Page 125 - Portuguese Journal - SPORL - Vol 61. Nº1

Figure 2
Time intervals analyzed in this study

Interval of time or duration of symptoms: between the onset of symptoms and the first medical evaluation.
Interval of time until referral: between the first medical evaluation and referral and evaluation by an otorhinolaryngologist.
Interval of time from evaluation by an otorhinolaryngologist to histological diagnosis.
Interval of time from histological diagnosis to the start of treatment.
∆t – time interval.

onset until the date of the first medical was a higher degree of functional capacity
evaluation. Assistance-related delay was the (measured by the Karnofsky index) among
interval of time between the first medical patients in Group B than in those in Group A
evaluation and beginning of treatment. (A=8; B=9) (p=0.035). There were no statistically
significant differences between the two
Statistical analysis: groups in the remaining analyzed parameters
Descriptive analysis was performed, with the (Table 1).
results expressed as means (M) and standard
deviations (SD) for continuous variables with Clinical presentation and type of tumor
a normal distribution, and as medians and The most frequent presenting symptoms
interquartile ranges (IQR) for those with a were odynophagia in Group A (24.7%) and
non-normal distribution. The categorical dysphonia in Group B (33.0%). More than half of
variables were presented as the number of the patients in both groups (A=50.6%; B=54.0%)
cases (n) and percentages. For the bivariate were initially evaluated at the emergency
analysis, the categorical variables were department. There was no difference in
compared using the chi-square test or Fisher’s the location of the first medical evaluation
exact test, while the continuous variables between the pre- and post-pandemic periods
were compared using the Mann-Whitney (p=0.905). The most frequent tumor site was
test or t-test for independent variables. SPSS ® the larynx (A=28.5%; B=32.0%) and squamous
software, version 25.0, was used and the level cell carcinoma was the most prevalent
of statistical significance was set at p<0.05. histological type (A=84.4%; B=86.0%).

Results Tumor clinical staging
Characterization of the sample With regard to the tumor clinical staging, most
The study included 177 patients, with 153 men patients had a locally advanced-stage tumor
(86.4%) and 24 women (13.6%). Their age at or a metastatic tumor (stage III or IV) (Group
diagnosis varied between 28 and 98 years (M A=76%; Group B=85.2%). The post-COVID-19
± SD 62.7 ± 13.0 years). Seventy-seven patients group had a higher proportion of patients in
started treatment before the COVID-19 stage III (A=8.0%; B=18.9%) (p=0.04) and stage
pandemic - Group A (43.5%) and 100 patients IVB (A=8.0%; B=24.2%) (p=0.005). In the post-
started treatment after the beginning of COVID-19 group, the proportion of patients
the pandemic - Group B (56.5%). There with advanced tumor extension (T3 or T4) was

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