Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

E Jantunen

Publications and source records attributed to E Jantunen.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

Treatment and outcome of invasive Aspergillus infections in allogeneic BMT recipients.

The outcome of invasive aspergillosis (IA) has been considered poor in allogeneic BMT recipients. We analyzed retrospectively the treatment and outcome of IA diagnosed during life in a recent cohort of 20 allogeneic BMT recipients. All patients were initially treated with amphotericin B (AmB) (conventional 16, liposomal 4). Due to toxicity, conventional AmB was changed to a liposomal preparation in 10 patients. Five patients also received itraconazole and three underwent surgery. Of 19 evaluable patients, two patients achieved a complete response and a partial response was observed in five patients (response rate 37%). The median survival was 37 days after the diagnosis. Only two patients (10%) were cured. The prognosis of allogeneic BMT recipients with IA has remained poor. Although treatment responses are common, immunosuppression aggravated by GVHD and its treatment, as well as the commonly disseminated presentation of IA, seem to be major obstacles to the success of therapy. Bone Marrow Transplantation (2000) 26, 759-762.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation in a patient with severe mixed connective tissue disease.

A 65-year old man with mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) and severe therapy resistant polymyositis was considered for high-dose cyclophosphamide (200 mg/kg) supported by autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). During a 21 months follow-up there has been a significant subjective, but objectively only a slight improvement in muscle strength. Initially the levels of serum creatine kinase and serum aldolase normalised, but are at 21 months at about the same level as before ASCT. Based on histopathological examination there is still active myositis. Our case would suggests that this treatment may have some efficacy in MCTD with severe polymyositis although longer follow-up is needed.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

QT dispersion and late potentials during doxorubicin therapy for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate effects of doxorubicin therapy on cardiac electrophysiology, with special emphasis on QT dispersion and late potentials, in lymphoma patients. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: University hospital. SUBJECTS: Twenty-eight adult non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients who received doxorubicin to a cumulative dose of 400-500 mg m-2. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Standard 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) and signal-averaged ECG (SAECG) recordings were performed at baseline and after cumulative doxorubicin doses of 200, 400 and 500 mg m-2. RESULTS: Heart rate-corrected QT interval (QTc) increased from 402 +/- 4 to 416 +/- 5 ms (P = 0.002) during the study period. QT dispersion (variability in QT interval duration amongst the different leads of the standard 12-lead ECG) increased from 24.1 +/- 2.5 to 35.0 +/- 2.8 ms (P = 0.041) and QTc dispersion increased from 26.5 +/- 2.5 to 39.0 +/- 3.5 ms (P = 0.039). Five patients (18%) developed QT dispersion exceeding 50 ms. In addition, two patients (7%) developed late potentials during doxorubicin therapy. The changes in QTc duration, QT dispersion and late potentials occurred independently of the impairment of left ventricular function. CONCLUSIONS: Prolongation of QTc, increased QT dispersion and development of late potentials are indicative of doxorubicin-induced abnormal ventricular depolarization and repolarization. QT dispersion and late potentials are both known to be associated with increased risk of serious ventricular dysrhythmias and sudden death in various cardiac diseases. Thus, follow-up of these parameters might also be useful in assessing the risk of late cardiovascular events in cancer patients treated with anthracyclines.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Hospital water supply as a source of disseminated Mycobacterium fortuitum infection in a leukemia patient.

Nosocomial acquisition of Mycobacterium fortuitum led to a disseminated infection in a leukemia patient. A linkage to showerhead water was supported by molecular typing of clinical and environmental isolates. Contamination of the hospital water system with microbes that are relatively resistant to common sanitation processes poses an increased risk of infection to neutropenic patients.

Cross Infection↗
PubMed1999

Natriuretic peptides as markers of cardiotoxicity during doxorubicin treatment for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Thirty adult patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma who were planned to receive up to 8-10 cycles of CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisolone) to a cumulative doxorubicin dose of 400-500 mg/m2 were studied to evaluate the value of serial plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), N-terminal pro-ANP (NT-proANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) measurements in the early detection of doxorubicin-induced left ventricular dysfunction. Plasma levels of natriuretic peptides were measured before every treatment course and 4 wk after the last one. Cardiac function was monitored with serial radionuclide ventriculography. Twenty-eight patients were evaluable for cardiotoxicity. Clinical heart failure developed in 2 patients (7%). Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) decreased from 58.0+/-1.3% to 49.6+/-1.7% (p <0.001). Plasma levels of ANP increased from 16.4+/-1.3 pmol/l to 22.7+/-2.4 pmol/l (p= 0.002), NT-proANP from 288+/-22 to 380+/-42 pmol/l (p = 0.019) and BNP from 3.3+/-0.4 to 8.5+/-2.0 pmol/l (p = 0.020). There was a significant correlation between the increase in plasma ANP and the decrease in LVEF (r = -0.447, p = 0.029), and a trend towards significance between the increase in NT-proANP and the decrease in LVEF (r=-0.390, p=0.059). The decrease in LVEF started very early and could already be seen after the cumulative doxorubicin dose of 200 mg/m2, whereas the increase in plasma natriuretic peptides was not evident until the cumulative doxorubicin dose of 400 mg/m2. Our results show that neuroendocrine activation - increased concentrations of plasma natriuretic peptides - occurs when left ventricular function has reduced substantially and its compensatory capacity has been exceeded resulting in atrial and ventricular overload. Thus, serial natriuretic peptide measurements cannot be used in predicting the impairment of left ventricular function. On the other hand, our study suggests that natriuretic peptides are useful in the detection of subclinical left ventricular dysfunction in patients receiving doxorubicin therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Acute neurohumoral and cardiovascular effects of idarubicin in leukemia patients.

