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Biomedical subjects

G Wilhelm

Publications and source records attributed to G Wilhelm.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Multicenter phase-I/II study using a combination of gemcitabine and docetaxel in metastasized and unresectable, locally advanced pancreatic carcinoma.

AIMS: To assess the maximum tolerability of a combined therapy regimen of gemcitabine and docetaxel, and to evaluate tumour response rate, survival time and tolerability in patients receiving these agents for advanced pancreatic carcinoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients (n=68) with pancreatic carcinoma (advanced and/or unresectable tumour growth or histopathologically diagnosed metastases) were enrolled in a multicenter phase-I (n=25) and phase-II study (n=43). Treatment during phase II of the study was continued until either complete tumour remission (CR), tumour progression, indicated clinically or by means of radiological imaging, or until unacceptable toxicity occurred. RESULTS: Phase I: the tolerability maximum of the combined agents was established at gemcitabine 1000 mg/m(2) and docetaxel 35 mg/m(2) with tolerable adverse events. Phase II: a total of 139 chemotherapy cycles were completed (mean, 3.2; range, 1-10). While CR was achieved in three of 43 patients (7%), in five further cases, partial remission (PR) was documented, amounting to an overall response rate (OR) of 18.6%. Eighteen patients showed stable disease (41.9%), whereas in 17 of 43 subjects (39.5%), primary tumour progression was detected. The median survival time was 9.0 months; the 1-year survival rate was 13.9% (six of 43 patients). These results were associated with a side-effect profile of moderate severity and acceptable quality of life (QOL). CONCLUSION: The combination of gemcitabine and docetaxel for chemotherapy in unresectable pancreatic carcinoma was well tolerated. Survival time and 1-year survival rate proved promising and the regimen appears suitable for further evaluation in a prospective phase-III study setting.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Treatment of bendamustine and prednisone in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma results in superior complete response rate, prolonged time to treatment failure and improved quality of life compared to treatment with melphalan and prednisone--a randomized phase III study of the East German Study Group of Hematology and Oncology (OSHO).

PURPOSE: This randomized phase III study compared bendamustine and prednisone (BP) to standard melphalan and prednisone (MP) treatment in previously untreated patients with multiple Myeloma (MM). PATIENTS AND METHODS: To be included, patients had to have histologically and cytologically proven stage II with progressive diseases or stage III MM. They were randomly assigned to receive BP (n=68) or MP (n=63). The primary endpoint was the time to treatment failure (TTF). Secondary endpoints included survival, remission rate, toxicity and quality of life. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 75% in the BP and 70% in the MP group. A significantly higher number of patients treated with BP achieved a complete remission than did patients receiving MP (32 vs. 13%; P=0.007), and the maximum response was achieved more rapidly in patients treated with BP compared to those receiving MP (6.8 vs. 8.7 cycles; P<0.02). TTF and remission duration were significantly longer in the BP group. Patients receiving BP had higher QoL scores and reported pain less frequently than patients receiving MP. CONCLUSION: BP is superior to MP with respect to complete remission rate, TTF, cycles needed to achieve maximum remission and quality of life and should be considered the new standard in first-line treatment of MM patients not eligible for transplantation.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Blood volume determination with sodium fluorescein and radioactive chromium--a clinical comparison of methods.

OBJECTIVE: There exists no method so far for the determination of circulating blood volume as an important parameter of circulatory function widely usable under clinical conditions. Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate whether identical distribution spaces could be measured by two methods for blood volume determination using sodium fluorescein (SoF) and radioactively labelled red blood cells (51Cr*). DESIGN: Comparative study. SETTING: Operating theatre, recovery room, or intensive care unit of a university hospital. PATIENTS: 35 patients undergoing abdominal, urological or vascular surgery. INTERVENTIONS: Simultaneous determinations of blood volume using SoF and 51Cr* in the intra- and postoperative period. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the calculated means of blood volume (4,445 vs. 4,407 ml), red cell volume (1,554 vs. 1,540 ml), and plasma volume (2,891 vs. 2,807 ml) for 51Cr*-vs. SoF-stained red blood cells. The coefficient of correlation between the two methods was r = 0.95. The mean percentage error was -0.6% between the two methods, the precision 5.6%. CONCLUSIONS: SoF-stained erythrocytes allow a determination of the same distribution space as the well-established radioactive method using 51Cr*. Therefore, SoF-staining may replace 51Cr* labelling of red blood cells for the determination of blood volume in patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

[Differential diagnosis of malaria].

Several basic principles of the diagnostics and therapy of malaria were repeated from own experience. On the basis of two casuistics the difficulties are shown which may be develop in positive proof of plasmodia, when the acute clinical picture is not caused by the malarial parasites, but represents an independent secondary disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

[Protection against infection with Bordetella pertussis by an oligopeptide from Bordetella pertussis (author's transl)].

We have isolated from Bordetella pertussis an oligopeptide with characteristic amino acid composition. This peptide was applied to mice in standardized tests for pertussis immunization. In three tests with three independent isolates of peptide, a significant and dose dependent protection was observed. One microgram of peptide per mouse produces the same protective effect as 0.1 IU of pertussis vaccine. It is important to note that similar peptides can be isolated from other bacteria and other DNA containing cellular organisms which have specific amino acid compositions and which are antigens specific for the organism from which they were isolated. The antigens are very potent, e.g., one ng of Mycobacterium tuberculosis peptide is equivalent to one unit of tuberculin. It is conceivable that immunizing effects such as those observed for pertussis are common to the peptides of this group. Since all such peptides are isolated from a group of low molecular weight ribonucleoproteins, as first reported by WILHELM, we propose the term nucleopeptides for this group. Oligopeptides of the nucleopeptide group are now available for sequence analysis. We expect that synthetic peptides of this group will become available in time for diagnosis, prophylaxis and therapy of a number of diseases.

Animals↗
PubMed1975

Affinity elution of pyruvate kinase from phosphocellulose.

Pyruvate kinase from ascites tumour cells can be eluted from phosphocellulose by very low concentrations of phosphoenolpyruvate, fructose 1,6-bisphosphate, adenosine 5'-diphosphate and pyrophosphate, respectively. The appropriate limiting conditions for "facilitated desorption" of the enzyme from phosphocellulose by these ligands have been elaborated for achieving maximum selectivity and recovery in the process of its purification. This method has been designated as "affinity elution chromatography" owing to the specific interactions between a ligand as a constituent of the eluting medium with the adsorbed enzyme, which causes its selective desorption from the ion-exchanger. Affinity elution with phosphoenolpyruvate has been found to be very effective for preparation of the M-types of pyruvate kinase. A specific activity of 420 for an almost homogeneous preparation of pyruvate kinase from ascites tumour cells has maximally been obtained.

Animals↗