scholarly journals Poor Neutralizing Antibody Responses in Patients with CLL, NHL and HL after Vaccination Against Sars-Cov-2; A Prospective Study in 132 Patients

Blood ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 138 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 3752-3752
Author(s):  
Evangelos Terpos ◽  
Maria Gavriatopoulou ◽  
Despina Fotiou ◽  
Chara Giatra ◽  
John V. Asimakopoulos ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction: Recent data suggest a suboptimal antibody response to COVID-19 vaccination in patients with hematological malignancies, especially under therapy with monoclonal antibodies targeting B-cells. Herein, we evaluated the development of neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) against SARS-CoV-2 in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) and Hodgkin's Lymphoma (HL) after vaccination with the mRNA BNT162b2 vaccine, up to 50 days post their first vaccine dose. Methods: This is a large prospective study (NCT04743388) evaluating the kinetics of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies after COVID-19 vaccination in healthy subjects and patients with hematological malignancies. We report here the results in CLL, NHL and HL patients in comparison to age- and gender-matched controls who were vaccinated at the same time period (January to May 2021). After vein puncture, the serum of both patients and controls was collected on day 1 (D1; before the first BNT162b2 dose), on day 22 (D22; before the second dose of the BNT162b2) and on day 50 (D50; 3 weeks post second dose of the BNT162b2). Serum was separated within 4 hours from blood collection and stored at -80°C until the day of measurement. NAbs against SARS-CoV-2 were measured using FDA approved methodology (ELISA, cPass™ SARS-CoV-2 NAbs Detection Kit; GenScript, Piscataway, NJ, USA) on the abovementioned timepoints. A NAb titer of at least 30% is considered as positive, according to manufacturer, whereas a NAb titer of at least 50% has been associated with clinically relevant viral inhibition [Walsh et al. N Engl J Med 2020, 383, 2439-50]. Samples of the same individual were measured in the same ELISA plate. Results: We evaluated 132 patients with CLL/Lymphomas after vaccination with the BNT162b2. Patient population included 53 with CLL, 57 with NHL and 22 with HL, while 214 healthy controls, of similar age and gender, were also studied. At the time of vaccination, 30% (n=40) of patients had asymptomatic disease and out of 92 symptomatic patients, 49% (n=45) were on active treatment. Vaccination with two doses of the BNT162b2 led to lower production of NAbs against SARS-CoV-2 in patients compared with controls, both on day 22 and on day 50 (P<0.001 for all comparisons) for all subgroups. After the first dose of the vaccine, on D22, the patient group had lower NAb titers compared with controls: the median NAb inhibition titer was 18% (IQR: 8.5-29%) for patients versus 41.6% (IQR: 25.3-59%) for controls; p<0.001. On D50, the median NAb inhibition titer was 32.5% (IQR: 13.5-93%) for patients versus 94.7% (IQR: 89-97%) for controls; p<0.001. More specifically, only 50.8% (67/132) of the patients versus 98.1% (210/214) of the controls developed NAb titers ≥30% and 43.9% (58/132) of patients versus 95.3% (204/214) titers ≥50% (high protective titers) at day 50 (p<0.0001 for all comparisons; Figure-left part). Importantly, active treatment (which included anti-CD antibodies, Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitors, a combination of the above, chemotherapy-only regimens or Bcl-2 inhibitors) was an independent prognostic factor for suboptimal antibody response at day 50 (<50%) in the patient subgroup (p<0.001). Rituximab administration in the last 12 months correlated with decreased antibody response at day 50 (p<0.01). Patients with HL were more likely to achieve humoral responses (>50% at day 50) compared to other disease types (p<0.05; Figure-right part). Disease-related immune dysregulation and therapy-related immunosuppression were therefore involved in the low humoral responses seen in patients. Regarding adverse events, 9% and 9.8% patients reported mild reactions after the first and second dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine, respectively. Conclusion: Patients with CLL/NHL/HL have a low humoral response following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, particularly patients who are on active treatment with rituximab or BTK inhibitors. These patient subgroups therefore should continue utilizing protective measures against SARS-CoV-2 (masks, social distancing, etc) as they are at high risk for COVID-19. Further studies on the kinetics of immune subpopulations following COVID-19 vaccination will elucidate the underlying immune landscape and determine the potential need for additional booster vaccine doses or protective administration of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in CLL/NHL/HL patients with poor response after full vaccination. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Terpos: Sanofi: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Janssen-Cilag: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; GSK: Honoraria, Research Funding; Genesis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; BMS: Honoraria; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Gavriatopoulou: Janssen: Honoraria; GSK: Honoraria; Genesis: Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria; Sanofi: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria; Karyopharm: Honoraria. Baltadakis: Amgen: Honoraria; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria; Alexion: Honoraria; Astellas: Honoraria; Pfizer: Honoraria, Other: Travel Grants; Gilead: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria; Abbvie: Honoraria; Genesis Pharma: Other: Travel Grants; Gilead: Other: Travel Grants; WinMedica: Other: Travel Grants; Baxalta Hellas: Other: Travel Grants. Dimopoulos: BMS: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria; Beigene: Honoraria.

