Publications by authors named "Martine C Willems"
Background: Immunosuppressant agents are inevitable for solid organ recipients, but may have a negative effect on wound healing that is difficult to measure because of clinical use of a polydrug regime. The evidence on mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is scarce and contradictory. This study aims to investigate the effect of MMF administration on wound healing.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUnlabelled: Drug delivery to atherosclerotic plaques via liposomal nanoparticles may improve therapeutic agents' risk-benefit ratios. Our paper details the first clinical studies of a liposomal nanoparticle encapsulating prednisolone (LN-PLP) in atherosclerosis. First, PLP's liposomal encapsulation improved its pharmacokinetic profile in humans (n=13) as attested by an increased plasma half-life of 63h (LN-PLP 1.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Use of immunosuppressant drugs has been associated with complications in wound healing. The calcineurin inhibitor tacrolimus is thought to have a relatively low complication rate, but preclinical research has yielded contradictory data, prompting the current comprehensive study.
Methods: Three groups of 33 male Wistar rats received a daily subcutaneous dose of 0,5, 2 or 5 mg/kg tacrolimus.
The use of mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors coincides with an increased incidence of surgical complications. In previous experiments, serious negative effects of postoperative everolimus on anastomotic strength were found. This study aims to investigate if delayed drug administration can prevent loss of wound strength.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe introduction of mTOR-inhibitors in transplantation surgery has been associated with an increase in wound complications. We have previously reported a massive negative effect of everolimus on anastomotic strength in rat intestine at 7 days postoperatively. Because it is clinically important to know if this effect persists and occurs generally, repair in both intestine and abdominal wall has been investigated over a period of 4 weeks.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Catheter-related bloodstream infections pose a significant risk for patients on Home Parenteral Nutrition, leading researchers to examine taurolidine, an antimicrobial, as a potential alternative to the commonly used heparin.
- A study involving 30 patients who previously experienced such infections randomized them to use either heparin (14 patients) or taurolidine (16 patients) as their catheter lock after appropriate treatment.
- Results showed that taurolidine significantly reduced re-infections, with only 1 occurring during 5370 catheter days, compared to 10 in the heparin group, indicating that taurolidine could improve infection-free survival for these patients.
Background & Aims: The success of home parenteral nutrition (HPN) programs is compromised by complications of central venous catheters (CVCs), such as occlusions and bloodstream infections. We performed a retrospective analysis of complication rates of arteriovenous fistulae versus CVCs in patients on long-term HPN.
Methods: Data were collected from 127 consecutive patients who received HPN between January 2000 and October 2006, comprising 344 access years of CVCs and 194 access years of arteriovenous fistulae.
Background: Although clinical data suggest its existence, little is known about the effect of rapamycin derivatives on wound repair. This study aims to delineate the influence of the mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor everolimus on wound healing in the rat intestine.
Methods: Four groups of 26 male Wistar rats received everolimus in daily oral dosages of 0 (controls), 0.