Multi-center European evaluation of HIV testing on serum and saliva samples.

Objective: to evaluate the reliability of HIV antibody testing on saliva.

Design: matched serum and saliva samples were collected from both seronegative (n = 344) and seropositive (n = 125) individuals in five European countries. Duplicate saliva samples collected with Omni-Sal devices provided by Saliva Diagnostic System (SDS) were pooled before analysis.

Purging of peripheral blood stem cells yields BCR-ABL-negative autografts in patients with BCR-ABL-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Remission marrow from patients with BCR-ABL+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) achieving clinical remission (CR) after induction or consolidation chemotherapy according to the German multicenter adult ALL (GMALL) protocol showed high titers of residual BCR-ABL+ cells. Therefore, we initiated a pilot study to monitor circulating BCR-ABL+ cells and to collect, purge, and autograft peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) in these patients. After GMALL 05/93 high-risk phase II of induction chemotherapy (high-dose AraC 3 g/m2 x 8 does and mitoxantrone 10 mg/m2 x 3 doses), patients received 5-10 micrograms/kg subcutaneous recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) daily.

[Development of HLA antibodies in thrombocyte substitution with cell separator products].

In a retrospective study we investigated the development of HLA antibodies in patients who received platelet concentrates from cell separators. 118 hematological/oncological patients from the Frankfurt University Clinics were investigated. They received between 4 and 66 platelet concentrates for the duration of 30 months.

Anti-A in factor VIII concentrate: a cause of severe hemolysis in a patient with acquired factor VIII:C antibodies.

The authors report a case of acute macrohematuria in a patient with spontaneously acquired antibodies against factor VIII:C. Severe hemolysis was observed under factor VIII concentrate therapy. In 4 batches of the factor VIII concentrate high titers up to 1:512 of 'immune' anti-A were found.