I am a Professor of Medicine at University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. My research focus is chronic diseases epidemiology mainly heart diseases, stroke, and diabetes. My lab is the "Center for Clinical and Epidemiological Research" at Universidade de Sao Paulo located at the Hospital Universitario in the main campus. We are perfoming studies as the a large cohort of 15105 civil servants called "Estudo Longitudinal de Saude do Adulto (ELSA-Brasil), a stroke survival study (EMMA), a cohort of coronary patients (ERICO), two cross-sectional studies addressing atherosclerosis on people with HIV and patients with psoriases (AGATAA and CALIPSO, respectively). We are adapting image methods for epidemiological research and performing collaborative clinical trials. We are interested in comparative studies about chronic diseases and common mental disorders. Contact: palotufo@usp.br
cardiovascular epidemiology
Calcium score to evaluate chest pain in the emergency room. (with Henrique Staniak), Arquivos Brasileiros de Cardiologia (2013)
Some authors have suggested that a zero calcium score (CAC) can be used to rule...
Potent antiretroviral therapy for human immunodeficiency virus infection increases aortic stiffness. (with Margareth Eira, Isabela M. Bensenor, and Jose G. Mill), Arquivos Brasileiro de Cardiologia (2012)
Highly active antiretroviral therapy for AIDS is known to increase cardiovascular risk, but the effects...
Income and Heart Disease Mortality Trends in Sao Paulo, Brazil, 1996 to 2010 (with Tiotrefis G. Fernandes, Daniel H. Bando, Airlane P. Alencar, and Isabela M. Bensenor), International Journal of Cardiology (2012)
Reductions in heart disease mortality rates are variable according to socioeconomic status. We performed a...
Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil): Objectives and Design., American Journal of Epidemiology (2012)
The Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) aims to contribute relevant information with respect...
Cardiovascular risk factors in patients with first-episode psychosis in São Paulo, Brazil., General Hosp Psychiatry (2012)
To evaluate the cardiovascular profile of first-episode psychosis patients in São Paulo, Brazil, an issue...
stroke epidemiology
A reappraisal of stroke mortality trends in Brazil (1979-2009)., International Journal of Stroke (2012)
We analyzed mortality rates between 1979 and 2009 for different stroke subtypes. Data were stratified...
Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil): Objectives and Design., American Journal of Epidemiology (2012)
The Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) aims to contribute relevant information with respect...
Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases in Brazil: priorities for disease management and research (with Bruce B. Duncan, Dora Chor, Estela M. Aquino, Isabela M. Bensenor, J.Geraldo Mill, M.Ines Schmidt, Alvaro Vigo, and Sandhi M. Barreto), Revista de Saude Publica (2012)
Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases are the main source of disease burden in Brazil. In 2011, the...
Educational levels and the functional dependence of ischemic stroke survivors (with Tiotrefis G. Fernandes), Cadernos de Saúde Pública (2012)
We evaluated the functional dependence of stroke survivors from the Study of Stroke Mortality and...
Vigilância em Doença Cerebrovascular [Portuguese], Ministry of Health of Brazil - NCD Surveillance Meeting (2011)
obesity and diabetes epidemiology
Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil): Objectives and Design., American Journal of Epidemiology (2012)
The Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) aims to contribute relevant information with respect...
Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases in Brazil: priorities for disease management and research (with Bruce B. Duncan, Dora Chor, Estela M. Aquino, Isabela M. Bensenor, J.Geraldo Mill, M.Ines Schmidt, Alvaro Vigo, and Sandhi M. Barreto), Revista de Saude Publica (2012)
Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases are the main source of disease burden in Brazil. In 2011, the...
Prevalence of metabolic syndrome and estimated Framingham risk score among Brazilian HIV-infected patients, 14th International Congress on Infectious Diseases (2010)
creased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). The 10-year Framingham risk score (FRS) is used to...
internal medicine and geriatrics
Calcium score to evaluate chest pain in the emergency room. (with Henrique Staniak), Arquivos Brasileiros de Cardiologia (2013)
Some authors have suggested that a zero calcium score (CAC) can be used to rule...
Causes of recurrent or persistent anemia in older people from the results of the São Paulo Ageing & Health Study (with Itamar S. Santos), Geriatrics & gerontology international (2012)
nemia is a prevalent condition in older people, and associated with increased morbidity and mortality....
A Reappraisal in São Paulo, Brazil (2008) of "The Ecology of Medical Care:" The "One Per Thousand's Rule". (with Adriana Roncoletta, Gustavo D. Gusso, and Isabela M. Bensenor), Family Medicine (2012)
This paper reassessed in Brazil, the concept of "Medical ecology" i introduced in 1961 to...
Hypothyroidism in the elderly, Clinical Intervention in Aging (2012)
An overview adressing observational and randomized clinical trials about hypothyroidism in the elderly.
Osteoporotic hip fractures in non-elderly patients: relevance of associated co-morbidities (with Sandra Pasoto, Eloisa Bonfa, and Rosa M. Pereira), Rheumatology International (2011)
Osteoporotic hip fractures (OHF) are not limited to elderly; however, studies in non-elderly are scarce....
education and public health
A Reappraisal in São Paulo, Brazil (2008) of "The Ecology of Medical Care:" The "One Per Thousand's Rule". (with Adriana Roncoletta, Gustavo D. Gusso, and Isabela M. Bensenor), Family Medicine (2012)
This paper reassessed in Brazil, the concept of "Medical ecology" i introduced in 1961 to...
