No abstract

Carcinoma of the prostate gland is one of the most common malignancies in males. This study was undertaken to determine which factors predict the course and outcome of patients treated with first line hormonal manipulation. A total of 144 patients with Stage D2 prostate cancer who received androgen deprivation therapy were studied. Pretreatment parameters analyzed were age, performance status, analgesia usage, concurrent disease, histologic differentiation, hemoglobin, leukocyte and platelet count, serum creatinine, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, prostate specific antigen, total and prostatic acid phosphatase, serum testosterone, follicle stimulating and luteinizing hormone levels, number of metastatic sites and bone scan grade. Only initial serum testosterone (> 10 nmol/l) had a positive impact on response (p = 0.0304), whereas age older than 60 years had a positive impact on time to progression (16 vs. 11 months, p = 0.0414). Both serum testosterone (26 vs. 20 months, p = 0.003), and age (28 vs. 17 months, p = 0.036) had a significant influence on overall survival. Low testosterone, indicating androgen independence, and a younger age, seem to result in a more aggressive disease and a poorer prognosis in advanced prostate cancer.

BackgroundCystic Fibrosis (CF) is caused by ∼1,900 mutations in the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene encoding for a cAMP-regulated chloride (Cl−) channel expressed in several epithelia. Clinical features are dominated by respiratory symptoms, but there is variable organ involvement thus causing diagnostic dilemmas, especially for non-classic cases.Methodology/Principal FindingsTo further establish measurement of CFTR function as a sensitive and robust biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis of CF, we herein assessed cholinergic and cAMP-CFTR-mediated Cl− secretion in 524 freshly excised rectal biopsies from 118 individuals, including patients with confirmed CF clinical diagnosis (n = 51), individuals with clinical CF suspicion (n = 49) and age-matched non-CF controls (n = 18). Conclusive measurements were obtained for 96% of cases. Patients with “Classic CF”, presenting earlier onset of symptoms, pancreatic insufficiency, severe lung disease and low Shwachman-Kulczycki scores were found to lack CFTR-mediated Cl− secretion (<5%). Individuals with milder CF disease presented residual CFTR-mediated Cl− secretion (10–57%) and non-CF controls show CFTR-mediated Cl− secretion ≥30–35% and data evidenced good correlations with various clinical parameters. Finally, comparison of these values with those in “CF suspicion” individuals allowed to confirm CF in 16/49 individuals (33%) and exclude it in 28/49 (57%). Statistical discriminant analyses showed that colonic measurements of CFTR-mediated Cl− secretion are the best discriminator among Classic/Non-Classic CF and non-CF groups.Conclusions/SignificanceDetermination of CFTR-mediated Cl− secretion in rectal biopsies is demonstrated here to be a sensitive, reproducible and robust predictive biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of CF. The method also has very high potential for (pre-)clinical trials of CFTR-modulator therapies.

ResumoObjetivo: nos últimos 70 anos, a fibrose cística emergiu da obscuridade para o reconhecimento como a mais importante doença hereditária, potencialmente letal, incidente na raça branca. Embora seja uma doença genética, na qual o defeito básico acomete células de vários órgãos, nem todos os indivíduos expressam respostas clínicas na mesma intensidade. Várias manifestações clínicas, principalmente pulmonares e digestivas, podem ocorrer durante a vida dos pacientes fibrocísticos. O objetivo deste artigo é propiciar ao pediatra geral uma visão atualizada dos principais assuntos referentes à fibrose cística. Fontes dos dados:revisão sistemática e atualizada em fonte de dados oficial (Medline). Síntese dos dados:foram revisados 79 artigos sobre fibrose cística, de periódicos internacionais, colocando, de modo atual e crítico, os principais eventos relacionados com a incidência, a fisiopatogenia, as manifestações clínicas, o diagnóstico e o tratamento da fibrose cística.Conclusões: apesar de não existir cura para essa doença, muitos conhecimentos novos sobre a etiologia e a fisiopatologia, adquiridos nas duas últimas décadas, propiciaram uma nova abordagem para o tratamento da fibrose cística. A compreensão dos mecanismos básicos da doença pulmonar, bem como das manifestações digestivas na fibrose cística, decorrente dos conhecimentos de pesquisas recentes, tem sido a chave para o aumento da sobrevida e a melhora da qualidade de vida dos pacientes.J Pediatr (Rio J) 2002; 78 (Supl.2):S171-S186: fibrose cística, doenças pulmonares, criança. AbstractObjective: cystic fibrosis has become, in the last 70 years, the most important potentially fatal inherited disease that affects white individuals around the world. Although it is considered a genetic disorder, which strikes cells of different organs, not all patients present similar clinical response. Many clinical manifestations, mainly pulmonary and gastrointestinal, may develop in cystic fibrosis patients. The aim of this article is to offer pediatricians an updated review of the controversies and recent advances in the treatment of cystic fibrosis. Sources: systematic review in the Medline database.Summary of the findings: seventy-nine articles about cystic fibrosis published in international journals were reviewed. This article presents an updated and critical review of the main events related to the incidence, pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment of cystic fibrosis.Conclusions: even though no treatment is available for this disease, new findings about its etiology and pathophysiology have been discovered in the last two decades, improving treatment and survival of cystic fibrosis patients.J Pediatr (Rio J) 2002; 78 (Supl.2): S171-S186: cystic fibrosis, respiratory tract diseases, child. Controvérsias na fibrose cística -do pediatra ao especialista Controversies in cystic fibrosis -from pediatrician to specialist IntroduçãoNos últimos 70 anos, a fibrose cística (FC) emergiu da obscuridade para o reconhecimento como a mais importante doença hereditária, potencia...

