Clinical efficacy of IgM-enriched immunoglobulin as adjunctive therapy in neonatal and pediatric sepsis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Sepsis is a major cause of mortality and morbidity globally, with around one-quarter of all sepsis-related deaths occurring in children under the age of 5. We conducted a meta-analysis and systematic review of the literature to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of an IgM-enriched immunoglobulin preparation in pediatrics patients and neonates with sepsis. Methods: Systematic searches of PubMed, the Cochrane Library and Embase databases were performed in November 2022, with no date limitations, to identify studies in which IgM-enriched immunoglobulin was used as adjunctive therapy in neonatal and pediatric patients with sepsis. Results: In total, 15 studies fulfilled the eligibility criteria, 13 neonatal studies and 2 pediatric studies. Pooled estimates from all studies indicated that mortality rates were significantly lower in patients who received treatment with the IgM-enriched immunoglobulin compared with controls (OR 0.41; 95% CI 0.32-0.55). Further analyses in neonatal studies, alone, showed a significant benefit with longer treatment durations (>3 days) vs. the recommended treatment duration (3 days) (OR 0.32; 95% CI 0.22-0.47) vs. (OR 0.61; 95% CI 0.41-0.92). Treatment with IgM-enriched immunoglobulin was associated with a lower mortality risk compared with controls in prospective studies vs. retrospective analyses (OR 0.37; 95% CI 0.27-0.51) vs. (OR 0.73; 95% CI 0.41-1.30). Conclusions: This systematic review suggests that adjunctive treatment with IgM-enriched immunoglobulin may reduce the risk of mortality in neonatal and pediatric populations. However, large randomized controlled trials are required to further substantiate and evaluate these findings.

Long-Term Effectiveness, Safety, and Patient-Reported Outcomes of Self-Administered Subcutaneous Hepatitis B Immunoglobulin in Liver Post-Transplant Hepatitis B Prophylaxis: A Prospective Non-Interventional Study.

BACKGROUND Self-administered subcutaneous hepatitis B immunoglobulin (s.c. HBIg) in combination with nucleos(t)ide analogs (NUCs) has proved to be effective and safe in preventing hepatitis B virus (HBV) reinfection after liver transplantation. MATERIAL AND METHODS This non-interventional, prospective, single-arm, multicenter, international study collected data on long-term effectiveness, safety, patient satisfaction (Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication, TSQM-11), and quality of life (EQ-5D questionnaire) in routine practice over a 2-year treatment period. Data analysis was based on 195 adults (82.1% male) transplanted for HBV-related liver diseases and treated with s.c. HBIg with/without NUC(s). RESULTS HBV recurrence (seropositivity of HBV surface antigen and/or HBV DNA) was observed in 7/195 (3.6%) patients (annual rate: 2.01%). Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurred in 4/83 (4.8%) patients transplanted for HBV-HCC (annual rate: 2.88%). Twenty-nine adverse drug reactions occurred in 16/195 (8.2%) patients. Convenience and overall satisfaction scores of the TSQM-11 were significantly (P<0.05) improved under treatment at the 3-month, 2-year, and last follow-up visits. Quality of life remained constant over the entire observation period (EQ-5D index [P≥0.075]). S.c. HBIg was mainly self-administered (6458/9021 administrations, 71.6%) at home (8514/9021 administrations, 94.4%). CONCLUSIONS The results indicate long-term effectiveness and safety of s.c. HBIg in combination with NUC therapy in preventing post-transplant HBV reinfection under real-life conditions. The convenience of the therapy contributed to the high overall treatment satisfaction and acceptance by the patients.

IgM-enriched immunoglobulin in COVID-19: Case series of 15 severely ill SARS-CoV-2-infected patients.

