Marrow transplantation for patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a long-term follow-up

Twenty-two patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in second or subsequent remission and 26 with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in relapse were given cyclophosphamide (60 mg/kg on each of 2 days), total body irradiation (920 rad), and marrow transplants from HLA-identical siblings. With a minimum follow-up of more than 5 yr, an actuarial analysis shows a survival and apparent cure of 27% of the patients transplanted in remission and 15% of the patients transplanted in relapse.     

Treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with marrow transplantation in identical twins

Eight patients with disseminated non-Hodgkin's lymphoma who failed conventional combination chemotherapy were treated with high-dose chemotherapy, a supralethal dose of total-body irradiation, and a bone marrow transplant from a normal identical twin. Seven patients experienced complete remission. Four of the seven patients (two with diffuse poorly differentiated lymphocytic lymphoma, one with composite lymphoma, and one with diffuse moderately well differentiated lymphocytic lymphoma) remain in complete unmaintained remission 12-126 mo from transplantation. One patient relapsed after 10 mo but was retreated and is alive in unmaintained complete remission 73 mo from transplantation. One patient died of Pseudomonas pneumonia while in complete remission and one patient relapsed and died of progressive lymphoma. These results demonstrate that intensive chemoradiotherapy and twin marrow transplantation can induce frequent and enduring remissions in patients with disseminated non-Hodgkin's lymphoma who have failed conventional therapy.     

How I Do It: Laparoscopic Paraesophageal Hernia Repair

Introduction

Paraesophageal hernias are usually complex anatomic abnormalities of the upper gastrointestinal tract capable of causing symptoms and complications including death. Furthermore, they affect patients who are usually older and have other comorbidities. Preferred treatment approach has evolved over time, with laparoscopic repair being the current preferred technique as it causes less hemodynamic changes and is better tolerated than open repairs.

Technique

In this report, we describe our technique for laparoscopic paraesophageal hernia repair. The most salient technical aspects of this procedure include reduction of the stomach below the diaphragm, circumferential dissection and excision of the hernia sac, closure of the crural defect with our without the addition of mesh, and fundoplication to prevent reflux.

Conclusion

While this procedure has a low morbidity risk and short hospital stay, anatomic recurrence is frequent even when performed by experienced surgeons.     

Transfusion-transmitted babesiosis: a case report from a new endemic area

The seventh documented case of babesiosis transmitted by transfusion is reported. Both the donor and the recipient are residents of Connecticut, where the presence of endemic babesiosis has only recently been established. As the range of Babesia microti, and its vector the Ixodes dammini tick, continues to expand, clinicians and blood bank directors should be aware that cases of transfusion-transmitted babesiosis may occur in newly endemic areas.     

Central integrative role of oestrogen in the regulation of placental steroidogenic maturation and the development of the fetal pituitary-adrenocortical axis in the baboon

The purpose of this review is to summarize the experimentaldata establishing the baboon as a non-human primate model forthe study of the endocrinology of human pregnancy, and to outlinethe results of in-vivo experiments in the baboon which showthat oestrogen plays a central integrative role in the regulationof placental steroidogenic maturation as well as the functionand maturation of the fetal adrenal gland. Thus, oestrogen regulatesthe receptor-mediated uptake of low-density lipoprotein-cholesteroland the P450 cholesterol side chain cleavage system within sycytiotrophoblaststo promote the production of progesterone. Oestrogen concomitantlyacts on the fetal adrenal gland to modulate the production ofandrogen precursors which ensures maintenance of physiologiclevels of oestrogen during the course of gestation. In addition,oestrogen regulates the 11ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenaseenzymes controlling placental cortisol-cortisone metabolismand their secretion into the fetal circulation and thus indirectlyregulates the fetal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis.Collectively, these oestrogen-regulated processes ensure themaintenance of pregnancy and the maturation of the fetus includingthe development in utero of adrenocortical self-sufficiencyessential for neonatal survival.     

In vitro regulation of immunoglobulin synthesis after marrow transplantation. I. T-cell and B-cell deficiencies in patients with and without chronic graft-versus-host disease

Twenty-four patients with aplastic anemia or acute leukemia were treated by marrow grafts from HLA-identical donors after conditioning with high doses of cyclophosphamide and/or today body irradiation. They were studied between 4 and 63 mo (median 14.2) after transplantation. Seventeen patients had chronic graft-versus-host disease (C-GVHD) and 7 were healthy. They were studied for defects in their T- and B-cell function using and indirect hemolytic plaque assay for Ig production after 6 days of culture in the presence of pokeweek mitogen. T or B cells from the patients with or without C-GVHD were cocultured with T or B cells from their HLA-identical marrow donors or unrelated normal controls. Intrinsic B-cell defects, lack of helper T-cell activity, and suppressor T-cell activity were more frequently found in patients with C-GVHD than in healthy patients. Fifteen of the 17 patients with C-GVHD showed on or more defects in their T-and B-cell function compared to only 3 of the 7 patients without C-GVHD. None of the healthy controls, including the marrow donors, showed defects in their T- and B-cell functions. These in vitro findings may be helpful in assessing the process of immune reconstitution and the immunologic aberration found after human marrow transplantation.     

Long-term stable hematopoietic chimerism following marrow transplantation for acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a case report with in vitro marrow culture studies

This article describes the course of a patient who received an allogeneic marrow graft from his HLA-identical sister for acute lymphoblastic leukemia in second remission. In the second month after grafting, marrow aspirates showed the presence of 7%-10% lymphoblasts. In addition, cytogenetic examination indicated the persistence of host cells. Thereafter, the patient had morphologically normal marrow examinations, with no evidence for recurrent leukemia. In addition, stable hematopoietic chimerism in both the lymphoid and myeloid cell lines has persisted for over 5 yr. Between 20% and 50% of phytohemagglutinin-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells were host-derived on repeated studies. A marrow sample 4 yr after transplantation was established in long-term culture and produced 2% host granulocyte-macrophage colonies at its inception, but 24% host colonies by week 4. Despite this persistent chimerism, no in vitro or in vivo abnormalities of hematopoiesis have been detected.     

Characteristics associated with the transition to partial breastfeeding prior to 6 months of age: Data from seven sites in a birth cohort study

The WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life. However, the transition of the infants'' diet to partial breastfeeding with the addition of animal milks and/or solids typically occurs earlier than this. Here, we explored factors associated with the timing of an early transition to partial breastfeeding across seven sites of a birth cohort study in which twice weekly information on infant feeding practices was collected. Infant (size, sex, illness and temperament), maternal (age, education, parity and depressive symptoms), breastfeeding initiation practices (time of initiation, colostrum and pre‐lacteal feeding) and household factors (food security, crowding, assets, income and resources) were considered. Three consecutive caregiver reports of feeding animal milks and/or solids (over a 10‐day period) were characterized as a transition to partial breastfeeding, and Cox proportional hazard models with time (in days) to partial breastfeeding were used to evaluate associations with both fixed and time‐varying characteristics. Overall, 1470 infants were included in this analysis. Median age of transition to partial breastfeeding ranged from 59 days (South Africa and Tanzania) to 178 days (Bangladesh). Overall, higher weight‐for‐length z‐scores were associated with later transitions to partial breastfeeding, as were food insecurity, and infant cough in the past 30 days. Maternal depressive symptoms (evaluated amongst 1227 infants from six sites) were associated with an earlier transition to partial breastfeeding. Relative thinness or heaviness within each site was related to breastfeeding transitions, as opposed to absolute z‐scores. Further research is needed to understand relationships between local perceptions of infant body size and decisions about breastfeeding.