Rucaparib in the landscape of PARP inhibition in ovarian cancer

Introduction: The landscape of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibition in ovarian cancer is rapidly evolving and becoming increasingly complex. Ovarian cancer is leading therapeutic innovation by providing the proof of concept for DNA repair as a target. Three different PARP inhibitors have now received approvals in the US and Europe in different indications. Subtle but crucial differences can be found among the licensed indications for each PARP inhibitor in terms of histology, type of BRCA mutation (germline and/or somatic), number of prior lines of chemotherapy and whether the indication is in the treatment or maintenance settings.

Areas covered: We review the latest clinical data regarding the PARP inhibitor rucaparib in ovarian cancer, provide an update on the evolving landscape of PARP inhibition in ovarian cancer, and summarize avenues of ongoing and future research.

Expert opinion: All eligible patients should be offered a PARP inhibitor. SOLO1 trial results demonstrated an unprecedented benefit maintenance with PARP inhibitors in first line. Results from trials evaluating PARP inhibitors as maintenance in first line regardless of BRCA status and from trials evaluating combinatorial strategies are eagerly awaited.     

Correction to: Influence of oral anticoagulation on success rates and risk of bleeding events after iStent inject implantation combined with phacoemulsification

Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology - The published online version contains mistake as the author's first name and last name have been interchanged as "Hild...     

Neutrophils Play an Important Role in Protective Immunity against Coxiella burnetii Infection

Coxiella burnetii is an obligate intracellular Gram-negative bacterium that causes the zoonotic disease Q fever. Although Q fever is mainly transmitted by aerosol infection, study of the immune responses in the lung following pulmonary C. burnetii infection is lacking. Neutrophils are considered the first immune cell to migrate into the lung and play an important role in host defense against aerosol infection with microbial pathogens. However, the role of neutrophils in the host defense against C. burnetii infection remains unclear. To determine the role of neutrophils in protective immunity against C. burnetii infection, the RB6-8C5 antibody was used to deplete neutrophils in mice before intranasal infection with C. burnetii. The results indicated that neutrophil-depleted mice developed more severe disease than their wild-type counterparts, suggesting that neutrophils play an important role in host defense against C. burnetii pulmonary infection. We also found that neither CXC chemokine receptor 2 (CXCR2) nor interleukin-17 (IL-17) receptor (IL-17R) deficiency changed the severity of disease following intranasal C. burnetii challenge, suggesting that keratinocyte-derived chemokine and IL-17 may not play essential roles in the response to C. burnetii infection. However, significantly higher C. burnetii genome copy numbers were detected in the lungs of IL-1R^−/− mice at 14 days postinfection. This indicates that IL-1 may be important for the clearance of C. burnetii from the lungs following intranasal infection. Our results also suggest that neutrophils are involved in protecting vaccinated mice from C. burnetii challenge-induced disease. This is the first study to demonstrate an important role for neutrophils in protective immunity against C. burnetii infection.     

Treatment strategies for hypertension in patients with type 1 diabetes

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a chronic, autoimmune disease that is characterized by total absence of insulin production. Hypertension is a common comorbidity in T1DM with complex pathophysiology, while it is also a well-recognized risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD), as well as other microvascular diabetic complications.     

Reciprocal Peer Support for Post-partum Patients with Diabetes: A Needs Assessment for the Diabetes Buddy Program

While peer support has been investigated in multiple clinical contexts, its application to the postpartum setting is unknown. The aim was to assess acceptability of a postpartum peer support program for women with diabetes. Observational survey-based needs assessment of forty low-income women with diabetes, receiving care at a major medical institution. Mean age and gravidity were 30.7 years and 3.15 ± 1.67 respectively. 45 % expressed interest in a “buddy.” There was no significant difference between groups desiring and not desiring this program. A majority of respondents desired telephone, text messaging, and in-person contacts (79.2, 72.1, 83.8 %), with 72.5 % of patients desiring diabetes-related activities during clinic waiting time. Many women desire a postpartum diabetes reciprocal peer program for support outside of clinician visits. Patients are receptive to educational services during their wait and outside of clinic time, a potentially valuable opportunity to share important health information.