The healthcare system in Iran, like most around the world, is managing thousands of patients hospitalised with COVID-19. In Iran, in-hospital mortality is in the region of 25%, rising to 50-60% in patients admitted to intensive care. Hyperinflammation, characterised by cytokine storm, appears to be a hallmark of severe COVID-19 and to date only the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone has been shown to reduce mortality in those hospitalised with the disease. There is a sound scientific rationale behind the use of IgM-enriched immunoglobulin in the management of patients with severe COVID-19. It has been used successfully in the management of hyperinflammation in patients with sepsis and has led to improved radiographic scores in patients with severe cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) infection. Recently the successful treatment of a patient with COVID-19 with IgM-enriched immunoglobulin was reported. Here we report the outcome of a further 15 patients hospitalised with COVID-19 treated with IgM-enriched immunoglobulin. Improvements in computed tomography (CT) score were observed in nine patients, indicating that further clinical studies into the use of IgM-enriched immunoglobulin in the treatment of severe COVID-19 are warranted.

Benefits of immunoglobulin substitution in primary and secondary immunodeficiencies: Interim analysis of a prospective, long-term non-interventional study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the safety, tolerability, and effectiveness of the intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) Intratect 100 g/L in a prospective, large-scale non-interventional study (NIS) of patients with a wide range of antibody deficiencies as well as other indications for IVIG, risk factors, and frequency of pre-treatments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients were enrolled at 53 practices and clinics in Germany. After recording of baseline information, each patient was treated according to need, as judged by the physician and guided by the SmPC. Relevant data were acquired from medical records, and the patients completed questionnaires to assess treatment satisfaction and quality of life (QoL). RESULTS: At cut-off for this interim analysis, 488 patients were enrolled (planned: 1,000). 47% were male, age 16 - 91 (median 61) years, with treatment durations up to 2,225 (median 282) days. Indications were primary (32%) and secondary (61%) immunodeficiencies, immune thrombocytopenia (4%), and others (3%). More than 92% of physicians recorded very good effectiveness and satisfaction. Patient satisfaction and QoL increased with time from baseline. Initially, 31% of the SID patients had inadequate IgG trough levels (< 4 g/L), including patients with (37%) and without (63%) previous IVIG treatment. Despite a relatively low IVIG dose (median 0.2 g/kg), trough levels improved: after 3 infusions, only 22% of patients had trough levels < 4 g/L, with a plateau below 17% after 6 infusions. Adverse reactions were observed at a rate of 3% per infusion, whereas 0.08% accounted for serious reactions. CONCLUSION: Effectiveness, safety, patient satisfaction, and QoL were good, confirming the positive benefit-risk profile of the IVIG.

Long-term analysis of the benefit of prophylaxis for adult patients with severe or moderate haemophilia A.

INTRODUCTION: Prophylaxis with factor VIII (FVIII) concentrates in children with haemophilia A (HA) is current standard of care. The benefit of prophylactic treatment for adult HA patients is not commonly accepted. AIM: To investigate the benefit of prophylaxis over on-demand treatment in adult and elderly patients with severe or non-severe HA in a real-life setting. METHODS: Data from 163 patients comprising 1202 patient-years were evaluated for 7.5 (±5.3) years. The effects on the annual bleeding rate (ABR, including spontaneous and traumatic bleeds) of treatment with a plasma-derived FVIII concentrate, the patient's age and disease severity were investigated. The effect of changing the treatment from on demand to continuous prophylaxis on the patients' ABRs was further analysed. RESULTS: Prophylaxis had the greatest effect on the ABRs of patients of any age with severe or non-severe HA. The difference in ABR of all patients treated on demand (median 31.4; interquartile range (IQR) 27.6; N = 83) compared with those treated prophylactically (median 1.3; IQR 3.6; N = 122) was statistically significant (P < .05), even for patients with non-severe HA (median 8.4; IQR 15.5; N = 11) vs median 1.5; IQR 4.2 (N = 17), P < .05). Patients, aged up to 88 years, switching from on demand to continuous prophylaxis showed the lowest median ABR (1.1; N = 51) after their regimen change. CONCLUSION: Any (even low-frequency) prophylaxis results in lower ABR than on-demand treatment. Patients switching to prophylaxis benefitted the most, irrespective of age or HA severity. Prophylactic treatment-even tertiary-is the regimen of choice for patients of any age, including elderly patients, with severe or non-severe HA.

Long-Term Safety and Efficacy Data of a Plasma-Derived Factor VIII Concentrate with von Willebrand Factor for Treatment of Patients with Hemophilia A Covering 18 Years.

