Thalidomide-induced serious RR interval prolongation (longest interval >5.0 s) in multiple myeloma patient with rectal cancer: A case report.

Primary secondary tumor increased recently with the use of immunomodulatory drugs in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). However, MM with prior diagnosis of primary secondary tumor is relatively rare. In this study, we reported an MM patient with prior diagnosis of rectal cancer. In brief, an 85-year-old man was first diagnosed with rectal cancer. Given the age, heart failure and small-cell hypochromic anemia (hemoglobin level: 54 g/L), rectal cancer resection was not advised and symptomatic treatments were performed (including sufficient iron supplementation). Eight months later, the patient was diagnosed with MM due to worsening anemia. Anemia and heart failure were corrected after three cycles of treatment with thalidomide, dexamethasone and capecitabine. Radical resection of rectal carcinoma (Hartmann) was finally performed due to acute abdominal distension. Meanwhile, RR interval prolongation (longest interval >5.0 s) and atrial fibrillation occurred in the fifth cycle treatment. One month after discontinuation of thalidomide, RR interval returned to normal range, while atrial fibrillation developed into persistent atrial fibrillation.

Clinical study of pai-neng-da capsule in the treatment of chronic aplastic anemia.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Pai-Neng-Da Capsule (panaxadiol saponins component, PND), a new Chinese patent medicine, on patients with chronic aplastic anemia (CAA) and to explore the optimal therapeutic regimen for CAA. METHOD: A total of 36 patients with CAA were enrolled and divided into three groups: the AP group (20 cases, andriol 120 mg/day + PND 240 mg/day), the ACP group (13 cases, andriol 120 mg/day + cyclosporine 3-6 mg kd(-1) day(-1) + PND 240 mg/day), and the PND group (3 cases, PND 240 mg/day). All patients were treated and followed up for 6 months. Peripheral blood counts, renal and hepatic function and Chinese medical (CM) symptoms of patients were assessed and all indices were gathered at the beginning and end of the study. RESULT: In the AP group, no significant hematologic difference was observed at the end of 6-month treatment comparing with the beginning. In the ACP group, the blood counts were maintained at the same level after the 6-month treatment. In the PND group, trilineage hematologic improvement was displayed at the end of 6-month treatment comparing with the beginning. No significant difference was showed in renal and hepatic function in all patients. All patients' clinical symptom improved according to CM symptom score. The effective rates were 95%, 73% and 100%, respectively. CONCLUSION: PND improved the efficacy and decreased side effects by cutting down the dosage of andriol, and it could also improve patients' clinical symptom and quality of life. PND were effective and safe in the treatment of CAA, it could be used alone or in combination with pharmacological agents such as andriol and cyclosporine.

Stachydrine, a major constituent of the Chinese herb leonurus heterophyllus sweet, ameliorates human umbilical vein endothelial cells injury induced by anoxia-reoxygenation.

Stachydrine is a major constituent of Chinese herb leonurus heterophyllus sweet, which is used in clinics to promote blood circulation and dispel blood stasis. Our study aimed to investigate the role of stachydrine in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) injury induced by anoxia-reoxygenation. Cultured HUVECs were divided randomly into control group, anoxia-reoxygenation (A/R) group and 4 A/R+stachydrine groups. HUVECs in the control group were exposed to normoxia for 5 hours, while in all A/R groups, HUVECs underwent 3 hours anoxia followed by 2 hours reoxygenation, and HUVECs in the 4 A/R+stachydrine groups were treated with 10(-8) M, 10(-7) M, 10(-6) M and 10(-5) M (final concentration) of stachydrine respectively. After anoxia-reoxygenation, tissue factor (TF) was over-expressed, cell viability and the concentrations of SOD, GSH-PX and NO were declined, while LDH, MDA and ET-1 were over-produced (p < 0.05 to 0.001 vs. the control group). However, in stachydrine treated groups, TF expression was inhibited at both mRNA and protein levels, while the declined cell viability and SOD, GSH-PX, NO as well as the enhanced LDH, MDA and ET-1 levels occurred during anoxia-reoxygenation were ameliorated and reversed effectively (p < 0.05 to 0.01 versus A/R group). Consequently, our findings indicate that TF plays an important role in the development of anoxia-reoxygenation injury of HUVECs, stachydrine ameliorates HUVECs injury induced by anoxia-reoxygenation and its putative mechanisms are related to inhibition of TF expression.