Salvage bortezomib-dexamethasone and high-dose melphalan (HDM) and autologous stem cell support (ASCT) in myeloma patients at first relapse after HDM with ASCT. A phase-2 trial.

Until recently, only retrospective studies had been published on salvage high-dose melphalan (HDM) with autologous stem cell 'transplantation' (ASCT). In a prospective, nonrandomized phase-2 study, we treated 53 bortezomib-naïve patients with bortezomib-dexamethasone as induction and bortezomib included in the conditioning regimen along with the HDM. Median progression-free survival (PFS), time to next treatment (TNT) and overall survival (OS) after start of reinduction therapy were 21.6, 22.8 and 46.6 months, respectively. For 49 patients who completed salvage bortezomib-HDM(II) with ASCT, there was no significant difference of PFS and TNT after HDM (II) compared with after the initial HDM(I), and thus patients were their own controls (PFS (I: 20.1 vs II: 19.3 months (P=0.8)) or TNT (I: 24.4 vs II: 20.7 months (P=0.8)). No significant differences in the response rates after salvage ASCT compared with the initial ASCT. Bortezomib-HDM conditioning combo was feasible, and toxicity was as expected for patients treated with bortezomib and ASCT. In conclusion, in bortezomib-naïve patients treated at first relapse with salvage ASCT including bortezomib, PSF and TNT did not differ significantly from initial ASCT and median OS was almost 5.5 years with acceptable toxicity. A recent prospective randomized study confirms salvage ASCT to be an effective treatment.

Serum levels of angioregulatory mediators in healthy individuals depend on age and physical activity: studies of angiogenin, basic fibroblast growth factor, leptin and endostatin.

OBJECTIVE: Angiogenesis is regulated by a wide range of soluble mediators that are released locally or by distant organs that affect local angiogenesis through variations in systemic levels. Serum levels of angioregulatory mediators are important for muscle angiogenesis in response to physical activity; in addition, angioregulation is involved in disease development, and determination of systemic levels may therefore be useful in future clinical practice. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether physical activity alters systemic levels of angioregulatory mediators in healthy individuals. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The effects of physical activity on serum levels of pro- (angiogenin, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), leptin) and antiangiogenic (endostatin) mediators were investigated. The levels were determined immediately before and after activity for healthy young athletes (all males, age 18 years) and elderly individuals (9 M, 11 F, age 68-88 years). RESULTS: Elderly individuals showed higher pre-activity levels than the athletes for all mediators. The young athletes showed increased angiogenin and endostatin levels and decreased bFGF levels after 45 min of intensive physical activity, whereas leptin levels were not altered. Elderly individuals showed a similar decrease in bFGF levels after a 3-h mountain walk, but angiogenin, endostatin and leptin levels were not altered. CONCLUSIONS: Serum levels of angioregulatory mediators depend on age, and standardization of physical activity prior to sampling will probably be necessary when evaluating the possible clinical use of these parameters.

[Physicians' work load. A comparison between company physicians and general practitioners in private practice]. / Legers arbeidspress. En sammenlikning av bedriftsleger og privatpraktiserende allmennpraktikere.

The authors describe and compare the work load of 26 general practitioners and 17 company doctors. All of them worked full time. The information was collected by means of a structured telephone interview. The results indicate a higher work load among general practitioners than among company doctors. Despite this, the general practitioners plan to remain working longer than the company doctors do. In both groups of doctors there were some who believed they risked developing the "burn-out syndrome". This problem was found among the youngest doctors, female doctors and doctors with a large number of consultations daily.