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Biomedical subjects

E Baumelou

Publications and source records attributed to E Baumelou.

35 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Cyclosporin A as a modifier agent in the salvage treatment of acute leukemia (AL).

Sixteen adult patients with relapsed (7 patients) or refractory (9 patients) acute leukemia received mitoxantrone (10 mg/m2 per day for 3 days) and etoposide (200 mg/m2 per day for 3 days) with escalating dose of cyclosporin A (CsA) from a loading dose of 2 mg to 6.5 mg/kg per 2 h followed by 3 days continuous infusion of 5-15 mg/kg per day. The major toxicities were stomatitis and prolonged aplasia, occurring for 15 mg/kg per day of CsA. Transient conjugated hyperbilirubinemia occurred in all patients, and was CsA dose-dependent (r = 0.7). Adequate serum levels of CsA (> 1 microgram/ml) were obtained in 3/6 patients treated with 10 mg/kg per day and 4/4 patients with 15 mg/kg per day. The pharmacokinetic of mitoxantrone showed an unusual increase of carboxylic metabolites, parallel to CsA levels. We observed six responses (two complete and four partial remissions), and eight resistances. Two patients died at days 3 and 8 from sepsis. Before treatment, 7/16 patients tested for P-gp with C219 were positive (> 10% positive cells). 3/6 responders were P-gp-positive. At time of leukemic regrowth, cells expressing P-gp before therapy reverted to P-gp-negative cells.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

[Adult T-cell leukemia and non-malignant adenopathies associated with HTLV I virus. Apropos of 17 patients born in the Caribbean region and Africa].

Adult T-cell leukaemia is the first blood disease caused by a retrovirus: HTLV-1. The authors report the first French series of 15 patients, of whom 9 came from the classical endemic areas--the Antilles and outer Caribbean Islands--and 6 from Africa where the serological prevalence of HTLV-1 is high but few cases of adult T-cell leukaemia have been reported. Emphasis is laid on the importance of immunodeficiency (refractory strongyloidiasis, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, polyclonal B lymphoproliferative syndrome) and of other pathologies associated with the retrovirus (polyarthritis, lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia). The authors also describe the presence of adenopathy in healthy carriers: either adenitis suggestive of retroviral infection, or Castelman's disease adenopathy. These clinical presentations are similar to those described in lymphadenopathy syndromes due to the human immunodeficiency viruses. Aggressive lymphomas require chemotherapy, but sooner or later resistance develops, and the prognosis is very poor. The indications for allogeneic bone marrow transplantation are still to be determined. The diagnosis of adult T-cell leukaemia must be considered in all patients with blood disease coming from the endemic areas.

Adult↗

Epidemiology of aplastic anemia in France: a prospective multicentric study. The French Cooperative Group for Epidemiological Study of Aplastic Anemia.

Incidence rates of aplastic anemia (AA) are rare among defined populations. Since June, 1984, a cooperative group, including 83 University medical centers throughout metropolitan France, prospectively recorded new cases of AA and followed them up. Inclusion criteria were: at least two depressed blood cell lineages (hemoglobin less than or equal to 10 g/100 mL and reticulocytes less than or equal to 50 x 10(9)/L, granulocytes less than or equal to 1.5 x 10(9)/L, platelets less than or equal to 100 x 10(9)/L) and a bone marrow biopsy compatible with the disease. Between May, 1984, and April, 1987, 292 cases were recorded. After exclusion of constitutional disease, 27 patients did not satisfy the inclusion criteria with relation to either bone marrow or blood evaluations and seven patients were initially misdiagnosed (shown in the follow-up), leaving 250 confirmed AA cases in the register. The annual incidence in France appeared to be about 1.5 per million inhabitants. The sex ratio of AA cases was similar to that of the population. In men, two peaks of incidence were observed: one between 15 and 30 years and one after 60 years. In women, the only peak was observed after 60 years. An excess of cases was observed in small towns but not in rural areas. About two of every three cases had severe AA, with a possible excess in younger cases. Based on a minimum follow-up of 1 year for 238 patients, the fatality rate was estimated at 17% at 3 months after diagnosis and at 34% at 1 year. Among 243 suspected etiologies reported by the physicians, 74% were declared idiopathic, 13% presumably associated to drug toxicity, and 5% related to hepatitis. AA appears to be a rare and severe disease in metropolitan France, often of unknown origin, a fact that emphasizes the necessity of controlled etiologic studies.

Adolescent↗

Present results of the treatment of myelodysplastic syndromes with low-dose cytosine arabinoside. Preliminary results of a cooperative protocol (38 patients) and review of the literature.

In vitro differentiating agents causing little bone marrow aplasia have been proposed as a specific therapy of myelodysplastic syndromes with excess of blasts. A critical review of the published data is presented. The preliminary results of a cooperative protocol using very low dosage of cytosine arabinoside (3mg/m2/twice daily) with or without androgens are given.

Aged↗

[Familial IgG kappa myeloma in a mother and her daughter. Review of the literature].

