Cisplatin and carboplatin: a guide to administration

This article highligts some of the issues associated with the administration of cytotoxic chemotherapy agents. As can be seen, the practical aspects of drug preparation and administration, and the toxicities associated with these two drugs vary greatly (Table2), despite their structural similarities. The potential harm which can be caused by the administration of these drugs without a prior knowledge of these factors cannot be over emphasized. It is hoped that this and subsequent articles can provide some insight into the administration of such agents, but their safe administration is only really possible under the guidance of experienced personnel. Hopefully, this fact will be recognized and all hospitals where cytotoxic chemotherapy is administered will employ suitably trained health professional and pharmacists.     

Immunomodulation of the Anti-Islet CD8 T Cell Response by B7-2

The absence of diabetes in NOD mice devoid of B7-2 signifies a critical role played by B7-2 in promoting autoimmunity. We asked whether the CD8 T cell compartment is impacted by the absence of B7-2. We found significantly lower expansion of anti-islet CD8 T cells in B7-2KO mice, although their survival and activation states remained unchanged in the pancreatic lymph nodes (PLNs). CD8 T cells from B7-2KO mice exhibited significantly diminished effector function compared to NOD mice. Adoptive transfer experiments using in vitro activated anti-islet CD8 T cells showed that B7-2 does not control the effector phase of the autoreactive CD8 T cell response. Our data indicate that B7-2 promotes pancreatic autoimmunity by controlling CD8 T cell expansion and effector function, but is dispensable for CD8 T cell activation, survival, and the effector phase of anti-islet CD8 T cell response.     

Incidence and Characteristics of Appropriate and Inappropriate Therapies in Recipients of ICD Implanted for Primary Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death

Background: We evaluated the number of appropriate and inappropriate therapies for ventricular tachyarrhythmias and trigger mechanisms in 55 MADIT II (MII)-like (group 1) and 86 SCD-HeFT-like (group 2) patients.
Methods and Results: We analyzed 399 appropriate episodes in 31 patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) implanted according to the MII trial indications, and 502 appropriate episodes in 47 patients matching the SCD-HeFT trial criteria (mean follow-up in both groups = 33 ± 19 months). In group 1, 39 treated episodes were inappropriate (9% of all episodes), while in group 2, 76 episodes were treated inappropriately (15% of all episodes). At least one episode of inappropriate ICD therapy was recorded in 18% of patients in group 1 (n = 10) and in 22% of patients in group 2 (n = 19).
Conclusions: Our study supports the implantation of ICD as primary prevention in patients who are at risk of sudden cardiac death, although the proportion of inappropriate ICD interventions remains high.