No description available.

OBJECTIVE: Complaints of cognitive changes are often expressed by patients at all stages of HIV infection. Such changes include decreased memory and attention span, diminished concentration, apathy, and "slowing." Methylphenidate (MPD) has been used in several clinical studies in men with late-stage HIV disease in an attempt to ameliorate these difficulties. The objectives of this review article are to review salient psychopharmacological characteristics of MPD and to describe the research and clinical literature supporting the use of MPD in patients at all stages of HIV infection. METHODS: Seven studies, case reports, or abstracts from International Conferences on AIDS were available in the English literature through August, 1993, directly addressing the use of MPD in patients with HIV disease. Twenty-nine papers were reviewed for pharmacokinetic data, eighteen for safety and side effects issues, and seventeen for relevant contributions from the neuropsychological testing literature. RESULTS: Studies in clinical settings have used doses ranges from 10-90 mg. per day in two or three divided doses with reportedly good results in improving both affective and cognitive symptoms associated with HIV disease. Side effects have been relatively mild and patient satisfaction with treatment has been high. However, no studies have been conducted in early stage HIV disease, where a significant minority of patients have similar complaints in the absence of clinically apparent immunosuppression. Likewise, placebo-controlled, dose-finding studies in AIDS patients are entirely lacking, and no studies in women with HIV disease and cognitive changes have been published. CONCLUSIONS: In spite of these important research short-comings, clinical experience with MPD treatment of cognitive changes in men with HIV/AIDS is consistent with the notion that this medication holds significant promise to improve the quality of life for persons living with HIV/AIDS. Controlled studies to test this hypothesis are warranted.

A young man receiving high dose cytosine arabinoside (3g/m2 every 12 hours) for promyelocytic leukemia developed rapidly increasing hyperbilirubinemia and hepatorenal syndrome. The patient had been treated previously with courses of standard dose cytosine arabinoside without hepatic or renal complications. His condition rapidly deteriorated, and he required hemodialysis. The total bilirubin increased to 45.4 mg/dL, but alkaline phosphatase remained normal. Twelve days after starting chemotherapy, the patient died of hepatorenal failure. Liver necropsy revealed mild bile stasis and microvesicular steatosis. We suspect high dose cytosine arabinoside played a major role in causing impairment of bilirubin transport within the hepatocyte in this patient.

Delusions of parasitosis are a rare psychiatric disorder in which the patient has a fixed, false belief of being infested with parasites. The disorder is classified as primary if no cause is identified or secondary if associated with general organic conditions, psychiatric illnesses, and drugs (substance induced). Several medications have been reported in association with delusions of parasitosis, including anti-parkinsonian medications, ciprofloxacin, cetirizine, doxepin, and others. Delusions of parasitosis have not been previously reported to be associated with gabapentin use. We present the case of a patient who developed delusions of parasitosis after been initiated on gabapentin treatment for neuropathic pain and complete disappearance of symptoms after the medication was discontinued.

We reviewed 13 cases of ultrasound-guided thrombin injection of femoral pseudoaneurysms. All cases occurred within a 17-month period from January 1998 through May 1999 and were complications of femoral artery puncture. Immediate total thrombosis occurred in nine of 13 patients. Twenty-four-hour follow-up ultrasound in seven patients revealed no recurrence of pseudoaneurysm. Two of 13 patients required operative repair. One pseudoaneurysm thrombosed with 15 minutes of compression after injection and one case required a second injection. No cases of arterial thrombosis were noted. Ultrasound-guided thrombin injection for femoral artery pseudoaneurysm represents a safe and effective alternative to operative repair.

No description available.

No / PURPOSE: This phase I dose-escalation study was undertaken to establish the maximum tolerated dose of the sequence-selective minor groove DNA binding agent SJG-136 in patients with advanced solid tumors. The study also investigated antitumor activity and provided pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Sixteen patients were assigned sequentially to escalating doses of SJG-136 (15-240 microg/m(2)) given as a 10-minute i.v. infusion every 21 days. The dose was subsequently reduced in incremental steps to 45 microg/m(2) due to unexpected toxicity. RESULTS: The maximum tolerated dose of SJG-136 was 45 microg/m(2). The main drug-related adverse event was vascular leak syndrome (VLS) characterized by hypoalbuminemia, pleural effusions, ascites, and peripheral edema. Other unexpected adverse events included elevated liver function tests and fatigue. The VLS and liver toxicity had delayed onset and increased in severity with subsequent cycles. Disease stabilization was achieved for >6 weeks in 10 patients; in 2 patients this was maintained for >12 weeks. There was no evidence of DNA interstrand cross-linking in human blood lymphocytes with the use of the comet assay. Evidence of DNA interaction in lymphocytes and tumor cells was shown through a sensitive gamma-H2AX assay. SJG-136 had linear pharmacokinetics across the dose range tested. CONCLUSIONS: SJG-136 was associated with dose-limiting VLS and hepatotoxicity when administered by short injection every 21 days. DNA damage was noted, at all dose levels studied, in circulating lymphocytes. The etiology of the observed toxicities is unclear and is the subject of further preclinical research. Alternative clinical dosing strategies are being evaluated.

