PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

E Drexler

Publications and source records attributed to E Drexler.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

The relationship between monoclonal myeloma precursor B cells in the peripheral blood stem cell harvests and the clinical response of multiple myeloma patients.

The aim of this study was to determine the presence of monoclonal myeloma precursor B cells in peripheral blood stem cell harvests and to investigate their role in the clinical outcome of multiple myeloma patients. A total of 39 multiple myeloma patients were treated with a sequential therapy including double high-dose melphalan therapy followed by a double transplant procedure. The apheresis products for the second transplant were purged using a panel of four or five different mouse monoclonal antibodies against B-cell antigens (CD10, CD19, CD20, CD22 and CD37). In 19/39 patients a tumour-specific CDR III signal was identified in the diagnostic bone marrow. Gene scan analysis after CDR III PCR of the magnetic bead isolated B-cell fraction from the apheresis products in these 19 patients revealed three different patterns: 32% of patients had a predominantly monoclonal B-cell population; 63% of patients had an identifiable monoclonal signal within an oligoclonal B-cell population. In only 1/19 patients were no monoclonal B cells identified in the B-cell population of the apheresis product. A correlation between the clonal pattern and the clinical response after sequential chemotherapy was found. Patients with a predominance of monoclonal myeloma or myeloma precursor B cells had an early relapse or achieved a minimal response or a partial remission. Patients with an oligo- and/or polyclonal pattern achieved a high percentage of partial as well as complete remissions.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

A placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized, two-center, pilot trial of Cop 1 in chronic progressive multiple sclerosis.

We found Cop 1 to be effective and relatively safe in a previous (exacerbating-remitting) clinical trial. This current trial involves 106 chronic-progressive patients. The major end point, confirmed progression of 1.0 or 1.5 units (depending on baseline disability) on the Kurtzke Expanded Disability Status Scale, was observed in nine (17.6%) treated and 14 (25.5%) control patients. The differences between the overall survival curves were not significant. Progression rates at 12 and 24 months were higher for the placebo group (p = 0.088) with 2-year probabilities of progressing of 20.4% for Cop 1 and 29.5% for placebo. We found a significant difference at 24 months between placebo and Cop 1 at one but not the other center. Two-year progression rates for two secondary end points, unconfirmed progression, and progression of 0.5 EDSS units, (p = 0.03) are significant.

Chronic Disease↗
PubMed1988

Clinical experience with COP-1 in multiple sclerosis.

COP-1 is one of a series of polypeptide preparations developed to stimulate myelin basic protein (MBP), a natural component of the myelin sheath. MBP in Freund's complete adjuvant induces experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS). In saline, MBP suppresses EAE. This is the rationale for the use of COP-1 in MS.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

A pilot trial of Cop 1 in exacerbating-remitting multiple sclerosis.

Cop 1 is a random polymer (molecular weight, 14,000 to 23,000) simulating myelin basic protein. It is synthesized by polymerizing L-alanine, L-glutamic acid, L-lysine, and L-tyrosine. It suppresses but does not induce experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, an animal model of multiple sclerosis. It is not toxic in animals. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot trial, we studied 50 patients with the exacerbating-remitting form of multiple sclerosis, who self-injected either 20 mg of Cop 1 dissolved in 1 ml of saline or saline alone daily for two years. Six of 23 patients in the placebo group (26 percent) and 14 of 25 patients in the Cop 1 group (56 percent) had no exacerbations (P = 0.045). There were 62 exacerbations in the placebo group and 16 in the Cop 1 group, yielding two-year averages of 2.7 and 0.6 per patient, respectively. Among patients who were less disabled on entry (Kurtzke disability score, 0 to 2), there were 2.7 exacerbations in the placebo group and 0.3 in the Cop 1 group over two years. Among patients who were more affected (Kurtzke disability score, 3 to 6), there was an average of 2.7 exacerbations in the placebo group and 1.0 in the Cop 1 group. Over two years, less disabled patients taking Cop 1 improved an average of 0.5 Kurtzke units; those taking placebo worsened an average of 1.2 Kurtzke units. More disabled patients worsened by 0.3 (Cop 1 group) and 0.4 (placebo group) unit. Irritation at injection sites and rare, transient vasomotor responses were observed as side effects. These results suggest that Cop 1 may be beneficial in patients with the exacerbating-remitting form of multiple sclerosis, but we emphasize that the study is a preliminary one and our data require confirmation by a more extensive clinical trial.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Gastrin levels in chronic renal failure, hemodialysis and renal transplant patients.

Basal serum gastrin levels have been studied in chronic renal failure (CRF), hemodialysis (MHDT) and renal transplant patients. There was no significant difference between the levels in CRF and controls and between anephric and nephric MHDT patients. However, levels in transplant patients were lower than those in the other groups. There was no relationship between fasting gastrin levels and peptic ulceration in any of the groups studied. It is doubtful whether basal gastrin estimations are of much value in management of these patients.

Gastrins↗