Publications

959 Publications visible to you, out of a total of 959

Abstract (Expand)

One thousand two hundred twenty-two patients treated in the Rituximab with CHOP over age 60 years (RICOVER-60) trial were examined for central nervous system (CNS) disease developing during first-line therapy or after a complete or partial remission had been achieved. Patients received 6 or 8 courses of CHOP (cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, vincristine, prednisone) administered every 2 weeks (CHOP-14) with or without rituximab. CNS prophylaxis for patients with involvement of bone marrow, testes, upper neck, or head consisted of intrathecal (i.th.) methotrexate (days 1 and 5 of first 2 courses). Fifty-eight cases of lymphoma in the CNS were observed (36/609 patients in the CHOP-14 and 22/608 patients in the arituximab-CHOP-14 [R-CHOP-14] arm). The estimated 2-year incidence of CNS disease was 6.9% (confidence interval [CI] 4.5; 9.3) after CHOP-14 and 4.1% (CI 2.3; 5.9) after R-CHOP-14. R-CHOP reduced the relative risk for CNS disease to 0.58 (95% CI 0.3; 1.0, P = .046). Cox regression analysis identified "involvement of more than 1 extranodal site" and "B-symptoms" as significant risk factors for CNS disease. Patients treated with R-CHOP-14 did not show any benefit from i.th. methotrexate. We conclude that elderly patients with aggressive CD20-positive lymphoma show a significantly lower incidence of CNS disease if treated with R-CHOP-14 instead of CHOP-14. Intrathecal methotrexate has no role in preventing CNS disease for patients treated with combined immunochemotherapy (R-CHOP-14)--with the possible exception of patients with testicular involvement.

Authors: V. Boehme, N. Schmitz, S. Zeynalova, M. Loeffler, M. Pfreundschuh

Date Published: 23rd Apr 2009

Publication Type: Not specified

Human Diseases: lymphoma

Abstract (Expand)

BACKGROUND\backslashr\backslashnIn November 2005 a complex, multimodal anesthesia fast-track protocol (FTP) was introduced for elective cardiac surgery patients in the Cardiac Center of the University of Leipzig which included changing from an opioid regime to remifentanil and postoperative treatment in a special post-anesthesia recovery and care unit. The goal was to speed up recovery times while maintaining safety and improving costs.\backslashr\backslashnMETHOD\backslashr\backslashnA total of 421 patients who underwent the FTP and were treated in the special recovery room were analyzed retrospectively. These patients were compared with patients who had been treated by a standard protocol (SP) prior to instituting the FTP. Primary outcomes were time to extubation, length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) and treatment costs.\backslashr\backslashnRESULTS\backslashr\backslashnThe times to extubation were significantly shorter in the FTP group with 75 min (range 45-110 min) compared to 900 min (range 600-1140 min) in the SP group. Intensive care unit stay and hospital length of stay were also significantly shorter in the FTP group (p\textless0.01). The reduction of treatment costs of intensive care for FTP patients was 53.5% corresponding to savings of EUR 738 per patient in the FTP group compared with the SP group.\backslashr\backslashnCONCLUSIONS\backslashr\backslashnThe Leipzig fast-track protocol for cardio-anesthesia including the central elements of switching opiate therapy to remifentanil and switching patient recovery to a special post-anesthesia recovery and care unit, shortened therapy times, is safe and economically effective. BACKGROUND In November 2005 a complex, multimodal anesthesia fast-track protocol (FTP) was introduced for elective cardiac surgery patients in the Cardiac Center of the University of Leipzig which included changing from an opioid regime to remifentanil and postoperative treatment in a special post-anesthesia recovery and care unit. The goal was to speed up recovery times while maintaining safety and improving costs. METHOD A total of 421 patients who underwent the FTP and were treated in the special recovery room were analyzed retrospectively. These patients were compared with patients who had been treated by a standard protocol (SP) prior to instituting the FTP. Primary outcomes were time to extubation, length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) and treatment costs. RESULTS The times to extubation were significantly shorter in the FTP group with 75 min (range 45-110 min) compared to 900 min (range 600-1140 min) in the SP group. Intensive care unit stay and hospital length of stay were also significantly shorter in the FTP group (p\textless0.01). The reduction of treatment costs of intensive care for FTP patients was 53.5% corresponding to savings of EUR 738 per patient in the FTP group compared with the SP group. CONCLUSIONS The Leipzig fast-track protocol for cardio-anesthesia including the central elements of switching opiate therapy to remifentanil and switching patient recovery to a special post-anesthesia recovery and care unit, shortened therapy times, is safe and economically effective.

