Immune globulin therapy and kidney disease: Overview and screening, monitoring, and management recommendations.

Purpose: This report calls attention to the potential risks of diminished kidney function when administering immune globulin (IG). The goal is to increase awareness of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and kidney function impairment in patients receiving IG and provide recommendations for screening, monitoring, and management to promote risk prevention and mitigation.

Summary: Human IG preparations for intravenous (IVIG) or subcutaneous (SCIG) administration are the mainstay of treatment in patients with primary immunodeficiency diseases.

Transient lymphadenopathy during intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) in a patient with pemphigus vulgaris.

This is the first case of transient cervical lymphadenopathy as an adverse event during IVIg infusion. IVIg plays a vital role in the treatment of many dermatological conditions and identification of adverse events can facilitate patient counseling.

Occurrence and Distribution of Hexavalent Chromium in Ground and Surface Waters in Cyprus.

The origin and distribution of hexavalent chromium, Cr (VI) over four seasonal cycles was investigated through a conceptual model that included three aquifer systems in Cyprus. An extensive water sampling grid covered two sea water intruded coastal aquifers, namely the Kokkinochoria (A1) and Kiti-Pervolia (A2) aquifers and the Troodos massif (A3). Analytical results give a first insight to the presence of Cr (VI) in Cyprus ground and surface waters.

Rationale for including intravenous immunoglobulin in the multidrug protocol of curative treatment of pemphigus vulgaris and development of an assay predicting disease relapse.

Analysis of reported outcomes of treatment of pemphigus vulgaris (PV) patients demonstrated that the multidrug approach offers a lower relapse rate compared to the FDA-approved prednisone/rituximab regimen. The multidrug protocol protects keratinocytes from autoantibody attack by systemic corticosteroids and mitochondrion-protecting drugs, selectively eliminates pathogenic autoantibodies by intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) and inhibits autoantibody production by cytotoxic immunosuppressors. Therefore, IVIg should be always added to the prednisone/rituximab regimen that does not eliminate circulating autoantibodies.

The Use of and Experiences With Telelactation Among Rural Breastfeeding Mothers: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Telelactation services connect breastfeeding mothers to remotely located lactation consultants through audio-visual technology and can increase access to professional breastfeeding support in rural areas.

Objective: The objective of this study was to identify maternal characteristics associated with the demand for and use of telelactation and to describe visit characteristics.

Methods: We conducted a descriptive study within the context of a randomized controlled trial.