The urine light chain/glomerular filtration rate (GFR) quotient shows a high sensitivity and specificity to detect cast nephropathy in monoclonal light chain disease.

Background: Cast nephropathy (CN) is associated with a unfavourable outcome in monoclonal light chain (mLC) disease, but also more possible LC-related renal diseases as well as non-LC-related disease can occur. Thus, it is crucial to understand the underlying renal disease. On the other hand, LC can interfere with coagulation preventing kidney biopsy as the gold standard.

Sequential high-dose cytarabine and mitoxantrone (S-HAM) versus standard double induction in acute myeloid leukemia-a phase 3 study.

Dose-dense induction with the S-HAM regimen was compared to standard double induction therapy in adult patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia. Patients were centrally randomized (1:1) between S-HAM (2nd chemotherapy cycle starting on day 8 = "dose-dense") and double induction with TAD-HAM or HAM(-HAM) (2nd cycle starting on day 21 = "standard"). 387 evaluable patients were randomly assigned to S-HAM (N = 203) and to standard double induction (N = 184).

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound in coxitis.

Objectives: Hip involvement is common in rheumatological diseases but can be difficult to diagnose, especially in absence of MRI. B-mode ultrasound (US) detects joint capsule distention while distinguishing effusion from proliferative synovial tissue is strenuous since both appear hypoechoic. Power Doppler ultrasound (PDUS) often fails to detect vascularisation in the hip.

In arthritis the Doppler based degree of hypervascularisation shows a positive correlation with synovial leukocyte count and distinguishes joints with leukocytes greater and less than 5/nL.

Objectives: Power Doppler ultrasound is used to assess joint vascularity in acute arthritis. PDUS signals have been correlated with synovial histology and bone deterioration. Little is known about the correlation between power Doppler signals and synovial white blood count.

Distinguishing gouty arthritis from calcium pyrophosphate disease and other arthritides.

Objective: Differentiating gout, calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease (CPPD), and non-crystal-related inflammatory arthropathies (non-CRA) is essential but often clinically impossible. The sonographic double contour (DC) sign may have good specificity for gout in highly specialized centers, but it can be challenging to use it to distinguish gout from cartilage hyperenhancements in CPPD. We evaluated the diagnostic value of the DC sign alone and in combination with Doppler signals and uric acid (UA) levels in patients with acute arthritis.

A rare cause for lower back pain: a case of an IgG4-related periaortitis.

IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) are a group of autoinflammatory diseases often presenting as tumor-like lesions because of their infiltrative or mass forming behavior. They are characterized by a typical histology consisting of storiform fibrosis, high numbers of infiltrating IgG4-positive plasma cells, obliterative phlebitis, and a moderate presence of eosinophilic cells. Serum IgG4 levels can be elevated.

Subclones with the t(9;22)/BCR-ABL1 rearrangement occur in AML and seem to cooperate with distinct genetic alterations.

In AML, cooperation of mutations suppressing differentiation ('class-II-mutations') with 'class-I-mutations' increasing cell proliferation is frequent. In rare cases of myeloid malignancies, the BCR-ABL1 fusion was reported to cooperate as class-I-mutation with class-II-mutations, but most cases had to be classified as blast phase of chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). We identified five cases of Philadelphia positive subclones in AML occurring in coincidence with other genetic lesions: 1:220 patients with inv(16)/CBFB-MYH11 (0·5%), 2:272 AML cases with t(8;21)/RUNX1-RUNX1T1 (0·7%), 1:1029 NPM1-mutated AML (0·1%), and one patient with s-AML following MDS with a 5q-deletion.

Tolerability of dose escalation of ibandronate in patients with multiple myeloma and end-stage renal disease: a case series.

Background: Bone disease is a feature of multiple myeloma (MM). Many patients have compromised renal function and sometimes develop end-stage renal disease (ESRD). For these patients, presently there exists no approved bisphosphonate, which is an elementary part of the standard therapeutic regimen of MM.

Prediction of progression-free survival in patients with multiple myeloma following anthracycline-based chemotherapy based on dynamic FDG-PET.

