The influence of dietary protein on market barrows and gilts supplemented creatine monohydrate in conjunction with a high glycemic carbohydrate.

The objective of the study was to determine if additional dietary protein improves the lean tissue deposition and carcass merit of pigs supplemented creatine monohydrate in combination with a high glycemic carbohydrate (dextrose). Forty-eight crossbred barrows and gilts (91±0.18 kg) were blocked by sex assigned to 1 of 12 pens (4 pigs/pen, 16 pigs/treatment). Treatments included: control (CON; basal diet consisting of a ground corn-soybean base), combination diet (COMBO; basal diet supplemented with 0.92% creatine monohydrate and 2.75% dextrose), and a combination high protein diet (COMBOHP; COMBO formulated to contain a minimum of 16% crude protein). Barrows on the COMBOHP gained the least 10th rib fat and expressed the highest percentage fat-free carcass lean (P<0.01) after 28 days on test. No significant treatment differences were noted in the fat and lean tissue accretion of gilts. Treatments had no affect the meat quality parameters of barrow and gilt carcasses.

The influence of creatine and a high glycemic carbohydrate on the growth performance and meat quality of market hogs fed ractopamine hydrochloride.

Crossbred barrows (n=128; 85±0.91kg) were randomly allotted to one of four dietary treatments. A pelleted corn-soybean diet containing 5ppm Paylean(®) (PAY) was tested against a negative control (NCON) diet formulated to meet or exceed the National Research Council's requirements for the growing pig, a pelleted corn-soybean diet containing 0.92% creatine and 2.75% dextrose (COMBO), and a pelleted corn-soybean diet containing a combination of 5ppm Paylean(®), 0.92% creatine, and 2.75% dextrose (PAYPLUS). No treatment differences were noted when comparing ADG (P=0.66) and hot carcass weight (P=0.75). Over the 27d test, barrows fed PAY and PAYPLUS produced loins with a larger (P<0.01) loin muscle area (LMA) than those fed NCON or COMBO diets. Barrows fed the NCON diet were fatter at the 10th-rib (P<0.01) than those animals fed the remaining dietary treatments. Dietary treatment did not affect the ultimate pH (P=0.87), Japanese color score (P=0.25) or Minolta L(∗) (P=0.61) and b(∗) (P=0.56) values of the loin. Loin chops from NCON, COMBO and PAYPLUS tended (P=0.07) to contain a higher intramuscular fat content than those from barrows fed PAY. Additionally, loin chops from the NCON and COMBO fed animals were more red (higher a(∗)-value) than those chops coming from animals fed the PAY diet (P<0.01).

Treatment of acute leukaemia with m-AMSA in combination with cytosine arabinoside.

A series of 46 patients with acute leukaemia were treated with amsacrine (m-AMSA) and cytosine arabinoside (ara-C). Complete remission (CR) was achieved in 15 of 38 (40%) patients with acute myelogenous leukaemia (AML) and 4 of 8 (50%) patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). The CR rate was significantly higher (P less than 0.05) for the younger, previously treated patients with AML (9/16) than for the older previously untreated ones (6/22), because of higher treatment mortality in the latter group. Myelosuppression was prolonged and profound. Major nonhaematological toxicity affected the gastrointestinal tract (nausea, vomiting, mucositis, bleeding and ileus associated with severe diarrhoea). Many patients also developed reversible hepatic dysfunction and two elderly patients died of cardiac arrhythmia. Further trials of this combination are justified in patients with relapsed or resistant leukaemia, but for older patients dose reduction is recommended.

A phase I and II study of m-AMSA in acute leukaemia.

Thirty-two patients with relapsed or resistant acute leukaemia were treated with m-AMSA at doses ranging from 50-150 mg/m2 daily for 5 days. Complete remission was achieved in three of 18 patients with acute myeloblastic leukaemia, two of nine patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, and none of five patients with blastic crisis of chronic myeloid leukaemia. The complete remissions all occurred at doses of 100 mg/m2 per day or above. Haematological toxicity occurred in all patients and was dose-related. Nausea and vomiting were mild and easily controlled. Alopecia was uncommon at the lower doses but occurred in all patients receiving the higher doses. Stomatitis was noted in only 8% of courses at 50 mg/m2 but was seen in 50% of courses at 150 mg/m2. Mild and transient elevations of liver enzymes were common. m-AMSA is an active drug in acute leukaemia, with acceptable toxicity. Its place in combination chemotherapy is now being explored.