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Biomedical subjects

R E Marcus

Publications and source records attributed to R E Marcus.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Monoclonal antibody (MoAb) therapy in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.

The advance of monoclonal antibody (MoAb) technology in recent years provides a further treatment modality for cancer therapy. In this review, we discussed the various strategies available for MoAb therapy. We also addressed the problems encountered so far in early clinical trials and suggested possible solutions. We finally reviewed some of the interesting clinical studies conducted so far on the use of MoAbs in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.

Animals

Don't throw away the Austin Moore.

For the last 20 years, the authors' institution has treated displaced femoral neck fractures in the elderly with femoral head prosthetic replacement. The procedure has been accomplished utilizing a posterolateral approach, sectioning of the short external rotators, suction fitting of the acetabulum, and capsular repair. The post-operative management has been progressive ambulation and full weight bearing. The authors review the operative procedure, perioperative complications, and functional long-term follow-up in 173 elderly patients who had prosthetic replacement for femoral neck fractures. These were all done as primary procedures. One hundred pressfit Austin Moore procedures were performed in 97 patients from 1977 to 1981. Eighty bipolar proximal femoral replacements were performed in 76 patients from 1985 to 1987. These were each consecutive groups of patients and excluded were patients with pathologic fractures. There were four patients with spasticity in the Austin Moore group and four patients with spasticity in the bipolar group. Medical complications were similar in both groups. There were no deep infections in either group. Two of the three dislocations in the Austin Moore group were in patients with spasticity. Seven patients (7%) died within 3 months in the Austin Moore group and nine patients (11%) died within 3 months in the bipolar group. At 2-year follow-up, 24 patients (24%) died within 2 years in the Austin Moore group and 16 patients (20%) died in the bipolar group. At follow-up (mean, 26 months), there did not appear to be any statistically significant difference in the patients' Harris hip scores. The average hip score ranged from 55 to 92, with a mean of 76 in both groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged

Effect of autologous blood donation in patients undergoing elective spine surgery.

Autologous blood predeposit before elective surgery is a rapidly expanding transfusion practice. A 3-year analysis of an autologous blood predeposit program was conducted to assess its impact on orthopaedic spine surgery. It was concluded that, first, autologous blood donation has resulted in a reduction of homologous blood transfusions in patients undergoing elective spine procedures from 26% to 13% (P = .02). Second, autologous blood preoperative donation in elective spine surgery has increased significantly, so that autologous blood as an alternative to homologous blood transfusion now represents a standard of practice for elective spine surgery at the institution included in the study. Third, limitations of preoperative autologous blood procurement suggest that application of additional blood conservation interventions as alternatives to homologous blood would be important contributors to achieving "bloodless" surgery in this setting.

Adult

Recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor after autologous bone marrow transplantation for malignant lymphoma: a British National Lymphoma Investigation double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is active in enhancing the production of mature myeloid cells in vitro and several phase I/II clinical trials have suggested that its administration may accelerate neutrophil recovery after autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT). We have conducted a multicentre randomized double-blind placebo controlled trial in patients with poor prognosis malignant lymphoma receiving an identical high-dose combination chemotherapy regimen with ABMT. 61 patients were entered and 29 in each arm of the trial were evaluated. Treatment with GM-CSF did not affect the period of severe neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count (ANC) of < 0.1 x 10(9)/l) but accelerated recovery to an ANC of 0.5 x 10(9)/l (median 14 d v 20 d in controls, P = 0.001). There was no significant difference in platelet recovery between the groups (GM-CSF group platelet dependent for 25 d v control 19 d, P = NS). The number of positive blood cultures was similar in both groups (GM-CSF 14 v placebo 13) and there were no differences in days of fever > 37.5 degrees C (median 8 v 6) or days on parenteral antibiotics (11 v 10). Patients receiving GM-CSF had a median period of hospitalization following BMT of 24 d (control 25). No significant major toxicity attributable to GM-CSF administration was detected. We have confirmed in a randomized trial that GM-CSF accelerates neutrophil but not platelet recovery following ABMT. We were unable to demonstrate any accompanying changes in clinical outcome and believe that further trials are necessary to assess the clinical value of GM-CSF in BMT.

Adolescent

Intra-ocular haemorrhage, a frequent complication of acute promyelocytic leukaemia.

We have found a high incidence of ocular haemorrhage in patients with acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL). We describe a series of seven consecutive cases of APL, five of which developed ocular haemorrhage. There were no consistent detectable abnormalities in coagulation predictive of ocular damage. Ocular haemorrhage occurred despite the use of aggressive blood product support and its incidence was not altered by the use of the anti fibrinolytic agent tranexamic acid or by the use of heparin. Complete spontaneous resolution of the ocular pathology occurred in three of the five cases of ocular haemorrhage and partial recovery occurred in one. The fifth patient required surgical intervention. The mechanisms underlying the coagulopathy associated with APL are poorly understood. We discuss the evidence in support of primary disseminated intravascular coagulation and primary fibrinolysis. A logical approach to the management of the bleeding complications in APL can only follow greater understanding of the underlying pathophysiology.

