Mechanical sensory threshold in Cavalier King Charles spaniels with syringomyelia-associated scratching and control dogs.

It is assumed that Cavalier King Charles spaniels with Chiari-like malformation and syringomyelia experience central neuropathic pain. An association between spinal cord parenchymal lesions and specific clinical signs (e.g. spontaneous and evoked scratching, withdrawal, and paroxysmal pain manifestations with vocalisation) has been suggested. This led to the hypothesis that mechanical sensory threshold is altered in clinical cases. The aim of this study was to quantify the cervical mechanical sensory threshold using Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments in nine Cavalier King Charles spaniels with Chiari-like malformation and assumed syringomyelia-associated central neuropathic pain compared to eight control dogs. Clinical and neurological examination including magnetic resonance imaging was undertaken. Mean mechanical sensory threshold was not significantly different between case and control dogs (t-test on log10 transformed data; P=0.25). Substantial variation within and between dogs was seen, with individual thresholds ranging from 0.04 to 26g in case dogs and from 0.02 to 10g in control dogs. Based on these results, it is unlikely that Cavalier King Charles spaniels with Chiari-like malformation and syringomyelia have increased mechanical sensation characterised by lower mechanical sensory threshold when quantified with Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments. Whether clinical cases experience central neuropathic pain remains unknown. The assessment of sensory function in dogs with assumed central neuropathic pain should be multimodal and include not only mechanical but also tactile and thermal threshold quantification. The use of threshold quantification in a clinical setting is challenging due to an insufficient signal relative to the biological background noise within and between dogs.

The ß-lactam clavulanic acid mediates glutamate transport-sensitive pain relief in a rat model of neuropathic pain.

BACKGROUND: Following nerve injury, down-regulation of astroglial glutamate transporters (GluTs) with subsequent extracellular glutamate accumulation is a key factor contributing to hyperexcitability within the spinal dorsal horn. Some ß-lactam antibiotics can up-regulate GluTs, one of which, ceftriaxone, displays analgesic effects in rodent chronic pain models. METHODS: Here, the antinociceptive actions of another ß-lactam clavulanic acid, which possesses negligible antibiotic activity, were compared with ceftriaxone in rats with chronic constriction injury (CCI)-induced neuropathic pain. In addition, the protein expression of glutamate transporter-1 (GLT1), its splice variant GLT1b and glutamate-aspartate transporter (GLAST) was measured in the spinal cord of CCI rats. Finally, protein expression of the same GluTs was evaluated in cultured astrocytes obtained from rodents and humans. RESULTS: Repeated injection of ceftriaxone or clavulanic acid over 10 days alleviated CCI-induced mechanical hypersensitivity, whilst clavulanic acid was additionally able to affect the thermal hypersensitivity. In addition, clavulanic acid up-regulated expression of GLT1b within the spinal cord of CCI rats, whereas ceftriaxone failed to modulate expression of any GluTs in this model. However, both clavulanic acid and ceftriaxone up-regulated GLT1 expression in rat cortical and human spinal astrocyte cultures. Furthermore, clavulanic acid increased expression of GLT1b and GLAST in rat astrocytes in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, clavulanic acid up-regulates GluTs in cultured rodent- and human astroglia and alleviates CCI-induced hypersensitivity, most likely through up-regulation of GLT1b in spinal dorsal horn. SIGNIFICANCE: Chronic dosing of clavulanic acid alleviates neuropathic pain in rats and up-regulates glutamate transporters both in vitro and in vivo. Crucially, a similar up-regulation of glutamate transporters in human spinal astrocytes by clavulanic acid supports the development of novel ß-lactam-based analgesics, devoid of antibacterial activity, for the clinical treatment of chronic pain.

