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Biomedical subjects

R Koós

Publications and source records attributed to R Koós.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

[New aspects of the determination of blood methotrexate levels in leukemic children].

Serum and CSF concentrations after medium dosage of methotrexate (MTX; 500 mg/m2 - 1,000 mg/m2) have been determined by an enzymatic assay during 142 infusions in children with ALL. If the dose of MTX was 500 mg/m2 MTX concentrations in CSF were under 10(-6) M/l in 40% of the treatments but only in 22%, when the dose was increased to 1,000 mg/m2. The systemic clearance of MTX was found to be increased significantly by the 2nd MTX treatment in children who relapsed thereafter. Such a phenomenon was not observed in children who continued in remission. The relapse free survival of children, whose MTX-clearance remained constant by the 2nd MTX treatment was significantly longer. No serious MTX toxicity has been observed in our patients.

Blood-Brain Barrier↗
PubMed1985

Psychosocial problems in families of a child with cancer.

Eighty-one children with malignancies and their families were investigated for the psychosocial changes that take place during the course of the disease. Seventeen patients were in the initial phase of treatment, 24 were in first remission, 14 were long-term survivors already off therapy, 11 were in relapse, and 15 children died 1-5 years before this study. Detailed personal interviews with the parents showed profound changes in the families' life and severe problems in adapting to the new situation. Marital problems, neglecting the healthy siblings, and a loss of interest in work occurred in the majority of parents, especially in mothers. Younger siblings suffered more from the strains imposed on the family than did elder ones. Psychosocial care is felt to be helpful for all families in adjusting to the altered circumstances and emotional upheavals.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1985

Acute myeloid leukemia in childhood: 12 years experience of treatment in Hungary.

During the 12-year period between 1971 and 1982 leukemia was diagnosed in 759 children in Hungary. Of these, 123 (16%) had acute myeloid or myelomonocytic leukemia. This corresponds to an annual incidence rate of 6.15 cases per 10(6) children. Analysis of the presentation symptoms at diagnosis showed a higher incidence of septic signs but otherwise no difference to those in acute lymphoid leukemia. Treatment schedules were intensified successively in stepwise fashion. Remission rates rose from 34% to 66%, and remission lengths also improved. Of the prognostic factors analyzed, initial WBC count in excess of 50 G/1 was found to confer bad prognosis, while the other factors had no significant effect on disease-free survival.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Metabolism of fibrinogen in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

The metabolism and in vivo kinetics of fibrinogen were studied using homologous 125I-labelled fibrinogen in 21 children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). Ten patients were undergoing induction therapy, 11 children were in complete remission on maintenance therapy. Results in the patients undergoing induction therapy were: plasma fibrinogen levels were normal in all except one patient, the plasma fibrinogen pool was elevated in six cases, seven patients had a shortened fibrinogen half-life and increased fractional catabolic rate for fibrinogen. The absolute catabolic rate for fibrinogen was elevated in six cases. This shortened fibrinogen half-life together with the correcting effect of heparinisation on the fibrinogen turnover indicated that fibrinogen was consumed by chronic disseminated intravascular coagulation. Inhibition of the fibrinolytic system with epsilon-aminocaproic acid in five patients had no influence on the fibrinogen half-life in three of them but resulted in its prolongation in two patients. All except two children in complete remission had normal fibrinogen levels. Six patients had elevated plasma fibrinogen pools and in all of the cases survival and fractional catabolic rate of fibrinogen were normal. The absolute catabolic rate for fibrinogen was normal in eight, elevated in three of the patients. This observation indicates that fibrinogen synthesis remains accelerated in some cases of ALL in complete remission, but the cause of this is not known.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Late effects of therapy in children previously treated for leukaemia or malignant tumour.

The late sequelae of leukaemia and tumour therapy are discussed. The most important and/or the most frequent are neuro-psychologic disturbances, deformities of the bones, the decreased reproduction capacity and the second tumours. Because of the rapidly growing number of cured patients a better knowledge of the occurrence, aetiology, prophylaxis and rehabilitation of these changes is needed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Infant leukemia in Hungary.

The treatment of childhood leukemia in Hungary is carried out in the framework of a national multicenter study. During the past ten years 633 newly diagnosed patients were treated in one of the ten centers. Of these, 39 were less than a year old at the time of diagnosis; 24 presented with ALL, 12 with AML, and three were found to have juvenile CML. Initial WBC count, which is the most important prognostic factor in childhood leukemia, was significantly higher in infants than in older children. Accordingly, the treatment results in these patients were inferior to those in children. Therapy of leukemia in infants remains a serious problem and warrants further studies to establish the best approach.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed1981

Psychological late effects of leukemia in children and their prevention.

The psychological and intellectual sequelae of childhood leukemia and its treatment were examined in 48 children with acute leukemia in long remission. Verbal and performance IQ values were determined in addition to full scale IQ. Performance was worse than the verbal IQ in children who were less than six years old at the time of diagnosis. Cranial irradiation even in repeated doses of 2,400 rads had no effect on these children's intellects. Most of the patients, however, showed severe emotional problems when constructing their "world" from given objects. The frequency and severity of these emotional problems could be much alleviated by regular psychological care.

Adolescent↗