Quality of life following parotidectomy for malignant and benign disease.

Parotidectomy is performed for benign or malignant tumors and for selected benign inflammatory and autoimmune conditions. Possible associated complications include facial nerve paralysis, pain, loss of sensation, gustatory sweating, and facial scarring. Global quality of life in patients undergoing parotidectomy has not been reported.

Quality of life of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients.

Background: Quality of life (QOL) issues in patients with head and neck carcinoma are of importance beyond the incidence of these tumors because of the impact of the disease and its treatment on external appearance and function of the upper aerodigestive tract. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients comprise a unique subgroup in whom, to our knowledge, QOL has not been studied directly.

Methods: Adult patients with NPC treated during the past 15 years at the Chaim Sheba Medical Center with a minimum follow-up of 6 months were included in the current study.

Interaction between the tetracyclic antidepressant mianserin HCl and opioid receptors.

The antinociceptive effects of the tetracyclic antidepressant mianserin and its interaction with various opioid receptor subtypes was evaluated. Mice were tested with a hotplate analgesia meter. Mianserin elicited an antinociceptive effect in a dose-dependent manner following doses from 1-25 mg/kg.

Elevated tear interleukin-6 levels in patients with Sjögren syndrome.

Objective: The purpose of the study was to investigate interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in the tear fluid and sera of patients with Sjögren syndrome (SS).

Participants: Twelve patients with primary SS and 12 normal control subjects participated.

Intervention: Tear fluid and sera were obtained from the study and the control groups.

Allergic disorders in primary Sjögren's syndrome.

Allergic disorders have been described in a variety of connective tissue disorders. Although an association between allergy and primary Sjögren's syndrome has been suggested, it has not been well documented. The purpose of this study was to analyze the prevalence of several types of allergic disorders in a cohort of primary Sjögren's syndrome patients.