Causes of iron overload in blood donors - a clinical study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Despite the obligate iron loss from blood donation, some donors present with hyperferritinaemia that can result from a wide range of acute and chronic conditions including hereditary haemochromatosis (HH). The objective of our study was to investigate the causes of hyperferritinaemia in the blood donor population and explore the value of extensive HH mutational analyses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-nine consecutive donors (f = 6, m = 43) were included prospectively from the Capital Regional Blood Center. Inclusion criteria were a single ferritin value >1000 µg/l or repeated hyperferritinaemia with at least one value >500 µg/l. All donors were questioned about their medical history and underwent a physical examination, biochemical investigations and next-generation sequencing of HH-related genes, including the HFE gene, the haemojuvelin gene (HFE2/HJV), the hepcidin gene (HAMP), the ferroportin 1 gene (SLC40A1) and the transferrin receptor 2 gene (TFR2). RESULTS: Forty of 49 donors were mutation positive with a combined 69 mutations, 54 of which were located in the HFE gene. There were 11 mutations in the TFR2 gene, two mutations in the HFE2 gene and two mutations in the HAMP gene. Only four donors had apparent alternative causes of hyperferritinaemia. CONCLUSION: HH-related mutations were the most frequent cause of hyperferritinaemia in a Danish blood donor population, and it appears that several different HH-genotypes can contribute to hyperferritinaemia. HH screening in blood donors with high ferritin levels could be warranted. HH-related iron overload should not in itself result in donor ineligibility.

Vendor-derived differences in injury-induced pain phenotype and pharmacology of Sprague-Dawley rats: Does it matter?

BACKGROUND: Outbred Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats are a commonly used strain in preclinical pain research. Here, we established empirically how SD rats obtained from different vendors might vary in sensitivity to injury and pharmacotherapy. METHODS: Chronic Constriction Injury (CCI) or complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) hindpaw inflammation was induced in male SD rats sourced from three to four different vendors, respectively. Neuropathic hypersensitivity was evaluated over 58 days using von Frey filaments, pinprick stimulation and the hot plate test. Pharmacological sensitivity was evaluated by treatment with gabapentin (100 mg/kg, p.o.) or morphine (3 mg/kg, s.c.). CFA-induced hyperalgesia and sensitivity to morphine (0.3-6 mg/kg, s.c.) was measured using a digital Randall-Selitto device. In addition, paw weight gain was used as an index of peripheral oedema. RESULTS: Significant differences between the vendor-supplied SD rats in relation to onset, magnitude and resolution of hypersensitivity after CCI were observed. Although all sub-strains eventually developed a robust and reversible neuropathic hypersensitivity to mechanical stimulation, the thermal hypersensitivity varied. Whereas pharmacological response to gabapentin varied enormously, the response to morphine was both robust and much more consistent between sub-strains. Despite a similar degree of CFA-induced hypersensitivity, the paw oedema level differed between sub-strains. Here, morphine dose-dependently alleviated the CFA-induced hypersensitivity, with only a subtle difference in sensitivity between sub-strains observed. CONCLUSIONS: Our data reveal that the source of vendor used to obtain SD rats may be one key factor responsible for 'between laboratory variation' in reproducing sensitivity to some drugs targeting various pathophysiological mechanisms in specific animal pain models. SIGNIFICANCE: The choice of vendor used to source the same strain of rat for use in preclinical pain research can profoundly affect the level of nociceptive hypersensitivity and response to reference analgesics in neuropathic versus inflammatory models.

Safety and efficacy of the combination of pegylated interferon-α2b and dasatinib in newly diagnosed chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia patients.

Dasatinib (DAS) and interferon-α have antileukemic and immunostimulatory effects and induce deep responses in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). We assigned 40 newly diagnosed chronic-phase CML patients to receive DAS 100 mg o.d. followed by addition of pegylated interferon-α2b (PegIFN) after 3 months (M3). The starting dose of PegIFN was 15 µg/week and it increased to 25 µg/week at M6 until M15. The combination was well tolerated with manageable toxicity. Of the patients, 84% remained on PegIFN at M12 and 91% (DAS) and 73% (PegIFN) of assigned dose was given. Only one patient had a pleural effusion during first year, and three more during the second year. After introduction of PegIFN we observed a steep increase in response rates. Major molecular response was achieved in 10%, 57%, 84% and 89% of patients at M3, M6, M12 and M18, respectively. At M12, MR(4) was achieved by 46% and MR(4.5) by 27% of patients. No patients progressed to advanced phase. In conclusion, the combination treatment appeared safe with very promising efficacy. A randomized comparison of DAS±PegIFN is warranted.

