scholarly journals Clinical predictors of response to immunomodulators for multiple sclerosis

2012 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guilherme Sciascia do Olival ◽  
Leonardo Ciciarelli Pereira Lima ◽  
Gabriel Paiva Silva Lima ◽  
Charles Peter Tilbery
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Epidemiological Data ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Therapeutic Approaches ◽  
Clinical Predictors ◽  
Clinical Criteria ◽  
Predictors Of Response ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Patient Groups ◽  
Epidemiological Characteristics

OBJECTIVES: To determine, based on clinical criteria, the proportion of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients responsive to immunomodulators (RI) and nonresponsive to immunomodulators (NRI), and to ascertain whether clinical and epidemiological data differs between RI and NRI patient groups. METHODS: Patients were assessed on rate of exarcerbations per year, for the period before and after commencement of treatment. The RI and NRI groups were compared for several clinical and epidemiological characteristics. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: A total of 31.4% of the patients were nonresponders to the immunomodulatory treatment. The main predictors of immunomodulatory response were early diagnostic and commencement of therapy and high rate of annual exacerbations prior to treatment. Given the arsenal of medication options available for MS management, screening potential candidates for different therapeutic approaches are critical to optimize evolution of patients with the disease.

Response to interferon-beta therapy in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: a comparison of different clinical criteria

2006 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 281-286 ◽  
Author(s):  
E Portaccio ◽  
V Zipoli ◽  
G Siracusa ◽  
S Sorbi ◽  
M P Amato
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Relapse Rate ◽  
Interferon Beta ◽  
Clinical Criteria ◽  
Predictors Of Response ◽  
Lower Baseline ◽  
Disability Status ◽  
Relapsing Remitting ◽  
One Year ◽  
Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

We assessed the proportion and potential predictors of response to interferon-beta (IFNβ) therapy in relapsing-remitting (RR) multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, comparing different definitions of response: a) lower relapse rate during therapy compared to the year and the two years before therapy, b) reduction of relapse rate during therapy of at least 30% compared to the two years before therapy, c) no relapse during treatment, d) no progression on the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). Among 147 RR patients treated for at least one year, 33 received IFNβ-1b subcutaneously (SC) (Betaferon), 59 IFNβ-1a intramuscularly (Avonex) and 55 IFNβ-1a SC (Rebif). Using definitions a), b) and d), 72%, 73% and 73% patients, respectively, were considered responders. Forty-four per cent of our patients were completely relapse free. In the logistic regression model, using definitions a) and b), a higher relapse rate in the two years preceding the therapy turned out to be a significant predictor of response. Considering definition c), lower baseline relapse rate was associated with a more favourable response.

scholarly journals Resolution of Bitot's spots following mega-dose vitamin A supplementation in children between 1 and 5 years of age

2013 ◽  
Vol 17 (7) ◽  
pp. 1614-1619 ◽  
Author(s):  
Umesh Kapil ◽  
Shraddha Dwivedi ◽  
Harshpal S Sachdev ◽  
SN Dwivedi ◽  
RM Pandey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin A ◽  
Vitamin A Deficiency ◽  
Indian Subcontinent ◽  
Uttar Pradesh ◽  
Clinical Predictors ◽  
Vitamin A Supplementation ◽  
Public Health Burden ◽  
Predictors Of Response ◽  
Before And After

