Background and Purpose: Severe neurological injuries frequently necessitate prolonged invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), which contributes to diaphragm atrophy and weakness. These factors can complicate the weaning process and have a detrimental impact on clinical outcomes in neurocritical care patients. This study aimed to examine the morphology and function of the diaphragm in neurocritical patients undergoing IMV, with a particular focus on the relationship between these factors and respiratory muscle strength. Methods: This prospective observational study included 20 neurocritical patients admitted consecutively to an intensive care unit (ICU). All patients were mechanically ventilated in pressure support ventilation (PSV) mode for 24–72 h. Diaphragm morphology and function were assessed using ultrasound, while respiratory muscle strength was measured via manovacuometry to determine maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) and maximal expiratory pressure (MEP). Results: The mean diaphragm thickness (DT) was 1.7 mm (95% CI: 1.4–1.9), and diaphragmatic excursion (DE) was 20.4 mm (95% CI: 17.5–23.2). The mean MIP was −50 cmH2O (95% CI: −55.0 to −40.6), and the mean MEP was 30 cmH2O (95% CI: 26.5–42.9). There was a moderate correlation between MIP and DT ( r = −0.45, p < 0.05) and between MEP and DT ( r = 0.50, p = 0.03). Ultrasound measurements showed no significant relationship with ICU length of stay, IMV duration, or demographic variables such as sex, age, or body mass index (BMI). However, DT at the end of expiration influenced maximal respiratory pressure (MRP), with female patients exhibiting 92% weaker MIP compared to males. Discussion: Diaphragm thickness was found to moderately correlate with respiratory muscle strength in neurocritical care patients on IMV, suggesting its potential as a marker for muscle strength assessment. However, no significant relationship was found between other ultrasound variables and clinical outcomes such as IMV duration or ICU stay. These findings underscore the need for further longitudinal studies to explore diaphragmatic muscle behavior throughout hospitalization and its impact on clinical outcomes.

Introdução: A Síndrome Congênita do Zika Vírus (SCZV) é classificada como uma infecção congênita rara, que necessita de acompanhamento da equipe de saúde, especialmente dos fisioterapeutas. Metodologia: Foi realizada uma revisão de literatura através do levantamento bibliográfico nas bases de dados eletrônicas Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde (Portal Regional da BVS) e National Library of Medicine (PubMed), artigos e livros no Google Acadêmico com o foco na temática. Utilizando os seguintes descritores: Rehabilitation AND Zika Virus Infection OR Zika Virus AND Microcephaly AND child AND Physical Therapy Specialty. Resultados: Foram identificados 307 estudos, 10 eram elegíveis, desses apenas 5 foram incluídos para esta revisão. Todos eram relatos de caso realizados em centros de reabilitação, e relataram efeitos positivos sobre a força e tônus muscular, amplitude do movimento e coordenação motora. Conclusão: Foi observado que o tratamento fisioterapêutico trouxe benefícios motores para a criança com a SCZV. Apesar da importância do tratamento fisioterapêutico nesse grupo devido as múltiplas alterações neuropsicomotoras, há uma escassez de estudos demonstrando os efeitos das técnicas de fisioterapia empregadas.

Introduction: The leukemia corresponds to a hematological disease with a short latency period, developing quicker and generating serious impacts on public health. Objective: To gather data on the mortality trend from childhood leukemia in the Brazilian northeast, the time approach is between the years 2009 to 2019. Methodology: Ecological study of temporal period with a quantitative approach. The numbers of deaths of the Brazilian child and youth population were collected and included between the years 2009 to 2019, with an emphasis on the Northeast region. Data were collected between March and April 2022 through the National Cancer Institute's Online Mortality Atlas. The causes of death analyzed were lymphoid leukemia (C91), myeloid leukemia (C92), monocytic leukemia (C93), type-specified cell leukemias (C94) and unspecified cell type leukemia (C95). Results: Between 2009 and 2019 in the Northeast, there were 16,579 deaths due to leukemia, of which 3,010 were in the infant and youth population, with an annual average of 273.63±19.601. Regarding the age group, the group from 15 to 19 years old had the highest number of deaths, with a total value of 776 deaths. The states of Piauí, Rio Grande do Norte, Sergipe, Ceará and Alagoas had the four highest mortality rates in the region. Conclusion: Studies that seek to identify patterns, whether integrative, systematic or ecological, are essential not only to verify which part of the population is most affected by the disease, but also to know which points still need attention from public policies.

O Transtorno do Espectro Autista (TEA) é definido como um distúrbio do neurodesenvolvimento, onde os primeiros sintomas surgem no início da infância. A fim de diminuir as complicações causadas pela doença, as crianças com TEA realizam sessões de fisioterapia e dentre os recursos utilizados, a Equoterapia vem se destacando como recurso complementar. O estudo foi realizado com objetivo de sistematizar as evidências cientificas acerca desse recurso, a fim de fornecer uma maior compreensão sobre a terapia, favorecendo subsídios para pesquisas futuras. Trata-se de uma revisão integrativa de literatura de caráter descritivo e com abordagem qualitativa, realizada através do levantamento bibliográficos nas bases de dados SciELO, PubMed e LILACS. Foram selecionados 5 artigos científicos, com base nos descritores “transtorno do espectro autista”, “equoterapia assistida” e “equilíbrio postural”. Todas as evidências apontaram conclusões consistentes sobre os benefícios da prática de equoterapia na saúde da criança e do adolescente com o TEA. Foi possível concluir que a prática regular da equoterapia é apropriada e indicada como plano terapêutico para crianças e adolescente com o TEA, porém, faz-se necessário mais estudos sobre a temática, visto que há uma escassez de referencial bibliográfico sobre benefícios da equoterapia no equilíbrio de pacientes infantojuvenis com TEA.