Prevalence and clinical significance of neutropenia discovered in routine complete blood cell counts: a longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: Neutropenia, defined as an absolute blood neutrophil count (ANC) <1.5 G L(-1) , may accompany a variety of diseases. However, the clinical significance of neutropenia detected in a routine complete blood cell count is poorly understood. METHODS: Using a primary care resource, comprising more than 370 000 individuals, we assessed the association with a number of previously recognized conditions as well as all-cause mortality in the 4 years following the identification of neutropenia. By matching laboratory data with Danish nationwide health registers, risk estimates were assessed. RESULTS: Neutropenia was observed in approximately 1% of all individuals and was associated dose dependently with viral infections, haematological malignancies (but not autoimmune disorders or solid cancers) and mortality. Neutropenia was particularly associated with HIV, acute leukaemias and myelodysplastic syndromes. Odds ratios [95% confidence interval (CI)] for viral infections were 2.32 (1.84-2.91), 2.80 (2.20-3.57) and 4.77 (3.22-7.07) for subnormal (≥1.5-1.8 G L(-1) ), mild (≥1.0-1.5 G L(-1) ) and moderate-severe (≥0.0-1.0 G L(-1) ) neutropenic individuals, respectively (all P < 0.001). Likewise, odds ratios (95% CI) for haematological malignancies were 3.23 (2.35-4.45), 8.69 (6.58-11.47) and 46.03 (33.98-62.35 ), for the same neutropenia levels, respectively (all P < 0.001). Thus, the lower the ANC, the greater the likelihood of these diseases. The relative risk estimates observed for severe neutropenia corresponded to absolute risks of haematological malignancies and mortality from any cause of 40% and >50%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Neutropenia is an ominous sign necessitating careful follow-up. The risk estimates presented here support focusing attention to viral diseases and haematological malignancies when neutropenia is observed.

Donepezil provides positive effects to patients treated with gabapentin for neuropathic pain: an exploratory study.

BACKGROUND: The first-line medication gabapentin and the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor donepezil represent a new promising combination to improve treatment outcomes for patients with severe neuropathic pain. The drugs have previously shown synergism following co-administration in nerve-injured rats. METHODS: The clinical relevance of adding donepezil to existing gabapentin treatment in patients with post-traumatic neuropathic pain was explored in this open-label study. The study comprised two consecutive periods of minimum 6 weeks: (1) titration of gabapentin to the highest tolerable dose or maximum 2400 mg daily, and (2) addition of donepezil 5 mg once daily to the fixed gabapentin dose. Efficacy and tolerability were assessed by ratings of pain intensity, questionnaires for pain and health-related quality of life, and reporting of adverse events. Pain scores were also analysed using mixed-effects analysis with the software NONMEM to account for intersubject variability. RESULTS: Eight patients commenced treatment with donepezil, of which two withdrew because of adverse events. Addition of donepezil resulted in clinically relevant reductions of pain (> 11 units on a 0-100 scale) and improved mental wellness in three of six patients. The remaining three patients had no obvious supplemental effect. Mixed-effects analysis revealed that pain scores were significantly lower during co-administration (P < 0.0001 combination vs. monotherapy). CONCLUSION: Donepezil may provide additional analgesia to neuropathic pain patients with insufficient pain relief from gabapentin as monotherapy. The promising results support controlled clinical trials of the drug combination. The usefulness of mixed-effects analysis in small-scale trials and/or for data with high intersubject variability was also demonstrated.

