Fludarabine exposure predicts outcome after CD19 CAR T-cell therapy in children and young adults with acute leukemia.

The addition of fludarabine to cyclophosphamide as a lymphodepleting regimen prior to CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy significantly improved outcomes in patients with relapsed/refractory (r/r) B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). Fludarabine exposure, previously shown to be highly variable when dosing is based on body surface area (BSA), is a predictor for survival in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT). Hence, we hypothesized that an optimal exposure of fludarabine might be of clinical importance in CD19 CAR T-cell treatment.

Cone beam computed tomographic evaluation of the changes in condylar position in growing patients with unilateral posterior crossbite undergoing rapid maxillary expansion followed by fixed orthodontic therapy.

Purpose: This study aimed at assessing changes in condylar position (CP) in growing patients with unilateral posterior crossbite (UPC) undergoing rapid maxillary expansion (RME) followed by fixed orthodontic treatment (FOT) (experimental-group); and growing patients without posterior crossbite (PC) treated with FOT alone (control-group).

Methods: Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images were obtained before treatment (T0), 6 months after RME (T1) and after FOT (T2) for the experimental-group (n = 19); and at T0 and T2 for the control-group (n = 22). Condylar position-related measurements including the anterior joint space (AJS), superior joint space (SJS), posterior joint space (PJS), lateral position of condyle (LC) and condylar angle (CA) were measured.

The relationship of vertical skeletofacial morphology to oropharyngeal airway shape using cone beam computed tomography: possible implications for airway restriction.

Objective: To determine if the shape of the oropharyngeal airway is related to the vertical morphology of the skeletofacial complex, including the hyoid bone.

Materials And Methods: Cone beam computed tomography scans from 50 pretreatment adult orthodontic records were used to obtain skeletal and airway measurements. Linear regression statistics were used to compare soft tissue variables to hard tissue predictor variables.

The effect of altitude descent on obstructive sleep apnea.

Background: The present requirement for "at facility" polysomnograms requires many residents in mountain communities to descend in elevation for sleep testing, which may cause misleading results regarding the severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Design: Eleven patients with previously undiagnosed sleep apnea living at an altitude > 2,400 m (7,900 feet) in Colorado underwent diagnostic sleep studies at their home elevation and at 1,370 m (4,500 feet), and 5 of the 11 patients were also studied at sea level.

Results: The mean (SE) apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) fell from 49.