Pharmacokinetics of anti-ganglioside GD2 mAb 14G2a in a phase I trial in pediatric cancer patients

A phase I trial of a murine anti-ganglioside (GD2) monoclonal antibody (mAb) 14G2a was conducted in 14 neuroblastoma patients and 1 osteosarcoma patient to assess its safety, toxicity and pharmacokinetics in pediatric patients. The pharmacokinetics of mAb 14G2a were biphasic with at ₁ ^2/ of 2.8±2.8 h and at ₁ ^2/ of 18.3±11.8 h. In general,t ₁ ^2/ was dose-dependent with a level of significance ofP=0.036, and it reached a plateau at doses of 250 mg/m² or more. Overall the peak serum levels were dose-dependent atP<0.001. However, they demonstrated an abrupt increase between doses of 100 mg/m² and 250 mg/m². The latter two suggest a saturable mechanism for mAb elimination. In addition, peak serum concentrations were observed earlier at higher mAb doses, which indicates the achievement of a steady state. Thet ₁ ^2/ of mAb 14G2a in children appears to be shorter than in adults. Furthermore, 2 patients demonstrated a considerable decrease int ₁ ^2/ following retreatment with 14G2a. This was paralleled by high human anti-(mouse Ig) antibody levels. This study represents the first comprehensive analysis of murine mAb pharmacokinetics in children and will be useful in the future design of mAb therapy.This work was supported by grants from FDA, FD-R-000377 and NIH U10 CA 28439 and in part by a grant from the general Clinical Research Center program, MOI RR00827, of the National Center for Research Resources, National Institutes of Health. M. M. U.-F. and C.-S. H. were supported in part by a grant from the Children's Cancer Research Foundation, and R. A. R. was supported in part by NIH grant CA 42508     

Cessation experiences and quitting perspectives of Jordanian cancer patients who smoke

ObjectivesTo describe quitting experiences of cancer patients in a Cancer Center in Jordan; to study patients’ perceptions regarding the process of smoking cessation; and to provide insights about patients in this difficult setting in order to inform oncology practitioners with regards to how improve perceptions and skills related to quitting.MethodsAn Arabic cross-sectional questionnaire was developed to evaluate smoking and quitting behaviors in the context of cancer. The tool used as its framework the Theoretical Domains Framework to capture quitting perceptions of cancer patients who smoke, as well as social, environmental, and system-level factors that influence quitting. Eligible patients who were treated at the Center (both in-patient and out-patient settings) and who were current smokers or who smoked up to the time of cancer diagnosis were eligible. Patients were interviewed between July, 2018 and January 2020 using two versions of the questionnaire: an ‘ex-smokers’ version, and a ‘current smokers’ version.ResultsOnly a third of subjects (104/350) had been smoke-free for at least 30 days. Both smokers and ex-smokers generally felt that quitting was important, but mean importance and confidence scores (out of 10) were significantly lower in current smokers (8.2 versus 9.1, p-value=0.002; 6.4 versus 8.7, p-value=0.000). Roughly 31% of subjects believed smoking harms were exaggerated and that smoking was not an addiction. About 62% of subjects agreed quitting required skills, and 78.5% felt the steps to quit were clear, but across several listed strategies for quitting, use of these was limited (even in ex-smokers). Among current smokers, roughly a third exhibited forms of cessation fatigue.ConclusionJordanian cancer patients who smoke present with limited knowledge about the quitting process. Even when some success is observed, low rates of utilization of specific quitting strategies were observed, highlighting the need for better counseling about quitting.     

