ABSTRACT
Between October 1988 and December 1990, 60 patients with leukaemia (25 with AML, 19 ALL and 16 CML) undergoing BMT were randomised in a double-blind clinical trial to receive prostaglandin E2 (PGE) (Prostin E2, 0.5 mg per tablet) or placebo for prophylaxis of oral mucositis. Patients had to dissolve tablets in the mouth three times daily starting 7 days before BMT and continuing until 21 days after BMT. The incidence of severe oral mucositis was similar for both groups, 55% in patients receiving PGE and 52% in patients receiving placebo. The duration of severe mucositis did not differ between PGE and placebo groups (chi-square 0.95, p = NS). The incidence of HSV infection was significantly higher in patients receiving PGE. Patients with HSV infection receiving PGE also had a higher incidence of severe oral mucositis. The results presented indicate that PGE is not effective for prophylaxis of oral mucositis in BMT recipients.
Subject(s)
Bone Marrow Transplantation , Dinoprostone/therapeutic use , Stomatitis/prevention & control , Adolescent , Adult , Child , Double-Blind Method , Female , Herpes Simplex/complications , Herpes Simplex/epidemiology , Humans , Incidence , Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive/therapy , Leukemia, Myeloid/therapy , Male , Mouth Mucosa , Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/therapy , Stomatitis/chemically induced , Stomatitis/complications , Stomatitis/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Six female patients who developed tuberculosis during the treatment of connective tissue diseases are presented. Underlying disease--systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and polymyositis--with its numerous immunopathologic processes essentially decreases resistance of the organism to infections. Tuberculosis usually accompanies chronic, exhausting diseases and tends to involve patients with the decreased immunity. The use of glucocorticoids and immunosuppressive agents has been shown to have a significant influence on the suppression of the immune system. Thus, tuberculosis is a dangerous, very often fatal complication in the course and treatment of connective tissue diseases.
