Use of ibritumomab tiuxetan anti-CD20 radioimmunotherapy in a non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patient previously treated with a yttrium-90-labeled anti-CD22 monoclonal antibody

Ibritumomab tiuxetan is a novel radioimmunotherapeutic agent that has a high response rate in relapsed or chemotherapy-refractory CD20+ B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Whereas chemotherapy agents can successfully be used multiple times in a given patient, there are few data on the repeated use of radioimmunotherapy in terms of efficacy or morbidity, and no reports as yet involving radioconjugates that target different antigens We report on a patient who was treated successfully with yttrium-90-labeled humanized anti-CD22 monoclonal antibody (90Y-epratuzumab). Upon relapse 3 years later, the patient was treated again with radioimmunotherapy consisting of 90Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, with a good response and acceptable bone marrow suppression. This case report demonstrates the potential for repeated treatments with radioimmunotherapy agents in patients with chemotherapy-refractory non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.     

Metformin treatment of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome undergoing in vitro fertilization improves outcomes and is associated with modulation of the insulin-like growth factors

OBJECTIVE: To determine if metformin therapy improves in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes in patients with clomiphene-resistant polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). DESIGN: Retrospective data analysis of selective groups of patients. SETTING: A private IVF unit. PATIENT(S): Forty-six women with clomiphene citrate-resistant PCOS underwent 60 cycles of IVF embryo transfer with intracytoplasmic sperm injection. INTERVENTION(S): In half of the cycles, patients received metformin (1000 to 1500 mg) daily, starting the cycle prior to gonadotropin treatment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Total number of follicles; serum estradiol (E2) on the day of hCG administration and the cycle's E2 maximum; total number of oocytes, mature oocytes, embryos, fertilization, and pregnancy rates; and follicular fluid levels of insulin-like growth factors (IGF-I, IGF-II) and IGF-binding proteins (IGFBP-1, IGFBP-3). RESULT(S): In patients treated with metformin, the total number of follicles on the day of hCG treatment was decreased (23 +/- 1.2 vs. 33 +/- 2.6) with no change in follicles > or = 14 mm in diameter (21 +/- 1.2 vs. 25 +/- 1.7). Metformin treatment did not affect the mean number of oocytes retrieved (22 +/- 1.9 vs. 20.3 +/- 1.5). However, the mean number of mature oocytes (18.4 +/- 1.5 vs. 13 +/- 1.5) and embryos cleaved (12.5 +/- 1.5 vs. 5.9 +/- 0.9) were increased after metformin treatment. Fertilization rates (64% vs. 43%) and clinical pregnancy rates (70% vs.30%) were also increased. Metformin led to modulation of preovulatory of follicular fluid IGF levels with increases of IGF-I (140 +/- 8 vs. 109 +/- 7ng/mL) and decreased of IGFBP-1 (133 +/- 8 vs.153 +/- 9ng/mL). CONCLUSION(S): Metformin use appears to improve IVF outcomes in patients with clomiphene citrate-resistant PCOS.     

慢性乙肝患者肝组织纤维化程度与HBV-DNA复制水平的相关性研究

目的:探讨HBV-DNA复制水平与肝纤维化之间的相关性。方法:对210例慢性乙型肝炎患者进行HBV-DNA和肝纤维化血清学标志透明质酸(HA)、层粘蛋白(LN)、III型前胶原(PCIII)、IV型胶原(IV-C)进行定量检测。应用SPSS10.0统计软件对结果数据进行分析处理。结果:随慢性乙肝临床类型的加重,肝纤维化血清学标志逐渐升高(P<0.01),而肝纤维化血清学标志与HBV复制水平呈正相关(P<0.05);结论:HBV复制水平与肝纤维化之间呈正相关。     

秦艽醇提取物抗炎镇痛作用的实验研究

目的:研究秦艽醇提取物的抗炎及镇痛作用。方法:采用二甲苯致小鼠耳廓肿胀,角叉菜胶致大鼠足趾肿胀及冰醋酸致小鼠扭体反应,观察秦艽醇提物的抗炎及镇痛作用。结果:秦艽醇提物能降低二甲苯炎症模型小鼠的耳廓肿胀度(P<0.01),对角叉菜胶模型大鼠的急性炎症有一定的抑制作用,从第3小时起足趾容积和肿胀度与模型组比较具有统计学意义(P<0.05),秦艽醇提物还能提高小鼠的痛阈,减少冰醋酸致小鼠扭体次数,与模型组比较具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:秦艽醇提物对二甲苯及角叉菜胶所致的炎症具有一定的抑制作用,同时具有明显的镇痛作用。     

Inactivation of purified human alpha 2-antiplasmin and purified human C1 inhibitor by synthetic fibrinolytic agents

3-Hydroxypropyl flufenamide (Flu-HPA) is one of a series of flufenamic acid derivatives that enhances blood clot lysis in vitro. Studies of possible mechanisms of action of Flu-HPA were undertaken. The profibrinolytic activity of Flu-HPA in clot lysis assays was found to be dependent on plasminogen. The influence of Flu-HPA on the ability of purified alpha 2-antiplasmin to inhibit purified plasmin was studied. Plasmin activity was determined using 125I-fibrin plates or the spectrophotometric tripeptide substrate, Val-Leu-Lys-paranitroanilide. At Flu-HPA concentrations greater than 1 mM, the inhibitory activity of alpha 2-antiplasmin was abolished in a time-dependent and concentration- dependent manner. The influence of Flu-HPA on the ability of purified Cl inhibitor to inhibit purified plasma kallikrein and beta-Factor XIIa was also studied. Cl inhibitor activity was abolished by Flu-HPA at concentrations greater than 2 mM. Notably, Flu-HPA up to 60 mM did not affect the amidolytic activities of plasmin, kallikrein, or beta-Factor XIIa. Flu-HPA did not release enzyme activity from preformed complexes of either alpha 2-antiplasmin and plasmin of Cl inhibitor and kallikrein. A water-soluble derivative of flufenamic acid, N-flufenamyl- glutamic acid, also inactivated alpha 2-antiplasm and Cl inhibitor. This inactivation was shown to be reversible. These results indicate that synthetic fibrinolytic compounds such as flufenamic acid derivatives may promote fibrinolysis by directly inactivating alpha 2- antiplasmin and Cl inhibitor.