Adult

Successful use of liposome encapsulated amphotericin to treat invasive aspergillosis following failure of conventional amphotericin.

We describe a case of proven invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in a neutropenic patient in whom disease progression occurred during treatment with conventional amphotericin B despite neutrophil recovery. Treatment with liposomal encapsulated amphotericin B resulted in clinical and radiological improvement and the clearance of aspergillus spores from the sputum.

Amphotericin B

Transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease in patients with Hodgkin's disease and T cell lymphoma.

Two patients, one with Hodgkin's disease and one with peripheral T cell lymphoma, developed transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease 16 and 8 days after transfusion of red cell and platelet concentrates. Fever and skin rash were followed rapidly by an elevation of liver enzymes and the onset of diarrhoea and pancytopenia. Despite treatment with high-dose methylprednisolone and anti-lymphocyte globulin, commenced within 7 and 2 days of the onset of rash, grade IV GvHD persisted and both patients died with severe pancytopenia. HLA types of peripheral lymphocytes of the patient with Hodgkin's disease were inconsistent with those of her parents and siblings, but HLA typing of her fibroblasts revealed that her true type was consistent with those of her parents and that her circulating lymphocytes were not genetically her own. The HLA types of the patient with T-cell lymphoma were inconsistent with those of her siblings which suggests, but, in the absence of other evidence, does not prove, chimaerism.

Adolescent

High-dose mitoxantrone and etoposide conditioning in autologous bone marrow transplantation for relapsed Hodgkin's disease.

We administered high-dose mitoxantrone in combination with etoposide to 6 patients with relapsed Hodgkin's disease as the conditioning regimen for autologous bone marrow transplantation. This regimen was well tolerated and no significant cardiotoxicity was observed. Responses of the Hodgkin's disease to this therapy were favourable but short-lived. Serial measurements of the serum levels of mitoxantrone suggested an open 3-compartment model of drug distribution. The rapid early phase of drug distribution was followed by an intermediate phase and a slow terminal drug-elimination phase. However, mitoxantrone was still detected in the serum of all patients 7 days after the last dose of mitoxantrone and on the day of bone marrow re-infusion. The clinical significance of such findings is unclear but they may suggest a need for the use of other anthracycline-related cytotoxic agents for the conditioning in autologous bone marrow transplantation.

Adult

An assessment of the efficacy of antimicrobial prophylaxis in bone marrow autografts.

Fifty-three patients undergoing autologous bone marrow transplantation received antimicrobial prophylaxis with ciprofloxacin with or without erythromycin and low dose intravenous amphotericin B. Eight patients remained afebrile throughout the neutropenic period. All other patients had one or more febrile episodes. The median time to fever after the onset of neutropenia was 7 days. There were no gram-negative organisms isolated from blood cultures during any of these episodes whereas gram-positive organisms were isolated in 28. There was one death in this series associated with sepsis. The use of low-dose prophylactic parenteral amphotericin did not prevent the subsequent successful use of full dose amphotericin for antibiotic-resistant fever. Ciprofloxacin effectively prevents gram-negative sepsis. The addition of erythromycin does little to prevent gram-positive sepsis. The use of regimens with agents with activity against gram-positive organisms is appropriate initial treatment of all febrile neutropenic episodes.

Adolescent

Utilization and effectiveness of autologous blood donation for arthroplastic surgery.

Autologous blood predeposit before elective surgery is a rapidly expanding transfusion practice. The authors have conducted a 3-year analysis of an autologous blood predeposit program to assess its impact on orthopaedic joint surgery. The authors conclude: autologous blood donation has resulted in a reduction of homologous blood transfusions in patients undergoing elective hip and knee procedures from 73% to 18% and from 71% to 12%, respectively. In addition, autologous blood preoperative donation in elective orthopaedic joint surgery has increased dramatically, so that while previously this practice was considered underutilized, autologous blood as an alternative to homologous blood transfusion now represents a standard of practice for elective orthopaedic joint arthroplasty at University Hospitals of Cleveland.

Arthroplasty

The impact of preoperative autologous blood donation on orthopaedic surgical practice.

We have conducted a retrospective 3-year analysis of our autologous blood donation program to assess its impact on orthopaedic surgery. We conclude: (1) utilization has increased from less than 5% of eligible patients in the first audit interval to nearly 50% in the last audit interval; (2) in the last audit interval, autologous blood donation resulted in a reduction of homologous blood transfusion from 41% in nonautologous blood patients to 14% in autologous blood donors; (3) increasingly conservative transfusion practice is seen for all patients undergoing elective orthopaedic surgery; (4) regional blood centers are responding to increasing requests for autologous blood with programs that are effective in attracting autologous blood donors; (5) on the basis of utilization and efficacy, preoperative autologous blood donation as an alternative to homologous blood transfusion now represents a standard of practice for elective orthopaedic surgery.