Blood ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 138 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 3791-3791
Author(s):  
Evangelos Terpos ◽  
Maria Gavriatopoulou ◽  
Ioannis Ntanasis-Stathopoulos ◽  
Alexandros Briasoulis ◽  
Sentiljana Gumeni ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction: Recent data suggest a suboptimal antibody response to COVID-19 vaccination in patients with hematological malignancies. Herein, we evaluated the development of neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) against SARS-CoV-2 in patients with plasma cell neoplasms (PCNs) after vaccination with either the mRNA BNT162b2 or viral vector AZD1222 vaccine, up to 50 days post their first vaccine dose. Methods: This is an ongoing large prospective study (NCT04743388) evaluating the kinetics of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies after COVID-19 vaccination in healthy subjects and in patients with hematological malignancies or solid tumors. Here we present the data on patients with PCNs in comparison to controls of similar age and gender, who were vaccinated during the same time period (January to March 2021) in Athens (Greece). Major exclusion criteria for both patients and controls included the presence of: (i) autoimmune disorder under immunosuppressive therapy or other active malignant disease; (ii) HIV or active hepatitis B and C infection, (iii) end-stage renal disease and (iv) prior diagnosis of COVID-19. Serum was collected on day 1 (D1; before the first vaccine dose), on day 22 (D22; before the second dose of the BNT162b2 or 3 weeks post the first AZD1222 dose) and on day 50 (D50; 4 weeks post second dose of the BNT162b2 or 7 weeks post the first AZD1222 dose). NAbs against SARS-CoV-2 were measured using an FDA approved-ELISA methodology (cPass™ SARS-CoV-2 NAbs Detection Kit, GenScript, Piscataway, NJ, USA). Results: We evaluated 382 patients with PCNs after vaccination with either the BNT162b2 or the AZD1222 vaccine. Patients with MM (n=213), WM (n=106), SMM (n=38) and MGUS (n=25) and 226 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Of MM/SMM/MGUS patients, 215 (77.9%) were vaccinated with the BNT162b2 and 61 (22.1%) with the AZD1222 vaccine, while out of 106 WM patients 90 (84.9%) were vaccinated with the BNT162b2 and 16 (15.1%) with the AZD1222 vaccine. Vaccination with either two doses of the BNT162b2 or one dose of the AZD1222 vaccine led to lower production of NAbs against SARS-CoV-2 in patients compared with controls both on day 22 and on day 50 (P<0.001 for all comparisons). After the first dose of the vaccine, on D22, the patient group had lower NAb titers compared with controls: the median NAb inhibition titer was 27% (IQR: 15.3-42%) for MM/SMM/MGUS versus 20.5% (IQR: 10-37%) for WM patients versus 38.7% (IQR: 22-54.3%) for controls (P<0.001 for all comparisons). On D50 the median NAb inhibition titer was 62.8% (IQR: 26-88.9%) for MM/SMM/MGUS versus 36% (IQR: 18-78%) for WM patients versus 90% (IQR: 58-96.4%) for controls (P<0.001 for all comparisons). 57.3% MM/SMM/MGUS, 42% WM patients and 81% controls developed NAb titers ≥50% (p<0.001 for patients versus controls). Furthermore, MM patients showed an inferior NAb response compared with MGUS on day 22 (p=0.009) and on day 50 (p=0.003). Importantly, active treatment with either anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies or belantamab mafodotin and lymphopenia at the time of vaccination were independent prognostic factors for suboptimal antibody response following vaccination in MM (p<0.05). Disease-related immune dysregulation and therapy-related immunosuppression were involved in the low humoral response in patients with WM. Importantly, active treatment with either rituximab or Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase inhibitors (BTKIs) was proven as an independent prognostic factor for suboptimal antibody response following vaccination in WM (p<0.05). Regarding adverse events, 33% and 31.6% patients reported mild reactions after the first and second dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine, respectively; 32.8% patients vaccinated with the first dose of AZD1222 also presented with local reactions. Conclusion: Patients with MM and WM have a low humoral response following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, especially those who are under treatment with anti-CD38-, anti-BCMA-, anti-CD20- or BTKIs-based regimens. This result suggest that