Muscle strength and psychometric properties of the health-related quality of life in patients with soft tissue sarcoma resection in the thigh.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of STS resection in the thigh on MS and the HRQoL. METHODS: Fourteen adults patients with STS in the thigh who underwent wide resection and limb preservation were evaluated. The patients were submitted to the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). A hand-held dynamometer was used to measure the MS the flexors, adductors, abductors, and extensors muscles of the operated and non-operated thighs and between the dominant and non-dominant operated sides. The Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) and Short Form Health Survey-36 (SF-36) questionnaires were applied to quantify the psychometric properties of the HRQoL. The data were submitted to statistical analysis using the Wilcoxon test (MS), and Mann-Whitney and Spearman correlation (MSTS and SF-36) (α = 0.05). RESULTS: There was no significant difference in MS between the operated side and the non-operated side, and between the dominant and non-dominant operated side (ρ > 0.05). The MSTS presented a significant difference in the emotional acceptance for patients submitted to radiotherapy (ρ = 0.029). The SF-36 showed significant differences in the emotional aspect for patients submitted to chemotherapy (ρ = 0.027) and in the social aspect between the dominant and non-dominant operated side (ρ = 0.024). CONCLUSIONS: The HRQoL of adult patients is hampered after the treatment of STS even when MS is maintained.

Muscle strength and psychometric properties of the health-related quality of life in patients with soft tissue sarcoma resection in the thigh

Abstract Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of STS resection in the thigh on MS and the HRQoL. Methods: Fourteen adults patients with STS in the thigh who underwent wide resection and limb preservation were evaluated. The patients were submitted to the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). A hand-held dynamometer was used to measure the MS the flexors, adductors, abductors, and extensors muscles of the operated and non-operated thighs and between the dominant and non-dominant operated sides. The Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) and Short Form Health Survey-36 (SF-36) questionnaires were applied to quantify the psychometric properties of the HRQoL. The data were submitted to statistical analysis using the Wilcoxon test (MS), and Mann-Whitney and Spearman correlation (MSTS and SF-36) (α = 0.05). Results: There was no significant difference in MS between the operated side and the non-operated side, and between the dominant and non-dominant operated side (ρ > 0.05). The MSTS presented a significant difference in the emotional acceptance for patients submitted to radiotherapy (ρ = 0.029). The SF-36 showed significant differences in the emotional aspect for patients submitted to chemotherapy (ρ = 0.027) and in the social aspect between the dominant and non-dominant operated side (ρ = 0.024). Conclusions: The HRQoL of adult patients is hampered after the treatment of STS even when MS is maintained.

Avaliação da interação entre ambiente domiciliar e sensibilidade a ácaros em pacientes atópicos na cidade de Londrina / Evaluation of the interaction between home environment and sensitivity to mites in atopic patients residing in Londrina, Brazil

Objetivo: avaliar a possível interação entre os diversos fatores e cuidados ambientais e a sensibilização a ácaros em pacientes atópicos. Pacientes atópicos pré-escolares (n=24) e adultos (n=21) foram submetidos a questionário simples sobre as condições físicas e ambientais de domicílios na cidade de Londrina, PR, e a teste de sensibilidade imediata (puntura) para extratos acarinos e de poeira domiciliar. Análise estatística foi realizada a fim de se correlacionarem os resultados obtidos. Apesar de presente, os dados demostraram ser pequena a proporção de residências cujo controle ambiental possa ser considerado adequado. Os testes de puntura realizados demostraram elevada positividade para os extratos de poeira e dos ácaros D. pteronyssinus, D. farinae e B. tropicalis, inclusive nos pré-escolares. Não houve correlação entre sensibilização e diversos fatores e cuidados ambientais analisados. Ácaros são importantes fontes alergênicas para atópicos na cidade de Londrina. Esforços devem ser realizados para melhorar a conscientização da população local quanto ao uso de métodos de prevenção, incluindo, por exemplo, a necessidade do uso de capas protetoras para colchões e travesseiros.

Mites in dust samples from mattress surfaces from single beds or cribs in the south Brazilian city of Londrina.

The aim of this study was to investigate the mite fauna in mattresses dust samples from cribs or beds in the south Brazilian city of Londrina, State of Parana. A total of 133 dust samples from upper and lower mattress surfaces, and bed frames were aspirated once from 38 dwellings (18 cribs and 21 beds), and one day nursery (six cribs). A total of 758 mite bodies were counted in slides: 233 (30.7%) from cribs and 525 (69.3%) from beds (p<0.001). House dust mites--mainly Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, represented 72% and 84% of total mite count in crib and bed dust samples, respectively. The mean HDM body concentration in crib or bed slides were, respectively, 289.9+/-136.7 and 875.0+/-183.6 mites/g. Statistical analysis showed a significantly higher mite bodies count on lower mattress surface compared with upper surface in bed samples only (p=0.025). Data herein show that cribs like mattress have sufficient mite bodies to cause sensitization to humans. The use of mattress covers for cribs and beds should be encouraged in order to avoid allergens exposure.