Phase Angle, a Cornerstone of Outcome in Head and Neck Cancer.

In patients with head and neck cancer, malnutrition is common. Most cases are treated by chemo-radiotherapy and surgery, with adverse effects on the aerodigestive area. Clinical and biochemical characteristics, health-related quality of life, survival, and risk of death were studied.

Quality of Life and Functionality of Head and Neck Cancer Patients Are Diminished As a Function of Sarcopenia and Obesity.

Background: Health-related quality of life (QoL) is a measure that allows us to know the patient's perception of well-being and how it is affected by their disease and treatments. In cancer patients, sarcopenia has been associated with low scores on various instruments used to assess the QoL; however, little information is available on the effects of sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity on the QoL of patients with head and neck cancer (H&NC).

Methods: In this cross-sectional study with 71 H&NC patients aged between 40 and 80 years, we describe the scores on the instruments EORTC QLQ C-30 and EORTC QLQ-H&N35 according to the sarcopenia phenotype (NSG, nonsarcopenic group; SG, sarcopenic group; and SOG, sarcopenic obesity group), hand-grip strength, gait speed, total lymphocyte count, albumin, cholesterol and C-reactive protein, and the relationships between these variables.

Body Composition and Biochemical Parameters of Nutritional Status: Correlation with Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Colorectal Cancer.

Up to 60% of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients develop malnutrition, affecting treatment effectiveness, increasing toxicity, postoperative complications, hospital stay, and worsening health-related quality of life (HRQOL). This cross-sectional study analyzed data from 48 women and 65 men with CRC. We correlated scores of the scales from the questionnaires EORTC (European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer) Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (QLQ)-C30 and Colorectal Cancer module Colorectal 29 (QLQ-CR29) with patients' body composition and clinical and biochemical indicators of nutritional status.

No association of HLA-DRB1 and TNF alleles in Mexican patients with autoimmune hepatitis.

HLA-DRB1 alleles has been found implicated in susceptibility to autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) in populations from different genetic backgrounds. In Mexicans, HLA-DRB1*04:04 is recognized as a risk allele for AIH but, to date, there is no high-resolution data supporting this association. Also, the association of other nonclassical HLA genes, such as TNF-LTA locus, have not, to our knowledge, been evaluated in this population.

Association of -319 C/T and +49 A/G polymorphisms of CTLA-4 gene in patients with hepatitis C virus infection.

Introduction And Objective: Molecular changes in the CTLA-4 gene can modify the ability to control T lymphocyte proliferation, and promote the persistence or elimination of the hepatitis C virus (HCV). We aimed to investigate the frequency and association of -319 C/T and +49 A/G polymorphism in the CTLA-4 gene in patients infected with HCV.

Methods: The CTLA-4 gene polymorphisms (-319 C/T in the promoter region, and +49 A/G in exon 1) were analysed by T-ARMS-PCR in 420 individuals, including 205 chronic HCV infected patients and 215 healthy subjects.

Rectal indomethacin versus placebo to reduce the incidence of pancreatitis after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography: results of a controlled clinical trial.

Background: Acute pancreatitis is the most common major complication after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Many drugs have been evaluated for prophylaxis, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which are potent inhibitors of phospholipase A2 and play a role in the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis. Rectal NSAIDs have been shown in prospective studies to decrease the incidence of this complication, but the indication is not generalized in clinical practice.

Antioxidant drugs to prevent post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis: What does evidence suggest?

Aim: To determine whether or not the use of antioxidant supplementation aids in the prevention of post- endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis.

Methods: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was made to evaluate the preventive effect of prophylactic antioxidant supplementation in post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis (PEP). The inclusion criteria included: acute post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis in adults; randomized clinical trials with the use of any antioxidant as an intervention compared with placebo, to reduce PEP.

Platelet count/spleen diameter ratio to predict esophageal varices in Mexican patients with hepatic cirrhosis.

Aim: To validate whether the platelet count/spleen size ratio can be used to predict the presence of esophageal varices in Mexican patients with hepatic cirrhosis.

Methods: This was an analytical cross-sectional study to validate the diagnostic test for hepatic cirrhosis and was performed between February 2010 and December 2011. Patients with a diagnosis of hepatic cirrhosis were included and stratified using their Child-Pugh score.

Oral allopurinol to prevent hyperamylasemia and acute pancreatitis after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.

Aim: To assess the efficacy of allopurinol to prevent hyperamylasemia and pancreatitis after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (PEP).

Methods: One hundred and seventy patients were enrolled and randomized to two groups: a study group (n = 85) who received 300 mg of oral allopurinol at 15 h and 3 h before endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and a control group (n = 85) receiving an oral placebo at the same times. Main Outcome Measurements included serum amylase levels and the number severity of the episodes of pancreatitis.

[Prevention of hyperamilasemia and pancreatitis after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with rectal administration of indomethacin].

Background: Acute pancreatitis (AP) represents the main complication after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatopgraphy (ERCP) and appears in 1% to 10% of the cases. The incidence increases in patients with opacification and instrumentation of pancreatic duct and it varies according to the indications of the procedure and the intervention performed. Risk factors for this complication include history of pancreatitis, difficult canulation, pancreatic acinar opacity, Oddi sphincter hypertension and sphincterotomy.