these patients have to continue the protective measures against SARS-CoV-2 as they are at high risk for COVID-19. Further studies on the kinetics of immune subpopulations following COVID-19 vaccination will elucidate the underlying immune landscape and determine the potential need for additional booster vaccine doses or protective administration of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in MM/WM patients with poor response after full vaccination. Disclosures Terpos: Janssen-Cilag: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; BMS: Honoraria; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Genesis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; GSK: Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Sanofi: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Gavriatopoulou: Janssen: Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria; Sanofi: Honoraria; Karyopharm: Honoraria; Genesis: Honoraria; GSK: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria. Kastritis: Amgen: Honoraria, Research Funding; Janssen: Honoraria, Research Funding; Genesis: Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria; Pfizer: Honoraria. Dimopoulos: Janssen: Honoraria; BeiGene: Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria; BMS: Honoraria.


Blood ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 126 (23) ◽  
pp. 2099-2099
Author(s):  
Fabio Efficace ◽  
Gianluca Gaidano ◽  
Massimo Breccia ◽  
Pasquale Niscola ◽  
Francesco Cottone ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Patients myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) diagnosed with higher-risk disease have poor prognosis thus making improvements in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) a major goal of therapy. Understanding HRQOL profile of untreated patients is important to help clinicians to better target subpopulations in need of special attention from the very beginning of therapy. Aims: The primary objective of this study is to investigate whether HRQOL differences exist by age and gender in untreated patients with higher-risk MDS. A secondary objective is to provide age and gender pretreatment HRQOL profiles to be used as reference baseline data for comparing HRQOL of MDS patients under treatments. Methods: This analysis is based on 280 adult patients diagnosed with IPSS risk score of intermediate-2 (74%) and high-risk (26%), enrolled in an international prospective observational study. Median age of patients was 71 years (range 32-89), 176 were men (63%) and 104 (37%) women. HRQOL was assessed at study entry and before treatment for higher-risk disease (except for transfusions), with the EORTC QLQ-C30, the most widely used HRQOL outcome measure in MDS research. Thus, our data are likely to further ease interpretation of outcomes in many studies using this questionnaire. One hundred seventy-five patients had received at least one red blood cell transfusion at the time of baseline HRQOL assessment. HRQoL data of MDS patients were age-gender matched with those general population norms. Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon signed ranks tests were used for unmatched and matched comparisons, respectively (α=0.05). Effect sizes were also computed. Results: No statistically significant differences existed in any of the HRQOL domain by IPSS category (intermediate-2 versus high-risk). However, HRQOL profiles differed by age and gender and results are reported in Table 1. Women generally reported lower HRQOL scores than men, with statistically significant impairments in the global quality of life (P=0.008), role (P=0.014), emotional (P=0.024) and social functioning (P=0.028). When compared to their peers in the general population, HRQOL was found to be impaired in all age group categories (Figure 1, A and B). However, the magnitude of impairments across HRQOL domains was markedly larger in younger patients (aged 30-59 years) compared to older age groups (≥60 years). The top three largest impairments in this younger group were found for: fatigue (ES=2.47, P<0.001), dyspnea (ES=2.14, P<0.001) and role functioning RP (ES=1.96, P<0.001). This latter aspect indicates the ability to perform daily activities. Conclusion: Pretreatment HROQL of higher-risk MDS patients vary by age and gender and current reference data will help making more accurate comparisons with HRQOL of patients under treatment. Clinicians should also pay special attention to younger patients, as these are those most in need of HRQOL improvements. Figure 1. Adjusted mean differences between MDS patients and their respective control groups by age categories (30-59 years, 60-69 years, 70-79 years and over 80) in functional aspects and global quality of life. A score below 0 line means worse outcomes for MDS patients. *= Statistically significant (P<0.05) **= Statistically significant (P<0.001) Figure 1. Adjusted mean differences between MDS patients and their respective control groups by age categories (30-59 years, 60-69 years, 70-79 years and over 80) in functional aspects and global quality of life. A score below 0 line means worse outcomes for MDS patients. / *= Statistically significant (P<0.05) **= Statistically significant (P<0.001) Figure 2. Adjusted mean differences between MDS patients and their respective control groups by age categories (30-59 years, 60-69 years, 70-79 years and over 80) in symptom scales. A score above 0 line means worse outcomes for MDS patients. *=Statistically significant (P<0.05) **=Statistically significant (P<0.001) Figure 2. Adjusted mean differences between MDS patients and their respective control groups by age categories (30-59 years, 60-69 years, 70-79 years and over 80) in symptom scales. A score above 0 line means worse outcomes for MDS patients. / *=Statistically significant (P<0.05) **=Statistically significant (P<0.001) Figure 3. Quality of life profile by the EORTC QLQ-C30 in higher risk-MDS patients by gender and age groups. Means scores of the EORTC QLQ-C30 are reported. Figure 3. Quality of life profile by the EORTC QLQ-C30 in higher risk-MDS patients by gender and age groups. Means scores of the EORTC QLQ-C30 are reported. Disclosures Gaidano: MorphoSys; Roche; Novartis; GlaxoSmithKline; Amgen; Janssen; Karyopharm: Honoraria, Other: Advisory boards; Celgene: Research Funding. Santini:celgene, Janssen, Novartis, Onconova: Honoraria, Research Funding. Platzbecker:Celgene: Honoraria; GlaxoSmithKline: Honoraria, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria; Amgen, Inc.: Honoraria. Di Renzo:Celgene: Research Funding.


Blood ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 134 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 2175-2175
Author(s):  
Audra N. Boscoe ◽  
Yan Yan ◽  
Elizabeth Hedgeman ◽  
Eduard J. van Beers ◽  
Hanny Al-Samkari ◽  
...  

Introduction: Pyruvate kinase (PK) deficiency causes a defect in the glycolytic pathway, leading to a hereditary hemolytic anemia. Management is supportive and consists of splenectomy, transfusions, and chelation therapy. Aim: To better understand the comorbidity and complication profile of adults with PK deficiency, and the extent to which transfusion frequency contributes, the objectives of this study were to (1) quantify the prevalence of comorbidities and complications according to transfusion history and (2) compare the types and rates of select comorbidities and complications with the general population. Methods: Data were obtained from the enrollment survey of the PK Deficiency Natural History Study (NHS), a longitudinal, retrospective and prospective cohort study in which clinical, laboratory, transfusion, and radiologic data were collected; all participants were confirmed to have 2 mutations in the PKLR gene. Patients (n=122) were eligible for this analysis if they were ≥18 years of age and had sufficient data on transfusion history to enable classification into 1 of 3 cohorts: "Ever Regularly Transfused" (ERT, defined as ≥6 transfusions in any 12-month period), "Never Regularly Transfused" (NRT, defined as having ≥1 lifetime transfusion but never having >4 transfusions in any 12-month period), or "Never Transfused" (NT). To contextualize the findings, the frequencies of select conditions were compared with an age- and gender-matched cohort of individuals from the insured, general US population who did not have any hemolytic anemia diagnoses and had ≥5 years of continuous enrollment in the Truven MarketScan administrative claims database. The NHS reported lifetime prevalence rates, whereas rates obtained from the MarketScan data were based on diagnosis and procedure codes over varying look-back periods; therefore, to minimize bias, we limited PK deficiency vs. general population comparisons to (1) chronic conditions that require lifetime management and would thus still be recorded in claims data years after initial diagnosis, and/or (2) conditions for which a diagnosis/procedure date was available in the NHS