Robust antibody response after a third BNT162b2 vaccine compared to the second among immunocompromised and healthy individuals,a prospective longitudinal cohort study

PurposeAs protection from COVID-19 following two doses of the BNT162b2 vaccine showed a time dependent waning, a third (booster) dose was administrated. This study aims to compare the antibody response following the third dose versus the second and to evaluate post-booster seroconversion.MethodsA prospective observational study conducted in Maccabi Healthcare Services. Serial SARS-CoV-2 Spike IgG tests, 1,2,3 and 6 months following the second vaccine dose and one month following the third were obtained. Neutralizing antibody levels were measured in a subset of participants. Per individual SARS-CoV-2 Spike IgG titer ratios were calculated one month after the booster administration compared to titers one month following the second dose and prior to booster.ResultsAmong 110 participants, 56 (51%) were women. Mean age was 61.7 ± 1.9 years and 66 (60%) were immunocompromised. One month after third dose, IgG titers were induced 7.83 (95 %CI 5.25–11.67) folds and 2.40 (95 %CI 1.90–3.03) folds compared to one month after the second, in the immunocompromised and immunocompetent groups, respectively. Of the 17 immunocompromised participants who were seronegative after the second dose, 4 (24%) became seropositive following the third. Comparing the titers prior to the third dose, an increase of 50.7 (95 %CI 32.5–79.1) fold in the immunocompromised group and 25.7 (95 %CI 19.1–34.7) fold in and immunocompetent group, was observed.ConclusionA third BNT162b2 vaccine elicited robust humoral response, superior to the response observed following the second, among immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals.     

甲磺酸伊马替尼联合VDLD化疗方案治疗急性淋巴细胞白血病患儿的长期随访研究

目的探究甲磺酸伊马替尼联合VDLD化疗方案治疗急性淋巴细胞白血病(ALL)患儿的应用价值。方法选取2015年5月~2018年6月收治的74例ALL患儿,按照治疗方案不同分组。对照组(37例)实施VDLD方案治疗,联合组(37例)实施甲磺酸伊马替尼+VDLD化疗方案治疗。对比两组疗效、不良反应发生率、随访1年无复发生存率(RFS)及治疗前、治疗2个疗程后血清B淋巴细胞刺激因子(BAFF)、增殖诱导配体(APRIL)水平。结果联合组总有效率(91.89%)高于对照组(72.97%)(P<0.05);联合组治疗2个疗程后血清BAFF、APRIL水平低于对照组(P<0.05);两组不良反应发生率、随访1年RFS对比无显著差异(P>0.05)。结论甲磺酸伊马替尼联合VDLD化疗方案治疗ALL,疗效确切,能显著降低血清BAFF、APRIL水平,且安全性高。     

NUDT15 is a key genetic factor for prediction of hematotoxicity in pediatric patients who received a standard low dosage regimen of 6-mercaptopurine

6-Mercaptopurine (6-MP) is commonly used for treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The incidence of hematotoxicity caused by this drug is quite high in Asians even using a standard low dosage regimen. The present study was aimed to elucidate the impact of thiopurine S-methyltransferase (TPMT), a nucleoside diphosphate-linked moiety X-type motif 15 (NUDT15), inosine triphosphatase (ITPA) and ATP Binding Cassette Subfamily C Member 4 (ABCC4) polymorphisms on hematotoxicity in pediatric patients who received a standard low starting dose of 6-MP. One hundred and sixty-nine pediatric patients were enrolled and their genotypes were determined. Patients who carried NUDT15¹3 and NUDT15¹2 genotypes were at a 10–15 fold higher risk of severe neutropenia than those of the wild-type during the early months of the maintenance phase. Risk of neutropenia was not significantly increased in patients with other NUDT15 variants as well as in patients with TPMT, ITPA or ABCC4 variants. These results suggest that NUDT15 polymorphisms particularly, NUDT15¹3 and NUDT15¹2, play major roles in 6-MP-induced severe hematotoxicity even when using a standard low dosage of 6-MP and genotyping of these variants is necessary in order to obtain precise tolerance doses and avoid severe hematotoxicity in pediatric patients.     

Safety profile of the adjuvanted recombinant zoster vaccine: Pooled analysis of two large randomised phase 3 trials

Background

The ZOE-50 (NCT01165177) and ZOE-70 (NCT01165229) phase 3 clinical trials showed that the adjuvanted recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) was ≥90% efficacious in preventing herpes zoster in adults. Here we present a comprehensive overview of the safety data from these studies.

健康教育在白血病护理中的应用效果

目的评价血液科白血病疾病护理中应用健康教育的临床效果,为白血病护理工作提供参考。方法选择医院收治的白血病患者,总计60例。进行白血病患者随机分组护理,对照组与试验组各30例白血病患者,分别采取常规护理和常规护理+健康教育,比较2组白血病患者的负性情绪、自我效能状况评分以及护理满意度、护理依从率。结果试验组白血病患者干预后SAS、SDS、GSES评分均明显优于对照组,护理满意度与护理依从率均明显高于对照组,指标差异具有统计学意义,P>0.05。结论血液科白血病治疗期间配合落实常规护理、健康教育可以在提高患者自我效能的同时提高患者的依从性,符合患者身心护理需求,整体护理效果显著。     

Absence of FGFR3–TACC3 rearrangement in hematological malignancies with numerical chromosomal alteration

FGFR–TACC, found in different tumor types, is characterized by the fusion of a member of fibroblast grown factor receptor (FGFR) tyrosine kinase (TK) family to a member of the transforming acidic coiled-coil (TACC) proteins. Because chromosome numerical alterations, hallmarks of FGFR–TACC fusions are present in many hematological disorders and there are no data on the prevalence, we studied a series of patients with acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome who presented numerical alterations using cytogenetic traditional analysis. None of the analyzed samples showed FGFR3–TACC3 gene fusion, so screening for this mutation at diagnosis is not recommended.     

Is dose modification or discontinuation of nilotinib necessary in nilotinib-induced hyperbilirubinemia?

Nilotinib is a specific breakpoint cluster region-Abelson leukemia virus-tyrosine kinase inhibitor that is used as an effective first- or second-line treatment in imatinib-resistant chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) patients. Hepatotoxicity due to nilotinib is a commonly reported side effect; however, abnormal liver function test (LFT) results have been reported in asymptomatic cases. When alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels are more than five-fold the upper limit of the normal (ULN) or when the serum total bilirubin level is more than three-fold the ULN, dose modification or discontinuation of nilotinib is recommended, resulting in decreased levels of hematological indicators in certain patients with CML. Nilotinib-induced hyperbilirubinemia typically manifests as indirect bilirubinemia without elevated ALT or AST levels. Such abnormal liver functioning is thus not attributed to the presence of a true histologic lesion of the liver. The underlying mechanism may be related to the inhibition of uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase activity. Therefore, nilotinib dose adjustment is not recommended for this type of hyperbilirubinemia, and in the absence of elevated liver enzyme levels or presence of abnormal LFT findings, physicians should consider maintaining nilotinib dose intensity without modifications.