The utility of weight loss medications after bariatric surgery for weight regain or inadequate weight loss: A multi-center study.

Background: Patients who undergo bariatric surgery often have inadequate weight loss or weight regain.

Objectives: We sought to discern the utility of weight loss pharmacotherapy as an adjunct to bariatric surgery in patients with inadequate weight loss or weight regain.

Setting: Two academic medical centers.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation for patients 50 years or older with myelodysplastic syndromes or secondary acute myeloid leukemia.

Purpose: This study was performed to examine the characteristics of transplant activity for patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) older than 50 years within the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, and to evaluate the factors predicting outcome within this group of patients.

Patients And Methods: We performed a retrospective multicenter analysis of 1,333 MDS patients age 50 years or older who received transplantation within the EBMT since 1998. The median recipient age was 56 years, with 884 patients (66%) age 50 to 60 years and 449 (34%) patients older than 60 years.

Changing the treatment paradigm in myelodysplastic syndromes.

The treatment algorithm for the patient with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is in the process of being revitalized based on recent results of clinical trials. Historically, the goal for lower-risk patients was hematologic improvement, and disease modification was reserved for patients in the higher-risk category. Recent data now favor shifting emphasis away from supportive care alone and toward altering the disease course and prolonging survival, particularly in patients with intermediate-2 and high-risk disease.

Clonal gammopathies following alemtuzumab-based reduced intensity conditioning haematopoietic stem cell transplantation: association with chronic graft-versus-host disease and improved overall survival.

The presence of clonal gammopathies (CG) has been reported following both conventional myeloablative and autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). We monitored the occurrence of CG in a cohort of patients with myeloid malignancies receiving FBC (fludarabine-busulphan-alemtuzumab)-based reduced intensity conditioned (RIC) HSCT, and assessed its correlation with infections, graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) and survival. Serial serum protein electrophoresis was analysed in a total of 138 patients and CG were detected in 49 patients (36%).

Delayed attainment of full donor chimaerism following alemtuzumab-based reduced-intensity conditioning haematopoeitic stem cell transplantation for acute myeloid leukaemia and myelodysplastic syndromes is associated with improved outcomes.

This prospective study evaluated the kinetics of lymphoid (CD3) engraftment in 110 patients with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) after allogeneic transplantation and conditioning with fludarabine, busulphan and alemtuzumab, using ciclosporin for post-transplant immunosuppression. Declining donor CD3 chimaerism beyond day+100 was treated with pre-emptive donor lymphocyte infusion (pDLI). The median age of patients was 53.

Outcomes of patients with haematological malignancies admitted to intensive care unit. A comparative review of allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation data.

The outcomes of 55 consecutive haemato-oncology patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) were retrospectively analysed. Twenty-eight patients were admitted following haemopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Thirty-nine patients were admitted with respiratory failure, and all patients required respiratory support.

Outcomes of alemtuzumab-based reduced intensity conditioning stem cell transplantation using unrelated donors for myelodysplastic syndromes.

This prospective study evaluated the outcomes of 75 successive patients receiving a FBC (fludarabine, busulphan, alemtuzumab) reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) regimen for myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) using volunteer unrelated donors(VUD). The prognostic significance of a variety of clinical variables including the recently described haematopoietic cell transplantation co-morbidity index (HCT-CI) was assessed. The median age of the cohort was 52.

Successful treatment of refractory angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma with thalidomide and dexamethasone.

Angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma (AITL) is a peripheral T-cell lymphoma characterized morphologically by lymphadenopathy with a polymorphic infiltrate, marked vascular and follicular dendritic cell proliferation. Patients usually present with advanced disease and the overall prognosis is poor. While intensive chemotherapy has been shown to induce complete remissions in 50-70% of patients, the majority of patients subsequently relapse.

Toxoplasmosis following alemtuzumab based allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Alemtuzumab is a humanised monoclonal antibody against CD52 used as an immunosuppressive agent in allogeneic HSCT. Regimens including alemtuzumab for allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) conditioning have been associated with an increased incidence of viral complications. Patients with prior toxoplasma exposure undergoing alemtuzumab containing HSCT could therefore be expected to be at a higher risk of toxoplasma reactivation.