Eduardo Nani da Silva

Hypertension in Patients with Cancer

There is a known association between chemotherapy and radiotherapy for treatment of cancer patients and development or worsening of hypertension. The aim of this article is to review this association. A literature search was conducted for articles reporting this association on the databases PubMed, SciELO and LILACS between 1993 and 2013. There was a high coprevalence of hypertension and cancer, since both diseases share the same risk factors, such as sedentary lifestyle, obesity, smoking, unhealthy diet and alcohol abuse. The use of chemotherapy and adjuvant drugs effective in the treatment of cancer increased the survival rate of these patients and, consequently, increased the incidence of hypertension. We described the association between the use of angiogenesis inhibitors (bevacizumab, sorafenib and sunitinib), corticosteroids, erythropoietin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs with the development of hypertension. We also described the relationship between hypertension and carotid baroreceptor injury secondary to cervical radiotherapy. Morbidity and mortality increased in patients with cancer and hypertension without proper antihypertensive treatment. We concluded that there is need for early diagnosis, effective monitoring and treatment strategies for hypertension in cancer patients in order to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.

Tabagismo em pacientes internados em um hospital universitário

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and characteristics of smoking among inpatients at a university hospital, as well as to evaluate their motivation, interest, and need for help in quitting smoking. METHODS: A prospective study involving inpatients treated between May of 2008 and April of 2009 on the cardiovascular disease wards at the Antonio Pedro University Hospital, located in the city of Niteroi, Brazil. All inpatients were asked to complete a questionnaire designed to collect data regarding demographics, reasons for admission, and smoking status. The smokers also responded to additional questions regarding their smoking habits. The level of nicotine dependence was determined with the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence. RESULTS: Of the 136 inpatients who participated in the study, 68 (50.0%) were male. The mean age was 60.7 years. The prevalence of smoking was 13.2%. Among the 49 patients with coronary disease, 36 (73.5%) were smokers or former smokers. The majority of the patients presented with a high level of nicotine dependence and reported withdrawal symptoms during hospitalization. Although most smokers were motivated to quit smoking, they admitted that they needed help to do so. CONCLUSIONS: Because smoking is forbidden in the hospital environment and most inpatients who smoke are highly motivated to quit, health professionals should view the hospitalization period as an opportunity to promote smoking cessation.

Comparison of two smoking cessation interventions for inpatients

Objetivo: Comparar a eficácia de duas intervenções de cessação de tabagismo baseadas na terapia cognitivo-comportamental em pacientes internados e avaliar os fatores relacionados à recaída após a alta hospitalar. Métodos: Estudo prospectivo, randomizado, com 90 tabagistas internados em um hospital universitário. Foram coletados dados relacionados a características sociodemográficas, motivo da internação, doenças relacionadas ao tabagismo, carga tabágica, grau de dependência de nicotina (DN) e grau de fissura. Os pacientes foram distribuídos em dois grupos de tratamento: intervenção breve (InB; n = 45) e intervenção intensiva com apresentação de um vídeo educativo (InIV; n = 45). Para avaliar recaídas, todos os pacientes foram entrevistados por contato telefônico no primeiro, terceiro e sexto mês após a alta. A abstinência foi confirmada pela medida de monóxido de carbono no ar expirado (COex). Resultados: Dos 90 pacientes avaliados, 55 (61,1%) eram homens. A média de idade foi de 51,1 ± 12,2 anos. O grau de DN foi elevado em 39 (43,4%), e sintomas de abstinência estavam presentes em 53 (58,9%). A média de COex inicial foi de 4,8 ± 4,5 ppm. O COex se correlacionou positivamente com o grau de DN (r = 0,244; p = 0,02) e negativamente com o número de dias sem fumar (r = −0,284; p = 0,006). Não houve diferenças entre os grupos quanto a variáveis relacionadas com nível socioeconômico, carga tabágica ou internação. Dos 81 pacientes avaliados após 6 meses de segmento, 33 (40,7%) continuaram abstinentes (9 e 24 nos grupos InB e InIV, respectivamente; p = 0,001) e 48 (59,3%) recaíram (31 e 17 nos grupos InB e InIV, respectivamente; p = 0,001). O grau de fissura (moderado ou intenso) foi um fator de risco independente significativo para a recaída, com um risco relativo de 4,0 (IC95%: 1,5-10,7; p < 0,00001). Conclusões: A inclusão de um vídeo educativo provou ser eficaz na redução das taxas de recaída. O grau de fissura foi um fator de risco significativo para a recaída.

