Accuracy of intracardiac echocardiography for aortic root assessment in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

Background: Multislice computed tomography (MSCT) has generally been accepted as the most accurate modality fulfilling this purpose with good reproducibility. A major drawback of MSCT consists in the use of contrast dye, which may be unsafe in transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) patients who frequently are affected by renal failure. We sought to appraise the accuracy of intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) in measurements of structures in the aortic root in patients undergoing TAVI.

Steady-state pharmacokinetics of idebenone in healthy volunteers.

An open study was conducted with 12 healthy male Caucasian volunteers to determine the single dose and steady-state pharmacokinetics in plasma after a total daily dose of 90 mg of idebenone administered as 45 mg twice daily for 10 consecutive days. In the dose regimen investigated, multiple daily doses of 90 mg of idebenone were well tolerated by healthy male volunteers and were not associated with any clinically relevant changes in ECG or clinical laboratory parameters. The results of the physical examinations after study termination revealed normal findings in all volunteers.

Pharmacokinetics of GM1 ganglioside following parenteral administration.

The pharmacokinetic parameters of monosialotetrahexosylganglioside (GM1) have been determined in healthy volunteers at 3 dose levels: 100, 200, 300 mg. Each dose was administered to separate groups of 12 volunteers. GM1 levels were determined in plasma, urine, and faeces by a method based on the property of the cholera toxin beta subunit to react specifically with GM1 ganglioside.

Phase III randomized study of fluorouracil, epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide v fluorouracil, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide in advanced breast cancer: an Italian multicentre trial.

From February 1983 to January 1985, 497 patients with advanced breast cancer were randomly allocated to receive either epirubicin or doxorubicin in the following combination chemotherapy regimen: fluorouracil (5-FU) 500 mg/m2 intravenous (IV) on days 1 and 8; epirubicin or doxorubicin 50 mg/m2 IV on day 1; cyclophosphamide 500 mg/m2 IV on day 1 (FEC or FAC). Cycles were repeated every 21 days until progression or to cumulative doses of 700 mg/m2 for epirubicin and 550 mg/m2 for doxorubicin. Dose reductions were applied according to the standard criteria.