High-dose 1,2,4-triglycidylurazol given in regimens preparatory to bone marrow transplantation. A preclinical pharmacology study.

To elucidate its potential role in the framework of bone marrow transplantation, we studied the toxicologic and pharmacologic properties of high doses of the triepoxide derivate 1,2,4-triglycidylurazol (TGU) in a preclinical dog model. Dose-dependent and dose-limiting gastrointestinal toxicity occurred in a dose range between 40 and 75 mg/kg, with the lethal dose for 50% of animals (LD50) being estimated at 60 mg/kg. Severe and life-threatening hematologic toxicity developed at all dose levels examined but was generally reversible.

Clinical results and the Essen concept of TBI.

Total body irradiation (TBI) prior to bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is applied for treatment of 230 patients in the period 1975-1988. The clinical results of 169 patients treated by four different TBI dosage and treatment techniques are analysed. The risk of leukemic relapse is low after fractionated TBI (9%) as well as after single dose TBI (14%).

Total body irradiation in Essen--dosimetry and physical treatment planning.

Since 1975, in Essen 109 patients received total body irradiation (TBI) prior to bone marrow transplantation. About 80 patients were treated by bilateral 5.7 MeV photon beams.

[Function tests of the lower small intestine with 75selenium-labeled homotaurocholic acid in Crohn disease and resections of the small intestine].

Unlabelled: Faecal excretion of bile acids was investigated using 75Se-homotaurocholic acid (75SeHCAT) in a total of 75 patients: 9 with irritable colon, 58 with Crohn's disease and 8 with small-bowel resection due to various indications but without Crohn's disease. Bile acid malabsorption, taken as a pathological bile acid retention of less than 19%, was found present in 43 patients with diseased terminal ileum or with more than 20 cm resection of this organ, except in one case (12 cm). On the other hand a normal bile acid retention (21 to 27%) was found in 29 of 72 patients (including 9 patients with irritable colon) who showed either no radiologically detectable lesion of the ileum (n = 21) or changes involving an extension of up to 30 cm (inflammation or resection) in the terminal ileum (n = 8), with the exception of one case (50 cm).

[Comparative studies of various methods of measuring bile acid secretion using 75Se-labelled homotaurocholic acid (75Se-HCAT)].

The simple determination of whole-body retention of the bile acid analogue 75Se-HCAT provides results which are in agreement with those of the established but more difficult measurement of 24-14C-TCA excretion in the feces. Determining whole-body retention of 75Se-HCAT is not only practicable with a whole-body counter but also, with precision, with the more widely used gamma camera. Therefore, the bile acid retention test may be employed wherever there is a gamma camera available.