Bridging a patient with acute liver failure to liver transplantation by the AMC-bioartificial liver.

Recently a phase I clinical trial has been started in Italy to bridge patients with acute liver failure (ALF) to orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) by the AMC-bioartificial liver (AMC-BAL). The AMC-BAL is charged with 10 x 10(9) viable primary porcine hepatocytes isolated from a specified pathogen-free (SPF) pig. Here we report a patient with ALF due to acute HBV infection.

Bridging a Patient with Acute Liver Failure to Liver Transplantation by the AMC-Bioartificial Liver.

Recently a phase I clinical trial has been started in Italy to bridge patients with acute liver failure (ALF) to orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) by the AMC-bioartificial liver (AMC-BAL). The AMC-BAL is charged with 10 × 109 viable primary porcine hepatocytes isolated from a specified pathogen-free (SPF) pig. Here we report a patient with ALF due to acute HBV infection.

Scanning for mutations of the ryanodine receptor (RYR1) gene by denaturing HPLC: detection of three novel malignant hyperthermia alleles.

Background: Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a fatal autosomal dominant pharmacogenetic disorder characterized by skeletal muscle hypertonicity that causes a sudden increase in body temperature after exposure to common anesthetic agents. The disease is genetically heterogeneous, with mutations in the gene encoding the skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor (RYR1) at 19q13.1 accounting for up to 80% of the cases.

Italian drug information centres: benchmark report.

Objective: Pharmacist-operated Drug Information Centres (DICs) in Italy were surveyed to gather current information concerning the status, availability and scope of their services.

Methods: 40 DICs were identified and a questionnaire was mailed to them. Topics covered in the questionnaire included staffing, resources, activities and services.