Type of anaesthesia for acute ischaemic stroke endovascular treatment.

BACKGROUND: The use of mechanical thrombectomy to restore intracranial blood flow after proximal large artery occlusion by a thrombus has increased over time and led to better outcomes than intravenous thrombolytic therapy alone. Currently, the type of anaesthetic technique during mechanical thrombectomy is under debate as having a relevant impact on neurological outcomes. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of different types of anaesthesia for endovascular interventions in people with acute ischaemic stroke. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Stroke Group Specialised Register of Trials on 5 July 2022, and CENTRAL, MEDLINE, and seven other databases on 21 March 2022. We performed searches of reference lists of included trials, grey literature sources, and other systematic reviews.  SELECTION CRITERIA: We included all randomised controlled trials with a parallel design that compared general anaesthesia versus local anaesthesia, conscious sedation anaesthesia, or monitored care anaesthesia for mechanical thrombectomy in acute ischaemic stroke. We also included studies reported as full-text, those published as abstract only, and unpublished data. We excluded quasi-randomised trials, studies without a comparator group, and studies with a retrospective design. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently applied the inclusion criteria, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias and the certainty of the evidence using the GRADE approach. The outcomes were assessed at different time periods, ranging from the onset of the stroke symptoms to 90 days after the start of the intervention. The main outcomes were functional outcome, neurological impairment, stroke-related mortality, all intracranial haemorrhage, target artery revascularisation status, time to revascularisation, adverse events, and quality of life. All included studies reported data for early (up to 30 days) and long-term (above 30 days) time points. MAIN RESULTS: We included seven trials with 982 participants, which investigated the type of anaesthesia for endovascular treatment in large vessel occlusion in the intracranial circulation. The outcomes were assessed at different time periods, ranging from the onset of stroke symptoms to 90 days after the procedure. Therefore, all included studies reported data for early (up to 30 days) and long-term (above 30 up to 90 days) time points. General anaesthesia versus non-general anaesthesia(early) We are uncertain about the effect of general anaesthesia on functional outcomes compared to non-general anaesthesia (mean difference (MD) 0, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.31 to 0.31; P = 1.0; 1 study, 90 participants; very low-certainty evidence) and in time to revascularisation from groin puncture until the arterial reperfusion (MD 2.91 minutes, 95% CI -5.11 to 10.92; P = 0.48; I² = 48%; 5 studies, 498 participants; very low-certainty evidence). General anaesthesia may lead to no difference in neurological impairment up to 48 hours after the procedure (MD -0.29, 95% CI -1.18 to 0.59; P = 0.52; I² = 0%; 7 studies, 982 participants; low-certainty evidence), and in stroke-related mortality (risk ratio (RR) 0.98, 95% CI 0.52 to 1.84; P = 0.94; I² = 0%; 3 studies, 330 participants; low-certainty evidence), all intracranial haemorrhages (RR 0.92, 95% CI 0.65 to 1.29; P = 0.63; I² = 0%; 5 studies, 693 participants; low-certainty evidence) compared to non-general anaesthesia. General anaesthesia may improve adverse events (haemodynamic instability) compared to non-general anaesthesia (RR 0.21, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.79; P = 0.02; I² = 71%; 2 studies, 229 participants; low-certainty evidence). General anaesthesia improves target artery revascularisation compared to non-general anaesthesia (RR 1.10, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.18; P = 0.02; I² = 29%; 7 studies, 982 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). There were no available data for quality of life. General anaesthesia versus non-general anaesthesia (long-term) There is no difference in general anaesthesia compared to non-general anaesthesia for dichotomous and continuous functional outcomes (dichotomous: RR 1.21, 95% CI 0.93 to 1.58; P = 0.16; I² = 29%; 4 studies, 625 participants; low-certainty evidence; continuous: MD -0.14, 95% CI -0.34 to 0.06; P = 0.17; I² = 0%; 7 studies, 978 participants; low-certainty evidence). General anaesthesia showed no changes in stroke-related mortality compared to non-general anaesthesia (RR 0.88, 95% CI 0.64 to 1.22; P = 0.44; I² = 12%; 6 studies, 843 participants; low-certainty evidence). There were no available data for neurological impairment, all intracranial haemorrhages, target artery revascularisation status, time to revascularisation from groin puncture until the arterial reperfusion, adverse events (haemodynamic instability), or quality of life. Ongoing studies We identified eight ongoing studies. Five studies compared general anaesthesia versus conscious sedation anaesthesia, one study compared general anaesthesia versus conscious sedation anaesthesia plus local anaesthesia, and two studies compared general anaesthesia versus local anaesthesia. Of these studies, seven plan to report data on functional outcomes using the modified Rankin Scale, five studies on neurological impairment, six studies on stroke-related mortality, two studies on all intracranial haemorrhage, five studies on target artery revascularisation status, four studies on time to revascularisation, and four studies on adverse events. One ongoing study plans to report data on quality of life. One study did not plan to report any outcome of interest for this review. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: In early outcomes, general anaesthesia improves target artery revascularisation compared to non-general anaesthesia with moderate-certainty evidence. General anaesthesia may improve adverse events (haemodynamic instability) compared to non-general anaesthesia with low-certainty evidence. We found no evidence of a difference in neurological impairment, stroke-related mortality, all intracranial haemorrhage and haemodynamic instability adverse events between groups with low-certainty evidence. We are uncertain whether general anaesthesia improves functional outcomes and time to revascularisation because the certainty of the evidence is very low. However, regarding long-term outcomes, general anaesthesia makes no difference to functional outcomes compared to non-general anaesthesia with low-certainty evidence. General anaesthesia did not change stroke-related mortality when compared to non-general anaesthesia with low-certainty evidence. There were no reported data for other outcomes. In view of the limited evidence of effect, more randomised controlled trials with a large number of participants and good protocol design with a low risk of bias should be performed to reduce our uncertainty and to aid decision-making in the choice of anaesthesia.