AbstractObjectiveThe prevalence of Bitot's spots (BS) is often used to quantify vitamin A deficiency burden in India, both before and after mega-dose vitamin A supplementation (MVAS) programmes. However, the proportion of BS cured following this intervention is unclear in contemporary times. The current study evaluated the responsiveness of BS over 1 year to MVAS administered as per the national programme in rural India.DesignProspective, community-based, 1-year follow-up of a cohort.SettingRural Uttar Pradesh, India.SubjectsTwo hundred and sixty-two children with BS, aged between 1 and 5 years, administered 60 mg (retinol equivalent) of vitamin A on diagnosis and after 1 month. Cure or resolution was defined if there was no discernible BS in either eye.ResultsDuring 1 year, only three children were lost to follow-up. At 6 months of follow-up (MVAS at baseline and 1 month later), 51·1 (95% CI 45·3, 57·3) % were classified as cured. The corresponding figure at 1 year (additional MVAS at 6 months) was 59·9 (95% CI 54·1, 65·9) %. Among those cured at 6 months, about half and three-quarters had resolved at 2 and 3 months, respectively. Apart from male gender, there were no significant sociodemographic or clinical predictors of response.ConclusionsSubstantial non-response to MVAS at 6 months (49%) and 1 year (40%) of follow-up suggests that presently in the Indian subcontinent, BS is a relatively crude indicator of severe current vitamin A deficiency. For programmatic decisions and evaluation, the public health burden of vitamin A deficiency should not be assessed solely through BS.

scholarly journals COVID-19 infected patients in a Hemodialysis facility in Ecuador, 2020.

Bionatura ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 1845-1850
Author(s):  
Mario Hernández ◽  
Emilio Fors ◽  
Fresia Massuht ◽  
Ingrid Figueredo ◽  
Raúl Caballero ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Medical Records ◽  
Clinical Characteristics ◽  
Hemodialysis Patients ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Shortness Of Breath ◽  
The Third ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Epidemiological Characteristics

We retrospectively analyzed the data of 38 hemodialysis patients with COVID-19, including demographic and clinical characteristics were collected from the medical records of patients from Reynadial center from April to June 2020. Of 125 patients from the clinic, 38 (30.4%) were diagnosed with COVID-19. The third part of patients (12) died, the mortality rate was 31%. The mean (±SD) age of the patients was 61±13 years, 57.9% were men. The most common symptoms were shortness of breath and cough; 80% of patients had fever on admission, and more than 90% had hypertension. No significant differences were observed between survivors and non-survivors in demographic and epidemiological characteristics except for gender. We found statistically significant differences between blood pressure and weight before and after the infection by COVID-19. We found a high COVID-19 prevalence in our hemodialysis patients and a high rate of deaths among them, with non-significant statistical differences between survivors and non-survivors of the disease regarding most of the variables studied.

scholarly journals Insights from IgE Immune Surveillance in Allergy and Cancer for Anti-Tumour IgE Treatments

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (17) ◽  
pp. 4460
Author(s):  
Alex J. McCraw ◽  
Jitesh Chauhan ◽  
Heather J. Bax ◽  
Chara Stavraka ◽  
Gabriel Osborn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Data ◽  
Immune Surveillance ◽  
Epidemiological Data ◽  
Therapeutic Approaches ◽  
Complex Interplay ◽  
Effector Cells ◽  
Patient Groups ◽  
Cancer Types ◽  
Antibody Class ◽  
High Risk Cancer

IgE, the predominant antibody class of the allergic response, is known for its roles in protecting against parasites; however, a growing body of evidence indicates a significant role for IgE and its associated effector cells in tumour immunosurveillance, highlighted by the field of AllergoOncology and the successes of the first-in-class IgE cancer therapeutic MOv18. Supporting this concept, substantial epidemiological data ascribe potential roles for IgE, allergy, and atopy in protecting against specific tumour types, with a corresponding increased cancer risk associated with IgE immunodeficiency. Here, we consider how epidemiological data in combination with functional data reveals a complex interplay of IgE and allergy with cancer, which cannot be explained solely by one of the existing conventional hypotheses. We furthermore discuss how, in turn, such data may be used to inform future therapeutic approaches, including the clinical management of different patient groups. With epidemiological findings highlighting several high-risk cancer types protected against by high IgE levels, it is possible that use of IgE-based therapeutics for a range of malignant indications may offer efficacy to complement that of established IgG-class antibodies.

scholarly journals Characteristics of Salmonella From Chinese Native Chicken Breeds Fed on Conventional or Antibiotic-Free Diets

