Effective and safe off-label use of caplacizumab treatment in a middle-aged obese male.

This study shows clinical efficacy and safety profile of an off-label use of caplacizumab for the treatment of immune-mediated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura in a middle-aged obese male patient manifesting aphasia, weakness and unconsciousness. Routine blood tests revealed haemolytic anaemia, severe thrombocytopenia (platelet count=20×109/L) and moderate creatinine increase. Diagnosis was based on the clinical judgement and laboratory determinations (undetectable ADAMTS13 activity and presence of anti-ADAMTS13 antibodies). The patient underwent plasma-exchange and an adjunctive treatment with prednisone (1mg/Kg/day), but the occurrence of a refractory and exacerbated form of disease suggested also using rituximab (375mg/m2 weekly for 4 weeks) and caplacizumab as salvage treatments. The caplacizumab was given at 10mg/day subcutaneously without the first intravenous bolus. Because von Willebrand factor inhibition, platelet count recovery and remission of symptoms were achieved, use of caplacizumab with this scheme appeared to be as effective as the approved one. Although this is an off-label use, this case highlights the potential of this new treatment, in terms of drug's efficacy and safety.

A novel algorithm for the calculation of physical and biological irradiation quantities in scanned ion beam therapy: the beamlet superposition approach.

The calculation algorithm of a modern treatment planning system for ion-beam radiotherapy should ideally be able to deal with different ion species (e.g. protons and carbon ions), to provide relative biological effectiveness (RBE) evaluations and to describe different beam lines. In this work we propose a new approach for ion irradiation outcomes computations, the beamlet superposition (BS) model, which satisfies these requirements. This model applies and extends the concepts of previous fluence-weighted pencil-beam algorithms to quantities of radiobiological interest other than dose, i.e. RBE- and LET-related quantities. It describes an ion beam through a beam-line specific, weighted superposition of universal beamlets. The universal physical and radiobiological irradiation effect of the beamlets on a representative set of water-like tissues is evaluated once, coupling the per-track information derived from FLUKA Monte Carlo simulations with the radiobiological effectiveness provided by the microdosimetric kinetic model and the local effect model. Thanks to an extension of the superposition concept, the beamlet irradiation action superposition is applicable for the evaluation of dose, RBE and LET distributions. The weight function for the beamlets superposition is derived from the beam phase space density at the patient entrance. A general beam model commissioning procedure is proposed, which has successfully been tested on the CNAO beam line. The BS model provides the evaluation of different irradiation quantities for different ions, the adaptability permitted by weight functions and the evaluation speed of analitical approaches. Benchmarking plans in simple geometries and clinical plans are shown to demonstrate the model capabilities.

Low-molecular -weight heparin in pregnancies after ART -a retrospective study-.

INTRODUCTION: The utility of an antithrombotic prophylaxis in Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) is highly debated. It has been hypothesised that specific effects of heparin on the coagulation system during implantation can improve the number of clinical pregnancies and live births. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied a cohort of 327 women undergone at least 1 ART cycle before thrombophilia testing. Overall, a number of 751cycles was analysed. Low-Molecular-Weight Heparin (LMWH) and/or low-dose aspirin (ASA) were prescribed in 132 (17.6%) cycles. Furthermore, all the women underwent thrombophilia screening. RESULTS: The univariate analysis showed that LMWH with/without ASA was significantly associated with both the outcomes clinical pregnancy and live birth, while the use of ASA was not associated with live birth. The logistic regression showed that the use of LMWH was significantly associated with both the outcomes, clinical pregnancy (OR: 6.0, 95%CI: 2.8-15.6) and live birth (OR: 10.7, 95%CI: 3.2-36.1). The type of ART procedure significantly influenced the likelihood of achieving clinical pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: Present findings suggest that LMWH alone or combined with ASA could have a role in fostering the implantation of embryos and improving the number of live births after ART.

Development and application of tools for Monte Carlo based simulations in a particle beam radiotherapy facility.

The integration of Monte Carlo (MC) transport codes into a particle therapy facility could be more easily achieved thanks to dedicated software tools. MC approach has been applied to several purposes at CNAO (Centro Nazionale di Adroterapia Oncologica), such as database generation for the treatment planning system, quality assurance calculations and biologically related simulations. In this paper we describe another application of the MC code and its tools by analyzing the impact of the dose delivery and range uncertainties on patient dose distributions.

