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Biomedical subjects

S Scialla

Publications and source records attributed to S Scialla.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Rehabilitation for elderly patients with cancer asthenia: making a transition to palliative care.

The transition from curative to palliative care for elderly patients with cancer-related asthenia presents complex challenges to oncologists. A result of this complexity is a lack of regard for the maintenance of physical and mental function. This study examined the effects of comprehensive, multidisciplinary, inpatient rehabilitation on the physical and mental function of elderly cancer patients with asthenia. We found that both physical and mental function improved following inpatient rehabilitation. However, it is difficult to predict which patients benefit most from rehabilitation. Nevertheless, functional improvement following rehabilitation may allow medical caregivers to better distribute the type and intensity of care, and reduce the caregiver burden experienced by family members in the home.

Aged↗

Adjuvant antiplatelet therapy with aspirin in colo-rectal cancer.

Sixty-six patients with Duke's B2 or C colon or rectal cancer were randomized for treatment with aspirin (ASA), 600 mg, p.o., twice daily x 2 years or placebo (P). Compliance was checked in both groups by random measurement of blood salicylate levels. Fifty-seven patients are currently evaluable. No difference in disease-free (p = .66) or overall survival (p = .90) is present between ASA and P groups. The time at which ASA therapy is started (within 2 or within 4 weeks) following surgery does not affect these results. Aspirin at conventional dosage is ineffective in preventing the appearance of metastases in patients with colo-rectal cancer.

Actuarial Analysis↗

Coagulation abnormalities in patients with arterial, venous, and combined arterial and venous thromboses.

Thrombotic disorders are much more common than hemorrhagic disorders. Nonetheless, most knowledge of coagulation relates to the hemorrhagic disorders. We have done extensive coagulation evaluations in patients with arterial thromboses only, venous thromboses only, and in patients with combined arterial and venous thromboses. Prominent abnormalities in platelet aggregation, factors VIII, IX, and XI levels, and fibrinogen were noted in all groups. These types of studies should eventually lead to a fuller understanding of thrombotic disorders.

Adolescent↗

Pitfalls in peripheral vascular surgery: Disseminated intravascular coagulation.

Disseminated intravascular coagulation is infrequently encountered in the practice of peripheral vascular surgery. Nonetheless, it has devastating and often fatal effects. In our series of eight cases, the mortality rate was 62.5 per cent. A better understanding of the basic disease process as prompted by this review, earlier diagnosis, and rational treatment should lead to higher survival rates and lowered morbidity.

Aged↗

Mediastinal irradiation for chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Thirty-one patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia were treated with mediastinal radiation. In none of the patients was complete remission achieved; either partial remission or clinical improvement was achieved in 52 per cent, but the duration of response was short. The response rate was 77 per cent for the patients receiving a total radiation dose greater than 3,000 rads and 45 per cent for those receiving less than 3,000 rads. Severe life-threatening toxicity was noted in 11 patients and seven of these patients died; two patients died with progressive disease. Severe toxicity was manifested by one or more of the following: bone marrow aplasia, pancytopenia, gram-negative sepsis, generalized herpes zoster and severe esophagitis. Neither the total dose of radiation nor the dose per week correlated withe the severity of reaction or death.

Aged↗