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Biomedical subjects

V Ventafridda

Publications and source records attributed to V Ventafridda.

85 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1975

Indoprofen, a new analgesic and anti-inflammatory drug in cancer pain.

Evaluation of the analgesic activity of indoprofen was carried out in patients with cancer pain under double-blind conditions and compared with aspirin and placebo. A randomized experimental design was followed. Single oral doses were given of the test drug (100 and 200 mg), aspirin (600 and 1,000 mg), and placebo. For measuring analgesia, 5-point pain intensity and pain relief semiquantitative scales were used. Potency ratio between drugs was calculated on SPID (sum of pain intensity differences) and TOTPAR (total pain relief) and resulted in 10.3 by combination of estimates. In a group of only 24 patients, the data supported the following conclusions: indoprofen at 100 and 200 mg single doses is effective in relieving cancer pain; it displays a dose-related analgesic effect comparable to that of aspirin with only one-tenth the dose.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Psychosocial adjustment of patients surgically treated for head and neck cancer.

Sixty-six patients, surgically treated for head and neck cancer and free of disease, were interviewed at the outpatient clinic from 6 months to 8 years after surgery. The patients were divided by the physician into two groups, according to the patients' degree of disfigurement, i.e., minor (24 patients, 36%, minor disfigurement group = MDG) or extensive (42 patients, 64%, extensive disfigurement group = EDG). Subsequently, the patients were interviewed with close-ended questions. The following subjective aspects were assessed: self-image; relationship with the partner, family, and friends; and the overall impact of the therapy. The results of the study showed a significantly higher impact in the EDG versus the MDG as regards a changed self-image (57% vs 25%, P less than 0.05), a worsened relationship with the partner (27% vs 0%, P less than 0.05), a reduced sexuality (74% vs 39%, P less than 0.01), and an increased social isolation (36% vs 12%, P less than 0.05). On the whole, 18% of the subjects stated that the disadvantages of therapy outweighed the advantages, and 30% fell that the difficulties encountered were "too harsh." In such cases, the opportunity of setting up a rehabilitation program offering psychosocial support should be considered.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as the first step in cancer pain therapy: double-blind, within-patient study comparing nine drugs.

The efficacy and tolerability of acetylsalicylic acid, paracetamol, diclofenac, ibuprofen, indomethacin, pirprofen, sulindac, naproxen and suprofen were compared in the treatment of cancer pain. In a double-blind, within-patient randomized study, each drug was given for 1 week to eight patients and for another week to a further eight patients. A total of 65 patients were effectively treated; only 48 completed week 1 and 41 completed week 2. Naproxen, diclofenac and indomethacin were highly effective in pain relief (tested by means of a 100 mm visual analogue scale) and were relatively well tolerated. It is concluded that these non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be considered as first choice in the treatment of cancer pain.

Acetaminophen↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Alcohol infusion of the pituitary, high-dose medroxyprogesterone and their association as analgesics in advanced breast cancer (author's transl)].

The analgesic effects of alcohol infusion of the pituitary, high-dose progesterone and their association on chronic intractable pain in TxN+M+ breast cancer patients no longer responsive to combination chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone therapy are assessed. The antalgic effect of medroxyprogesterone proved to be more lasting than that of alcohol infusion of the pituitary. Moreover, 6 of the 20 patients treated with the former presented regression of the disease whereas none of those treated with alcohol did so.

Analgesics↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Presentation of 25 cases of post-irradiation lesions of the brachial plexus and their treatment].

A study was carried out on a series of 25 patients who were operated on for breast cancer and who submitted to postoperative radiotherapy, in which lesions of the brachial nervous plexus from ionizing radiations were obtained. In almost all the cases, 24 out of 25, various symptoms such as paresthesiae, pain, and motorial disturbances, were observed even one year after the completion of the treatment. Motorial troubles, which in 13 cases were not detected at the moment of the diagnosis of the other lesions, always occurred later. Etiopathogenesis and diagnosis of these lesions have been considered, as well as the possibility of lowering the incidence of such troubles. The conclusion can be drawn that useful results can be obtained, to a certain extent, only if therapeutic treatment is performed early: in most cases, however, the lesions showed a progressive evolution.

Brachial Plexus↗