Characterization of blood donors with high haemoglobin concentration.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The literature contains little on the prevalence and causes of high predonation haemoglobin levels among blood donors. This study aimed to characterize and develop an algorithm to manage would-be donors with polycythaemia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between November 2009 and November 2011, we offered haematology consultations to blood donors with repeated haemoglobin concentration (Hb) above the WHO limit for polycythaemia vera (PV) (10·2 and 11·5 mm/16·5 and 18·5 g/dl for women and men, respectively). Investigation of such donors included Hb, haematocrit, mean cell volume, erythropoietin, ferritin, platelet count and leucocyte count, JAK2 V617 and JAK2 exon12 analysis, as well as other routine measurements. RESULTS: Among 46 such donors, 39 had a history of smoking, which contributes to erythrocytosis. Two had PV, five had severe hypertension, one of them because of renal artery stenosis, and two had diabetes mellitus. Thus, we found a high morbidity among such donors. Of the 36 others, 30 donated again before May 2012, at which time the Hb was significantly lower. CONCLUSION: We recommend JAK2 V617 and JAK2 exon12 screening and clinical investigation for donors with concurrently high Hb, high haematocrit and iron deficiency. We also recommend that they stop or cut down on smoking to reduce the risk of thrombosis in general. We disqualified 10 of the donors.

Inheritance of the chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms. A systematic review.

This systematic review investigated the inheritance of the classical chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) including polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET), primary myelofibrosis (PMF) and chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). Sixty-one articles were included and provided 135 families with a total of 341 participants distributed to various subtypes of MPN: 50% PV, 23% ET, 14% PMF, 10% CML and 3% non-MPN hematological disorder. Women developed the disease earlier than men (43.1 years vs 47.3 years; p = 0.074), while the general average age of onset was 46 years, notably younger than sporadic cases. The clinical phenotype of the families showed a homogenous (67%) and a heterogeneous (33%) pattern, with the majority being PV-PV pairs (36%) and PV-PMF pairs (17%), respectively. This observation suggests that the susceptibility gene (or genes) is not restricted to one subtype supporting the hypothesis of a mutation in an early multipotent stem cell. Furthermore, a major subgroup of families provided evidence of an autosomal dominant (AD) inheritance with reduced penetrance. This study suggests that the origin of MPNs may occur in at least three different settings: (i) a sporadic, (ii) genetic heterogeneity with polygenetic and environmental impact and (iii) a familial phenotype following an AD inheritance.

Sustained major molecular response on interferon alpha-2b in two patients with polycythemia vera.

Quantitative assessment of the JAK2 V617F allele burden during disease evolution and ongoing myelosuppressive treatment is likely to be implemented in the future clinical setting. Interferon alpha has demonstrated efficacy in treatment of both chronic myeloid leukemia and the Philadelphia chromosome negative chronic myeloproliferative disorders. Reductions in the JAK2 V617F allele burden in patients treated with pegylated interferon alpha-2a (Peg-IFN-2a) have been demonstrated, although follow-up was relatively short. We report here the first profound and sustained molecular responses with a JAK2 V617F allele burden below 1.0% in two patients with polycythemia vera treated with interferon alpha-2b (IFN-2b). Discontinuation of IFN-2b in one of the patients was followed by a sustained long-lasting (12 months of follow-up) major molecular response.

The antinociceptive efficacy of buprenorphine administered through the drinking water of rats.

