In-vitro immunomodulatory effects of haloperidol and perazine in schizophrenia.

There are some reports describing concurrent changes in lymphocytic and monocytic activities in schizophrenia. In this study we investigated T cell activity in schizophrenic patients by measuring the release of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) by T cells and the percentages of CD4+ and CD8+ cells in blood. The release of IL-2 and sIL-2R by T cells was evaluated in dilute whole blood after in-vitro stimulation with phytohemagglutinin. IL-2 levels and the percentage of CD4-cells tended to decrease and sIL-2R levels decreased significantly in schizophrenic patients. Haloperidol and perazine significantly decreased IL-2 levels and increased sIL-2R levels and the percentage CD4-cells. IL-2 and sIL-2R levels were lower in patients with a predominance of positive symptoms. The neuroleptic-induced increase in sIL-2R levels was higher in patients with a predominance of positive symptoms compared with those in whom both positive and negative symptoms were severe. The study has shown that T-cell activity is reduced in schizophrenia and that neuroleptics may have immunomodulatory properties.

[Preliminary results of the treatment of acute leukemia with mitoxantrone]. / Wstepne wyniki leczenia ostrych bialaczek mitoksantronem.

Mitoxantrone is a new anthracenodione derivative with a high antineoplastic activity in proliferative diseases of the haemopoietic system. In the Institute of Haematology in Warsaw and in the Department of Haematology, Silesian Medical Academy in Katowice this agent was used in combination with cytarabine in 49 cases of acute leukaemia (35 with acute myeloid leukaemia and 14 with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia). The preparations used were Mitoxantrone (POLFA Works in Jelenia Góra) and Novantrone (Lederle). These agents were given intravenously in doses of 10-20 mg/m2 for 3 days in combination with cytarabine in three doses: 100 mg/m2 on days 1 through 7, and 1 g/m2 or 3 g/m2 every 12 hours on days 1 through 4 of the treatment. Complete remission was obtained in 17 cases (35%), including 13 with acute myeloid leukaemia (37%) and 4 with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (29). The most frequent side effects were: long-lasting pancytopenia (in 100% of cases), hair loss (39%) and gastrointestinal toxicity (33%). No significant differences were noted in the effectiveness and toxicity between these two preparations. In the light of the presented results it may be accepted that the combination of mitoxantrone with cytarabine is an important advance in the treatment of acute leukaemias.

Skin manifestation of extramedullary relapse in adult with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

In the group of 75 ALL patients treated between 1980 and 1989, two women (ages 25 and 17, both FAB-L2 and CALLA +, after 56 and 34 months of continuous CR, respectively) were found to have a relapse manifested as a local infiltration of skin, with involvement of the adjacent lymph nodes in one patient. The leukaemic character of the skin infiltration was confirmed by skin needle aspiration and tissue biopsy expressing CD10 and CD24. Both patients were given intensified systemic chemotherapy and local X-ray irradiation. Complete remission was obtained with the disappearance of the skin infiltrations followed after 13 and 8 months, respectively, followed by a marrow relapse with symptoms of CNS involvement in one case. Both patients died because of treatment resistance (the overall survival time equalled 70 and 44 months, respectively).