We describe the results of the (to our knowledge) longest long-term noninterventional study so far performed to obtain real-life data on the treatment of hemophilia A patients with a single plasma-derived FVIII concentrate containing von Willebrand factor (pdFVIII; Haemoctin/Faktor VIII SDH Intersero). A total of 198 patients (146 in Germany and 52 in Hungary), of whom 160 had severe and 38 nonsevere hemophilia A, representing all age groups (0-88 years; mean ∼25 years at inclusion) were analyzed during prophylactic or on-demand treatment over 18 years (overall 1,418 patient-years; mean >7 years). pdFVIII was very effective and well tolerated. The mean annual bleeding rate, including spontaneous and traumatic bleeds, was considerably lower for patients treated prophylactically (mean 5.4; median 3.1) than for patients treated on demand (mean 26.1; median 21.9). Inhibitors were found in 13% (3/23) and high-titer inhibitors in 4% (1/23) of previously untreated patients with severe hemophilia A. Four previously treated patients with severe hemophilia A developed inhibitors, thereof three high-titer inhibitors (3.3 and 2.5 high-titer inhibitors in 1,000 patient-years). No unexpected adverse effect on the health of the patients, no pdFVIII-related thrombosis, thromboembolic event, or hypersensitivity reaction, and no suspected viral transmission related to pdFVIII were documented.

Personalized medicine with IgGAM compared with standard of care for treatment of peritonitis after infectious source control (the PEPPER trial): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Peritonitis is responsible for thousands of deaths annually in Germany alone. Even source control (SC) and antibiotic treatment often fail to prevent severe sepsis or septic shock, and this situation has hardly improved in the past two decades. Most experimental immunomodulatory therapeutics for sepsis have been aimed at blocking or dampening a specific pro-inflammatory immunological mediator. However, the patient collective is large and heterogeneous. There are therefore grounds for investigating the possibility of developing personalized therapies by classifying patients into groups according to biomarkers. This study aims to combine an assessment of the efficacy of treatment with a preparation of human immunoglobulins G, A, and M (IgGAM) with individual status of various biomarkers (immunoglobulin level, procalcitonin, interleukin 6, antigen D-related human leucocyte antigen (HLA-DR), transcription factor NF-κB1, adrenomedullin, and pathogen spectrum). METHODS/DESIGN: A total of 200 patients with sepsis or septic shock will receive standard-of-care treatment (SoC). Of these, 133 patients (selected by 1:2 randomization) will in addition receive infusions of IgGAM for 5 days. All patients will be followed for approximately 90 days and assessed by the multiple-organ failure (MOF) score, by the EQ QLQ 5D quality-of-life scale, and by measurement of vital signs, biomarkers (as above), and survival. DISCUSSION: This study is intended to provide further information on the efficacy and safety of treatment with IgGAM and to offer the possibility of correlating these with the biomarkers to be studied. Specifically, it will test (at a descriptive level) the hypothesis that patients receiving IgGAM who have higher inflammation status (IL-6) and poorer immune status (low HLA-DR, low immunoglobulin levels) have a better outcome than patients who do not receive IgGAM. It is expected to provide information that will help to close the knowledge gap concerning the association between the effect of IgGAM and the presence of various biomarkers, thus possibly opening the way to a personalized medicine. TRIAL REGISTRATION: EudraCT, 2016-001788-34; ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03334006 . Registered on 17 Nov 2017. Trial sponsor: RWTH Aachen University, represented by the Center for Translational & Clinical Research Aachen (contact Dr. S. Isfort).

Recurrence of Hepatitis B Infection in Liver Transplant Patients Receiving Long-Term Hepatitis B Immunoglobulin Prophylaxis.

