Phase II trial of 10 deaza-aminopterin in patients with bladder cancer

Summary Deaza-aminopterin is a folate analog which is transported more rapidly than methotrexate into cells and appears to be more active than methotrexate against human and animal tumor in vitro. Fifteen patients with advanced urothelial tract cancer were given deaza-aminopterin 30–37.5 mg/m² IV QW. In responding patients drug was given QOW after 4–6 consecutive doses. Doses were escalated or de-escalated by 7.5 mg/m² depending on toxicity. Twelve patients had received prior chemotherapy which included methotrexate in nine. Three patients achieved a partial remission lasting 1, 3, and 3 months respectively: all responders had previously failed methotrexate after an initial response to a methotrexate containing regimen. None of the six patients who were methotrexate naive responded to deaza-aminopterin; 3 subsequently received methotrexate without response. Mild mucositis was universal and in 5 was severe. Six patients had an increase in liver transaminases probably secondary to anti-folate hepatotoxicity. Other toxicities included diarrhea, nausea, skin rash and fever. Further studies are needed to define the precise efficacy of deaza-aminopterin in patients with urothelial tract cancers.     

Circulating immune complex levels in patients with schistosomiasis and complications

Circulating immune complexes (CIC), adult schistosome antibody, and total immunoglobulin concentrations were estimated in sera from 35 chronic Schistosoma mansoni patients with different infection intensities and different pathological complications. High CIC levels were present in about one-third (10/35) of the sera. Most of the patients (9/10) with elevated CIC levels also had hepatomegaly or hepatosplenomegaly. This finding is significant in the pathogenesis of schistosomal liver fibrosis and may also apply to other liver diseases, especially cirrhosis. No correlation was found between infection intensity as judged by stool egg counts and CIC levels. A reverse relationship was observed between the level of anti-adult worm IgG and CIC levels. CIC levels were elevated within 7 and 28 days after treatment in most patients. Hypergammaglobulinaemia was detected in most sera.     

SURGERY OF PERIURETERIC OBSTRUCTION IN 101 CHILDREN OVER ONE YEAR OF AGE

One hundred and one children over 1 year of age have had surgery for pelviureteric obstruction over an 11 year period. The common clinical features were abdominal pain, urinary infection or haematuria, but number presented as an incidental finding. Less commonly, the patients presented with an abdominal mass or with hypertension. The diagnosis was usually made on intravenous pyelography (IVP) but in the latter part of the series, renal nuclide scan (RNS) and ultrasonography (US) were preferred. Ninety–three patients had unilateral pyeloplasty, three had bilateral pyeloplasty and five had nephrectomy or heminephrectomy. Whereas initially nephrostomy drainage was used in the majority of patients after pyeloplasty, trend away from nephrostomy evolved in the latter part of the series. With experience, the incidence of postoperative complications was also reduced and there was reduction in the period of hospitalization. Clinical results were consistently satisfactory. Postoperative assessment after pyeloplasty was made by IVP and/or RNS and also US. A review of these investigations showed that RNS provided more factual information of the result when compared with the IVP.     

Actitud expectante en el síndrome del cascanueces

Nutcracker syndrome is caused by compression of the left renal vein between the aorta and the superior mesenteric artery where it passes in the fork formed at the bifurcation of these arteries. The phenomenon results in left renal venous hypertension. The syndrome is manifested by left flank and abdominal pain, with or without unilateral haematuria. The nutcracker syndrome has been treated in various ways. We report one case of the syndrome and discuss the place of surveillance in its management.     

Stimulation by mitogens and neuronal membranes of lymphocytes from patients with motor neurone disease

Stimulation of lymphocytes from motor neurone disease patients by either concanavalin A or PHA was shown to be significantly depressed relative to that from normal controls, as assayed by incorporation of [3H]thymidine or [3H]leucine or by glucose uptake. Corresponding significant differences were not shown by assays based upon incorporation of [3H]uridine or of lactate release. Lymphocytes from 4 out of 14 motor neurone disease patients showed a blastogenic response to membranes from rat spinal cord cells, compared with those from 0 out of 9 normal controls. These results not only suggest the possibility of an impaired cellular immune control in MND patients but also indicate the presence of lymphocytes sensitised specifically to neuronal membrane components.     

Comparative assays of the rpoB gene for identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated from patients in Sudan.

OBJECTIVES: To characterise mycobacterial clinical isolates based on amplification of the rpoB gene. SETTING: One hundred and thirty-five mycobacterial isolates cultured from suspected pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) patients were identified phenotypically. Molecular characterisation of the isolates was performed based on amplification of the rpoB gene, using duplex polymerase chain reaction (DPCR), PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and nested PCR-based sequence analysis techniques. RESULTS: The DPCR assay identified 129 of 135 (95.5%) clinical isolates as Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex species. Restriction enzyme analysis of the rpoB PCR product using Hind II identified 134 of the 135 (99.3%) isolates as M. tuberculosis complex, while nested PCR sequence analysis of the rpoB gene identified 133/133 examined isolates (100%) as M. tuberculosis species. No mycobacteria other than M. tuberculosis (MOTT) were detected among the studied isolates. CONCLUSION: DPCR, PCR/RFLP Hind II and nested PCR sequence analysis of the rpoB gene techniques showed comparable efficiency in the characterisation of Mycobacterium isolates. Nested PCR sequence analysis of the rpoB gene was superior to PCR/RFLP for characterisation of suspected M. tuberculosis isolates, while the DPCR technique showed less sensitivity. As PCR-RFLP requires less sophisticated laboratory facilities than nested PCR sequence analysis, it would be more appropriate to be adopted for accurate characterisation of mycobacteria in countries with a weak infrastructure.     

Characteristics of patients with congenital clasped thumb: a prospective study of 40 patients with the results of treatment

Purpose  Congenital clasped thumb is a deformity that is associated with heterogeneous congenital anomalies and it has been addressed in many congenital syndromes. The aim of this study was to diagnose and evaluate cases of clasped thumb as regards the associated congenital anomalies and syndromes, and evaluation of the results of treatment of such cases. Methods  A prospective study on 40 patients with 73 clasped thumbs was done. All the patients’ data regarding their personal, family, pregnancy and developmental histories were recorded. All the patients were exposed to thorough clinical and radiological examination and genetic assessment. The cases were classified using the Tsuyuguchi et al. (J Hand Surg [Am] 10:613–618, 1985) classification into three types. Conservative treatment was adopted in ten hands, and surgical treatment was performed for 28 hands in 17 patients, with an average follow-up of 26 months. Results  Positive consanguinity was recorded in 57.5% of cases. Associated anomalies were recorded in 77.5% of cases. Type I was the most common one, followed by type III and then type II. Conservative treatment is effective in type I cases when presented early, and all patients were satisfied with the results of surgical treatment. Conclusions  We reported associated anomalies which are to our knowledge have not mentioned before in the literature which include; congenital blindness, radial deviation of the index finger and ventricular septal defect. We found that 68% of the patients had associated syndromes, and this has not been mentioned before. In this study, we found that there were no difference between type II and type III clasped thumb as regards the pathological findings, severity, the operative procedures, the treatment protocol and the operative results. Properly planned treatment gives satisfactory results.