The end-of-treatment telephone response and prognosis of post-radiotherapy nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients in southern China.

Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (NPC) patients' end-of-treatment survival status has drawn more attention in recent years. Telephone follow-up, as a most operative approach among all the clinical follow-ups, is an effective means to extend medical service to patients' home and is thus widely used in clinical practice. This study aimed to analyze the post-radiotherapy NPC patients' phone response rate and its factors, and to discuss the independent prognostic factors of NPC patients' radiotherapy. We prospectively designed a nurses-led telephone follow-up to include 2520 NPC patients who received simple radical radiotherapy between Jan. 2007 and Jun. 2012 at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center. The patients' response rate and its factors were calculated. Survival analysis was used to estimate the patients' survival and the influencing factors. The overall response rate was 90.5%; Patients with reserved contact type of mobile + landlinephone or landline phone had higher follow-up response rate than patients with mobile contact only; patients with 2 or more reserved contacts, and family cancer history had higher response rate than patients with only 1 number and those without family history. Patients' cumulative survival rate of 1, 3 and 5 years were 98.9%, 75.3%, 50.3%, respectively. T-staging, N-staging, higher clinical staging, with basicranial invasion were the influencing factors of the patients' poor prognosis. The telephone follow-up response was affected by reserved contact type, number of contacts and family medical history; T-staging, N-staging, higher clinical staging, with basicranial invasion were the influencing factors of the patients' poor prognosis. This study provides a scientific basis for increasing the NPC patients' end-of-treatment response and promoting the individualized clinical treatment.

[Subjective and objective clinical outcome assessment on chronic rhinosinusitis following endoscopic sinus surgery].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the subjective and objective outcomes of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) following endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) and establish an assessment system of outcome with ease of application clinically. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted to survey and assess the outcomes of 120 consecutive CRS patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery at 12 months after operation. The subjective and objective measures comprised symptom by visual analog scale (VAS), health-related quality of life by medical outcome study short-form 36-items (SF-36) and sino-nasal outcome test-20 (SNOT-20) scales, endoscopic appearance, mucociliary function, and histological findings. The differences of subjective and objective assessments before and after operation were compared by t-test and Chi-Square test and the correlations between the parameters above were analyzed by Spearman correlation analysis. RESULTS: At 12 months after operation, the patients' total scores by VAS, SF-36 and SNOT-20 scales improved significantly beyond the preoperative survey (P < 0.01); there were 85.96%, 77.19% and 83.33% patients with the scores respectively superior to that of preoperation, of which 72.28% subjects benefited simultaneously from these parameters; and a significant correlation was observed among them before and after operation (P < 0.01) where SNOT-20 showed a more compatibility than the other two. At 12 months after operation, the patients' total scores of endoscopic appearance, mucociliary function, and histological findings significantly improved beyond the preoperative evaluation (P < 0.05); there were 86.84% , 86.81% and 75.57% patients with the scores respectively superior to that of preoperation, of which 71.85% subjects benefited simultaneously from these parameters; and a significant correlation was observed among them before and after operation (P < 0.05) where endoscopic appearance showed a more compatibility than the other two. At 12 months after operation, 74.56% patients showed an accordant improving or worsening outcome evaluated by SNOT-20 and endoscopic appearance, while 25.44% ones represented inverse endings, of which patients with comorbidity of nasal polyps more easily demonstrated this tendency significantly (P < 0.05). No significant correlation existed between the scores of SNOT-20 and endoscopic appearances both in preoperation and in postoperation (P > 0.05), but the total scores of the anterior 10-item, excluding the posterior 10-item, of SNOT-20 inventory was found significantly correlated with the quantitative appearances on nasal endoscopy throughout (0.18 < or = 0.42, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Administration of ESS can effectively improve the outcomes of CRS patients including symptom, health-related quality of life, endoscopic appearance, mucociliary function, and histological findings. A subjectively and objectively measured assessment system with tenseness, trustiness, reasonableness, and effectiveness and with ease of application clinically is established on the basis of SNOT-20 and endoscopic appearance evaluation for outcome research.