Authors: D. Häntschel, Jens Fassl, Markus Scholz, Marcus Sommer, Anne-Kathrin Funkat, M. Wittmann, Joerg Ender

Date Published: 1st Apr 2009

Publication Type: Journal article

Abstract (Expand)

Recent large-scale studies have been successful in identifying common, low-penetrance variants associated with common cancers. One such variant in the caspase-8 (CASP8) gene, D302H (rs1045485), has been confirmed to be associated with breast cancer risk, although the functional effect of this polymorphism (if any) is not yet clear. In order to further map the CASP8 gene with respect to breast cancer susceptibility, we performed extensive haplotype analyses using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) chosen to tag all common variations in the gene (tSNP). We used a staged study design based on 3,200 breast cancer and 3,324 control subjects from the United Kingdom, Utah, and Germany. Using a haplotype-mining algorithm in the UK cohort, we identified a four-SNP haplotype that was significantly associated with breast cancer and that was superior to any other single or multi-locus combination (P=8.0 x 10(-5)), with a per allele odds ratio and 95% confidence interval of 1.30 (1.12-1.49). The result remained significant after adjustment for the multiple testing inherent in mining techniques (false discovery rate, q=0.044). As expected, this haplotype includes the D302H locus. Multicenter analyses on a subset of the tSNPs yielded consistent results. This risk haplotype is likely to carry one or more underlying breast cancer susceptibility alleles, making it an excellent candidate for resequencing in homozygous individuals. An understanding of the mode of action of these alleles will aid risk assessment and may lead to the identification of novel treatment targets in breast cancer.

Authors: Neil Duncan Shephard, Ryan Abo, Sushila Harkisandas Rigas, Bernd Frank, Wei-Yu Lin, Ian Wallace Brock, Adam Shippen, Sabapathy Prakash Balasubramanian, Malcolm Walter Ronald Reed, Claus Rainer Bartram, Alfons Meindl, Rita Katharina Schmutzler, Christoph Engel, Barbara Burwinkel, Lisa Anne Cannon-Albright, Kristina Allen-Brady, Nicola Jane Camp, Angela Cox

Date Published: 24th Mar 2009

Publication Type: Journal article

Human Diseases: hereditary breast ovarian cancer syndrome

Abstract (Expand)

INTRODUCTION\backslashr\backslashnThe objective was to study the potential genetic contribution of Toll-like receptor (TLR) genes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). TLRs bind to pathogen-associated molecular patterns, and TLR genes influence both proinflammatory cytokine production and autoimmune responses. Host-pathogen interactions are involved in RA physiopathology.\backslashr\backslashnMETHODS\backslashr\backslashnWe tested SNPs of five TLR genes (TLR9, TLR2, TLR6, TLR1, and TLR4) in a cohort of 100 French families with RA. Genotypes were analyzed using the transmission disequilibrium test. As TLR2, TLR6, and TLR1 are located on chromosome 4, we determined the haplotype relative risk. Analyses were performed in subgroups defined by status for rheumatoid factor, anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide autoantibodies, and erosions.\backslashr\backslashnRESULTS\backslashr\backslashnWe found no disequilibrium in allele transmission for any of the SNPs of the five TLR genes. In subgroup analyses, no associations were detected linking TLR9, TLR2, or TLR9/TLR2 to rheumatoid factor, anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide autoantibodies, or erosions. Haplotype analysis of the polymorphisms showed no haplotype associations in any of the subgroups.\backslashr\backslashnCONCLUSIONS\backslashr\backslashnWe found no evidence of major effects of TLR gene polymorphisms in RA, although we tested different TLR phenotypes. Moreover, no associations were noted with autoantibody production or erosions.

Authors: Olivier Jaen, Elisabeth Petit-Teixeira, Holger Kirsten, Peter Ahnert, Luca Semerano, Céline Pierlot, François Cornelis, Marie-Christophe Boissier, Geraldine Falgarone

Date Published: 2009

Publication Type: Journal article

Abstract

Not specified

Authors: Holger Kirsten, Jana Burkhardt, Helene Hantmann, Nico Hunzelmann, Peter Vaith, Peter Ahnert, Inga Melchers

Date Published: 2009

Publication Type: Journal article

Abstract (Expand)

