Safety and efficacy of high-dose leukocytapheresis in patients with refractory asthma.

OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN: An open-label, non-randomized, single-arm study was performed to investigate the safety and efficacy of high-dose leukocytapheresis (pulse LCAP) for refractory asthma. SUBJECTS: Six patients who fulfilled the ATS workshop criteria for refractory asthma were enrolled and completed this clinical study. TREATMENT: After 4 weeks of observation, pulse LCAP using a large LCAP filter, Cellsorba(®) CS-180S, was performed twice with a 1-week interval at a target dose of 5 L per treatment session. METHODS: The clinical response was assessed by monitoring the peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) twice a day. The asthma control test (ACT) was used to evaluate the condition of asthma symptoms. The fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) as a biomarker for eosinophilic airway inflammation was measured using a chemiluminescence analyzer. RESULTS: PEFR in the morning or the evening and the sum total of the score on the ACT were increased after two consecutive sessions of pulse LCAP. FeNO decreased after pulse LCAP. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest the efficacy of pulse LCAP for refractory asthma.

Chronic expanding hematoma in the retroperitoneal space: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Chronic expanding hematoma is a rare condition that develops after surgery, trauma, or injury. It can also develop at any location in the body in the absence of trauma. Clinical findings and various diagnostic imaging modalities can aid in the differential diagnosis of this condition. In general, hematomas are naturally reabsorbed and rarely cause serious problems. However, hematomas that develop slowly without a history of trauma, surgery, or bleeding disorders could be difficult to differentiate from soft tissue neoplasms. In the present case, we describe a patient, without any history or physical evidence of trauma, who exhibited a large chronic expanding hematoma in the retroperitoneal space that resulted in hydronephrosis because of the pressure exerted on the left ureter. CASE PRESENTATION: A 69-year-old man presented to our hospital with a swollen lesion in the left flank. A mass, 19 cm in diameter, was detected in the retroperitoneal space by computed tomography. We suspected the presence of a chronic expanding hematoma, soft tissue tumor, or left renal artery aneurysm. Surgical treatment was performed. However, postoperative histopathological examination indicated that the mass was a nonmalignant chronic expanding hematoma. No recurrence was observed during a 2-year follow-up period. CONCLUSION: In patients without a history of trauma who present slowly growing masses, the differential diagnosis should include chronic expanding hematoma in addition to cysts and soft tissue tumors. Moreover, the use of magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography is essential to differentiate between chronic expanding hematoma and soft tissue tumors.

[Cholesterol granuloma of the kidney: a case report].

A 58-year-old woman was referred to our outpatient clinic for further examination of a mass detected in the right kidney on follow-up ultrasonography performed for active surveillance of right ovarian cancer. Ultrasonography and computed tomography showed a cyst (diameter, 30 mm) with an irregular wall in the middle of the right kidney. Right nephrectomy was performed since malignancy was suspected. Histological findings of the mass indicated cholesterol granuloma. Although cholesterol granulomas in the middle ear have been frequently reported, those in other organs have been reported in few studies. In this patient, the cholesterol granuloma could be barely distinguished from the cancer by using imaging techniques.

Association of the genetic polymorphism in cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A1 with risk of familial prostate cancer in a Japanese population: a case-control study.

Association between genetic polymorphisms of CYP1A1 and familial prostate cancer risk was examined by a case-control study of 185 individuals. Although the individual analysis of m1 or m2 genotype of CYP1A1 showed no significant association with prostate cancer risk, the presence of any mutated alleles significantly increased prostate cancer risk in comparison with wild-type genotypes by combination analysis (odds ratio [OR]=2.38; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.72-3.29; P=0.0069). Furthermore, metastatic cancer had a significant association with mutated alleles of m1 and m2. These finding suggested that CYP1A1 polymorphisms has an association with prostate cancer risk, especially with progression of prostate cancer.

A novel immunosuppressive drug, FTY720, prevents the cancer progression induced by cyclosporine.

