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Biomedical subjects

H Huber

Publications and source records attributed to H Huber.

423 records · Page 24Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Serum levels of interleukin-6 in multiple myeloma and other hematological disorders: correlation with disease activity and other prognostic parameters.

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a multifunctional cytokine involved in the regulation of the terminal differentiation pathway of B lymphocytes. Recent reports revealed its potential role in the in vitro and in vivo growth of human multiple myeloma cells. The mechanism, however, by which IL-6 triggers proliferation of malignant plasma cells remains controversial. Using the very sensitive 7TD 1 bioassay we quantified endogenous circulating IL-6 levels in serum samples of 104 patients suffering from monoclonal gammopathies and other hematological disorders [47 with multiple myeloma (MM), 24 with monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance (MGUS), 8 with myeloproliferative disease, and 25 suffering from low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL)]. Elevated serum levels of IL-6 (greater than 5 pg/ml) were detected in 42% of the patients with MM, in 13% with MGUS, in 15% with low-grade B-NHL, and in 1 patient with T-NHL. In patients suffering from chronic myeloproliferative diseases, IL-6 levels were within the normal range. In patients with myeloma, IL-6 levels were significantly higher at advanced stages (II/III) or with progressive disease than in patients with MM stage I, MGUS, or at the plateau phase (P less than 0.01). In patients with monoclonal gammopathies including MGUS, serum IL-6 levels correlated with neopterin, tumor necrosis factor alpha and beta 2-microglobulin. An inverse correlation was found with hemoglobin levels. From these results, we propose that in myeloma patients serum IL-6 levels may reflect disease activity and tumor cell mass. The correlation with serum neopterin, a macrophage product, also suggests its origin in an activated immune system.

Biopterins↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Measurement of flow velocity in the model circulation by videodensitometry. Methodological investigations.

The relation between videodensitometrically measured front velocity and electromagnetically assessed flow was examined in a circulatory model with continuous as well as pulsatile flow (89 experiments). The diameter of the tubes in the videodensitometric measuring section was 0.305 to 0.518 cm. A linear correlation was proved in flow velocities up to Reynold's number Re = 225. The exact flow, measured electromagnetically, was overestimated in continuous flow by 21% (r = 0.99, Syx = +/- 14.5 ml/min) and in pulsatile flow by 24% (r = 0.98, Syx = +/- 20.8 ml/min). In view of these results the phasic and average flow can be calculated accurately using videodensitometric techniques.

Blood Flow Velocity↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Mitomycin C, vinorelbine, carboplatin plus granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor for treatment of advanced non-small cell lung carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The therapeutic potential of chemotherapy in the treatment of recurrent or metastatic non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) seems modest. Thus, the search for novel agents and combination regimens with a superior therapeutic index has a high priority. The present combination regimen consisting of mitomycin C, vinorelbine, carboplatin and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) was chosen because of the known activity of these agents in NSCLC and their potential drug synergism without (nonhematologic) cross-toxicity. To prevent/counteract neutropenia that was assumed to represent the dose-limiting toxicity, the hematopoietic growth factor GM-CSF was routinely adminstered. The objective of our trial was to determine the antitumor efficacy and tolerance of this combination regimen in patients with advanced NSCLC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty consecutive patients with nonresectable, measurable NSCLC (stage IIIB, 7; stage IV, 33) were treated with an intravenous combination chemotherapy regimen consisting of mitomycin C 8 mg/m2 on day 1, vinorelbine 40 mg/m2 on days 1 and 21, and carboplatin 250 mg/m2 on days 1 and 21; GM-CSF 5 microg/kg was administered subcutaneously on days 2-8 and 22-28. Treatment cycles were repeated every 6 weeks. All patients are evaluable in terms of toxicity and response assessment. A total of 123 courses was administered. RESULTS: Objective tumor response was notes in 16 patients (40%; 95% confidence interval 24.9-56.7%), including 3 (7.5%) complete and 13 partial responses. There was no change in 12 (31.5%) patients, and 12 had progressive disease. Median duration of response was 6 (range 3-15) months, the median time to progression for all patients was 6.2 (range 1-17.5) months, and the projected median survival time was 8.7 (range 1-23.3) months; the 1-year survival rate was 27.5%. Myelosuppression was the most frequently encountered adverse reaction; WHO grade 3 or 4 granulocytopenia and/or thrombocytopenia occurred in 42.5 and 12.5%, respectively. Other toxicities were generally mild to moderate, and always fully reversible. CONCLUSION: With a 40% major response rate and disease stabilization in one additional third of our patients, this drug combination seems to have significant activity against advanced metastatic NSCLC. Due to its subjective tolerance and ease of administration, further investigation of this regimen in the palliative-intent care setting seems warranted.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Changes in antithrombin III concentration in gestosis patients].

Antithrombin-(AT)-III-levels from 22 patients were determined at the day of delivery but also at the first and fifth day post partum. 7 patients had an AT-III-level in a pathologically low range. Furthermore we found a close correlation between the degree of seriousness of gestosis and AT-III-reduction as well as hypercoagulolability expressed in an elevated normotest. With two patients serious complications arised intra- and postoperatively. One patient got a coagulopathy during the sectio, the other patient developed in spite of heparin treatment a deep thrombosis in the leg vein. These women had the lowest AT-III-levels from all 22 patients. These results underline the importance of an AT-III-control, above all with surgical operations of gestose patients.

Antithrombin III↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Plasma volumetry with 131I in gestoses of different degrees of severity with dystrophy in children].

Plasma volume was measured with 131I-marked human albumin in 32 cases of gestosis at 35 to 38 weeks gestation. The same tests were made in 4 nonpregnant women. We examined 24 patients suffering from medium to severe gestosis (above 4 points according to Goecke) and 8 patients suffering from minimal gestosis (under 4 points). 4 nonpregnant women exhibited a mean plasma volume of 41.3 ml kg body weight, whereas patients suffering from minimal gestosis exhibited a mean plasma volume of 51.5 ml/kg body weight, in those suffering from medium to severe gestosis we found a volume of 48 ml/kg body weight. There was no significant correlation between the severity of the gestosis and plasma volume reduction, in contrast to birth weight of the infant with regard to gestation period and plasma volume. A low plasma volume in the mother was closely correlated to fetal dystrophy. The sensitivity of the method was 88.8%, specificity 80%.

Body Weight↗