Sex Differences and Adverse Effects between Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Introduction: Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer mortality in men and women and around the world. Approximately 90% of cases of lung cancer are caused by smoking and the use of tobacco products. However, other factors such as asbestos, air pollution and chronic infections can contribute to pulmonary carcinogenesis. Lung cancer is divided into two broad histological categories, which develop and spread different small cell lung carcinomas and non-small cell lung carcinomas. The treatment options for lung cancer include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and targeted treatments. Tumor induced immune suppression is vital for malignant progression. Immunotherapies act by strengthening the patient's innate tendency for an immune response and give positive promise to patients with non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer. Immune checkpoint inhibitors are a new approach to cancer therapies. Just as immune therapies include a new approach to cancer biology, the toxicities associated with these factors have created new challenges in clinical practice. Materials & Methods: Patients (218) aged 40-80 years were treated with either chemotherapy or immunotherapy. Their response to treatment and any subsequent adverse drug reactions were studied. Results: 69% of patients were treated with chemotherapy and 31% were treated with immunotherapy. The type of treatment had a statistically significant effect on the undesirable effects of the treatment. Conclusions: The type of treatment was statistically significant in responding to the treatment and treatment side effects but not in the rate of death.

Analgesic Efficacy and Safety of Local Infiltration of Tramadol in Pediatric Tonsillectomy Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to appraise clinical evidence of the impact of peritonsillar infiltration of tramadol, on postoperative pain control and the occurrence of adverse effects in children undergoing tonsillectomy. METHODS: A database search was conducted to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) pertinent to peritonsillar infiltration of tramadol compared to no treatment (placebo) or other analgesic regimens. The outcomes of interest were postoperative pain intensity, time to first analgesic demand, rescue analgesic consumption up to 24 hours after intervention, and the occurrence of adverse events. RESULTS: Twelve RCTs enrolling 972 pediatric patients were selected for qualitative analysis, among which eight were suitable for meta-analysis. Tramadol infiltration induced a significant reduction of pain intensity up to 24 hours post-tonsillectomy (mean difference [MD], -2.31; 95% confidence interval [CI], -3.49 to -1.12; P < 0.001; I2  = 97%) and time to first analgesic (MD 180.54; 95% CI, 56.91 to 304.18; P = 0.004; I2  = 99%), with no profound impact on postoperative nausea and vomiting (risk ratio [RR] 0.98; 95% CI, 0.73 to 1.32; P = 0.90; I2  = 0%) compared to the placebo group. The analgesic efficacy of tramadol infiltration was equivalent to the local or systematic use of ketamine or infiltration with local anesthetics. This effect was further enhanced when tramadol infiltration served as an adjunct to other analgesic interventions. No serious adverse events were reported. CONCLUSIONS: In children undergoing tonsillectomy, peritonsillar infiltration of tramadol is associated with a postoperative analgesic benefit when compared to placebo, with negligible adverse events. Yet, no definite conclusion can be drawn due to the low quality, considerable heterogeneity, and paucity of the available data.

Evaluation of dietary habits and assessment of cardiovascular disease risk factors among Greek university students.

The aim of this study was the evaluation of dietary habits in regard to cardiovascular risk status in university students in Northern Greece. 215 students (101 males) (age 21.5±2.3 years) participated in the study. Dietary intake was determined by using 3-day food record (1 weekend day). Recorded energy and nutrient intakes were compared to RDA and recommendations given by the American Heart Association (AHA). Students' smoking status and familial chronic diseases were recorded. A percentage of 55.8% (males) and 45.7% (females) were physically moderately active. When compared to AHA guidelines, the students had averagely significantly higher intake of total fat, saturated fat, sodium and dietary cholesterol and lower intake of polyunsaturated fat, monounsaturated fat, folate, vitamin E and fiber. 95% of them failed to meet all AHA dietary recommendations, with polyunsaturated to saturated fat ratio and the percentage of total fat being the top two failed parameters and sodium (10.2%) being the one less problematic. Dietary habits of Greek university students differ from what is considered as health promoting and, in the case that it they are not altered, may have an adverse effect on their CV health, despite the fact that their mean body weight is only moderately high.