多学科协作诊治模式下的营养干预在老年骨折患者围术期的应用

目的研究多学科协作诊治模式(MDT)下的营养干预对围术期老年骨折患者的干预效果。方法选取新疆维吾尔自治区人民医院骨科2018年9月至2019年9月收治的42例行常规治疗的围术期老年患者作为非MDT组,选取同期43例实施MDT模式并给予营养干预的围术期老年患者作为MDT组,比较两组患者术后基本情况、并发症发生情况及恢复情况。结果术后MDT组患者总蛋白、白蛋白水平均高于非MDT组,NRS2002评分、CRP、IL-6水平均低于非MDT组,差异均有统计学意义(t=-3.679 6、-4.138 8、9.073 3、-6.669 5、-4.500 2,P=0.000 4、0.000 1、0.000 1、0.000 1、0.000 1)。MDT组患者住院时间少于非MDT组,差异有统计学意义(髋关节置换术:t=2.154 8,P=0.034 1;膝关节置换术:t=2.491 9,P=0.018 9)。MDT组患者肠道功能恢复情况明显优于非MDT组,差异有统计学意义(χ~2=10.512 1,P=0.001 2)。结论 MDT模式下的营养干预能够有效促进老年骨折患者的术后康复,有利于预防并发症的发生。     

PDCA循环在提高肿瘤患者输液港护理依从性的应用

目的探讨PDCA循环在提高肿瘤患者输液港护理依从性的应用效果。方法选取2018年2~8月我院收治的504例输液港置管的肿瘤患者按随机分配原则分为对照组240例和观察组264例,对照组给予一般治疗和常规管理,观察组在对照组基础上实施PDCA循环管理,观察两组患者的并发症发生情况、输液港护理依从性,并进行统计分析。结果观察组的并发症发生率明显低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);观察组的输液港护理依从性明显高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论运用PDCA循环能优化维护流程,降低并发症,提高患者输液港护理依从性,值得临床应用。     

高龄老年心力衰竭患者临床特点分析

目的：通过对不同年龄组心力衰竭常见临床表现进行对比分析,寻找出老年心力衰竭的特点,为临床诊断和治疗老年特别是高龄老年（〉80岁）心力衰竭提供依据。方法：我院专职人员采取回顾性调查方法,记录所选病例相关的数据：一般临床资料、基础心脏疾病、诱发因素、伴随疾病、临床表现、相关实验室检验检查情况、药物治疗具体种类、转归情况等;根据年龄分为3组：246例60—69岁组,平均年龄（64．28±3．0）2V;215例70-79岁组,平均年龄（74．19±2．85）岁;71例〉80岁组,平均年龄（84±3．34）岁。运用计算机软件Excel建立老年心衰患者资料数据库,SPSS13．0for：windows软件包进行统计分析。结果：1）随着年龄增加,心衰典型的临床表现减少,特别是高龄心衰患者,其临床表现极不典型,心力衰竭程度较重,容易在短期内出现重要器官的严重并发症;2）高龄老年人心衰以冠心病、高血压病为主要病因,随年龄增加,多病因心衰比例在上升;3）我院高龄老年人心衰的治疗以利尿剂、洋地黄类、硝酸醋类药物为主。结论：高龄老年人心力衰竭具有明确病因、程度重,症状不典型,具有严重并发症,治疗相对规范的临床特点。     

腹腔镜胆囊切除术治疗高龄患者急性胆囊炎的临床观察

目的：探讨腹腔镜胆囊切除术治疗高龄患者急性胆囊炎的应用价值。方法：回顾性分析2005年1月．2011年12月我院收治的210例65岁以上因急性胆囊炎实施胆囊切除术的老年患者的临床资料,按手术方式分为腹腔镜组（LC组）和剖腹胆囊切除术组（OC组）,分析和比较两组患者的手术时间、术后肠功能恢复时间及住院时间,术中出血、腹腔引流量和术后并发症的发生情况。结果：与OC组比较,LC组的手术时间、术后肠功能恢复时间及住院时间均显著缩短,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．01）;但两组之间术中出血、腹腔引流量和术后并发症的发生率差异均无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。LC组中转开腹10例,占7_35％;其中粘连严重导致胆囊三角解剖不清6例,无法控制的出血2例,结石嵌顿胆囊管2例。结论：老年急性胆囊炎患者在条件合适的情况下行腹腔镜胆囊切除术治疗有助于患者更快地恢复．具有较强的临床应用价值。     

Repercusión de un sistema centralizado de ingresos sobre la eficacia y eficiencia de una unidad geriátrica de recuperación funcional

