组合式连续性静脉-静脉血液滤过-胆红素吸附系统在高胆红素血症治疗中的应用

目的:观察组合式连续性静脉-静脉血液滤过(CVVH)-胆红素吸附治疗高胆红素血症患者的临床疗效与安全性,并与传统血浆分离灌流治疗进行对比。方法:16例高胆红素血症患者,共接受55例次胆红素吸附治疗,所有患者首次治疗均采用常规血浆分离后灌流(常规法),血流量100～120ml/min,血浆分离速度30～40ml/min;其后采用组合式CVVH-胆红素吸附治疗(组合法),血流量200～250ml/min,血浆分离速度90ml/min;分离血浆成分经CVVH血滤器(AV600)滤过,超滤率66ml/min,浓缩血浆成分再经BRS-350吸附柱吸附后回输体内。同时应用前稀释方式在EC40W血浆成分分离器前输入碳酸氢盐置换液(4000ml/h)。治疗时间均为8h。治疗中检测治疗前、后血生化和凝血四项,及治疗开始后0.5h,2h,4h,6h及8h血浆分离器前、吸附柱BRS-350前后血及血浆生化。记录患者临床生命体征。同时进行单次治疗前、后急性生理功能和慢性健康状况评分(APACHE)II、Glasgow昏迷评分及肝功能MELD评分。结果:常规法单次治疗后总胆红素(TBL),直接胆红素(DBL),间接胆红素(IDBL),总胆汁酸(TBA)下降率分别为(46.1±8.3)%,(47.3±8.0)%,(40.7±24.8)%,(36.5±5.2)%,组合式CVVH-胆红素吸附单次治疗后TBL,DBL,IDBL,TBA下降率分别为(54.4±5.2)%,(54.2±5.3)%,(63.8±7.2)%,(47.6±14.7)%。常规法治疗开始后0.5h,2h,4h对TBL清除率分别为(22.3±2.2)ml/min,(12.2±4.4)ml/min,(9.0±2.8)ml/min;组合法对应的时间对TBL的清除率分别为(28.7±13.1)ml/min,(21.9±9.1)ml/min,(16.1±4.3)ml/min,至治疗结束时,两种方法对TBL清除率分别为(8.3±3.0)ml/min,(9.3±4.1)ml/min。两种方法对TBL,DBL,IDBL的清除率(ml/min)均随时间呈下降趋势。常规法单次治疗后总蛋白(TP),白蛋白(ALB)较治疗前降低,活化的部分凝血活酶时间(APTT),凝血酶原时间(PT),国际标准化比值(INR)均较治疗前延长。组合法单次治疗后血尿素氮(BUN),血清肌酐(SCr),谷丙转氨酶(ALT),谷草转氨酶(AST)均有下降,对TP,ALB,凝血功能无影响。组合法治疗后患者收缩压、心率,临床APACHEII有所改善,MELD评分改善显著。患者ICU30d存活率达69%,出院存活率56%。两种方法治疗过程中患者生命体征平稳,无不良事件发生。结论:组合式CVVH-胆红素吸附疗法是一种新型有效的人工肝支持治疗。可显著降低患者胆红素水平,改善生化检查指标及部分临床症状,且患者耐受性好。相较血浆分离灌流方法(常规法),其对患者的白蛋白及凝血功能无影响,且可改善患者APACHEII及肝功能MELD评分,是一种值得在临床推广应用的人工肝支持疗法。     

Combined therapy for patients with mycosis fungoides.

In a comprehensive mycosis fungoides program, 60 patients have been seen with a pathologic diagnosis of this disease. Forty-four patients with advanced disease were referred for radiation therapy. Three treatment techniques were identified in which 14 patients were treated with localized fields using electrons or whole-body electron-beam therapy with doses of less than 3000 rads, 21 patients were treated using the Stanford technique with tissue doses of between 3000 and 4000 rads, and nine patients were treated with six cycles of mechlorethamine, vincristine, prednisone, and procarbazine or cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisone, and procarbazine following the electron-beam therapy. The actuarial survival rate was 45% at 1 year for the 14 patients with localized electron-beam therapy, whereas the actuarial survival rates were 83% for patients treated with whole-body electron-beam therapy and 100% for patients treated with whole-body electron-beam therapy followed by four-drug chemotherapy. The recurrence-free interval for these three groups correlates with these observations. A central nervous system recurrence has been observed in the combined-therapy group.     

