy ‘solutions’ aimed towards improving socio-economic conditions, promoting access to healthcare and accommodation, and preventing crime via tightened migration and security measures. Exclusionary processes in the policy development process included negative representations, framing of GRT as economically undesirable, and the silencing of parts of the GRT population. CONCLUSION The framing of GRT issues were shaped by neoliberal principles such as economic citizenship. The racialized approach utilised in integration policies contributed towards the categorisation of GRT as a minority thus problematizing this group and not the system in which inequalities have arisen. Discrimination and exclusionary processes, evident within the policy development process, served to protect the neoliberal system by masking underlying inequalities and injustices such as the inequities faced by GRT people. Influence of psychosocial factors on the effectiveness of infertility treatments Beatriz Sá Pereira1, Renato Silva Martins1,2, Cristina Batista Brito3 1 - Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde – Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal, 2 -Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Cova da Beira, Covilhã, Portugal, 3 - Clinical Psychology, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Cova da Beira, Covilhã, Portugal INTRODUCTION Infertility is a rising problem in our society, with an increasing prevalence in the past years [1–3]. Being an interaction of multifactorial causes, with great demand and personal suffering, it is imperative to adopt an integrated view where physiology is intimately related to social and psychological processes [4]. AIM This study aims to identify the factors that contribute to the effectiveness of infertility treatments, taking into account not only the clinical but also the psychosocial component. METHODS This is a retrospective study of 278 couples followed from 2015 to 2018 in the Reproductive Medicine Unity at Centro Hospitalar Universitário Cova da Beira. Data was collected on the causes of infertility, the treatments performed and their effectiveness. The aim was to cross these data with clinically relevant psychological symptoms, through Brief Symptom Inventory [5–8] and Fertility's Problem Inventory [9,10], in order to assess the stress inherent on their condition. RESULTS Couples had been trying to conceive for an average of 2.59 years. 33.7% had secondary infertility, and about half of them led to abortion. The female etiology is more prevalent (27%) compared to the male (23%) and in 15% of cases the cause could not be found. The most effective treatment was IVF (32,9%). Emotional disorders, such as Somatization, Depression, Anxiety and Phobic Anxiety are significantly more prevalent in women, as well as Social and Sexual Concerns (p < 0,05). CONCLUSION It was found that the couple's psychosocial component has an influence on the infertility treatment process, with an impact on its outcome. Psychopathological symptoms were higher in women who did not become pregnant after the treatment, as well as in men. The need that infertile couples have to become parents is significantly greater (p < 0,05) in couples with successful treatments. References: 1. Direção-Geral da Saúde. Conduta em Infertilidade. Norma n°003/2011 19/01/2011. Lisboa: DGS; 2010. 18 p. 2. Vilar D, Nogueira A, Carnapete V, Frade A, Martins R. Conceber - Guia para profissionais e pessoas com problemas de infertilidade. Lisboa: Associação para o Planeamento da Família; 2012. 3. Carvalho JLS. Manual de Ginecologia. Lisboa: Permanyer Portugal; 2011. Capítulo 28, Infertilidade; p. 3-73. 4. Farinati DM, Rigoni MS, Muller MC. Infertility: a new field in Psychology health. Estud Psicol. 2006;23(4):433–9. 5. Derogatis LR. Brief Symptom Inventory Baltimore, MD: Clinical Psychometric Research; 1975. 6. Derogatis LR. The SCL-R-90 Manual I: Scoring, Administration and Procedures for the SCL-90 Baltimore, MD: Clinical Psychometric Research; 1977. 7. Canavarro MC. Inventário de Sintomas Psicopatológicos: BSI. In Simões MR, GM, ALS. Testes e provas psicológicas em Portugal. Braga: SHO/APPORT; 1999. p. 87-109. 8. Canavarro MC. Inventário de Sintomas Psicopatológicos: Uma revisão crítica dos estudos realizados em Portugal. In Simões M, MC, GM, AL. Avaliação psicológica: Instrumentos validados para a população Portuguesa. Coimbra: Quarteto Editora; 2007. p. 305-331. 9. Newton C, Sherrard W, Glavac I. The fertility problem inventory: measuring perceived infertility-related stress. Fertility and Sterility. 1999;72(1):54-62. 10. Moura-Ramos M, Gameiro S, Canavarro MC. Inventário de problemas de fertilidade: Características psicométricas da versão portuguesa do Fertility Problem Inventory. In Actas da XIII Conferência Internacional de Avaliação Psicológica: Formas e Contextos; 2008; Braga: Psiquilíbrios. Medical diagnosis of COVID-19 using the Bayesian Network Aliscia Dal Pra Wendt1, Marta Rosecler Bez1 1 - Universidade Feevale INTRODUCTION Bayesian networks (BN) are probabilistic formalisms that allow the representation of medical knowledge and its uncertainties. In them, it is possible to infer results from primary data by means of probabilistic calculations. Thus, they can be used for medical diagnosis (DM). [1] AIM To present the development of a NB for the COVID-19 DM. METHODS The BN was built from information contained in the Coronavirus Clinical Management Protocol (COVID-19) in Primary Health Care of the Ministry of Health of Brazil [2]. The NB is constantly updated with the information published in the new versions of the Protocol. RESULTS A BN was built with 107 nodes, divided into the niches “Clinical History” (1), “Signs and Symptoms” (2), “Physical Examination” (3), “Diagnostic Hypothesis” (4), “Examination Request ”(5),“ Diagnosis ”(6) and“ Treatment and Conduct ”(7). The niches 1, 2 and 3 must be answered by the professional with the data obtained during the consultation. Niche 4 has its result generated from niches 1, 2 and 3. Niche 5 is mixed, and the need or not to request additional tests is the result of the calculation of niches 1, 2, 3 and 4; and when the NB indicates the request for exams, the results must be answered by the professional. Finally, niches 6 and 7 are automatically generated by BN (from the probabilistic results of all previous niches), giving the professional a quick and specific result for each case. All niches were fed with specific nodes, states and probabilities. CONCLUSION BN functionality has been tested for all nodes, states and probabilities. The need for future tests with sets of real cases of COVID-19 is highlighted to define the effectiveness of the results, as well as to make possible adjustments. COVID-19 BN is a potential facilitator of clinical reasoning. References: [1] RODRIGUES, F. H. Extração de modelos bayesianos de ontologias construídas para o diagnóstico médico. 2012. 257 p. Completion of Course Work (Bachelor in Information Systems) - Feevale University, 2012. [2] Protocolo de Manejo Clínico do Coronavírus (COVID-19) na Atenção Primária à Saúde. Brazil: Ministry of Health/SAPS, v. 9, May 2020. A Cross-Sectional Study on Prevalence and Severity of Dysmenorrhoea, its Impact on Academic Performance and Leave Demand in Female Undergraduate Students in Cosmopolitan Cities of Bangladesh. Joyita Chakraborty1, Anirban Deb Tanmoy1, Raihan Kabir1, Alifa Sybin Nikita1, Sakiba Musarrat1, Nibras Wadud Khan1, Mostofa Arafat Islam1 1 - Chattogram Medical College, Bangladesh INTRODUCTION Dysmenorrhoea, or painful menstrual cramps, a major gynaecological complaint in young adult females, is particularly notorious as this cohort pursue tertiary education and it can adversely impact their academic performances. AIM To assess the impact of dysmenorrhoea on academic performance and how it relates to respondents’ leave demand. METHODS Data was collected anonymously from 502 respondents, sampled by stratified random sampling, using a self- administered, structured questionnaire. Pain severity was assessed using WaLIDD scale. RESULTS The respondents’ mean age was 22.13 ± 1.55 years (CI 95%: 21.98, 22.26), mean age at menarche was 12.31 ± 1.47 years (CI 95%: 12.19, 12.44), and prevalence of dysmenorrhoea was 93.43% (n = 469), among whom, 14.07% (n = 66), 55.86 (n = 262), and 30.06% (n = 141) reported mild, moderate and severe pain respectively. 62.05% (n = 291) reported pain in every cycle, which rose to 87.94% (n = 124) for those with severe pain. Academic performance was adversely affected due to dysmenorrhoea. 79.74% (n = 374) reported loss of concentration in studies, 52.45% (n = 246) reported class absenteeism, 50.74% (n = 238) missed class tests and 4.69% (n = 22) missed terminal exams. Loss of concentration was significantly related with pain severity (χ2 = 13.82; p < 0.001), as was number of days absent in last 6 months (χ2 = 29.59; p < 0.001). 39.39% (n = 26) with mild, 63.5% (n = 164) with moderate and 84.40% (n = 119) with severe pain expressed a need for leave, citing disability due to pain. CONCLUSION Prevalence of dysmenorrhoea was high among female undergraduate students, and it impaired their academic performances causing loss of curriculum, with sufferers expressing a need for leave, highlighting the necessity of appropriate intervention. Territorialization and teaching-service integration in Primary Health Care Service of Porto Seguro, Bahia, Brazil Giovana Bernardes1,2, Natália Bernardes3,4 1 - Interdisciplinary Health, University of Southern Bahia, 2 - Faculdade de Medicina Universidade Nove de Julho (Uninove), 3 - Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro (UFTM), 4 - Hospital Sírio Libanês INTRODUCTION Territorialization in Primary Health Care (PHC) represents an important instrument for organizing health practices, once they are implemented in a spatially delimited territory. Understanding the territory is essential to describe and analyze human populations and their health, economic and socio-cultural problems, besides allowing the impacts assessment of services on the population's health levels, which enables health practices aimed at community reality. The analysis and diagnosis of the health situation are essential to fully develop the PHC. This work is based on experiences of teaching-service integration encouraged by the Federal University of Southern Bahia, in Porto Seguro. It was possible to experience the PHC operation and the community daily live, even as their health problems and demands. AIM To present the students experiences in a specific territory of Porto Seguro and emphasize the relevant role performed by teaching-service integration on professional qualification. METHODS This qualitative study is observational, analytical and exploratory. Methodology: bibliographic and field research, applying data collection with people using action and participant researches. The data collected allowed an understanding of the territory's situation, even as health conditions, epidemiological risks and social vulnerabilities. RESULTS The services's great difficulties are asymmetric relations, the gap between professionals and work overload, what shows the necessity of change work relationships. This paper and the teaching-service integration allowed a deeper understanding of territory, including their health services and labor market, where students will be after graduating. CONCLUSION The work enabled the territorialization understanding and integration teaching-service. The methodology used made it possible to approach the reality of the territory, making it understood and appropriated by the students. Participant research allows the researcher insertion in a field formed by socio-cultural differences and invites the community to participate. It promotes the knowledge's construction in an increasing way, valuing the previous knowledge of all participants. Study of Staphylococcus aureus in the nasal and oral cavities of dentistry students Mariana Faria Pires1, Joana Campos2, Carla Campos3,4, Carolina Carolina Fernandes Ferreira Alves da Costa5, Maria Benedita Almeida Garrett de Sampaio Maia1 1 - Faculty of Dental Medicine of the University of Porto, 2 -Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), University of Porto, 3 -Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto Francisco Gentil (IPO), Porto, Portugal, 4 -Escola Superior de Saúde, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, 5 -Faculty of Biotechnology, Portuguese Catholic University of Porto INTRODUCTION Staphylococcus