BACKGROUND Long-term real-world data are relatively sparse regarding recurrence of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection after liver transplantation using hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIg) and nucleos(t)ide analogue (NUC) prophylaxis. MATERIAL AND METHODS Data from 371 adults transplanted for HBV-related disease at 20 European centers and given HBIg for ³12 months ± NUC therapy were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS HBIg comprised Hepatect® (iv HBIgB; n=299), subcutaneous Zutectra® (sc HBIg, n=236), and other HBIg preparations (n=130); 93.5% received NUC therapy. Mean follow-up was 6.8±3.5 years. The primary efficacy variable, freedom from HBV recurrence, occurred in 95.7% of patients (95% CI [93.1%, 97.5%]). The observed incidence of recurrence was 16/371 (4.3%) (annual rate 0.65%); 5/16 patients with recurrence had discontinued HBIg and 7/16 had anti-HBs <100 IU/l. Excluding these 7 patients, the HBV recurrence rate was 2.4%. The recurrence rate while on HBIg therapy was 1 per 2069 months. In patients who discontinued HBIg, risk of HBV recurrence versus sc HBIg users was increased by 5.2-fold (1 per 1 603 versus 1 per 8379 treatment months). The annual rate of HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence was 1.7%. CONCLUSIONS These results support the long-term use of HBIg with NUC therapy as an effective management strategy to minimize risk of HBV recurrence and virus-related complications after liver transplantation.

Safety monitoring of the intravenous immunoglobulin preparation Intratect® in primary and secondary immunodeficiencies: a prospective non-interventional study.

OBJECTIVES: To better characterize the risk profile of the intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) Intratect®, a non-interventional study was undertaken to systematically collect large-scale safety information under real-life conditions in patients with primary and secondary immunodeficiency. Secondary objectives were data on treatment modalities. METHODS: A prospective, non-interventional study was performed at 95 centers. RESULTS of an interim analysis are reported here. Intratect® (50 g/L) was administered at the physician's discretion. Data were captured from patients with different causes of immunodeficiency (61.5% with malignancy) at routine clinic visits, with a particular focus on the frequency and causality of adverse events. RESULTS: 1,313 patients were followed for a median of 294 days. At study entry, 836 patients (63.7%) were receiving therapy, most frequently IVIG treatment (37.2%). In total, 21,995 Intratect® infusions were documented (median 11 infusions per patient, median dose 200 mL). Median serum IgG level increased from 5.78 (interquartile range 3.70, 8.87) g/L at month 1 to 6.58 (4.82, 9.48) g/mL at month 12. Altogether, 689 adverse events were collected, irrespective of causality. From these, 225 (32.7%) were assessed as related to Intratect® and thus considered suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Thus, the ADR rate was 1.0% per infusion. Seven ADRs (7/225, 3.1%) were graded serious. In all cases, the patients had recovered or were recovering at the time of reporting. CONCLUSIONS: Use of Intratect® for immunoglobulin substitution in primary and secondary immunodeficiency under real-life conditions is associated with a low rate of suspected ADRs. Serious ADRs are rare and manageable.

Efficacy and safety of Privigen(®) in patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy: results of a prospective, single-arm, open-label Phase III study (the PRIMA study).

This prospective, multicenter, single-arm, open-label Phase III study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Privigen(®) (10% liquid human intravenous immunoglobulin [IVIG], stabilized with L-proline) in patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). Patients received one induction dose of Privigen (2 g/kg body weight [bw]) and up to seven maintenance doses (1 g/kg bw) at 3-week intervals. The primary efficacy endpoint was the responder rate at completion, defined as improvement of ≥1 point on the adjusted Inflammatory Neuropathy Cause and Treatment (INCAT) disability scale. The preset success criterion was the responder rate being ≥35%. Of the 31 screened patients, 28 patients were enrolled including 13 (46.4%) IVIG-pretreated patients. The overall responder rate at completion was 60.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 42.41%-76.43%). IVIG-pretreated patients demonstrated a higher responder rate than IVIG-naïve patients (76.9% vs. 46.7%). The median (25%-75% quantile) INCAT score improved from 3.5 (3.0-4.5) points at baseline to 2.5 (1.0-3.0) points at completion, as did the mean (standard deviation [SD]) maximum grip strength (66.7 [37.24] kPa vs. 80.9 [31.06] kPa) and the median Medical Research Council sum score (67.0 [61.5-72.0] points vs. 75.5 [71.5-79.5] points). Of 108 adverse events (AEs; 0.417 AEs per infusion), 95 AEs (88.0%) were mild or moderate in intensity and resolved by the end of study. Two serious AEs of hemolysis were reported that resolved after discontinuation of treatment. Thus, Privigen provided efficacious and well-tolerated induction and maintenance treatment in patients with CIDP.

