Physical performance, quality of life and sexual satisfaction evaluation in adults with cystic fibrosis: An unexplored correlation.

OBJECTIVE: Quality of life (QOL), sexual satisfaction (SS) and physical performance have been assessed in the management of numerous chronic diseases. METHODS: In this study, the following tests and surveys were applied: (i) QOL questionnaire [Cystic Fibrosis Questionnaire (CFQ)]; (ii) SS questionnaire (SSQ) [female sexual quotient (FSQ) and male sexual quotient (MSQ)]; (iii) 6-minute walk test (6MWT). Spearman's correlation was used for comparison between the data; the Mann-Whitney test was applied to analyze the difference between genders. A total of 52 adult patients with CF were included in this study. RESULTS: There was a positive correlation between CFQ domains and SSQ questions. The CFQ showed a positive correlation with peripheral oxygen saturation of hemoglobin (SpO2) and the distance walked in the 6MWT, and a negative correlation with the Borg scale. The SSQ showed positive correlation with the distance walked and a negative correlation with the Borg scale. For some markers evaluated in the 6MWT, there was sometimes association with the evaluated domains and questions. Male patients showed better scores in the emotional CFQ domain, better performance in SSQ and physical performance. CONCLUSIONS: There was a correlation between CFQ, SSQ and 6MWT in CF. Finally; we believe that QOL surveys should assess the domain "sexuality" as well as physical performance tests.

Histological comparison between implants retrieved from patients with and without osteoporosis.

The aim of this restrospective histologic study was to evaluate the bone-to-implant contact of loaded implants retrieved from patients with and without osteoporosis. The evaluated material consisted of 22 threaded, cylindrical, loaded dental implants retrieved from 21 patients: 7 from 7 women with postmenopausal osteoporosis (osteoporosis group) and the remaining 15 from 14 patients without history of osteoporosis or other metabolic diseases (control group). Histologic analysis revealed bone tissue in the threads of the retrieved implants, with variations in the percentage of bone-to-implant contact for the implants retrieved from both groups. The pristine bone was mostly mature bone and/or lamellar and compact, and numerous osteocytes were observed in the lacunae, although areas of woven bone could be distinguished. In some specimens, there were areas of newly formed bone exhibiting different degrees of maturation and remodeling. The mean bone-to-implant contact was 46.00+/-11.46% and 47.84+/-14.03% for the osteoporosis group and control group, respectively. The results of this histomorphometric study suggest that osteoporosis may not be a contra-indication for implant placement, at least after osseointegration has been established.

Plasmablastic multiple myeloma is associated with increased vascular endothelial growth factor immunoexpression.

The biologic basis of the negative prognosis of plasmablastic myeloma is not fully understood. To determine whether histologically aggressive multiple myeloma (MM) is associated with a more angiogenic marrow environment, bone marrow samples from 50 recently diagnosed MM patients were evaluated. Twelve percent (6/50) of patients presented plasmablastic MM, and this feature correlated with moderate/strong intensity of vascular endothelial growth factor staining of plasma cells (P = 0.036). Although plasmablastic MM was not associated with increasing of microvessel density, this new evidence of increased expression of vascular endothelial growth factor on plasmablasts suggests that the adverse prognosis conferred by plasmablastic disease may be due, at least in part, to secretion of this angiogenic cytokine, also suggesting that the subset of MM patients with plasmablastic features may derive particular benefit from antiangiogenic therapies.

Plasmablastic multiple myeloma is associated with increased vascular endothelial growth factor immunoexpression

The biologic basis of the negative prognosis of plasmablastic myeloma is not fully understood. To determine whether histologically aggressive multiple myeloma (MM) is associated with a more angiogenic marrow environment, bone marrow samples from 50 recently diagnosed MM patients were evaluated. Twelve percent (6/50) of patients presented plasmablastic MM, and this feature correlated with moderate/strong intensity of vascular endothelial growth factor staining of plasma cells (P = 0.036). Although plasmablastic MM was not associated with increasing of microvessel density, this new evidence of increased expression of vascular endothelial growth factor on plasmablasts suggests that the adverse prognosis conferred by plasmablastic disease may be due, at least in part, to secretion of this angiogenic cytokine, also suggesting that the subset of MM patients with plasmablastic features may derive particular benefit from antiangiogenic therapies.

[Fraction of gemistocytic astrocytes and immunoexpression of p53 protein in astrocytomas grade II and III (WHO)]. / Indice de astrócitos gemistocíticos e imuno-expressão da proteína p53 em astrocitomas, grau II e III OMS.

Twenty-two patients with astrocytomas, grade II or III WHO, were studied from 1990 to 1998. In all cases, histopathology showed that the astrocytomas had a gemistocytic component. The aims of this study were to establish the fraction of gemistocytic astrocytes, to investigate p53 protein immunoexpression and to evaluate correlations between these two parameters with the tumour outcome. Tumor cells were quantified at high-power magnification (x400). At least 1000 neoplastic cells (small neoplastic astrocytes plus gemistocytes) were counted in each specimen. The percentage of gemistocytes was defined as the gemistocytic index. Nuclear expression of p53 protein was evaluated in neoplastic astrocytes and gemistocytes. Both the frequency (7/22) as well the p53 immunoexpression indices in gemistocytes, regardless of the grade of the astrocytomas, were inferior from those reported in the literature. No correlation was found between the gemistocytic indices and the p53 immunoexpression.