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S Conrad

Publications and source records attributed to S Conrad.

63 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

[Treatment of metastatic kidney cancer with recombinant alpha-2 or gamma interferon. Results of 2 clinical phase II and III studies].

In a phase-II and a phase-III study patients with histopathologically documented metastatic renal cell carcinoma were treated either with gamma-interferon in two different doses (100 micrograms/m2 3x/week for 4 h i.v. every other week or 500 micrograms/m2 5x/week for 24 h i.v. every other week) or with alpha-2-interferon alone (18 x 10(6) U 3x/week weekly i.m.) or in combination with vinblastine (0.1 mg/kg every third week i.v.). The purpose of these studies was to evaluate the response rate, the duration of response, the survival, the efficacy and the toxicity of the different forms of treatment. The overall response rate to gamma-interferon was 30% in both regimens. The response rate of treatment with alpha-2-interferon was found to be 31%. The duration of response ranged between 2 and 34+ months in patients treated with gamma-interferon and between 2 and 24+ months in those receiving alpha-2-interferon. Patients with objective tumor response showed a significantly longer survival than those not responding (p = 0.0056). Low-dose-gamma-interferon and alpha-2-interferon treatment could be easily done on an outpatient basis. In conclusion, interferon treatment seems to be of value in the therapy of patients with well documented progressive disease in metastatic renal cell cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Recombinant interferon gamma in the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Results of a phase II trial.

A clinical Phase II study was performed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of treatment with interferon gamma in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Patients received interferon gamma by two different regimens: 1. 100 micrograms/m2 3x/week i.v. over 4 h every other week--low dose. 2. 500 micrograms/m2 5x/week i.v. over 24 h every other week--high dose--for non-responders to regimen 1. The response rate, duration of response, survival and toxicity in the two regimens were evaluated. Treatment with interferon gamma resulted in an overall response rate of 31%, with a duration of response ranging between 2 and 44+ months. Patients responding objectively to interferon gamma or showing stable disease survived significantly longer than non-responders (p = 0.0056).

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Transcutaneous bilirubin measurements in full-term infants.

A total of 292 transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) measurements were performed in 157 white full-term infants: 157 were obtained from the forehead and 135 from the midsternum. TcB measurements correlated well with serum bilirubin determinations (r = .93, P less than .0001). The sensitivity of the test was 100% and the specificity 97%. It was possible to establish guidelines for the TcB measurement which identified all infants whose serum bilirubin concentrations exceeded 12.9 mg/100 ml (221 mumoles/liter) with no false-negative and only five false-positive determinations (3%). The positive predictive value for the TcB measurements was 58%. This implies that, in our population, an infant with a TcB index greater than or equal to 24 has a 58% chance of having a serum bilirubin concentration greater than 12.9 mg/100 ml. The negative predictive value was 100%. Thus, a negative test will correctly predict the absence of hyperbilirubinemia in all cases. As these measurements were obtained prospectively in a well-baby population with a prevalence of hyperbilirubinemia (greater than 12.9 mg/100 ml) of 4.5%, the positive predictive value should be applicable to other similar populations and will, in fact, increase in populations with a higher prevalence of hyperbilirubinemia. TcB measurements can be recommended for the identification of significant neonatal jaundice in full-term infants. It is important to recognize, however, that because of potential variations in TcB meters as well as serum bilirubin measurements in different laboratories, each institution should establish its own criteria for the use of this instrument.

Bilirubin↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Colonization and infection with fluoroquinolone-resistant Escherichia coli among cancer patients: clonal analysis.

Escherichia coli with high-level fluoroquinolone resistance were isolated from feces and/or various body sites of 16 cancer patients who were on oral fluoroquinolone prophylaxis. Population analysis of fecal isolates in 11 patients showed that fluoroquinolone-resistant E. coli was the only aerobic gram-negative bacillus present and exhibited a relatively homogenous fluoroquinolone MIC distribution. Molecular typing by pulsed field gel electrophoresis of chromosomal DNA digests or by random amplified polymorphic DNA fingerprinting confirmed the clonal nature of gastrointestinal tract colonization with E. coli. Genotyping of ten colonies picked from the same fecal culture demonstrated identical strains in four of four patients examined. Identical genotypes from the same patient were isolated over prolonged periods of time in 12 of 12 cases examined, with one patient (with the longest follow-up of 14 months) who lost his initial genotype and became persistently colonized with a new genotype. In the 11 patients who developed infection due to fluoroquinolone-resistant E. coli, molecular typing also indicated that fecal colonization was associated with, and presumably preceded infection due to an indistinguishable genotype of fluoroquinolone-resistant E. coli.

Anti-Infective Agents↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Ensuring quality care: what do you get for your money?

In the rush to produce balanced scorecards and outcomes measures, managed care organizations must recognize the need to better assess the clinical competencies of their contracted skilled nursing facilities. Health plan quality management staffs, although composed of gifted professionals, generally do not have sufficient skilled nursing facility (SNF)-related experience or knowledge to support evaluation and qualification of these providers. The successfully implemented Altman-Conrad (A-C) SNF quality management process objectively measures and monitors managed care contracted services provided by SNFs. The A-C process requires a health plan's quality management/utilization management staff to engage in a team-based educational endeavor. This effort is designed to generate measurable outcomes specific to the health plan's needs. The proven benefits of the process include improved member services, greater member satisfaction, more productive days for SNFs, more effective discharges, and the generation of a win-win relationship between the health plan and its contract providers.

Clinical Competence↗