PURPOSE: to compare women's quality of life (QoL) before and after physical therapy treatment for stress urinary incontinence (SUI). METHODS: an uncontrolled clinical trial of 26 women, who had mainly complaints of SUI. Post-menopausal women with overactive bladder, cystocele ≥grade II and previous surgical/conservative treatments were excluded from the study. The physiotherapy treatment relied on 12 individual pelvic fl oor exercises assisted by electromyographyc-biofeedback sessions. A total of 200 contractions were carried out, divided in phasic (quick) and tonic (slow). The tool used to evaluate QoL was the King's Health Questionnaire (KHQ), before and after the treatment. RESULTS: there was a decrease in the urinary symptoms, particularly in urinary frequency, nocturia, urgency and urinary incontinence. Regarding the QoL, there was a signifi cant improvement in the following domain scores: general health perception (49.0±24.0 versus 26.9±15.7; p=0.0015), incontinence impact (78.2±28.2 versus 32.1±30.5; p=0.001), activity limitation (75.0±28.2 versus 13.5±22.6; p<0.001), physical limitation (72.4±29.4 versus 15.4±24.5; p<0.001), social limitations (38.3±28.6 versus 6.4±14.5; p<0.001), emotions (59.0±33.8 versus 14.1±24.7; p=0.0001, sleep/energy (34.0±23.8 versus 6.4±16.4; p=0.001) and severity measures (66.9±19.6 versus 22.3±24.2; p<0.001), except for personal relationships (60.5±33.9 versus 41.7±16.7; p=0.0679). CONCLUSIONS: there was an improvement in several aspects of women's QoL treated by physiotherapy, when evaluated with a specifi c tool, the KHQ. Palavras-chaves:Incontinência urinária por estresse/terapia Incontinência urinária por estresse/reabilitação Modalidades de fi sioterapia/ métodos Qualidade de vida Assoalho pélvico/fi siologia Contração muscular/fi siologia

Better socioeconomic level and better schooling, stable marital relationship and surgery with breast conservation are linked to better rates of quality of life, including sexuality.

Aims and Background We attempted to determine the best method of performing the exercises in rehabilitation after breast cancer surgery and their influence on postoperative complications. Currently, there are no guidelines for these exercises. The scope of this study was to evaluate the effect of two schemes of physiotherapy exercises (directed or free) on shoulder function and lymphatic disturbance in postoperative rehabilitation. Subjects Sixty women who underwent a modified radical mastectomy or quadrantectomy with axillary dissection were randomized into two groups. Methods The physiotherapy technique used was kinesiothera-py. The directed group performed physiotherapy following a regimen of 19 exercises. The free group performed the exercises following the biomechanical physiological movements of the shoulder without a previously defined sequence or number of repetitions. Results The averages of the flexion, abduction and external rotational movements of the shoulder showed better recovery with statistical significance in the directed group compared to the free group. There was no significant difference between the groups in lymphatic disturbance. Conclusion At the end of 42 days of follow-up, the movements of flexion, extension, abduction and external rotation of the shoulder were better rehabilitated in the directed group. The two schemes of exercises were not different with regard to lymphatic disturbance.

Purposeevaluate whether manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) or active exercise (AE) is associated with shoulder range of motion (ROM), wound complication and changes in the lymphatic parameters after breast cancer (BC) surgery and whether these parameters have an association with lymphedema formation in the long run.MethodsClinical trial with 106 women undergoing radical BC surgery, in the Women’s Integrated Healthcare Center—University of Campinas. Women were matched for staging, age and body mass index and were allocated to performed AE or MLD, 2 weekly sessions during one month after surgery. The wound was evaluated 2 months after surgery. ROM, upper limb circumference measurement and upper limb lymphoscintigraphy were performed before surgery, and 2 and 30 months after surgery.ResultsThe incidence of seroma, dehiscence and infection did not differ between groups. Both groups showed ROM deficit of flexion and abduction in the second month postoperative and partial recovery after 30 months. Cumulative incidence of lymphedema was 23.8% and did not differ between groups (p = 0.29). Concerning the lymphoscintigraphy parameters, there was a significant convergent trend between baseline degree uptake (p = 0.003) and velocity visualization of axillary lymph nodes (p = 0.001) with lymphedema formation. A reduced marker uptake before or after surgery predicted lymphedema formation in the long run (>2 years). None of the lymphoscintigraphy parameters were shown to be associated with the study group. Age ≤39 years was the factor with the greatest association with lymphedema (p = 0.009). In women with age ≤39 years, BMI >24Kg/m2 was significantly associated with lymphedema (p = 0.017). In women over 39 years old, women treated with MLD were at a significantly higher risk of developing lymphedema (p = 0.011).ConclusionLymphatic abnormalities precede lymphedema formation in BC patients. In younger women, obesity seems to be the major player in lymphedema development and, in older women, improving muscle strength through AE can prevent lymphedema. In essence, MLD is as safe and effective as AE in rehabilitation after breast cancer surgery.