aureus permanently and asymptomatically colonizes 30% of the population, causing most nosocomial and community-acquired infections. The nostrils are considered its preferred host habitat and the main reservoir for transmission. However, the oral cavity has also demonstrated to be an ideal starting point for auto-infection and transmission. AIM This study aims to evaluate the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus in the nasal and oral cavities of dentistry students, compare the colonization between these two habitats and obtain a better understanding of the oral cavity's role as a reservoir. Additionally, this research pretends to correlate Staphylococcus aureus carriage with the participant's demographic and clinical information and clinical practice experience. METHODS Oral and nasal swabs were collected from 101 students (55 from the 2nd year and 46 from the 5th year), cultured in selective media, and isolates identified by MALDI-TOF. The students were also subjected to a Decayed, Missed and Filled teeth clinical evaluation and a demographic and clinical background survey. RESULTS Staphylococcus aureus was the second most prevalent identified Staphylococcus species. Similar prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus exclusive nasal or oral carriers was found, representing 13.9% and 12.0%, whereas simultaneously nasal and oral carriers represent 9.9% of the total students’ population. Staphylococcus aureus carriage showed no association with students’ clinical practice, hormonal contraception, or gender. However, the group of students with DMFT > 2 exhibited statistically higher nasal and oral simultaneous Staphylococcus aureus carriage rates (p = 0.011). CONCLUSION The present study demonstrates the importance of the oral cavity as a colonization site for Staphylococcus aureus, which has been widely neglected so far. Further research on this pathogen's colonization process in different body sites, along with its endogenous and inter-human dissemination process, is essential to manage the potential risk that this bacteria species brings to populations and health care systems. Epidemiological Profile of Hospitalizations for Trauma of Internal Organs in Brazil from 2012 to 2018 Maria Clara Sales do Nascimento1, Ana Elisa Fleury de Carvalho1, Monalliza Carneiro Freire2, Vétio dos Santos Junior2, Isadora Abreu Santos1, Leonardo Santana Ramos Oliveira1 1 - Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Pública, 2 -Universidade do Estado da Bahia INTRODUCTION Trauma of internal organs has a strong impact in the context of polytrauma, due to its harmful potential that is related to the increase in morbidity and mortality rates. According to the WHO, 5.8 million people die annually from traumatic accidents worldwide, characterizing this issue as a public health problem. AIM To describe the epidemiological profile of hospitalizations due to trauma to internal organs in Brazil from 2012 to 2018. METHODS This is an observational and retrospective study. Data were collected through the Sistema de Informações Hospitalares (Hospital Information System) by consulting the DATASUS platform (brazilian's health system information database). The variables analyzed were year of attendance, age group, gender, race, region, between 2012 and 2018. RESULTS In Brazil, 238,295 cases of internal organ trauma hospitalizations were recorded from 2012 to 2018, with an average of 34,042.1 cases per year. The Southeast region was responsible for 33.2% of the cases, followed by the Northeast region with 27.2%. The Age group with highest number of cases was that of 20 to 24 years old, with 38,090, followed by 31,252 from patients aged 25 to 29 years old. As for the distribution concerning genders, the male patients accountered for 200,158 cases (84%), and the female ones for 38,137(16%). The most evident race was brown accounting for 81,149 (34%), followed by white, with 59,543 (25%). The “no information” cases represent 86,662, 36% of the total. CONCLUSION The epidemiological profile of hospitalizations due to trauma to internal organs in Brazil, from 2012 to 2018, has a greater expression in Southeast region of the country, amongst males, in the age group between 20 and 24 years and brown- colored. The analysis in question, allows the Brazilian health system to act efficiently in prevention, through health education actions, as well as in treatment of this population. Mental health of medical students from a southern Brazilian state Gustavo Wild Pizutti1, Johana Grigio2, Scarlet Laís Orihuela3, Vinícius de Souza1 1 - Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, 2 -Universidade Luterana do Brasil, 3 -Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul INTRODUCTION Medical students have higher rates of mental health problems in comparison to other undergraduate and professional categories. Given that, a questionnaire was applied to assess the mental health status of medical students in Rio Grande do Sul, a southern state from Brazil. AIM To report the mental health status of medical students in Rio Grande do Sul. METHODS During the month of September 2019, medical students of universities in the state of Rio Grande do Sul were invited to answer a online, self-applied and anonymous survey on Google Forms. The questionnaire consisted in four simple yes or no questions that related with the respondent's mental health: exhaustion and lack of pleasure in college activities, suicidal thinking, moments of relaxation and happiness. RESULTS There were 319 students who answered the survey, 70.2% of them felt exhausted and without pleasure in college activities. When asked about the existence of something that brings happiness and being able to relax, 296 (92.8%) and 219 (68.7%) respondents answered yes, respectively. In the question regarding suicidal thoughts, more than half declared that they think or have already thought about it (53.3%). High levels of exhaustion, absence of pleasure in daily activities and suicidal thinking stood out. CONCLUSION The results of this survey show that symptoms related to depression and suicide risk are highly present in the life of the respondents, this data appoints to the importance of increase investments in actions to promote mental health and prevent suicide among this population. A Cross sectional study on Preponderance of Stress and Depression among medical students and their association with various recent factors Lakshmi Venkata Simhachalam Kutikuppala1, Ravi Shankar2, Tarun Kumar Suvvari1 1 - MBBS Student, 2 - Head of the Department of Psychiatry INTRODUCTION Stress and Depression among medical students are the prevalent and global concern these days. Stress is a critical risk factor for depression as it can contribute to depression through various pathways. Stress is a multifactorial in causation which can be associated or attributable to depression. AIM To evaluate and elicit the levels of stress and depression in association with various recent factors accounting and resulting to stress and depression. METHODS This is a cross-sectional study conducted among medical students of a well-recognised medical college. Analysis sheets consisting of Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and other criteria comprising demographic details such as gender, age, year of studying and some associated factors which include appetite, GI problem, sleep, social feeling, BMI, Hair fall adding to stress and depression were made to fill by 288 medical students of a medical college. RESULTS Majority of the study participants have moderate or high levels of stress, but no depression. 46.5% of the study participants have normal values of Body Mass Index (BMI) and 42.7% are over the levels of their normal BMI. 59.7% of the total students have hair fall, 76.7% have normal sleep-wake cycle, 77.4% have normal social feeling, 75.6% have normal appetite and 84.7% do not have any gastro-intestinal problems. When the relation between stress and these study variables was observed, association between BMI and hair fall were found to be significant. CONCLUSION First year students feel more stressed that could be due to their recent entry into the course. Female students are more prone to these stressors and depressors. Juniors are more stressed when compared to senior students. Impact of COVID19 pandemic on the routine of medical students from south of Brazil Luísa Plácido Janssen1, Bruno Ledur2, Johana Grigio3, Luana Claudino3, Vinicius de Souza4,5 1 - Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos - Unisinos, 2 -Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, 3 -Universidade Luterana do Brasil - ULBRA, 4 -Sindicato Médico do Rio Grande do Sul - SIMERS INTRODUCTION The COVID19 pandemic have impact the medical student's routine in 2020 due to social isolation rules. Online classes of medical course are not allowed in Brazil, however, during the pandemic, Brazil's Ministry of Education published an Ordinance that allowed theoretical classes being ministered in online way. Over these, each university had autonomy to decide how to proceed with the new scene, causing instabilities for the future of the medical course and anxiety to the students. AIM Reflect the impact of COVID-19 on the medical graduation from Rio Grande do Sul's (RS), Brazil, students. METHODS An online research was done in april 2020 with 33 students from academic nucleum from the largest medical trade union from Latin America (SIMERS). These students are from the 20 medical schools of RS and the questions were about the classes’ functioning during COVID19 pandemic, considering practice classes, theoretical classes and the internship period during final years. RESULTS Of the 20 medical schools from RS, 16 have online theoretical classes and only 3 of them are public university. About practice experience during first to fourth year, 19 universities are with these classes suspended, and the only one is respecting the social isolation rules but is having serious limitations. However, all the 16 schools with internship period during final years are suffering some limitation and 7 of them have the activities suspended. The schools with these period available have requested the students to sign a document agreeing to the activities. CONCLUSION These results shows a larger impact of the pandemic on public universities. Even with online classes from theoretical disciplines, the learning will be damage due to the lack of practice experience. So, not only the academic calendar will need restructures, also the graduation date may be have a delay for students of final years. Trauma Brain Injury mortality rate in the last 22 years in Brazil and its relation with brazilian drinking-driving law. Lucas Piason de Freitas Martins1, Ingred Paixão Vasconcelos2, Marcelo Vincenzo Sarno Filho3, Fernanda Adélia Almeida Custódio Pires de Jesus4, Luiza Lemos Pinto Castanheira1, Maria Carolina Passos Tavares1, Beatriz Silva Silveira1, Brenda Franco4 1 - Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Pública, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil., 2 -Universidade Estadual da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil., 3 -Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil., 4 -Universidade Salvador, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. INTRODUCTION Trauma brain injury is defined as any involvement caused by external forces that compromises the anatomy and/or functionality of brain structures, being road traffic collisions responsible for about 50% of it [1]. AIM Address the epidemiologic issues about TBI in 22 year, and compare the TBI mortality rate and absolute number of deaths between the period before and after the establishment of Brazilian drinking-driving law, considered as 2008. METHODS We performed a research of overall and per sex mortality rate, hospitalizations and intra-hospitalar deaths due to TBI from 1998 to 2019, collecting data from DataSUS database. Two groups were settled for comparison using 2008 as a benchmark for division, being group 1 the 1998–2008 period and group 2 the 2009–2019 period. We used SPSS to delineate our stastics analysis. Kolmogorov-Smirnoff test was performed to describe the normality pattern. We performed T Student test as a parametric test and Mann-Whitney U test as a non-parametric test. Furthermore, we performed a linear regression for all period to address the behavior of the determined variables over the time settled. RESULTS In a dichotomized analysis, the median TBI mortality rate from 