Quinton-Mahurkar catheter as short-term central venous access for PBSC collection: single-center experience of 370 aphereses in 110 patients.

We retrospectively analyzed our experience with the Quinton-Mahurkar dual-lumen hemodialysis catheter as short-term central venous access for harvesting peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) for autologous transplantation. For intensification therapy for various malignancies 370 leukaphereses were performed in 110 candidates. The catheter was placed percutaneously under local anesthesia only for the time of blood collection and in no case was it used for the PBSC transplant.

Southern technique and cytogenetics are complementary and must be used together in the evaluation of Ph1, M-BCR positive chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients treated with alpha interferon (IFN-alpha).

Cytogenetic analysis is the gold standard for the follow-up of CML patients. The sensitivity of cytogenetics is fairly similar to that of Southern detection of M-BCR rearrangement (5%); this last technique has the potential advantage of being independent of cell division and yield of metaphases. IFN alpha treatment can induce lack of growth of hemopoietic precursors and poor yield of metaphases has been observed.

Study of chimerism in long-term survivors after bone marrow transplantation for severe acquired aplastic anemia.

Chimerism studies employing PCR and Southern techniques targeting VNTR loci were performed in 17 severe acquired aplastic anemia patients who were long-term survivors after BMT. They were studied a median of 4 years after BMT (1-12). All patients had normal blood counts.

[Alfa-2a interferon induces molecular remission in post-BMT relapse of chronic myelogenous leukaemia. Report of a case with loss of bcr-abl RNA].

Alpha-interferon (alpha-IFN) has been used in relapsed CML post-BMT, cytogenetic responses being attained in a number of cases (33 to 42%). In first chronic phase-CML patients such cytogenetic response has been correlated with the disappearance of the bcr region rearrangement, as seen with Southern-blot, but when RT-PCR is used only a small number of patients maintain undetectable traces of the Ph1 clone. A case of CML in haematological and cytogenetic relapse after BMT is reported who showed criteria of "accelerated" phase and, after treatment with alpha-IFN achieved haematologic, cytogenetic and molecular remission (Southern-blot and PCR negative) and disappearance of the abnormal clone with recovery of the donor haemopoiesis.

Busulfan and melphalan as conditioning regimen for autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation in multiple myeloma.

Twenty-four patients with multiple myeloma (MM), three (12.5%) in complete remission (CR) and 21 (87.5%) in partial remission (PR) were treated with high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) (busulfan 12 mg/kg+melphalan 140 mg/m2) as preparative regimen for autologous peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) transplantation.

Hypertriglyceridemia may be severe in CML patients treated with interferon-alpha.

We analyzed serum triglyceride (TG) levels in 22 chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients treated with interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha). Hypertriglyceridemia was present in one-half of patients at diagnosis, and IFN-alpha treatment was associated with a further increase in 90% of the total group of patients. This increase was maximal during the first months of therapy.

[Complex family structures: the formation of multiple family households in Spain].

"This article analyses the social factors that promote the formation of complex family structures--with several [nuclear families]...

[Renal hypertrophy studied by techniques of nuclear medicine in post-nephrectomy patients].

Study of group of 61 patients, nephrectomized as a result of various diseases and who before and three months after surgery underwent blood pressure, effective renal plasma flow (EPFF) and unilateral renal function determinations in order to verify the compensating ability of the remaining kidney. Effective renal plasma flow was determined by a single injection and removal of six serial blood samples with 125-I-Hippuran. Unilateral renal function was determined from the relative uptake of 99mTc-DMSA 24 hours after injection.

[Retroperitoneal hemorrhage as a complication of renal angiomyolipoma].

Renal angiomyolipoma (AML) is an uncommon, benign neoplasm of a hamartomatous origin that presents as multiple bilateral lesions occasionally associated with tuberous sclerosis, or as a single unilateral lesion. They are generally asymptomatic, and can manifest the following clinical triad: abdominal pain, palpable mass and hematuria. Retroperitoneal hemorrhage is a rare complication (9%).

99Tcm-MAG3 for quantitation of differential renal function.

We studied two different methods for the evaluation of differential renal function in a group of 100 patients with various kidney disorders whose effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) had been calculated previously by single 125I-orthoiodohippurate (OIH) injection and multiple blood sampling. Patients were divided into three groups according to their ERPF:ERPF is greater than or equal to 250 ml min-1; ERPF less than or equal to 100 ml min-1; and ERPF greater than 100 ml min-1 and less than 250 ml min-1. The two methods used to assess differential renal function were: first, relative 99Tcm-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) uptake calculated by normalized background and attenuation corrected cumulative counts in each kidney 24 h p.

Influence of basic atrial rhythm on intraatrial conduction of extrastimuli.

Atrial arrhythmias appear to be related to the genesis of intraatrial conduction delays by extrastimuli. To clarify the effects of the basic atrial cycle on intraatrial conduction of extrastimuli, atrial conduction delays and conduction delay zones were measured in 22 patients with and without atrial arrhythmias. Basic cycles were (A) sinus rhythm; (B) paced at the right atrial (RA) appendage with maximum cycle length possible; (C) paced at the RA appendage with cycle length of 600 ms; and (D) paced at the proximal coronary sinus at the same cycle length as B.

Taurine- and penicillin-induced epileptic activity.

The present study has been performed to investigate the effect of i.v. administration of taurine on the electrical activity of the epileptogenic focus induced by penicillin applied to the right sensory motor cortex of adult rats.

Interstitial fluid pressure in canine gastric mucosa.

Guyton's capsules were implanted in the submucosa of the gastric corpus of dogs. The pressure of the fluid inside the capsule (ICP) was measured between 12 and 42 days later after mounting the piece of the corpus in a Plexiglas chamber. The capsule was always filled with saline.