Head and neck cancer surgery in the elderly: outcome evaluation with the McPeek score.

OBJECTIVES: There is international consensus that elderly patients with head and neck cancer should be treated curatively, like younger patients. Because of common comorbidities in elderly patients, perioperative complications are likely. The McPeek postoperative outcome score was used to evaluate the success of surgical interventions in patients with head and neck cancer. METHODS: We included 168 patients in the study (56 in the study group, 75 years of age or more; and 112 in the control group, less than 60 years of age). All patients underwent major surgery for head and neck cancer. RESULTS: The median McPeek scores were 8 in the study group and 9 in the control group (p = 0.04). Regression analysis revealed that neither age (p = 0.085) nor the American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status score (p = 0.342) were independent predictors of the McPeek score. Synchronous surgical interventions (p = 0.00051) and duration of surgery (p = 0.0015) had a significant impact on McPeek score performance. CONCLUSIONS: The McPeek score seems to be an appropriate tool for comparing major surgeries for head and neck cancer in different age groups. It is possible to assess the influence of anesthetic and surgical interventions and complications that affect the length of hospitalization. The results confirm that the overall complication rate after surgery in elderly patients does not differ significantly from that in their younger counterparts. Therefore, extended surgical treatment should be offered to both age groups when no serious comorbidities are present. The postoperative outcome seems to depend on the duration and extent of the surgical intervention.

Differential effects of antibiotics in combination with G-CSF on survival and polymorphonuclear granulocyte cell functions in septic rats.

BACKGROUND: In addition to their antimicrobial activity, antibiotics modulate cellular host defence. Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) is also a well known immunomodulator; however little is known about the interactions of G-CSF with antibiotics. We investigated in septic rats the effects of two antibiotic combinations with G-CSF. METHODS: In two clinic modelling randomised trials (CMRTs), male Wistar rats were anesthetized, given antibiotic prophylaxis, had a laparotomy with peritoneal contamination and infection (PCI), and were randomly assigned (n = 18 rats/group) to: 1) PCI only; 2) PCI+antibiotic; and, 3) PCI+antibiotic+G-CSF prophylaxis (20 mug/kg, three times). This sequence was conducted first with 10 mg/kg coamoxiclav, and then with ceftriaxone/metronidazole (Cef/met, 10/3 mg/kg). In additional animals, the blood cell count, migration and superoxide production of PMNs, systemic TNF-alpha and liver cytokine mRNA expression levels were determined. RESULTS: Only the combination coamoxiclav plus G-CSF improved the survival rate (82 vs. 44%, p < 0.001). Improved survival with this combination was accompanied by normalised antimicrobial PMN migratory activity and superoxide production, along with normalised systemic TNF-alpha levels and a reduced expression of TNF-alpha and IL-1 in the liver. CONCLUSION: There are substantial differences in the interaction of antibiotics with G-CSF. Therefore, the selection of the antibiotic for combination with G-CSF in sepsis treatment should be guided not only by the bacteria to be eliminated, but also by the effects on antimicrobial functions of PMNs and the cytokine response.

Effects of the antimicrobial peptide LL-37 and hyperthermic preconditioning in septic rats.

