A study of reported factor VIII use around the world.

The effect of replacement therapy has significantly improved the morbidity and mortality of people with haemophilia A in high income countries, a recent socio-economic development as the availability of safe concentrates has been matched by a willingness for their provision through reimbursement. In the developing world, however, this state has not been achieved, primarily because of the low visibility of haemophilia coupled with its expense, leading to inadequate treatment with its sequelae of severe pain, joint deformities, arthropathy, disabilities, and even death in childhood or early adult life. The objective of this paper was to study the reported factor VIII (FVIII) use on a country-by-country basis.

High plasma levels of MCP-1 and eotaxin provide evidence for an immunological basis of fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia (FMS), a predominantly female (85%) syndrome, affects an estimated 2% of the US population with skeletal muscle ache, fatigue, headache, and sleep disorder. The pathogenesis of FMS is unknown and there is no laboratory test for diagnosis. In this study, plasma levels of 25 cytokines and chemokines in 92 female patients with FMS and 69 family members were measured compared to 77 controls.

Modelling haemophilia epidemiology and treatment modalities to estimate the unconstrained factor VIII demand.

The article presents a new method for estimating the unconstrained factor VIII (FVIII) demand based on the principles of decision analysis. Epidemiology and treatment modalities were integrated into a model for unconstrained FVIII demand. Assumptions for each variable with impact on the unconstrained FVIII demand were defined and probability estimates for these variables were obtained from the literature and medical experts.

A country-by-country comparison of FVIII concentrate consumption and economic capacity for the global haemophilia community.

The article presents a method to estimate the level of factor VIII (FVIII) concentrate consumption and economic capacity for each of the 110 countries considered in the study. A number of health-economic indicators were examined and purchasing power parity (PPP) gross national income (GNI) per capita had the strongest correlation with amount of FVIII concentrates sold in a country. Available data on FVIII concentrate consumption and health-economic indicators were used to calculate index values for FVIII use and economic capacity so each country can assess and compare its level of FVIII concentrate consumption with the economic resources of other countries in the global haemophilia A community.

An approach to difficult clinical problems.

Often physicians use an intuitive approach to treatment, based on years of clinical experience and discussion with colleagues. However, some complex clinical problems in family practice require a formal, structured, rational apprach to decision making. This article describes how clinical decision analysis was used in a family practice unit, for a patient with a suspected loose hip prosthesis.

Flow cytometric analysis of lymphocyte subpopulations after thermal injury in human beings.

Several theories have been advanced in an effort to explain immunologic suppression after thermal injury, that is monocyte production of immunoregulatory prostaglandins, activation of suppressor cells, production of suppressive serum factors and alteration in helper cell function. In the current study, cytofluorometric analysis was performed on peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from 30 severely burned individuals using a FACS IV cell sorter. Fluorescein labeled monoclonal antibodies were used to phenotype total T cells (OKT3+), helper cells (OKT-4+), suppressor cells (OKT-8+), monocytes (antimono.