and could be matched in time to the average 8-year look-back period for the general population. Frequencies were compared across mutually exclusive cohorts using Fisher's exact 2-tailed tests of significance. Results: ERT (n=65), NRT (n=30), and NT patients (n=27) had a mean age of 34.2, 39.5, and 37.2 years at enrollment, respectively (not significant [ns]), with 46.2%, 56.7%, and 59.3%, respectively, being male (ns). ERT patients trended toward being more likely than NT patients to be Amish and have the homozygous R479H splice variant (30.8% vs 11.1% [p=0.064]) but were significantly less likely to have a missense/missense PKLR genotype (32.3% vs 70.4% [p=0.001]). Compared with the general population, patients with PK deficiency had significantly higher rates of splenectomy, cholecystectomy, osteoporosis, liver cirrhosis, pulmonary hypertension, and current prophylactic antibiotic and anticoagulant use (Table). Rates of splenectomy, cholecystectomy, and osteoporosis were significantly higher in patients with PK deficiency, regardless of transfusion cohort, and both ERT and NRT patients had significantly higher rates of liver cirrhosis than individuals from the general population. A gradient was seen across transfusion cohorts for other conditions. Notably, 83.1% of ERT patients, 50.0% of NRT patients, and 25.9% of NT patients had a history of liver iron overload. ERT patients were also significantly more likely than NRT and NT patients to have had a splenectomy, cholecystectomy, and/or thrombosis, and to currently use prophylactic antibiotics. Findings were consistent when the analysis was restricted to non-Amish patients with PK deficiency. Conclusions: Patients with PK deficiency have higher rates of select comorbidities and complications than age- and gender-matched individuals who do not have PK deficiency. Even patients with PK deficiency who have never been transfused are at increased risk of complications of the disease and its treatment. Disclosures Boscoe: Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Yan:Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Consultancy. Hedgeman:IBM Watson Health: Employment. van Beers:Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding; Pfizer: Research Funding; RR Mechatronics: Research Funding. Al-Samkari:Agios: Consultancy, Research Funding; Dova: Consultancy, Research Funding; Moderna: Consultancy. Barcellini:Incyte: Consultancy; Alexion: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Consultancy; Novartis: Speakers Bureau; Apellis: Consultancy; bioverativ: Consultancy. Eber:Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Consultancy. Glader:Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. Chonat:Alexion: Other: advisory board; Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Other: advisory board. Rothman:Agios: Honoraria, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Kuo:Agios: Consultancy; Alexion: Consultancy, Honoraria; Apellis: Consultancy; Bioverativ: Other: Data Safety Monitoring Board; Bluebird Bio: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria; Pfizer: Consultancy. Kwiatkowski:Agios: Consultancy; bluebird bio, Inc.: Consultancy, Research Funding; Imara: Consultancy; Apopharma: Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy; Terumo: Research Funding. Ravindranath:Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Other: I am site PI on several Agios-sponsored studies, Research Funding. Neufeld:Octapharma, Shire Pharmaceuticals (Baxalta), Novo Nordisk, Celgene, NHLBI/NIH: Research Funding; Octapharma, Agios, Acceleron, Grifols, Pfizer, CSL Behring, Shire Pharmaceuticals (Baxalta), Novo Nordisk, ApoPharma, Genentech, Novartis, Bayer Healthcare: Consultancy; Octapharma: Other: study investigator, NuProtect study (Octapharma-sponsored). Holzhauer:Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Consultancy. Verhovsek:Sickle Cell Disease Association of Canada: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Canadian Haemoglobinopathy Association: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Vertex: Consultancy; Sickle Cell Awareness Group of Ontario: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Kunz:Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Sheth:Apopharma: Other: Clinical trial DSMB; Celgene: Consultancy; CRSPR/Vertex: Other: Clinical Trial Steering committee. Despotovic:Novartis: Research Funding; Dova: Honoraria. Grace:Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding.


