Pathology underrates colon cancer extranodal and nodal metastases; ex vivo radioimmunodetection helps staging.

Purpose: Colorectal carcinoma is frequently accompanied by small lymph nodes metastases that often escape pathologic examination. We evaluated whether ex vivo radioimmunodetection with the Affinity Enhancement System (AES) could improve detection of mesocolonic metastases.

Experimental Design: A bivalent 111In-labeled hapten was injected (16 patients) 4 days after a bispecific antibody (anticarcinoembryonic antigen, antihapten).

Hui and Walter's latent-class reference-free approach may be more useful in assessing agreement than diagnostic performance.

Background And Objective: Hui and Walter developed a latent class approach to assess the accuracy of a diagnostic procedure when no reference test is available. Our objective was to compare sensitivity and specificity estimates obtained with this reference-free approach and standard approaches, and to examine how and why they differed on a computerized tomography (CT) scan case study.

Study Design And Setting: We compared two sets of sensitivity and specificity estimates from four radiologists independently assessing tumoral and lymph node extension of 85 lung cancer patients with preoperative thoracic CT scan, those obtained relative to pathology findings from surgical specimens (reference set), and those derived from Hui and Walter's approach.

Comparison of digital and ultrasonographic examination of the cervix in predicting time interval from induction to delivery in women with a low Bishop score.

Objective: To compare pre-induction ultrasonographic cervical length and Bishop score in predicting time to delivery after labour induction with prostaglandins.

Design: Prognostic cohort study.

Setting: Tertiary referral maternity unit in a teaching hospital.

DECOPI (DEsobstruction COronaire en Post-Infarctus): a randomized multi-centre trial of occluded artery angioplasty after acute myocardial infarction.

Aim: To determine whether late recanalization of an occluded infarct artery after acute myocardial infarction is beneficial.

Methods And Results: Two hundred and twelve patients with a first Q-wave myocardial infarction (MI) and an occluded infarct vessel were enrolled. After coronary and left ventricular contrast angiography, patients were randomized to percutaneous revascularization (PTCA, n=109), carried out 2-15 days after symptom onset or medical therapy (n=103).

Interobserver and intraobserver reproducibility in the histopathology of follicular thyroid carcinoma.

We evaluated the interobserver and intraobserver reproducibility in the histopathology of follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC). Forty-one anonymous FTC pathology slides were independently reviewed by 5 pathologists, and 31 of them were also evaluated twice by the same pathologist. A final consensus diagnosis (FCD) was made at the end of the study.

Effect of indapamide SR on microalbuminuria--the NESTOR study (Natrilix SR versus Enalapril Study in Type 2 diabetic hypertensives with micrOalbuminuRia)--rationale and protocol for the main trial.

In type 2 diabetic hypertensive patients, microalbuminuria can be due to hypertension and/or diabetic nephropathy. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors act preferentially on microalbuminuria due to diabetic nephropathy. The objective is to demonstrate the efficacy of a thiazide-like diuretic, indapamide sustained release (SR), at reducing microalbuminuria in hypertensive type 2 diabetic patients in comparison with an ACE inhibitor, enalapril.

Prevalence and risk factors for carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus at admission to the intensive care unit: results of a multicenter study.

Background: Detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) carriers on admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) is an important component of strategies for controlling the spread of MRSA.

Methods: A prospective multicenter study was conducted in 14 French ICUs for 6 months. All patients were screened within 24 hours after admission, using nasal and cutaneous swabs In addition, clinical samples were obtained.

Results of a phase II trial of a combination of oral cytarabine ocfosfate (YNK01) and interferon alpha-2b for the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia patients in chronic phase.

Cytarabine ocfosfate (YNK01) is a prodrug analogue of cytarabine which is resistant to systemic deamination after oral administration. Following initial studies indicating significant anti-tumour activity of YNK01 a phase II trial was initiated in order to assess the tolerability and efficacy of a combination of this agent with interferon alpha-2b (IFN-alpha2b) in recently diagnosed chronic phase CML patients (n = 98). The treatment was subdivided into cycles consisting of 4 weeks of continuous administration of IFN-alpha-2b (3 MU/m(2)/day 1st week and then 5 MU/m(2)/day) and 14 days of oral YNK01 (600 mg/day 1st cycle).

Prognostic relevance of a scoring system based on clinical and biological parameters in early chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Introduction: Among patients with indolent form of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia, some of them will progress into more advanced stages. To better define this subpopulation of patients, we attempted to define some parameters capable of predicting a pejorative clinical outcome.

Materials And Methods: Eighty-eight previously untreated patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia in Binet stage A were analysed to study the prognostic value of simple serological variables: soluble CD23 (sCD23), beta2 microglobulin (beta2m), lactate-dehydrogenase activities and albumin level.

Amelioration of arterial properties with a perindopril-indapamide very-low-dose combination.

Background: Epidemiological studies have shown that increased arterial stiffness and wave reflections, major determinants of systolic and pulse pressure, are associated with morbidity and mortality. Therapeutic trials based on cardiovascular mortality have recently shown that reduction of systolic blood pressure (SBP) requires normalization of both large-artery stiffness and wave reflections.

Aims: To compare the antihypertensive effects of the very-low-dose combination of perindopril (2 mg) and indapamide (0.

Induction of labour with a viable infant: a randomised clinical trial comparing intravaginal misoprostol and intravaginal dinoprostone.

Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of vaginal misoprostol (50 microg) with vaginal dinoprostone.

Design: Double-blind randomised trial.

Setting: Obstetrics Department, Poissy Hospital, France.

Preoperative chemotherapy followed by surgery compared with primary surgery in resectable stage I (except T1N0), II, and IIIa non-small-cell lung cancer.