Our objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of manual therapy (MT) associated with upper limb (UL) exercises in women with impaired shoulder range of motion (ROM) after axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) for breast cancer. A randomized, prospective, blinded clinical trial with 131 women with a ROM <-  100° for shoulder flexion and/or abduction on the first day postoperatively were evaluated. Sixty-six women were allocated to group exercises and 65 underwent the exercises followed by MT. Shoulder ROM was measured by goniometry, and function was evaluated by the Modified-University of California at Los Angeles Shoulder Rating Scale--the UCLA Scale, in the 1st, 6th, 12th, and 18th month after surgery. The chi-square test was used for the relationship between clinical characteristics and oncological treatment between groups, and ANOVA for repeat measures was used. No difference in recovery of shoulder ROM as well as UL function was observed between groups. Improvement in ROM was gradual from the 1st to the 18th month, and the function achieving a good classification at 18th month. MT associated with exercises did not enhance the results obtained with exercises alone for shoulder ROM and ipsilateral UL function.

Women users of local health services had no adequate knowledge and practice related to mammography despite having an adequate attitude about this exam.

Objective To evaluate the effect of acupuncture on rehabilitation of motor function, reduction in lymphoedema and improvement in perceived heaviness and tightness in the arms of women who had undergone breast cancer surgery. Subjects and Methods Twenty nine women who had had mastectomy or segmentectomy with axillary dissection, presenting with lymphoedema and/or a decrease in movement amplitude of the upper limb ipsilateral to surgery were studied. The patients underwent 24 acupuncture sessions once a week from February to December 2004. The movement amplitude of shoulder flexion and abduction and circumferential measurements of the arm, forearm and wrist were evaluated before and after one, three and six months of treatment. Statistical analysis was performed by Friedman's test. Results Significant improvements in range of movement of shoulder flexion and abduction (P<0.001), degree of lymphoedema (P=0.016), and sense of heaviness and tightening (P<0.001) in the affected limb after six months of therapy were observed. For circumferential measurements of the arm, forearm and wrist, no significant improvement between the different periods of treatment was observed. Conclusions Acupuncture in rehabilitation after breast cancer surgery was shown to be associated with improvements in movement amplitude of the shoulder, symptoms of heaviness and tightness in the arm, and the degree of lymphoedema. However, controlled trials should be performed to ascertain whether the results were due to the natural history of the complaint or the acupuncture treatment. KeywordsBreast cancer, lymphoedema, range of movement, acupuncture. IntroductionBreast cancer has been considered the second most frequent female cancer and is the major cause of death due to cancer among Brazilian women.

ResumoOBJETIVO: avaliar a adesão às recomendações para o rastreamento mamográfico oportunístico do câncer de mama. MÉTODOS: estudo prospectivo que acompanhou 460 mulheres na cidade de Taubaté, São Paulo, Brasil, das quais 327 foram atendidas em serviços de saúde públicos e 133 em Serviços privados, durante período de cinco anos após a realização de mamografia índice. Analisamos a prevalência de repetição da mamografia, as taxas de adesão e os fatores preditivos associados ao rastreamento mamográfico vigente. As associações dos desfechos com as variáveis independentes foram estudadas pela obtenção dos riscos relativos (RR) e respectivos intervalos de confiança de 95% (IC95%). O cálculo das razões de prevalência ajustadas foi realizado pela técnica de regressão de COX. RESULTADOS: apesar de mais de 90% das entrevistadas terem repetido pelo menos uma vez o exame de mamografia, a adesão correta às recomendações do rastreamento mamográfico, com a repetição do procedimento a cada 24 meses, revelou taxas muito baixas (ao redor de 30%) na amostra estudada. Os fatores preditivos associados à adesão ao rastreamento mamográfico relacionaram-se com o acesso diferenciado aos serviços de saúde, públicos ou privados (RR=1,77; IC95%=1,26-2,48) e com a presença de rastreio prévio (RR=3,07; IC95%=1,86-5,08). CONCLUSÕES: ocorreu baixa adesão às recomendações do rastreamento mamográfico oportunístico do câncer de mama em ambos os segmentos populacionais estudados.Abstract PURPOSE: to assess compliance with the recommendations for opportunistic breast cancer screening by mammography. METHODS: 460 women from the town of Taubaté, São Paulo, Brazil, were followed-up prospectively after the index mammography, 327 of them attended by the public health system and 133 by the private system. We evaluated the prevalence of mammography repetition, the adherence rates and predictive factors associated with the current recommendations of mammographic screening. The association of the outcomes with the independent variables was studied by obtaining the risk rates (RR) and the respective 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). The adjusted prevalence rates were calculated by the COX regression model. RESULTS: although more than 90% of the studied women repeated the mammography at least once, the rate of correct compliance with the recommendations of mammographic screening, with repetition of the procedure every 24 months, was low (about 30% of the study sample). The preditive factors associated with compliance with mammographic screening were related to the unequal access to public or private healthcare services (RR=1.77; 95%CI=1.26-2.48) and to previous screening (RR=3.07; 95%CI=1.86-5.08). CONCLUSION: we concluded that compliance with the recommendations of opportunistic mammographic screening for breast cancer was low in both studied population segments.