Experience with allogeneic and syngeneic blood stem cell transplantation in patients with hematological malignancies.

Between 1995 and 1997 twenty two patients with different hematological diseases ( CML n=10, AML n=6, ALL n=l, NHL n=3, SAA n=1,solid tumor n=1 ) and a median age of 37 (range, 20 to 55) years received unmanipulated peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) transplants from HLA-identical sibling donors at our institution. Myeloablative chemotherapy consisted of cyclophosphamide (CY) and total body irradiation in 11, and chemotherapy alone in 11 patients. For graft-versus host-disease (GVHD) prophylaxis all patients were given cyclosporine A and methotrexate according to the Seattle protocol. PBSC were mobilized by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) given at 10 microg/kg body weight (b.w.)/day for four days. Harvest of PBSC was started on day 5 and continued on day 6 if necessary. A median of 1 leukapheresis (range, 1 to 2) was performed and a median of 5.7 x 10(6) CD34+cells/kg b.w. (1.34 to 21.5) were obtained. Ten patients received G-CSF (5 microg/kg b.w.) starting on day one after PBSCT until neutrophil recovery. Absolute neutrophil counts >0.5 x 10(9)/L and ANC >1.0 x 10(9)/L were reached after a median of 13 (range 8 to 18) and 15 (range 9 to 19) days after PBSCT. Unsupported platelet counts >20 x 10(9)/L and 50 x 10(9)/L were reached after 17 (range 8 to 32) and 22 (range 13 to 40) days after PBSCT, respectively. Incidence of acute GVHD grade I to IV was 52%, extensive chronic GVHD occurred in 25% of patients. After a median observation time of 11 (range, 3 to 34) months twelve patients (55%) are alive and well. In summary, infusion of allogeneic PBSC after myeloablative therapy allows rapid and sustained hematologic reconstitution. Incidence of acute GVHD is not increased, for assessment of chronic GVHD longer observation times and larger patient numbers are required.

[Pulmonary deposition of colistin aerosols in cystic fibrosis. Comparison of an ultrasonic nebulizer and a pneumatic nebulizer]. / Déposition pulmonaire des aérosols de colistine dans la mucoviscidose. Comparaison d'un nébuliseur ultra sonique et d'un nébuliseur pneumatique.

The objective of this study was to quantify the deposition in the lung of a Colistine aerosol generated using a pneumatic nebuliser (Pari LL(R) equipped with a Pari Master, Pari, Germany) and to compare this with the results obtained with an ultrasonic nebuliser (DP100, DP Medical, France) in four subjects suffering from cystic fibrosis being colonised with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. To quantify the pulmonary deposition of the aerosols we have used an indirect isotopic method which consists in assimilating the kinetics of the molecules studied with a serum albumin tagged with Technetium 99m (Tc99mm) and added to a preparation of Colistine. We have previously verified that the addition of a radioactive tracer does not change the normal distribution or dynamics of the medication within the aerosol and the radioactive counter linked to the tracer reflects the mass of the medicament. The pulmonary deposition was expressed as a percentage of the nebuliser dose. A regional analysis of the deposition (central, peripheral, superior and inferior) was carried out and in central deposition compared to the periphery (C/P) and superior compared to inferior (S/I) were calculated. With the DP100 nebuliser the pulmonary deposition of the aerosol was very reproducible from one patient to another, varying only between 9.5 to 14 percent of the nebuliser dose. With the Pari LL the fraction deposited varied more from one patient to another from 5.6 to 27% of the nebuliser dose. In three of four patients, the pulmonary deposition was superior or equal to that obtained with the ultrasonic nebuliser. The patients whose pulmonary deposition was inferior, using the pneumatic nebuliser, was the youngest in the group and co-ordinately poorly the triggering of the nebuliser with the beginning of inspiration. With the two nebulisers, the pulmonary deposition of Colisitine was very heterogeneous throughout the pulmonary parenchyma. The mean of the ratio C/P and S/I obtained in all four patients was identical (1.35 an 0.86 respectively), indicating a deposition of the aerosol which was predominantly central and inferior but was distributed equally in the peripheral parts of the lung. Pneumatic nebulisers offer a reliable alternative notably for domiciliary treatment for Colistine aerosols in patients suffering from cystic fibrosis. In younger patients who have not yet acquired good motor co-ordination, nebulisers which function continuously or are triggered by inspiration seem to be the preferred choice.