Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma-Associated Thrombosis: What Evidence?

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) disease is the second leading cause of mortality in cancer patients. In the general population, the annual incidence of a thromboembolic event is about 117 cases per 100,000 persons, but cancer increases this risk about fourfold, while in patients receiving chemotherapy and surgical treatment, it is about sevenfold. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common form of oral cancer and represents a multistep process in which environmental factors and genetic alterations are implicated. Thrombotic risk is considered empirically low in OSCC patients, although few data are available. Having limited information available may result in poor awareness of VTE prevention in OSCC, risking jeopardising the oncologic treatment and increasing the morbidity and mortality among these patients. In this paper, the topic of OSCC-associated thrombosis will be discussed.

Direct oral anticoagulants and therapeutic adherence: do not let your guard down.

BACKGROUND: Direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) and vitamin K antagonist drugs (VKA) are recommended for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation and for treatment of venous thromboembolism. Undoubtedly, DOAC have contributed to improve quality of life of these patients, but unfortunately, available 'real world' data show a very high variable compliance to DOAC. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: to evaluate predictors that adversely affect therapeutic adherence in patients naive naïve  to DOAC. METHODS AND POPULATION: this study was conducted on an outpatient population in oral anticoagulant therapy in a period between January 2019 and February 2020. Patients naiveto DOAC and treated for at least 6 months were enrolled. Non-Italian-speaking patients, cognitive or psychiatric disorders, refusal to participate or non-consent to the interview were exclusion criteria. A socio-demographic scale and the 8-item Morisky scale (MMAS-8) questionnaire assessed therapeutic adherence. RESULTS: One hundred two DOAC-naïve patients were selected from a population of 407 patients on the first visit at our centre. The population was homogeneously represented for gender (males 48%). The mean age was 79.5 years. Atrial fibrillation (65.7%) resulted the main reason for DOAC prescription and a polypharmacy was detected in 47.1% of the patients. Moreover, an optimal adherence to DOAC therapy was assessed in less than 30% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Polypharmacy, patient's isolation, such as a low education level were statistically associated with a low therapeutic adherence. Therapeutic adherence remains an unsolved problem for anticoagulated patient. To identify patients at higher risk of poor compliance and therapeutic failure and establish targeted care pathways is a priority.

Presençca de condiloma lata em criançcas com síilis / Presence of condyloma lata in children with syphilis

Introdução: doenças sexualmente transmissíveis são verdadeiras epidemias e a sífilis vem causando danos ao longo da história, só se comparando com a aids. Objetivo: relatar três casos de sífilis em crianças, com manifestação clínica inicial de condiloma lata. Método: relato de caso por revisão de prontuários de crianças acompanhadas no Hospital Infantil Nossa Senhora da Glória. Caso 1: L, 9 anos, masculino, lesão em região anal sugestiva de condiloma lata. Avaliação médico-legal não evidenciou sinais de abuso sexual. VDRL 1:128, FTA-Abs IgG positivo e IgM negativo, líquor normal com VDRL não-reator. Mãe com VDRL 1:8, FTA-Abs IgG positivo e IgM negativo. Caso 2: G, 5 anos, feminino, lesão condilomatosa perianal, suspeita de abuso sexual não comprovada por avaliação médico-legal. VDRL 1:256, líquor normal com VDRL não-reator. Não foi realizada sorologia materna Caso 3: K, 4 anos, feminino, lesão condilomatosa perianal. Avaliação médico-legal não mostrou sinais de abuso sexual. VDRL 1:256, FTA-Abs IgM reagente, líquor normal com VDRL não-reator. Não foi realizada sorologia materna. Nos três casos não houve confirmação da classificação da doença, se congênita ou adquirida. Conclusão: há poucos dados na literatura sobre condiloma lata em crianças e o diagnóstico constitui um desafio para o pediatra, pois pode ser confundido com condiloma acuminado do papiloma vírus, por este ser mais comum. Além da importância de reconhecer a lesão condilomatosa da sífilis, é necessário dar ênfase à realização adequada da assistência pré-natal, visando reduzir os casos de sífilis congênita.

Introduction: sexually transmitted diseases are a real epidemic and Syphilis has been historically provoking terrible harm; perhaps as much harm asaids. Objective: present three cases of syphilis in children, with initial clinical manifestation caused by condyloma lata. Method: case report extracted from children's medical handbooks at Hospital Infantil Nossa Senhora da Gloria. Case 1: L, nine years old, male, lesion at anal region suggesting condyloma lata. Sexual molestation not present according to medical evaluation. VDRL 1:128, FTA-Abs IgG positive and IgM negative, normal liquor with non-reactive VDRL. Mother with VDRL 1:8, FTA-Abs IgG positive and IgM negative. Case 2: Gnb, five years old, female, Condylomatosa lesion at perianal region; sexual molestation suspicion not confirmed according to medical evaluation. VDRL, 1:256, normal liquor with nonreactive VDRL. Maternal sorology not undertaken. Case 3: K, four years old, female, aspects of Condylomatosa lesion at perianal region. Sexual molestation not present according to medical evaluation. VDRL 1:256, FTA-Abs IgG reactive, normal liquor with non-reactive VDRL. Maternal sorology not undertaken. In all three cases, the classification of the disease, congenital or acquired, was not confirmed. Conclusion: there is not many information on the medical literature regarding condyloma lata in children. Hence, it becomes a challenge to pediatricians when diagnosing such disease, mainly because it may be confused with condyloma acuminado of papiloma virus ? this being more frequent. Besides the importance of recognizing the condylomatosa lesion of syphilis, it is necessary to emphasize an adequate pre-natal assistance, aiming the reduction of congenital syphilis.