1997 to 2008 was 10.22 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, while the median found for the period from 2009 to 2019 was 9.42 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, depicting a reduction of 7.82% (p = 0.001). Regarding the total number of deaths by TBI, the period from 1997 to 2008 showed an average of 8308.63 deaths per year, while the years from 2009 to 2019 presented an average of 9886.6, representing a reduction of 15.96% (p = 0.04). During the studied length of time, we found that TBI corresponded to 1.4% of total hospital admissions, and 2.2% of total intra-hospital deaths. In the analysis by sex, 76% of the patients admitted with TBI and 81% of in-hospital deaths from TBI were male. In addition, there was a tendency to decrease the In-hospital mortality rate due to TBI (β = −0.440, R2 = 0.194, p = 0.04). However, there was an increasing trend in the absolute number of deaths (β = 0.656, R2 = 0.431, p = 0.001) and hospitalizations (β = 0.803, R2 = 0.644, p < 0.001). When separated by gender, there was a maintenance of the tendency to increase hospitalizations for TBI in males (β = 0.793, R2 = 0.629, p < 0.001) and in females (β = 0.828, R2 = 0.686, p < 0.001). Regarding deaths, individualized by sex, there was an increase in cases both for men (β = 0.637, R2 = 0.406, p = 0.001) and for women (β = 0.713, R2 = 0.509, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION We found a reduction in TBI mortality rate over the time, and an increase in the absolute number of intra-hospitalar deaths and hospitalizations. We noticed a higher prevalence of in-hospital death and hospitalization due to TBI in male gender, as supported with the current literature [1–5]. References: 1: ACCIOLY FILHO, Marcos André Araújo et al. Neurotrauma: prevenção realizada pelo Núcleo de Estudos Acadêmicos em Neurocirurgia. Revista Ciência em Extensão, v. 13, n. 3, p. 64–76, 2017. 2: HINGSON, Ralph; WINTER, Michael. Epidemiology and consequences of drinking and driving. Alcohol research & health, v. 27, n. 1, p. 63, 2003 3: MALTA, Deborah Carvalho et al. Consumption of alcoholic beverages, driving vehicles, a balance of dry law, Brazil 2007–2013. Revista de saúde pública, v. 48, p. 692–966, 2014. 4: SCHOLTEN, A. C. et al. Traumatic brain injury in the Netherlands: incidence, cost s and disability-adjusted life years. PLoS One, v. 9, p. e110905, 2014. 5: SOUZA, Carlos Dornels Freire de et al. Mortality in motorcycle accidents in Alagoas (2001–2015): temporal and spatial modeling before and after the “lei seca”. Revista da Associação Médica Brasileira, v. 65, n. 12, p. 1482–1488, 2019. Epidemiological analysis of patients with traumatic brain injury admitted to the Unified Health System in Brazil between 2010 and 2019 Hortência Silva Andrade1, Carolina Alves Marques1, Carla Ladeira Gomes da Silveira1, Isa Milena Galvão Guimarães1, Isaque Ville Sousa de Oliveira1, Ezequiel Batista do Nascimento1 1 - Health Sciences formation Center, Federal University of Southern Bahia, Brazil. INTRODUCTION In Europe and Brazil, falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injury (TBI). The TBI has impacts on quality of life of Brazilians - disability and neurological damage [1], highlighting the need for epidemiological monitoring of its incidence and consequences. However, epidemiological studies has remained scarce [2]. AIM Analyze the hospitalization for TBI in the Unified Health System (SUS) in Brazilian regions and their financial impacts according to degrees of severity. METHODS This is a populational study that used the Hospital information System of the SUS (SIH-SUS) database by hospitalization location. The analysis was between January 2010 to December 2019. The terms used were: conservative treatment of cranioencephalic traumatism, with the classes mild, moderate and severe from the list main procedures. The results were used in a descriptive analysis with the variables of region's occurrence in Brazil, hospitalizations and costs for SUS. RESULTS According to the database there were approximately 23.61 million hospitalizations for the treatment of mild, moderate and severe TBI, an increase of 65% from 2010 to 2019. The hospitalizations were more frequent in the months of October and January, and less in February to April. The Southeast presented both greater expenditure on health (42.46%) and the greater number of hospitalizations with a progressive increase (52.5%) in cases of moderate TBI, except in 2018. The Midwest region had the lowest occurrences for both severe TBI (7.2%) and expenses (6.91%). Expenses increased with its highest expenditure in 2019 with R$88.5 million (27.36%) compared with to 2010 with R$69.5 million. A total of R$818 million were used for TBI treatments which corresponds to 6.15% of total investments in health. CONCLUSION The epidemiology study of population profile is essential for public health policies, the implementation of prevention strategies and the allocation of resources for research and rehabilitation for TBI. References: [1] Peeters W, van den Brande R, Polinder S, Brazinova A, Steyerberg EW, Lingsma HF, Maas AI. Epidemiology of traumatic brain injury in Europe. Acta Neurochir [Internet]. 2015 Oct [cited 2020 May 30];157(10):1683–96. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26269030/ doi: 10.1007/s00701–015–2512-7. Epub 2015 Aug 14. PMID: 26269030; PMCID: PMC4569652. [2] Magalhães AL, Souza LC, Faleiro RM, Teixeira AL, Miranda AS. Epidemiology of Traumatic Brain Injury in Brazil. Revista Brasileira de Neurologia [Internet]. 2017 Mai [cited 2020 May 30]; 53(2):15–22. Available from: https://revistas.ufrj.br/index.php/rbn/article/view/12305 Uncovering the trends in Fertility Counselling and Preservation in Polish Breast Cancer Patients. Anastasia Kalantarova1, Jadzia Tin-Tsen Chou1, Thomas Kiebalo1, Joanna Kufel-Grabowska2,3 1 - Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, ul. Fredry 10, 61–701 Poznań, Poland, 2 -Poznań University of Medical Sciences, Department of Electroradiology, ul. Fredry 10, 61–701 Poznań, Poland, 3 -Greater Poland Cancer Centre, ul. Garbary 15, 61–866 Poznań, Poland INTRODUCTION Breast cancer is the most common female cancer worldwide, a growing proportion of diagnoses concern women of child- bearing age. Considerations must now be made for one of the most devastating side-effects of chemotherapy - infertility. Oncofertility counselling is recommended to help patients make decisions about fertility preservation (FP); however, in practice, this is not routinely implemented. AIM To describe trends and attitudes of fertility counselling and preservation in breast cancer patients in Poland. METHODS In this qualitative study, an electronic survey was administered to breast cancer patients diagnosed before the age of 45 to evaluate sociodemographic factors and attitudes towards FP. Student's t-test and chi-square test were used to compare quantitative and categorical variables among various groups respectively. RESULTS Of the 149 women who completed the survey, 20 underwent FP (13%). 96% of surveyed women believed that it is important for cancer patients to undergo oncofertility counselling. Among all surveyed women, only 57% were aware of infertility being a side-effect of cancer treatment, with 82% of these women being informed by their oncologists. Lack of information (n = 50, 35%) and lack of interest (n = 50, 35%) were the most common reasons for not undergoing FP. When asked about why they elected against FP, women between 18 and 35 years were more likely to cite lack of information (n = 36, 40%), while those aged 36 to 45 - lack of interest (n = 26, 48%). Of the women who underwent FP, 70% felt positive about the procedure, however many experienced difficulties with time and finances (56%). CONCLUSION Our study indicated the need to enhance oncofertility counselling efforts, as patients value being informed about FP techniques, and report the main barrier to be lack of knowledge about their options. Women in this study who underwent FP felt that it was a worthwhile process that improved their quality of life. The epidemiological profile of firearm occurrences in Brazil between 2010 and 2019 Carolina Alves Marques1, Hortência Silva Andrade1, Isa Milena Galvão Guimarães1, Isaque Ville Sousa de Oliveira1, Carla Ladeira Gomes da Silveira1, Ezequiel Batista do Nascimento1 1 - Federal University of Southern Bahia INTRODUCTION Armed violence is discussed worldwide, showing its negative effects on security, public health and hospital costs [1,2]. In USA, the spread of firearms is associated with an increase in homicides and suicides [3]. In Brazil, although the restriction of firearms, homicides and suicides remain high, reinforcing the worrying Brazilian reality [1,4]. AIM Analyze the epidemiological profile of firearms victims in Brazilian regions. METHODS Populational study based on Hospital Information System of the Unified Health System (SIH-SUS) database for hospitalization location and Mortality Information System (SIM/SIH-SUS). The analysis was between 2010–2019 in the categories causes with the variables: revolver projectile, larger shotgun firearms and projectiles of other and unspecified. The results were used in descriptive analysis with the variables: region's occurrence in Brazil, hospital expenses, sex and age. In SIM/SIH-SUS the variables were: weapon of aggression, larger caliber assault weapon and aggression by another firearm or unspecified in the diagnosis list of CID-10 between 2010–2018 in descriptive analysis with region, education and color. RESULTS The hospitalizations from firearms increased 75%. The North region recorded the lowest hospitalizations and the Southeast the largest. The regions of greatest growth were the Northeast (100.4%) and the Midwest (99.9%). Hospital expenses are proportional to the number of victims. However, the investments in this period grew 47.1%, being below the hospitalization's growth. The age group with more hospitalizations are adults with 20–29 years (38.1%) and 30–39 years (20.53%), followed by adolescents with 15–19 years (20.50%). For mortality, ≅372.000 deaths occurred between 2010–2018, with the Northeast leading (43%) and the Midwest with the lowest (8.4%). Regarding deaths, 94% are men and 72% are black/brown. About 53% have 1–7 years of study, against 0.02% with ≥9 years. CONCLUSION These results highlight the need for social policies that benefit public safety and health to prevent new cases, especially from the population presented. References: [1] Cerqueira, D, Bueno, S, Lima, RS, Neme, C, Ferreira, H, Alves, PP, et al. Atlas da Violência 2019 [Internet]. Brasília: Fórum Brasileiro de Segurança Pública; 2019 [cited 2020 May 30]. Available from: http://repositorio.ipea.gov.br/bitstream/11058/9406/1/Atlas%20da%20violência_2019.pdf. [2] Maciel, PR, Souza, MRD, Rosso, CFW. Estudo descritivo do perfil das vítimas com ferimentos por projéteis de arma de fogo e dos custos assistenciais em um hospital da Rede Viva Sentinela. Epidemiol. Serv. Saúde [Internet]. 2016 [cited 2020 May 30]; 25 (3): 607–616. Available from: https://www.scielosp.org/article/ress/2016.v25n3/607-616/ doi:10.5123/S1679- 49742016000300016 [3] Dahlberg, LL, Ikeda, RM, Kresnow, MJ. Guns in the home and risk of a violent death in the home: findings from a national study. Am J Epidemiol [Internet]. 2004 Nov [cited 2020 May 30]; 160(10): 929–936. Available from: https://academic.oup.com/aje/article/160/10/929/140858. [4] Souto, RMCV, Barufaldi, LA, Nico, LS, Freitas, MGD. Perfil epidemiológico do atendimento por violência nos serviços públicos de urgência e emergência em capitais brasileiras. Ciênc. Saúde Colet [Internet]. 2017.