Publications by authors named "Josefina Udi"

A 68-year-old male with liver cirrhosis presented with dizziness and dyspnea two days after endoscopic Histoacryl occlusion of gastric varicses. Imaging revealed a large endovascular embolization of Histoacryl glue, spanning from porto-caval collaterals via the inferior vena cava to the right atrium, partially occluding right atrial inflow. This case report describes the successful removal of this large net-like mass of Histoacryl glue using thrombectomy devices from the inferior vena cava and the right atrium.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: In patients suffering a sudden out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), the prevalence of a coronary artery lesion as the underlying cause is relatively high, but many other causes have been described. For this reason, identifying patients who would benefit from an emergency coronary angiography is important.

Areas Covered: In the present manuscript, we reviewed the literature covering some relevant studies regarding the role of coronary angiography in patients with OHCA, including our local algorithm for the management of patients with OHCA.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: SARS-CoV2 can cause pulmonary failure requiring prolonged invasive mechanical ventilation (MV). Lung protective ventilation strategies are recommended in order to minimize ventilator induced lung injury. Whether patients with COVID-19 have the same risk for complications including barotrauma is still unknown.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: A young woman presented at a local hospital with severe dyspnea directly after childbirth. She was di-agnosed with choriocarcinoma and massive pulmonary metastases. Shortly after administration of polychemotherapy she developed severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Spindle poison-based therapy is of only limited benefit in acute myeloid leukemia while lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma responds well. In this study, we demonstrated that the spindle assembly checkpoint protein BubR1 was down-regulated in the vast majority of cases of acute myeloid leukemia whereas its expression was high in lymphoblastic cells. Correct function of the spindle assembly checkpoint is pivotal in mediating mitotic delay in response to spindle poisons.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Despite considerable advances, multiple myeloma (MM) remains incurable and the development of novel therapies targeting the interplay between plasma cells (PCs) and their bone marrow (BM) microenvironment remains essential. We investigated the effect of various agents in vitro on the proliferation, phenotype, morphology, actin polymerization and migration of MM cells and, in vivo, the tumour growth of L363-bearing non-obese diabetic severe combined immunodeficient mice with a deficient interleukin-2 receptor gamma chain (NSG). In vitro, we observed a dose-dependent cytotoxicity with bortezomib and sorafenib.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) patients may develop colorectal cancer (CRC), especially with pancolitis and longer UC duration. The question whether CRC with underlying UC has a dismal prognosis remains unsettled.

Patients And Methods: We performed an electronic tumor base documentation (eTBD) search of CRC and UC patients at our department to address whether (1) CRC prognosis is impaired and (2) defined risks can be determined.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

An international myeloma meeting entitled "Challenging the current approaches to multiple myeloma- and other cancer-related bone diseases: from bisphosphonates to targeted therapy" was held in Freiburg, Germany in July 2011 to discuss novel insights into and approaches to myeloma bone disease and other bone-seeking tumors. This review briefly summarizes the most prominent data of the meeting and current literature on our understanding of bone disease, the role of imaging techniques, operative interventions and systemic bone-seeking treatment, all of which should further improve our future therapeutic choices.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Renal impairment (RI) is a dreaded complication in multiple myeloma (MM) and has been associated with decreased progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

Methods: Forty-five consecutive patients with MM received lenalidomide therapy combined with either dexamethasone or standard chemotherapy, with dose modification according to current guidelines. Comorbidity indices (hematopoietic cell transplantation-specific comorbidity index [HCT-CI], Kaplan Feinstein [KF], and the Freiburg comorbidity index [FCI]) were analyzed and renal function was determined by estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) before lenalidomide treatment and 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

We analyzed (1) early endothelial progenitors (EPCs; CD34(+)/AC133(+)/VEGFR2(+)), mature EPCs (CD34(+)/VEGFR2(+)) and VEGFR2(+)-cells in bone marrow (BM)-specimens of multiple myeloma (MM)- vs. monoclonal gammopathy (MGUS)-patients and healthy controls; (2) differences of BM-, peripheral blood (PB)- and leukapheresis (LP)-samples; and (3) the association of EPCs and VEGFR2(+)-cells with MM-parameters. MM patients demonstrated highest early and mature EPCs and VEGFR2(+)-cells in the BM, particularly with advanced and active disease.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Over the past two decades, not only treatment options, but also the diagnosis, staging, and risk assessment of multiple myeloma (MM), have undergone significant development, partially due to a deeper understanding of MM pathogenesis. Conventional cytogenetics and fluorescence in situ hybridization are routinely assessed in MM, and when combined with ISS stage may attain an even better predictive potential. In order to achieve even more effective and individualized therapies, one crucial goal is the identification of genes and gene combinations that predict for response or resistance to chemotherapy.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Treatment for multiple myeloma (MM) has changed beyond recognition over the past two decades. During the early 1980s, MM inevitably resulted in a slow progressive decline in quality of life until death after about 2 years, while today patients can expect a 50% chance of achieving a complete remission, median survival of 5 years, and a 20% chance of surviving longer than 10 years. An international expert opinion meeting (including members of the GIMEMA and DSMM study groups) was held in 2009.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF