Epidemiologic profile and quality of life of patients treated for oral cancer in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Objectives: To assess the quality of life of patients treated for oral cancer, analyzing their physical, social/family, functional and emotional well-being; to identify socioeconomic and clinical functional variables that may potentially influence their quality of life; to describe the patients? epidemiologic profile (sex and age) and tumor features (histopathology, anatomical location and stage); to identify the frequency of risk factors associated with the malignancy. Study design: Observational cross-sectional study-case series study undertaken in 2 cancer treatment institutions in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil, between 2000 and 2007. Results: Of the 88 registered oral cancer patients, 16 were selected for the study sample. The majority of the study sample (87%) included males, with a mean age of 57.06 years; 43.8% were retired; 50% had not completed elementary education. Most (56.3%) had a monthly income of less than the minimum wage. Most (83.7%) smoked before cancer diagnosis and 43.8% from this sample continued to smoke after treatment. In addition, those who drank alcohol before treatment continued drinking (31.3%). The tongue was the predominant anatomic site (37.5%). The patients? quality of life score was fair; the best result was for emotional well-being. Conclusions: Despite the limitations imposed by low survival, it was possible to evaluate the quality of life of these patients. Patients having a family income higher than the minimum monthly wage scored significantly better in final indexes FACT-G and FACT-HN than those with a lower income

Estudo experimental do aquecimento adequado de solução cristaloide por micro-ondas e dedução de equação para seu cálculo Experimental study of adequate microwave warming of crystalloids and derivation of an equation for calculating heating parameters

INTRODUÇÃO: Fluidos cristaloides são comumente aquecidos em forno de micro-ondas, para uso endovenoso ou subcutâneo (em lipoaspirações). A literatura médica é pobre em trabalhos estabelecendo parâmetros científicos para esse processo. O objetivo deste estudo foi estudar experimentalmente o aquecimento de solução salina (cloreto de sódio a 0,9%), a partir de diferentes temperaturas iniciais, deduzir uma equação para permitir o cálculo de parâmetros de aquecimento e estudar o decréscimo de temperatura da solução aquecida. MÉTODO: Frascos para infusão endovenosa (500 ml e 1.000 ml) de solução salina tiveram sua temperatura inicial ajustada para 15°C, 20°C e 25°C, sendo aquecidos por micro-ondas até 60 segundos (500 ml) e 120 segundos (1.000 ml). A temperatura da solução salina foi medida durante e ao final do aquecimento e até 30 minutos após esse processo. A partir dos resultados, foi deduzida uma equação. RESULTADOS: O aquecimento por 60 segundos elevou a temperatura de frascos de 500 ml de solução salina em cerca de 20°C. Foram necessários 120 segundos para a mesma elevação de temperatura de frascos de 1.000 ml. A equação deduzida foi: TIF = TII + [0,165 x Tempo (segundos) / Volume (litros)], onde TIF = temperatura interna final e TII = temperatura interna inicial. Não foram encontradas diferenças significantes entre as temperaturas interna e externa após o aquecimento. CONCLUSÕES: A determinação da temperatura inicial é fundamental na obtenção da temperatura final desejada, após o aquecimento de fluidos cristaloides por micro-ondas. Uma equação pôde ser deduzida, tornando possível o cálculo da temperatura final a partir de várias temperaturas iniciais. A temperatura externa dos frascos reflete adequadamente sua temperatura interna.BACKGROUND: Crystalloids are commonly heated in microwave ovens for intravenous or subcutaneous usage (e.g., in liposuction). However, few studies have empirically determined the parameters for this procedure. This study experimentally evaluated the heating of saline solution (sodium chloride 0.9%) at different initial temperatures to derive an equation to calculate heating parameters as well as the temperature decrease in saline solutions after heating. METHODS: The initial temperature of intravenous pouches containing saline solution (500 and 1,000 mL) was adjusted to 15°C, 20°C, or 25°C. The 500 and 1,000 mL pouches were then warmed in a microwave (900 W) for 60 and 120 seconds, respectively. The temperature of the saline solution was measured during heating and immediately and 30 minutes after heating. An equation was derived from the results. RESULTS: Warming the 500 and 1,000 mL pouches for 60 and 120 seconds, respectively, at 900 W increased the temperature of these pouches by 20°C. The derived equation was as follows: final temperature = initial temperature + [0.165 × time (s)/volume (L)]. No significant differences were found between the internal and external temperatures of the pouches after heating. CONCLUSIONS: Determining the initial temperature of crystalloid solutions is essential for obtaining the desired temperature after microwave warming. The equation derived in the present study enables calculation of the final temperature of solutions with various initial temperatures. The external temperature of the pouches accurately reflects their internal temperature