Albumin in Tears Modulates Bacterial Susceptibility to Topical Antibiotics in Ophthalmology.

Bacterial keratitis is a serious and vision-threatening condition in veterinary and human patients, one that often requires culture and susceptibility testing to adjust therapy and improve clinical outcomes. The present study challenges the antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) paradigm in ophthalmology, enabling more accurate -to- translation by incorporating factors normally present during host-pathogen interactions in clinical patients. Thirty bacteria (10 , 10 , 10 ) were isolated from canine patients with infectious keratitis.

Improved outcome in multisystem Langerhans cell histiocytosis is associated with therapy intensification.

Multisystem Langerhans cell histiocytosis (MS-LCH) is associated with high mortality when patients have risk organ involvement (RO(+)) or are younger than 2 years. In an international randomized trial, LCH-II, we intensified their treatment: arm A consisted of 6 weeks of daily prednisone and weekly vinblastine followed by 18 weeks of daily 6-mercaptopurine with vinblastine/prednisone pulses; etoposide was added in arm B. Considering all 193 randomized risk patients, there were similar outcomes: rapid (6 weeks) response (arm A vs arm B: 63%/71%), 5-year survival probability (74%/79%), disease reactivation frequency (46%/46%), and permanent consequences (43%/37%).

Permanent consequences in Langerhans cell histiocytosis patients: a pilot study from the Histiocyte Society-Late Effects Study Group.

Background: Permanent consequences (PC) are often described among subjects with Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) but data on the real incidence are scarce. Within the Histiocyte Society (HS), and in order to design a definitive late effects study, a retrospective survey was organized to describe the prevalence of PC among long-term survivors of LCH.

Methods: Nine institutions contributed with their LCH patients having a minimum follow-up of 3 years.

A randomized trial of treatment for multisystem Langerhans' cell histiocytosis.

Objective: To compare 2 active agents, vinblastine and etoposide, in the treatment of multisystem Langerhans' cell histiocytosis (LCH) in an international randomized study.

Study Design: One hundred forty-three untreated patients were randomly assigned to receive 24 weeks of vinblastine (6 mg/m(2), given intravenously every week) or etoposide (150 mg/m(2)/d, given intravenously for 3 days every 3 weeks), and a single initial dose of corticosteroids.

Results: Vinblastine and etoposide were equivalent (P > or = .

Cyclosporine A therapy for multisystem langerhans cell histiocytosis.

Background: Treatment of multisystem Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) remains difficult. Various regimens of single and multiagent chemotherapy have been used, but a significant proportion of patients fail to respond to treatment.

Procedure: We have evaluated the use of cyclosporine A (CSA) in a controlled group of patients, who had received a systematic primary therapy (LCH-I).

Vincristine treatment revealing asymptomatic hereditary motor sensory neuropathy type 1A.

A 5 year old boy developed severe weakness after receiving vincristine for treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Although weakness improved after the discontinuation of vincristine, other symptoms suggestive of a neuropathy persisted. Neurophysiological and genetic analysis at age 8 years indicated that vincristine had induced symptoms of a hereditary sensory motor neuropathy type 1A, which had previously been asymptomatic; his genetically affected mother was also asymptomatic.

Use of indomethacin in Langerhans cell histiocytosis.

Background: Because prostaglandin (PG) E2 has been identified in the bone lesions of Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH), we speculated that indomethacin, a potent PG inhibitor, may be useful in patients with symptomatic LCH involving the bony skeleton.

Procedure: We used indomethacin to treat patients in whom we wanted to avoid steroids or chemotherapy, or in whom these treatments did not provide complete symptom relief. Ten children with bony LCH between 1984 and 1995 were treated; six had single-system bone disease and four had multisystem disease involving the bony skeleton and other organs.

Current therapy for Langerhans cell histiocytosis.

The changing concept of the pathogenesis of Langerhans cell histiocytosis over the past 50 years has been mirrored by evolving treatment regimens. The publications by the Histiocyte Society in the 1980s of diagnostic, clinical, and laboratory criteria allowed international collaboration in treatment trials. These, in turn, have allowed stratification of risk groups and the evolution of a salvage therapy protocol for the poorest risk patients.

Diabetes insipidus associated with Langerhans cell histiocytosis: is it reversible?

Fourteen of 58 (24%) children with Langerhans cell hisiocytosis (LCH) currently attending the Hospital for Sick Children (London) developed thirst and polyuria during the course of their disease. Three had single-system disease confined to bone, and 11 had multisystem disease. The median age at presentation of LCH was 2 years 0 months, and polyuria/polydipsia developed at a median age of 3 years 9 months (range 1 month before diagnosis of LCH to 4 years after diagnosis).

