PubMed HealthSearch

SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “Multivariate response regression”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Survival after relapse of low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: implications for marrow transplantation.

PURPOSE: Despite modern therapy, patients with low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHLs) have a median survival of only 7 to 10 years. To determine factors that predict for short survival after relapse and thus to identify candidates for intensive investigational studies including bone marrow transplantation, we have analyzed the combined results of three Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) trials of initial chemotherapy for lymphoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All 466 patients who achieved initial complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) and had a subsequent relapse were evaluated (median follow-up, 12.6 years). Multivariate regression analysis within a training set (two thirds of cases) was verified in the remaining one-third (validation set) of cases. RESULTS: Age younger than 60 years, CR, and response duration were significantly associated with longer survival after relapse. Multivariate analysis developed a predictive model that identified shorter survival in patients greater than or equal to 60 years, regardless of CR or response duration. Patients younger than 60 years with an initial CR of more than 1 year had a median survival of 5.9 years, those with a PR of more than 1 year had a median survival of 4.2 years, and those with a CR or PR of less than or equal to 1 year, 2.4 years (P less than .0001). Even the most favorable group had a 10-fold greater mortality compared with age-adjusted United States population rates. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that patients with low-grade NHLs with a less than or equal to 1-year response period have poor survival after relapse and may be candidates for aggressive salvage therapy, including transplantation. Longer initial responses lead to better survival after relapse. Clinical trials seeking to demonstrate an advantage for new treatments including transplantation will require long follow-up and comparison to control populations for meaningful analysis.

Adult

The effect of body build, diet and endocrine factors on the extrinsic fibrinolytic system in healthy young women.

In this study, the importance of anthropometric, nutritional and endocrine variables on the plasma concentrations of tissue plasminogen activator antigen (tPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-l) were investigated. Tissue plasminogen activator concentration and PAI-l activity in plasma were studied in 24 healthy young women after diet periods which caused depletion or filling of hepatic glycogen stores. Plasminogen activator inhibitor levels in the glycogen-depleted state and the glycogen-repleted state were positively correlated, as were also tPA levels. In fasting subjects with repleted glycogen stores, tPA values correlated with fasting insulin concentration and blood pressures. In fasting subjects depleted of glycogen stores, PAI-l correlated with tPA, plasma insulin, triglycerides, and waist-to-hip girth ratio; triglycerides and waist-to-hip girth ratio also correlated with tPA. Over a 4-h period following intake of a test-meal, the glucose and insulin responses were not correlated with the fibrinolytic variables. Multivariate regression analysis suggested that waist-to-hip girth ratio and diastolic blood pressure were independently associated with tPA concentrations both in subjects with depleted and repleted glycogen stores. Thus, both constitutional factors such as anthropometric variables and blood pressure, and nutritional status of the subjects may be related to tPA and PAI- levels in plasma. This should be taken into account in clinical studies on fibrinolysis.

Adult

A follow-up study of 49 adult patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura treated with high-dose immunoglobulins and anti-D immunoglobulins.

BACKGROUND: We analyze here short- and long-term results in 49 patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), consecutively treated with high-dose (h.d.) immunoglobulins (Ig) or anti-D Ig. The major aims of this study were to assess the prognostic power of some patient characteristics and to verify the possibility that repeated courses of treatment can induce a stable remission. Moreover, the relative efficacy and safety of these two treatments were compared. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Group A included 28 patients with chronic ITP and 17 with ITP of recent onset who were receiving h.d. Ig; Group B included 5 patients with ITP of recent onset and 7 with chronic ITP treated with anti-D Ig. Eight cases, receiving both treatment, were included in both groups. Response to treatment was defined as any increase in platelet count above 30 x 10(9)/l, when the platelet count was less than 10 x 10(9)/l, or any doubling of the basal platelet count otherwise. Remission was defined as any platelet count higher than 100 x 10(9)/l lasting for 3 months or longer without therapy. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Cumulative response and remission rate was not statistically different in the two groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed no influence of sex, previous therapy or duration of disease. Patients older than 60 years were definitely less responsive to h.d. Ig (58% vs 92%, p = 0.03). In Group A, two patients obtained remission after the first course of h.d. Ig. No additional remissions were obtained by repeated courses of h.d. Ig, apart from a single case of ITP of recent onset.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult

Urine Proteomics as a Source of Biological Information and Outcome Predictor in Living Kidney Transplantation.

