Sleep polygraphic findings in epileptic encephalopathies from infancy to adolescence.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to O Daniele.
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A total of 21 untreated patients (5 males, 16 females; median age, 55 years; range, 28-72) with advanced measurable colorectal carcinoma were treated with an association of 5-fluorouracil (1000 mg/weekly) and alpha-2 interferon (three times a week s.c.: 6 x 10(6) U in the 1st month, 9 x 10(6) U in the 2nd month, 12 x 10(6) U in the 3rd month and then 18 x 10(6) U) until maximum response or progression of disease. Sites of disease involved liver in 10 patients, lung in 6, supraclavicular lymph nodes in 3, skin in 1, abdomen in 4, and vagina in 1 patient. Nine responses (42.8%) were documented (4 complete and 5 partial) with metastases confined to the liver, lung, nodes and skin. Median duration of response was 11 months (range, 4-17+) and median survival was 10 months (range, 2-17+). Side effects (fever, flu-like syndrome and leukopenia) required a dose reduction of 5-fluorouracil in 8 patients and interferon in 2 patients.
Several clinical experiences from Padua, Italy confirm that 5-fluorouracil may be usefully modulated by the addition of leucovorin, and especially by platinum and alpha interferon. The intra-arterial and intraperitoneal administration of such synergistic combinations has also proved to be of benefit in special subsets of patients. Perspectives of further studies are examined.
Thirty-two patients with stage III or IV invasive thymoma (14 women and 18 men; median age, 40 years) were treated at the Padua Medical Oncology Department from 1977 to 1988. All patients received the following chemotherapy in 4-day courses: 50 mg/m2 of cisplatin intravenously (IV) and 40 mg/m2 of doxorubicin IV on day 1; 0.6 mg/m2 of vincristine IV on day 3; and 700 mg/m2 of cyclophosphamide IV on day 4 (ADOC). The courses were repeated every 3 weeks, and toxic effects were tolerable. The radiologically defined overall clinical response rate (complete plus partial response) was 91% with 47% clinical complete remissions; median time to progression was 11 months (range, 0 to 96) and the median estimated (Kaplan-Meier) progression-free interval was 22 months. Five of the 15 clinical complete remissions were pathologically confirmed at thoracotomy. We believe the ADOC regimen qualifies for adjuvant and preoperative treatment of invasive thymoma due to the high complete response and overall response rates.
A series of 88 patients with completed stroke was selected in which heralding, early and late seizures were distinguished according to their onset. Relationships between CT scan and clinical EEG data are discussed with particular emphasis on possible mechanisms of seizures. Thus, small emboli or haemodynamic factors are stressed in the cases of heralding seizures, metabolic disturbances with cytotoxic effects in early seizures and chronic epileptic focus in late seizures.
We observed a patient with the hypereosinophilic syndrome that showed as a prominent clinical feature peripheral nerve dysfunction. The neuropathy evolved over 4 months and affected sensory and motor functions. Nerve conduction studies and EMG were compatible with axonal neuropathy. Nerve and muscle biopsies revealed severe axonal degeneration with neurogenic atrophy of muscle. Morphometry of peroneal nerve showed marked axonal loss, more prominent in large myelinated fibers. There was no evidence of vasculitis process. Neuropathy is produced by eosinophil-released substances exerting a neurotoxic effect through direct altered vascular endothelial permeability and local mast cell histamine release.
Six patients (four men and two women) affected by malignant pericardial effusion, as confirmed by cytologic examination, were treated with direct intrapericardial administration of cisplatin. Median age was 36.8 years (range, 18 to 56 years). After insertion of a radiopaque polyurethane catheter (Centracath Vygon, Laboratoires Pharmaceutiques, Vygon-Ecouen, France), fluid was drained and cisplatin (10 mg in 20 ml of normal saline) was instilled over 5 minutes on 5 consecutive days (total cisplatin dose, 50 mg). At the end of the course, the catheter was withdrawn. Courses were repeated every 2 or 3 weeks in case of fluid reaccumulation. The median number of courses was two, with a range of one to three courses. Three patients achieved complete response and all three died of primary disease progression without evidence of pericardial recurrence or stricture. Mild nausea occurred in all patients. No hematologic and renal toxicity and local or infectious complications were observed.
