Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

P Sullivan

Publications and source records attributed to P Sullivan.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Amsacrine with high-dose cytarabine is highly effective therapy for refractory and relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia in adults.

Thirty-six patients with relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and four with primary refractory ALL were treated with a regimen that included amsacrine, 200 mg/m2, intravenously daily for three days with cytarabine, 3 gm/m2, by infusion over three hours daily for five days. There were 27 remissions in the 36 relapsed patients and two in the four patients with primary refractory disease. Seventeen of the 23 patients with common ALL, four of the six with T-cell ALL, one of the three with B-cell ALL, and seven of eight whose cells were not characterized responded. Toxicity of this regimen was comparable to other reinduction regimens for ALL, but the side effects characteristic of high-dose cytarabine therapy were absent. Since these results compare favorably with conventional induction regimens, its use in the primary treatment of adults and children with high-risk ALL is proposed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Amsacrine treatment of patients with supraventricular arrhythmias and acute leukemia.

Three patients with a history of supraventricular arrhythmia presented with relapse of acute leukemia. Two of the three patients were in sinus rhythm, receiving digoxin and/or verapamil daily. The third patient was in atrial fibrillation, but her heart rate was controlled with daily digoxin. All three patients received amsacrine without the occurrence of cardiac events. Although amsacrine may cause ventricular arrhythmias in the setting of hypokalemia, correction of the electrolyte abnormality permits its use in patients with a history of supraventricular arrhythmias.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1987

Changes in relative weight among institutionalized elderly adults.

Weight-for-height and weight changes over a 2-year period among 335 institutionalized elderly adults at a geriatric care facility are described. Weight-for-height at admission was compared with several current standards for elderly persons. Mean relative weight and proportions of underweight and obese patients varied with the standards used. Although changes in group mean weights were slight, 73% of the patients gained or lost 4.5 kg or more in 2 years. Patients who lost 4.5 kg or more in the interval had a lower 4-year survival rate (p less than .05) than patients who gained weight or remained stable. Fluctuations in weight may be more prevalent among institutionalized elderly persons than previously thought, or than are apparent in analyses of group trends. Monitoring an individual's weight is simple and may be more meaningful than comparison to a standard, especially because weight loss is associated with mortality, until age appropriate standards are developed.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1987

A new regimen of amsacrine with high-dose cytarabine is safe and effective therapy for acute leukemia.

Amsacrine and high-dose cytarabine (HiDAc), when administered as single agents, are effective treatment of acute leukemia. When used in combination, a high remission rate is also possible. We treated 47 patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and blastic phase of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) with a combination of amsacrine and HiDAc. The patients received amsacrine 200 mg/m2 daily for three days and, concurrently, HiDAc 3 g/m2 over three hours once daily for five days. Of 20 evaluable patients with AML in relapse, there were 12 remissions; of seven additional patients with primary refractory AML, there were two remissions, and of 12 patients with ALL in relapse, there were eight remissions. The three patients with blastic phase CML and the three patients with biphenotypic leukemia did not respond. Nausea, vomiting, stomatitis, hepatic dysfunction, and diarrhea were common, but cutaneous, conjunctival, and significant cerebellar and cerebral side effects were absent. We conclude that this regimen is highly effective therapy for AML and ALL and is also safe, eliminating the major toxicities encountered with HiDAc.

Acute Disease↗