Kidney transplantation (KTx) is the preferred treatment for kidney failure. However, post-transplant management is challenging due to the limited lifespan of transplanted organs. Current methods for monitoring post-transplant complications are invasive and have limitations. Therefore, there is an urgent need for novel non-invasive biomarkers. This study investigates the proteomic composition of urine to understand renal biology during the process of transplantation and to identify potential markers for outcome prediction. Urine samples were collected from donors before transplantation and from recipients 4 weeks and 1 year after transplantation. Proteomic analysis was performed using mass spectrometry and label-free quantification. Statistical analyses included principal component analysis (PCA) and enrichment analysis. The resulting key findings were confirmed in an independent validation cohort. In addition, correlative regression models to evaluate the relationship between protein abundance and clinical outcomes in the further course after transplantation were performed. 106 urine samples in the setting of 70 kidney transplantations were analyzed. PCA revealed distinct clustering of donor and recipient samples, indicating significant proteomic changes after transplantation. Hierarchical clustering and gene ontology analysis identified molecular changes as a response to transplantation and showed an over-representation of relevant pathways related to inflammation, cell immune response and coagulation in both the original and validation cohorts. Multivariate regression analysis, including linear and logistic regression, identified 11 potential protein biomarkers, including ORM2, IL1RAP, APP, and FABP4 as predictors of eGFR 12 months after transplantation and 1 HP as a predictor of infections within the first year after transplantation, respectively. This study underscores the potential of non-invasive urine proteomics for identifying biological processes involved in kidney transplantation and for enhancing post-transplant monitoring and outcome prediction. We identified 12 potential biomarkers with added value to standard clinical parameters linked to transplant outcomes, which will be promising candidates for future outcome monitoring after KTx.

Humans

Risk Factors for Breakthrough Acute SARS-CoV-2 Infections in Fully Vaccinated Individuals: A Case-Control Study Nested in a Prospective Cohort in Medelln, Colombia.

To effectively curb coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), it is essential to understand the risk factors for breakthrough acute infections of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) despite vaccination. We conducted a case-control study to assess risk factors for acute SARS-CoV-2 infections requiring hospitalization in vaccinated individuals. The study included 50 vaccinated patients who experienced breakthrough infections requiring hospitalization (inpatient cohort) and 250 control participants from the outpatient cohort of the "Genomic Surveillance and Immune Response Monitoring for COVID-19 in the Metropolitan Area of the Aburrá Valley, Medellín-Colombia". Demographic characteristics, vaccination status, and immune responses were compared between cases and controls using multivariate logistic regression. Advanced age (≥ 65 years), male sex, high-risk comorbidities, and immunosuppression were associated with an increased risk of breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infections despite prior vaccination. In contrast, receipt of a booster dose and the presence of neutralizing antibodies were linked to a reduced risk of such infections. This study identifies key risk and protective factors associated with breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infections. Derived from a high-middle-income setting, these real-world findings provide valuable insights to guide targeted vaccination strategies for vulnerable populations.

Humans

[Sex-specific utilization of medical aid. Results of the Munich Blood Pressure Study].

Sex differences in the frequency of physician visits, participation in cancer screening tests, number of drugs consumed, intake of antihypertensive drugs, and participation in hypertension screening have been investigated with data from the Munich Blood Pressure Study I and II (MBS 1981 and 1982). The study population was a random sample of the adult population of Munich (30-69 yrs.). 2216 men and women participated in MBS I (response 69.3%). The results from descriptive analyses and multivariate logistic regression showed significant relationships between sex and the various types of medical care utilization described above, with the exception of participation in hypertension screening, that is participation in the Munich Blood Pressure Study. Also, after controlling for age, marital status, education, occupational position, subjective physical well-being, number of chronic diseases, women went more often to the doctors and consumed more drugs than men. The sex differences were the largest in the participation of cancer screening tests (odds ratio 7.7), and the smallest in the frequency of physician visits (odds ratio 1.8) and participation in hypertension screening (not significant). Additionally, the sex differences in medical care utilization decreased with age.

Adult

Aging and generational effects on drinking behaviors in men: results from the normative aging study.