Balding causes widespread psychological distress but is poorly controlled. The commonest treatment, minoxidil, was originally an antihypertensive drug that promoted unwanted hair. We hypothesized that another serendipitous discovery, increased eyelash growth side-effects of prostamide F(2alpha)-related eyedrops for glaucoma, may be relevant for scalp alopecias. Eyelash hairs and follicles are highly specialized and remain unaffected by androgens that inhibit scalp follicles and stimulate many others. Therefore, we investigated whether non-eyelash follicles could respond to bimatoprost, a prostamide F(2alpha) analog recently licensed for eyelash hypotrichosis. Bimatoprost, at pharmacologically selective concentrations, increased hair synthesis in scalp follicle organ culture and advanced mouse pelage hair regrowth in vivo compared to vehicle alone. A prostamide receptor antagonist blocked isolated follicle growth, confirming a direct, receptor-mediated mechanism within follicles; RT-PCR analysis identified 3 relevant receptor genes in scalp follicles in vivo. Receptors were located in the key follicle regulator, the dermal papilla, by analyzing individual follicular structures and immunohistochemistry. Thus, bimatoprost stimulates human scalp follicles in culture and rodent pelage follicles in vivo, mirroring eyelash behavior, and scalp follicles contain bimatoprost-sensitive prostamide receptors in vivo. This highlights a new follicular signaling system and confirms that bimatoprost offers a novel, low-risk therapeutic approach for scalp alopecias.

Os doentes transplantados renais têm alto risco para desenvolver queratoses actínicas e câncer de pele. Para verificar o efeito quimioprofilático da acitretina estudamos a evolução de 13 doentes transplantados renais com queratoses actínicas múltiplas e história de carcinomas cutâneos submetidos a tratamento por 12 meses (20mg/dia). Fez-se a avaliação clínica e laboratorial regularmente em todo o período do estudo. Realizou-se exame histopatológico, demonstração imuno-histoquímica de sub-populações de linfócitos T (CD4, CD8), células natural killer e células de Langerhans, sua quantificação e comparação em biopsias de pele, sem lesão, de área exposta e protegida do sol antes, após seis e 12 meses de tratamento. Observou-se melhora das lesões cutâneas e ausência de aparecimento de novos tumores em 12 dos 13 pacientes. Não ocorreram alterações laboratoriais relacionadas a função renal, hepatotoxicicidade e hiperlipidemia. Não houve diferenças significativas histopatológicas e da população de linfócitos T e células natural killer da pele exposta e protegida do sol com o tratamento. Verificou-se aumento numérico de células de Langerhans epidérmicas aos 12 meses quando comparado aos da pele antes e após seis meses de tratamento (p = 0,002 e p = 0,003). Em nossa casuística o uso de acitretina em doses baixas foi útil para melhorar o aspecto cutâneo e prevenir lesões cutâneas pré-cancerosas e carcinomas. O aumento das células de Langerhans epidérmicas estaria relacionado ao efeito imunomodular da acitretina. / Renal transplant recipients have an increased incidence of actinic keratosis and skin cancer. In order to examine the chemoprophylatic effects of low-dose acitretin on skin cancer development we submitted 13 renal transplanted patients to acitretin therapy (20 mg/day) for 12 month. The patients were assessed at monthly intervals during the first 6 months and every two months until the 12th month for new skin lesions and for acitretin toxicity. Normal skin biopsies of sun exposed and sun protected area were taken for histopathological exam and submitted to immunohistochemistry technique to demonstrate CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes, natural killer cells and Langerhans cells wich were counted and compared in the beginning, after 6th month and 12th month of the treatment. There was an improvement of actinic keratosis and all patients but one did not develop new skin cancer. Side-effects were well-tolerated and no significant biochemical effects were observed. Although there were no differences in the microscopic aspects of the skin and in the number of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes and natural killer cells, there was a significant increase in the number of epidermal Langerhans cells after 12 months of acitretin therapy. The data obtained permit us to conclude that low dose acitretin therapy is safe, well-tolerated and partially effective in chemoprophylaxis of skin cancer in renal transplant recipients. The increase in epidermal Langerhans cells observed may be an expression of the immunomodulatory effect of acitretin.