[cited 2020 May 30]; 22 (9): 2811–2823. Available from: https://www.scielosp.org/article/csc/2017.v22n9/2811-2823/pt/ doi: 10.1590/1413- 81232017229.13342017. Prevalence of labial palatine fissures births according to the Health Regions in the state of Tocantins between the years 2008 and 2018. Rafaella Sousa Araujo1, Yasmin Christine Galhardo de Carvalho1 1 - Fundação Universidade Federal do Tocantins INTRODUCTION The labial palatine fissures are congenital malformation, of multifactorial inheritance, caused by defects in the fusion of the constituent structures of the palate and lips in the intrauterine phase [1]. In Brazil, from 1: 600 to 1: 700 live births are affected by this manifestation. As a result of the inconsistencies of this process, several changes occur, such malformation of the teeth and difficulties in speech development [2]. AIM Analyze the distribution of the prevalence of labial palatine fissures in the eight Health Regions of Tocantins in the last 10 years (2008 -2018). METHODS A survey of cases of the Information System on Live Births (SINASC) was carried out. Whose data source is the Declaration of Live Birth (DNV), which contains a field for information on congenital malformations. Following tabulation and statistical analysis in Microsoft Excel based on the Health Regions of the State of Tocantins. RESULTS There were 137 cases recorded in the state of Tocantins. The majority - 34.3% - comes from the Capim Dourado region. Followed by the “Médio Norte Araguaia” (29,2%),“Cantão” (10.2%) and “Amor Perfeito” (10.2%). The year with the lowest incidence rate is 2010 (6.5%), and the highest, 2017 with 14.5%. In both years, the region with the highest number of cases is “Capim Dourado”. CONCLUSION According to the data analysis, it is possible to observe that there was no annual constancy of cases in the analyzed period of time. In 2017, there was the highest number of births - 20 newborns - about 15% of the total. Therefore, the analysis requires more detailed and extensive studies to verify the consistency and strength of association of the analyzed data, and to generate new correlations. In view of this, to enable appropriate actions of conduct and treatment within the state public health. References: 1. Guedes Zelita Caldeira Ferreira. Fissura labiopalatina: fundamentos para a prática fonoaudiológica. Rev. soc. bras. fonoaudiol. [Internet]. 2009 [cited 2020 June 01]; 14(1): 150-150. 2. Silva Filho OG, Ferrari Junior FM, Rocha DL, Freitas JAS. Classificacao das fissuras labio-palatais: breve historico, consideracoes clinicas e sugestao de modificacao. Revista Brasileira de Cirurgia. 1992;82(2): 59-65. Hospital admissions for Traumatic Brain Injuries during Covid-19 Pandemic in Brazil. Julia Nogueira Fernandes de Oliveira1, Lucas Piason de Freitas Martins1, Marcelo Vincenzo Sarno Filho2 1 - Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Pública, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil., 2 -Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. INTRODUCTION The Covid-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the healthcare system worldwide. Reports until the present moment have suggested a decrease in the number of patients presenting to hospitals due to emergency conditions [1], so a decrease of hospitalizations due to trauma brain injury (TBI) is also expected. AIM This study aim to compare hospitalization due TBIs among march of 2020 and the same period in the last 5 years. METHODS This is an observational, ecological and analytical research. We collected data from the DATASUS database, a nationwide integrated system for epidemiology reports. We performed a research of overall and per sex hospitalizations due to TBIs in march of 2020 and compared these data with data from the same period from 2015 to 2019. We used SPSS to delineate our stastics analysis. The approprieate tests to achieve normality pattern and to compare groups had been chosen Furthermore, we performed a linear regression for all period to adress rate of hospital admitions for TBIs over the period pre- Covid-19 and during Covid. RESULTS The difference in the median of overall (0%) and in the mean per sex hospitalization by TBI between the period without counting with March 2020 vs. counting with March 2020 had no statistical significance (1,926% (p = 0,471) in male subgroup and -2,756% (p = 0,498) in female subgroup). The linear regression results was: Overall hospitalization (β=0,799; R2 = 0,639; p = 0.056), female hospitalization (β=0,565; R2 = 0,319; p = 0,243) and male hospitalization (β=−0,879; R2 = 0,772; p = 0.021). CONCLUSION According to the results, we can hypothesize potential reasons for the decrease of overall and male hospitalizations by TBIs, despite not being statistically significant, including the reduced flow of people on the streets due to social isolation, or concerns of contracting Covid-19 in the hospital. However, these hypotheses must be confirmed with future researches. References: [1]: Solomon M et al., (2020). The Covid-19 Pandemic and the Incidence of Acute Myocardial Infarction. The New England Journal of Medicine.10.1056. EPIDEMIOLOGICAL EVALUATION AND STATISTICS OF DEATH FROM CEREBROVASCULAR DISEASES IN BRAZIL BETWEEN 2000 AND 2018. Yasmin Christine Galhardo de Carvalho1, Rafaella Sousa Araujo1 1 - Universidade Federal do Tocantins INTRODUCTION Cerebrovascular disorders are an important causes of morbidity and mortality in Brazil. According to Brazilian Academy of Neurology, one Brazilian dies every five minutes from Cerebral Vascular Diseases. The risk factors, like aging, hypertension, metabolic diseases, genetic and others, can generate lesions in the blood-brain barrier, in the vascular structure and atherosclerosis[1]. The pathological processes leading to the vascular disease are correlated with vascular risk factors [2]. AIM To evaluate the epidemiology and statistics of death due to Cerebrovascular Diseases in Brazil between the years 2000 to 2018. METHODS A survey of notified cases was carried out in the Mortality Information System, followed by their tabulation and statistical treatment, based on the records of race and education level in Brazil. RESULTS Cerebrovascular Diseases are the second most common cause of death in Brazil (8,56%), behind only Ischemic Heart Disease (8,68%). The majority - 52,2% - was white race, followed by the “grayish-brown” race (30,7%) and black race (8,7%). As for the level of education, those who were 1 to 3 years died the most from this disease (23,8%) and those aged 12 or more had the lowest rate (3,1%). CONCLUSION There was an increase of 9.1% between the averages of the first 9 years (2000–2009) and the last 9 (2009–2018). There was also a decrease in deaths as the years of schooling increased, however it should be noted that 29.4% had their schooling years ignored. This diseases may be associated with the white race, since this was the most affected and in Brazil “grayish-brown” represents 46.9% of the population and whites 42.9%[3]. Therefore, the analysis requires more detailed studies to verify the consistency of the analyzed data, and to generate new correlations. References: 1. HU, Xiaoming; SILVA, T. Michael de; CHEN, Jun; FARACI, Frank M.. Cerebral Vascular Disease and Neurovascular Injury in Ischemic Stroke. Circulation Research, [s.l.], v. 120, n. 3, p. 449–471, 3 fev. 2017. Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health). http://dx.doi.org/10.1161/circresaha.116.308427. 2. WARDLAW, Joanna M; SMITH, Colin; DICHGANS, Martin. Mechanisms of sporadic cerebral small vessel disease: insights from neuroimaging. The Lancet Neurology, [s.l.], v. 12, n. 5, p. 483–497, maio 2013. Elsevier BV. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s1474–4422(13)70060-7. 3. IBGE – INSTITUTO BRASILEIRO DE GEOGRAFIA E ESTATÍSTICA, 2018. Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicílios: síntese de indicadores 2018. Rio de Janeiro: IBGE. DISCIPLINES TO PROMOTE EQUITY: Libras during medical graduation. Henrique Christoph Bohn1, Luísa Plácido Janssen1, Leonardo Erik Bohn2, Paulo Matheus Dorneles1 1 - Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos - UNISINOS, 2 -Universidade Feevale INTRODUCTION Physical disability may increase difficulties in the medical-patient relation. Since 2005, due to Brazilian 5.626 Decree, all Brazilian medical schools must offer the course of Linguagem Brasileira de Sinais (LIBRAS) to their students, either in a compulsory or elective way. AIM Analyze the relevance of the teaching of LIBRAS in the Medical School and identify if there is and how is offered the LIBRAS discipline. METHODS The “Active/Dynamic Methodology” is adopted for some Medical Schools and during the clinical simulation discipline with actors, was seen the extreme difficulty of the students when required to make a history taking with a deaf and dumb patient. After the problem identification, was mapped all the state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS), south Brazil medical schools’ websites and was analyzed all the online curriculums. Then, was called to all the 20 schools to confirm the online results and understand on which way LIBRAS is offered or not. RESULTS A solid medical experience is consolidated with trust and a good medical-patient relationship. Based on our research, it was identified that, of the RS's 20 medical schools: only 1 has Libras on curriculum; 16 have in an elective way; 3 don’t have. This result shows that disciplines that aim to decrease the distance between doctor and patient are not in all medical schools from RS. CONCLUSION The LIBRAS's subject in Medical School is a fundamental tool to promote health and guarantee access to the Health System for all population. Once the Principle of SUS (Sistema Único de Saúde) considers universal, integral and equity access to the Health System to all population, people with disabilities must have their rights guaranteed. Considering the population with auditive disability, it represents approximately 2,1 million people with difficulty to access their system in Brazil. It has to change. ACTIVE/DYNAMIC METHODOLOGY IN MEDICAL SCHOOLS: the ultrasound used as an educational support tool Leonardo Erik Bohn1, Henrique Christoph Bohn2, Luísa Plácido Janssen2, Paulo Matheus Dorneles2 1 - Universidade Feevale, 2 -Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos - UNISINOS INTRODUCTION According to the information publicized last year in Brazil, the newly graduated Physicians have demonstrated seriously difficulties in understanding imaging exams. Thus, the present panel aims to demonstrate the experience held at Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS), south Brazil in using Ultrasound as a complementary educational tool since the basic courses. AIM Reflect the uses of Imaging Anatomy (IA) course with the Ultrasound and analyze its importance to the current medical graduation. METHODS Based on the new methods that qualifies the Medical Schools, at UNISINOS all students are subjected to attend, since the first period, IA course in order to learn how to use and interpret the most common imaging exams, improving essential skills. In order that, it was done a research with Google Forms platform and it was published - available for 72 hours - on Unisinos whatsapp groups, with four questions about the impact of IA course to the students. RESULTS The research had 73 answers, being: 95,9% consider that the discipline increase their knowledge about human anatomy; 93,2% consider that the discipline helps to understand imaging exams; 86,3% believe that IA course helps with reliability with human anatomy to apply in other disciplines; and 98,6% of the students believes that the discipline contributes to their academic graduation. Considering the reports, the IA course is undoubtedly a strong tool to consolidate the Medical Courses learning. Besides that, at South Carolina University (USA), 95% of the Medical Course students have approved the IA course. CONCLUSION With the increase of the Brazilian medical schools, the Conselho Federal de Medicina, projects that in 2030 Brazil will have 1 million doctors, raising the market competition. Therefore, teaching method called “Active/Dynamic Methodology” used with the ultrasound is capable of improving the skills and knowledge of the students during basic disciplines. PAEDIATRIC INTOXICATIONS IN THE NORTH OF PORTUGAL BETWEEN 2014 AND 2018 Marta Russo1,2, Luís Almeida Santos3,4, Félix Carvalho2, Rui Guimarães5, Ricardo Jorge Dinos Oliveira1,2,6, Diana Dias da Silva1,2 1 - IINFACTS – Institute of Research and Advanced Training in Health Sciences and Technologies, Department of Sciences, University Institute of Health Sciences (IUCS-CESPU), Gandra, Portugal., 2 -UCIBIO, REQUIMTE, Laboratory of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, Porto, 4050–313, Portugal., 3 -Department of Gynecology-Obstetrics and Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200–319 Porto, Portugal., 4 -Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, UAG-MC, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João, Porto, Portugal., 5 -MEDCIDS - Department of Community Medicine, Information and Health Decision Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200–319 Porto, Portugal., 6 - Department of Public Health and Forensic Sciences, and Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200–319 