BACKGROUND: The authors tested the effects of LL-37 prophylaxis or therapy on the outcome after intraabdominal sepsis and examined whether hyperthermic preconditioning plus LL-37 therapy augments host immune response and improves survival. METHODS: A rat model of peritoneal contamination and infection (PCI) with human stool was used to simulate clinical conditions. In trial 1, the authors compared (1) PCI, (2) LL-37 prophylaxis (0.5 mg/kg, 12 h before PCI), and (3) LL-37 therapy (0.5 mg/kg, 1 h after PCI). In trial 2, the authors compared (1) PCI, (2) LL-37 therapy, (3) hyperthermic preconditioning (41 degrees C for 1 h, 24 h before PCI), and (4) LL-37 therapy and hyperthermic preconditioning. The primary endpoint was mortality at 120 h. In trial 2, secondary endpoints were systemic levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 6, macrophage inflammatory protein 2, and heat shock protein 70; leukocyte counts; and neutrophil granulocyte phagocytosis. RESULTS: In trial 1, 30% of the control group compared with 70% of the LL-37 therapy group survived, but 55% after LL-37 prophylaxis survived (P = 0.038). In trial 2, 38% of the controls, 67% of the LL-37 therapy, 59% of the hyperthermic preconditioned, and 90% of the hyperthermic preconditioned plus LL-37 therapy group survived (P = 0.01). LL-37 therapy plus hyperthermic preconditioning reduced proinflammatory cytokine concentrations after sepsis; specifically compared with controls, macrophage inflammatory protein-2 and interleukin-6 levels were 1.5 +/- 1.5 versus 11 +/- 6 pg/ml (P = 0.028) and 13 +/- 8 versus 86 +/- 31 pg/ml, (P = 0.015), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In this model of intraabdominal sepsis, LL-37 therapy improved outcome. Hyperthermic preconditioning per se was not successful, but in combination with LL-37 therapy, the survival rate after sepsis was increased and the proinflammatory cytokine response was downgraded.

Perioperative prophylaxis with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) in high-risk colorectal cancer patients for an improved recovery: A randomized, controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to improve the postoperative outcome of high-risk patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists class 3 and 4) recovering from colorectal cancer surgery by using recombinant human G-CSF (filgrastim) as perioperative prophylaxis. METHODS: In a double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial, 80 patients undergoing left-sided colorectal resection were randomized to filgrastim or placebo. Filgrastim (5 mug/kg) or placebo was administered in the afternoon on day -1, 0, and +1 relative to the operation. Primary endpoints were in a hierarchic order: quality of life (QoL) over time (determined at discharge, 2 and 6 months after operation with the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer questionnaire) and the McPeek recovery score, which measures death and duration of stays in the intensive care unit and hospital. Predefined secondary endpoints were global QoL, subdomains of QoL, postoperative recovery, duration of stay, 6-month overall survival, complication rates, and cellular and immunologic parameters. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in both primary endpoints between the treatment groups. A significant improvement (P < .05) was obtained by filgrastim prophylaxis in the QoL subdomain family life /- social functioning,; thus, more patients recovered to their preoperative state (14 vs 4 with placebo) as determined by structured interviews. Duration of hospital stay (14 vs 12 days) and noninfectious complications were decreased from 8% to 3%. CONCLUSIONS: High-risk patients undergoing major operation for colorectal cancer profited from filgrastim prophylaxis with regard to duration of hospital stay, noninfectious complications, social QoL, and subjective recovery from operation. These endpoints, however, were secondary, and the primary endpoints (overall QoL and the McPeek index) did not show comparable benefits. A new confirmatory trial with the successful endpoints of this trial, as well as a cost analysis, will be needed to confirm the results before a general recommendation for the prophylactic use of G-CSF in high-risk cancer patients can be given.

Added value of gastrin receptor scintigraphy in comparison to somatostatin receptor scintigraphy in patients with carcinoids and other neuroendocrine tumours.

Gastrin receptor scintigraphy (GRS) is a new imaging method primarily developed for the detection of metastases of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). As gastrin-binding CCK(2) receptors are also expressed on a variety of other neuroendocrine tumours (NET), we compared GRS to somatostatin receptor scintigraphy (SRS) in patients with NET. SRS and GRS were performed within 21 days in a series of 60 consecutive patients with NET. GRS was directly compared with SRS. If lesions were visible on GRS but not detectable by SRS, other imaging modalities (MRI, CT) and follow-up were used for verification. Of the 60 evaluable patients, 51 had carcinoid tumours, 3 gastrinomas, 2 glucagonomas, 1 insulinoma and 3 paragangliomas. The overall tumour-detection rate was 73.7% for GRS and 82.1% for SRS. In the 11 patients with negative SRS, GRS was positive in 6 (54.5%). Based on the number of tumour sites detected and the degree of uptake, GRS performed better than SRS in 13 patients (21.7%), equivalent images were obtained in 18 cases (30.0%) and SRS performed better in 24 (40.0%) cases. In six of the SRS positive patients, 18 additional sites of tumour involvement could be detected. Overall, GRS detected additional tumour sites in 20% of the patients. Localisation of the primary tumours or their functional status had no influence on the outcome of imaging. GRS should be performed in selected patients as it may provide additional information in patients with NET with equivocal or absent somatostatin uptake.

