Sjögren's syndrome: a critical review of clinical management.

Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is greatly under recognized in clinical practice, primarily for 2 reasons: its presentations are variable and often nonspecific and there are still no clear, uniform diagnostic criteria for this clinical entity. The prevalence, natural history, pathogenesis, and clinical taxonomy of SS are still not well understood. Potential criteria include both subjective symptoms and objective criteria such as measurements of salivary and tear flow, minor salivary gland biopsy, and an increasing variety of serological markers.

Pilocarpine tablets for the treatment of dry mouth and dry eye symptoms in patients with Sjögren syndrome: a randomized, placebo-controlled, fixed-dose, multicenter trial. P92-01 Study Group.

Background: Patients with Sjögren syndrome (SS) experience slowly progressive infiltration of lacrimal and salivary glands by mononuclear cells. This leads to diminished secretions, with resultant symptoms of xerostomia and xerophthalmia. Although pilocarpine hydrochloride tablets are currently indicated for the treatment of radiation-induced xerostomia, their effects on dry mouth or dry eyes in patients with SS are unclear.

Preclinical antitumor activity of 6-hydroxymethylacylfulvene, a semisynthetic derivative of the mushroom toxin illudin S.

6-Hydroxymethylacylfulvene (HMAF; MGI 114) is a novel semisynthetic antitumor agent derived from the sesquiterpene mushroom toxin illudin S. In vitro cytotoxicity determinations produced IC50 concentrations (concentrations required for 50% inhibition of growth) ranging from 160 nM in sensitive MCF-7 human mammary carcinoma cells to 17 microM in relatively insensitive murine B16 melanoma cells. In vivo antitumor activity was consistent with in vitro sensitivity.

Oral pilocarpine for radiation-induced xerostomia: integrated efficacy and safety results from two prospective randomized clinical trials.

Purpose: Pilocarpine hydrochloride administered in either a fixed-dose or in a dose-titration protocol three times a day for 12 weeks was evaluated for its ability to relieve symptoms of postradiation xerostomia and to improve saliva production. The studies were randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter clinical trials. A total of 369 patients who had received at least 40 Gy of radiation to the head and neck with clinically significant xerostomia were enrolled in the two studies.