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Objectives: This study aimed to compare the climacteric symptoms, quality of life indices, and self-care attitudes in women before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic., Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between January 2020 and September 2021. The sample consisted of 342 climacteric women who were divided into two groups: before the pandemic (BP group; n = 62) and during the pandemic (DP group; n = 280). The Menopause Rating Scale and Women's Health Questionnaire were used to measure the health-related quality of life and degree of climacteric symptoms reported by women., Results: During the COVID-19 pandemic, women were able to decrease their somatic symptoms derived from the climacteric period (BP group: 7.84 ± 4.46, DP group: 5.94 ± 9.20; P = 0.003)., Conclusions: There was no worsening in the self-reported symptoms, quality of life, and self-care attitudes of climacteric women because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, only somatic symptoms decreased during the pandemic., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported., (Copyright © by The Korean Society of Menopause.)

Background: Progressive mobility in the ICU has been recommended; however, the definitions of low, moderate, and high mobility in the ICU still diverge between studies. Therefore, our objective was to classify the mobility of the sample from verticalization and active withdrawal from the bed, and from that, to analyze the chances of discharge, death, and readmission to the ICU., Materials and Methods: This is an observational and retrospective study that consults the medical records of individuals admitted to the ICU of the University Hospital of Sergipe (HU/SE) between August 2017 and August 2018. Mobility level was classified based on the Intensive Care Unit Mobility Scale (IMS)., Results: A total of 121 individuals were included. The mean age was 61.45 ± 16.45, being 53.7% female. Of these, 28 (23.1%) had low mobility, 33 (27.3%) had moderate mobility, and 60 (49.6%) had high mobility. Individuals with low mobility were 45 times more likely to die (OR = 45.3; 95% CI = 3.23-636.3) and 88 times less likely to be discharged from the ICU (OR = 0.22; 95% CI = 0.002-0.30)., Conclusion: Those who evolved with low mobility had a higher chance of death and a lower chance of discharge from the ICU. Moderate and high mobility were not associated with the investigated outcomes.

Background: Several studies have used placebo acupuncture methods in recent years as a way for blinding therapeutic effect of acupuncture, however placebo method selection has not followed enough methodological criteria to the point of stabilishing a consensus of what should be the best method to be used. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of three different placebo acupuncture methods for blinding applied in healthy subjects., Methods: This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Sergipe with the number 47193015.5.0000.5546 and all individuals participating in the study signed a free and informed consent. For this study, 321 healthy volunteers were randomly divided into seven groups using the abdominal point stomach (ST) 25 and seven groups using the lumbar point bladder (Bl) 52 for stimulation. For real acupuncture procedure, three different methods of placebo acupuncture plus a mix between real acupuncture and placebo applied in the same individual, totaling fourteen groups in this study. Outcome assessments were performed before and immediately after applying the technique. Investigator who assessed variables had no knowledgement about the method was applied. Identification, weight and height were measured before puncture by using. At the end, subjects were asked if they believed they were receiving real or placebo acupuncture., Results: There was no significant difference between groups for the perception about the type o stimulation (wheter real or placebo puncture). Percentage of subjects who reported to have received real acupuncture in the abdominal point was 69.56% in real group, 86.95% in group Park Sham, 82.60% in needle + foam, 91.30% in insertion and removal, 78.26% in real + Park Sham, 86.36% in real + needle and foam, 86.95% in real + insertion and removal, and for the lumbar point was 86.36% in real group, 86.95% in group Park Sham, 69.56% in needle + foam, 72% in insertion and removal, 86.95% in real + Park Sham, 81.81% in real + needle and foam and 78.26% in real + insertion and removal., Conclusion: All placebo acupuncture methods proposed in this study were equally effective for bliding the study participants using either abdominal or lumbar acupoints, and none of the placebo methods presented benefit compared to the other to be used in future clinical trials., Ethics Committee: Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), number of approval: 47193015.5.0000.5546 TRIAL REGISTRATION: ensaiosclinicos.gov.br RBR-3w2p32 Registered in 28th January 2016.