RESUMO
BACKGROUND: The aggressive, genetically diverse group of malignant illnesses known as acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is characterized by clonally related myeloblast invasion of the bone marrow, blood, and other organs. The treatment regimen plays a crucial role in the management of AML, and it is associated with poor overall survival and enhanced risk of relapse. Induction therapy with a 7+3 DA regimen (daunorubicin + ara-C) has been the treatment of choice for young and fit patients. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of dose modification in young and fit patients for a modified treatment regimen. METHODS: This was a retrospective, observational study of AML patients to analyze the outcomes of modified induction therapy in AML patients enrolled at Dr. B. Borooah Cancer Institute, Guwahati, Assam, India, from October 2021 to March 2022. The outcomes of modified induction therapy with intensive chemotherapy (modified 7+3 DA) and low-intensity chemotherapy decitabine (10 days) and venetoclax + azacytidine (seven days) were considered after the first two cycles or 60 days, whichever was earlier. RESULTS: Data from 31 patients with de-novo AML was analyzed; the median age of the patients was 41 years (range: 2-71 years), and the male-to-female ratio was 1.8. There were seven patients in the pediatric age group (2-13 years), and 19%, 65%, and 13% of patients belonged to favorable, intermediate, and high-risk groups, respectively. With regards to modified induction therapy (n=31), 20 (65%) patients received modified "7+3 DA", nine (29%) received hypomethylating agents (HMA, decitabine only), and two patients received HMA (azacitidnie) + venetoclax. Additionally, 23/31 patients completed at least two cycles of induction therapy. Overall, 60 day-induction mortality was 13%, and the complete remission (CR) and partial remission (PR) rates were 48% and 26%, respectively. In patients who received modified "7+3 DA", the CR rate was 55%. CONCLUSIONS: The notable reduction in deaths due to infections observed in our study suggests that centers with limited resources for preventing neutropenic complications during induction therapies in AML patients could consider adopting this modified regimen.
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Background The importance of vitamin D (VD) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is being increasingly appreciated, with studies suggesting a relationship between VD deficiency and SLE onset/disease activity. We investigated VD status in SLE patients and its associations with disease activity in a geographical region of India receiving low solar ultraviolet-B (UV-B) index. Materials and methods We enrolled 109 SLE patients along with 109 healthy controls belonging to same ethnicity and localities. Demographic and clinico-laboratory information were recorded. VD status was assessed by estimating serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH-D) concentrations (deficient: <20 ng/mL, insufficient: 21-29 ng/mL, and sufficient/normal: ≥30 ng/mL) using an enzyme-linked fluorescent assay (ELFA). The SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) scoring system was used to evaluate disease activity. The association between VD status and disease activity was assessed by univariate and multivariate approaches. Results Hypovitaminosis D was prevalent in 90.83% SLE patients [vs. 77.98% healthy controls; chi-squared (χ2) = 10.125, df = 2, p < 0.01]. SLEDAI scores and 25-OH-D values were inversely associated, which extended in a two-way manner as revealed by multiple logistic regression models. SLE patients with VD deficiency were more likely to have high/very high disease activity [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 3.5, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.4-8.9]. Conversely, patients with high SLEDAI scores (>10) also had greater risks of being VD deficient (adjusted OR = 3.9, 95% CI: 1.5-10.8). Conclusion VD deficiency is widespread in SLE. The relationship appears to be bidirectional, with VD status associated both as determinant and outcome of disease activity in SLE.