[Quality of life outcome of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal polyposis after endoscopic sinus surgery and its influencing factors].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the quality of life (QOL) outcome of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) and its influencing factors. METHODS: prospective trial was conducted to survey the QOL status of 120 CRS patients undergoing ESS, in contrast that of 200 healthy individuals passing health examination, at the baseline and at 12-months after operation by Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36) and Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-20 (SNOT-20). QOL changes and its influencing factors were analyzed statistically. RESULTS: (1) By the assessment of SF-36, the scores of 6 domains were less than that of healthy individuals preoperatively (P < 0.01). After 6 months, the scores of these domains resumed normal level and the proportion of scores also restored normally (P > 0.05). (2) By the assessment of SNOT-20, the total scores of 20 items and 5 most important items of patients were more than that of healthy objects (P < 0.01). After 9 and 12 months, the former and latter returned to normal, respectively (P > 0.05). In 12 months setting, the proportion of scores also restored normally (P > 0.05). (3) According to the survey of SNOT-20, we concluded the following equation: convalescent time (months) = 39--(normal scores/preoperative scores) x 50, by which the time of coming back to normal QOL status can be computed. (4) By analysis of Logistic Regression, residence in city or country, course of disease, extension of diseased sinus, and coexistence of nasal polyposis or not were correlated to the preoperative QOL scores; working environments, surgical extension, and preoperative scores of QOL were correlated to the score difference between pre and post operation. CONCLUSIONS: CRS patients undergoing ESS could obtain entirely normal QOL status at 12 months postoperatively, so we suggest that the essential follow-up period should last at least one year. The risk factors influencing patients QOL status preoperatively includes residence in country, longer course of disease, more extension of diseased sinus, and coexistence of nasal polyposis. The risk factors hindering the improvement of QOL status postoperatively includes exposure to indoor working environments, insufficient surgical extension, and lower preoperative QOL scores.

[Analysis of the risk factors causing tracheal stenosis after tracheotomy for mechanical ventilation in 560 patients].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the risk factors causing tracheal stenosis after tracheotomy for mechanical ventilation. METHODS: A retrospective study was carried out to review the clinical data of 560 patients who had been tracheotomy for mechanical ventilation in the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from 1990 to 2006. The clinical relevant factors causing tracheal stenosis included age, sex, preoperative intubation, preoperative intubation time, postoperative mechanical ventilation duration, airway infection, multiple changes of intubation tube, cricothyroidotomy, previous tracheotomy, gastroesophageal reflux, diabetes, etc. Multivariate stepwise logistic regression model was used for the analysis. RESULTS: Fifty-four cases (9.6%) presented tracheal stenosis in 560 patients after tracheotomy. With multivariate analysis, it was confirmed that the following variable correlated to tracheal stenosis. i.e, preoperative intubation time (chi2 = 4.323, P = 0.038), postoperative mechanical ventilation duration (chi2 = 14.062, P = 0.000), airway infection (chi2 = 8.604, P = 0.004), diabetes (chi2 = 5.237, P = 0.014). The effect degree of these risk factors was as below, postoperative mechanical ventilation duration (OR = 10.818), airway infection (OR = 6.349), diabetes (OR = 3.019), intubation time preoperative (OR = 2.156). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients who received tracheotomy for mechanical ventilation, the clinical relevant factors causing tracheal stenosis were various. Statistical analysis showed that preoperative intubation time, postoperative mechanical ventilation duration, diabetes, airway infection were main risky factors which may cause tracheal stenosis.

[Investigation of intranasal bacteriological character and pH value in patients with chronic rhinitis treated by Budesonide aqueous nasal spray].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the bacteriological character and pH value in nasal cavity and observe the efficacy following 8 week treatment with Budesonide aqueous nasal spray in chronic nonallergic rhinitis. METHODS: Forty-two patients with chronic nonallergic rhinitis were treated with Budesonide aqueous nasal spray (256 microg once daily intranasal) for 8 weeks. Bacteriological character was measured before and 8 weeks after treatment All the swab specimens were obtained from the inferior meatus, bacteriologic outcome was determined by general cultures. Nasal pH value was measured by using a probe sited under the inferior turbinate before and after treatment. Efficacy was evaluated by measurement of nasal symptom scores and sign scores before and 8 weeks after treatment. RESULTS: The bacterial growth was present in 37 of 42 cases (88%) before the treatment (group 1), including 53 aerobic bacteria. The bacterial growth was present in 38 of 42 cases (90.47%) 8 weeks after treatment (group 2), including 46 aerobic bacteria. There was no significant difference in the bacterial distribution between group 1 and group 2 (chi2 = 0.416, P > 0.05). Budesonide aqueous nasal spray reduced pH value from 7.90 +/- 0.39 to 7.70 +/- 0.23 (t = 2.72, P < 0.05). All the parameters of symptoms were improved after treatment, including nasal obstruction, nasal secretions, itchy feeling of the nose, closed rhinolalia and headache. CONCLUSIONS: Glucocorticoid aqueous nasal spray could be used safely for eight weeks and does not increase the risk of aerobes and fungi infection and reduce the pH in chronic nonallergic rhinitis. It is effective in relieving symptoms of patients with chronic nonallergic rhinitis.