2008 ◽  
Vol 57 (6) ◽  
pp. 717-724 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karla Sánchez-Hurtado ◽  
Maria Corretge ◽  
Esvet Mutlu ◽  
Rowan McIlhagger ◽  
John M. Starr ◽  
...  

It has been proposed that patients who develop Clostridium difficile-associated disease (CDAD) do so because they are unable to mount an adequate immune response. Serum was collected from three groups of elderly in-patients: (i) cases (n=21) of CDAD, being toxin A/B-positive; (ii) carriers (n=21) asymptomatic for CDAD (no diarrhoea) but at least toxin or culture positive; and (iii) controls (n=26) asymptomatic for CDAD and negative for both C. difficile toxin and culture. The age and gender of each group were compared, and the colonizing strains were ribotyped and toxinotyped. Serum antibodies (IgG and IgM) were measured by ELISA using different antigen preparations: EDTA extract (containing cell-surface proteins and carbohydrates), guanidine hydrochloride extract (surface-layer proteins), aqueous phenol-extracted lipocarbohydrate (LC); crude toxin (dialysis culture supernatant) and purified toxin A. LPS from Escherichia coli was used as a control antigen. Antibodies were also tested for toxin neutralization on tissue monolayers and for binding to EDTA-extracted antigens by Western blotting. IgG antibody measurements to cytomegalovirus (CMV) were included as an indicator of potential immunosenescence. Results showed that the patient groups were well matched by age and gender, and the colonizing strains were similar in cases and carriers, being predominantly ribotype 001 and toxinotype 0. By ELISA, IgG levels to most of the antigens were highest in the cases and lowest in the controls, with the exception of antibodies to the LC, which were higher in the controls than the cases. Levels in the carriers tended to be of intermediate level or similar to the controls. For all antigens, the levels of IgM were not significantly different among cases, carriers and controls. Serum from all groups was able to neutralize the cytotoxic action of toxin on both Vero and Caco2 cells, and all to a similar extent. Western blots showed an overall higher level of IgG antibodies to the EDTA-extracted antigens in the cases. The results of the CMV ELISA showed that specific IgG was detected in more cases (78 %) than carriers and controls (both 65 %), but this difference in seropositivity was not significant. The conclusion is that, during symptomatic infection, patients respond to protein antigens of C. difficile in a manner typical of a secondary antibody response, with no evidence that an inability to respond predisposes to the appearance of symptoms.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 40-47
Author(s):  
Gourav Makaju ◽  
Birendra Raj Joshi ◽  
Ram Bahadur Chand

Introduction: The deformity of the sella turcica is often a major clue that an abnormality exists within the cranium, hence a familiarity with the sella turcica anatomy and radiological appearance is important. The aim of this study was to assess the dimension of sella turcica of normal Nepalese people by using computed tomography scan of head and to correlate the dimension with the patient’s age and gender. Methods: This prospective study was performed in a tertiary hospital in Kathmandu. Data were collected over the period of 4 months from June to September 2018 with the total of 73 patients who underwent CT of head. The age and gender of the patients were noted. The dimensions of sella turcica were measured at the predefined three directions: length, depth and antero-posterior diameter of the sella turcica. Results: The sella turcica had a mean length of 8.375mm, AP diameter of 7.029mm, and depth of 10.13mm.The dimensions of the sella turcica increased with age till the age of 80 years and then decreased. Conclusions: This study concluded that the length, AP diameter and depth of the sella turcica vary with respect to age group. The length and depth of sella turcica were higher in males while AP diameter in females.


2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 20170282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Heil ◽  
Franz Sebastian Schwindling ◽  
Constanze Jelinek ◽  
Manuel Fischer ◽  
Marcel Prager ◽  
...  