High-dose melphalan followed by autograft employing non-cryopreserved peripheral blood progenitor cells in children.

High-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) enables dose escalation in the treatment of childhood malignancies. Here we report our experience of using peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPC) to restore haematopoiesis in five children using a simple cell mobilising regime and non-cryopreservation of the harvests. Cells were mobilised using cyclophosphamide and granulocyte colony stimulating factor.

Autologous bone marrow transplantation for second or greater complete remission of acute myeloid leukaemia and acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Twenty patients with acute leukaemia in second or greater complete remission have undergone autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) in our centre. Twelve patients had acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and eight patients had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). Six of the patients treated for AML remain in CR.

A survey of recommendations given to patients going home after bone marrow transplant.

A postal questionnaire was sent to 11 UK Children's Cancer Study Group bone marrow transplant centres asking them for details of their instructions to patients on discharge after either allogeneic or auto transplant; nine centres responded. There was no recommendation on which they all agreed. Though all centres gave prophylactic septrin, the times of starting and stopping treatment varied considerably.

Langerhans cell histiocytosis--clinical and epidemiological aspects.

Langerhans cell histiocytosis is a disease which frustrates both clinician and scientist. Its aetiology is unknown, its pathogenesis is ill understood and the clinical course is unpredictable. Historically, the different nomenclatures reflecting the first clinical descriptions by Hand (1893, 1921), Schuller (1915) and Christian (1920), and subsequently by Letterer (1924) and Siwe (1933), led to confusion only partially resolved by Lichtenstein (1953) who recognised that the disease in each of these clinical syndromes were components of a spectrum of disease involving the histiocyte.

Histiocytosis--an introduction.

The Histiocytoses are a group of rare and puzzling multisystem disorders, currently regarded as non-malignant but often treated with 'cancer chemotherapy'. In this article, the origins of histiocytes and of the Histiocyte Society's classification of the Histiocytoses are described with suggested minor modifications to the classification. The current nomenclature for the 2 principal diseases, now named 'Langerhans cell histiocytosis' and 'Haemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis', is less confusing than the terms originally chosen.

Langerhans' cell histiocytosis in childhood: management of head and neck manifestations.

The authors carried out a retrospective analysis of 131 cases of Langerhans' cell histiocytosis treated at two centers over a 30-year period. All those with head and neck manifestations have been reviewed with particular reference to management and outcome. The role of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery is discussed, and we present our results of the successful introduction of topical nitrogen mustard (Mustine) ear drops for meatal skin involvement.

LCH-I: a randomized trial of etoposide vs. vinblastine in disseminated Langerhans cell histiocytosis. The Histiocyte Society.

An international randomized trial in Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) has been initiated by the Histiocyte Society. This report reviews the rationale, design, and progress of LCH-I, which compares etoposide (VP-16) and vinblastine in the treatment of disseminated LCH. Data on the risk of etoposide-associated (therapy-induced) malignancy, in the setting of histiocytosis, are reviewed.

Radiologically-guided cutting needle biopsy for suspected malignancy in childhood.

Twenty-seven cutting needle biopsies were performed on 25 children with suspected malignancy using computed tomographic (CT, 22) or ultrasound (US, 5) guidance. Anatomical sites were: retroperitoneum 6, liver 4, kidney 4, abdomen/pelvis 4, thorax 4, bowel 2, neck 1. Sixteen patients (64%) underwent subsequent open biopsy (5), marrow biopsy (2) or resection (9).

Tumor lysis syndrome complicating treatment of widespread metastatic abdominal rhabdomyosarcoma.

In this paper we describe a 9-year-old girl with abdominal embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. She had ascites and widespread metastatic disease at presentation and was oliguric but had a normal creatinine. Following the start of chemotherapy she developed acute renal failure secondary to the tumor lysis syndrome, requiring hemodialysis, and had considerable myelotoxicity.

Rapid diagnosis of malignancy using flow cytometry.

The rapid and accurate diagnosis of childhood malignancy is important both in the planning of appropriate treatment and in relieving the inevitable family anxiety. The use of flow cytometry to analyse monoclonal antibody coated single cell suspensions is widely accepted as having increased the speed and accuracy of diagnosis in leukaemias, though its use in solid tumour diagnosis is not widely reported. Ten cases of childhood malignancy in whom the diagnosis was initially made by flow cytometry and subsequently confirmed histologically are described.

Neutropenic enterocolitis associated with Clostridium tertium.

A 15 year old boy being treated for relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukaemia developed severe diarrhoea and abdominal pain which worsened despite empirical antibiotic treatment. A right hemicolectomy was performed. The caecum and ascending colon showed changes typical of neutropenic enterocolitis.