Therapeutic complement inhibition – from experimental to clinical medicine.

Internationally, the use of the C5-inhibiting monoclonal antibody eculizumab has in the course of just a few years become the first choice of treatment of atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome and the most severe phenotypes of paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria. At present eculizumab is the only complement inhibitor in ordinary clinical use. This despite the fact that there only exists one randomised, placebo-controlled trial of eculizumab for paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria and none for atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome, and that the therapy is very costly.

Paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria at Oslo University Hospital 2000-2010.

Background: Paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) is a rare haematological disease characterised by chronic haemolysis, pancytopenia and venous thrombosis. The condition is attributable to a lack of control of complement attack on erythrocytes, thrombocytes and leukocytes, and can be diagnosed by means of flow cytometry. In this quality assurance study, we have reviewed information from the medical records of all patients tested for PNH using flow cytometry at our laboratory over a ten-year period.

[Allogeneic stem-cell transplantation in adults 1985-2012: results and development].

Background: Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) has been a treatment option for patients with serious diseases of the blood and haematopoietic organs in Norway since 1985. Such treatment is potentially curative for selected patients who have a relatively short predicted survival with other treatment modalities. This article summarises the experience and results from ASCT at Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet.