Abstract:Objective -Symptoms of small cell lung cancer (SCLC), along with the side-effects of treatment interventions (e.g. nausea and vomiting due to cytotoxic drugs), are supposed to influence negatively the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of the patients. An understanding of the determinants of SCLC patients' HRQoL could help health professionals in clinical decision making, screening and prediction of health outcomes. The aim of this review was to identify the health-related quality of life determining factors of patients with SCLC. Methods -A literature review in the PubMed database was conducted in relation to the clinical and sociodemographic determinants of SCLC patients' HRQoL. The extraction and evaluation of the studies was carried out, according to preset criteria, by two reviewers who worked independently. Results -Thirty-three publications were detected four of which met the inclusion criteria. The majority of the included studies were randomized trials. By the multivariate statistical analysis it was detected that negative influence on SCLC patients' HRQoL had the female gender (Wald Chi-Square=7.86, p=0.005), the quite a bit or very much tiredness (χ 2 =28.54, p<0.001), the walking difficulty (χ 2 =31.80, p<0.001) and the presence of dyspnea (χ 2 =47.52, p<0.001). Conclusions -Health professionals could pay more attention to the management of cancer-related fatigue and dyspnea as well as to the enhancement of patients' mobility through low-impact exercise programs or appropriate assistive devices.

Introduction Foot deformities and amputations are parameters that have been studied as risk factors for diabetic foot ulceration (DFU). However, inclusion of “foot deformities” and “amputations” in a single, broad variable and with reference to the severity of these deformities, may better characterize subjects who are prone to develop DFU. Methods The objective of the study was the examination of amputative and non-amputative foot deformities severity as risk factor for DFU in relation with the other established risk factors. A cross-sectional and case-control study was conducted from October 2005 to November 2016. One hundred and thirty-four subjects with type 1 and 2 diabetes, with and without active foot ulcers, participated. A structured quantitative interview guide was used. Univariate logistic regression analysis for the literature's established risk factors was performed, as well as for two versions of the “amputative and non-amputative foot deformities severity” variable. Subsequently, multivariate logistic regression analysis (MLRA) for three models and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were carried out. Results From the MLRA, only PAD (peripheral arterial disease) was significant (OR 3.56, 95% CI 1.17-10.82, P=0.025 and OR 3.33, 95% CI 1.02-10.08, P=0.033). Concerning the ROC curve analysis of the models, the one with the three categories amputative and non-amputative foot deformities severity variable, had the greatest area under the ROC curve (0.763, P<0.001). Conclusion A united variable for lower extremity amputations and other foot deformities with reference to their severity, could be more helpful to the clinicians in identifying patients with diabetes at risk for foot ulceration.