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lulu Cui ◽  
Qingxiao Liu ◽  
Zhiyu Jiang ◽  
Yan Song ◽  
Shoujing Yi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Epidemiological Data ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
Resistance Rate ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Food Borne ◽  
Native Chicken ◽  
Chicken Breeds ◽  
Free Feeding ◽  
Resistance Spectrum ◽  
Epidemiological Characteristics

Salmonella is a common food-borne Gram-negative pathogen with multiple serotypes. Pullorum disease, caused by Salmonella Pullorum, seriously threatens the poultry industry. Many previous studies were focused on the epidemiological characteristics of Salmonella infections in conventional antibiotic use poultry. However, little is known about Salmonella infections in chicken flocks fed on antibiotic-free diets. Herein, we investigated and compared Salmonella infections in three Chinese native breeders fed on antibiotic-free diets, including the Luhua, Langya, and Qingjiaoma chickens, and one conventional breeder, the Bairi chicken, via analyzing 360 dead embryos in 2019. The results showed that the main Salmonella serotypes detected in a total of 155 isolates were S. Pullorum (82.6%) and S. Enteritidis (17.4%). Coinfection with two serotypes of Salmonella was specifically found in Bairi chicken. The sequence type (ST) in S. Pullorum was ST92 (n = 96) and ST2151 (n = 32), whereas only ST11 (n = 27) was found in S. Enteritidis. The Salmonella isolates from three breeder flocks fed on antibiotic-free diets exhibited phenotypic heterogeneity with a great variety of drug resistance spectrum. Most of the isolates among three chicken breeds Luhua (64.9%, 50/77), Langya (60%, 12/20) and Qingjiaoma (58.3%, 7/12) fed on antibiotic-free diets were resistant to only one antibiotic (erythromycin), whereas the rate of resistance to one antibiotic in conventional Bairi chicken isolates was only 4.3% (2/46). The multidrug-resistance rate in Salmonella isolates from layer flocks fed on antibiotic-free diets (20.2%, 22/109) was significantly (P < 0.0001) lower than that from chickens fed on conventional diets (93.5%, 43/46). However, high rate of resistance to erythromycin (97.4%~100%) and streptomycin (26%~41.7%) were also found among three breeder flocks fed on antibiotic-free diets, indicating resistance to these antibiotics likely spread before antibiotic-free feeding in poultry farms. The findings of this study supplement the epidemiological data of salmonellosis and provide an example of the characteristics of Salmonella in the chicken flocks without direct antibiotic selective pressure.

Pharmacogenetic Predictors of Response to Interferon Beta Therapy in Multiple Sclerosis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
María Isabel Carrasco-Campos ◽  
Cristina Pérez-Ramírez ◽  
Elena Macías-Cortés ◽  
Elena Puerta-García ◽  
Antonio Sánchez-Pozo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Interferon Beta ◽  
Predictors Of Response

scholarly journals Susceptible trichostrongyloid species mask presence of benzimidazole-resistant Haemonchus contortus in cattle

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Khalid M. Mohammedsalih ◽  
Jürgen Krücken ◽  
Ahmed Bashar ◽  
Fathel-Rahman Juma ◽  
Abdalhakaim A. H. Abdalmalaik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Haemonchus Contortus ◽  
Epidemiological Data ◽  
Nematode Species ◽  
Parasitic Nematodes ◽  
Molecular Approaches ◽  
Tubulin Genes ◽  
Faecal Egg Count ◽  
Third Stage ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Β Tubulin