Combined helium-neon laser therapy in patients with ischemic heart disease

The paper describes the combined helium-neon-laser (HNL) therapy (intravenous and topical) developed by the authors to treat patients with coronary heart disease. A high efficacy of this therapy mode was demonstrated in patients over 70 years of age with Functional Classes III-IV angina refractory to antianginal agents. The mechanisms responsible for therapeutic efficiency of laser irradiation were studied at the membraneous and cellular levels. There is evidence that the combined HNL-therapy had advantages over topical HNL exposure in terms of higher clinical efficiency and patterns of abnormal chemical changes.     

Serious bacterial infections in patients with rheumatoid arthritis under anti-TNF-alpha therapy

OBJECTIVE: With rising numbers of anti-tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) treatments for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Crohn's disease and other conditions, physicians unaware of potential pitfalls are increasingly likely to encounter associated severe infections. Our purpose was to assess the incidence and nature of severe infections in our RA patients under anti-TNF-alpha therapy. METHODS: We reviewed patient charts and records of the Infectious Disease Unit for serious infections in patients with RA in the 2 yr preceding anti-TNF-alpha therapy and during therapy. RESULTS: Serious infections affected 18.3% of patients treated with infliximab or etanercept. The incidence was 0.181 per anti-TNF-alpha treatment year vs 0.008 in the 2 yr preceding anti-TNF-alpha therapy. In several cases, only a few signs or symptoms indicated the severity of developing infections, including sepsis. CONCLUSIONS: A high level of suspicion of infection is necessary in patients under anti-TNF-alpha therapy. We suggest additional strategies for the prevention, rapid identification and pre-emptive therapy of such infections.     

Opportunistic infections in patients with inflammatory bowel disease undergoing immunosuppressive therapy

Immunosuppressive agents (azathioprine, methotrexate) are increasingly being used in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. The use of immunosuppressive agents is associated with a greater risk of opportunistic infections, the most frequent of which are those caused by cytomegalovirus and varicella zoster virus. We present four cases of opportunistic infections due to Herpesviruses in patients undergoing immunosuppressive treatment with azathioprine for Crohn's disease. We also review the literature published on this topic. Two patients presented cutaneous varicella complicated by pneumonia and esophagitis respectively, one patient had cutaneous herpes zoster and the other had fatal pneumonia possibly caused by the Herpesvirus. In the first three the clinical course of the infection was favorable after withdrawing immunosuppressant treatment and initiating treatment with aziclovir. In patients Crohn's disease azathioprine treatment increases the risk of opportunistic infection by Herpesvirus. However, in the absence of other factors that increase immunosuppression, these infections usually have a benign course with specific antiviral therapy.     

Prevention and therapy of viral infections in patients with solid organ transplantation

Solid organ transplantation (SOT) is the best treatment option for end-stage organ disease. The number of SOT procedures has been steadily increasing worldwide during the past decades. This trend has been accompanied by the continuous incorporation of new antimicrobial drugs and by the refinement of strategies aimed at minimizing the risk of opportunistic infection. Nonetheless, viral infections, which can occur at any stage of the post-transplant period, remain a clinical challenge that negatively impacts both patient and graft outcomes. This review offers an overview of the most relevant viral infections in the SOT population, with a focus on herpesviruses (cytomegalovirus, Epstein–Barr virus, varicella-zoster virus, and herpes simplex virus 1 and 2) and polyomaviruses (human BK polyomavirus). In addition, the currently recommended prophylactic and treatment approaches are summarized, as well as the new antiviral agents in different phases of clinical development.     

Herpes virus infections in patients with neoplastic disease. Diagnosis and therapy

Herpes viruses are among the most common and troublesome opportunistic pathogens infecting patients with neoplastic diseases. The recent development of partially effective and relatively nontoxic antiviral agents offers promise for the prophylaxis or therapy of these infections in high-risk groups. Vidarabine and acyclovir have shown efficacy in several herpes virus infections and are now licensed in the United States. Alpha interferon may also be useful in the prophylaxis or early therapy of certain herpes virus infections. Newer antiviral agents and combination therapies are under study. Early and rapid diagnosis of such infections is critical to the development of effective therapy.