Porto, Portugal. INTRODUCTION Acute intoxications rank third as leading cause of accidental deaths in European infant-juvenile population [1], and remain an avertable cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In Portugal, the epidemiology of intoxications in children aged 0–17 years has not been comprehensively studied. AIM Herein, we intended to analyse the epidemiological pattern of the paediatric intoxications presented to the Emergency Department (ED) of a tertiary hospital located in the North of Portugal, to better understand the epidemiology of this problem in the region. METHODS Retrospective analysis of patients under 18 years old admitted to the ED of Hospital de São João, Porto (Portugal) due to intoxication, between 2014–2018. RESULTS There was a total of 928 (0.24%) ED visits due to intoxication from a total of 389,913, during the study period. From the studied population, 48.49% were male, and no significant sex differences were observed in the pattern of intoxication caused by different causal agents. Intoxication by ethanol (37.82%) and pharmaceuticals (29.42%) leaded the causes of intoxication, followed by household products (10.99%) and illicit drugs (7.54%). Intoxication by pesticides represented less than 1% of the cases. While 72% of intoxications with household products were reported for children aging 0–3, 98% of ethanol intoxications occurred in adolescents (13–17 years-old). Intoxications with pharmaceuticals also peaked in these two age groups, related to toddler exploratory ingestions and attempts of suicide, respectively. The most common pharmaceuticals were those acting on the central nervous system. No fatalities were reported during emergency care, but 20.37% of the patients were further hospitalised. CONCLUSION Preventive measures regarding abuse of ethanol and illegal drugs should be strengthened among adolescents, as well as community awareness to eliminate risks related to toddler exploratory ingestions of pharmaceuticals and domestic products in the household environment. Acknowledgements: This work was supported by UID/MULTI/04378/2019 through FCT/MCTES funds. References: [1] World Health Organization (2008). The global burden of disease: 2004 update. http://www.who.int/iris/handle/10665/43942 (accessed November 30, 2019). Analysis of universal neonatal hearing screening in a Brazilian hospital Fernanda Carlini de Moura1, Ronaldo Carvalho Filho1, Caio Henrique Santos Almeida1, Eduardo Paulo Fonseca Silva1, Luiz Guilherme Barbosa1, Geraldo de Assis Carvalho Junior1, Henrique Alvarenga da Silva1 1 - Federal University of São João del Rei INTRODUCTION Hearing is essential for the development of oral language. During the first year of life, the existence of a relevant phase of maturation of the auditory pathway is recognized. Neonatal screening is a set of procedures and processes in public health [1]. The early identification of hearing-related disabilities and the consequent rehabilitation process should be started early, in order to allow a better prognosis [2]. AIM This study aims to evaluate and analyze the effectiveness of the neonatal hearing screening service (NHS) at the Santa Casa de Misericórdia Hospital in São João del Rei, Brazil, according to neonatal hearing screening guideliness. METHODS An epidemiological, prospective and descriptive study, carried out based on the collection and analysis of data on live births in the maternity ward of Santa Casa de São João Del Rei during the period from August 2018 to April 2019. Data were obtained through two questionnaires, the first being applied at the time of hospitalization and the second via telephone, 45 days after hospital discharge. RESULTS During the analyzed period, 604 births met the inclusion criteria, of which 385 (64%) answered the second phase of the study. 106 (27.5%) participants said they did not perform the screening, and of the 279 (72.4%) who did, 100% was privately. 96% of those newborn passed the test and 4% did not. CONCLUSION Among the participants who completed the second stage of the research, 25% of the children did not undergo NHS after 45 days of life. The service is considered effective when it serves at least 95% of live births [2]. No tests were performed during the hospitalization period or performed by the Brazilian public health system. Therefore, the NHS service is not implemented in the hospital analyzed in accordance with national and international guidelines. References: 1- BRASIL, Ministério da Saúde; Neonatal Hearing Screening Guidelines 2012 2- LEWIS, D. R. Multiprofessional committee on auditory health: COMUSA. Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology, São Paulo, v.76, n. 1, p. 121–128, Feb. 2010. Oral disease prevention strategies and oral health characterization in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients - implementation of an oral health program Mónica Ferreira1, Nádia Silva2, Benedita Sampaio-Maia1,3,4, Luciano Pereira2,3,4, Maria de Lurdes Pereira1,5 1 - Faculdade de Medicina Dentária, Universidade do Porto, Portugal, 2 - Centro Hospitalar São João, Porto, Portugal, 3 - INEB – Instituto Nacional de Engenharia Biomédica, Universidade do Porto, Portugal, 4 - i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Portugal, 5 - EpiUnit- Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto INTRODUCTION The incidence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) continues to increase worldwide and it is currently considered a public health problem. Some oral manifestations had been reported, such as dry mouth, uremic breath, periodontitis, tooth mobility, calculus, and gingival hyperplasia. There is evidence to associate poor oral health with the progression of CKD, due to increased systemic inflammation, calorie-protein malnutrition, and atherosclerotic complications. However, oral health continues to be neglected in the overall treatment of the CKD patient. AIM The aim of this study was to implement an oral health promotion program targeting CKD patients and to evaluate the oral health of CKD patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD). METHODS An educational flyer about the major concerns and preventive strategies to maintain and promote oral health in CKD patients was designed. Subsequently, preventive dentistry appointment targeting these patients were held at the Nephrology Department of the Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João. Herein, the sociodemographic and the oral health habits were characterized and an intraoral examination was performed. RESULTS The present study had 24 patients with the mean age of 55.3 (± 12.6) years, all patients had hypertension and a few had diabetes. Regarding dentistry appointment, in the last year, 54.2% didn’t go, of which 69.2% said they didn’t think it was necessary. Regarding oral health, the mean CPO-S was 44.6 ± 28.8 and the most found periodontal state was calculus, and 87.5% of interviewees had gingival hyperplasia. The lack of knowledge of preventive strategies to maintain and promote oral health was present in the majority of the observed population. CONCLUSION The results obtained demonstrate that the overall CKD patients undergoing PD observed had neglected oral health, need more incentives to promote their oral health, and would strongly benefit from frequent follow-up when considering oral health. Impact analysis of medical education training in scientific research for undergraduate students. Lucas Loiola Ponte Albuquerque Ribeiro1,2,3, Lucas Levy Alves de Moraes1,4, Maria Eugênia Alcântara Albano1,5,6, Andressa Freire Barboza1,5,7, Denilson Soares Gomes Junior1,8, Júlia do Santos Cabo1,5,9, Isabela Gomes Rodrigues Viana1,10 1 - National Scientific Team at the International Federation of Medical Students Association of Brazil (IFMSA Brazil), São Paulo, Brazil., 2 -Publications and Research Director for IFMSA Brazil 2019/2020., 3 - Universidade de Fortaleza (UNIFOR)., 4 - Universidade Estadual do Piauí (UESPI)., 5 - Former Publications and Research Director for IFMSA Brazil., 6 - Centro Universitário Cesumar (UNICESUMAR)., 7 - Universidade Anhanguera (UNIDERP)., 8 - Universidade Estadual do Pará Campus Santarém (UEPA Santarém), 9 - Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP)., 10 - Centro Universitário das Américas (FAM). INTRODUCTION Research is an important sector of medical education and medical informatics because it represents a significant tool for the formation of a new professional profile, the critical-reflective being, which understands the possibilities to improve the society through research. (1,2,3) In addition, the health education process proposes the autonomy of the student as a transforming agent of the reality. (4,5) However, there are few programs in Brazil aimed at global training in research that stimulate graduates to be engaged with scientific production of articles, in a continuous and methodologically active way. (5,6) AIM The objective of the study is to determine the impact of medical education training in scientific research by increasing student engagement in the production of articles in undergraduated representation events and scientific journals in Brazil. METHODS A data survey analysis of scientific papers submitted for 5 editions of an open access scientific journal focused on medical education for medical students and 5 semester events of medical representativeness were carried out with spaces for the presentation of scientific papers in areas of Public Health, Sexual Health, Human Rights and Peace, Medical Education and Global Health, which were submitted to the event in the form of abstracts between the years 2017 and 2019. These abstracts were the results of training on scientific research in more than 160 medical schools. RESULTS During the specific period analyzed, there was a total production of 596 abstracts per three-year period, 158 articles were produced in 2017, 165 in 2018 and 273 in 2019. There was an increase in the number of submitted works progressively and with improvement in quality. CONCLUSION Therefore, the importance of training in research was built over time and this comprises the development of science and its dissemination by more than 160 Brazilian medical schools, reflecting on the relevance of scientific research for Medical Students. References: 1. Guedes HTV, Oliveira SS De, Pereira DVR, Postal EA, Grosseman S, Batista NA, et al. Challenges in Medical Education Research. Rev Bras Educ Med. 2019;43(3):3–4. 2. Hamamoto Filho PT, Caramori JT. Educação Médica entre 2006 e 2015: Perspectivas para um Novo Futuro? Profile of the Main Authors of the Brazilian Journal of Medical Education between 2006 and 2015. Rev Bras Educ Med. 2017;41(3):442–8. 3. Hamamoto Filho PT, Venditti VC, Miguel L, Silva LA, Oliveira CC, Peraçoli JC. Pesquisa em educação médica conduzida por estudantes: um ano de experiência do núcleo acadêmico de pesquisa em educação Médica. Rev Bras Educ Med. 2011;35(1):108–13. 4. Guzmán YR de, Ly CCT. Formative research in teaching-learning of graduate students in higher education institutions - Case Peru. Esc Anna Nery. 2017;21(4):4–5. 5. Neto JAC, Sirimarco MT, Vital LV, Guimarães GMB. Fontes de estudo e pesquisa entre os estudantes de medicina (Sources of study and research among medical students). Rev Médica Minas Gerais. 2016;26 e1787. 