Idarubicin has been shown to have similar or superior antileukemic activity to daunorubicin with less cumulative cardiotoxicity. However, data of acute cardiovascular effects of idarubicin are scanty but may have clinical significance in predicting late cardiovascular complications. In the present study we evaluated prospectively acute neurohumoral and cardiovascular effects of idarubicin containing induction chemotherapy in 10 patients with newly diagnosed AML or MDS. Idarubicin was administered intravenously 12 mg/m2 on d 1, 3 and 5 as a part of the induction chemotherapy. Serial measurements of plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) were performed at baseline and the day following each idarubicin infusion. Echocardiography was performed to assess cardiac systolic and diastolic function. Signal averaged electrocardiography (ECG) was recorded to observe myocardial late potentials associated with possible myocardial injury. In addition, ambulatory ECG recording was performed to assess arrhythmias. Plasma concentrations of ANP increased from 18.2 +/- 1.5 pmol/l to 27.8 +/- 3.5 pmol/l (p = 0.011), to 30.2 +/- 3.0 pmol/l (p = 0.002) and to 40.8 +/- 6.0 pmol/l (p = 0.006) after the first, second and third doses of idarubicin, respectively. Similarly, plasma concentration of BNP increased from 6.2 +/- 1.9 to 9.0 +/- 1.8 pmol/l (p = 0.049) and 17.5 +/- 8.1 pmol/l (p = 0.203) after the first and third idarubicin infusion. Concomitantly, there was a trend towards an increase in left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVEDD) (50.2 +/- 1.8 to 54.4 +/- 2.2 mm, p = 0.070). The increase in plasma BNP concentrations correlated significantly with the increase in LVEDD (r = 0.624; p = 0.002). No significant ECG changes or arrhythmias were associated with idarubicin infusions except in 1 patient who developed abnormal myocardial late potentials. Our results show that idarubicin causes acute neurohumoral activation associated with increased LVEDD indicating subclinical myocardial dysfunction. Whether these acute changes predict late clinical cardiomyopathy should be evaluated in prospective studies with larger number of patients and with higher cumulative anthracycline doses.

Antibiotics, Antineoplastic↗
PubMed1997

Incidence and risk factors for invasive fungal infections in allogeneic BMT recipients.

In order to analyze the incidence and risk factors for invasive fungal infection (IFI) after allogeneic BMT, 142 consecutive adult BMT recipients (131 sibling donors, 11 unrelated donors) transplanted in 1989-1993 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 21 cases with definite or probable IFI (incidence 15%) (Aspergillus, 15; Candida, four; Fusarium, one; Absidia, one). The median time to the diagnosis of IFI was 136 days after BMT (range 6-466 days). Only 14% of the IFIs were found during the neutropenic period post-BMT. Of the pretransplant characteristics, hematological disease (MDS vs other) (P = 0.001) and unrelated donor (P = 0.01) were risk factors for IFI. Acute GVHD grade III-IV (P = 0.03) and extensive chronic GVHD (P = 0.0002) were also found to be significant risk factors. Only three patients with IFI (14%) became long-term survivors. Invasive fungal infections tended to develop late after BMT, were usually caused by Aspergillus sp., and were strongly associated with GVHD and its treatment. Better prophylaxis and treatment of IFI are needed. More effective prophylaxis for GVHD might decrease the risk of IFI after allogeneic BMT.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1996

Bisphosphonate therapy in multiple myeloma.

Lytic bone lesions, pathological fractures, hypercalcaemia and osteoporosis are common features in patients with multiple myeloma. Adjunctive therapeutic modalities in addition to antimyeloma therapy have been sought to ameliorate these clinical consequences of bone disease. Bisphosphonates appear to be useful in this respect. In addition to correcting hypercalcaemia, they reduce the amount of new bone lesions and pathological fractures in myeloma patients. Bisphosphonates also relieve bone pain. In placebo-controlled studies clodronate (1600-2400 mg/d orally) and pamidronate (90 mg intravenously once every month) have produced clinically significant effects in myeloma patients. Bisphosphonates are a useful adjunct therapy in patients with multiple myeloma.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