Clinical Pregnancies and Live Births in women approaching ART: a follow-up analysis of 157 women after thrombophilia screening.

INTRODUCTION: The role of thrombophilia screening and antithrombotic therapy in unselected women undergone Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) is largely unknown. Nonetheless, in many Countries infertile women undergo thrombophilia screening and/or antithrombotic therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We carried out a follow-up study. The original sample (n=1107) consisted of infertile women observed in 13 years. A cohort of 157 women with at least 1 cycle before thrombophilia test and 1 after test was investigated. All underwent thrombophilia screening; an antithrombotic treatment was prescribed in 216 out of 801 cycles. Clinical pregnancy and live birth rates were the main clinical objectives. RESULTS: Overall, 15 (9.6%) women carried thrombophilia. The Cox regression showed that LMWH alone or combined with ASA was significantly associated with the outcome "live birth" "live births" (p: 0.015, HR: 2.8, 95%CI: 1.2-6.6 for combined therapy), independently of the carriership of thrombophilia. Women with a lower number of attempts had a higher likelihood of delivering a live-born child using the combined therapy (p<0.001, HR: 0.7, 95%CI: 0.7-0.8), independently of the presence of thrombophilia. CONCLUSIONS: A potential benefit of LMWH in improving number of live births, independently of the presence of thrombophilia, is suggested. Universal thrombophilia screening before ART is not useful to discriminate women with a worse pregnancy prognosis.

Impact of common thrombophilias and JAK2 V617F on pregnancy outcomes in unselected Italian women.

BACKGROUND: Although an association between thrombophilias and adverse pregnancy outcome has been shown, the influence of the most common inherited thrombophilias and the somatic mutation JAK2 V617F in determining an adverse outcome is questioned. OBJECTIVES: We examined the contribution of the factor V Leiden (FVL), the prothrombin G20210A (PTm) and the somatic JAK2 V617F mutations to adverse pregnancy outcome in an unselected cohort of pregnant women. PATIENTS/METHODS: During the study period, 5345 pregnant women were admitted to the 14 hospitals of the five provinces of the Campania region (Italy). Of these, 3097 samples were investigated and obstetric history collected. The presence of the FVL, PTm, and JAK2 V617F mutation was prospectively determined by polymerase chain reaction followed by TaqMan SNP genotyping assays. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: We identified 119 (3.8%) women that carried FVL and 138 (4.4%) with the PTm. Only 4 (0.1%) women carried both mutations. Only one woman tested positive for the JAK2 V617F somatic mutation. The prevalence of a previous history of an adverse pregnancy outcome was similar in women with common thrombophilias as compared to those without. In the current pregnancy, there was no association of any of the genetic markers considered with any of the adverse outcomes investigated. Carriership of FVL or PTm showed a positive trend with delivery of a small for gestational age newborn (OR: 1.5, 95% CI: 0.9-2.5). Pregnancy outcomes in asymptomatic women with inherited thrombophilias are often uneventful. Therefore, in women at low-risk of an adverse pregnancy, neither screening for common thrombophilias nor administration of routine thromboprophylaxis are warranted.

Factor XI deficiency: two novel mutations in asymptomatic Italian patients.

SUMMARY: Factor XI (FXI) deficiency is a rare bleeding disorder, resulting in a wide range of bleeding manifestations, from asymptomatic bleeding to injury-related bleeding. To identify mutations in FXI-deficient patients and to establish a possible relationship between clinical phenotype and genotype, we studied two patients from Southern Italy with FXI deficiency. They were identified by presurgical or routine laboratory screening. None of them showed bleeding. Three different mutations were detected (Glu117Stop, Cys118Arg and Trp497Gly); two of them were novel (Cys118Arg and Trp497Gly). One patient (with severe FXI levels) showed a compound heterozygosity (Glu117Stop with Cys118Arg). Two novel missense mutations were highly conserved among different species. In our patients, bleeding tendency did not appear to be correlated with FXI levels or with a single mutation in heterozygosis. On the other hand, the compound heterozygosis might explain low FXI levels, but it is not associated with bleeding. Our data confirm that a severe FXI deficiency is not necessarily associated with bleeding.

Low protein Z levels and risk of occurrence of deep vein thrombosis.

