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Biomedical subjects

S Elad

Publications and source records attributed to S Elad.

23 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

The use of tretinoin as oral mucositis prophylaxis in bone marrow transplantation patients: a preliminary study.

OBJECTIVE: The examination of prophylactic efficacy of tretinoin on oral mucositis, post bone marrow transplantation (BMT). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study population consisted of 11 patients undergoing BMT. Six tretinoin topically-treated patients (0.25 mg daily of 0.1% tretinoin cream) were matched with five non-treated control patients comparing mucositis severity, duration and analgetic (morphine) requirements. Concomitant follow-up included conditioning parameters associated with mucositis and engraftment. RESULTS: The mean of oral mucositis peak scores was significantly lower in the tretinoin-treated patients vs the non-treated patients (score 1.5 vs 3.6; P < 0.02). In the majority of cases the duration of the most severe phase of oral mucositis was shorter in the tretinoin-treated group as compared with the control. Only one patient in the experimental group required morphine analgesics compared with four patients in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary study indicates that the severity of oral mucositis, both objective and subjective, in BMT patients may be reduced by 0.1% topical tretinoin cream, 0.25 mg, administered daily from the beginning of the BMT conditioning regimen until marrow engraftment.

Administration, Topical↗

Noncardiogenic pulmonary congestion following bone marrow transplantation.

We report a 36-year-old female who developed acute pulmonary congestion as the first presenting sign of venoocclusive disease (VOD), complicating an otherwise successful bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Left ventricular function was normal by echocardiography. Conservative therapy included oxygen, Lasix, and low dose dopamine. Hepatic toxicity, the typical presenting feature of VOD, occurred in our patient 72 h after pulmonary congestion. VOD occurs in 20-50% of BMT patients and is the result of widespread endothelial damage as a result of chemoradiotherapy. The dominating clinical feature is liver toxicity. Pulmonary manifestations of VOD have not been described as presenting features, and in fact have been noted as rare and late sequelae of BMT. Therefore, in the setting of preserved left ventricular function, acute pulmonary congestion early after BMT may represent the onset of VOD.

Adult↗

Low molecular weight heparin for the prevention of veno-occlusive disease of the liver in bone marrow transplantation patients.

Hepatic veno-occlusive disease (VOD), a common complication of bone marrow transplantation (BMT), is a result of intensive conditioning by chemo-radiotherapy. Endometrial injury causes fibrin deposition in the affected hepatic venules, leading to abnormal laboratory parameters followed by lethal full-blown disease. Previous studies have shown that unfractionated heparin can prevent VOD in BMT patients. Since low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) preserves the antithrombotic, but not the anticoagulant, activity of unfractionated heparin, we initiated a pilot study to determine the safety of LMWH for the prevention of VOD. Sixty-one patients undergoing BMT (allogeneic, n=24; autologous, n=37) were randomized to receive subcutaneous injection of enoxaparin (40 mg/day x 1) or a placebo prior to BMT conditioning and until day 40 after transplantation or discharge from the hospital. LMWH administration did not influence marrow engraftment, nor was it associated with bleeding tendency. Hemorrhagic events occurred significantly less frequently (P=0.025) were shorter duration (P=0.006) in the LMWH group than in the placebo group. Time to platelet recovery was significantly shorter (16.5 vs 29.6 days, (P=0.0075), and platelet transfusion requirements were lower (p=0.05) in the LMWH patients. VOD parameters occurred less frequently in the experimental group, including duration of elevated bilirubin levels (P=0.01) and incidence of hepatomegaly (P=0.04). LMWH, which seems to enhance platelet recovery, may be safely administrated to BMT patients in an attempt to prevent VOD of the liver.

Adult↗

Low molecular weight heparin stimulates megakaryocytopoiesis in bone-marrow transplantation patients.

The use of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) as prophylaxis for veno-occlusive disease of the liver has been studied in patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation (BMT). The present study analyzes the effect of LMWH on the time course of platelet recovery after BMT. Significantly accelerated platelet recovery in conjunction with lessened requirements of platelet transfusions was observed in the LMWH-treated patients.

Anticoagulants↗