Impact of Socioeconomic Characteristics and Comorbidities on Therapy Initiation and Outcomes of Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma: Real-World Data From a Resource-Constrained Setting

BackgroundOutcomes of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) in developing regions have not paralleled those in developed settings. Economic disadvantage, comorbidities, and aggressive disease behavior play competing roles on defining outcomes. Our aim was to analyze the impact of socioeconomic characteristics and comorbidities on therapy initiation, drug selection, and survival outcomes of NDMM in a resource-constrained setting.Patients and MethodsThis retrospective single-center cohort included ≥ 18-year-old NDMM patients from January 2006 to December 2018.ResultsA total of 245 patients were included with a median age of 62 years, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status ≤ 2 in 70.2%, International Staging System score ≥ 2 in 89.4%, and high-risk disease in 31.6%. Comorbidities were reported in 69.4%, and Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) was ≥ 2 in 64.1%. A total of 87.4% (n = 214) received thalidomide-, alkylating-, and bortezomib-based induction in 67.8%, 18.2%, and 13.1%. Patient-related factors including performance status, comorbidities, and CCI, but not myeloma-related factors, were associated with a decreased likelihood of initiating induction therapy. On multivariate analysis, CCI ≥ 2 remained statistically significant (odds ratio, 5.81; P = .005). Overall survival was 44 months. Although both patient- and myeloma-related factors were associated with a decreased overall survival, only International Staging System score > 2 (hazard ratio, 3.53; P = .004) and induction without bortezomib-based regimens (hazard ratio, 4.45; P < .001) were statistically significant on multivariate analysis.ConclusionMyeloma- and treatment-related factors are the main determinants of survival in NDMM induction-eligible patients. Patient-related factors play a pivotal role determining access to therapy and survival outcomes. Comorbidity index and performance status were determinant on defining therapy initiation in this real-world population, which emphasizes the need to improve health baseline conditions in resource-constrained settings.     

Parathyroid conditions in childhood

This review of parathyroid surgery in children will briefly discuss parathyroid gland embryology and anatomy before focusing on the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and treatment of hyperparathyroidism in children. Hyperparathyroidism (HPT) is the overproduction of PTH and it is rare in children, with an incidence of 2-5 per 100,000. This rarity means that the principles of caring for children with parathyroid disease are largely extrapolated from the richer adult experience; however, the unique pediatric aspects of parathyroid problems and their surgical treatment, including presentation, imaging, operative approach, and complications, will be considered.     

Measurement of glucose and fructose in clinical samples using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

Objective:The impact of increased fructose consumption on carbohydrate metabolism is a topic of current interest, but determination of serum level has been hindered due to low concentration and interference from serum glucose. We are reporting a method for the quantification of glucose and fructose in clinical samples using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The accuracy and precision of GC/MS and an enzymatic assay were compared.Design and methods:Mass spectrometry fragmentation patterns of methyloxime peracetate derivatized aldose and ketose were determined. Unique fragments for glucose and fructose were used for quantitative analysis using isotope labeled recovery standards.Results:Methyloxime peracetate derivatives of glucose and fructose showed characteristic loss of acetate (M-60) or ketene (M-42) under chemical ionization (CI). Under electron impact (EI) ionization, a unique C1–C2 fragment of glucose was formed, while a C1–C3 fragment was formed from keto-hexoses. These unique fragments were used in the quantitative assay of glucose and fructose in clinical samples. In clinical samples, the GC/MS assay has a lower limit of detection than that of the enzymatic assay. In plasma samples from patients evaluated for diabetes the average serum glucose and fructose were 6.19 ± 2.72 mM and 46 ±  25.22 μM. Fructose concentrations in many of these samples were below the limit of detection of the enzymatic method.Conclusion:Derivatization of aldose and ketose monosaccharides to their respective O-methyloxime acetates for GC/MS analysis is a facile method for determination of serum/plasma glucose and fructose samples.     

青蒿琥酯增敏对宫颈癌HeLa细胞裸鼠移植瘤凋亡的影响

目的探讨青蒿琥酯增敏对宫颈癌HeLa细胞裸鼠移植瘤凋亡的影响。方法建立裸鼠移植瘤模型,待移植瘤体积平均增至大约（5 mm×5 mm×5 mm）,将裸鼠随机分为对照组、单药组、单照组和联合组,单药组和联合组每只裸鼠给予青蒿琥酯100 mg.kg^-1.d^-1,对照组和单照组每只裸鼠给予等体积生理盐水,处理7 d,第7 d给药后单照组和联合组立即给予一次性^60Coγ射线10Gy照射,照后观察14 d,14 d后剥瘤,TUNEL法检测移植瘤组织中细胞的凋亡。结果联合组裸鼠移植瘤瘤质量较单照组明显减小[（0.64±0.11）g vs（1.31±0.58）g]（P〈0.05）,抑瘤率达71.17%。联合组移植瘤组织中细胞凋亡数较单照组显著增大[（77.5±8.07）vs（48.80±6.71）]（P〈0.05）。结论青蒿琥酯能明显增加HeLa细胞裸鼠移植瘤对射线的放射敏感性,作用机制与其增强射线诱导移植瘤组织中细胞凋亡有关。