The effects of aging on alcohol consumption behaviors are unclear because of confounding with period and cohort effects. In 1973, 1,859 male participants in the Normative Aging Study, born between 1892 and 1945, described their drinking behaviors by responding to a mailed questionnaire. In 1982, 1,713 of the participants in this study responded to a similar questionnaire. We used multivariate techniques, adjusting regression coefficients for the correlations between repeated responses of the same individuals, to assess the effects of birth cohort and aging on mean alcohol consumption level, on the prevalence of problems with drinking, and on the prevalence of averaging three or more drinks per day. Older men drank significantly less than younger men at both times yet there was no tendency for men to decrease their consumption levels over time. Each successively older birth cohort had a prevalence of problems with drinking estimated to be 0.037 lower than the prevalence of the next youngest cohort (95 per cent confidence interval: 0.029-0.045), yet there was no decrease in drinking problems over nine years. Interpretation of these findings requires consideration of the changes in attitudes as well as the increases in per capita consumption occurring in the United States throughout the 1970s. Results suggest that aging is not as important a factor in changes in drinking behaviors as generational or attitudinal changes.

Adult

Risk factors associated with postoperative persistent hypertension in patients with primary aldosteronism.

BACKGROUND: Unilateral adrenalectomy was performed in 63 patients with primary aldosteronism. During a mean follow-up time of 4.1 years, none of the patients showed recurrence of hyperaldosteronism. However, 24 patients (38%) had persistent hypertension. The purpose of this study was to determine factors responsible for postoperative persistent hypertension. METHODS: A stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the combined predictive effects of the clinicopathologic variables. RESULTS: Age, sex, and pathologic findings were the best predictive factors of postoperative persistent hypertension. For a patient aged 50 years or more, the odds of persisting hypertension are 10.6:1, compared with those of a patient under 40 years of age. A male patient appears to have a greater chance of hypertension than a female patient; the odds ratio is 5.9:1. Persistent hypertension develops in patients with multiple adenomas or with an adenoma associated with macronodules more frequently than in those patients with a solitary adenoma; the odds ratio is 8.1. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that early surgical intervention at a younger age results in a more favorable outcome for patients with primary aldosteronism. The presence of macronodules in association with an adenoma is a cautious predictor of persistent hypertension after adrenalectomy.

Adrenalectomy

Endothelial dysfunction in patients with chest pain and normal coronary arteries.

BACKGROUND: A subgroup of patients with chest pain and angiographically normal epicardial coronary arteries have reduced dilator response to metabolic or pharmacological stimuli, but the mechanisms responsible for this reduced dilator response are unknown. In this study, we have investigated whether microvascular endothelial dysfunction is a cause of the observed reduced vasodilator reserve. METHODS AND RESULTS: The functional response of the microvasculature was studied with rapid atrial pacing at 150 beats per minute. Fifty-one patients, 20 hypertensive and 31 normotensive, with chest pain and normal epicardial coronary arteries (< 10% stenosis) were studied. Endothelial function was tested with incremental infusions of acetylcholine to achieve estimated intracoronary concentrations ranging from 10(-7) M to 10(-5) M. Endothelium-independent smooth muscle vasomotion was measured using intracoronary sodium nitroprusside. Endothelial dysfunction of epicardial coronary arteries, demonstrated as severe (> 50%) constriction with < 10(-5) M acetylcholine concentration, was evident in five patients (10%). In the remaining 46 patients, coronary blood flow increased with acetylcholine (mean, 78 +/- 43%) and atrial pacing (mean, 51 +/- 37%), and coronary vascular resistance decreased by 35 +/- 16% and 29 +/- 14%, respectively, but the responses were heterogeneous. There was a correlation between the coronary resistance change with acetylcholine and the change with atrial pacing: r = 0.68, p < 0.001 in these 46 patients. Thus, patients with depressed dilation with atrial pacing had reduced endothelium-dependent dilation with acetylcholine, and vice versa. However, the microvascular dilation caused by sodium nitroprusside was not significantly different between patients with and those without reduced dilation with atrial pacing, indicating that the vasodilator defect was not caused by smooth muscle dysfunction. There were no differences in the vasodilator responses with atrial pacing, acetylcholine, or nitroprusside between normotensive and hypertensive patients. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to determine whether age, sex, serum cholesterol level, hypertension, presence of mild epicardial vessel atherosclerosis, resting left ventricular function, change in left ventricular ejection fraction with exercise, vasodilation with acetylcholine, and vasodilation with sodium nitroprusside were independently related to the vasodilator response to atrial pacing. Only the change in coronary vascular resistance with acetylcholine was independently correlated with the change in resistance with atrial pacing: R2 = 0.46, p < 0.0001. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with chest pain, normal epicardial coronary arteries, and reduced vasodilation in response to atrial pacing appear to have associated endothelial dysfunction of the coronary microvasculature. Thus, microvascular endothelial dysfunction may contribute to the reduced vasodilator reserve with atrial pacing and anginal chest pain in these patients.

