Plasma B-type natriuretic peptide and anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 levels predict adverse clinical outcome in chronic heart failure patients with depressive symptoms: a 1-year follow-up study.

Aims: To assess the prognostic value of a wide spectrum of neurohormonal and inflammatory markers along with functional status and exercise capacity, in hospitalized chronic heart failure (CHF) patients with depressive symptoms.

Methods And Results: A total of 300 consecutive hospitalized CHF patients were screened for depressive symptomatology using the Zung self-rated depression scale (SDS). Patients with depressive symptoms (Zung SDS > or = 40) underwent a 6 min walking test, and evaluation of left ventricular ejection fraction, B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), and plasma inflammatory/anti-inflammatory factors [interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, tumour necrosis factor-alpha, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1, and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1].

[Markers of coronary damage. From diagnosis to prognosis].

Unlabelled: Cardiovascular disease is a major public health problem. Rapid and accurate diagnosis in the emergency department is essential for timely initiation of treatment, thus any means for improving the speed and accuracy of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) diagnosis can contribute to better clinical and economic outcomes. Measurement of circulating level of troponin has proven to be a sensitive and specific test for cardiac damage detection but they do not discriminate between ischemic and not ischemic etiologies of myocardial injury.

[Efficacy of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in secondary prevention].

This paper reports the rationale for the cardiovascular protective effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and reviews the overall results of recent randomized clinical trials. ACE-inhibitors prevent degradation of bradykinin, exert anti-ischemic action, inhibit thrombosis and platelet aggregation, are antiatherogenic, improve endothelial function and vessel remodeling, and have anti-inflammatory properties. Previous trials have shown that ACE-inhibitors reduce cardiovascular events in patients with heart failure or ventricular dysfunction.

First experience with gemtuzumab ozogamicin plus cytarabine as continuous infusion for elderly acute myeloid leukaemia patients.

Gemtuzumab ozogamicin (GO), an anti-CD33 monoclonal antibody conjugated to calicheamicin, is effective as single agent in the treatment of poor risk acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) patients. We treated with GO in combination with cytarabine as continuous perfusion nine elderly AML patients, either untreated (five cases), or with relapsed/refractory disease (four cases). Five patients achieved a complete remission (CR), four were resistant.

Gemtuzumab ozogamicin for relapsed and refractory acute myeloid leukemia and myeloid sarcomas.

Antibody-targeted chemotherapy is a promising approach in patients with hematological malignancies. In particular, gemtuzumab ozogamicin (GO, formerly CMA-676), an anti-CD33 antibody linked to calicheamicin, has been approved for the treatment of elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in relapse. Nevertheless, no data are until now available concerning the possible efficacy of GO for myeloid sarcomas (MS).

Anti-leukemic and anti-GVHD effects of campath-1H in acute lymphoblastic leukemia relapsed after stem-cell transplantation.

Despite aggressive approaches, including second transplant, donor lymphocyte infusion and several new agents, the prognosis of acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL) patients relapsing after stem-cell transplantation (SCT) remains poor. Monoclonal-antibodies (moAb) could provide a useful tool in this setting. In particular, anti-CD52 moAb is useful in lymphoid malignancies.