The impact of an exercise program on quality of life in older breast cancer survivors undergoing aromatase inhibitor therapy: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the impact of an exercise program on quality of life in older breast cancer survivors undergoing aromatase inhibitor therapy. METHODS: Older breast cancer survivors were randomized into two groups: combined training: resistance + aerobic exercise program for nine months (n = 18) or control group (n = 18). Quality of life was assessed by the questionnaires SF36, EORTC QLQ-C30, and EORTC QLQ-BR23 at baseline, and at three, six, and nine months. The exercise group performed 40 min of resistance exercises on machines followed by 30 min of aerobic training on a treadmill 3x/wk. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare the groups over time. RESULTS: Significant time x group interactions and moderate to high effect sizes were found for physical functioning, physical health, bodily pain, general health perception, vitality, social functioning, fatigue, sleep disturbance, body image, and upset by hair loss, favoring the exercise group. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the potential benefits and high clinical relevance of exercise programs to improve quality of life in older breast cancer survivors undergoing aromatase inhibitor therapy.

Breast surgery for metastatic breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Metastatic breast cancer is not a curable disease, but women with metastatic disease are living longer. Surgery to remove the primary tumour is associated with an increased survival in other types of metastatic cancer. Breast surgery is not standard treatment for metastatic disease, however several recent retrospective studies have suggested that breast surgery could increase the women's survival. These studies have methodological limitations including selection bias. A systematic review mapping all randomised controlled trials addressing the benefits and potential harms of breast surgery is ideal to answer this question. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of breast surgery in women with metastatic breast cancer. SEARCH METHODS: We conducted searches using the MeSH terms 'breast neoplasms', 'mastectomy', and 'analysis, survival' in the following databases: the Cochrane Breast Cancer Specialised Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE (by PubMed) and Embase (by OvidSP) on 22 February 2016. We also searched ClinicalTrials.gov (22 February 2016) and the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (24 February 2016). We conducted an additional search in the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) conference proceedings in July 2016 that included reference checking, citation searching, and contacting study authors to identify additional studies. SELECTION CRITERIA: The inclusion criteria were randomised controlled trials of women with metastatic breast cancer at initial diagnosis comparing breast surgery plus systemic therapy versus systemic therapy alone. The primary outcomes were overall survival and quality of life. Secondary outcomes were progression-free survival (local and distant control), breast cancer-specific survival, and toxicity from local therapy. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently conducted trial selection, data extraction, and 'Risk of bias' assessment (using Cochrane's 'Risk of bias' tool), which a third review author checked. We used the GRADE tool to assess the quality of the body of evidence. We used the risk ratio (RR) to measure the effect of treatment for dichotomous outcomes and the hazard ratio (HR) for time-to-event outcomes. We calculated 95% confidence intervals (CI) for these measures. We used the random-effects model, as we expected clinical or methodological heterogeneity, or both, among the included studies. MAIN RESULTS: We included two trials enrolling 624 women in the review. It is uncertain whether breast surgery improves overall survival as the quality of the evidence has been assessed as very low (HR 0.83, 95% CI 0.53 to 1.31; 2 studies; 624 women). The two studies did not report quality of life. Breast surgery may improve local progression-free survival (HR 0.22, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.57; 2 studies; 607 women; low-quality evidence), while it probably worsened distant progression-free survival (HR 1.42, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.86; 1 study; 350 women; moderate-quality evidence). The two included studies did not measure breast cancer-specific survival. Toxicity from local therapy was reported by 30-day mortality and did not appear to differ between the two groups (RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.14 to 6.90; 1 study; 274 women; low-quality evidence). