Clinical trials

Patients who underwent head and neck radiotherapy and developed xerostomia and/or hyposalivation will be selected. The patients will be randomly assigned into two groups, defined as control and treatment. All patients will complete the xerostomia-related quality of life questionnaires, XeQoLS (Xerostomia Quality of Life Scale) and OHIP (Oral Health Impact Profile). This qualitative assessment will be repeated 1 week after the 6th application and 1 week after the 12th application (T0, T6, and T12). The quantitative assessment will be carried out through the collection of unstimulated and stimulated saliva at the same time points (T0, T6, and T12). Patients will undergo 12 sessions of ozone therapy, once a week, in gaseous form, at a concentration of 10 µg/mL (micrograms per milliliter), applied directly into the major salivary glands. The gas will be administered as follows: * Parotid glands: two distinct points per gland, 1 mL at each point. * Submandibular glands: one point per gland, 1 mL per point at 10 µg/mL. * Sublingual glands: one point per gland, 1 mL per point at 10 µg/mL. The ozone generator equipment will be supplied with medical oxygen (99.5% purity), Dental model, Philozon company. Disposable syringes will be Terumo, 10 mL, and the needle will be BD, 30/13 mm.

\*\*Brief Summary\*\* Leprosy is a chronic granulomatous infectious disease caused by \*Mycobacterium leprae\* or \*Mycobacterium lepromatosis\*, characterized by peripheral nerve involvement that may lead to progressive neurological damage, disability, and deformities if not diagnosed and treated early. The diagnosis of leprosy is primarily clinical and epidemiological, supported by laboratory methods such as bacilloscopy and biopsy; however, these tests have limited sensitivity, particularly due to the bacillus' tropism for peripheral nerve structures. Ultrasonography has emerged as a non-invasive imaging method capable of detecting morphological changes in peripheral nerves, including nerve enlargement, fascicular abnormalities, and inflammatory hypervascularization. Despite its diagnostic value, ultrasonography alone cannot detect the presence of the bacillus. This prospective cohort study aims to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic accuracy of combining clinical evaluation, peripheral nerve ultrasonography, and molecular detection techniques using subcutaneous perineural aspirate. Patients with suspected leprosy attending the Leprosy Outpatient Clinic at the University Hospital of Brasília will undergo clinical evaluation, ultrasound examination of the ulnar nerves, and ultrasound-guided subcutaneous perineural aspirate for molecular detection of \*Mycobacterium leprae\* DNA and RNA using real-time PCR and RT-PCR. Participants will be followed for one year, with assessments performed at diagnosis and after one year of treatment. The study will compare clinical, imaging, and molecular findings to determine whether perineural subcutaneous aspirate combined with ultrasonography improves early detection and diagnostic accuracy compared with conventional methods such as bacilloscopy and biopsy. The study aims to contribute to improved diagnostic strategies for leprosy, enabling earlier detection of neural involvement and potentially reducing disease transmission and long-term disability.

The aim of this trial is to assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a supervised and more personalised mhealth intervention compared with conventional exercise therapy in people with chronic non-specific low back pain.

The Achilles tendon exhibits high tensile strength and can withstand extremely high loads. However, it is susceptible to injuries such as tendinopathies and ruptures, which are associated with structural alterations and loss of function. Strategies have been investigated to enhance clinical rehabilitation. Nevertheless, the effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation on pain and functional improvement, as well as the optimal dosing parameters for the rehabilitation of Achilles tendon injuries, remain inconclusive. The aim of this study is to compare the immediate effects of two electrical stimulation protocols on pain, functional performance, peripheral oxygen extraction, and maximal tendon displacement during a single leg heel rise functional task in patients with Achilles tendinopathy and/or a history of Achilles tendon rupture. In addition, this study aims to characterize Achilles tendon structural properties and ankle plantarflexor muscle strength in this population.

The lack of appropriate pediatric formulations compromises adherence and the effectiveness of oral treatment in children, mainly due to the splitting of adult tablets and low sensory acceptability. This observational, analytical, and cross-sectional study aims to evaluate the acceptability of a novel pediatric dosage form consisting of placebo chewable tablets produced by 3D printing, with a focus on palatability and feasibility for dose personalization. Children and adolescents aged 3 to 18 years receiving care at the Nutrition Outpatient Clinic of the Hospital da Criança de Brasília José Alencar will be invited to participate. The study will be conducted in two stages. In the first stage, acceptability of a bear-shaped chewable tablet will be assessed, as well as preference among different flavors. In the second stage, preference for chewable tablets with or without xylitol will be investigated, in addition to dysgeusia associated with diseases or chronic medication use. Acceptability will be measured using a 5-point facial hedonic scale, evaluator observation, and age-appropriate questionnaires. The study is expected to identify the most accepted flavors and sweetness intensities, as well as to evaluate the acceptability of the 3D-printed dosage form, contributing to the development of safer, more attractive, and personalized pediatric medicines.

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an Integrated Learning Support System (ILSS) in preparing undergraduate nursing students for immersive simulated training in managing drug-induced nephrotoxicity. The study hypothesizes that the ILSS, which accommodates different learning styles, will be more effective in reducing stress and anxiety compared to the standard learning model (SLM). The research will involve a parallel randomized controlled trial with 96 students from two Brazilian institutions. The students will be divided into control and experimental groups, with the latter using the ILSS in addition to SLM during preparation. The study will assess outcomes such as knowledge acquisition, skill development, and stress reduction using various instruments, including the Lasater Clinical Judgment Rubric and DASS-21. The study's findings aim to validate the ILSS as a tool to enhance learning outcomes and reduce stress and anxiety, thereby promoting better professional development and patient safety in nursing practice.

Introduction: Health education provided through the escape-room is still a recent approach in educational methodology and tends to be a strategy that benefits nursing students, particularly in gaining knowledge and skills. However, few studies have explored the use of both in-person and virtual escape-room as an educational methodology in nursing. Objective: To assess the effectiveness of the gamification strategy through the in-person escape-room model compared to the virtual model in enhancing cognitive and affective competencies for recognizing cardiac arrhythmias in critical care patients within the nursing field. Method: A randomized clinical trial to be conducted with nursing students from higher education institutions in the Federal District, Brazil. Students will undergo a theoretical class on cardiac arrhythmias in critical patients and will then be randomized to experience either the in-person or virtual escape-room scenario. Knowledge tests, the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale, Satisfaction and Self-confidence Scale in nursing management learning, and perceived gains will be administered pre and post-intervention. Results with p≤0.05 will be considered significant. Expected Results: It is anticipated that this study will contribute to the enhancement and broadening of cognitive and affective competencies in nursing students, improving the quality of care through an active educational strategy like the escape-room, and consequently reducing costs for the Unified Health System by minimizing errors in recognizing clinical changes in critical patients. Additionally, the study aims to address gaps in understanding the use of educational escape-rooms in the field of nursing.

This will be a prospective, single-center, double-blinded, randomized study designed to compare the efficacy of the intraarticular injection of a corticosteroid and the Conventional Radiofrequency (CRF) of the anterior sensory branches to the hip in controlling pain and improving function related to hip osteoarthritis.

Randomised clinical trial comparing oral miltefosine associated with pentoxifylline to intravenous liposomal amphotericin b for the treatment of cutaneous and mucosal leishmaniasis