From February 1983 to January 1985, 497 patients with advanced breast cancer were randomly allocated to receive either epirubicin or doxorubicin in the following combination chemotherapy regimen: fluorouracil (5-FU) 500 mg/m2 intravenous (IV) on days 1 and 8; epirubicin or doxorubicin 50 mg/m2 IV on day 1; cyclophosphamide 500 mg/m2 IV on day 1 (FEC or FAC). Cycles were repeated every 21 days until progression or to cumulative doses of 700 mg/m2 for epirubicin and 550 mg/m2 for doxorubicin. Dose reductions were applied according to the standard criteria. Activity was evaluated in 443 patients (222 in the FEC arm and 221 in the FAC arm). The two experimental groups were comparable in age, performance status, menopausal status, histology, previous treatments, and site of the disease. The overall response rate (complete response and partial response [CR + PR]) was not significantly different: 53.6% for FEC and 56.5% for FAC. The median time to progression was 273 days for FEC and 314 days for FAC; the median survival time was 591 and 613 days, respectively. Leukopenia, anemia, nausea, and vomiting were significantly lower in patients treated with FEC. As for cardiotoxicity, four cases of congestive heart failure (CHF) were recorded among patients treated with FAC while only one was observed in the FEC group. These results indicate that epirubicin in a combination chemotherapy regimen is as active as doxorubicin and is significantly less toxic.
Clinical response to high-dose medroxyprogesterone (MPA), administered following three different routes of administration (i.m., p.o. + i.m., p.o.) and monitoring drug plasma levels, was evaluated in pretreated advanced breast cancer patients. Fifty-eight of 68 eligible patients were considered evaluable for response. Age ranged between 36 years and 82 years. Fifty-six of 58 evaluable patients were postmenopausal. An overall remission rate of 48% was achieved with i.m. MPA, 50% with combined (i.m. + p.o.) modalities; only a 19% remission rate was recorded in the p.o. group. Response rate and MPA plasma concentrations were correlated, and a drug level of 80 ng/ml, by means of a GLC method, seems to identify a subset of patients with high probability of response. Only mild toxic effects were recorded.
A curious case is reported in which the patient, a young woman, exhibited convulsive seizures when approaching closely to a television. The visual and acoustic stimulation did not change her EEG, whereas simultaneous stimulation with both the modalities induced bilateral and symmetrical high-voltage spikes (with their diffusion) that led to a convulsive seizure. Results are discussed with relation to the literature.
The activity of the association of cis-platinum with Adriamycin and cyclophosphamide (CAP), as "rescue" chemotherapy for the treatment of refractory and relapsing advanced breast cancer, is presented. Of 42 evaluable patients, previously treated with chemotherapy +/- hormone therapy, 4 (9.5%) achieved a complete response, 15 (35%) had a partial response (CR + PR = 45%). Major toxicity observed was: nausea and vomiting in 95% of patients and leukopenia in 60%.
A case of Duane retraction syndrome (DRS) is reported. The major clinical subclasses of the syndrome and the most convincing pathogenetic hypothesis are briefly discussed.
A clinical evaluation of peptichemio (40-45 mg/m2/day for 3 days every 3-4 weeks) was conducted in 32 patients with advanced breast cancer, 28 of whom were evaluable for both toxicity and response. The overall response rate was 18% (one complete remission and four partial remissions), with a median duration of 4 months (range, 2-6). The major side effects were cumulative myelotoxicity, phlebitis, mild nausea, and vomiting. A posttreatment heparin infusion was used to prevent phlebitis.
