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Biomedical subjects

L Demonty

Publications and source records attributed to L Demonty.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Bladder cancer in patients with multiple sclerosis treated with cyclophosphamide.

PURPOSE: We define the risk of bladder cancer in multiple sclerosis related to the use of indwelling catheters and cyclophosphamide administered as an immunomodulating agent. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 2,351 patients with multiple sclerosis referred to the National Center for Multiple Sclerosis. RESULTS: Of the 2,351 patients 2 women and 5 men (0.29%) had bladder cancer. Of the 850 chronically catheterized patients the incidence was 0.7%. One patient with cancer performed intermittent catheterization for a rate of 0.23% in this group. In a subgroup of 70 patients treated with cyclophosphamide 5 chronically catheterized patients (5.7%) had bladder cancer. Hematuria was the most common presenting symptom. These data were compared with those in the literature on bladder cancer in spinal cord injury. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest a possible synergistic role of cyclophosphamide and chronic catheterization in the induction of secondary bladder cancer. Regular cystoscopy is warranted in these patients to allow early detection of bladder tumors. Nitric oxide metabolism may be an important factor in the carcinogenesis of this type of bladder cancer.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed1982

Modulation of immunity in multiple sclerosis: a double-blind levamisole-placebo controlled study in 85 patients.

Levamisole seems to regulate cell-mediated immunity by restoring T-cell function. Since a deficiency of T lymphocytes has been described by various authors in multiple sclerosis patients. Of the 85 patients involved in the trial, evaluation of functional and neurological scores was possible in 54 (32 with placebo and 22 with levamisole). The mean follow-up period was 2 years. This double-blind controlled study indicates that both neurological function and disability significantly deteriorated in the placebo-treated patients, but remained fairly stable in the levamisole-treated group. Since the difference between both groups was not significant, no levamisole effect was demonstrated on progression in multiple sclerosis. With the exception of one case of granulocytopenia (which had no clinical effect), no drug-related changes could be demonstrated. This contrasts with the general impression that this immunomodulator agent might be harmful to patients with multiple sclerosis. The fact that during this blind study both annual relapse rate and disability score remained more stable in treated patients with severe disability suggests that, while waiting for a more effective treatment, long-term levamisole therapy could be useful in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

Intensive immunosuppression with cyclophosphamide in multiple sclerosis. Follow up of 110 patients for 2-6 years.

140 MS patients were treated with intensive I.V. cyclophosphamide immunotherapy and 110 were followed over 2-4 years. Annual relapse rate incidence was calculated over a period of 2 years before and after treatment and repeated neurological scores were made during this period. The conclusions are that 62% of the patients were stabilized during 2-4 years and that clinical improvement of the neurological signs was observed in most of the cases. It is concluded that intensive immunosuppression is able to interfere with the pathological processes involved in the pathogenesis of disseminated sclerosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Biochemical findings in multiple sclerosis. II. A detailed study of the serum IgA, IgG and IgM levels of 772 MS patients compared with 226 neurological controls.

In the second paper of this series, a detailed study of the three main serum immunoglobulins for a group of 772 MS patients is compared with a group of 226 neurological controls. The results are studied according to sex and different age groups. Except for a slight elevation of the IGM levels in the MS group, especially between 40 and 60 years, no clear cut distinction between the two groups of patients was found.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of immunosuppressive agents and particularly of cyclophosphamide on lymphocytes subsets in treated multiple sclerosis patients.

Immune treatments have been used in multiple sclerosis (MS) since 20 years, but it is still difficult to estimate their clinical efficacy as well as their precise immunological effects. The development of the monoclonal antibodies techniques makes it possible to appreciate certain immune effects of these treatments in MS patients and to correlate them with clinical results. It appears that Cyclophosphamide is able to correct the CD4/CD8 ratio imbalance observed in most MS patients and that this correction is generally associated with a beneficial effect on the disease. Other immunosuppressive agents appear less effective both on the CD4/CD8 ratio and on the progression of MS.

Cyclophosphamide↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Clinical study of sodium dantroline (Dantrium) in multiple sclerosis (author's transl)].

The authors have studied the antispastic action of Dantrium in 50 patients with multiple sclerosis; in all cases, hypertonia, spasms or clonus constituted a severe obstacle to remedial therapy or nursing. After one year, the authors have found that Dantrium is effective in reducing hypertonia in 40% of the patients, in improving spasms in 65% and in reducing clonus in 50% of the cases. Secondary effects are fairly frequent (60%), characterized in most cases by diminished muscular strength and greater fatigability.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