Carboplatin instead of cisplatin in combination with dexamethasone, high-dose cytarabine with or without rituximab (DHAC+/-R) is an effective treatment with low toxicity in Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.

The DHAP regimen (high-dose cytarabine in combination with dexamethasone and cisplatin) with or without rituximab (DHAP+/-R) is one of the most common regimens in daily practice. It is considered the standard treatment for relapse or refractory Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Cisplatin nephrotoxicity is a major concern, and other platinum compounds are being tried. We performed a monocentric retrospective analysis to evaluate the use of carboplatin, so-called DHAC+/-R regimen. The purpose was to assess the toxicity of the DHAC+/-R regimen in real-life. The Dexamethasone, Cytarabine, Carboplatin (DHAC) regimen consisted of carboplatin AUC = 5 mg/ml/min (targeted area under the curve with Calvert's formula) on day 1, cytarabine 2 g/m2 twice a day on day 2 and IV dexamethasone 40 mg from days 1 to 4. Rituximab was administrated at 375 mg/m2 on day 1 for CD20+ NHL. The interval between courses was 21 days. During the period considered, 199 patients received DHAC+/-R. For the entire cohort, median follow-up is 24 months (range, 2-82), median OS is not reached (NR), estimated 2-year OS is 75% (95% CI, 69-83) and median progression-free survival (PFS) is 46 months (95% CI, 22-NA). Of 144 patients scheduled for autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT), 102 (71%, NA = 2) were in response after DHAC+/-R and all except 4 underwent ASCT. Grade ≥ 3 haematological toxicities were mainly thrombocytopenia (n = 101) and anaemia (n = 95). Grade ≥ 3 neutropenia occurred in 10 patients. No grade ≥ 3 renal and one grade 3 neurological toxicity were reported. DHAC+/-R is feasible in daily practice, provides good response rates and jeopardises neither stem cell collection nor ASCT.

Home administration of bortezomib in multiple myeloma is cost-effective and is preferred by patients compared with hospital administration: results of a prospective single-center study.

BACKGROUND: Subcutaneous (s.c.) administration of bortezomib is the most widely used route of administration for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma. No study has as yet prospectively evaluated home versus hospital administration of s.c. bortezomib with respect to patient preference and cost. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this prospective trial, myeloma patients received the first administration of s.c. bortezomib of each cycle in the outpatient unit of the Department of Hematology. When possible, all subsequent doses of bortezomib within each cycle were provided at home. A cost analysis was carried out to compare the average cost of an injection of bortezomib in the outpatient unit and at home. In order to compare hospital and home administration of bortezomib for preference and satisfaction, patients had to complete 2 simple questionnaires analyzing 16 criteria, such as quality of life, well-being, social life, satisfaction, safety, quality of care, the reduction in personal transportation time, and personal anxiety. Each item was analyzed using a Likert scale. RESULTS: Fifty patients were studied. Overall, a total of 1043 s.c. injections of bortezomib were carried out, 655 (62.8%) at home, and 388 (35.2%) in the outpatient unit. The cost analysis showed that the total cost of one s.c. injection of bortezomib in the outpatient unit was €1510.09 versus €1224.57 for the home administration, which represents a reduction of €285.52, i.e. 20% of the cost of the hospital administration. The evaluation of patient preference and satisfaction showed that home administration improved the quality of life in 84% of the patients, increased well-being in 78%, and improved the activities of daily living in 72% of the cases. Overall, 98% of the patients noted their preference for home administration over the hospital administration of bortezomib. CONCLUSION: Home administration of s.c. bortezomib is cost-effective and is preferred by myeloma patients compared with hospital administration.

Disposition of fleroxacin, a new trifluoroquinolone, and its metabolites. Pharmacokinetics in elderly patients.

