This article presents statistical methods recently developed for the analysis of maps of disease rates when the geographic units have small populations at risk. They adopt the Bayesian approach and use intensive computational methods for estimating risk in each area. The objective of the methods is to separate the variability of rates due to differences between regions from the background risk due to pure random fluctuation. Risk estimates have a total mean quadratic error smaller than usual estimates. We apply these new methods to estimate infant mortality risk in the municipalities of the State of Minas Gerais in 1994.

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Background/Aims: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of venlafaxine in the treatment of major depression in dementia. Methods: Thirty-one outpatients who had dementia and major depression participated in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 6-week, flexible dose clinical trial. The screening measures were Cornell Scale for depression in dementia, DSM-IV for depression and dementia and Mini-Mental State Examination. The outcome measures were response rate, Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating scale and Clinical Global Impressions. Results: The percentage of patients defined as Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating scale responders was approximately the same in the placebo and in the venlafaxine groups. Clinical Global Impressions showed no significant difference between the groups. The reasons for dropouts show borderline significance between the two groups. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse events between the venlafaxine and placebo-treated groups. Conclusions: Our data do not support the hypothesis that venlafaxine improves mood in elderly demented patients.

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Perfil do absenteísmo em um banco estatal em Minas Gerais

Eggplant (Solanum melongena) is consumed extensively in Brazil. It has been believed that infusion of a powdered preparation of the fruit may reduce serum cholesterol. However, there are few documented reports on its effects on cholesterol metabolism and its possible hypocholesterolemic effect has not been proved by well-controlled studies. The aim of the present study was to observe the effects of S. melongena on the serum cholesterol and triglycerides of 38 hypercholesterolemic human volunteers ingesting S. melongena infusion for five weeks. Thirty-eight hypercholesterolemic subjects receiving either S. melongena infusion (N = 19) or placebo (N = 19) participated in two clinical experiments in which the effect of S. melongena infusion was studied with (N = 16) or without (N = 38) dietary orientation. Total cholesterol and its fractions, triglycerides, and apolipoproteins A and B were measured in blood at the beginning of the experiment and three and five weeks thereafter. No differences were observed compared to control. Intraindividual analysis showed that S. melongena infusion significantly reduced the blood levels of total and LDL cholesterol and of apolipoprotein B. After dietary orientation, no intra-or intergroup differences were seen for any of the parameters analyzed. The results suggest that S. melongena infusion had a modest and transitory effect, which was not different from that obtained with standard orientation for dyslipidemia patients (diet and physical activities).

Objectives: To present the methods and baseline characteristics of the Pietà study, a population-based survey investigating successful brain aging in the oldest-old. Method:The study was conducted in Caeté (MG), Brazil. In 2007, 1,251 individuals aged 75+ years were living in the city and were invited to participate. Participants responded to a general health questionnaire and were submitted to clinical, neurological, cognitive, psychiatric and functional evaluations. A subgroup was submitted to neuropsychological testing, blood tests and magnetic resonance of the skull. Individuals were classified as having cognitive impairment-no dementia, dementia, parkinsonism, psychiatric disorders or successful brain aging. Results: We evaluated 639 individuals (51.1% of the target population; 64% women), aged 81.4±5.2 years and with 2.7±2.6 years of schooling. Almost 30% of the elderly were illiterates and 82.1% belonged to middle/middle-low socioeconomic levels. Almost 50% were widows, but only 14.3% were living alone. Conclusion: The Pietà cohort is representative of the oldest-old Brazilian population. We believe the results of the study may contribute to increase our knowledge about healthy and pathological brain aging in the oldest-old. Key words: aging, epidemiology, brain, cognitive impairment, dementia, depression.Estudo Pietà: investigação epidemiológica sobre envelhecimento cerebral bem sucedido em Caeté (MG), Brasil. Métodos e características de base da coorte RESUMO Objetivos: Apresentar os métodos e as características sociodemográficas do projeto Pietà, estudo de base populacional que investiga o envelhecimento cerebral bem sucedido em uma coorte de idosos muito idosos. Método: O estudo foi conduzido em Caeté (MG). Em 2007, 1.251 indivíduos com 75+ anos residiam no município e foram convidados a participar. Os idosos responderam a um questionário de saúde geral e foram submetidos à avaliação clínica, neurológica, cognitiva, psiquiátrica e funcional. Um subgrupo realizou avaliação neuropsicológica, exames laboratoriais e ressonância magnética de crânio. Os participantes foram classificados em grupos com comprometimento cognitivo-não demência, demência, parkinsonismo, transtornos psiquiátricos ou envelhecimento cerebral bem sucedido. Resultados: Foram avaliados 639 idosos (51,1% da população-alvo; 64% mulheres), com idade 81,4±5,2 anos e escolaridade 2,7±2,6 anos. Quase 30%

Overuse of antibiotics is a public health problem and has raised discussions concerning their rational use. This cross-sectional study focuses on the use of systemic antibiotics under the IntroduçãoOs antibacterianos constituem um grupo de medicamentos amplamente prescritos em atenção primária, ocupando sempre um dos primeiros lugares entre as classes de medicamentos mais utilizadas 1,2 . O seu uso desnecessário e abusivo, tanto na comunidade quanto no meio hospitalar, tem sido extensivamente descrito na literatura 1,2,3,4 .O uso maciço e inadequado de antibacterianos tem implicações no aumento das taxas de resistência microbiana, existindo uma relação direta entre o quantitativo de antimicrobianos usados e a incidência de resistência bacteriana 4 .À parte as conseqüências médicas e ecoló-gicas, existe ainda um custo social e pessoal do uso inadequado desses medicamentos, que envolve custos diretos de tratamentos, internações, dias não trabalhados, faltas escolares, invalidez e morte. Tais implicações justificam esforços empreendidos no sentido de conhecer e racionalizar a utilização de antimicrobianos.Dentre as diversas estratégias na área da utilização e monitorização do uso de medicamentos, destacam-se os estudos de hábitos de prescrição médica. Os prescritores exercem um importante papel na promoção do uso racional de medicamentos, de modo que a análise de seus hábitos de prescrição proporciona o conhecimento de aspectos da qualidade da terapia. Conseqüente-mente, permite identificar problemas, implantar ARTIGO ARTICLE Abrantes PM et al. 96 Cad. Saúde Pública, Rio de Janeiro, 23(1):