Postoperative pain management in laboratory animals is important for animal welfare and required under law in many countries. Frequent injection of analgesics to rodents after surgery is stressful for the animals and labour-intensive for animal care personnel. An alternative dosing scheme such as administration of analgesics in the drinking water would be desirable. However, the efficacy of a chronic oral analgesic treatment via this route has not yet been documented. This study investigated the antinociceptive efficacy of buprenorphine administered ad libitum via the drinking water of laboratory rats. The antinociceptive efficacy of buprenorphine in drinking water was compared with repeated subcutaneous injections. A comparison was also made between buprenorphine in drinking water and the combination of one single subcutaneous injection of buprenorphine followed by buprenorphine in drinking water. Antinociception was assessed by use of an analgesiometric model measuring the rats' latency time to withdrawal from a noxious heat stimulus applied to the plantar surface of the paw. Results revealed that buprenorphine in drinking water (0.056 mg/mL) induced significant increases in paw withdrawal latency times during a three-day period of administration with a maximal effect at 39 h after the start of buprenorphine administration. One single injection of buprenorphine (0.1 mg/kg s.c.) followed by buprenorphine in the drinking water (0.056 mg/mL) induced an earlier onset of antinociception than buprenorphine in drinking water alone. In contrast, buprenorphine (0.1 mg/kg s.c.) injected every 8 h over a period of three days did not result in significant increases in paw withdrawal latency times. In conclusion, our results suggest that one single subcutaneous injection of buprenorphine followed by buprenorphine in drinking water may be a viable treatment option for the relief of pain in laboratory rats, but at the doses used in this study in pain-free rats it was associated with a decrease in water intake and some behavioural changes.

Two polyclonal antisera detect different AGE epitopes in human plasma samples.

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs), involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications, comprise a series of related chemical structures which might possess dissimilar immunogenic characteristics. In this study the levels of AGE in plasma samples from normal subjects (N=41) and diabetic patients (N=44) were measured by ELISA using two polyclonal antisera (named CF5 and CF199, respectively, and immunologically characterized) raised using two different immunogens and immunization techniques. Age levels were significantly higher in diabetic than in normal plasma samples (P<0.0001) with both antisera. However, CF199 detected higher AGE levels than CF5 both in normal (P<0.0001) and diabetic (P<0.005) samples. Pre-incubation with AGE-bovine serum albumin (BSA) caused the loss of most the reactivity of both antisera. Pre-incubation with carboxy-methyl-lysine-BSA (an oxidation-derived AGE) induced the loss of nearly all CF5 reactivity while CF199 retained a significant amount of activity against AGE antigens. Moreover, CF5 lost over 90% of its reactivity against BSA incubated with high glucose under non-oxidative conditions, suggesting its recognition of mainly oxidation-derived AGE epitopes. The different AGE levels measured by the two antisera suggests, therefore, that one single antiserum is unable to recognize all the various AGE epitopes which might be present, at any time, in tissues and body fluids in health and disease.

[Primary cardiac lymphoma]. / Primaert, kardialt lymfom.

Primary cardiac non-Hodgkin lymphoma is very rare. Results recently published suggest that the prognosis is good, if the lymphoma is diagnosed early. The symptoms are nevertheless unspecific and a clinical investigation is often inconclusive. We report a case of a woman with symptoms of severe dyspnoea at rest, chest pain, and fatigue. The ECG showed a complete atrioventricular block. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a tumour in the right atrium and ventricle. A myocardial biopsy showed malignant non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the diffuse, large cell B-type. The patient was treated with chemotherapy and control MRI after four treatments showed complete regression of the tumour.

New safe medicines faster: A proposal for a key action within the European union's 6th framework programme.

The global competitiveness of the European pharmaceutical industry is under threat. Technology currently available for the development of new medicines is unable to match the pace of drug discovery and design; and the ever-growing demand for safety, efficacy and quality documentation has increased the cost and time involved in getting new medicines on the market. Although the pharmaceutical industry is one of the strongest in Europe in terms of research, innovation, exports and employment, there are severe restrictions on its ability to create wealth and launch safe drugs for the treatment of common and rare afflictions. The present situation should not be allowed to continue. For this reason, the European Federation for Pharmaceutical Sciences (EUFEPS) has proposed a key action under the title "New safe medicines faster" for the forthcoming EU 6th RTD framework programme. The key action has three main objectives: to seek new technologies capable of more effective selection of potential drug candidates for innovative medicines while accommodating safety demands; to use such technologies to speed up the pharmaceutical development process and eliminate bottlenecks created by initial exploratory drug research; and to cultivate a pan-European interdisciplinary network that bridges the gap between industry, academia and regulatory authorities. By involving regulatory authorities early on and fuelling research and innovation with EU money it should be possible to create a new set of recognised European standards whereby new safe medicines can be brought onto the market faster and cheaper.