The pharmacokinetics of fleroxacin and its main metabolites, N-demethyl-fleroxacin and N-oxide-fleroxacin, were studied in 12 elderly patients aged 63 to 88 years. Plasma and urine samples collected at different times after drug administration were analysed by a specific reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. The peak plasma concentration (Cmax) of fleroxacin was 15.6 +/- 1.6 mg/L, time to Cmax (tmax) was about 3h, elimination half-life (t1/2) was 16 +/- 1h and the percentage of unchanged fleroxacin excreted in urine was 39 +/- 3% of the dose. The plasma concentrations of metabolites were very low and accounted for no more than 4% of the concentration of unchanged fleroxacin. Plasma parameters were mainly correlated with age and weight; urinary parameters were correlated with creatinine clearance. Compared with results in younger normal patients, no significant change in the t1/2 of fleroxacin or metabolites was observed. Assuming that the bioavailability (f) is complete, the apparent volume of distribution (Vd/f) was lower in elderly (0.9 +/- 0.1 L/kg) than in younger patients (1.3 +/- 0.1 L/kg) and a 2-fold decrease in apparent total clearance (CL/f) was noted (2.58 +/- 0.42 vs 4.86 +/- 0.72 L/h); plasma concentrations were consequently higher in elderly patients. Compared with patients with renal failure, the pharmacokinetics of fleroxacin and metabolites in the elderly were similar to those of patients with mild to moderate renal insufficiency. On the basis of the findings of this single dose study, no major dosage adjustments are needed for patients of this age range except for those with creatinine clearance less than 30 ml/min.

Effects of administration route on valproate pharmacokinetics in the rabbit.

The absorption of sodium valproate was studied in 5 rabbits. Each animal received the drug (70 mg/kg) via 3 routes: intravenous, gastric and duodenal. For the 2 extravascular routes, the absolute bioavailability F, maximal plasma concentrations Cmax, times to peak Tmax and absorption coefficients Kabs were the same. Absolute bioavailability was always close to unity. This indicated that valproic acid was absorbed from the intestine as well as from the whole gastrointestinal tract. The other pharmacokinetic parameters such as terminal plasma half-life, total clearance and volume of distribution remained unchanged whatever the route of administration.

Effects of administration route on pharmacokinetics of viloxazine in the rabbit.

The absorption of viloxazine chlorhydrate was investigated in ten rabbits. Each animal received the drug (15 mg/kg) by three routes: intravenous, gastric and duodenal. Viloxazine plasma concentrations were low when administered by gastric and duodenal routes compared to those after intravenous injection. Concentrations to peak were 1-2 times higher after duodenal than gastric administration. Times to peak were 23.0 +/- 4.7 min after gastric administration and 9.5 +/- 5.4 min after duodenal administration. A better absorption of viloxazine after administration occurred in the duodenum than in the stomach; these results agree with viloxazine pKa = 8.13. The other pharmacokinetic parameters such as half-life, clearance and volume of distribution where the same irregardless of the administration route.

[Automated kinetic assay of plasmatic L-asparaginase activity undergoing therapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia]. / Dosage automatique en cinétique de l'activité L-asparaginase plasmatique en suivi thérapeutique des leucémies aiguës lymphoblastiques.

The L-asparaginase is a critical drug for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, that achieves blood L-asparagin depletion. However, such a therapy is associated with a high rate of negative side effects, particularly antibody synthesis against L-asparaginase. This therefore decreases therapy efficiency requiring the monitoring of L-asparaginase activity since L-asparagin determination is not easy. We compared here the results obtained with an automated kinetic enzymatic method to those obtained with the most commonly used Nessler reagent method. The correlation coefficient, r = 0,992, obtained was very good, and the allometric regression line was y = 1,038x - 0,37 microkat/L. We also showed that the specificity and the precision were better with the enzymatic method than the Nessler one. Moreover, the enzymatic method was easier and required less time to perform. Finally, the method appears able to perform real time monitoring of the therapy.

Drug monitoring of clomipramine and desmethylclomipramine in depressed patients using a new liquid chromatographic assay.

A method has been developed for the quantitative analysis of clomipramine and its major metabolite desmethylclomipramine in plasma, using normal phase chromatography with UV detection at 254 nm. This rapid (6 min) and highly sensitive methodology (detection limits 0.5 ng/mL and 2 ng/mL for clomipramine and desmethylclomipramine, respectively; S/N = 3, 0.001 aufs) allows pharmacokinetic studies and drug monitoring of the two compounds. Using the described methodology we report an application which involved 10 depressed inpatients.

The pharmacokinetics and electrocardiographic effects of chloroquine in healthy subjects.