Synergistic effects of the anti-cholinergic R,R-glycopyrrolate with anti-inflammatory drugs.

Currently, much effort is geared towards developing therapies that impact on the inflammation in respiratory diseases such as asthma and COPD, assuming that this will improve disease pathology. R,R-Glycopyrrolate, a quaternary ammonium compound, is a muscarinic receptor antagonist with the potential to be used as a long-acting bronchodilator in patients with asthma and COPD. In this study we evaluated whether the combination of R,R-glycopyrrolate with known anti-inflammatory drugs results in synergistic effects. Human primary monocytes were used as an in vitro model system. M3, M4, M1 and M2 receptors were expressed in these cells in descending order. The combinatory effects of the drugs on the release of TNF-alpha after lipopolysaccharide stimulation were analyzed. R,R-Glycopyrrolate alone did not affect LPS induced TNF-alpha release. The PDE4 inhibitor rolipram dose dependently inhibited the TNF-alpha release. Maximum inhibition was around 70%. The IC(35) for rolipram was 68.9+/-15.2 nM. The simultaneous administration of 10 microM R,R-glycopyrrolate reduced the IC(35) to 1.70+/-1.18 nM. The anti-histamine azelastine inhibited TNF-alpha release dose dependently. The simultaneous administration of R,R-glycopyrrolate did not influence the action of azelastine. The corticosteroid budesonide inhibited the TNF-alpha release dose dependently with an IC(50) of 0.55+/-0.13 nM. The simultaneous administration of 10 microM R,R-glycopyrrolate reduced the IC(50) to 0.13+/-0.03 nM. Finally, R,R-glycopyrrolate was most effective in the triple combination with budesonide and rolipram in the reduction of TNF-alpha release. In conclusion, R,R-glycopyrrolate acts synergistically with the PDE4 inhibitor rolipram and the steroid budesonide in inhibiting inflammatory mediators.

Improved tumour detection by gastrin receptor scintigraphy in patients with metastasised medullary thyroid carcinoma.

PURPOSE: Radiopeptide imaging is a valuable imaging method in the management of patients with neuroendocrine tumours (NET). To determine the clinical performance of gastrin receptor scintigraphy (GRS), it was compared with somatostatin receptor scintigraphy (SRS), computed tomography (CT) and (18)F-FDG positron emission tomography (PET) in patients with metastasised/recurrent medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). METHODS: Twenty-seven consecutive patients underwent imaging with GRS, SRS (19 patients), CT and PET (26 patients). GRS and SRS were compared with respect to tumour detection and uptake. CT, PET, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound (US) and follow-up were used for verification of findings. In addition, GRS, CT and PET were directly compared with each other to determine which method performs best. RESULTS: Nineteen patients underwent both GRS and SRS. Among these, GRS showed a tumour detection rate of 94.2% as compared to 40.7% for SRS [mean number of tumour sites (+/-SD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI): GRS 4.3+/-3.1/2.8-5.7, SRS 1.8+/-1.6/1.1-2.6]. In 26 patients, GRS, CT and PET were compared. Here, GRS showed a tumour detection rate of 87.3% (CT 76.1%, PET 67.2%; mean number of tumour sites and 95% CI: GRS 4.5+/-4.0/2.9-6.1, CT 3.9+/-3.5/2.5-5.3, PET 3.5+/-3.3/2.1-4.8). If GRS and CT were combined, they were able to detect 96.7% of areas of tumour involvement. CONCLUSION: GRS had a higher tumour detection rate than SRS and PET in our study. GRS in combination with CT was most effective in the detection of metastatic MTC.