Epidemiologia: uma abordagem prática [Portuguese] (with Isabela M. Bensenor) (2011)
Basic Epidemiology for undergraduate students, medical residents and health professionals.
Chronic Diseases Epidemics: myths and facts [Portuguese], preUNIVESP (2010)
a discussion about epidemiologic transition.
Accuracy of anemia diagnosis by physical examination (with Isabela M. Bensenor), Sao Paulo Medical Journal (2007)
Quantification of clinical signs such as the presence or absence of pallor at clinical examination...
Progress testing: evaluation of four years of application in the school of medicine, University of São Paulo, Clinics (2005)
Progress testing is a longitudinal tool for evaluating knowledge gains during the medical school years....
respiratory diseases epidemiology
Temporal Trends of Asthma Mortality Rates in Brazil from 1980 to 2010. (with Isabela M. Bense), Journal of Asthma (2012)
Mortality from asthma has varied among countries during the last several decades. This study aimed...
Household income, sex and respiratory mortality in São Paulo, Brazil, 1996-2010 (with Isabela M. Bensenor), Int J Tuberc Lung Dis (2012)
Respiratory mortality rates are declining in several countries, including Brazil; however, the effect of socio-economic...
Temporal trends of asthma mortality rates in Brazil from 1980 to 2010 (with Isabela M. Bensenor), Journal of Asthma (2012)
Mortality from asthma has varied among countries during the last several decades. This study aimed...
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Brazil: mortality and hospitalization trends and rates, 1996–2008 (with Tiotrefis G. Fernandes and Isabela M. Bensenor), International Journal of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases (2011)
This is first article analyzing mortality and hospitalization due to respiratory diseases in Brazil. Setting:...
Association between ionic composition of fine and coarse aerosol soluble fraction and peak expiratory flow of asthmatic patients in Sao Paulo city (Brazil) (with Cristine Bourotte, Ana Paulo Curi, and Maria Cristina Forti), Atmospheric Environment (2007)
Air pollutants are associated with adverse respiratory effects mainly in susceptible groups. This study was...
cancer epidemiology
Is cancer beating cardiovascular disease?, The Heart (2011)
The CDCP is echoing a previous paper from IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer)...
Cardiovascular and Cancer Mortality in Brazil, Brazilian Society of Cardiology - Sao Paulo State (2010)
Cancer are not surpassing Cardiovascular Diseases. Here you have an evaluation of mortality in Brazil....
ICAM-1 (Lys469Glu) and PECAM-1 (Leu125Val) polymorphisms in diffuse astrocytomas., Clinical and Experimental Medicine (2009)
Cell adhesion molecules such as intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1)...
Nutritional evaluation of the patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma [Portuguese], Rev. Bras. Cir. Cabeça Pescoço (2009)
Patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) usually present nutritional disorders, secondary to...
Association of EGFR c.2073A>T polymorphism with decreased risk of diffusely infiltrating astrocytoma in a Brazilian case-control study, Int J Biol Markers (2008)
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene overexpression has been implicated in the development of many...
clinical trials
The Sertraline vs Electrical Current Therapy for Treating Depression Clinical Study Results From a Factorial, Randomized, Controlled Trial (with Andre Brunoni, Isabela M. Bensenor, and Felipe Fregni), JAMA Psychiatry (2013)
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) trials for major depressive disorder (MDD) have shown positive but...
Sertraline vs. ELectrical Current Therapy for Treating Depression Clinical Trial - SELECT TDCS: Design, rationale and objectives, Contemporary Clinical Trials (2011)
Despite significant advancements in psychopharmacology, treating major depressive disorder (MDD) is still a challenge considering...
Phase I trial of DNA-hsp65 immunotherapy for advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neckDNA-hsp65 vaccine in head and neck tumor therapy (with Pedro Michaluart), Cancer Gene Therapy (2008)
Considering that mycobacterial heat-shock protein 65 (hsp65) gene transfer can elicit a profound antitumoral effect,...
violence
Suicide rates and income in São Paulo and Brazil: a temporal and spatial epidemiologic analysis from 1996 to 2008, BMC Psychiatry (2012)
Brazil presents a heterogeneous distribution of income and suicide across its territory; however, evaluation for...
Income Inequality and Suicide in Sao Paulo, Brazil (1996 to 2009)., Society of Epidemiologic Research (2011)
To describe the characteristics of suicide in the city of Sa˜o Paulo according to socioeconomic...
Income Inequality and Homicide Rates in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (with Isabela M. Bensenor), European Journal of Public Health (2009)
Description of the epidemic of homicide among poor people in Brazil. In Sao Paulo, Brazil,...
Sunshine and suicide at the tropic of Capricorn, São Paulo, Brazil, 1996–2004, Revista de Saude Publica (2007)
Several studies have confi rmed seasonal variation in suicide rates according to hours of sunshine....