The number of circulating CD14(+) cells is related to infarct size and postinfarct volumes in ST segment elevation myocardial infarction but not non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Objective: To determine the relationship between the number of CD14(+) cells, myocardial infarct (MI) size and left ventricular (LV) volumes in ST segment elevation MI (STEMI) and non-ST segment elevation MI (NSTEMI) patients.

Methods: A total of 62 patients with STEMI (n=34) or NSTEMI (n=28) were enrolled. The number of CD14(+) cells was assessed at admission.

[Safety update on vaccination during pregnancy].

During influenza A pandemia, the vaccination on pregnant women has raised many questions. Pandemia, easiness of travelling, and insufficient vaccinal coverage, expose these patients to infection which may have serious consequences on their pregnancy and on the child to born. On pregnant women, the precautionary principle is a priority and the evaluation of epidemiological risk is essential, in order to prevent adverses events.

Pravastatin reverses the membrane cholesterol reorganization induced by myocardial infarction within lipid rafts in CD14(+)/CD16(-) circulating monocytes.

Large numbers of monocytes are recruited in the infarcted myocardium. Their cell membranes contain cholesterol-rich microdomains called lipids rafts, which participate in numerous signaling cascades. In addition to its cholesterol-lowering effect, pravastatin has several pleiotropic effects and is widely used as secondary prevention treatment after myocardial infarction (MI).

Relative impact of ribavirin monitoring and HIV coinfection on sustained virological response in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Background: In chronic hepatitis C, higher ribavirin (RBV) concentrations are associated with sustained virological response (SVR); target concentration cutoffs have been proposed. As RBV displays interindividual variability, monitoring of RBV plasma levels appears relevant. The impact of RBV therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM(RBV)) on SVR has not been explored in current practice.

Presence of endothelial colony-forming cells is associated with reduced microvascular obstruction limiting infarct size and left ventricular remodelling in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs) are known to increase after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We examined whether the presence of ECFCs is associated with preserved microvascular integrity in the myocardium at risk by reducing microvascular obstruction (MVO). We enrolled 88 patients with a first ST elevation AMI.

Presence of circulating endothelial progenitor cells and levels of stromal-derived factor-1α are associated with ascending aorta aneurysm size.

Objective: Circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are a specialized subset of stem/progenitor cells found in bone marrow. They participate in neo-vascularization of injured vessels and predict cardiovascular outcome in patient at risk. Several factors influence their migration and proliferation, among which is the widely studied stromal-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α).

An APCI LC-MS/MS method for routine determination of capecitabine and its metabolites in human plasma.

The anticancer drug capecitabine and its metabolites [including the active metabolite 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)] display high pharmacokinetic inter-patient variability. Such variability, which may lead to treatment failure or toxicity, could need drug concentration measurement to individualize dosing regimen. However, usual assay methods are often long and fastidious.

Pharmacokinetic modelling and development of Bayesian estimators for therapeutic drug monitoring of mycophenolate mofetil in reduced-intensity haematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Background: Mycophenolate mofetil, a prodrug of mycophenolic acid (MPA), is used during non-myeloablative and reduced-intensity conditioning haematopoetic stem cell transplantation (HCT) to improve engraftment and reduce graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). However, information about MPA pharmacokinetics is sparse in this context and its use is still empirical.

Objectives: To perform a pilot pharmacokinetic study and to develop maximum a posteriori Bayesian estimators (MAP-BEs) for the estimation of MPA exposure in HCT.

Pharmacokinetics of mycophenolic acid administered 3 times daily after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation with reduced-intensity regimen.

Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is an immunosuppressive drug used as a prophylactic agent to prevent acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). After reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) regimen, administration of MMF orally 3 times a day (tid) seems to be more beneficial than twice a day (bid). However, information regarding the pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters of mycophenolic acid (MPA), the active metabolite of MMF, administered in this regimen are very limited.

Population pharmacokinetics and dosing recommendations for cisplatin during intraperitoneal peroperative administration: development of a limited sampling strategy for toxicity risk assessment.

