Clinical characteristics and survival outcomes of patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma treated with high-dose methotrexate-based polychemotherapy and consolidation therapies.

Given the rarity of primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL), evaluations of different high-dose methotrexate-(HD-MTX)-based treatment regimens is sparse. This retrospective, multicenter study evaluates clinical characteristics and outcomes (progression-free, overall and disease-specific survival) after five HD-MTX-based polychemotherapeutic regimens and two consolidation therapies. 346 patients with histologically confirmed PCNSL, treated with ≥ 1 cycle HD-MTX-based strategies (≥3g/m/cycle) were included.

Thrombophilia: Women-Specific Reference Ranges Can Prevent Misdiagnosis in Women.

Background: Thrombophilia is a state where abnormalities of the hemostatic system predispose a patient to thrombosis. Some coagulation factors are generally lower in women than in men. Therefore, the use of routine reference ranges (RRRs) based on male or mixed-sex groups may be misleading in the diagnosis of thrombophilia in women.

Melphalan, prednisone, and lenalidomide versus melphalan, prednisone, and thalidomide in untreated multiple myeloma.

The combination of melphalan, prednisone, and thalidomide (MPT) is considered standard therapy for newly diagnosed patients with multiple myeloma who are ineligible for stem cell transplantation. Long-term treatment with thalidomide is hampered by neurotoxicity. Melphalan, prednisone, and lenalidomide, followed by lenalidomide maintenance therapy, showed promising results without severe neuropathy emerging.

Thromboembolic resolution assessed by CT pulmonary angiography after treatment for acute pulmonary embolism.

The systematic assessment of residual thromboembolic obstruction after treatment for acute pulmonary embolism (PE) has been understudied. This assessment is of potential clinical importance, should clinically suspected recurrent PE occur, or as tool for risk stratification of cardiopulmonary complications or recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE). This study aimed to assess the rate of PE resolution and its implications for clinical outcome.

Age-adjusted D-dimer cutoff levels to rule out pulmonary embolism: the ADJUST-PE study.

Importance: D-dimer measurement is an important step in the diagnostic strategy of clinically suspected acute pulmonary embolism (PE), but its clinical usefulness is limited in elderly patients.

Objective: To prospectively validate whether an age-adjusted D-dimer cutoff, defined as age × 10 in patients 50 years or older, is associated with an increased diagnostic yield of D-dimer in elderly patients with suspected PE.

Design, Settings, And Patients: A multicenter, multinational, prospective management outcome study in 19 centers in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and Switzerland between January 1, 2010, and February 28, 2013.

Performance of 4 clinical decision rules in the diagnostic management of acute pulmonary embolism: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Several clinical decision rules (CDRs) are available to exclude acute pulmonary embolism (PE), but they have not been directly compared.

Objective: To directly compare the performance of 4 CDRs (Wells rule, revised Geneva score, simplified Wells rule, and simplified revised Geneva score) in combination with d-dimer testing to exclude PE.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Quality of life after gastric banding in morbidly obese Dutch patients: Long-term follow-up.

Objective: Long-term effects of adjustable gastric banding (AGB) on quality of life (QoL) in a morbidly obese population were investigated in a cross-sectional study. Additionally, determinants of QoL after AGB were assessed.

Methods: All patients treated by AGB for morbid obesity in a Dutch hospital were invited to complete the RAND 36-Item Health Survey.

Gallstone formation after weight loss following gastric banding in morbidly obese Dutch patients.

Background: Obesity is a risk factor for the development of gallstones. Rapid weight loss may be an even stronger risk factor. We retrospectively assessed the prevalence and risk factors of gallstone formation after adjustable gastric banding (AGB) in a Dutch population.