Purpose: To evaluate whether preoperative chemotherapy (PCT) could improve survival in resectable stage I (except T1N0), II, and IIIA non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Patients And Methods: A randomized trial compared PCT to primary surgery (PRS). PCT consisted of two cycles of mitomycin (6 mg/m(2), day 1), ifosfamide (1.

Randomized comparison of fludarabine, CAP, and ChOP in 938 previously untreated stage B and C chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients.

To comparatively assess first-line treatment with fludarabine and 2 anthracycline-containing regimens, namely CAP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin plus prednisone) and ChOP (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisone plus doxorubicin), in advanced stages of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), previously untreated patients with stage B or C CLL were randomly allocated to receive 6 monthly courses of either ChOP, CAP, or fludarabine (FAMP), stratified based on the Binet stages. End points were overall survival, treatment response, and tolerance. From June 1, 1990 to April 15, 1998, 938 patients (651 stage B and 287 stage C) were randomized in 73 centers.

Dose effect relationship of reviparin in chronic hemodialysis: a crossover study versus nadroparin.

Low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs) are used for prevention of clotting in the dialysis circuit. The aim of this trial was to define the optimal dose of a new LMWH and to test the efficiency of a single dose at the start of the session. Fifteen patients were treated according to a double blind and crossover design during 4 blocks of 5 consecutive reviparin doses assigned randomly as 50, 60, 70, 85, and 100 IU anti-Xa/kg.

Impact of guidelines to alter antitetanus prophylaxis practices and reduce costs in the emergency department.

The objective of this study was to assess the impact of an intervention to modify antitetanus prophylaxis of open wounds. This prospective, before-and-after study was conducted in an emergency department of a large metropolitan hospital. Consecutive patients with open wounds were managed according to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines before an intervention, then according to new guidelines afterwards.

A comparison of indapamide SR 1.5 mg with both amlodipine 5 mg and hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg in elderly hypertensive patients: a randomized double-blind controlled study.

Objective: To analyse the efficacy of indapamide sustained-release (SR) 1.5 mg in reducing blood pressure versus amlodipine 5 mg and hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg, in elderly hypertensive patients.

Design: Double-blind, randomized, 12 week study using three parallel groups.

Short therapy with amoxicillin-clavulanate and corticosteroids in acute sinusitis: results of a multicentre study in adults.

Evolution of bacterial resistance shortens antibiotic treatment in ENT infections. The efficacy and tolerance of amoxicillin-clavulanate (ACA), with and without associated short steroid therapy, was evaluated in acute sinusitis of adults at a dosage of 1.5 g/d for 5 d vs.

White blood cell count: a prognostic factor and possible subset indicator of optimal treatment with low-dose adjuvant interferon in primary melanoma.

AlphaIFN has recently been recognized as an adjuvant therapy to surgery in melanoma patients. A major issue is to select patients who will benefit from this therapy and to avoid toxicity in those who will not respond. The aim of this exploratory analysis was to identify the predictive factors of response to alphaIFN.

Regression of left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertensive patients treated with indapamide SR 1.5 mg versus enalapril 20 mg: the LIVE study.

Objective: To compare the efficacy of indapamide sustained release (SR) 1.5 mg and enalapril 20 mg at reducing left ventricular mass index (LVMI) in hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH).

Design: The LIVE study (left ventricular hypertrophy regression, indapamide versus enalapril) was a 1 year, prospective, randomized, double-blind study.

Peripheral stem cells in bone marrow transplantation. Cord blood stem cell transplantation.

Since it was shown that the number of haematopoietic stem cells contained in one sample of cord blood was sufficient for engrafting children and adults, cord blood banking has developed world wide. Cord blood banking has several advantages, including availability of this source of stem cells, low viral infection rate at birth, speed of the search and the possibility of collecting cord blood in ethnic groups under-represented in bone marrow donor registries. Other possible advantages which require further study, include a low risk of acute graft-versus-host disease, even with some degree of HLA mismatch.

Trial of oral fumagillin for the treatment of intestinal microsporidiosis in patients with HIV infection. ANRS 054 Study Group. Agence Nationale de Recherche sur le SIDA.

Objective: Intestinal microsporidiosis caused by Enterocytozoon bieneusi is a cause of chronic diarrhoea in patients with HIV infection for which there is no current therapy. This study was designed to assess the safety and efficacy of oral fumagillin in this infection.

Design: A dose-escalation trial.

Percentage of cancer on biopsy cores accurately predicts extracapsular extension and biochemical relapse after radical prostatectomy for T1-T2 prostate cancer.

Purpose: To perform a multivariate analysis to investigate the usefulness of eight preoperative variables as predictors of final pathological stage (pT), positive surgical margins (PSM) and biological progression after radical prostatectomy (RP).

Materials And Methods: In 143 patients undergoing RP for T1-T2 prostate cancer, the respective values of age, clinical stage, preoperative prostate-specific antigen (PSA), prostate-specific antigen density (PSAD), number of positive biopsies (NPB), Gleason score, length of tissue core invaded by cancer (LTI) and topography (uni/bilaterality) of positive biopsies for predicting extracapsular extension, PSM and biochemical failure (PSA> or =0.05 ng/ml) were evaluated retrospectively.

Measures of treatment effectiveness on tumour response and survival: a multi-state model approach.

This paper proposes the application of a counting process approach in the analysis of treatment effect on tumour response and survival. It relies on the definition of two transient states between which individuals may move over time, that is, response and non-response, and of one absorbing state, death. Three models are discussed according to the underlying Markov and duration dependence assumptions, as well as a marginal modelling of repeated transitions between the two transient states.