A hipertensão arterial sistêmica (HAS) é uma doença crônica altamente prevalente, que pode ser controlada com tratamento farmacológico. Para tal, recomenda-se aplicar as melhores evidências clínicas por meio da utilização de guias de prática clínica (GPC) de alta qualidade. No entanto, o processo de desenvolvimento de GPC requer recursos humanos e tempo, sendo a adaptação uma opção para reduzir a duplicação de esforços e adequar o GPC para uso local. O objetivo deste trabalho foi sintetizar as recomendações de GPC para o tratamento farmacológico da HAS. Aplicou-se o método de adaptação ADAPTE, realizando as duas primeiras fases: Configuração e Adaptação. Na fase de Configuração, o Grupo CHRONIDE realizou o planejamento e registrou a pesquisa no Próspero. Na fase de Adaptação, realizou-se uma revisão sistemática. Os critérios de eligibilidade foram: GPC que continham recomendações para o tratamento farmacológico da HAS em atenção primária, publicados em inglês, português ou espanhol, no período de 01/01/2011 a 31/12/2016. Em 31/11/2017 atualizou-se GPC incluídos. Para a determinação da qualidade destes GPC, três avaliadores, de forma independente, aplicaram o Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation II (AGREE II). Dos 37 GPC avaliados, 6 foram considerados de alta qualidade (escore 60% ou mais no domínio Rigor de desenvolvimento do AGREE II). As recomendações destes foram extraídas e incluídas nas matrizes. Os GPC apresentaram divergências em suas recomendações. As divergências mais relevantes foram as recomendações mais rigorosas do GPC de 2017 da American College of Cardiology e American Heart Association (ACC/AHA), que trouxe metas terapêuticas e níveis pressóricos para indicação de farmacoterapia mais baixos que os demais. A maioria dos GPC recomendou o uso de diuréticos tiazídicos como farmacoterapia de primeira linha para tratamento da HAS e contraindicou o uso combinado de inibidores da enzima conversora de angiotensina e bloqueadores dos receptores de angiotensina II. Portanto, em uma discussão para adaptação local de recomendações, um dos pontos principais, além da questão do acesso aos medicamentos, seria adotar ou não os paramêtros mais rigorosos do GPC 2017 ACC/AHA. / Arterial hypertension is a high prevalent chronic disease that can be controlled with pharmacologic treatment. For such, is recommended the use of the high clinical evidences presented in high quality clinical practice guidelines (CPG). However, the guideline development process requires time and capable human resources, which transform the adaptation to an option to reduce a duplication of efforts and to adapt the CPG to local use. The objective of this work was to synthesize the recommendations of CPG for the pharmacological treatment of arterial hypertension. The ADAPTE method was applied, using 2 steps: Configuration and Adaptation. In the Configuration step, the CHRONIDE group carried out the planning and the method was registered in Prospero. In the Adaptation step a systematic review was performed. The eligibility criteria were: CPG containing recommendations for the pharmacological treatment of arterial hypertension in primary care, published in English, Portuguese or Spanish, from 01/01/2011 to 12/31/2016. On 11/31/2017 it was updated the GPC included. To determine the CPG quality, 3 independent reviewers, assessed the CPG using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation II (AGREE II) tool. Of the 37 evaluated CPG, 6 were considered to being as high quality (score 60% or higher in the domain \" Rigour of Development \"). The recommendations were extracted and included in the matrix of recommendations. The CPG has presentes differences in their recommendations. The most relevant divergences were the further rigorous recommendations described on CPG 2017 of the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association (ACC/AHA), which brought therapeutic goals and blood pressure levels lower for pharmacotherapy than the others recommendations. The majority of CPG has recommended the use of thiazide diuretics as first-line pharmacotherapy for the treatment of arterial hypertension and has contraindicated the combined use of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers. Therefore, in a discussion for local adaptation of recommendations, one of the main points, apart from the issue of access to medicines, would be to adopt or would not be adopt the futher rigorous parameters of GPC 2017 ACC/AHA.