Effects of three cytokine regimens on hematologic recovery and progenitor cell mobilization after high-dose cyclophosphamide, etoposide, and cisplatin

The aim of this study was to compare both the effects on hematologic recovery and circulating progenitor cell mobilization and the toxicity of three cytokine regimens administered after high-dose non-myeloablative chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide 5 g/m(2), etoposide 1.5 g/m(2) and cisplatin 150 mg/m(2). Thirty-five consecutive patients were non-random sequentially allocated to one of three treatment groups: (1) granulocyte colony-stimulating factor alone (n = 15); (2) granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor alone (n = 10), and (3) sequential interleukin-3 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (n = 10). Neutrophil recovery in group 1 was significantly hastened as compared to the two other groups (median 2 days, p < 0.005), while no significant differences were observed between groups 2 and 3. CD34+ cells peaked about 2 days earlier in group 1 compared to the other groups (p = 0.0001), whereas the median peak value of CD34+ cells was similar in the three groups. In all patients, the toxicity related to cytokine administration was low and easily manageable with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.     

Computer graphics for digitally formatted images

The increasing use of digitally formatted imaging systems requires high-quality interactive gray-scale computer raster graphics systems for the management, display, and analog film recording of digital image and alphanumeric information. These systems are a combination of computer hardware and software and implement a set of graphics protocols. This paper describes a set of interactive graphics protocols that has been developed for clinical use.     

Failure of ablation of a mediastinal parathyroid adenoma by repeated contrast staining

In a patient with primary hyperparathyroidism an attempt was made to ablate a middle mediastinal parathyroid gland by forceful staining with radiographic contrast material. The gland was stained on two separate occasions, two weeks apart. Both times the serum calcium level temporarily fell to the normal range but reverted to abnormal levels. The patient ultimately required surgery for correction of hypercalcemia. The mechanism of staining and possible reasons for failure as well as potential complications are discussed.     

Gallium-67 lung uptake: conjugate-view technique

A conjugate-view technique is derived for calculation of absolute gallium-67 (Ga-67) uptake from scintillation-camera images. The technique combines counts of posterior and anterior images of the lung with an attenuation correction obtained from cobalt-57 (Co-57) transmission imaging. The formulation is such that the effects of Compton scatter build-up are accounted for. Studies utilizing a canine model indicated that, normally, more activity is located in the chest wall than in the lungs. The quantitative technique must therefore accurately account for a variety of Ga-67 distributions, including that in the chest wall. Calculations were performed using a three-component model comparing results obtained with the conjugate-view approach to the actual uptake. These calculations suggest that an assumption of uniform activity distribution allows an accuracy of approximately +/- 10% over a broad range of body-part thicknesses and uptake by the lungs. It was concluded that the conjugate-view technique is necessarily approximate but can provide clinically useful results.     

Platelet Functions in Cardiopulmonary Bypass Surgery

Background

Haemorrhage after Cardio Pulmonary Bypass (CPB) Surgery is a well recognised complication that leads to significant morbidity and mortality. The incidence varies between 5-25% depending upon the clinical situation. Several factors are implicated as causative but none have been precisely proved.

Methods

Our study was an attempt to evaluate the haemostatic defect with particular reference to platelet function abnormalities during cardio pulmonary bypass surgery, in order to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with post CPB haemorrhage. Flow cytometric evaluation of different platelet glycoproteins like GPIb/IX, GPIIb/IIIa and GMP-140 was done.

Results

The marker expression showed deregulation during surgery which returned to base after bypass was terminated. In contrast, the cases with bleeding showed significant variation. P-Selectin (GMP 140) expression decreased progressively till 3^rd post-operative day showing lack of activation of platelets in cases of severe bleeding.

Conclusion

Longer duration of CPB initiates plasmin generation through heparin, which raises the PAI-1-tPA complex and thereby down regulating the functions of platelets. This suggests a link between duration of CPB, bleeding, platelet dysfunction and fibrinolysis. Hence serial estimations of the levels of GMP-140 and tPA can predict severe bleeding.Key Words: CardioPulmonary Bypass, Platelet dysfunction, flowcytometry, platelet glycoproteins, haemorrhage     

Increase in body cell mass and decrease in wasting are associated with increasing potency of antiretroviral therapy for HIV infection

With the advent of potent combination antiretroviral therapy (ART), there has been a reduction in the incidence of wasting. However, few studies have investigated specific body composition changes associated with these treatments. This study aimed to investigate longitudinally the association of increasingly potent ART with changes in body cell mass and wasting utilizing bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA). In this longitudinal cohort study, 159 HIV-positive men were assessed semiannually from 1995 to 1997 for body composition utilizing BIA, CD4 lymphocyte count, HIV viral load, medical and depressive symptoms. Wasting was defined as body cell mass/height below the 90th percentile based on HIV positive norms. ART potency at each visit was scored utilizing published clinical guidelines, ranging from 1 (0-1 antiretrovirals) to 5 (3 or more antiretrovirals including a potent protease inhibitor). Viral resistance testing was not used. The mixed-effects model and the generalized estimating equations approaches were used to determine longitudinal correlates of body cell mass and of wasting, respectively. Over the 2 years of follow-up, potent combination ART use increased from 6% to 79%. Concurrently, a significant increase in mean body cell mass and a reduction in prevalence of wasting were seen, while total body weight, fat mass, and total body water did not change. Increasingly potent ART was associated with significant increases in body cell mass and reduction in wasting. Other significant correlates of increased body cell mass included higher CD4 count and decreased severity of HIV-related symptoms, fatigue and depression. The current study found that higher potency ART taken for relatively short term (2 years) was associated with an increase in body cell mass and a reduction in wasting and that these changes were associated with both medical (CD4, HIV symptoms) and behavioral (fatigue, depression) improvements. One caveat is this study did not distinguish among types of potent ART regimens. Given only some antiretrovirals appear linked to many body composition changes, regardless of their effect on viral load, it may be the type of regimen used that accounted for the relationship seen between viral load and body composition changes.