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Based on existing evidence from two randomised clinical trials, it is not possible to make definitive conclusions on the benefits and risks of breast surgery associated with systemic treatment for women diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. Until the ongoing clinical trials are finalised, the decision to perform breast surgery in these women should be individualised and shared between the physician and the patient considering the potential risks, benefits, and costs of each intervention.

Association Between Physical Activity Levels in Different Domains and Cardiac Autonomic Modulation in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Cross-sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer survivors frequently present cardiac autonomic dysfunction. Physical activity (PA) has been associated with better cardiac autonomic modulation (CAM) in breast cancer survivors. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze the association between CAM and PA levels performed in different domains (work and occupation, sport and exercise, and leisure time and commuting) in breast cancer survivors. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study with 99 breast cancer survivors (age, 55.3 ± 10.4 years). Cardiac autonomic modulation was assessed by heart rate variability, and PA levels at work and occupation, sport and exercise, and leisure time and commuting were assessed using the Baecke PA questionnaire. The sum of these 3 domains provided the total PA. The Mann-Whitney test was used to compare CAM between active and inactive women in different domains of PA. RESULTS: Cardiac autonomic modulation was similar between active and inactive women in the different domains ( P > .05). However, when considering the total PA, active breast cancer survivors presented higher SDNN (average standard deviation of all normal RR intervals) (20.0 ± 13.4 vs 28.8 ± 14.0; P = .008) and SD2 (standard deviation of the long-term intervals between consecutive heartbeats) indices (29.2 ± 17.3 vs 38.7 ± 19.9; P = .005) compared with their inactive counterparts. CONCLUSION: Breast cancer survivors with higher total PA presented better CAM compared with their less active peers. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The results of this study are promising and show the importance of increasing PA levels in different domains for the maintenance of cardiovascular health among breast cancer survivors.

Comparison between ceramic-on-polyethylene versus metal-on-polyethylene prostheses in Total Hip Arthroplasties: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The Guidelines Project, an initiative of the Brazilian Medical Association, aims to combine information from the medical field to standardize how to conduct, and to assist in the reasoning and decision-making of doctors. The information provided by this project must be critically evaluated by the physician responsible for the conduct that will be adopted, depending on the conditions and the clinical condition of each patient.

Association Between Different Domains of Physical Activity and Body Adiposity Indicators in Breast Cancer Survivors.

BACKGROUND: To analyze the relationship between different physical activity (PA) domains and adiposity indicators in breast cancer survivors. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study, composed of 115 breast cancer (BC) survivors. Measurements of weight, height, waist circumference (WC), and hip circumference were objectively collected, as well as the analysis of body fat percentage through bioelectrical impedance analysis. The PA level was assessed by the Baecke questionnaire including domains related to occupational activity, leisure-time activity, and transportation, while the time spent in sedentary behavior was assessed through self-reported screen-time. Socioeconomic status was assessed through the Brazilian criteria for economic classification and considered as a covariate. RESULTS: BC survivors with higher PA levels in leisure-time activity/sport presented reductions in body fat percentage (ß = 1.13%; CI = -2.06; -0.21), BMI (ß = 0.80 kg/m²; CI = -1.50; -0.11), WC (ß = 1.89 cm; CI = -3.54; -0.23), and waist-to-height ratio (ß = 0.13 cm; CI = -0.23; -0.02). Similar values were observed in PA during transportation and in total. There was no correlation between PA at work and adiposity indicators. CONCLUSION: Different PA domains were inversely related to body adiposity in BC survivors.

Physical activity domains are differently related with quality of life in breast cancer survivors: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: Treatments for breast cancer (BC) can lead to physical and mental impairments which may affect quality of life (QoL). Physical activity (PA) is highly recommended for this population due to its protective effect against BC relapse and its ability to reduce the health impact of treatment. However, it is not clear whether the different domains of PA are associated with better QoL of BC survivors. The current study aimed to verify the relationship between different PA domains with QoL of BC survivors. METHODS: The sample consisted of 128 women BC survivors, with a mean age of 58.2 ±â€Š9.7 years. QoL was assessed using the Short-Form Health Survey questionnaire (SF-36) and PA was verified through the Baecke questionnaire, in domains of occupation, sports practice, and leisure time/commuting. The relationship between QoL and different PA domains was verified by linear regression, adjusted by age, marital status, and socioeconomic condition. RESULTS: Occupational PA was negatively related to physical limitations [ß= -15.36 (-29.04 to -1.68] and body pain [ß=-6.61 (-14.53 to 1.31) marginal association]. Sports practice was positively related to functional capacity [ß= 4.24 (0.60 to 7.88)]. Leisure time/commuting PA was positively related to functional capacity [ß = 7.17 (3.09 to 11.26)], vitality [ß = 4.30 (0.39 to 8.22)], social aspects [ß= 5.47 (0.80 to 10.15)], and mental health [ß = 4.08 (0.40 to 7.75)]. CONCLUSIONS: Sports practice and leisure time/commuting PA were positively related to QoL in BC survivors, while occupational PA was negatively related to QoL, independently of age, marital status, and socioeconomic condition.

Effects of resistance plus aerobic training on body composition and metabolic markers in older breast cancer survivors undergoing aromatase inhibitor therapy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of combined aerobic + resistance training on body composition and metabolic markers in older breast cancer survivors undergoing aromatase inhibitor therapy. METHODS: Older breast cancer survivors were randomized to an exercise [resistance + aerobic training]: n = 18, or placebo control group: n = 18. Body composition (measured by DXA) and blood markers of lipid and glucose were measured at baseline, and at 12, 24, and 36 weeks. The exercise group performed 40 min of resistance exercises on machines followed by 30 min of aerobic training on a treadmill, three times per week. Separate 2 (group) × 4 (time) repeated-measure ANOVAs were used to compare groups over time. RESULTS: Significant group × time interactions were found for total and trunk fat mass (p < 0.001 and p = 0.001) and % body fat (p < 0.001), where women in the exercise group lost fat compared to slight gains among women in the stretching control group. There were no significant differences between groups for lean mass, hip or spine BMD, metabolic markers, or CRP. CONCLUSION: Our aerobic + resistance exercise program prevented fat gain, but may not have been sufficient to improve metabolic or bone health markers in older breast cancer survivors undergoing aromatase inhibitor therapy.

Diagnóstico de precisão das lesões mamárias / Accurate diagnosis of breast lesions

PONTOS-CHAVE As lesões mamárias compreendem uma ampla variedade de diagnósticos que apresentam comportamentos diversos. As lesões mamárias podem ser classificadas como lesões benignas, de potencial de malignidade indeterminado (B3), carcinoma in situ e carcinoma invasor. Na era da medicina personalizada, individualizar e obter um diagnóstico preciso faz grande diferença no desfecho final da paciente, principalmente no caso do câncer de mama. Exames de imagem direcionados e de qualidade, métodos de biópsia adequadamente selecionados e análises de anatomopatologia convencional, imuno-histoquímica e até molecular são determinantes no diagnóstico e no manejo das pacientes.