Background: Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of gynaecological cancer-related death in Western countries. Intraperitoneal (IP) peroperative chemotherapy is an interesting therapeutic option. However, very few data are available regarding pharmacokinetics and especially population pharmacokinetics.

Interindividual variability of methadone response: impact of genetic polymorphism.

Methadone, an opioid analgesic, is used clinically in pain therapy as well as for substitution therapy in opioid addiction. It has a large interindividual variability in response and a narrow therapeutic index. Genetic polymorphisms in genes coding for methadone-metabolizing enzymes, transporter proteins (p-glycoprotein; P-gp), and mu-opioid receptors may explain part of the observed interindividual variation in the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of methadone.

Improvement in intraperitoneal intraoperative cisplatin exposure based on pharmacokinetic analysis in patients with ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of gynecological cancer-related death in Western countries. The present treatment standards for ovarian cancer are based on the association of debulking surgery with platinum-based chemotherapy. Another strategy that could be further investigated is intraperitoneal chemotherapy (IP).

Two types of circulating endothelial progenitor cells in patients receiving long term therapy by HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors.

3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors (statins) are widely used to decrease cholesterol synthesis and are well established to reduce vascular diseases. Recently, it has been proposed that statins mobilize endothelial progenitor cells from bone marrow during the first four weeks, which could help to prevent vascular diseases. However, in humans there are few data concerning the long term effects of statin treatment on these endothelial progenitor cells.

Serum and intraperitoneal pharmacokinetics of cisplatin within intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy: influence of protein binding.

Intraperitoneal (i.p.) chemotherapy is a promising therapeutic method to improve the effectiveness of cisplatin in patients with ovarian cancer and peritoneum involvement.

Evaluation of a sunscreen photoprotective effect by ascorbic acid assessment in human dermis using microdialysis and gas chromatography mass spectrometry.

Ultraviolet irradiation causes adverse effects like sunburn, photosensitivity reactions or immunologic suppression. The aim of this study was to evaluate the photo-protective outcome of a sunscreen cream (SPF8) by the determination of erythema indexes and the assessment of ascorbic acid and its metabolites in human dermis. These substances were used as markers of oxidative effect.

Can stem cells mend a broken heart?

Myocardial infarction is the leading cause of heart failure in developed countries. The therapeutic measures of today are usually not sufficient to prevent left ventricular remodelling as they fall short of actual replacement of necrotic cardiac myocytes. However, current insights into stem cell plasticity have opened up new perspectives for regenerating the infarcted heart.

Comparison of fluorescence polarization immunoassay and high-performance liquid chromatography methods for assay of teicoplanin: can correlation be improved?

Teicoplanin is a glycopeptide indicated in serious infections due to Staphylococcus aureus and requires monitoring and dose adjustment based on measurement of trough concentration. Measurement of teicoplanin can be carried out by the fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) method or by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods. We aimed to compare HPLC method using the sum of the peaks of A2-2, A2-3, A2-4 and A2-5 with FPIA method.

In vivo assessment of iron and ascorbic acid in psoriatic dermis.

Reactive oxygen species play an important role in inflammatory skin diseases such as psoriasis. Reactive oxygen species synthesis is catalysed by iron and some species are scavenged by ascorbic acid. The aim of this work was to assess iron and ascorbic acid in uninvolved and involved psoriatic dermis and to compare the corresponding concentrations in the dermis of healthy subjects.

[Management of a patient receiving thalidomide].

THE USE OF A DRUG WITH A TEMPORARY MARKETING AUTHORISATION: Thalidomide is currently available in France for nominative or cohort use with a temporary marketing authorisation (TMA). It is only prescribed and delivered in hospital settings. SIX OFFICIAL INDICATIONS: Its current indications are principally lepromatous nodular erythema, severe aphtosis, Jessner-Kanoff's cutaneous lymphocyte infiltration, discoid lupus erythematosis, chronic graft-versus-host reactions, and relapsed and or refractory multiple myeloma (after the failure of standard therapies).