Blood ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 138 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 3756-3756
Author(s):  
Cherng-Horng Wu ◽  
Philip Tracy ◽  
Denis Toskic ◽  
Raymond Comenzo

Abstract Introduction: Despite advances in therapy for patients with light-chain (AL) amyloidosis, mortality remains high in the first 6 months after diagnosis in those on treatment (Blood 2017;129:2111). The early deaths are usually sudden cardiac deaths (SCD); a prior study showed that troponin I level and lack of response to therapy influenced survival (Br J Haematol 2008;143:369). In January 2021 at the approval of daratumumab with cyclophosphamide, bortezomib and dexamethasone for AL (Dara/CyBorD), the FDA label warned that patients with higher cardiac staging may be at risk for fatal cardiac events. We sought to analyze risk factors for SCD in patients on treatment, defining SCD as a sudden unexpected death caused by loss of cardiovascular function (Arrhythm Electrophysiol Rev 2016;5:177). Methods: From a database of 398 patients with AL amyloidosis collected from 2005-2019, we identified patients who suffered out-patient SCD on treatment within 180 days of diagnosis. We recorded baseline age, gender, systolic BP, presence of syncope, LVEF, FLC, cardiac biomarkers, NYHA class, cycles of treatment with bortezomib, and data on SCD. For comparison we identified an age and gender matched group who achieved complete or very good partial responses (CR or VGPR) based on standard criteria and recorded that group's data (J Clin Oncol 2012;30:4541). We compared these datasets by two-tailed Mann-Whitney and where appropriate by contingency table analysis. We computed the medians of the involved FLC, BNP and troponin for all the cases to determine the frequency with which patients in either group had baseline values above or below those medians. Results: Comparative results are shown in Table 1. We identified 13 SCD and 74 age and gender matched CR/VGPR patients. Compared with the CR/VGPR group, both hypotension and exertional syncope were significantly more common in the SCD group, indicating the presence of autonomic dysfunction. NYHA class 3 or 4 status was also more common in the SCD group (40% and 13% vs 26% and 13% in the CR/VGPR group). In addition, more SCD patients were Mayo cardiac stage III (80% vs 46% in the CR/VGPR group) (Blood 2004;104:1881; J Clin Oncol 2004;22:3751). The SCD patients had significantly lower LVEF and higher iFLC and were significantly more likely to have iFLC values above the median. Similarly they had significantly higher BNP and troponin-I levels and were more likely to have values above the medians. The causes of death were unclear in 9 cases but were described by witnesses as due to syncopal events associated with micturition, climbing stairs, or light exertion. In 4 cases seen in emergency rooms, PEA was documented in 3 and septic shock in 1. The SCD patients had a median of 1 cycle of subcutaneous bortezomib-based therapy (CyBorD) (range, 1-5). Three patients received daratumumab subcutaneously with CyBorD. The median starting dose of bortezomib was 1.3mg/m2 (0.7-1.5) usually on a weekly schedule; 2 patients initiated therapy at 1.5mg/m2 weekly, one of whom had had progression of disease (POD) after 2 cycles of oral melphalan and dexamethasone and then had further progression despite completing 3 cycles of CyBorD (POD=1). Eight patients were inevaluable for hematologic response (NR=8), 2 achieved PR after 2 and 4 cycles of CyBorD (PR=2), and of the 3 who got Dara/CyBorD, 1 was inevaluable, 1 achieved VGPR after C1 and 1 CR in C2 (CR/VGPR=2), before having SCD. Conclusion: These findings indicate the contribution that the presence of autonomic dysfunction makes in this population of AL patients with advanced cardiac disease and high levels of iFLC, key variables in the revised Mayo staging system (J Clin Oncol 2012;30:989). The potential pre-morbid significance of exertional syncope has been identified previously (Am J Cardiol 1997;80:1242). In conclusion, this case series suggests that compared with AL amyloid patients who achieve CR or VGPR with treatment, patients who suffer early SCD on treatment have symptoms indicative of autonomic dysfunction and may benefit from in-patient initiation of treatment and from obtaining insurance approval for Dara/CyBorD but starting therapy with weekly subcutaneous daratumumab and dexamethasone, adding cyclophosphamide and bortezomib at a later timepoint based on hematologic response. Moreover, weekly assessment of FLC response is reasonable in these patients in order to guide therapy and adjust supportive care. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Comenzo: Sanofi-Aventis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Prothena Biosciences: Consultancy, Research Funding; Caelum: Consultancy, Research Funding; Takeda: Research Funding; Karyopharm: Research Funding; Janssen: Patents & Royalties: WO2016187546A1, Research Funding; Unum: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding.


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