A novel inhibitor of advanced glycation end-product formation inhibits mesenteric vascular hypertrophy in experimental diabetes.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Previous studies in our laboratory have shown that the vascular changes in diabetes include hypertrophy of the mesenteric vasculature and that this process can be attenuated by the inhibition of advanced glycation with aminoguanidine. Since aminoguanidine can also act as an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, the effect of a novel inhibitor of advanced glycation end-products, formation that does not inhibit nitric oxide synthase, known as 2,3 diaminophenazine (2,3 DAP) was evaluated. METHODS: Initially, in vitro assessment of the ability of 2,3 diaminophenazine to inhibit formation of advanced glycation products was performed. Subsequently, in vivo studies evaluating 2,3 diaminophenazine and aminoguanidine were carried out. Animals were followed for 3 weeks after induction of diabetes and randomised to no treatment, aminoguanidine or 2,3 diaminophenazine. Mesenteric vessels were weighed and advanced glycation end-products were measured by radioimmunoassay in vessel and kidney homogenates. In addition, these products were assessed in mesenteric vessels by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: When compared with control animals, diabetes was associated with an increase in mesenteric vascular weight. Treatment of diabetic rats with aminoguanidine or 2,3 diaminophenazine resulted in attenuation of vascular hypertrophy. Both aminoguanidine and 2,3 diaminophenazine reduced the formation of advanced glycation end-products as measured by radioimmunoassay and as assessed immunohistochemically in these vessels. This reduction was also observed in the kidney. CONCLUSION/INTERPRETATION: These data support the concept that the effects of aminoguanidine in reducing diabetes associated vascular hypertrophy are via inhibition of advanced glycation end-products dependent pathways.

Structural heterogeneity of the binding sites of HSA for phenyl-groups and medium-chain fatty acids. Demonstration of equilibrium between different binding conformations.

A new facet of the very heterogeneous albumin molecule is described. Chromatography at pH 6-9 of human serum albumin (HSA) on a phenyl-sepharose column separates it into two nonconvertible conformations that are, in turn, in equilibrium with its binding and nonbinding forms. The hydrophobic interaction of HSA with phenyl-sepharose depends on ionic strength, pH, and time of contact with the immobilized ligand. Binding as a function of pH shows a minimum at pH 6.5, and the binding profile at pH 7-9 fits the titration of a weak monoprotic acid with a pKa of 7.3. There was no observable difference in the CD spectra or the masses of the two forms. The equilibrium between the albumin forms was examined under defined conditions and cannot be explained by a simple two-state model. Thus rechromatography of the nonbinding fraction derived from a sample in which 50% of the protein was originally retained resulted only in 10-20% bound protein. Correspondingly only 70-80% of the binding form was retained. A model explaining the observations can be derived if two species, I and II, exist in the solution, both being in an equilibrium with a binding and a nonbinding form, but in which I is not in equilibrium with II. The rate of conversion between the binding and nonbinding conformations was determined to be faster than 15 s at room temperature.

A simple method for the preparation and purification of C1 complement cleaved beta 2-microglobulin from human serum.