Methods: : Dynamic positron emission tomography (PET) studies with F-18-deoxyglucose were performed in patients with multiple myeloma who received anthracycline-based chemotherapy to evaluate the impact of full kinetic analysis and assess its value with regard to progression-free survival (PFS).The evaluation included 19 patients (56 metastatic lesions) with multiple myelomas. All patients received combined anthracycline-based chemotherapy.

Prediction of short-term survival in patients with advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer following chemotherapy based on 2-deoxy-2-[F-18]fluoro-D-glucose-positron emission tomography: a feasibility study.

Introduction: Dynamic positron emission tomography (PET) studies with 2-deoxy-2-[F-18]fluoro-D-glucose (FDG) were performed in patients with advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who received palliative chemotherapy to evaluate the impact of full kinetic analysis and assess its value with regard to short or long survival.

Materials And Methods: The evaluation includes 42 metastatic lesions in 14 patients with NSCLC. All patients received a combined chemotherapeutic protocol consisting of vinorelbin and oxaliplatin.

Renal safety and pharmacokinetics of ibandronate in multiple myeloma patients with or without impaired renal function.

In this open-label study, the authors assessed the pharmacokinetics and safety of ibandronate in patients with multiple myeloma and varying renal function. Renal deterioration was graded at baseline depending on creatinine clearance in 4 stages (0: >80; 1: 50-79; 2: 30-49, and 3: <30 mL/min). Patients (n = 40) received intravenous ibandronate 6 mg (30-minute infusion).

Differences in nephrotoxicity of intravenous bisphosphonates for the treatment of malignancy-related bone disease.

Renal dysfunction is a particularly problematic adverse event that requires additional management and can prohibit the use of certain medications. Due to their renal uptake and elimination, some bisphosphonates can cause nephrotoxicity when used for the treatment of skeletal-related events in patients with bone metastases. However, clinical studies and post-marketing experience indicate that renal effects do not appear to be the same for all bisphosphonates.

Ibandronate for the treatment of hypercalcemia or nephrocalcinosis in patients with multiple myeloma and acute renal failure: Case reports.

Multiple myeloma disrupts calcium homeostasis by a variety of mechanisms, including bone destruction and resorption. This causes hypercalcemia. When left untreated, hypercalcemia leads to nephrocalcinosis, impairment of kidney function, and eventually renal failure.

Proteinuria in diabetic patients--is it always diabetic nephropathy?

Background: Diabetic nephropathy (dNP) is a consequence of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, typically occurring between 5 and 15 years after diabetes has been diagnosed. The coincidence of dNP and diabetic retinopathy (dRP) is well known. In this study we correlated the histological findings of the kidney biopsy with the clinically expected diagnosis of dNP.

Fluconazole dosing in continuous veno-venous haemofiltration (CVVHF): need for a high daily dose of 800 mg.

To cover intermediate sensitive Candida glabrata in ICU patients, fluconazole plasma peak levels at least in the range of 16-32 microg/ml appear necessary for treatment. Previous studies did not reach these fluconazole levels under continuous veno-venous haemofiltration (CVVHF) with dosages of 200-600 mg fluconzole daily. In the present study, nine patients simultaneously requiring CVVHF for treatment of acute oligoanuric renal failure and antimycotic therapy of Candida septicemia received fluconazole 800 mg/day.

Frequency of kidney disease in chronic sarcoidosis.

Introduction: Sarcoidosis is an immunemediated disease of unknown cause, characterized by noncaseating epithelioid granulomas, affecting multiple organs. Clinically apparent renal involvement is rare and has been documented mostly as case reports. The incidence of renal involvement ranges from 3-23% with a wide spectrum of abnormalities.

Elimination of intravenously administered ibandronate in patients on haemodialysis: a monocentre open study.

Background: Ibandronate is an inhibitor of osteoclast-mediated bone resorption. This therapeutic effect is utilized in the treatment of osteoporosis and metastatic bone disease. The effect of ibandronate in patients on haemodialysis with renal osteopathy has not been studied since the pharmacokinetics of ibandronate under haemodialysis are unknown.