Psyche at the end of life: Psychiatric symptoms are prevalent in patients admitted to a palliative care unit.

Objective: Our aim was to evaluate the frequency and treatment of psychiatric symptoms in patients at palliative care units (PCUs).

Method: Patients admitted to one of five participating PCUs in Austria were included. The short version of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-D) was used to evaluate their mental health status.

Probability of remaining in unsustained complete remission after steroid therapy withdrawal in patients with primary warm-antibody reactive autoimmune hemolytic anemia.

Background: Primary warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia (WAIHA) is a rare autoimmune disorder frequently responding to corticosteroid first-line treatment and effective second-line treatment options such as splenectomy or anti-CD20 antibody therapy. Disease management is frequently hampered by a lack of evidence.

Methods: We have investigated the probability of sustained treatment-free remission after steroid induction to facilitate clinical decision making regarding timing and necessity of second-line treatments.

[A case report of the difficulty treating an endstage oncologic ENT patient with parenteral nutrition].

The occurrence of cachexia at the end of life of patients suffering from cancer is a common seen problem. Within the last years new definitions, diagnostic criteria and classification systems of cachexia have been developed to improve the clinical practice. Still therapeutic interventions are limited; the role of parenteral nutrition (PN) remains controversial.

High spontaneous granulocyte/macrophage-colony formation in patients with myelofibrosis.

Unstimulated methylcellulose cultures in 25 myelofibrosis (MF) patients were performed to better understand the role of cytokines in the proliferation of MF cells. Compared to controls MF patients show a variable but highly increased spontaneous CFU-GM formation (66 vs 4.8/10(5) PBMNC).

Prediction of venous thromboembolism in patients with cancer by measuring thrombin generation: results from the Vienna Cancer and Thrombosis Study.

Purpose: Patients with cancer are at increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Laboratory tests measuring the overall thrombophilic tendency might be useful to assess VTE risk. The aim of this study was to investigate thrombin generation, a key process in hemostasis, as predictor of cancer-associated VTE.

Circulating procoagulant microparticles in cancer patients.

Accumulating evidence indicates that microparticles (MPs) are important mediators of the interaction between cancer and the hemostatic system. We conducted a large prospective cohort study to determine whether the number of circulating procoagulant MPs is elevated in cancer patients and whether the elevated MP levels are predictive of occurrence of venous thrombembolism (VTE). We analyzed plasma samples of 728 cancer patients from the ongoing prospective observational Vienna Cancer and Thrombosis Study.

Prediction of venous thromboembolism in cancer patients.

The risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) is increased in cancer patients. To improve prediction of VTE in cancer patients, we performed a prospective and observational cohort study of patients with newly diagnosed cancer or progression of disease after remission. A previously developed risk scoring model for prediction of VTE that included clinical (tumor entity and body mass index) and laboratory (hemoglobin level and thrombocyte and leukocyte count) parameters was expanded by incorporating 2 biomarkers, soluble P-selectin, and D-Dimer.

[Comorbidity oriented oncology - an overview].

Increasing life expectancy results in an increased number of elderly cancer patients. Comorbidities and functional impairment influence the patient's course of disease and the choice of antineoplastic treatment. The Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) supports the appraisal of the patient's individual health characteristics, especially due to the fact that chronologic age does not always correlate with the patient's health.

D-dimer and prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 predict venous thromboembolism in patients with cancer: results from the Vienna Cancer and Thrombosis Study.

Purpose: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a well-recognized complication of cancer. Laboratory parameters might be useful to assess the VTE risk in patients with cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate D-dimer and prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 (F 1 + 2), which reflect activation of blood coagulation and fibrinolysis, for prediction of cancer-associated VTE.

High plasma levels of soluble P-selectin are predictive of venous thromboembolism in cancer patients: results from the Vienna Cancer and Thrombosis Study (CATS).

Cancer patients are at high risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE). Laboratory parameters with a predictive value for VTE could help stratify patients into high- or low-risk groups. The cell adhesion molecule P-selectin was recently identified as risk factor for VTE.

Risk of recurrence after a first venous thromboembolic event in young women.

Background And Objectives: Few data are available on the long-term risk of recurrence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and on the impact of established thrombosis risk factors in young women. We aimed to study the recurrence rate and the predictive value of laboratory and clinical thrombosis risk factors in young women.

Design And Methods: Three-hundred and sixty-one women with a first objectively confirmed VTE under 45 years of age (median age 29.

Venous thromboembolism--a manifestation of the metabolic syndrome.

Background And Objectives: The metabolic syndrome, defined by abdominal obesity, elevation of blood pressure, fasting glucose and triglycerides and low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol is associated with atherosclerotic disease. It induces a pro-inflammatory and prothrombotic state. Despite its high prevalence, data on the association with venous thromboembolism (VTE) are scarce.

Venous thromboembolism and survival in patients with high-grade glioma.

Patients with malignancy, particularly patients with high-grade glioma (HGG; WHO grade III/IV), have an increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). It has been suggested that VTE predicts survival in cancer patients. The aim of our study was to investigate the occurrence of symptomatic VTE and its impact on survival in patients with HGG.

Preeclampsia and pregnancy loss in women with a history of venous thromboembolism and prophylactic low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) during pregnancy.

Limited data are available regarding complications of pregnancy and pregnancy outcome under prophylaxis with low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) in women with a history of thromboembolism (TE). We retrospectively evaluated pregnancy complications in a cohort of 80 women. All had a history of TE (76 venous, two arterial and two venous and arterial) and received prophylactic LMWH during 86 pregnancies.