Cardiovascular effects of radiotherapy on the patient with cancer

The incidence of cancer (CA) has increased globally and radiotherapy (RT) is a vital component in its treatment. Cardiovascular injuries induced by RT in the treatment of thoracic and cervical CA have been causing problems in clinical practice for decades, and are among the most serious adverse effects of radiation experienced by the growing number of cancer survivors. This article presentes a review on the Lilacs, Scielo and Pubmed databases of the main cardiovascular injuries, their mechanisms, clinical presentations, treatments and prevention proposals. Injuries caused by RT include diseases of the pericardium, coronary artery disease, valvular disease, myocardial disease with systolic and diastolic dysfunction, conduction disorders, and carotid artery and great vessels disease. Thoracic and cervical irradiation increases cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Despite the great progress in the improvement of RT techniques, totally excluding prime areas of the cardiovascular system from the irradiation field is not yet possible. Guidelines must be created for monitoring, diagnosis and treatment of patients with CA treated with RT.

Relationship of Electromechanical Dyssynchrony in Patients Submitted to CRT With LV Lead Implantation Guided by Gated Myocardial Perfusion Spect

Background Heart failure (HF) affects more than 5 million individuals in the United States, with more than 1 million hospital admissions per year. Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) can benefit patients with advanced HF and prolonged QRS. A significant percentage of patients, however, does not respond to CRT. Electrical dyssynchrony isolated might not be a good predictor of response, and the last left ventricular (LV) segment to contract can influence the response. Objectives To assess electromechanical dyssynchrony in CRT with LV lead implantation guided by GATED SPECT. Methods This study included 15 patients with functional class II-IV HF and clinically optimized, ejection fraction of 35%, sinus rhythm, left bundle-branch block, and QRS ≥ 120 ms. The patients underwent electrocardiography, answered the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ), and underwent gated myocardial perfusion SPECT up to 4 weeks before CRT, being reassessed 6 months later. The primary analysis aimed at determining the proportion of patients with a reduction in QRS duration and favorable response to CRT, depending on concordance of the LV lead position, using chi-square test. The pre- and post-CRT variables were analyzed by use of Student t test, adopting the significance level of 5%. Results We implanted 15 CRT devices, and 2 patients died during follow-up. The durations of the QRS (212 ms vs 136 ms) and the PR interval (179 ms vs 126 ms) were significantly reduced (p < 0.001). In 54% of the patients, the lead position was concordant with the maximal delay site. In the responder group, the lateral position was prevalent. The MLHFQ showed a significant improvement in quality of life (p < 0.0002). Conclusion CRT determines improvement in the quality of life and in electrical synchronism. Electromechanical synchronism relates to response to CRT. Positioning the LV lead in the maximal delay site has limitations.

Left Ventricular Involvement in Arrhythmogenic Dysplasia of the Right Ventricle

Mailing Address: Karine Betzel Reetz Rua Marquês de Paraná, 349, Centro, Niterói. Postal Code: 24030215. Rio de Janeiro, RJ – Brazil E-mail: kabetzel@gmail.com Left Ventricular Involvement in Arrhythmogenic Dysplasia of the Right Ventricle Karine Betzel Reetz, Marcelo Nacif, Eduardo Nani Silva, Wolney Martins, Humberto Villacorta Junior Universidade Federal Fluminense, Hospital Universitário Antônio Pedro, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, RJ – Brazil

The paradigm of systems biology applied to cardiovascular diseases

Based on individual analyses of the functional components of an organism, the Oslerian method shows signs of depletion when attempting to explain the pathophysiology of complex syndromes such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. This is why it is gradually being supplanted by a new paradigm: the methodology of biological systems. This new model strives to integrate knowledge in different modern research areas with the omics sciences and bioinformatics, in order to develop biological networks leading to a better understanding of these complex syndromes. The purpose of this review is to introduce clinical cardiologists and cardiovascular researchers a new tool called systems biology, showing how it integrates data from the omics sciences and its contribution to a new approach to cardiovascular disease. To date, a search of the Medline database has been conducted with the following key words in Portuguese and English: “biologia de sistemas”, “insuficiencia cardiaca”, “sindrome metabolica” e “arritmias cardiacas”; “systems biology”, “heart failure”, “metabolic syndrome” and “cardiac arrhythmias”. This led to the conclusion that systems biology must be used to an increasing extent for a better understanding of complex cardiovascular diseases such as metabolic syndrome, atherosclerosis, hypertension, heart failure and cardiac arrhythmias. Cardiologists, cardiovascular researchers, other healthcare practitioners and basic researchers in other fields of knowledge will build up closer links in a quest to identify health and disease network models that are now called network medicine.