Blood Transfusion, Autologous

Assessment of extradural degenerative disease with Gd-DTPA-enhanced MR imaging: correlation with surgical and pathologic findings.

To test whether gadolinium-DTPA-enhanced MR would increase the conspicuity of extradural degenerative disease in the previously unoperated patient, we prospectively studied a group of 30 patients with symptoms suggestive of disk disease. Surgical findings and pathologic correlations were used as an objective measure of accuracy. Gadolinium-DTPA increased the confidence of diagnosis at one of eight operated cervical levels (six patients) and changed the diagnosis from extradural degenerative disease to tumor in one patient. The mechanism of enhancement of the epidural space and peridiskal region appears to be related to accumulation of contrast material within the epidural venous plexus, as well as to epidural fibrosis associated with disk disruption and herniation. While the immediate clinical utility of gadolinium-DTPA for morphologic analysis seems limited to difficult cervical spine cases, the presence of enhancement as a marker of epidural fibrosis and attempted healing may prove to be of great importance in studying the natural history and basic pathophysiology of degenerative disk disease.

Adult

Changes in the natural anticoagulants following bone marrow transplantation.

The natural anticoagulants, protein C, protein S and antithrombin, were measured in 21 patients following bone marrow transplantation (BMT). The patients were divided into two groups, those with normal protein C concentration post-BMT and those with significantly reduced protein C concentrations; 12 cases fell into the second group. In addition there was an associated fall in protein S in this group of patients. In spite of the presumed hypercoagulable state only one patient developed overt veno-occlusive disease (VOD) of the liver and no other thrombotic events occurred. The fall in protein C and protein S was coincident with the peak incidence of VOD and is likely to be a contributing factor to the genesis of this condition. Only protein S measured pre-BMT was of predictive value in identifying patients likely to develop reduced levels of these anticoagulants post-BMT. Age, sex, diagnosis, type of conditioning and the pre-BMT measurement of protein C and antithrombin had no predictive value.

Adolescent

Veno-occlusive disease of the liver complicating ABMT successfully treated with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA).

A 45-year-old man underwent autologous bone marrow transplantation for relapsed myeloma. The procedure was complicated by the development of veno-occlusive disease (VOD) of the liver. Thrombolytic therapy with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) resulted in rapid resolution of hepatic encephalopathy and ascites with improvement in liver function. The use of rt-PA in the management of VOD appears effective and should be evaluated in further patients.

Bone Marrow Transplantation

Autografting for patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia in chronic phase: peripheral blood stem cells may have a finite capacity for maintaining haemopoiesis.

We treated 14 patients with Ph-chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukaemia still in chronic phase by autografting with blood-derived haemopoietic stem cells. Eleven patients were autografted electively after cytoreductive treatment with busulphan (16 mg/kg) and melphalan (60 mg/m2) and three were autografted after marrow cells from HLA-identical sibling donors had failed to engraft. In 13 patients haemopoiesis recovered; one failed to engraft and died 114 d after autografting. Two other patients became pancytopenic and received further stem cell transfusions at 3 and 40 months respectively after first autografting. One patient entered lymphoid transformation and died 14 months after autografting. Twelve patients survive at a median of 41 months (range 24-53) after autografting. Nine of the survivors have required further chemotherapy after autografting and four of the nine were electively autografted on a second occasion. Three patients surviving after autografting for 28, 43 and 53 months respectively have not required further chemotherapy. In two of these patients haemopoiesis is now predominantly Ph-negative. We conclude that autografting in chronic phase might prolong survival in some cases by reducing the size of the leukaemic stem cell population. The fact that initially successful grafts failed in two patients suggests that blood-derived stem cells may have a finite potential for self-replication.

Adult

Antibiotic resistant fever associated with herpes simplex virus infection in neutropenic patients with haematological malignancy.

The incidence of mucocutaneous herpes simplex virus infection confirmed by culture and occurring during febrile neutropenic episodes was determined in 43 patients with haematological malignancy. The outcome of 72 episodes of neutropenic fever was determined and correlated with the presence or absence of herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection. Twenty four patients had mucocutaneous HSV infection during at least one episode. In 24 episodes in which HSV was isolated only 12.5% of fevers responded to antibiotics and 75% of fevers were otherwise unexplained. Conversely, in 48 episodes of neutropenic fever in which HSV was not isolated 67% of fevers responded to antibiotics and only 8.3% were unexplained. The difference in incidence of antibiotic resistant fever in the two groups was significant. There was, therefore, a strong association between mucocutaneous HSV infection and antibiotic resistant fever in immunosuppressed neutropenic patients. As most HSV infections are the result of virus reactivation, establishing the HSV serological state of patients would identify those at risk of infection and hence those in whom the prophylactic use of acyclovir would be indicated.

Acyclovir