Acetylcholine

Identification of risk factors for bleeding during treatment of acute venous thromboembolism with heparin or low molecular weight heparin.

In a prospective double-blind trial, we treated 194 patients with acute venous thromboembolism with heparin or low molecular weight heparin (LMWH; Fragmin). To evaluate the most important prognostic factors for bleeding, the presenting clinical features of the patients, the patients' anticoagulant responses, and the doses of the drugs were analyzed using univariate and multivariate regression analyses. No significant differences in clinical risk factors associated with bleeding were observed between heparin and LMWH. The univariate analyses ranked the parameters in the following order of importance: World Health Organization (WHO) performance status, history of bleeding tendency, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, recent trauma or surgery, leukocyte counts, platelet counts, duration of symptoms, and body surface area. Patients with WHO grade 4 had an eightfold increase in risk of bleeding as compared with WHO grade 1. Assessment of the individual contribution of each variable using multivariate regression analysis showed that the WHO performance status was the most important independent factor predicting major bleeding. A history of a bleeding tendency, recent trauma or surgery, and body surface area were also independent risk factors. The risk of bleeding was influenced by two factors related to the treatment, the patient's anticoagulant response as measured with the anti-Xa assay and the dose of the drug expressed as U/24 h/m2. An increased risk of bleeding was only observed at mean anti-Xa levels greater than 0.8 U/mL for both drugs. Significantly more major bleedings occurred in patients treated with high doses of the drugs, an observation that was independent of the concomitant anti-Xa levels. It should be considered whether choosing an appropriate initial dose adapted to the patient's body surface area and clinical risk factors can improve the efficacy to safety ratio of heparin treatment.

Dose-Response Relationship, Drug

DNA analysis in predicting survival of irradiated patients with transitional cell carcinoma of bladder.

A total of 115 patients with invasive transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder underwent radical radiotherapy between 1975 and 1986 and were followed up until the end of 1990. Apart from routine clinical observations, flow cytometric DNA measurements made on fresh tumour material were available for analysis. Actuarial cancer-free survival controlling for response to treatment was analysed with the log-rank test, bivariate and multivariate analyses using Cox's stepwise regression model on probable prognostic factors. The overall actuarial 5-year cancer-free survival rate was 30%. Survival was significantly correlated with response to treatment: 59% for patients with complete regression and 5% for those with residual tumour. Prognostic factors that significantly correlated with death from cancer were advanced stage, large size, incomplete resection, ureteric obstruction, anaemia, carcinoma in situ grade 3 and occurrence of more than one aneuploid cell population. However, only 3 of these factors were of independent power in the multivariate analysis: stage, size and carcinoma in situ. Of 21 patients with a history of primary or secondary carcinoma in situ, 19 died from cancer during follow-up: 18 of the 21 patients had tumours that were aneuploid with more than one aneuploid cell population. It is concluded that curative radiotherapy can be successful only in patients with less advanced tumours assessed according to clinical stage and size, aneuploid tumours with not more than one aneuploid cell line, no carcinoma in situ, no ureteric obstruction, and in whom a complete transurethral resection of the exophytic tumour is possible.

Aged

Toward a Better Paradigm for Head and Neck Cancer Treatment Applying AI (HNC-TACTIC): Protocol for an International Cohort Study of Electronic Health Records.

