Preoperative evaluation of sarcopenia in patients with colorectal cancer: a prospective study

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: Colorectal cancer is the third most diagnosed malignant neoplasm in the world and the fourth leading cause of cancer mortality. The loss of muscle mass in oncological patients is the main aspect of cancer-related malnutrition. Associations between sarcopenia and poor outcomes, such as high postoperative mortality, chemotherapy toxicity, and reduced survival, have been recently described. The aim of this study was to prospectively assess the prevalence of preoperative sarcopenia in patients with colorectal cancer using validated methods to evaluate muscle strength, muscle mass, and physical performance. METHODOLOGY: This study included patients with colorectal cancer undergoing oncological staging at a Cancer Center in Brazil from May 2019 to March 2020 who had images from abdominal computed tomography available for analysis of body composition. The muscle strength test, physical performance, referred fatigue, and clinical and nutritional data were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 31 patients were included, and most were diagnosed with colon cancer (77.4%) and clinical stage II in 41.9% of cases. The prevalence of probable sarcopenia was 22.6%; of these patients, sarcopenia was confirmed in 19.4%, and ultimately, 9.7% of the sample was classified as severe sarcopenia. We did not find a significant association between the presence of sarcopenia in our sample and age, sex, tumor staging, nutritional characteristics, referred patient fatigue, or postoperative complications. CONCLUSION: Considering the criteria established by the EWGSOP, the prevalence of preoperative sarcopenia in colorectal cancer patients was 19.4%.

Diagnostic methods to assess inspiratory and expiratory muscle strength / Métodos diagnósticos para avaliação da força muscular inspiratória e expiratória

Impairment of (inspiratory and expiratory) respiratory muscles is a common clinical finding, not only in patients with neuromuscular disease but also in patients with primary disease of the lung parenchyma or airways. Although such impairment is common, its recognition is usually delayed because its signs and symptoms are nonspecific and late. This delayed recognition, or even the lack thereof, occurs because the diagnostic tests used in the assessment of respiratory muscle strength are not widely known and available. There are various methods of assessing respiratory muscle strength during the inspiratory and expiratory phases. These methods are divided into two categories: volitional tests (which require patient understanding and cooperation); and non-volitional tests. Volitional tests, such as those that measure maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressures, are the most commonly used because they are readily available. Non-volitional tests depend on magnetic stimulation of the phrenic nerve accompanied by the measurement of inspiratory mouth pressure, inspiratory esophageal pressure, or inspiratory transdiaphragmatic pressure. Another method that has come to be widely used is ultrasound imaging of the diaphragm. We believe that pulmonologists involved in the care of patients with respiratory diseases should be familiar with the tests used in order to assess respiratory muscle function.Therefore, the aim of the present article is to describe the advantages, disadvantages, procedures, and clinical applicability of the main tests used in the assessment of respiratory muscle strength.

O acometimento da musculatura ventilatória (inspiratória e expiratória) é um achado clínico frequente, não somente nos pacientes com doenças neuromusculares, mas também nos pacientes com doenças primárias do parênquima pulmonar ou das vias aéreas. Embora esse acometimento seja frequente, seu reconhecimento costuma ser demorado porque seus sinais e sintomas são inespecíficos e tardios. Esse reconhecimento tardio, ou mesmo a falta de reconhecimento, é acentuado porque os exames diagnósticos usados para a avaliação da musculatura respiratória não são plenamente conhecidos e disponíveis. Usando diferentes métodos, a avaliação da força muscular ventilatória é feita para a fase inspiratória e expiratória. Os métodos usados dividem-se em volitivos (que exigem compreensão e colaboração do paciente) e não volitivos. Os volitivos, como a medida da pressão inspiratória e expiratória máximas, são os mais empregados por serem facilmente disponíveis. Os não volitivos dependem da estimulação magnética do nervo frênico associada a medida da pressão inspiratória na boca, no esôfago ou transdiafragmática. Finalmente, outro método que vem se tornando frequente é a ultrassonografia diafragmática. Acreditamos que o pneumologista envolvido nos cuidados a pacientes com doenças respiratórias deve conhecer os exames usados na avaliação da musculatura ventilatória. Por isso, o objetivo do presente artigo é descrever as vantagens, desvantagens, procedimentos de mensuração e aplicabilidade clínica dos principais exames utilizados para avaliação da força muscular ventilatória.

Avaliação do desempenho de diferentes interfaces para ventilação não invasiva em modelo mecânico simulando paciente com DPOC / Performance of different interfaces for noninvasive ventilation (NPPV) in a lung model simulating a COPD patient

Ventilação mecânica não invasiva (VNI) é medida de suporte ventilatório comumente utilizada em pacientes com Doença Pulmonar Obstrutiva Crônica (DPOC). O objetivo deste estudo é comparar o desempenho de três interfaces para VNI em termos de sincronia paciente-ventilador. Utilizamos um simulador mecânico de pulmão alimentado e acoplado a uma cabeça de manequim para simular um paciente com DPOC em VNI. Três máscaras com volumes internos de 366, 550 e 1500 mL foram testadas. Os resultados mostraram que as máscaras com menor volume interno tiveram menor vazamento e consequentemente melhor sincronia com o simulador, com atraso de disparo mais curto (131 e 128ms vs 153ms) e aceleração de fluxo mais rápida (138 e 143ms vs 161ms). Concluímos que o tipo de interface usado para VNI tem impacto na sincronia e sua escolha pode ser guiada pela maior necessidade de aliviar o trabalho respiratório.

Noninvasive ventilation (NPPV) is frequently used in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The aim of this study is to compare the performance of three NPPV interfaces interms of patient-ventilator synchrony. We used a lung simulator attached to a mannequin head to simulate a COPD patient on NPPV. Three interfaces with inner volumes of 366, 550 and 1500 mL were tested. Results showed that the interface with larger inner volume had higher air leakage, while smaller inner volume interfaces had better synchrony with the simulator, with shorter trigger delay (131 e 128ms vs 153ms) and faster flow acceleration (138 e 143ms vs 161ms). We conclude that the type of interface used for NPPV has an impact on synchrony, and the choice of the interface may be based on the need to or unload respiratory muscles.