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Biomedical subjects

C E Broelsch

Publications and source records attributed to C E Broelsch.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2004

Organ protective management of the brain-dead donor.

The adequate management of brain dead donors on an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is one of the major key points for a successful transplantation of harvested organs. In addition to an invasive monitoring like in any other ICU patient these patients needs a meticulous attention to their hemodynamic. The early administration of desmopressin to treat diabetes insipidus, a differentiated use of fluid resuscitation and a distinct catecholamine support are special features of an appropriate basic treatment. The administration of corticoids has to be considered if a sufficient circulation can not be regained.

Acid-Base Imbalance↗
PubMed2004

Intensive care management of acute liver failure.

Acute liver failure represents one of the most challenging conditions in intensive care treatment. In most cases there is no causal medical therapy available for survive making the intensive care treatment as the most important management tool, as bridge to transplant or still the recovery of the liver! These patients frequently develop multi-organ failure, placing them at risk of hemodynamic disorder, cerebral edema, coagulopathy and various renal and metabolic complications.

Critical Care↗
PubMed2004

Terlipressin and gelafundin: safe therapy of hepatorenal syndrome.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) occurs in about 20 % of patients with liver cirrhosis and ascites and is characterized by intensive renal vasoconstriction, low glomerular filtration rate but preserved tubular function and normal renal histology. The potential of terlipressin and albumin to reverse HRS after a time period of 14 days has already been shown. However, intravenous albumin is expensive (approximately 25 per 50 ml 20% albumin in Germany) and has limited availability in some settings. Therefore we used an artificial plasma substitute, Gelatinepolysuccinat, which is less expensive (approximately 12 per 500 ml). The aim of our present study was to examine the effects of terlipressin and Gelatinepolysuccinat on renal function and hemodynamics in a time period of six days. METHODS AND PATIENTS: Seven consecutive patients with cirrhosis and hepatorenal syndrome were included in a pilot study of terlipressin (6 mg /24 h iv) therapy associated with i.v. Gelatinepolysuccinat (Gelafundin 4% Infusionslösung, Company Braun, Mw: 30 000 D). RESULTS: In five of the seven patients treatment was associated with a marked reduction of serum creatinine after six days (3.85 +/- 0.44 mg/dl vs.1.9 +/- 0.32 mg/dl; p< 0.018). Creatinine clearance improved (20 +/- 8.8 ml/min vs. 43 +/- 11.7 ml/min; p<0.12). There was a remarkable improvement in circulatory function in all patients, with an increase in mean arterial pressure (58+/-4.4 mmHg vs. 75 +/- 4.5 mmHg, p< 0.001). No patient developed signs of intestinal, myocardial or distal ischemia. CONCLUSIONS: Terlipressin and Gelatinepolysuccinat appear to be a safe and effective treatment of hepatorenal syndrome.

Antihypertensive Agents↗
PubMed2004

[Organ transplantation in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients. Results of a survey in German transplantation centres].

BACKGROUND: Despite considerable advances following the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy, organ transplantation is usually denied categorically for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients, and it is presented in German transplantation law as a contraindication. Today, this should be questioned critically. METHOD: A survey at all 87 German transplant centres was done concerning (1) how many HIV-positive patients were transplanted before and after February 2000, (2) willingness of the centres to transplant HIV-infected patients in the future, and (3) course of transplanted HIV patients so far. RESULTS: With a response rate of 78%, 39% of the questioned centres were accepting HIV patients in the future for transplantation, and 39% rejected this. Twenty percent voted for individual case decision. Three centres had practiced liver transplantation in 11 patients. CONCLUSION: The decision to transplant HIV-positive patients in Germany is mostly based on individual cases and not refused in general. However, prospective studies on this issue are justified and needed.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed2004

[Liver transplantation in elderly patients].

Since the first liver transplantation (OLT) was performed by Starzl in 1963, this has become the standard therapy for end stage chronic liver disease and acute hepatic failure. It is also the therapy of choice in selected cases of hepatic malignancy. Due to the optimization of intra- and perioperative management, new immunosuppressant drugs and improved organ procurement, the clinical outcome in patient and graft survival has increased continuously. The shortage of donor organs has led to the development of new surgical techniques such as split- and living related transplantation. OLT should also be offered to elderly patients. Careful evaluation and patient selection results in good patient and graft survival after transplantation, which is comparable to that in with younger recipients.

Age Distribution↗
PubMed2004

Future directions in immunosuppression.

