Fetal Monitoring of Patients Diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus - A Case Report.

We report a case of pathological foetal Doppler velocity, specifically the absence of end diastolic flow in the umbilical artery (AEDV/REDV), suspected diabetic pregnancy and mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis, at 32 weeks of gestation. The foetal heart rate tracings were evaluated using a computerised cardiotocogram (Oxford Sonicaid system 8002 Chichester, England) 1 for 20-30 min parallel to the routine cardiotocogram. The ultrasound control at 33 weeks of gestation showed oligohydramnion, foetal centralisation and reduced interval foetal growth. Due to small gestational age (SGA) and oligohydramnion, labour was induced at 36 weeks gestation with vaginal prostaglandin and an amniotomy. Due to cephalopelvic disproportion, a Caesarean section was performed. Signs and symptoms of neonatal lupus were not found.

[Therapy for prenatally diagnosed lymphangioma--multimodal procedure and interdisciplinary challenge]. / Die Therapie von pränatal diagnostizierten Lymphangiomen--Multimodales Vorgehen und eine interdisziplinäre Herausforderung.

INTRODUCTION: Ultrasound diagnostics enable the prenatal diagnosis of extensive lymphatic malformations. The diagnosis is made prenatally or directly after birth in 50-60% of the cases, in about 80% of the afflicted in the first year of life and up to 90% of the cases in the second year of life. PRENATAL DIAGNOSTICS AND POSSIBILITIES OF PRE- AND PERINATAL INTERVENTIONS: The so called hygroma colli is a primary symptom, which is detected during the routine ultrasound examination. Lymphatic malformations, which are diagnosed antenatally are often associated with chromosome abnormalities. The EXIT procedure allows invasive therapeutic or diagnostic interventions. Hereby the airway safety of Newborns with extended cervical or zerviko-facial lymphangiomas can be warranted. The survival chance and the prognosis may be significantly improved. MANIFESTATION AND ENT-CLINICS: 72 patients (mean age 12.3 yrs) with lymphatic malformations of the Head and Neck presented for the first time during a 5-years period until 31.12.2008 at the Department of Otolaryngology of the University of Marburg. Therapeutic interventions consisted in conventional surgery, laser assisted therapy, sclerosing therapy or a combined therapeutic approach. CONCLUSION: Extensive lymphatic malformations of the Head and Neck challenge treating physicians and affected families. Advancements of prenatal diagnostics and opportunities of peri- and postnatal interventions contribute to an improved survival chance and prognosis. Intensive interdisciplinary cooperation in specialised centers is of outstanding importance for an optimal care of these patients.

First-line gemcitabine versus epirubicin in postmenopausal women aged 60 or older with metastatic breast cancer: a multicenter, randomized, phase III study.

BACKGROUND: This randomized, phase III study compared the efficacy and safety of first-line gemcitabine versus epirubicin in the treatment of postmenopausal women with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients aged > or = 60 years (median 68 years) with clinically measurable MBC received either gemcitabine 1200 mg/m(2) or epirubicin 35 mg/m(2) on days 1, 8, and 15 of a 28-day cycle. RESULTS: Of 410 patients entered, 397 (198 gemcitabine and 199 epirubicin) were randomized and qualified for the time to progressive disease (TTP) and survival analyses. Total cycles administered in 185 gemcitabine and 192 epirubicin patients, respectively, were 699 (mean 3.5, range 0-12) and 917 (mean 4.6, range 0-10). Epirubicin demonstrated statistically significant superiority in TTP (6.1 and 3.4 months, P=0.0001), overall survival (19.1 and 11.8 months, P=0.0004), and independently assessed response rate (40.3% and 16.4% in 186 and 183 evaluable patients, P <0.001). For gemcitabine (n=190) and epirubicin (n=192), respectively, common WHO grade 3/4 toxicities were neutropenia (25.3% and 17.9%) and leukopenia (14.3% and 19.3%). Of the 28 on-study deaths (17 gemcitabine, 11 epirubicin), three were considered possibly or probably related to treatment (gemcitabine). CONCLUSIONS: Postmenopausal women > or =60 years of age with MBC tolerate chemotherapy well. In this study, epirubicin was superior to gemcitabine in the treatment of MBC in women age > or =60, confirming that anthracyclines remain important drugs for first-line treatment of MBC.