Objective: To investigate the medium-term benefits of a swimming program in schoolchildren and adolescents with moderate persistent atopic asthma (MPAA). Methods:A randomized, prospective study of children and adolescents (age 7-18 years) with MPAA was carried out at the Hospital de Clínicas of Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil. After a 1-month run-in period, 61 patients (34 female) were randomized into two groups, a swimming group (n = 30) and a control group (n = 31), and followed for 3 months. Both patient groups received inhaled fluticasone (dry powder, 250 mcg twice a day) and salbutamol as needed. The swim training program consisted of two weekly classes over a 3-month period for a total of 24 sessions. Both groups underwent spirometric assessment and methacholine challenge test -provocative concentration of methacholine causing a 20% fall in FEV 1 (PC 20 ) -before and after the study period. Maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) and maximal expiratory pressure (MEP) were measured only in the swimming group. Results: Significant increases in PC 20 (pre-training, 0.31±0.25; post-training, 0.63±0.78; p = 0.008), MIP (pre-training, 67.08±17.13 cm H 2 O; post-training 79.46±18.66; p < 0.001), and MEP (pre-training, 71.69±20.01 cm H 2 O; post-training, 78.92±21.45 cm H 2 O; p < 0.001) were found in the swimming group. Conclusion: Children and adolescents with MPAA subjected to a swim training program experienced a significant decrease in bronchial hyperresponsiveness, as determined by increased PC 20 values, when compared with asthmatic controls who did not undergo swim training. Participants in the swimming group also showed improvement in elastic recoil of the chest wall.