A simple method is described for the preparation of proteolytically processed forms of beta 2-microglobulin suitable for structural and biological studies. PEG 6000 was added to the serum of healthy individuals to precipitate the C1 complement complex from C1 esterase inhibitor (C1-inh). After dissolving the precipitate containing the C1 complement in Tris-HCl buffer, pH 7.6, efficient conversion of added beta 2-microglobulin to desLys58 beta 2-microglobulin was observed. Addition of a specific carboxypeptidase B inhibitor (Plummers inhibitor) could partly prevent the deletion of Lys-58 from cleaved beta 2-microglobulin, whereby Lys58-cleaved beta 2-microglobulin was obtained. The proteolytically processed forms were subsequently purified by G-75 Sephadex gel filtration followed by chromatofocusing. A yield of 10-40% of proteolytically processed beta 2-microglobulin was obtained. Only one component was seen by SDS-PAGE stained with Coomassie Brilliant Blue.

Relative contributions of advanced glycation and nitric oxide synthase inhibition to aminoguanidine-mediated renoprotection in diabetic rats.

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) have previously been shown to be increased in the diabetic kidney. Aminoguanidine, an inhibitor of advanced glycation, has been shown to attenuate the development of AGEs as well as the progression of renal disease in experimental diabetes. However, the precise mechanisms through which aminoguanidine acts remain to be elucidated since it is also able to act as an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOS). This study has therefore compared the effects of aminoguanidine with the effects of two other inhibitors of NOS, L-NAME and methylguanidine, on the development of experimental diabetic nephropathy. Diabetic rats were randomised to receive no treatment, aminoguanidine (1 g/l in drinking water), L-NAME (5 mg/l in drinking water) or methylguanidine (1 g/l in drinking water). Diabetic rats had increased levels of albuminuria and urinary nitrite/nitrate excretion when compared to control rats. Renal AGEs measured by fluorescence as well as by a carboxymethyllysine reactive radioimmunoassay, were elevated in diabetic rats. No changes in inducible NOS (iNOS) protein expression were detected in experimental diabetes nor did aminoguanidine affect iNOS expression. Aminoguanidine did not affect blood glucose or HbA1c but it did prevent increases in albuminuria, urinary nitrites/nitrates and renal AGE levels as measured by fluorescence and radioimmunoassay. L-NAME and methylguanidine did not retard the development of albuminuria, nor did they prevent increases in renal AGE levels, as assessed by fluorescence. However, these treatments did prevent increases in AGEs, as measured by radioimmunoassay. This study indicates that the renoprotective effect of aminoguanidine in experimental diabetes cannot be reproduced by L-NAME or methylguanidine. It is likely that the effect of aminoguanidine is mediated predominantly by decreased AGE formation rather than via NOS inhibition. It also raises the possibility that inhibition of fluorescent AGE formation may be more renoprotective than inhibition of the formation of carboxymethyllysine-containing AGEs.

Intensive treatment in order to minimize the Ph-positive clone in CML. Danish-Swedish CML Group.

With the rationale that a significant reduction of the malignant clone in CML might prolong time to metamorphosis, intensive treatment was given to patients < or = 55 years. Six months of hydroxyurea and high dose interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) was followed by one to three courses of intensive chemotherapy. Patients who had a donor were allotransplanted and patients who became Ph-negative in bone marrow were autotransplanted. On 1 May 1995, 160 patients were registered in the study. Fifty-one percent of the patients who received six months IFN-alpha and hydroxyurea had a significant Ph-reduction and 5% became Ph-negative. The corresponding figures after two intensive chemotherapy courses were 47 and 28%, respectively. Twenty-seven of 30 autotransplanted patients have been analysed for Ph. Seventeen have relapsed cytogenetically, while ten are Ph-negative 1-64 + months after ABMT. BMT was performed in 59 patients. The actuarial 6-year survival from diagnosis of all 160 registered patients is 68%, which seems to be better than for age-matched historical controls.

Combination chemotherapy with a five-drug regimen for invasive thymoma.

Nine patients with stage III and stage IV thymoma were treated with cisplatin, vincristine, lomustine, cyclophosphamide and prednisolone. Two patients (22%) obtained remission, and four patients (44%) showed no change for 11 to 31 months. It was found that this five-drug regimen did not improve the results obtained by other chemotherapy modalities for thymoma.