6. Gasparyan AY, Ayvazyan L, Kitas GD. Open access: changing global science publishing. Croat Med J. 2013;54(4):403–6. Surgery Thoracoabdominal aortic dissection surgery by region of brazil. Wlamir Batista Ribeiro1, Maria Clara Sales do Nascimento1, Miguel André Almeida Alabi1, Luiz Ricardo Cerqueira Freitas Junior2, Maria Luiza França de Souza2 1 - Escola Bahiana de Medicina, 2 -Universidade Estadual da Bahia INTRODUCTION Among the circulatory system‘s pathologies, the thoracoabdominal aortic dissection (TAD) is one of the most expressive, with an incidence of 3–5 cases for every 100,000 inhabitants in the United States, in addition to presenting the highest mortality among acute aortic syndromes. AIM Present data related to the number and total cost of hospitalizations, in surgical cases, as well as the character of the surgical procedures performed by region of Brazil from 2015 to 2019. METHODS Descriptive and observational study with data obtained through the Sistema de Informações Hospitalares (Hospital Information System), by consulting DATASUS platform and taking into account the period from 2015 to 2019. The following variables were analyzed: region, year of service, hospitalizations, total value, average value per hospitalization, and service category. RESULTS Between 2015 and 2019, in the southeast region, 394 surgical cases were obtained (46% of the total hospitalizations), followed by the South region, with 242 (29%). The total cost of these hospitalizations was $ 1,926,242.80, with the Southeast region being responsible for 45.62% of the expenses, followed by the South Region, with 28.9% of them. Regarding the cost per hospitalization, the region with the highest values is in the North, with $ 2,436.48 per hospitalization, followed by the Midwest region, with $ 2,348.28. Regarding the character of the procedures performed, urgent procedures were predominant, with approximately 65%, of which the Southeast region comprises 46%, followed by the South region, 29%. Electives, in turn, exhibit 35% of the procedures performed. CONCLUSION There was a small variation in financial expenses on TAD surgeries by Brazilian region. Among them, the Southeast region had a higher number of hospitalizations and a higher total cost, in addition to having a profile of urgent procedures than the elective ones. Regarding the cost per hospitalization, the North region appears in the first place. Efficacy of platelet rich plasma as a treatment modality for wound healing Anna Mary Jose1 1 - Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (DMIMS), Sawangi INTRODUCTION Non-healing wounds come with cost and morbidity for patients and the society. Conventional therapies, such as dressings, surgical debridement, and even skin grafting, cannot provide satisfactory healing since such treatments are not able to provide the necessary growth factors to modulate the healing process. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a product that concentrates a large number of platelets in a small volume of plasma. It serves as a growth factor carrier. PRP acts as a fibrin tissue adhesive with hemostatic and tissue sealing properties. AIM To analyse the efficacy of platelet rich plasma as a treatment modality for wounds, in terms of rate of healing, reduction in pain, duration of hospital stay. METHODS A randomized controlled trial(n = 60), on patients with wounds having a surface area equal to or less than 10 × 10 cm2 with 30 participants each, treatment group was treated with autologous platelet rich plasma, infiltrated into wound edges and the control group was treated with conventional dressings (hydrogen peroxide and betadine). Follow up carried out on days 4, 8, 12, 15 and 30. RESULTS Reduction in area: Treatment group −1421 mm2–661 mm2, control group:1710 mm2–1478 mm2 at the end of one month. Hospital stay: Treatment group (n = 14), control group (n = 17.5 days). Mean pain score: Treatment group- 7.2 to 4.4, control group −8.4 to 6.3, at the end of one month. Treatment group- granulation tissue in 21 patients on day 4, control group -one patient showed healthy granulation tissue at the same time. Mean rate of epithelization: Control group −11.12mm2/day, Treatment group −34.026mm2/day. CONCLUSION All patients showed good compliance, because of decreased hospital stay, analgesic effects of PRP, elimination of surgical interventions, decrease rate of comorbidities such as lower extremity amputations, fastened rate of healing, decreased cost of treatment and no adverse reactions. Isokinetic Evaluation of the Deltoid Muscle After Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty Bianca Sousa Barros1, Manuel Gutierres1,2, João Bernardo Nunes2, Leandro Machado3,4, Pedro Fonseca3, Filipa Sousa3,4 1 - Faculty of Medicine (FMUP), University of Porto, Portugal, 2 -Orthopaedics and Traumatology Department, S. João University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto. Porto, Portugal, 3 -Porto Biomechanics Laboratory (LABIOMEP), University of Porto, Portugal, 4 -CIFI2D, Faculty of Sports (FADEUP), University of Porto, Portugal INTRODUCTION Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty depends on the Deltoid muscle to improve function and stability of the shoulder. Deltoid tension and pre- and postoperative conditions are key factors. Although good subjective results are reported, functional outcomes are variable. AIM The purpose of this study is to understand the changes in the isokinetic and electromyographic profile of the Deltoid after Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty. METHODS Fifteen participants after unilateral Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty, were evaluated with isokinetic dynamometer (Abduction/Adduction and Forward Elevation/Extension), Electromyography and Constant-Murley Score. The arm without the prosthesis was considered the best performance status and used as comparison. Arm-length was measured and calculated the difference between arms. Participants were divided in two groups according to ConstantMurley Score of the arm without prosthesis: Group 0 (superior/equal to 80) and Group 1 (inferior to 80). RESULTS Significant differences in isokinetic parameters were observed, especially in Group 0, with the arm without prosthesis having better results. The Electromyography showed that Group 0 has an overall decrease of the electromyography activity in the arm with prosthesis, especially in the anterior and middle portion of the Deltoid, in Abduction and Forward Elevation. Group 1 revealed less significant differences. CONCLUSION Isokinetic evaluation combined with Electromyography is a useful tool to assess muscular and joint outcomes. This study demonstrated that Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty has a significant effect in range of motion and strength of the shoulder joint and the Deltoid. Shoulders with the prosthesis presented worse performance, but these changes may only be significant when a higher functional level is present. Acknowledgements: The authors of this article would like to express their gratitude to the Porto Biomechanics Laboratory (LABIOMEP) administration for allowing the evaluation of the participants in their facilities. Is surgical suture type associated with Carpal Tunnel Release Results? A prospective study Rita Barroca Macedo1, Marco Silva2,3, João Torres2,3 1 - Health Science Degree, 2 -Centro Hospitalar e Universitário São João, Porto, Portugal, 3 -Faculty of Medicine, Porto, Portugal INTRODUCTION The Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is one of the most prevalent compressive neuropathies in the world, affecting most commonly working-aged adults, and carrying substantial physical, psychological and even economic consequences. Carpal Tunnel Surgical Release (CTSR) consists of the transection of the transverse carpal ligament and it is considered to be the gold standard in the treatment of CTS. AIM In this study, we aim to evaluate the effect of the string used during Carpal Tunnel Surgical Release on post-surgical outcome. METHODS Patients with programmed CTSR were prospectively recruited between February and July 2019. We assessed socio- demographic characteristics (age, gender and occupation) along with other factors relevant to this study (EMG reports pre-op, comorbidities, laterality and hand dominance). Moreover, we applied the quick form of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (quickDASH) questionnaire before and after surgery (between three- and six-months post-op), in order to assess the differences in surgical outcomes of the two compared strings: Nylon and Poliglecaprone 25. RESULTS Study sample consisted of 38 patients. The overall quickDASH score significantly improved after CTSR, as well as each item of the questionnaire. There were no statistically significant differences between the two strings in terms of evolution of the quickDASH score and absenteeism from work. CONCLUSION CTSR significantly improved the quality of life of interventioned patients, irrespectively the type of suture used. No recommendation for a preferable type of string could be suggested to improve postsurgical outcome. Evaluation of Foker's procedure in the treatment of long-gap oesophageal atresia Lana Veselinović1,2 1 - Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 2 -University Children's Hospital - Tiršova INTRODUCTION Long-gap esophageal atresia (LG-EA) involves a distance of 6 cm or more, between esophageal limbs, where an unacceptably high tension would lead to anastomotic disruption. Foker's procedure means extracorporeal derivation of traction sutures, from blindly ended esophageal stumps, through the chest wall. Such axial traction induces faster growth of the esophageal limbs, to the length necessary for primary anastomosis. AIM Evaluation of Foker's procedure in the treatment of LG-EA. METHODS In retrospective study, we compared the efficiency of Foker's procedure in 8 infants with LG-EA from experimental group, with outcome of 7 infants from control group, treated by other surgical methods, in period 2008–2019. Other surgical methods included: delayed primary anastomosis, primary anastomosis with circular myotomy and esophageal replacement. Data were analyzed by sex distribution, gestational age, type of esophageal atresia, associated anomalies, gap length, presence of gastrostomy, duration of procedure, duration of mechanical ventilation, complications and survival rate. Descriptive methods and methods for testing statistical hypotheses were used at a level of statistical significance of p < 0.05. RESULTS The experimental and control groups did not differ significantly in terms of: sexual distribution, gestational age, type of esophageal atresia, associated anomalies, gap length, presence of gastrostomy, duration of mechanical ventilation, frequency of complications and survival rates. The median time to the primary repair after Foker's procedure was 33.25 ± 17 days, while the median time to the primary repair in the control group was 166 days, in range of 1–1102 days (p = 0.0001). CONCLUSION Although the effects of Foker's procedure are not significantly different from the effects of other surgical procedures in the treatment of LG-EA, the several times shorter median time until primary repair in Foker's procedure significantly reduces the total length of treatment and allows a small patient to be free for life outside the hospital earlier. Acknowledgements: I would like to express my gratitude to my menthor, Sanja Sinđić - Antunović, MD, PhD, full-time professor at the Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, for her patience and enormous help. Intraoperative cerebral aneurysm rupture – retrospective analysis of its predictors Miłosz Błoński1 1 - Department of Neurosurgery and Neurotraumatology, Jagiellonian University Medical College INTRODUCTION Intraoperative cerebral aneurysm rupture (IOR) is a common phenomenon with frequency of around 19%. This has been profoundly studied for coiling procedures, but there is less research on operative cerebral aneurysm treatment and its complications. AIM Finding predictive factors for the occurrence of IOR. METHODS We retrospectively study examined all saccular aneurysms surgically treated from 2013 to 2019. Study group consisted of 198 patients. Intraoperative rupture was defined as any bleeding from the aneurysm during surgery. RESULTS In our study frequency of IOR was 20.20%. Most of aneurysms were located on middle cerebral artery – 107 (54.04%). Patients with IOR had higher aneurysm dome size (9.43 ± 8.39 vs. 4.96 ± 2.57 mm; p < 0.01). Presence of blood clot on aneurysm dome was significantly associated with IOR (12.50% vs. 2.53%; p < 0.01). We also observed that lamina terminals fenestration during surgery (7.50% vs. 21.52%; p = 0.04) and multiple aneurysms (5.00 vs 18.35; p = 0.038) are associated with lower risk of IOR. Anticoagulants intake was strongly associated with risk of IOR (5.00% vs. 0%; p < 0.01). Glucose blood levels were also elevated in patients with IOR (7.47 ± 2.78 mmol/l vs. 6.90 ± 2.22 mmol/l; p = 0.04). Multivariate analysis associated that urea blood levels (OR 0.55, 0.33 to 0.81, p < 0.01) and multiple aneurysms (OR 0.04, 0.00 to 0.37, p = 0.014) were protective factors against the occurrence of IOR. Analysis also revealed that APTT (OR 1.18, 1.03 to 1.38, p = 0.026) was IOR predictive. CONCLUSION Factors like large dome size of an aneurysm, blood clot on aneurysm dome, anticoagulants intake and elevated glucose blood levels can be a predictive of IOR event. Performing lamina terminalis fenestration, appearance of multiple aneurysm and high urea blood levels may be associated with lower risk of such event. Acknowledgements: Tutors of study: Kornelia Kliś MD, PhD, Roger Krzyżewski MD, Borys Kwinta MD, PhD COMPLEX SURGICAL TREATMENT OF COMPLICATED CHRONIC ANAL FISSURES Iryna Kozlovska1, Iftodii Andriy1, Kulachek Yaroslav1 1 - Department of Surgery, Higher State Educational Establishment of Ukraine “Bukovinian State Medical University” INTRODUCTION The radical method of treatment of complicated chronic anal fissures (CAF) is surgery. Availability of early and late post- operative complications that achieves 35% is indicative of insufficient efficiency of known surgical methods. AIM To improve direct and remote results of surgical treatment of complicated CAF by means of substantiation, elaboration and introduction of a new complex method of treatment. METHODS The results of treatment of 183 patients with CAF were analyzed during 2014–2019: I group – 91 (49,73%) patients operated on by means of a designed surgical method. Preoperative preparation of patients included intratissue electrophoresis with Dioxysol solution (antiseptic and analgesic solution). Fissure with hypertrophied anal papilla and sentinel pile was excised within intact tissue. Anoplasty was performed without connective tissue tension by means of mobilized skin flap of the anoderm and mucous-submucous flap of the inferior ampullar portion of the rectum with their accurate adjacent and suturing by means of intraparietal suture. Anoplasty line was additionally strengthenedto prevent its cutting. The comparison group 92 (50,27%) patients operated on by means of common surgical. RESULTS Since the third post-operative day and during the whole early post-operative period a considerable reduction of pain was marked in the main group (р < 0,001). Before the beginning of treatment there was no statistically considerable difference found concerning the quality of life of all patients (р > 0,05). After surgical treatment a considerable advantage of all the parameters in the main group was found that was in 1,1–1,3 times higher (p < 0,05) than in the second group. CONCLUSION Application of our method to treat CAF allows to reduce the number of post-operative complications, increases considerably the efficacy of treatment and improves the quality of patients’ life, ensures a high rate of social and working rehabilitation of patients. References: General efficacy of therapy in patients of the main group was higher. CAF relapse in the comparison group occurred 2,68 times more frequently as compared to the main group, and anal sphincter failure was detected only among the patients from the group of comparison. Cicatrical strictures were not found in the main group, and the term of a complete healing of the operative wound was 27,58% less as much. Validation of AIMS65 score as the predictor of adverse outcomes in patients with non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Izabela Karpińska1 1 - 2nd Department of General Surgery Jagiellonian University Medical College INTRODUCTION Non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (NVUGB) is serious clinical condition still associated with numerous adverse outcomes and significant mortality. None of widely-adopted risk scores accurately predict all important outcomes of NVUGB. Recently AIMS65 score has been developed and validated. Evidences suggest it more accurately predicts adverse outcomes of NVUGIB compared with well-established tools. AIM The aim of our study was to validate AIMS65 score as the predictor of adverse outcomes of NVUGIB and compare its performance with Rockall score. METHODS The retrospective analysis included consecutive patients with NVUGB admitted to our department between 2013 and 2020. The AIMS65 and Rockall scores were calculated for each patient. The primary endpoint was in-hospital mortality. Secondary endpoints were: rebleeding, blood transfusion, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, surgical treatment and prolonged length of hospital stay (LOS). The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUROC) was used to quantify the diagnostic accuracy of the two predictive models and compare them. RESULTS We analysed 458 patients with NVUGB, 63.3% female, with a mean age 67.4 years. Mortality rate in the entire group was 11.4%. Rebleeding occurred in 12.2% of patients. 75.3% required blood transfusion whereas 4.6% required surgical treatment. Patients admitted to ICU represented 14% of the study population. The mean LOS reached 5.4 days. AIMS65 had statistically significant capability of identifying patients who died (AUROC 0.754; p < 0.0001), admitted to ICU (AUROC 0.796 p < 0.0001) as well as transfusion (AUROC 0.566; p = 0.04) and prolonged LOS (AUROC 0.670; p < 0.0001). It was also significantly superior to the Rockall score in predicting risk of ICU admission (p < 0.0001) or prolonged LOS (p = 0.023). CONCLUSION The AIMS65 can be used to predict in-hospital mortality, ICU admission, transfusion and prolonged LOS in patients with NVUGB. It seems to be more relevant in ICU admission and prolonged LOS assessment than Rockall score. The prevalence of the persistent median artery and its anatomical and clinical relevance: a meta-analysis. Bernard Solewski1,2, Maciej Lis1,2, Sigurd Lauritzen1,2, Jakub Pękala1,2, Karolina Brzegowy1,2, Mateusz Koziej1,2 1 - Jagiellonian University Medical College, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Anatomy, 2 -Jagiellonian University Medical College, International Evidence-Based Anatomy Working Group INTRODUCTION The persistent median artery (PMA) is a vessel accompanying the median nerve (MN) along its course. When present, the PMA may be the main source of blood supply to the MN and adjacent structures. Due to the high risk of surgical complications associated with the artery and its alleged influence on the development of the carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), the PMA is important in clinical practice. AIM This study aimed to provide the pooled prevalence of the PMA and its anatomical variants. METHODS An extensive search of major medical databases was performed to find all articles and references relevant to the PMA. The assessment of the studies and the extraction of data was conducted by two independent reviewers. The PRISMA guidelines were strictly followed in the preparation of this meta-analysis. The extracted data included the method of investigation of the original study, prevalence of the PMA, anatomical pattern and assessment of sex, side, laterality and ethnicity. RESULTS Seventy-two studies (with a total of 12,765 limbs) were included in this meta-analysis. Two distinct anatomical variants of the PMA were distinguished: antebrachial and palmar. The overall pooled prevalence of these two types was 40.6% (95% CI: 18.2 – 65.0) and 8.8% (95% CI: 6.8–11.1), respectively. The palmar type of the PMA was prevalent in 8.6% (95% CI: 6.6–10.9) of adults in cadaveric studies and 2.5% (95% CI: 1.3–4.1) in surgical studies of patients with CTS. CONCLUSION The PMA is a relatively common structure in the general population, and thus the possibility of its presence should be considered when planning surgical procedures of the forearm or wrist. The significant difference in the prevalence of the PMA between adults and patients with CTS calls into question its suggested role in the development of the CTS. Surgical Treatments of Traumatic Vascular Injuries in Brazil for the Period 2015- 2019 Leonardo Santana Ramos Oliveira1, Maria Clara Sales do Nascimento1, Luiz Ricardo Cerqueira Freitas Junior2, Sarah Fernandez Coutinho de Carvalho1, Matheus Santos Sampaio1, Ana Carolina Matos de Almeida1 1 - Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Pública, 2 -Universidade do Estado da Bahia INTRODUCTION The main causes of Traumatic Vascular Injury (TVI) are violence and traffic accidents and it is one of the main public health problems in Brazil and worldwide. It is important to note that surgical treatment is the most frequent for these injuries. AIM Present data of surgical treatments of TVI in Brazil for the period 2015-2019. METHODS The study is characterized as a descriptive study, whose data were collected in the “Sistema de Informação Hospitalar” (SIH), by consulting DATASUS platform in the period from 2015 to 2019. The following variables were considered: number of hospitalizations, deaths, mortality rate (MR), and average length of hospital stay. Data were tabulated with Microsoft Excel. RESULTS Regarding number of hospitalizations, TVI of unilateral upper limb (UUL) sums up a total of 8,266 cases (37.1%). Cases of TVI of unilateral lower limb (ULL) and TVI of cervical region (CR), reach, respectively, 5,885 (26.4%) and 5,294 (23.7%). Total number of deaths is 1437. Of these, 438 cases (30.4%) are TVI to the abdomen (MR of 22.24), 402 deaths (27.9%) are from CR (MR of 7.59), and 377 (26.2%) of UUL (MR of 6.94). Patients undergoing surgical treatment due to TVI of bilateral upper limb (BUL) present an average length of hospital stay of 14.1 days, TVI of BUL and CR present 5.9 days and 5.7 days, respectively. CONCLUSION From data analysis, the main cause of hospitalizations is due to TVI of UUL, however, the highest average length of hospital stay is related to TVI of BUL. Besides, highest number of deaths and highest MR are associated with surgical treatment of abdominal TVI. Thus, it is possible to conclude that knowledge about prevalence of these factors can contribute to orientate levels of care (primary, secondary and tertiary) in order to improve these variables. Women and Leadership Positions in Surgery: The Current Brazilian Scenario Júlia Iaroseski1, Sarah Bueno Motter1, Amanda Vieira Alves1, Candida Mozzaquatro de Assis Brasil1, Ana Luíza Kolling Konopka1, Gabriela Salzano Silva1, Gabriela Rangel Brandão1 1 - Universidade de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA) INTRODUCTION It is well-known that the more diversity in the workplace, the greater the innovation and productivity [1,2]. Although almost 50% of Brazilian medical schools’ graduates are women, the same is not seen in historically male-dominated health sectors, such as surgery. In leadership positions, the gap is even larger. AIM To verify and analyze the gender distribution across the boards of 10 Brazilian surgical societies. METHODS Available online data about the current boards of 10 Brazilian surgical societies was compiled and analyzed. Binomial test was perfomed with SPSS statistics. RESULTS In our study, we examined a total of 163 board positions. Only 14 (8.59%) of these positions are held by women, while 149 (91.41%) by men. This women's underrepresentation (p < 000) is worse in highly prestigious positions (presidency and vice-presidency), only 1 (5%) of which is female and 19 (95%) are male. It is noteworthy that each surgical specialty seems to have particular scenarios of gender inclusion, ranging from egalitarian scenarios in the Association of Pediatric Surgery (54.55% female), to unequal contexts, such as the Society of Plastic Surgery (14,29%), the Society of Head and Neck Surgery (13.33%), the College of Surgeons (10%), the Society of Angiology and Vascular Surgery (7.14%), the Society of Surgery Oncology (4.76%), and the Society of Neurosurgery (4.76%), or even a complete absence of women in management positions, for instance, the Society of Cardiovascular Surgery, the College of Digestive Surgery, and the Society of Thoracic Surgery. CONCLUSION As is typical in the medical field [3], women are still underrepresented in leadership roles in Brazilian surgery, which is more evident in some surgical subspecialties than in others. There is an urgent need to promote gender inclusion in the surgical field, and therefore, more studies analyzing the factors that lead to this inequality are also needed References: 1- Østergaard CR, Timmermans B, Kristinsson K. Does a different view create something new? The effect of employee diversity on innovation. Res Policy 2011;40:500–9. 2- Daley S, Wingard DL, Reznik V. Improving the retention of underrepresented minority faculty in academic medicine. J Natl Med Assoc 2006;98:1435. 