Donor variation in stored platelets: Higher metabolic rates of platelets are associated with mean platelet volume, activation and donor health.

Background: Platelets (PLTs) differ in glycolytic activity, resulting in rapid acidification of 'poor' storing PLT concentrates (PCs) in plasma, or depletion of glucose when stored in PLT additive solution (PAS). We aimed to understand why PLT glycolysis rates vary between donors and how this affects storage performance.

Study Design And Methods: Buffy coats from donors <45, 45-70 and >70 years were selected and single-donor PCs in plasma or PAS-E were prepared.

Survival of patients with deficient mismatch repair metastatic colorectal cancer in the pre-immunotherapy era.

Background: Metastatic colorectal cancer patients with deficient mismatch repair (dMMR mCRC) benefit from immunotherapy. Interpretation of the single-arm immunotherapy trials is complicated by insignificant survival data during systemic non-immunotherapy. We present survival data on a large, comprehensive cohort of dMMR mCRC patients, treated with or without systemic non-immunotherapy.

Loss of skeletal muscle index and survival in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer: Secondary analysis of the phase 3 CAIRO3 trial.

Background: Low skeletal muscle index (SMI) in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients is associated with poor outcomes. The prognostic impact of SMI changes during consecutive palliative systemic treatments is unknown.

Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of the phase 3 CAIRO3 study.

Melphalan, prednisone, and lenalidomide versus melphalan, prednisone, and thalidomide in untreated multiple myeloma.

The combination of melphalan, prednisone, and thalidomide (MPT) is considered standard therapy for newly diagnosed patients with multiple myeloma who are ineligible for stem cell transplantation. Long-term treatment with thalidomide is hampered by neurotoxicity. Melphalan, prednisone, and lenalidomide, followed by lenalidomide maintenance therapy, showed promising results without severe neuropathy emerging.

Prognostic factors for the feasibility of chemotherapy and the Geriatric Prognostic Index (GPI) as risk profile for mortality before chemotherapy in the elderly.

Background: Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is a multidimensional method to detect frailty in elderly patients. Time saving could be accomplished by identifying those individual items that classify elderly cancer patients at risk for feasibility of chemotherapy and for mortality.

Material And Methods: Patients older than 70 years of age were assessed before the first chemotherapy administration.

Prognostic factors for the feasibility of chemotherapy and the Geriatric Prognostic Index (GPI) as risk profile for mortality before chemotherapy in the elderly.

Background: Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is a multidimensional method to detect frailty in elderly patients. Time saving could be accomplished by identifying those individual items that classify elderly cancer patients at risk for feasibility of chemotherapy and for mortality.

Material And Methods: Patients older than 70 years of age were assessed before the first chemotherapy administration.

Prognostic significance of geriatric assessment in combination with laboratory parameters in elderly patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

The age-adjusted International Prognostic Index (IPI) is an important prognostic factor for patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). We investigated whether a geriatric assessment (GA) is of additional prognostic value in NHL. In this prospective cohort study of 44 patients aged 70 years or older with NHL receiving rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone (R-CHOP), a GA was administered before the start of chemotherapy.

Evaluation of lecithinized human recombinant super oxide dismutase as cardioprotectant in anthracycline-treated breast cancer patients.

Aim: Anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity is (partly) mediated by free radical overload. A randomized study was performed in breast cancer patients to investigate whether free radical scavenger super oxide dismutase (SOD) protects against anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity as measured by changes in echo, electrocardiography and an array of biomarkers.

Method And Results: Eighty female, chemotherapy-naïve breast cancer patients (median age 49, range 24-67 years) scheduled for four or five courses of adjuvant 3 weekly doxorubicin plus cyclophosphamide (AC) chemotherapy, were randomly assigned to receive 80 mg PC-SOD (human recombinant SOD bound to lecithin) or placebo, administered intravenously (i.

Frailty and malnutrition predictive of mortality risk in older patients with advanced colorectal cancer receiving chemotherapy.

Introduction: In general, geriatric assessment (GA) provides the combined information on comorbidity and functional, nutritional and psychosocial status and may be predictive for mortality outcome of cancer patients. The impact of geriatric assessment on the outcome of older patients with colorectal cancer treated with chemotherapy is largely unknown.

Methods: In a prospective study, 143 patients with colorectal cancer who were 70years and older were assessed before chemotherapy by Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE), Groningen Frailty Indicator (GFI) and Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE).

