The analgesic activity of acetylsalicylate of lysine (ASL) was evaluated in postoperative pain. Acetylsalicylate of lysine was administered i.v. to 345 patients submitted to obstetrical and gynaecological surgery. Excellent results were obtained in 77.4% of the cases and no severe side-effects were observed.

Aspirin↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Multiple myeloma in the elderly: clinical features and response to treatment in 113 patients.

BACKGROUND: Considering the conflicting results of the few reports on geriatric MM patients and the increasing relevance of the problem, we analyzed a series of 113 patients over 64 years of age treated with conventional chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The median age was 71 (range 65-92). Stage IA, IIA, IIIA and IIIB patients numbered 28, 33, 45 and 7, respectively. The M component was IgG in 73 patients (65%), IgA in 30 (26%), IgD in 3 (3%), light chain in 5 (4%); no monoclonal component was detected in 2 (2%) cases. Sixty-three patients showed symptomatic skeletal disease. Melphalan/prednisone (MP) was the first-line treatment in 84 patients (74%). Patients were grouped according to age (> 64 < or = 74; > or = 75) in order to carry out analysis. RESULTS: Seventy-eight cases (69%) showed a sizable reduction in the tumor mass; objective and partial response was achieved in 57 (50%) and 21 (19%) patients, respectively. Patients with stage I-II disease fared significantly better than stage III patients (median survival: 70 vs 38 months; p = 0.017). Response to first-line treatment correlated with overall survival; patients with responsive or refractory disease had median survival rates of 64 and 20 months, respectively (p = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Neither patients above nor below 75 years of age showed any difference in presentation features or in response to treatment. These results suggest that advanced age should not be considered a major obstacle to active treatment.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The association of cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone in advanced refractory multiple myeloma patients.

VAD is the most active regimen in refractory myeloma patients; however, the role of vincristine and doxorubicin remains unclear. Relatively high doses of cyclophosphamide (3.6 g/sqm) increased the response rate and survival in resistant MM. Cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone were administered to 28 patients with advanced refractory myeloma. Thirteen patients received cyclophosphamide 1.2 g/sqm on days 1 and 3 and dexamethasone 40 mg/day from day 1 to day 4, every 4 weeks for 6 cycles (schedule A); 15 patients were treated with cyclophosphamide 0.5 g/sqm on days 1 and 3 and dexamethasone 40 mg/day from day 1 to day 4, every two weeks for 12 cycles (schedule B). Overall, 21 patients (75%) responded and 10 achieved an objective response (36%), while 11 reached a partial response. Twenty patients died (68%), most of them of disease progression, and 8 are still alive (32%). Median length of response and survival is 6 and 8 months, respectively. Therapy was easily applied and well tolerated. The overall response rate (75%) compares favorably with the best published results in this setting. The two schedules proved to be equally effective but patients treated with schedule B had more infections, which may have been related to the higher dosage of steroids.

Adult↗