Caspofungin for the treatment of candidaemia in patients with haematological malignancies.

This study was prospectively conducted in 11 haematology divisions over a 2-year period to evaluate the efficacy of caspofungin in 24 neutropenic patients with haematological malignancies (HM) and candidaemia. These patients had received chemotherapy for HM and were neutropenic (PNN < 0.5 x 10(9)/L) for a median of 12 days (2-41) before candidaemia. The patients received caspofungin for a median duration of 12 days (range 6-26), obtaining a favourable overall response of 58%. At 30 days, 11 patients had died (46%); candidaemia was responsible for mortality in six patients (25%). These results suggest that treatment of candidaemia with caspofungin in neutropenic HM was efficacious, as it is in non-haematological subgroups.

Impact of a new dosing regimen of epoetin alfa on quality of life and anemia in patients with low-risk myelodysplastic syndrome.

This study evaluated the impact of a new epoetin alfa dosing regimen on quality of life (QOL), transfusion requirements, and hemoglobin (Hb) levels in 133 patients with low-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and Hb < or =10 g/dl. Epoetin alfa 40,000 IU was given subcutaneously twice weekly; after 4 weeks, the dose could be reduced to 40,000 IU weekly in patients achieving erythroid response. QOL was assessed using the functional assessment of cancer therapy-anemia (FACT-An) questionnaire. FACT-An scores increased on average by 7.5 after 4 weeks and by 8.8 after 8 weeks compared with baseline. FACT-An scores were positively associated with Hb values (r=0.53, P<0.01). The mean FACT-An score increase at week 8 was 10.2 in responders and 5.6 in nonresponders. The overall erythroid response rate at week 8 was 68%: 74% in transfusion-independent patients and 59% in transfusion-dependent patients. Of all responders at week 8, response was maintained in 86% at week 12, 71% at week 16, 65% at week 20, and 54% at week 24. Treatment was generally well tolerated. Our data provide new and encouraging results regarding the benefits of 40,000 IU biweekly induction doses followed by 40,000 IU weekly in improving QOL, correcting anemia, and reducing transfusion requirements in low-risk MDS patients.

Alpha-interferon in polycythemia vera and essential thrombocythemia.

Twenty-one patients with chronic myeloproliferative disorders, eleven with polycythemia vera (PV) and ten with essential thrombocythemia (ET), were treated with small doses of alpha-2a interferon (IFN). The median follow-up was, respectively, 10.8 months (range 4-22) for PV and 8.11 months (range 4-16) for ET. Six patients with PV and five with ET had been previously treated with conventional cytotoxic drugs, while the remaining patients were newly diagnosed. In four patients with PV we observed a durable normal hematocrit level (PCV less than 0.48) and a reduction of platelet count and spleen size within 4-8 weeks of treatment. Three patients achieved moderate disease control. In the others the disease remained substantially unchanged. Five out of nine evaluable patients with ET showed complete response (CR) within six weeks, one patient had a partial response (PR) and three no response (NR). In one patient with ET the IFN therapy was stopped after twelve days because neurological side effects were observed. All the other patients tolerated long-term treatment very well.

[Use of immunoglobulins in AIDS]. / Uso delle immunoglobuline in corso di AIDS.

Fourteen AIDS patients with constitutional symptoms without a known etiology were treated with intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG). The dosage regimen was 300 mg/kg per day three times weekly for two weeks followed by 300 mg/kg per day once weekly for ten weeks. All patients improved clinically after treatment with IVIG. The reason for the clinical improvement in our cases is as yet unclear, but it is possible that immunoglobulins have had a therapeutic effect on the underlying immunologic disturbance.

[High-dose immunoglobulins in immune thrombocytopenic purpura]. / Immunoglobuline ad alte dosi nella porpora trombocitopenica immune.

Twenty-four patients with immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) were treated with high doses of intravenous immunoglobulin (Ig). Increase in platelets was observed in all the patients. The maximum value was reached between the seventh and the twelfth day of treatment. The mean number of platelets was 18 x 10(9)/l before the treatment and 150 x 10(9)/l after the treatment. The effect was transient; in fact, a fall in the platelets was observed after 18 days of treatment. Our study confirms that high doses Ig is an effective treatment of ITP, but the high cost and the temporary effect limit its use only in those cases in which other treatments are ineffective or contraindicated.