Background: Although the use of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) has resulted in improved survival in men with advanced prostate cancer, the resulting hypogonadism is associated with profound adverse effects comparable to those found in morbid obesity, being cardiovascular risk among the most lethal. Objectives: Evaluate metabolic syndrome, metabolic abnormalities and cardiovascular risk in patients with prostate cancer under ADT, not under ADT and morbid obese men. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that involves 79 men presenting prostate cancer, of whom 54 under ADT and 25 not under ADT and 91 morbidly obese patients paired by sex and age. To define metabolic syndrome, we used the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria. Metabolic abnormalities, metabolic markers and Framingham score to predict the ten year coronary heart disease risk were compared among patients under ADT, not under ADT and morbid obese. Results: Patients under ADT presented significantly greater occurrence of diabetes and central obesity and higher levels of total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (LDL) compared to eugonadal men. The mean cardiovascular risk was significantly higher in patients under ADT (39.97±12.53% vs. 26.09±14.80%; p=0.021). Morbidly obese subjects had increased ten year coronary heart disease risk; comparable to patients under ADT (p=0.054). Conclusion: This study suggests that patients under ADT show higher prevalence of metabolic abnormalities and cardiovascular risk similar to those found in morbidly obese subjects. It is possible that both processes share cardiovascular risk through metabolic syndrome.

Antecedentes: A pesar de que el uso de la terapia de privación de andrógenos (TPA) ha producido una mejora en la supervivencia de hombres con cáncer de próstata avanzado, el hipogonadismo resultante se asocia con efectos negativos acusados, comparables a los que se observan en la obesidad mórbida, estando el riesgo cardiovascular entre los más letales. Objetivos: Evaluar el síndrome metabólico, las anomalías metabólicas y el riesgo cardiovascular en pacientes con cáncer de próstata sometidos a TPA, sin TPA y con obesidad mórbida. Métodos: Se trata de un estudio transversal que incluye a 79 hombres con cáncer de próstata, de los cuales 54 están sometidos a TPA y en 25 está ausente esta terapia, incluyéndose también a 91 pacientes con obesidad mórbida agrupados por sexo y edad. Para definir el síndrome metabólico empleamos los criterios de la Federación Internacional de Diabetes (FID). Se compararon las anomalías metabólicas, los marcadores metabólicos y la puntuación Framingham entre los pacientes en terapia TPA, sin terapia TPA y con obesidad mórbida con el fin de predecir el riesgo de enfermedad coronaria a 10 años. Resultados: Los pacientes en terapia TPA presentaron una incidencia mucho mayor de diabetes y obesidad centralizada, así como mayores niveles de colesterol total y lipoproteínas de baja densidad (LBD), en comparación con los varones eugonadales. El riesgo cardiovascular medio fue significativamente superior en pacientes sometidos a TPA (39,97±12,53% vs. 26,09±14,80%; p=0,021). Los sujetos con obesidad mórbida tenían un mayor riesgo de enfermedad coronaria a 10 años, comparable a la de los pacientes sometidos a TPA (p=0,054). Conclusión: Este estudio apunta a que en los pacientes sometidos a TPA la preponderancia de anomalías metabólicas y riesgos cardiovasculares es mayor, siendo similar a la observada en sujetos con obesidad mórbida. Es posible que ambos procesos tengan en común el riesgo cardiovascular por vía de síndrome metabólico.

Os bisfosfonatos são um grupo de medicamentos utilizados no tratamento de doenças malignas metastáticas e em outras doenças ósseas como osteoporose e doença de Paget. A despeito dos seus benefícios, uma importante complicação denominada de osteonecrose dos maxilares vem sendo observada nos pacientes usuários crônicos dos bisfosfonatos que se caracteriza clinicamente por exposições ósseas na região maxilofacial persistente, acompanhadas de osteomielite, geralmente sintomáticas e cujo tratamento é complexo. Este estudo tem por objetivo revisar a literatura sobre a osteonecrose associada ao uso dos bisfosfonatos, em especial, em oncologia, no período de 2003 a 2008. Serão apresentados e discutidos os fatores de risco, aspectos etiopatogênicos, clínicos, imagenológicos, terapêuticos e preventivos desta doença. Devido à dificuldade de tratamento da osteonecrose associada aos bisfosfonatos, o foco deve ser a prevenção, sendo o ideal a eliminação de quadros infecciosos orais antes da terapia com os bisfosfonatos ter sido iniciada e minimizar traumas em boca após o uso destes medicamentos.

Bisphosphonates are drugs used in the treatment of malignant metastatic diseases and in other bone lesions such as osteoporosis and Paget´s disease. Besides their benefits, jaw osteonecrosis, an important side effect, has been observed in long-term users of these drugs. Jaw osteonecrosis is clinically characterized by prolonged maxillary and mandible bone exposure accompanied by osteomyelitis. These lesions are usually symptomatic and difficult to treat. This study has the objective of reviewing publications from 2003 to 2008 about bisphosphonate-associated jaw osteonecrosis, in particular in relation to oncology. Risk factors, and etiopathological, clinical, radiographic, therapeutic, and preventive aspects of this condition are presented and discussed. Due to the difficulty to treat this disease, the focus must be prevention, with the ideal therapy being the elimination of oral infections before treatment with bisphosphonates is initiated thereby attempting to minimize possible traumas to the mouth with the use of these medications.

This study compares the prevalence of complaints of insomnia, excessive diurnal sleepiness, parasomnias, and sleep habits of the adult population in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, estimated in surveys carried out in 1987 and 1995. Representative samples of 1000 adult residents per survey were interviewed using a validated structured sleep questionnaire, the "UNIFESP Sleep Questionnaire". Difficulty maintaining sleep, difficulty initiating sleep and early morning awakening, occurring at least three times a week, were reported in 1987 and 1995, by 15.8/27.6, 13.9/19.1, and 10.6/14.2% of the interviewees, respectively, significantly increasing throughout time. These sleep problems were more often found among women. Frequencies of excessive diurnal sleepiness and sleep attacks were unchanged comparing 1987 with 1995 (4.5 vs 3.8 and 3.1 vs 3.0%, respectively). Parasomnia complaints remained unchanged, with the exception of leg cramps, which doubled in prevalence from 1987 to 1995 (2.6 to 5.8%). Snoring was the most common parasomnia (21.5% in 1995), reported more often by men than by women, and somnambulism was the least common (approximately 1%). Besides sleeping slightly less, interviewees went to bed and woke up later in 1995. Approximately 12% of the subjects in both surveys had consulted a physician due to sleep problems and 3.0% reported habitual use of sleep-promoting substances in 1995. Overall, there was a significant increase in insomnia complaints from 1987 to 1995 in the general population of the city of São Paulo. This major change over a little under a decade should be considered as an important public health issue.