Improved bronchodilation with levalbuterol compared with racemic albuterol in patients with asthma

Background: Racemic albuterol is an equal mixture of (R)-albuterol (levalbuterol), which is responsible for the bronchodilator effect, and (S)-albuterol, which provides no benefit and may be detrimental. Objective: We sought to compare 2 doses of a single enantiomer, levalbuterol (0.63 mg and 1.25 mg), and equivalent amounts of levalbuterol administered as racemic albuterol with placebo in patients with moderate-to-severe asthma. Methods: This was a randomized, double-blind, parallel-group trial. Three hundred sixty-two patients 12 years of age or older were treated with study drug administered by means of nebulization 3 times daily for 28 days. The primary endpoint was peak change in FEV₁ after 4 weeks. Results: The change in peak FEV₁ response to the first dose in the combined levalbuterol group was significantly greater compared with the combined racemic albuterol group (0.92 and 0.82 L, respectively; P = .03), with similar but nonsignificant results after 4 weeks (0.84 and 0.74 L, respectively). Improvement in FEV₁ was similar for levalbuterol 0.63 mg and racemic albuterol 2.5 mg and greatest for levalbuterol 1.25 mg. Racemic albuterol 1.25 mg demonstrated the weakest bronchodilator effect, particularly after chronic dosing. The greatest increase in FEV₁ was seen after levalbuterol 1.25 mg, especially in subjects with severe asthma. All active treatments were well tolerated, and β-adrenergic side effects after administration of levalbuterol 0.63 mg were reduced relative to levalbuterol 1.25 mg or racemic albuterol 2.5 mg. At week 4, the predose FEV₁ value was greatest in patients who received levalbuterol or placebo when compared with those who received racemic albuterol. The difference was more evident and was statistically significant in patients who were not receiving inhaled corticosteroids. Conclusion: Levalbuterol appears to provide a better therapeutic index than the standard dose of racemic albuterol. These results support the concept that (S)-albuterol may have detrimental effects on pulmonary function. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 1998;102:943-52.)     

Infectious diseases and immunological markers associated with patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma treated with rituximab

Background: The use of rituximab (RTX) is increasing, even in developing countries. It has become the first-line therapy or adjuvant to chemotherapy (CHOP; cyclophosphamide, hydroxydaunorubicin, oncovin and prednisone) for various diseases, including B cell lymphoma and autoimmune diseases.

Aim: We describe the infectious diseases and immunological markers associated with RTX treatment of patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).

Methods: Serum immunoglobulins were determined before and after intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) administration. Pneumo-23IgG-specific anti-pneumococcal antibodies were evaluated before and after vaccination. Immunophenotyping and lymphocyte proliferation were determined in the course of the treatment.

Results: Seven patients were followed and median age was 56.0?±?5.0?years (range, 41.9–71.6?years). At baseline, the mean level of IgG was 333.7?±?40.8?and IgM 40.9?±?11.3?mg/dL, respectively; immunoglobulin A and E (IgA and IgE) were under the limit of detection. Two patients had reduced or absent B cells and T cell subsets were at normal levels in five patients. All patients failed to mount an efficient post-vaccination immune response against hepatitis B virus, tetanus, diphtheria and against the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine. During RTX/CHOP treatment, human-IgG-immunoglobulin (IVIg) therapy was introduced in six patients after recurrent infections, including community-acquired pneumonia (85.7%), chronic sinusitis (85.7%) and gastroenteritis (42.9%).

Conclusion: Poor response against pneumococcal vaccines increases the susceptibility of respiratory diseases in these patients. In patients with NHL treated with RTX, the benefits achieved with IVIg replacement for the control of recurrent infectious diseases is of paramount importance. Clinicians dealing with monoclonal antibodies against cancer therapy, especially RTX, should be aware of the increasing risks for symptomatic induced hypogammaglobulinemia and respiratory infections.     

Establishing Safety with Patients with Dissociative Identity Disorder

Abstract

The incidence of self-mutilation and suicidality among patients with dissociative disorders is quite high. It is necessary for clinicians working with this population to be adept at dealing with safety problems. This article presents a sequence of basic steps that can be used when helping dissociative patients establish safety, a discussion of the functions of self-destructiveness, and an overview of specific experiences and thinking patterns that contribute to self-destructiveness among dissociative patients.     

Gynecomastia with marked cellular atypia associated with chemotherapy

Gynecomastia is a common benign male breast disease, which may exhibit mild cellular atypia in cytology specimens. However, marked cytologic atypia can be seen in gynecomastia superimposed by chemotherapy. The case described in this report demonstrated severe cytologic atypia of gynecomastia mimicking carcinoma in a patient treated with chemotherapy for acute leukemia. A distinct cytologic feature helpful in avoiding the diagnostic error is described, namely, atypical cells admixed with bland ductal cells and appearing at a different plane. The importance of applying strict diagnostic criteria in breast cytology and clinical correlation is also emphasized.     

Intervention with epinephrine in hypotension associated with mastocytosis

The occurrence of the episodes of vasodilatory hypotension can be a life-threatening manifestation of systemic mastocytosis. This article describes the reversal by epinephrine of episodes of severe hypotension in two hospitalized patients with mastocytosis. Recognition of the efficacy of epinephrine in hypotension associated with mastocytosis can be important when other methods fail to restore hemodynamic stability.     

拉米夫定与泛昔洛韦联合治疗乙型肝炎病毒慢性感染的临床研究

目的 观察拉米夫定与泛昔洛韦联合治疗乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)慢性感染的临床疗效。方法 慢性乙型肝炎患者90例。设联合治疗组28例，单用拉米夫定组30例，单用泛昔洛韦组32例。联合治疗组给予口服拉米夫定0．1g／d(PO)，泛昔洛韦1．5g／d(PO)，24周。拉米夫定、泛昔洛韦单用组剂量及疗程分别同联合治疗组。结果 3组均无明显副反应，丙氨酸转氨酶(ALT)复常率无差异。3组HBV DNA阴转率分别为89．3％、66．7％、40．6％，差异有显著性。乙型肝炎表面抗原(HBeAg)阴转率分别为28．6％、23．3％、21．9％，差异无显著性。结论 拉米夫定与泛昔洛韦联合用药安全、耐受性好，临床显示联合治疗对HBV DNA的抑制作用显著优于单用药。     

Satellite RNA associated with bamboo mosaic potexvirus shares similarity with satellites associated with sobemoviruses

Summary A putative nonstructural protein encoded by a satellite RNA associated with bamboo mosaic potexvirus shares 46% identity with the capsid protein of satellite virus of panicum mosaic sobemovirus. The sequence similarity among satellite plant viruses which have no apparent relationship implies a common origin.     

Carcinomas with identical and with different specific antigens

Summary Immunological investigations demonstrated that certain human malignant neoplasms possess similar specific antigenic and immunogenic properties. On the other hand, there are tumors which have qualitatively different specific antigens. The immunological group to which the tumor belongs is not connected with localization of the tumor, its structure or blood group.Presented by Active Member of the AMN SSSR N. N. Zhukov-Verezhnikov