Ting-Ting Yen1,2, Ching-Heng Lin3, Rong-San Jiang1,4, Yi-Ting Shih5, Hung-Rong Yen6,7, Kai-Li Liang1,2,8. 1. Department of Otolaryngology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. 2. Graduate Institute of Natural Healing Sciences, Nanhua University, Chiayi, Taiwan. 3. Department of Medical Research, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. 4. School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan. 5. Department of Radiation Oncology, Saint Martin De Porres Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan. 6. Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Department of Medical Research and Department of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. 7. School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan. 8. School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to assess the incidence of late-onset pneumonia in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) after radiotherapy. METHODS: Data were retrieved from the National Health Institute Research Database of Taiwan. We identified patients diagnosed with NPC (International Classification of Disease 9th revision-Clinical Modification [ICD-9-CM] code 147) from January 2005 to December 2008 who received curative radiotherapy as the study cohort. Incidences of pneumonia and related sequelae after 90 days of radiotherapy were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 3814 patients were enrolled in this study and 210 (5.5%) had late-onset pneumonia. The correlation coefficient between pneumonia and tube feeding was 0.332 (p < .001). The hazard ratio of pneumonia was 0.81 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.57-1.15) between patients with and without chemotherapy, and was 2.37 (95% CI = 1.73-3.24) between patients with and without re-radiation. CONCLUSION: Late-onset pneumonia is not uncommon in patients with NPC after radiotherapy. The risks of associated sequelae and mortality cannot be ignored.
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to assess the incidence of late-onset pneumonia in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) after radiotherapy. METHODS: Data were retrieved from the National Health Institute Research Database of Taiwan. We identified patients diagnosed with NPC (International Classification of Disease 9th revision-Clinical Modification [ICD-9-CM] code 147) from January 2005 to December 2008 who received curative radiotherapy as the study cohort. Incidences of pneumonia and related sequelae after 90 days of radiotherapy were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 3814 patients were enrolled in this study and 210 (5.5%) had late-onset pneumonia. The correlation coefficient between pneumonia and tube feeding was 0.332 (p < .001). The hazard ratio of pneumonia was 0.81 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.57-1.15) between patients with and without chemotherapy, and was 2.37 (95% CI = 1.73-3.24) between patients with and without re-radiation. CONCLUSION: Late-onset pneumonia is not uncommon in patients with NPC after radiotherapy. The risks of associated sequelae and mortality cannot be ignored.