Objective: To investigate associations between mouth breathing (MBr), nose breathing (NBr) and body posture classification and clinical variables in children and adolescents, by comparing patients with mouth breathing syndrome with a control group of similar age. Methods:This was an observational, analytical, controlled, crosssectional study conducted at a university hospital. Children aged 5 years or more were recruited to one of two groups: healthy controls (NBr) or an MBr group. The MBr group comprised patients with a diagnosis of mouth breathing syndrome confirmed by clinical examination by a physician plus nasal endoscopy. The control group comprised healthy volunteers of the same age, with NBr confirmed by medical examination. All participants underwent postural assessment. Data were analyzed using the MannWhitney nonparametric test, the chi-square test and Fisher's exact test, to a significance level of 0.05%. Results:A total of 306 MBr and 124 NBr were enrolled. Mouth breathers were more likely to be male (p = 0.0002), have more frequent and more severe nasal obstruction and larger tonsils (p = 0.0001) than NBr. Mouth breathers also exhibited higher incidence rates of allergic rhinitis (p = 0.0001), of thoracic respiratory pattern (p = 0.0001), high-arched palate (p = 0.0001) and unfavorable postural classifications (p = 0.0001) with relation to the control group. Postural classification scores were directly proportional to nasal obstruction (p = 0.0001) and male sex (p = 0.0008).Conclusions: Postural problems were significantly more common among children in the group with mouth breathing syndrome, highlighting the need for early interdisciplinary treatment of this syndrome. J Pediatr (Rio J). 2011;87(4):357-363:Mouth breathing, child, adenoids, tonsils, rhinitis, prevalence. ResumoObjetivo: Verificar a associação do tipo respiratório oral (RO) e nasal (RN) e da classificação da postura corporal em variáveis clínicas de crianças e adolescentes com a síndrome do respirador oral, em relação a um grupo-controle de mesma faixa etária.Métodos: Estudo analítico do tipo observacional e transversal, com grupo-controle, realizado em hospital universitário. Foram incluídas crianças maiores de 5 anos, distribuídas em dois grupos: controle saudável (RN) e grupo RO. O grupo RO incluiu pacientes com diagnóstico de síndrome do respirador oral confirmado por exame clínico médico e nasofibroscopia. Participaram do grupo-controle voluntários saudá-veis da mesma faixa etária, cujo tipo RN foi confirmado por avaliação médica. Todos os participantes foram submetidos à avaliação postural. Para análise dos dados, foram utilizados os testes: não paramétrico de Mann-Whitney, qui-quadrado e exato de Fisher, considerando-se nível de significância de 0,05%. Artigo originAl 0021-7557/11/87- Não foram declarados conflitos de interesse associados à publicação deste artigo.Como citar este artigo: Conti PB, Sakano E, Ribeiro MA, Schivinski CI, Ribeiro JD. Assessment of the body posture of mouth-breathing children and adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate quality of life according to the level of asthma control and degree of asthma severity in children and adolescents. METHODS: We selected children and adolescents with asthma (7-17 years of age) from the Pediatric Pulmonology Outpatient Clinic of the State University of Campinas Hospital de Clínicas, located in the city of Campinas, Brazil. Asthma control and asthma severity were assessed by the Asthma Control Test and by the questionnaire based on the Global Initiative for Asthma, respectively. The patients also completed the Paediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ), validated for use in Brazil, in order to evaluate their quality of life. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 11.22 ± 2.91 years, with a median of 11.20 (7.00-17.60) years. We selected 100 patients, of whom 27, 33, and 40 were classified as having controlled asthma (CA), partially controlled asthma (PCA), and uncontrolled asthma (UA), respectively. As for asthma severity, 34, 19, and 47 were classified as having mild asthma (MiA), moderate asthma (MoA), and severe asthma (SA), respectively. The CA and the PCA groups, when compared with the NCA group, showed higher values for the overall PAQLQ score and all PAQLQ domains (activity limitation, symptoms, and emotional function; p < 0.001 for all). The MiA group showed higher scores for all of the PAQLQ components than did the MoA and SA groups. CONCLUSIONS: Quality of life appears to be directly related to asthma control and asthma severity in children and adolescents, being better when asthma is well controlled and asthma severity is lower.

Objective: To assess the quality of life (QoL) of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) followed at a university referral center for CF. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving application of the Cystic Fibrosis Questionnaire (CFQ) and Shwachman score in CF patients between April of 2008 and June of 2009. Results: The sample consisted of 75 patients. The mean age was 12.5 ± 5.1 years (range, 6.1-26.4 years). The patients were divided into three groups by age in years: group I (< 12), , and III (≥ 14). The highest and lowest CFQ scores were for the nutrition domain in group III (89.3 ± 16.2) and the social domain in group II (59.5 ± 22.3), respectively. Groups I and III differed significantly regarding the treatment domain (p = 0.001). Regarding Shwachman scores, there were significant differences between patients scoring ≤ 70 and those scoring > 70 in the social (group I; p = 0.045), respiratory (group II; p = 0.053), and digestive (p = 0.042) domains. In group III, severity did not correlate with QoL. In groups I and II, patients with an FEV 1 < 80% of predicted did not differ from other patients for any CFQ domain. However, in group III, values for the following domains were significantly lower in patients with an Resultados:Participaram 75 pacientes, com média de idade de 12,5 ± 5,1 anos (variação: 6,1-26,4 anos). Os pacientes foram divididos em três grupos de acordo com a idade: grupo I (< 12 anos), II (12-14 anos) e III (≥ 14 anos). As pontuações mais altas e mais baixas no CFQ foram para o domínio alimentação do grupo III (89,3 ± 16,2) e para o domínio social no grupo II (59,5 ± 22,3), respectivamente. Houve uma diferença significativa no domínio tratamento entre os grupos III e I (p = 0,001). Pacientes com escore de Shwachman ≤ 70 apresentaram diferenças significativas em relação aos domínios social (grupo I; p = 0,045), respiratório (grupo II; p = 0,053) e digestivo (p = 0,042) quando comparados aqueles com escores > 70. No grupo III, não se observou associação entre gravidade e QV. Nos grupos I e II, não se observou diferenças entre os pacientes com VEF 1 < 80% do previsto e os demais pacientes em todos os domínios do CFQ. Entretanto, no grupo III, as médias dos pacientes com VEF 1 < 80% do previsto foram significativamente menores nos domínios físico (p = 0,012), imagem corporal (p = 0,031), respiratório (p = 0,023), emocional (p = 0,041) e papel social (p = 0,024). Conclusões: A avaliação da QV em pacientes com FC é importante, pois contribui para uma melhor aderência ao tratamento.Descritores: Fibrose cística; Qualidade de vida; Questionários.