Abstract Background Benzimidazole (BZ) anthelmintics are widely used to control infections with parasitic nematodes, but BZ resistance is an emerging threat among several nematode species infecting humans and animals. In Sudan, BZ-resistant Haemonchus contortus populations were recently reported in goats in South Darfur State. The objective of this study was to collect data regarding the situation of BZ resistance in cattle parasitic nematodes in South Darfur using phenotypic and molecular approaches, besides providing some epidemiological data on nematodes in cattle. Methods The faecal egg count reduction test and the egg hatch test (EHT) were used to evaluate benzimidazole efficacy in cattle nematodes in five South Darfur study areas: Beleil, Kass, Nyala, Rehed Al-Birdi and Tulus. Genomic DNA was extracted from pools of third-stage larvae (L3) (n = 40) during trials, before and after treatment, and pools of adult male Haemonchus spp. (n = 18) from abattoirs. The polymorphisms F167Y, E198A and F200Y in isotype 1 β-tubulin genes of H. contortus and H. placei were analysed using Sanger and pyrosequencing. Results Prevalence of gastro-intestinal helminths in cattle was 71% (313/443). Reduced albendazole faecal egg count reduction efficacy was detected in three study areas: Nyala (93.7%), Rehed Al-Birdi (89.7%) and Tulus (88.2%). In the EHT, EC50 values of these study areas ranged between 0.032 and 0.037 µg/ml thiabendazole. Genus-specific PCRs detected the genera Haemonchus, Trichostrongylus and Cooperia in L3 samples collected after albendazole treatment. Sanger sequencing followed by pyrosequencing assays did not detect elevated frequencies of known BZ resistance-associated alleles in codon F167Y, E198A and F200Y in isotype 1 β-tubulin gene of H. placei (≤ 11.38%). However, polymorphisms were detected in H. contortus and in samples with mixed infections with H. contortus and H. placei at codon 198, including E198L (16/58), E198V (2/58) and potentially E198Stop (1/58). All pooled L3 samples post-albendazole treatment (n = 13) were identified as H. contortus with an E198L substitution at codon 198. Conclusions To the knowledge of the authors, this is the first report of reduced albendazole efficacy in cattle in Sudan and is the first study describing an E198L substitution in phenotypically BZ-resistant nematodes collected from cattle.

Chronic Induction of C-Reactive Protein by Hemodialysis, but Not by Peritoneal Dialysis Therapy

1996 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 158-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marion Haubitz ◽  
Reinhard Brunkhorst ◽  
Eike Wrenger ◽  
Peter Froese ◽  
Matthias Schulze ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Peritoneal Dialysis ◽  
Renal Insufficiency ◽  
Chronic Renal Insufficiency ◽  
Inflammatory Activity ◽  
C Reactive Protein ◽  
Dialysis Therapy ◽  
Dialysis Treatment ◽  
Reactive Protein ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Patient Groups

Objective Evaluation of the inflammatory activity in patients on chronic peritoneal dialysis (PD) and patients on chronic hemodialysis (HD) in comparison to patients with chronic renal insufficiency without dialysis treatment and healthy volunteers. Design Open, non randomized prospective study. Setting Nephrology Department, including HD and PD therapy in a university hospital. Patients Twenty -four patients on chronic PD, 21 patients on chronic HD therapy using a cuprophan dialyzer, 16 patients with chronic renal insufficiency without dialysis treatment, and 33 healthy volunteers; 8 additional patients before and after initiation of chronic HD therapy. All patients and controls were without infection or immunosuppressive therapy. Main Outcome Measures As a marker of the inflammatory activity in the different patient groups, C-reactive protein (CAP) was measured serially using a sensitive, enzyme-Iinked, immunosorbent assay in order to detect values below the detection limit of standard assays. Results All patient groups had CAP levels higher than the normal controls (p < 0.01). Patients on HD had CAP levels significantly higher than PD patients (p < 0.01) whose levels were comparable to patients without dialysis therapy. Accordingly, longitudinal measurements before and after initiation of chronic HD showed a significant increase in CAP levels after the beginning of HD treatment (p < 0.04). Conclusions The results suggest that induction of the inflammatory activity is lower during PD compared to HD, since stimulation by the dialyzer membrane, dialysate buffer, or bacterial fragments in the dialysate is avoided. This observation might indicate a possible lower risk of long-term complications in patients with PD.

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