INTRODUCTION\backslashr\backslashnThe gene MICA encodes the protein major histocompatibility complex class I polypeptide-related sequence A. It is expressed in synovium of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and its implication in autoimmunity is discussed. We analyzed the association of genetic variants of MICA with susceptibility to RA.\backslashr\backslashnMETHODS\backslashr\backslashnInitially, 300 French Caucasian individuals belonging to 100 RA trio families were studied. An additional 100 independent RA trio families and a German Caucasian case-control cohort (90/182 individuals) were available for replication. As MICA is situated in proximity to known risk alleles of the HLA-DRB1 locus, our analysis accounted for linkage disequilibrium either by analyzing the subgroup consisting of parents not carrying HLA-DRB1 risk alleles with transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) or by implementing a regression model including all available data. Analysis included a microsatellite polymorphism (GCT)n and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs3763288 and rs1051794.\backslashr\backslashnRESULTS\backslashr\backslashnIn contrast to the other investigated polymorphisms, the non-synonymously coding SNP MICA-250 (rs1051794, Lys196Glu) was strongly associated in the first family cohort (TDT: P = 0.014; regression model: odds ratio [OR] 0.46, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.25 to 0.82, P = 0.007). Although the replication family sample showed only a trend, combined family data remained consistent with the hypothesis of MICA-250 association independent from shared epitope (SE) alleles (TDT: P = 0.027; regression model: OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.38 to 0.83, P = 0.003). We also replicated the protective association of MICA-250A within a German Caucasian cohort (OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.1 to 0.7, P = 0.005; regression model: OR 0.6, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.96, P = 0.032). We showed complete linkage disequilibrium of MICA-250 (D’ = 1, r2= 1) with the functional MICA variant rs1051792 (D’ = 1, r2= 1). As rs1051792 confers differential allelic affinity of MICA to the receptor NKG2D, this provides a possible functional explanation for the observed association.\backslashr\backslashnCONCLUSIONS\backslashr\backslashnWe present evidence for linkage and association of MICA-250 (rs1051794) with RA independent of known HLA-DRB1 risk alleles, suggesting MICA as an RA susceptibility gene. However, more studies within other populations are necessary to prove the general relevance of this polymorphism for RA.

Authors: Holger Kirsten, Elisabeth Petit-Teixeira, Markus Scholz, Dirk Hasenclever, Helene Hantmann, Dirk Heider, Ulf Wagner, Ulrich Sack, Vitor Hugo Teixeira, Bernard Prum, Jana Burkhardt, Céline Pierlot, Frank Emmrich, François Cornelis, Peter Ahnert

Date Published: 2009

Publication Type: Journal article

Abstract (Expand)

OBJECTIVES Recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) is widely used to treat neutropenia during cytotoxic chemotherapy. The optimal scheduling of rhG-CSF is unknown and cann hardly be tested in clinical studies due to numerous therapy parameters affecting outcome (chemotherapeutic regimen, rhG-CSF schedules, individual covariables). Motivated by biomathematical model simulations, we aim to investigate different rhG-CSF schedules in a preclinical chemotherapy mouse model. METHODS The time course of hematotoxicity was studied in CD-1 mice after cyclophosphamide (CP) administration. Filgrastim was applied concomitantly in a 2 x 3-factorial design of two dosing options (2 x 20 mug and 4 x 10 mug) and three timing options (directly, one, and two days after CP). Alternatively, a single dose of 40 mug pegfilgrastim was applied at the three timing options. The resulting cytopenia was compared among the schedules. RESULTS Dosing and timing had a significant influence on the effectiveness of filgrastim schedules whereas for pegfilgrastim the timing effect was irrelevant. The best filgrastim and pegfilgrastim schedules exhibited equivalent toxicity. Monocytes dynamics performed analogously to granulocytes. All schedules showed roughly the same lymphotoxicity. CONCLUSION We conclude that effectiveness of filgrastim application depends heavily on its scheduling during chemotherapy. There is an optimum of timing. Dose splitting is better than concentrated applications. Effectiveness of pegfilgrastim is less dependent on timing. OBJECTIVES Recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) is widely used to treat neutropenia during cytotoxic chemotherapy. The optimal scheduling of rhG-CSF is unknown and can hardly be tested in clinical studies due to numerous therapy parameters affecting outcome (chemotherapeutic regimen, rhG-CSF schedules, individual covariables). Motivated by biomathematical model simulations, we aim to investigate different rhG-CSF schedules in a preclinical chemotherapy mouse model. METHODS The time course of hematotoxicity was studied in CD-1 mice after cyclophosphamide (CP) administration. Filgrastim was applied concomitantly in a 2 x 3-factorial design of two dosing options (2 x 20 mug and 4 x 10 mug) and three timing options (directly, one, and two days after CP). Alternatively, a single dose of 40 mug pegfilgrastim was applied at the three timing options. The resulting cytopenia was compared among the schedules. RESULTS Dosing and timing had a significant influence on the effectiveness of filgrastim schedules whereas for pegfilgrastim the timing effect was irrelevant. The best filgrastim and pegfilgrastim schedules exhibited equivalent toxicity. Monocytes dynamics performed analogously to granulocytes. All schedules showed roughly the same lymphotoxicity. CONCLUSION We conclude that effectiveness of filgrastim application depends heavily on its scheduling during chemotherapy. There is an optimum of timing. Dose splitting is better than concentrated applications. Effectiveness of pegfilgrastim is less dependent on timing.

Authors: Markus Scholz, Manuela Ackermann, Frank Emmrich, Markus Loeffler, Manja Kamprad

Date Published: 2009

Publication Type: Journal article

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