BACKGROUND: Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) cause considerable morbidity and mortality. Multimodal treatment strategies can cause significant toxicity, and therapy options are limited for recurrent disease. Immunotherapy has emerged as a promising approach. However, patient response variability underscores the need for better predictive markers. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to use artificial intelligence to develop two predictive models in patients with HNSCC to assess (1) progression or recurrence following primary curative treatment and (2) long-term survival after immunotherapy schemes in recurrent and metastatic disease. This study will also describe the characteristics of patients with early, locally advanced, and recurrent or metastatic cancers. METHODS: This is a retrospective, observational study of data captured in electronic health records (EHRs) from participating hospitals between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2021. This study's population comprises adults diagnosed with HNSCC at any stage. Study variables, including demographics, comorbidities, clinical variables, treatments, and outcomes, will be extracted using EHRead, a technology that applies natural language processing and machine learning to extract and analyze structured and unstructured clinical information in deidentified EHRs. Predictive models based on dynamic risk stratification for treatment response and progression or recurrence will be developed using multivariable logistic regressions, decision tree classifiers, and random forest approaches. Descriptive and outcome analyses will be shown for different anatomic subsites and stratified by stage and treatment. RESULTS: This study began enrolling sites in July 2021 and is currently ongoing. By December 2025, data from 10 centers has been collected, comprising a total of 151,934,990 EHRs from 2,159,719 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Development of predictive models using artificial intelligence will advance clinical understanding of HNSCC to improve patient outcomes.

Humans

Esophagovisceral anastomotic leak. A prospective statistical study of predisposing factors.

An esophagovisceral anastomotic leak is a life-threatening postoperative complication, especially in the mediastinum. Of the 242 patients who underwent intrathoracic esophagogastric anastomosis for esophageal carcinoma (182 patients) and adenocarcinoma of the cardia (60 patients) between January 1980 and June 1985, 14 (5.8%) had esophageal anastomotic leakage and two died (0.8%). Various clinical and biologic parameters and aspects of operative technique were studied prospectively and analyzed statistically to identify possible factors responsible for leaks. Both bivariate and multivariate statistical analysis with logistic regression showed that the following clinical and biologic factors do not influence anastomotic leakage: tumor stage, the curative or palliative purpose of resection, neoplastic permeation of anastomotic margins, total protein concentration below 5 gm/dl, albumin concentration below 3 gm/dl, patient's age, diabetes, high blood pressure, cirrhosis of the liver, and cardiac, respiratory, or renal diseases. Technical factors, on the contrary, were statistically significant and of great clinical importance: manual as opposed to mechanical suturing (chi 2 = 8.8, p = 0.013) and single-layer as opposed to double-layer suturing (chi 2 = 9.9, p = 0.043). The level of the anastomosis was found to be a further statistically significant factor: The incidence of leakage was greater when the anastomosis was located between the azygos vein and the lower pulmonary vein (chi 2 = 15.5, p = 0.004) than above the azygos vein or below the lower pulmonary vein.

Adenocarcinoma

[Effect of the transfusion of blood and hemoderivatives on the prognosis of colorectal cancer].

In recent years in the literature several investigators described a negative effect of perioperative transfusion of blood and hemoderivatives on the prognosis of malignant tumors. Concerning the patients with colorectal carcinoma operated between 1979 and 1983 at Erlangen University Hospital these results could be proven. We observed a significantly worse 5-year survival rate for patients who received perioperative blood transfusion. However, multivariant analysis in Cox-regression model revealed other factors like tumor stage and localisation responsible for the poorer prognosis. Therefore blood transfusion seems not to have any influence on the prognosis itself. Furthermore we observed a significantly poorer prognosis concerning patients who perioperatively received fresh frozen plasma (FFP). Surprisingly multivariant analysis showed that FFP substitution in contrast to blood transfusion has an own prognostic influence. This difference in prognosis cannot be explained by selection criteria. The mechanism of the negative influence of FFP on the prognosis of colorectal carcinoma remains unclear and is investigated currently in prospective studies.

Aged

A prospective, randomized double-blind trial comparing metoclopramide alone with metoclopramide plus dexamethasone in preventing emesis induced by high-dose cisplatin.