As liver transplantation is now being performed with an excellent 5-year survival rate of approximately 70% at selected centers, attention has been shifted to reduce long-term complications of calcineurin inhibitors including diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia, which have a major effect on morbidity and mortality within the transplant setting. Cyclosporine (CsA) monitoring has been performed traditionally by measurement of predose "trough" blood concentrations (C0). Recent development of 2 hour postdose CsA (C2) monitoring strategy has emerged as a much more sensitive approach for assessing the pharmacokinetics and providing greater precision in the optimization of Neoral dosing than C0 measurements. Furthermore, a reduction of risk factors for atherosclerotic vascular disease and in the incidence and severity of acute cellular rejection have been associated with the adoption of C2 monitoring. However, further data from multicenter trials are required to evaluate the long-term benefits of this new therapeutic monitoring strategy.

Graft Rejection↗
PubMed2004

Combination therapy with peginterferon alpha-2B and ribavirin in liver transplant recipients with recurrent HCV infection: preliminary results of an open prospective study.

Allograft reinfection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) in transplant recipients occurs commonly and represents a major concern in the transplant setting. Suppression of viral replication in HCV transplant patients should prevent or delay progression to cirrhosis and graft failure. In this ongoing study, we present preliminary data from a prospective trial of standard interferon (IFN) alpha-2b (2 million units daily) for 3 months and subsequent peginterferon (PEG IFN) alpha-2b (1.5 microg/kg/week) for 9 months. IFN therapy was combined with ribavirin (10 to 12 mg/kg). So far, HCV has become undetectable by qualitative PCR in 33% of patients while 25% had a reduction of HCV RNA to undetectable by the bDNA assay and 42% had no virological response after 6 months of therapy. A biochemical response was detected in 42% of patients. Improvement of inflammatory activity was observed in 42% of patients after 6 months. In three patients anemia necessitated administration of erythropoietin and three patients received granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) due to leucopenia [corrected] In conclusion, we observed that daily IFN alpha-2b and subsequent PEG IFN alpha-2b therapy in combination with ribavirin provides biochemical and virological benefits in transplant recipients with established recurrent HCV infection.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Medical and surgical aspects of pediatric renal transplantation using living donors.

The outcomes of 19 consecutive living-donor renal transplants (LD-RTx) was compared with 41 cadaveric grafts (CD-RTx) performed at our institution using basiliximab, cyclosporine, and prednisone as standard immunosuppression. LD-RTx significantly shortened the waiting time on dialysis. However, patient survival (100% in both groups), 1-year graft survival (94.7% vs 90%), and rejection-free graft survival (76.9% vs 73.5%) was not significantly different. LD-RTx showed better glomerular filtration rates in the early phase after transplantation, a difference that faded with time. Graft function was similar after 1 and 2 years. LD grafts with double renal arteries were used successfully in four cases; heparin therapy was administered to avoid graft thrombosis. A significantly greater number of lymphoceles was observed with LD grafts (7/19 vs 1/41, P < .01). In conclusion with improved immunosuppression producing better results with CD grafts, the advantages of LD-RTx have vanished. LD grafts with double arteries may be used successfully and LD-RTx allows a shorter dialysis period. The high incidence of lymphoceles in our series awaits further evaluation.

Child↗
PubMed2004

Impact of combined mycophenolate mofetil and low-dose calcineurin inhibitor therapy on renal function, cardiovascular risk factors, and graft function in liver transplant patients: preliminary results of an open prospective study.

As liver transplantation (LT) is now being performed with excellent 1-year graft survival rates of 85% to 90%, attention has been shifted to reducing long-term complications of calcineurin inhibitors (CNI). We randomized LT patients (2:1) who displayed renal dysfunction under CNI treatment to either mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) (1000 mg twice a day) followed by stepwise reduction of CNI (n = 21; Tac trough levels <4 ng/mL, CsA trough levels <50 ng/mL); or continue their current CNI dose (n = 11; control group). Three months after study entry, we observed significantly decreased mean values in the CNI reduction group of serum creatinine (1.88 +/- 0.36 versus 1.58 +/- 0.33 mg/dL, P < .001) and BUN (39.2 +/- 11.8 versus 29.9 +/- 9.59 mg/dL, P < .001) with a significantly increased GFR (51.4 +/- 10.8 versus 61.6 +/- 14.1 mL/min, P < .001). Improved renal function in these long-term LT recipients (5.6 +/- 3.6 years posttransplant; range, 2 to 13 years) suggests at least a partial reversibility of CNI-induced renal damage. Furthermore, we found an improved lipid profile as well as a significantly decreased mean systolic (140 +/- 19 versus 130 +/- 14 mm Hg, P < .01) and diastolic (82 +/- 9 to 74 +/- 8 mm Hg, P < .001) blood pressure 3 months after introduction of MMF therapy. Additionally, transaminases significantly improved in the CNI reduction group within this time period (ALT 37.9 +/- 25.9 versus 25.2 +/- 13.2, P < .05). MMF and CNI-reduced immunosuppressive regimens may improve long-term patient survival, suggesting a broad application within the liver transplant setting.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

High-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation in patients with oligometastatic breast cancer.