The case of a multiple myeloma secreting IgG kappa in both mother and daughter is reported and discussed in the light of previous reports of familial myeloma and myeloma occurring in spouses. In March 1981, the 60-year-old daughter complained of fatigue leading to the discovery of anemia. The diagnosis of myeloma was based on the association of a monoclonal IgG kappa (57.5 g/l) with low serum levels of IgM and IgA and of an increase (38%) in bone marrow plasma cells. She was treated by chemotherapy and by radiotherapy on bone lesions which appeared during the course of treatment. She died in June 1983. In October 1984, the 84-year-old mother was also found to have anemia. The diagnosis of myeloma was based on the association of a monoclonal IgG kappa (24.5 g/l) with low serum levels of IgM and IgA, 0.6 g/l of Bence-Jones protein in urine, an increase (12%) of atypical plasma cells, and of multiple lytic lesions on X-ray. Familial myeloma has been exceptionally reported. We have found only one case in mother and daughter where the myeloma protein was respectively IgA and IgG. The light chain isotype was not determined. Cases of myeloma occurring in spouses have equally been rarely reported in the medical literature. Genetic transmission of chromosomal determinants for myeloma or a type of response to environmental factors have been suspected as well as environmental determinants for myeloma. Genetically abnormal regulation of immunoglobulin synthesis is another possibility.

Adult↗

[4 cases of acquired Willebrand factor deficiency associated with monoclonal dysglobulinemia].

Acquired von Willebrand syndrome is reported in four patients with monoclonal IgG: benign gammapathy in three cases, multiple myeloma in one case; to our knowledge, this last association has not been previously reported. Coagulation abnormalities included a borderline bleeding time, a low platelet retention on glass beads, decreased levels of factor VIII coagulant activity (VIII: C), factor VIII related-antigen (VIII R: Ag) and ristocetin induced agglutination cofactor (VIII R: RC). The late clinical onset, the negative family history and the immunological abnormality suggest an acquired von Willebrand syndrome. After cryoprecipitate infusion the patients did not show the expected rise and there was no secondary increment in factor VIII: C. Time-dependent inhibition of factor VIII R: RC and factor VIII: C was found in one case only and was associated with qualitative abnormality of factor VIII R: Ag demonstrated by crossed-immunoelectrophoresis. It was not possible to interpret this last test in the other cases, due to the very low level of factor VIII R: Ag. The factor VIII abnormalities might be related to the binding and/or destruction of factor VIII by a circulating antibody, or to the adsorption of this factor on the malignant lymphocytes.

Adult↗

Prognostic factors and evolution of acquired aplastic anemia in childhood. A prospective analysis of 48 androgen-treated cases.

Forty-eight cases of acquired aplastic anemia in children were analyzed in comparison to 26 cases of genetic aplastic anemia and 483 cases of aplastic anemia in adults. All were gathered from similar institutions and all were similarly followed and treated with androgens. The following conclusions were drawn: 1) Initial severity is greater in children than in adults, and is greater in acquired than in genetic aplastic anemia; 2) even in cases of similar initial severity, the early death rate is higher in children than in adults; 3) a multiparametric index allows the correct prediction of short-term evolution in 70% of the cases and thus aids in providing an indication for bone marrow graft; its sensitivity is similar to that of the classical parameters proposed by Camitta, et al., but its specificity significantly higher; 4) most deaths occurred during the first 3-4 months and the chance for long-term improvement appears similar in the more severe than in the less severe cases if they survive this delay; 5) some data (relapse after androgen withdrawal and androgen-dependence and failure of corticoid therapy alone) suggest that androgen therapy in children is useful, as it is in adults, and that corticosteroids do not modify the course of the disease at its usual dosage (1 mg/kg/day); and 6) very few side effects, particularly concerning height, of androgens were noted in the survivors at adult age after long-term androgen therapy prescribed before puberty.

Adolescent↗

[Clinical trials in oncology: specific methodology problems].

Clinical benefit in oncology patients can only be derived from coordinated and successive experimental trials. The following consensus thus emerged from the working party: The assessment of tolerance during clinical trials requires the actuarial rate of acute adverse events (AE) to be registered and the development of epidemiological structures involved in long-term assessment of AE. Experimental trials have to be assessed according to descriptive epidemiological data (generated in France and Europe) and completed with observational studies on post-marketing medical practice. The principle of an a priori authorization given by the Afssaps for gene and cell therapy trials was legalised in October 2001. The working group spoke strongly in favour of authorizing early trials only validating the process, and for reasonable objectives in terms of viral security assessment of annex therapeutic products. With regard to the development of new antiproliferative agents, the active dose (or optimal biological dose) replaces the maximal tolerable dose. Early efficacy criteria could be biological and specific. With cumulative subacute rather than acute toxicity, these agents can not be properly evaluated with a short term benefit/risk ratio as is done for cytotoxic drugs. Elderly people constitute a fragile, heterogeneous and increasing population, in whom adequate assessment of anticancer agents is mandatory. It is important to promote controlled clinical trials in children and to systematically monitor them over a very long period of time. Only rare tumours may be considered as orphan situations. Finally, a list of all clinical trials conducted in oncology should be made by the Afssaps, with the help of the FNLCC (Fédération Nationale des Centres de Lutte Contre le Cancer) who have already begun this work.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

[Amyloidosis and polycythemia vera (author's transl)].

The authors report a case of systemic amyloidosis with predominantly hepatic, splenic and renal deposits and polycythemia vera with secondary myelofibrosis. The course of both diseases during a 9-year-follow-up and the late appearance of a monoclonal IgM lead the authors to examine a possible relationship between the two diseases.

Amyloidosis↗