BACKGROUND: Protein Z (PZ) serves as a cofactor for activated factor X inhibition by the PZ-dependent protease inhibitor. In vivo and in vitro studies aimed at investigating the role of PZ levels in venous thombosis have produced conflicting results. OBJECTIVES: We investigated whether reduced PZ levels and PZ gene common variants are associated deep vein thrombosis (DVT). PATIENTS AND METHODS: In 197 patients with DVT and in 197 age-matched and sex-matched controls, PZ plasma levels and gene polymorphisms were evaluated by means of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and direct cycle sequence analysis. RESULTS: Similar PZ levels were found in controls (1.44; SD 0.63 microg mL-1) and in patients (1.44; SD 0.96 microg mL-1). The incidence of PZ levels below the 5.0 (0.52 microg mL-1) or the 2.5 percentile of controls (0.47 microg mL-1) was higher in patients (10.2% and 8.7%, respectively) than in controls {4.1% [odds ratio (OR) 2.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2-7.3], and 2.0% (OR 4.6, 95% CI 1.5-13.9), respectively}. This relationship was independent of the effect of age, sex, and factor V Leiden and FII A(20210) alleles [OR 2.8 (95% CI 1.1-7.3), and OR 4.9 (95% CI 1.4-17.3)]. PZ levels were associated with the intron C G-42A and the intron F G79A polymorphisms in cases (r2=0.129) and in controls (r2=0.140). However, frequencies of the PZ gene polymorphisms were similar in the two groups and were not associated with very low PZ levels. CONCLUSIONS: The present data suggest an association between very low PZ plasma levels and the occurrence of DVT, with PZ gene polymorphisms contributing little to this relationship.

Age and homocysteine plasma levels are risk factors for thrombotic complications after ovarian stimulation.

BACKGROUND: The magnitude of thrombotic risk during ovarian stimulation cycles is not known. We calculated the magnitude of thrombotic risk in a cohort of women starting a new cycle of ovarian stimulation and investigated the role of inherited and acquired thrombophilia for these events. METHODS: This is an observational study involving outpatients of a clinical research centre. Consecutive women undergoing ovarian stimulation (n = 305) were enrolled. Blood samples for studying inherited and acquired thrombophilia were obtained > or = 2 months after the last cycle of treatment. Odds ratios (OR) and confidence intervals (CI) were determined for markers significantly associated with thrombotic events. Blood samples were analysed for inherited and acquired causes of thrombophilia (antithrombin, protein C, protein S, antiphospholipid antibodies, the Factor V Leiden and FIIA20210 mutations, the TT677 MTHFR genotype, and homocysteine plasma levels). RESULTS: Thrombotic events were observed in 4/747 cycles of ovarian stimulation, with a prevalence of 0.5%, corresponding to 1.6 per 100 000 cycles/woman. Age > or = 39 years and homocysteine plasma levels above the 97.5 percentile were significantly associated with thrombotic events during IVF [OR 15.2 (95% CI 2.0-115.0) and 14.4 (1.5-141.3) respectively]. CONCLUSIONS: Age > or = 39 years and mild hyperhomocysteinaemia are strongly associated with the occurrence of thrombotic events during IVF.

[Acute biocompatibility of hemodiafiltration with endogenous reinfusion (HFR)]. / Emodiafiltrazione con reinfusione endogena (HFR): profilo di biocompatibilità in acuto.

PURPOSE: In order to reduce the hemodialysis (HD)-induced pro-inflammatory activity we need to use a biocompatible dialysis membrane, avoid backfiltration and possibly use adsorbents. Hemodiafiltration reinfusion (HFR) is a new on-line hemodiafiltration (HDF) technique combining these aspects. This study aimed to evaluate the biocompatibility of the single dialysis session comparing standard HD and HFR. METHODS: Eighteen patients on chronic HD were enrolled in five Centers. Patients underwent one standard and two HFR study sessions; in each session we evaluated leukocyte activation at 0, 5, 15, 60 and 240 min; and interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP) and IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) levels at 0, 60 and 240 min. RESULTS: Leukocyte activation was similar in HD and HFR, while the post-dialysis IL-6 increase was lower with HFR; CRP levels were stable during HFR, but increased after HD, and IL-1Ra did not demonstrate any difference. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary data show that HFR still has a better biocompatibility in the single dialysis session.