Desafios do rastreamento do câncer de mama / Challenges of breast cancer screening

A mamografia é o método de eleição para o rastreamento do câncer de mama, sendo o único que demonstra redução de mortalidade na população de risco habitual. A periodicidade de realização e a idade de início do rastreamento mamográfico são um tema controverso na literatura. Entretanto, dados no nosso país apontam para uma porção significativa de neoplasia de mamas em mulheres abaixo dos 50 anos. A Federação Brasileira das Associações de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia (Febrasgo), a Sociedade Brasileira de Mastologia (SBM) e o Colégio Brasileiro de Radiologia e Diagnóstico por Imagem (CBR) concordam que o rastreamento mamográfico deveria ser realizado, anualmente, por todas as mulheres a partir de 40 anos de idade. No Brasil, há uma distribuição desigual de mamógrafos nas várias regiões. As políticas de rastreamento devem considerar essa desigualdade. A grande maioria dos serviços no Brasil realiza rastreamento oportunístico para o câncer de mama. A implantação de rastreamento organizado por faixa etária e estratificação de risco pode otimizar os custos do sistema público de saúde. Pacientes de alto risco precisam ser rastreadas de forma diferente das pacientes de risco habitual. Essas pacientes precisam ter acesso à ressonância magnética das mamas e também iniciar seu rastreamento em idade mais precoce. O protocolo abreviado da ressonância magnética para rastreamento de pacientes de alto risco para câncer de mama pode melhorar a adesão e o acesso dessas pacientes ao programa de rastreamento. A ultrassonografia das mamas não é método de rastreamento isoladamente. Entretanto, ela tem seu papel como método complementar à mamografia e à ressonância magnética em cenários específicos, bem como em substituição à ressonância magnética em pacientes com contraindicação ao uso desse método. As mamas densas possuem baixa sensibilidade para o rastreamento por mamografia

Comparison between ceramic-on-polyethylene versus metal-on-polyethylene prostheses in Total Hip Arthroplasties: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The Guidelines Project, an initiative of the Brazilian Medical Association, aims to combine information from the medical field to standardize how to conduct, and to assist in the reasoning and decision-making of doctors. The information provided by this project must be critically evaluated by the physician responsible for the conduct that will be adopted, depending on the conditions and the clinical condition of each patient.

Clinic, pathologic and molecular landscapes in ultra-young women with breast cancer in the State of São Paulo: a real-world study

Introduction: Breast cancer (BC) centers are increasingly attending "ultra-young" women (UYW) patients (≤ 30 years), who usually present aggressive tumors and face specific problems. Objectives: We aimed to examine a multicentric casuistic view, addressing clinicopathological and molecular characteristics of BC, as well as therapeutic measures and oncological outcomes. Methods: A retrospective multicentric observational study of UYW with infiltrating BC was carried out. The patients were treated between the period from January 1991 to December 2019. Clinical, epidemiological, morphological, molecular, therapeutic and outcomes data were collected from the charts. Results: A total of 293 patients were followed for a average period of 34.5 months. Nulliparity was referred by 204 women (75.5%), of whom 81 (37.1%) were overweight or obese. Positive family history in first-degree relatives was verified in 25 patients (10.1%). Only 30 patients underwent genetic tests, which revealed inherited pathogenic mutations in 12 of them (37.5%). Thirty-two (32) cases were classified as T1 at diagnosis (10.9%), while "De novo" stage IV was found in 29 patients (9.8%). Mastectomy was performed in 175 women (70.2%), quadrantectomy in 46 women (18.4%), and mammary adenectomies in 28 women (11.2%), of which 149 cases were reported after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (56.0%). A total of 111 patients had at least one positive lymph node (47.4%). The rate of patients with estrogen receptor-negative was 32.7% and the rate of patients with Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2-positive (HER2-positive) was 25%. The frequency of Luminal A neoplasias was 16.6%, Luminal B/HER2- was 35.9%, Luminal B/HER2+ was 15.1%, HER2 overexpressed was 9.3%, and Basal was 22.9%. Taking into account the outcomes, 173 patients were alive without disease (65.7%); 23 patients were alive with any form of recurrence (8.7%); and 67 patients (25.4%) evolved to BC deaths. Conclusions: It was concluded that UYW with BC are commonly diagnosed at advanced stages, present adverse morphological and molecular parameters, and have unfavorable prognosis.