ObjectiveTo evaluate the influence of a change in the management of admissions on the activity and care outcomes of a Geriatric Functional Recovery Unit (GFRU).Material and methodsA retrospective observational study was conducted. Since 2000, the Hospital Central Cruz Roja GFRU has been collecting data grouped into periods of 4 years, except for the centralised admissions (September 2016-December 2018). The data collected on admission included the Red Cross Functional and Mental scales, the Barthel index, the main diagnosis of the functional decline (grouped into stroke, orthopaedic problem, and multifactorial immobility episodes), and comorbidity evaluated by the Charlson index. The following outcome variables were analysed: the overall and relative functional gain at discharge; length of hospital stay; the functional efficiency, discharges to nursing homes, and transfers to acute care units. An analysis was made of the relationship between the admissions from the centralised unit and the previous period (directly admission managed by GFRU), using multivariate analysis (linear regression for continuous outcome variables and logistic regression for the dichotomous ones), adjusted for admission variables.ResultsPatients admitted from the centralised unit showed a greater overall and relative functional gain (difference between both means: 3.49 points, 95% CI; 1.65-5.33, and 12.41%, 95% CI; 0.74-24.08, respectively), longer stay (12.92 days, 95% CI; 11.54-14.30) and lower efficiency (−0.36, 95% CI; −0.16 to −0.57), higher risk of institutionalisation (OR 1.61, 95% CI; 1.19-2.16), and transfers to acute care units (OR 3.16, 95% CI; 2.24-4.47).ConclusionsA centralised admissions system had an influence on the improvement of functional parameters in the patients, but with a longer length of hospital stay, and lower efficiency. Increases in institutionalisation at discharge and transfers to acute care units were also observed.     

New insights into deleterious impacts of in vivo glycation on albumin antioxidant activities

Background

Albumin constitutes the most abundant circulating antioxidant and prevents oxidative damages. However, in diabetes, this plasmatic protein is exposed to several oxidative modifications, which impact on albumin antioxidant properties.

Methods

Most studies dealing on albumin antioxidant activities were conducted on in vitro modified protein. Here we tried to decipher whether reduced antioxidant properties of albumin could be evidenced in vivo. For this, we compared the antioxidant properties of albumin purified from diabetic patients to in vitro models of glycated albumin.

Results

Both in vivo and in vitro glycated albumins displayed impaired antioxidant activities in the free radical-induced hemolysis test. Surprisingly, the ORAC method (Oxygen Radical Antioxidant Capacity) showed an enhanced antioxidant activity for glycated albumin. Faced with this paradox, we investigated antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of our albumin preparations on cultured cells (macrophages and adipocytes). Reduced cellular metabolism and enhanced intracellular oxidative stress were measured in cells treated with albumin from diabetics. NF-kB –mediated gene induction was higher in macrophages treated with both type of glycated albumin compared with cells treated with native albumin. Anti inflammatory activity of native albumin is significantly impaired after in vitro glycation and albumin purified from diabetics significantly enhanced IL6 secretion by adipocytes. Expression of receptor for advanced glycation products is significantly enhanced in glycated albumin-treated cells.

Conclusions and general significance

Our results bring new evidences on the deleterious impairments of albumin important functions after glycation and emphasize the importance of in vivo model of glycation in studies relied to diabetes pathology.     

Cephalosporin resistant Escherichia coli from cancer patients in Cairo,Egypt

Cephalosporin‐resistant Escherichia coli has been increasingly reported worldwide. In this study, 32 cephalosporin resistant E. coli isolates identified from cancer patients in Cairo, Egypt in 2009–2010 were analyzed. Twenty‐three were of phylogenetic group D, seven A and one each B1 and B2. By rep‐PCR 15 phylogroup D isolates were grouped in four clusters, one with sequence type (ST) 405 and three ST68. Seventeen isolates showed single patterns. bla_CTX‐M‐15 and aac(6')‐Ib‐cr were the most common resistance determinants. bla_OXA‐48 and bla_VIM were also detected. Multidrug resistant E. coli seriously affects healthcare, especially in immunocompromised hosts, such as cancer patients.