We observed 50 patients receiving high-dose cisplatin-based chemotherapy in a prospective, randomized double-blind trial. One group received metoclopramide (MCP) alone (total dose, 6 mg/kg), whereas the other group was given dexamethasone (DMS) (total dose, 60 mg) in addition to MCP. The patient characteristics of the two groups were comparable, confirming satisfactory randomization. Multivariate regression analysis failed to show any statistical significance in the antiemetic response between the two treatment groups. However, female patients receiving Adriamycin (Adria Laboratories, Columbus, OH) concurrently and obese persons exhibited more vomiting. The overall antiemetic response rate was 66%. Because the side effects were minimal, a higher dose of MCP is expected to improve emetic control without increasing toxicity. The use of a 36-hour assessment period in our study gave more meaningful data. An exponential increase in the dose of MCP is probably required, with respect to weight, to obtain the same antiemetic efficacy.

Adult

HLA-DR2, a marker for class I antigen sensitization.

After analysis of 423 hemodialysis patients in a transfusion program and 461 cadaver-donor renal transplants, we found that HLA-DR2 frequency was significantly higher in the responder (36%) than in the nonresponder patient group (19%), according to the percentage of PRA (panel reactive antibodies). Among DR2+ patients, the percentage of hypersensitized patients was twice that of DR2- patients. Graft survival curves in cadaver-donor renal transplants indicated a significantly lower survival when recipients were DR2+, even in recipient-donor pairs identical for class II antigens but mismatched for class I antigens. The prognostic probability of low response to transfusions by a stepwise logistic regression analysis showed the influence of sex and DR2 phenotype. By multivariant discriminant analysis, we found that the DR2 phenotype was one of the most influential transfusion sensitization risk factors. Our preliminary conclusion is that DR2 can be related to immune responsiveness to class I antigens.

Antilymphocyte Serum

Acute promyelocytic leukemia. Therapy results and prognostic factors.

From December 1976 to July 1986, 34 patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) were treated with daunorubicin (DNR) alone and simultaneous supportive therapy with low-dose heparin, platelet transfusions, and fresh frozen plasma. Two consecutive maintenance therapy regimens were employed in patients who achieved complete remission (CR): (1) a classical maintenance with methotrexate and 6-mercaptopurine, with DNR plus methyl-GAG re-inductions; (2) from 1982 an intensive sequential combination therapy regimen was administered. CR was achieved in 23 patients (68%). Only one patient had leukemic resistance. Other failures were a consequence of post-chemotherapy complications. A multivariate logistic regression analysis has been performed to evaluate the prognostic importance on response to remission induction of 25 patient and disease characteristics at diagnosis. The significant variables in decreasing order of significance were: serum albumin level, fever at diagnosis, serum creatinine level, and age. The median duration of remission and survival by Kaplan-Meier analysis were projected to be 24 and 25 months, respectively. Relapses occurred in 11 of 23 CR patients. Nine patients remained in the first remission from 5+ to 37+ months. Short-term (CR) and long-term results (duration of remission and survival) in APL treated for induction with DNR alone were similar to those obtained in other subtypes of acute myeloblastic leukemia by intensive combination chemotherapy.

Adolescent

Prognostic value of B-cell mitogen-induced and spontaneous thymidine uptake in vitro in chronic B-lymphocytic leukaemia cells.

Blood lymphocytes from 50 patients with chronic B-lymphocytic leukaemia (B-CLL) were cultured in vitro with and without the polyclonal B-cell activators (PBA) dextran sulphate (DxS), lipopolysaccharide from E. coli (LPS), and Epstein Barr virus (EBV). Patients with blood lymphocytes that showed a high spontaneous or PBA-induced 3H-thymidine uptake in 4 d cultures had a significantly shorter therapy-free survival than patients whose lymphocytes showed a low thymidine uptake. The DxS-induced cellular thymidine uptake was the most powerful predictor of prognosis. Eighteen patients with leukaemic cells responding to DxS stimulation had a median therapy-free survival of 17 months and a probability of 5 year therapy-free survival of less than 0.1, whereas for 30 patients with DxS unresponsive cells the corresponding figures were greater than 120 months and greater than 0.7, respectively (log rank, P less than 0.0001). A multivariate Cox's regression analysis revealed that the DxS-induced leukaemic cell response was of greater prognostic importance than clinical features such as blood counts and staging according to Rai and Binet. Therefore PBA-induced leukaemic cell thymidine uptake seems valuable in the prediction of prognosis in B-CLL.

Adult