Gemtuzumab ozogamicin with cytarabine and mitoxantrone as a third-line treatment in a poor prognosis group of adult acute myeloid leukemia patients: a single-center experience

We analyzed the safety and efficacy of gemtuzumab ozogamicin (GO) combined with cytarabine and mitoxantrone in the treatment of 21 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (11 refractory and 10 in second relapse). Patients’ median age was 52 years (range 36–68); all patients had previously been treated with anthracycline-containing regimens (daunorubicin and idarubicin). GO at a dosage of 3 mg/m² was administered as a 2-h intravenous infusion on days 1 and 14, cytarabine at 100 mg/m² on days 1–7, and mitoxantrone at 12 mg/m² on days 1–3. Infusion-related events were observed in 15 of 21 (71.4%) patients. The incidence of grade 1 or 2 elevations of bilirubin and hepatic transaminases was 4 of 21 (19%) and 3 of 21 (14.2%). In response to chemotherapy, 2 of 21 (9.5%) achieved complete remission and 2 of 21 (9.5%) achieved complete remission with incomplete platelet recovery, with an overall remission rate of 4 of 21(19%); median survival of these 4 patients was 7 months. Four of 21 patients (19%) died during aplasia after chemotherapy; no veno-occlusive disease occurred. No treatment-related cardiotoxicity or cerebellar toxicity was observed. In our experience, the addition of GO to mitoxantrone and cytarabine is feasible in refractory or second relapse acute myeloid leukemia patients but yields a low response rate when used as a third-line treatment.     

Prognostic value of left ventricular hypertrophy and geometry in patients with a first, uncomplicated myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND: The prognostic impact of left ventricular (LV) geometry on cardiovascular risk for patients with a first, uncomplicated acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and echocardiographic ejection fraction > or =50% has not been well described. METHODS AND RESULTS: Accordingly, 111 AMI consecutive patients (mean age 59.3+/-10 years) performed echocardiographic examination at predischarge. LV mass was calculated by means of Devereux's formula and subsequently indexed by body surface area. Fifty-three patients had LV hypertrophy and 58 patients had normal LV mass. The two groups were homogeneous for demographic, clinical and angiographic variables as well as for the incidence of residual ischemia on predischarge stress testing. During follow-up period there were 24 cardiac events (cardiac death, unstable angina and non-fatal reinfarction) in the 53 patients with LV hypertrophy and only four events in the remaining 58 patients without LV hypertrophy (RR=2.45; CI=1.76-3.41; P<0.0001). The patients with concentric LV hypertrophy showed a higher incidence of events (64%) than patients with eccentric LV hypertrophy (32%, P<0. 05) and patients with normal geometry and mass (6%, P<0.0001). Multivariate Cox regression model identified concentric geometry as the most powerful predictor of combined end-points (chi(2)=32.7, P<0. 0001). CONCLUSIONS: An increased LV mass and concentric geometry resulted important independent markers of an adverse outcome in patients with a first, uncomplicated myocardial infarction and good LV function.     

Effects of acute myocardial ischemia on QT dispersion by dipyridamole stress echocardiography

Increased dispersion of the QT interval has been observed during pacing or exercise stress testing in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). It has not been established whether this phenomenon is a consequence of ischemia. Therefore, we sought to evaluate whether dipyridamole-induced myocardial ischemia, as directly detected by echocardiographic monitoring of regional contractile function, would affect QT dispersion. Twenty-four patients with nonsignificant and 34 patients with significant CAD but no previous myocardial infarction underwent dipyridamole stress echocardiography while not taking medications. QT dispersion was measured on a 12-lead electrocardiogram at baseline and at various times after dipyridamole infusion. Dipyridamole infusion did not influence QT dispersion in patients without CAD. QT dispersion was similarly unaffected in patients with CAD in whom dipyridamole did not induce wall motion abnormalities. In contrast, in patients with positive dipyridamole stress test findings, QT dispersion increased from 60 +/- 17 ms at baseline to 94 +/- 25 ms during peak infusion (p <0.0001), with a time course mirroring that of development of contractile abnormalities. QT dispersion returned to 63 +/- 25 ms upon relief of ischemia by administration of aminophylline. The increase in QT dispersion was significantly related to the extent of contractile dysfunction induced by dipyridamole. Although ST-segment depression occurred in only 40% of patients with positive dipyridamole stress test findings, 88% of such patients had an increase in QT dispersion. Analysis of the receiver-operating characteristic curve showed that a QT dispersion increase of > or =20 ms identified positive findings for dipyridamole stress echocardiography with 68% sensitivity and 91% specificity. Thus, QT dispersion is acutely affected by myocardial ischemia induced by the administration of dipyridamole. Measurement of QT dispersion may improve detection of stress-induced ischemia on surface electrocardiograms.     

Elevated serum uric acid concentration at discharge confers additive prognostic value in elderly patients with acute heart failure

Background and aims

Elevated serum uric acid (sUA) concentrations have been associated with worse prognosis in heart failure (HF) but little is known about elderly patients. We aimed to assess long-term additive prognostic value of sUA in elderly patients hospitalized for HF.

Cerebellum and neuropsychiatric disorders: insights from ARSACS

Autosomal recessive spastic ataxia of Charlevoix–Saguenay (ARSACS) is a rare neurodegenerative disorder characterized by ataxia, spastic paraparesis, polyneuropathy, and evidence of superior cerebellar vermis atrophy at magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Reports of atypical presentations and additional clinical or MRI findings have been recently published, but psychiatric disturbances have never been associated with ARSACS. We describe four ARSACS patients manifesting severe psychiatric symptoms including psychosis, panic disorder, and depression during the course of the disease. Our case reports further expand the ARSACS phenotype and add clinical data in favor of the hypothesized relationship between cerebellar dysfunction and psychiatric disorders.     

Sigmoid occlusion due to endometriosis. A case report

The Authors report a case of sigmoid obstruction due to endometriosis and review the literature about. Unusual localisation and difficult preoperative differential diagnosis with IBD and bowel carcinoma are stressed. A 45-years old woman with previous history of oophorectomy was admitted at the hospital with symptomatic bowel obstruction. A barium enema showed a sigmoid stenosis thought to a carcinoma of bowel. A laparoscopic approach confirmed the diagnosis and a laparotomy was performed with a subsequent anterior resection (end-to-end anastomosis with stapler) plus myomectomy. The Authors do believed, during surgery, to be treating a carcinoma which disappeared with opening the specimen. The mucosa were intact and muscular layers so think to form a strong ring to be able to invaginate the upper colon for 3-4 cm. A stromal tumor was supposed and the definite diagnosis of endometriosis was very surprisingly. Intestinal resection to be necessary, with associated salpingo-oophorectomy and hysterectomy in older patients and treatment with oral contraceptive in younger female. Laparoscopy may be helpful in the diagnosis showing pelvic endometriosis with bowel wall involvement. Laparoscopic treatment in our opinion must be confirmed to particular situation and to well experience of surgeons.