Haplotypes encoding the factor VIII 1241 Glu variation, factor VIII levels and the risk of venous thrombosis.

Levels of factor VIII (FVIII) are associated with the risk of venous thrombosis. The FVIII variation D1241E has been reported to be associated with decreased levels of FVIII. Our objective was to study whether D1241E is associated with levels of FVIII and the risk of venous thrombosis and whether this association is caused by D1241E or another linked variation.

Dutch women with a low birth weight have an increased risk of myocardial infarction later in life: a case control study.

BACKGROUND: To investigate whether low birth weight increases the risk of myocardial infarction later in life in women. METHODS: Nationwide population-based case-control study. Patients and controls: 152 patients with a first myocardial infarction before the age of 50 years in the Netherlands.

Venous and arterial thrombosis during oral contraceptive use: risks and risk factors.

Since the introduction of oral contraceptives, their use has been associated with an increased risk of both venous and arterial thrombosis. Pulmonary embolism, myocardial infarction, and stroke are serious disorders with a considerable risk of mortality. Because worldwide over 100 million women use oral contraceptives, issues of drug safety are of great importance.

Hyperhomocysteinemia and risk for peripheral arterial occlusive disease in young women.

Objective: Few studies to date have examined the relationship between hyperhomocysteinemia and peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) in young women. In this study we assessed hyperhomocysteinemia as a risk factor for PAOD in young women. In addition, we evaluated the effect of joint exposure to hyperhomocysteinemia and traditional risk factors.

Prothrombotic coagulation defects and cardiovascular risk factors in young women with acute myocardial infarction.

We investigated the effect of prothrombotic coagulation defects in combination with smoking and other conventional risk factors on the risk of myocardial infarction in young women. In 217 women with a first myocardial infarction before the age of 50 years and 763 healthy control women from a population-based case-control study, factor V Leiden and prothrombin 20210A status were determined. Data on major cardiovascular risk factors and oral contraceptive use were combined with the presence or absence of these prothrombotic mutations, and compared between patients and controls.

Functional health and well-being of relatively young women with peripheral arterial disease is decreased but stable after diagnosis.

Objective: This study was undertaken to investigate the extent to which health-related quality of life (HQOL) is reduced in young women with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) compared with age-matched and gender-matched control subjects. Moreover, potential determinants of HQOL in young women with PAD were studied, ie, traditional cardiovascular risk factors, location of stenosis and time since diagnosis.

Methods: This was a population-based case-control study.

Novel risk factors for peripheral arterial disease in young women.

Purpose: To investigate traditional and novel risk factors (homocysteine and C-reactive protein levels, and exposure to infections) for peripheral arterial disease in young women.

Subjects And Methods: In a multicenter, population-based, case-control study, 212 young women (mean [+/- SD] age, 48.2 +/- 7.

Increased pregnancy loss in young women with aortoiliac disease.

Background: During clinical evaluation of young women with peripheral arterial occlusive disease, we were surprised by the high prevalence of pregnancy loss in women with segmental stenosis confined to the aortoiliac segment. We wondered if increased occurrence of miscarriage is the result of high expression of vascular and obstetrical risk factors in these patients, or if it is related to localization of disease. In a case-control study designed to investigate risk factors for peripheral arterial occlusive disease in young women, we assessed the risk of miscarriage in these patients according to level of obstruction.

Chlamydia pneumoniae, Helicobacter pylori and cytomegalovirus infections and the risk of peripheral arterial disease in young women.

Sero-epidemiological case control studies have observed positive relations between infections with Chlamydia pneumoniae, Helicobacter pylori or cytomegalovirus (CMV) and the occurrence of coronary artery disease (CAD) and stroke. Moreover, positive relations between 'infection burden' and CAD and the role of inflammation have recently been described. However, the relations between infection, inflammation and the occurrence of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) have not been reported so far.

Risk of Arterial Thrombosis in Relation to Oral Contraceptives (RATIO) study: oral contraceptives and the risk of ischemic stroke.

Background And Purpose: Epidemiological studies have shown an increased risk of venous thrombosis in women taking third-generation oral contraceptives, ie, those containing the progestogens desogestrel or gestodene. This study assesses the risk of ischemic stroke with several types of oral contraceptives.

Methods: A multicenter, population-based, case-control study was performed in 9 Dutch centers in women aged 18 to 49 years.