Cyclosporine A (CsA), the most frequently used immunosuppressive drug, has been reported to induce cancer by a cell-autonomous mechanism. Herein, we report that FTY720, a novel immunosuppressant, prevents CsA-induced alterations in both morphology and cell motility at a low concentration (0.1 microM) and induces the CsA-treated cancer cells to undergo apoptosis at a higher concentration (more than 5 microM). The inhibitory activity of FTY720 is unrelated to the decrease of TGF-beta. We believe that a combination treatment with FTY720 and CsA not only results in a synergistic effect on allografts, but also, reduces the incidence of cancer in transplant patients.

[Acute scrotum from testicular involvement in acute lymphocytic leukemia: a case report].

A 8-year-old boy with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) had received chemotherapy and a complete bone marrow remission was obtained. Then he underwent bone marrow transplantation. After 6 months, he suddenly got left flank-low abdominal pain. Sequentially, he had swelling and redness of left scrotum, left testicular swelling and tenderness. Incision was done and enlarged and hard testis was diagnosed as testicular tumor, left orchiectomy was performed. Histological diagnosis was involvement of ALL, so he received radiotherapy. He remains free of disease by the present after 7 months.

Pretreatment total testosterone levels in patients with prostate cancer in the past two decades in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Many studies have shown the relationship between pretreatment serum testosterone levels and the clinical stage or histological grade, but the clinical significance of pretreatment testosterone levels is controversial. We studied the association of pretreatment total testosterone levels with the clinical stage and histological grade of prostate cancer. METHODS: We evaluated 2914 patients whose pretreatment testosterone levels were recorded from 1982 to 2002. Serum testosterone levels were measured by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: There was a trend toward decreasing testosterone values with worsening clinical staging. There was a trend toward decreasing testosterone values with worsening histological grading, too. Patients with poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma had significantly lower testosterone levels than those with the others (versus well; p<0.01, moderately; p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Newly diagnosed patients with poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of prostate have lower testosterone levels than the others.

In vivo gene transfer of hepatocyte growth factor to skeletal muscle prevents changes in rat kidneys after 5/6 nephrectomy.

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has been reported to be a renal regeneration factor. We previously reported that HGF acts as a renotropic factor, inducing cell recovery from ischemic injury or drug toxicity. Gene transfer by electroporation, which uses plasmid DNA as the vector, has several advantages over the conventional gene transfer method using viral vectors, inducing the ability to perform repeated transfers without apparent immunologic responses to the DNA vector. We recently demonstrated that electroporation of the HGF gene into skeletal muscle was an effective treatment for liver injury in an animal model. We presently investigated prevention of development of chronic renal disease by repetitive HGF gene transfer in rats with 5/6 nephrectomy. Hepatocyte growth factor gene transfer-treated rats showed better growth in body weight than untreated rats. Histologic changes such as glomerulosclerosis and interstitial fibrosis were significantly ameliorated by HGF gene transfer compared with untreated rats. Hepatocyte growth factor gene transfer by electroporation into skeletal muscle is feasible and effective against morphologic injury in subtotally nephrectomized rats.

Correlation between the Banff 97 classification of renal allograft biopsies and clinical outcome.

The 1997 fourth Banff meeting revised the consensus for describing transplant biopsies. We have conducted a retrospective analysis of biopsies correlated between the Banff 97 classification and clinical outcome. The patients ( n=149), who had a total of 404 biopsy-proven rejections, were assessed and the biopsies taken from these patients were re-examined and classified according to the Banff 97 classification. Morphological changes in the glomeruli (g), interstitium (i), tubules(t), and arterial vessels (v) were scored. Severity of acute rejection was statistically associated with unresponsiveness to anti-rejection treatment ( P<0.0001) and predicted an increased risk of graft failure ( P<0.05). Each quantitative criterion (g, i, t, and v) was also statistically associated with unresponsiveness to anti-rejection treatment. Mean serum creatinine levels were significantly higher in the groups graded Banff 97 type I-III after 1 and 2 years of follow-up. The Banff 97 classification correlated with reversibility of rejection episodes and long-term graft survival.