3- Cain JM, Schulkin J, Parisi V, Power ML, Holzman GB, Williams S. Effects of perceptions and mentorship on pursuing a career in academic medicine in obstetrics and gynecology. Acad Med. 2001;76:628-634. Women Speakers at Surgery Events: analysis of the Brazilian scenario Ana Luíza Kolling Konopka1, Júlia Iaroseski1, Amanda Vieira Alves1, Sarah Bueno Motter1, Candida Mozzaquatro de Assis Brasil1, Gabriela Salzano Silva1, Gabriela Rangel Brandão1 1 - Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA) INTRODUCTION It is known that women make up 45,6% of all physicians and 57,4% of those with ages up to 29 years old in Brazil [1]. However, when it comes to the proportion of speakers in surgical specialty conferences, women represent only 28,4% in countries like Canada and the United States [2]. It is acknowledged that presenting at a medical conference is an opportunity for career advancement. Furthermore, female representation at academic meetings has been identified as an important gender equity issue [2]. AIM To verify the proportion of female speakers at surgical events held in Brazil. METHODS From the available online data of Brazilian College of Surgeons agenda, it was analyzed the gender of the speakers at several events, such as congresses and conferences, from August 2013 through May 2020. A binomial test CI 95% through IBM SPSS statistics version 20 was performed to evaluate the data. RESULTS In the agenda of the Brazilian College of Surgeons, 320 events were verified and 192 had available information of the event program and speakers. In these 192 events, there were 4066 speakers, only 533 (13.11%) of these were women, in contrast, 3533 (86.89%) were men. There is a highly significant difference between women and men (p < 000). 80 events (41,67%) had no female representation, whereas events without male representation were in the minority (5,21%). In the data analyzed, three in four events (144) had less than 20% female speakers. Additionally, 177 (92.19%) of the events had less than 50% of female speakers. CONCLUSION Women are underrepresented as speakers in Brazilian surgical conferences, with even smaller representation than in similar events in other countries [2]. This highlights the need for promotion of gender inclusion in the surgical academic field, and conference organizers should consider this fact when inviting speakers. References: [1] Demografia Médica 2018: número de médicos aumenta e persistem desigualdades de distribuição e problemas na assistência. https://amb.org.br/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/DEMOGRAFIA-M%C3%89DICA.pdf. Accessed May 31, 2020. [2] Ruzycki SM, Fletcher S, Earp M, Bharwani A, Lithgow KC. Trends in the Proportion of Female Speakers at Medical Conferences in the United States and in Canada, 2007 to 2017. JAMA Netw Open. 2019;2(4):e192103. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.2103 BLOOD EOSINOPHILS IN ACUTE CELLULAR REJECTION OF HEPATIC GRAFT. Ludmila Rodrigues Oliveira Costa1, Olival Cirilo Lucena Da Fonseca Neto2, Caio Rodrigo de Oliveira Melo1, George Felipe Bezerra Darce1, Paulo Ricardo Bispo Siqueira1, Rebeca Mangabeira Correia1, Claudio Moura Lacerda2 1 - Faculdade de Ciências Médicas do Estado de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brasil, 2 -Hospital Universitário Oswaldo Cruz, Recife, PE, Brasil INTRODUCTION Acute rejection after liver transplantation is one of most commons complications of the liver graft. The gold-standard to identify this condition is the biopsy, however It is a invasious procedure which one can bring serious complication for the patient. Thus, the literature have studied not invasous biomarkers that could predict the acute rejection; the periferic eosionophils is one of them. AIM This study will compare the perifec eosinophils with the liver transaminases during the acute rejection of liver graft, at the Hospital Universitário Oswaldo Cruz. METHODS It is a retrospective observacional study, which one evaluate the following variables: rates of sensitivity, specificity, predictive value, accuracy. RESULTS Acute rejection was detected in 29,33% of pacients. In patients with acute rejection, AST counts were high in 65,90%, with 59,18% of diagnostic sensibility, 81,13% of diagnostic specifity, positive predictive value of 65,91%, negative predictive value of 85,15% and accuracy of 76,67%; ALT count were high in 34,09%, with 60,00% of diagnostic sensibility, 90,57% of diagnostic specifity, 34,09% of positive predictive value, 76,80% of negative predictive value and 74,00% of accuracy; periferic eosinophils were high in 29,54%, with 22,03% of diagnostic sensibility, 56,60% of diagnostic specifity, 29,55% of positive predictive value, negative predictive value of 65,93% and accuracy of 48,67%. CONCLUSION The present results, as the literature, suggest the limited role of eosinophilia as a predictor of acute rejection. However, we agree that the periferic eosinophils can be used as a diagnostic tool, in particular, at Transplantation Center without a broad possibility of the biopsy. Acknowledgements: The Study was submitted at the responsible Ethical committee and approved by it, written informed consent was taken from all the subjects of the research. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. The authors declare no potential financial conflict of interest related to this manuscript. The immediate effects of Kinesio Tape on the mechanosensitivity of the median nerve Ricardo Cunha1, Adérito Seixas1,2, Sandra Rodrigues1, Isabel Moreira-Silva1,3, Nuno Ventura1, Joana Azevedo1, Ricardo Cardoso1,4 1 - Escola Superior de Saúde, Universidade Fernando Pessoa, Porto, Portugal., 2 -LABIOMEP, INEGI-LAETA, Faculdade de Desporto, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal, 3 -CIAFEL, Faculdade de Desporto, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal, 4 -Transdisciplinary Center of Consciousness Studies of Fernando Pessoa University, Porto, Portugal and FP-B2S – Behaviour and Social Sciences Research Center of Fernando Pessoa University, Porto, Portugal. INTRODUCTION Musculoskeletal disorders can manifest signs and symptoms with neural involvement, such as increased sensitivity to pressure and tension of peripheral nerves, causing an exacerbation of pain symptoms. AIM To verify the immediate effects of Kinesio Tape (KT) on the mechanosensitivity of the median nerve, assessed by the upper limb neurodynamic test 1 (ULNT1) in healthy individuals METHODS After completing the questionnaire, 60 healthy university students were randomly assigned to two groups designated KT Group (KTG; n = 30) and Control Group (CG; n = 30) (no intervention). In a first assessment (M0), ULNT1 was performed on the dominant upper limb. The elbow extension amplitude was determined in symptom onset and maximum tolerated point. Immediately after the intervention/control, the two groups were evaluated again (M1). RESULTS There were no significant differences between the KTG and the CG regarding the amplitude of elbow extension at the onset of symptoms and maximum tolerated point of ULNT1. CONCLUSION The present study suggests that KT does not seem to alter the mechanosensitivity of the median nerve, assessed through ULNT1, in healthy individuals Impact of Retrograde Reperfusion on Intraoperative Hemodynamics and Graft Function in Orthotopic Liver Transplantation Gabriel Guerra Cordeiro1, Olival Cirilo Lucena F Neto2, Américo Gusmão Amorim2, Helry Lopes Cândido2, Priscylla Jennie Monteiro Rabêlo2, Gustavo da Mota Cruz1, Renata Ferreira Bezerra2, Victor Macedo Lemos1, Victor Macedo Lemos2, Cláudio Moura Lacerda2,3 1 - Faculty of Medicine Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil, 2 - Liver Transplant Division, University Hospital Oswaldo Cruz, University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil, 3 - Department of Surgery, University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil INTRODUCTION Despite the several progress of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) surgery, there is still no consensus about which graft revascularization technique leads to better results. The avaiable literature reports that retrograde reperfusion approach through inferior vena cava could reduce hemodynamic instability during the surgery. AIM Despite the several progress of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) surgery, there is still no consensus about which graft revascularization technique leads to better results. The avaiable literature reports that retrograde reperfusion approach through inferior vena cava could reduce hemodynamic instability during the surgery. METHODS A prospective cohort study of eighty-seven patients who underwent OLT, using retrograde (31) and portal (56) reperfusion techniques. Arterial gasometry via radial artery was performed at different time points: one hour before retrograde/portal reperfusion and one hour after arterial reperfusion. Perioperative data collected was also: presence of post-reperfusion syndrome (PRS), intraoperative acid-base disturbs and graft function parameters RESULTS The most significant findings were: ocurrence of PRS (p < 0.05), specially in moderate and severe degrees (RR:16,7%; RP: 44,6%); warm ischemic time (RR: 32,52 ± 5,16; RP: 37,89 ± 8,98; p < 0.05); reperfusion time (RR:20,19 ± 4,80; RP: 37,89 ± 8,98; p < 0.001); variation of pH after reperfusion (RR: +8%; RP: −42%; p < 0.05); lactate levels one hour after reperfusion (RR: 3,94 ± 1,93; RP: 7,47 ± 11,82; p < 0.05). No significant-differences were detected between the two groups in hepatic enzymes. CONCLUSION The most significant findings were: ocurrence of PRS (p < 0.05), specially in moderate and severe degrees (RR:16,7%; RP: 44,6%); warm ischemic time (RR: 32,52 ± 5,16; RP: 37,89 ± 8,98; p < 0.05); reperfusion time (RR:20,19 ± 4,80; RP: 37,89 ± 8,98; p < 0.001); variation of pH after reperfusion (RR: +8%; RP: -42%; p < 0.05); lactate levels one hour after reperfusion (RR: 3,94 ± 1,93; RP: 7,47 ± 11,82; p < 0.05). No significant-differences were detected between the two groups in hepatic enzymes. Women's participation on the faculty of Surgical disciplines Amanda Vieira Alves1, Ana Luíza Kolling Konopka1, Candida Mozzaquatro de Assis Brasil1, Gabriela Rangel Brandão1, Gabriela Salzano Silva1, Júlia Iaroseski1, Sarah Bueno Motter1 1 - Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA) INTRODUCTION Although female participation has increased in surgery over the years, this participation is still underrepresented in the positions of professors and chiefs department in the area, as seen in other countries [1,2]. These are known to be important leadership positions within academia. Besides the possible causes for this disparity [3–7], it is important to identify this distribution clearly so that we can achieve more gender equity in academic surgery. AIM To verify the gender distribution of department chairs and faculty members from surgery's divisions. METHODS We analyzed the gender both from department chairs and faculty members from surgery's division in 32 brazilian medical schools. A binomial test CI 95% through IBM SPSS statistics version 20 was performed to evaluate the data. RESULTS Among the 32 medical schools that, according to the Brazilian Ministry of Education, have a university hospital, 25 have the professors of the department of surgery listed at the school's website. Of these 25 universities, only 3 (12%) have women at the head of the department of surgery, whereas 22 (88%) of the positions are occupied by men. In these universities, 383 surgical professors were found, 340 (88.77%) are men and 43 (11.23%) are women. CONCLUSION The results evidence the large gap between female and male academic representation in the surgery field. There is a long way to create gender equality at the medical schools, especially in the department of surgery. References: 1. Gargiulo DA, Hyman NH, Hebert JC. Women in surgery: do we really understand the deterrents? Arch Surg 2006;141:405–7; discussion 7–8. 2. Epstein NE. Discrimination against female surgeons is still alive: Where are the full professorships and chairs of departments? Surg Neurol Int 2017;8:93. Doi:10.4103/sni.sni_90_17. 3. Ku MC, Li YE, Prober C, Valantine H, Girod SC. Decisions, decisions: how program diversity influences residency program choice. J Am Coll Surg. 2011;213(2):294-305. 4. McCord JH, McDonald R, Leverson G, et al. Motivation to pursue surgical subspecialty training: is there a gender difference? J Am Coll Surg. 2007;205(5):698-703. 5. Richardson HC, Redfern N. Why do women reject surgical careers? Ann R Coll Surg Engl. 2000;82(9 Suppl):290-293. 3. Cochran A, Hauschild T, Elder WB, Neumayer LA, Brasel KJ, Crandall ML. Perceived gender-based barriers to careers in academic surgery. Am J Surg. 2013;206(2):263-268. 7. Jagsi R, Griffith KA, Stewart A, Sambuco D, DeCastro R, Ubel PA. Gender differences in salary in a recent cohort of early-career physician-researchers. Acad Med. 2013;88(11):1689-1699.