The purpose of this prospective trial was to study a combined-modality treatment including local consolidation by surgery or radiotherapy and high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) followed by peripheral-blood stem-cell (PBSC) transplantation. In all, 48 patients with oligometastatic breast cancer amenable to local treatment after induction chemotherapy with epirubicin and cyclophosphamide or paclitaxel and cisplatin, depending on prior adjuvant chemotherapy, were enrolled. The median follow-up was 41 months (range, 7-85 months). PBSC were collected in 47 patients, and 40 received one or two courses of HDC. Local therapy was given in 37 patients. No treatment-related deaths occurred. Of 47 evaluable patients, 36 (75% of intention-to-treat population) had no evidence of disease or complete remission after completion of therapy. Six patients (12.5%) had partial response, two patients (4%) no change, and three patients (6%) progressive disease. The median time to progression and overall survival was 17.5 (95% confidence interval (CI), 14-21 months) and 42.2 months (95% CI, 33-52 months), respectively, and 27% of patients were progression free after 5 years. In conclusion, patients with oligometastatic breast cancer can be treated safely with this combined modality protocol with promising relapse-free survivals.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

CNI-sparing regimens within the liver transplant setting: experiences of a single center.

One- and 5-year survival rates after liver transplantation have improved with the development of potent immunosuppressive drugs. Thus, attempts have shifted to reduce long-term complications of CNI and prednisone therapy. Minimization of CNI and concomitant introduction of MMF has resulted in a significant improvement of renal function, blood pressure and triglyceride values in our transplant patients. In recipients who develop recurrent or de novo malignancies, SRL therapy might be recommended. In addition, the flexibility to individualize immunosuppression should be favored in selected patients. However, large prospective randomized trials are required in order to determine if SRL/low dose CNI or SRL monotherapy are reasonable options for prolonging patient survival. Moreover, important questions such as the appropriate SRL target dose for prevention of tumor growth need to be answered. Numerous studies investigating distinct immunosuppressive combination therapies and withdrawal or minimization of CNI are available in the literature; however it is not yet clear which treatment regimens will prove to be the most efficacious and least toxic.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

[Advances and limitations of liver transplantation in Germany].

Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is now an established therapy for end stage liver disease as well as acute liver failure. Improvements in surgical techniques, meticolous selection of transplant candidates and advances in immunosuppression have markedly increased patient and graft survial. The demand for organ grafts has continuously increased. Living donor organ transplantation omits the problem of organ shortage with prolonged waiting times for OLT and the likelihood of disease progression especially in tumor patients. Advanced liver disease related to chronic viral hepatitis is one of the primary indications for OLT worldwide. Combination therapy with hepatitis B immunoglobulin and lamivudine has been widely adopted as an effective prophylactic treatment regimen against recurrent HBV infection. Reinfection of the allograft is obligate in viremic post transplant patients with HCV infection. However the use of pegylated interferon in combination with ribavirin holds promise for delaying rapid progression of HCV infection in the allograft and the need for retransplantation. Recurrence of PBC, PSC and autoimmune hepatitis affects between 20 % and 30 % grafts at 10 years but appears to have little impact on long-term graft function and survival. In patients with hepatocellular carcinoma fulfilling strict selection criteria for OLT, 5 year survival rates of approximately 75% have been reported.

Antiviral Agents↗
PubMed2003

Postoperative ICU management in liver transplant patients.

The unique pathophysiology of end-stage liver disease (ESLD) has important implications on critical care treatment after liver transplantation. To determine hemodynamic parameters and responses, each patient must be carefully evaluated for the individual clinical appearance of cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Although data are limited, recent progress in the treatment of ESLD and its complications, such as hepatorenal syndrome (HRS), portopulmonary hypertension (PPH), and hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) is evident. The improved understanding of the pathophysiology of ESLD has resulted in novel treatments and approaches to the problems that emerge as patients get critically ill or undergo orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). These issues become much more relevant with increased adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation, where the scheduled operation allows a precise preoperative management in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Critical Care↗