ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) account for less than 1% of all malignancies. Approximately 50% of the patients develop metastases with limited survival in the course of their disease. For those patients, palliative treatment aiming at symptom relief and improvement of quality of life is most important. However, data on symptom burden and palliative intervention are limited in STS patients. AIM: Our study evaluates the effectiveness of a palliative care intervention on symptom relief and quality of life in STS patients. DESIGN/SETTING: We retrospectively analysed 53 inpatient visits of 34 patients with advanced STS, admitted to our palliative care unit between 2012 and 2018. Symptom burden was measured with a standardised base assessment questionnaire at admission and discharge. RESULTS: Median disease duration before admission was 24 months, 85% of patients had metastases. The predominant indication for admission was pain, weakness and fatigue. Palliative care intervention led to a significant reduction of pain: median NRS for acute pain was reduced from 3 to 1 (p < 0.001), pain within the last 24 h from 5 to 2 (p < 0.001) and of the median MIDOS symptom score: 18 to 13 (p < 0.001). Also, the median stress level, according to the distress thermometer, was reduced significantly: 7.5 to 5 (p = 0.027). CONCLUSIONS: Our data underline that specialised palliative care intervention leads to significant symptom relief in patients with advanced STS. Further efforts should aim for an early integration of palliative care in these patients focusing primarily on the identification of subjects at high risk for severe symptomatic disease.
Subject(s)
Neoplasms , Sarcoma , Humans , Palliative Care , Quality of Life , Retrospective Studies , Sarcoma/complications , Sarcoma/therapy , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
Captive callitrichids are prone to developing intestinal problems. Their captive and natural diets differ enormously, and diet has been suggested to play a major role in wasting marmoset syndrome. Proteins in wheat, soy and milk are included in callitrichid diets of most colonies and have been linked to an immune reaction in Saguinus oedipus and Callithrix jacchus. In the present study of 23 males and females of the two species, wheat protein was tested but soy and milk products were excluded. One group had wheat and the other had rice in their diet. Blood samples and biopsies from the colon were taken. Results showed changes in the colon and an immune reaction to gliadin, a wheat protein related to coeliac disease in humans. A further immune reaction was also observed. Suggestions for further study and exclusion of cereal in the diet of these small, New World primates are discussed.
Subject(s)
Callithrix/physiology , Diet , Food Hypersensitivity/veterinary , Nutrition Disorders/veterinary , Saguinus/physiology , Triticum , Animals , Animals, Laboratory , Callithrix/immunology , Colon/immunology , Colon/physiology , Female , Food Hypersensitivity/immunology , Male , Nutritional Status , Oryza , Saguinus/immunology , Weight LossABSTRACT
The mortal cause of black-tufted-ear marmoset (Callithrix penicillata), living in a conservation unit of State Park of Serra da Tiririca-Niterói-RJ, Brasilien, has been investigated in 1995 based on different examinations realized in one animal. After clinical, light and electron microscopic investigations, herpesvirus infection was found to be the etiological agent of the disease.
