Cytokine-targeting biologics for allergic diseases

Objective

Asthma and allergic diseases continue to increase in prevalence, creating a financial burden on the health care system and affecting the quality of life for those who have these diseases. Many intrinsic and extrinsic factors are involved in the initiation and maintenance of the allergic response. Cytokines are proteins with growth, differentiation, and activation functions that regulate and direct the nature of immune responses.

Comparative effects of insulin on adipose tissue segments and isolated fat cells of rat and man

In vitro metabolism of glucose-1-¹⁴C by adipose tissue into ¹⁴CO₂ and total ¹⁴C lipids in rat and man was compared employing both adipose tissue segments and isolated fat cells prepared from the same donor. In the rat, the basal glucose metabolism and response to insulin decreased with increasing body weight for both adipose tissue segments and isolated cells. Regardless of age, the isolated cells exhibited a persistently higher metabolic activity. Of the parameters selected, conversion to CO₂ was more pronounced than that to lipid.     

Aplastic crisis as a complication of congenital dyserythropoietic anemia type II

A transient aplastic crisis (TAC) is a well-known complication in all types of chronic hemolytic anemia but only 2 cases of such an event were described in congenital dyserythropoietic anemias (CDAs). Here, we report a third case, and by retrospective chart review of 78 cases we found evidence of TAC in 8 further patients with CDA II, with serological evidence of previous human parvovirus B19 (B19V) infection in all but one. Although B19V infection results in TAC in only a minority of patients with CDA, physicians responsible for these patients should be aware of such a potentially life-threatening complication. Testing for B19V-specific IgG is recommended in patients with CDA to estimate the risk of a possible future aplastic crisis.     

Development of the Manchester framework for the evaluation of emergency department pharmacy services

International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy - Many countries, including the United Kingdom, have established Emergency Department (ED) pharmacy services where some ED pharmacists now work as...     

Treatment Failure After Percutaneous Radiofrequency Ablation for Nonsurgical Candidates With Pulmonary Metastases From Colorectal Carcinoma

Background This study critically evaluated the local and overall treatment failure rates after percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of pulmonary metastases from colorectal carcinoma. Methods Fifty-five nonsurgical candidates underwent RFA of colorectal pulmonary metastases. The primary end points of this study were local progression-free survival (PFS) and overall PFS. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify significant prognostic parameters for local and overall PFS. Results The local recurrence rate was 38%. For local PFS, univariate analysis demonstrated that the largest size of lung metastasis, the location of lung metastases, the post-RFA carcinoembryonic antigen level at 1 month, and the post-RFA carcinoembryonic antigen level at 3 months were significant prognostic indicators. In multivariate analysis, a largest size of lung metastasis of >3 cm and a post-RFA carcinoembryonic antigen level of >5 ng/mL at 1 month were independently associated with a reduced local PFS. The overall recurrence rate was 66%. For overall PFS, univariate analysis demonstrated that sex and the largest size of lung metastasis were significant prognostic indicators. In multivariate analysis, a largest size of lung metastasis of >3 cm was independently associated with a reduced overall PFS. Conclusions RFA of colorectal pulmonary metastases may have a useful role in local disease control for nonsurgical candidates, but its efficacy in patients with a lung metastasis of >3 cm is limited.     

Bedeutung klinischer und laborchemischer Parameter für Verlauf und Prognose der Non-Hodgkin-Lymphome

Summary Using a regression model, the prognostic significance of clinical and biochemical parameters as well as of histology was analyzed in a group of 336 patients with Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. A stochastic process model was used for evaluation of the course of disease. With respect to overall survival, serum-LDH-activity, performance status, and the histologically defined grade of malignancy were found to be the most important prognostic parameters, as well as age, though that to a lesser extent. In the course of disease, stage was the most relevant factor for achievement of a complete remission. In patients without remission, survival was determined mainly by histology and serum-LDH-activity; the latter was also of importance for duration of remission. Our study shows that histology is not the only prognostic factor in NHL but that other parameters, mainly serum-LDH-activity and performance status, also have to be considered in comparing different groups of patients.

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Abkürzungen AP alkalische Phosphatase - BSG Blutkörperchensenkungsgeschwindigkeit - GOT Glutamat-Oxalazetat-Transaminase - LDH Lactatdehydrogenase - NHL Non-Hodgkin-Lymphom Herrn Prof. Dr. H.D. Waller zum 60. Geburtstag gewidmet     

Diameter of the common bile duct in the elderly patient: measurement by ultrasound

We wanted to assess the width of the common bile duct (CBD) in an asymptomatic elderly (> 75 years) population, since no previous report has particularly considered the important age-related increase in CBD diameter for this patient group. CBD width of 92 asymptomatic people over 75 years of age (mean 84.7 years, range 75–96 years) without clinical or laboratory evidence for biliary, hepatocellular or pancreatic disease was measured by real-time high-resolution ultrasound of the upper abdomen. All examinations were performed by one experienced radiologist. Mean values were calculated for three groups: patients with and without cholecystolithiasis and after cholecystectomy. Statistical analysis was carried out by analysis of variance. Considering the measurements of all patients, the mean width (± SD) of the CBD was calculated as 6.5 ± 2.5 mm. The difference between patients without cholecystolithiasis (6.2 ± 2.3 mm) and patients after cholecystectomy (8.7 ± 2.9 mm) was statistically significant (P < 0.0001). Cholecystolithiasis (6.0 ± 1.6 mm) proves not to be an additional factor for CBD widening in comparison with patients without stone disease. The CBD of these very elderly subjects shows a considerable increase in comparison with the recommended borderline values in the ultrasound literature. An upper limit of 10 mm seems reasonable for patients with and without cholecystolithiasis. A significant increase in CBD width after cholecystectomy was found and measurements up to 14 mm may occur. Measurements have to be correlated with clinical and laboratory findings. Received 1 December 1997; Revision received 27 February 1998; Accepted 3 March 1998     

The prognostic significance of total serum cholesterol in patients with Hodgkin's disease.

In the current retrospective study, the authors investigated the prognostic significance of total serum cholesterol values at the time of diagnosis in patients with Hodgkin's disease (n = 179). Cholesterol values were significantly lower in these patients than in age- and sex-matched controls. Subgroups with advanced stages (P less than or equal to 0.01), poor response to therapy (P = 0.04), and relapse after complete response (P = 0.026) (but not with bulky disease) had lower cholesterol values. By univariate analysis (cut-point value, 140 mg/dl), the 5-year survival rate was 2.5 times higher in patients with normal cholesterol values than in hypocholesterolemic patients (P less than 0.00009). Hypocholesterolemia was retained as an adverse, independent prognostic factor by multivariate Cox regression analysis. The authors concluded that total serum cholesterol values at the time of diagnosis may be a parameter with unrecognized significance in Hodgkin's disease.