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From January 1978 to October 1982, 47 patients with histological diagnosis of epithelial cancer of the ovary received peptichemio (PTC) at a dose of 70 mg/m2 (maximum, 120 mg total) every 15 days. Forty-two patients are now evaluable: 27 with stage III and 15 with stage IV disease. All patients but four with stage IV disease had been pretreated and had received at least one drug combination (median, three drugs per patient, including alkylating agents). Before the administration of PTC, the tumor extension in the abdomen was carefully assessed in all patients: ten patients had residual tumor less than 2 cm in diameter, while 32 patients had tumor greater than 2 cm in diameter. Objective responses were obtained in ten patients (23.8%): six complete remissions and one partial remission were observed in stage III patients and one complete remission and two partial remissions were observed in stage IV patients. Of the ten responding patients, eight had tumors less than 2 cm in diameter before receiving PTC. The median duration of response was 16 months. The most frequent side effects were myelosuppression and phlebosclerosis. Bone marrow depression was a common finding after the third course in heavily pretreated patients. Accordingly, in these patients a schedule interval of 3 weeks should be more appropriate. Since most of the responders were in the "small tumor" category, PTC appears to be an active drug in patients with ovarian cancer having small tumors (less than 2 cm). On the other hand, the response rate in a nonselected population of patients remains to be clearly defined with further studies.
Five patients (3 females; 2 males) who underwent gastrectomy for carcinoma were administered adjuvant chemotherapy and high dose medroxyprogesterone acetate (HD-MPA) as supportive therapy. MPA administered p.o. was regularly absorbed; the drug was well tolerated and was almost lacking in toxicity. MPA, thanks to its myeloprotective activity and its anabolic effects, can be used as supportive therapy in the treatment of a wide range of malignancies.
Forty-four previously untreated patients with advanced inoperable and/or disseminated gastric carcinoma were given an i.v. combination (FAM2) chemotherapy of 5-fluorouracil, 400 mg/m2 on days 1, 2 and 3, and 21, 22 and 23; adriamycin, 40 mg/m2 on days 2 and 22; and mitomycin C, 10 mg/m2 on day 1, with a recycle on day 42 (1 cycle = 41 days). Forty patients have completed 2 cycles and are evaluable (median number of cycles 5; range 3 to 8): 26 of these achieved a partial remission, with a response rate of 65%; 4 (10%) gained a stable situation for 3 to 6 months, and 10 (25%) showed progression of disease. Median duration of partial remissions was 10 months, and median survival was 15 months for responders and 5 months for nonresponders. A fall in WBC (less than 2500/microliter) occurred in 7% and of platelets (less than 80,000/microliter) in 4.5%. Total alopecia occurred in 20 of 40 patients and nausea and or weakness were common findings. No drug-related infection, bleeding or death was observed. Patients with advanced gastric carcinoma can derive useful palliation from FAM2 chemotherapy.
Eleven patients with invasive thymoma (seven males and four females) were seen from 1977 to 1983. All patients were adults with a median age of 46 years (range, 24-62), and presented after surgical exploration with nonremovable primary and with one or more of the following patterns of tumor extension: supraclavicular lymphadenopathy (four patients), superior vena cava syndrome (two), pleural effusion (nine), and pericardial effusion (three). The following distant metastases were also observed: lung (six patients), liver (one), skin (two), peritoneum (two), bone (one), and brain (one). The chemotherapy was administered in 4-day courses. All patients received the following: 50 mg/m2 of cisplatin iv and 40 mg/m2 of doxorubicin iv on Day 1, 0.6 mg/m2 of vincristine iv on Day 3, and 700 mg/m2 of cyclophosphamide iv on Day 4. The course was repeated every 3 weeks. Toxic effects were tolerable, as expected for the drug combination adopted. Four of 11 patients achieved objective complete regression of disease and six of 11 had partial remission, for an overall response rate of 91%; one patient had stable disease for 7 months. Six patients have died and the median survival has been 12.5 months, ranging from 5 to 23 months.