Chloroquine prophylaxis was administered to 3 healthy male volunteers at 100 mg base/day for 25 days, followed by the curative dose at 25 mg base/kg for 3 days. Subjects attained effective chloroquine (mean = 50 micrograms/l) and desethylchloroquine (mean = 17 micrograms/l) concentrations by the 3rd week of prophylaxis, underlining the need to start chloroquine prophylaxis two weeks before travel. On the second day of the treatment period, hourly electrocardiographic monitoring showed a diminution of the T wave and prolongation of the QTc interval, manifesting cumulatively during the 3 days' curative dose, but with no cardiac symptoms. A dose-dependent cumulative effect of chloroquine was demonstrated with higher blood concentrations during the treatment period. Electrocardiographic readings spontaneously normalized after the treatment period as drug concentrations diminished progressively.

Sensitive micromethod for column liquid chromatographic determination of fluoxetine and norfluoxetine in human plasma.

A rapid, selective and sensitive micromethod has been developed for the determination of fluoxetine (FLU) and its demethylated metabolite norfluoxetine (N-FLU) using a 250-microliters plasma sample and column liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection at 226 nm. The limit of detection is 2.0 ng/ml for both FLU and N-FLU. Peak-height ratios are linear over a concentration range of 10-800 and 10-1000 ng/ml for FLU and N-FLU, respectively. Acceptable coefficients of variation are demonstrated for both within-run and day-to-day assays. Selected drugs were checked for interference. The method, which requires a very small volume of plasma, is sensitive enough for pharmacokinetic studies in animals, clinical pharmacology studies and drug monitoring in children or adult patients.

Evaluation of cardiac beta 1-adrenergic sensitivity with dobutamine in healthy volunteers.

1. Evaluation of cardiac beta 1-adrenergic sensitivity in heart failure should provide instructive therapeutic as well as prognostic information. We set up a non-invasive test in healthy volunteers to evaluate beta 1-adrenergic reactivity using dobutamine as a preferential agonist. 2. The range of i.v. bolus doses was 3.2 to 12.2 micrograms kg-1. The test was well tolerated. The parameters that were most sensitive and best correlated to dobutamine doses were systolic blood pressure and the rate-corrected electromechanical systole (QS2i). The reproducibility of the test over 48 h and over 1 month was satisfactory for most parameters, with a mean variation coefficient ranging from 9 to 26%, and was better for QS2i than for heart rate. 3. Slope of log dose-response for heart rate and QS2i was similar with dobutamine and with isoprenaline, corresponding to stimulation of the same type of beta-adrenergic receptors (beta 1-subtype). This result was obtained despite a higher vagal stimulation with dobutamine. We conclude that the left ventricular contractile response assessed by QS2i provided the best parameter for evaluation of beta 1-adrenergic cardiac effects either with dobutamine or with isoprenaline. 4. In heart failure patients such a dobutamine test should allow separation of altered contractility and beta-adrenergic desensitization, since alteration of inotropic response to dobutamine should depend on both altered contractile function and adrenergic desensitization but heart rate response should only depend on the latter phenomenon.

Phase I trial of interleukin-2 and high-dose arginine butyrate in metastatic colorectal cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Interleukin-2 (IL-2) and sodium butyrate allow rats to be cured of peritoneal carcinomatosis from colon cancer. We performed a phase I trial of IL-2 and high-dose arginine butyrate (ArgB) in patients with advanced metastatic colorectal cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From April to July 1997, six patients were included in the trail; they had a median age of 52 years, four had a performance status of 0, two had a performance status of 1 with normal biological functions. All patients had received at least two prior lines of chemotherapy. A fixed dose of 18 MIU/m2 IL-2,was administered by subcutaneous injection and ArgB was delivered via continuous intravenous infusion on days 1-6 with escalating doses starting at 2 g kg(-1) day(-1). RESULTS: The planned dose escalation was not possible because of toxicities. A daily ArgB dose of 2 g/kg was delivered for nine cycles. Level 2 (4 g/kg) could not be delivered in three of the six patients because of liver toxicity. The dose-limiting toxicities were fatigue and liver function disturbances. The maximum tolerated dose for ArgB was 3 g kg(-1) day(-1), in combination with IL-2 at 12 MIU m2 day(-1). No clinical response was seen. Pharmacokinetic analysis showed large intra- and interindividual variations. CONCLUSION: This schedule with a high dose of ArgB proved to be highly toxic with liver insufficiency. We will be running another trial with lower doses of ArgB calculated from the schedule used in the experimental model, starting at a dose of 20 mg kg(-1) day(-1) for ArgB and 200000 UI kg(-1) day(-1) IL-2, every 8 h.