Cerebrospinal fluid and arterial acid-base equilibria in spontaneously breathing third-trimester pregnant women.

Background: Acid-base status in full-term pregnant women is characterised by hypocapnic alkalosis. Whether this respiratory alkalosis is primary or consequent to changes in CSF electrolytes is not clear.

Methods: We enrolled third-trimester pregnant women (pregnant group) and healthy, non-pregnant women of childbearing age (controls) undergoing spinal anaesthesia for Caesarean delivery and elective surgery, respectively.

Outcomes of balloon dilation for paediatric laryngeal stenosis.

Objective: Balloon dilation (BD) is a minimally invasive endoscopic treatment for paediatric laryngeal stenosis (LS) with reduced morbidity compared to open surgery. We retrospectively describe our experience in a cohort of children with chronic LS.

Methods: Fourteen children (median age: 28.

Prophylactic intraoperative uterine artery embolization for the management of major placenta previa.

Purpose: Placenta previa is a major cause of maternal morbidity and mortality, associated to a high risk of peripartum hemorrhage and hysterectomy. We aimed to verify if prophylactic intraoperative uterine artery embolization in patients with placenta previa and at least one additional risk of bleeding (major placenta previa), can reduce hemorrhage, need for blood transfusions, peripartum hysterectomy and maternal morbidity.

Materials And Methods: We enrolled 76 patients with major placenta previa; a specific multidisciplinary protocol was designed for management, including ultrasound evaluation, hospitalization at 34 weeks, antenatal corticosteroids and scheduled cesarean section at 35-36 weeks.

Melphalan, prednisone, and lenalidomide treatment for newly diagnosed myeloma: a report from the GIMEMA--Italian Multiple Myeloma Network.

Purpose: Lenalidomide has shown significant antimyeloma activity in clinical studies. Oral melphalan, prednisone, and thalidomide have been regarded as the standard of care in elderly multiple myeloma patients. We assessed dosing, efficacy, and safety of melphalan, prednisone, and lenalidomide (MPR) in newly diagnosed elderly myeloma patients.

Time to first disease progression, but not beta2-microglobulin, predicts outcome in myeloma patients who receive thalidomide as salvage therapy.

Background: Baseline parameters that may be predictive of outcome after thalidomide treatment have been investigated to identify which myeloma patient subgroups will most benefit from this drug.

Methods: Thalidomide has been used as a salvage regimen at the study institution since 1999. A total of 102 myeloma patients who were diagnosed between January 1999 and February 2005 were evaluable for intention-to-treat analysis; 78 patients received thalidomide (at a dose of 100 mg/day continuously) and dexamethasone (at a dose of 40 mg/day on Days 1-4 each month) (TD) as salvage treatment whereas 24 patients died or were lost to follow-up before the initiation of TD.

The treatment of the elderly multiple myeloma patients.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable malignancy of the plasma cells. Most patients are diagnosed when they are older than 65 years. Therapeutic options include chemotherapy, using either established (e.

Bortezomib, melphalan, prednisone, and thalidomide for relapsed multiple myeloma.

In multiple myeloma (MM), the addition of thalidomide or bortezomib to the standard oral melphalan/prednisone combination significantly increased response rate and event-free survival. In this multicenter phase 1/2 trial, dosing, safety, and efficacy of the 4-drug combination, bortezomib, melphalan, prednisone, and thalidomide (VMPT) was determined. Bortezomib was administered at 3 dose levels (1.

Intermediate-dose melphalan (100 mg/m2)/bortezomib/thalidomide/dexamethasone and stem cell support in patients with refractory or relapsed myeloma.

Background: Bortezomib and thalidomide have shown synergy with melphalan and dexamethasone. We used this 4-drug combination as conditioning before autologous hematopoietic cell infusions.

Patients And Methods: Twenty-six patients with advanced-stage myeloma were treated with melphalan 50 mg/m(2) and bortezomib 1.

Oral melphalan and prednisone chemotherapy plus thalidomide compared with melphalan and prednisone alone in elderly patients with multiple myeloma: randomised controlled trial.

Background: Since 1960, oral melphalan and prednisone (MP) has been regarded as the standard of care in elderly multiple myeloma patients. This multicentre randomised trial compared oral MP plus thalidomide (MPT) with MP alone in patients aged 60-85 years.

Methods: Patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma were randomly assigned to receive oral MP for six 4-week cycles plus thalidomide (n=129; 100 mg per day continuously until any sign of relapse or progressive disease) or MP alone (n=126).

Intravenous melphalan, thalidomide and prednisone in refractory and relapsed multiple myeloma.

Objectives: Thalidomide combined with conventional chemotherapies including oral melphalan shows significant anti-myeloma activity. To address this issue, feasibility and efficacy of a three drug combination consisting of intravenous (i.v.

Thalidomide plus dexamethasone is an effective salvage regimen for myeloma patients relapsing after autologous transplant.

Objectives: High-dose therapy followed by autologous transplant (AT) is the effective induction treatment for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM) patients. The best salvage therapy has not been defined; treatment options include thalidomide plus dexamethasone (TD), AT and conventional chemotherapy (CC). The aim of the study was to define the best treatment option for patients relapsing after AT.