Azacitidine for Relapse After Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation-Single-Center Study.

BACKGROUND: Relapse is the leading cause of treatment failure for myeloid malignancies treated with allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Treatment options are very limited and use of azacitidine is one of the available options. METHODS: This was a retrospective, single-institution study. Of 28 evaluated patients, 18 were males, and the median age was 60 years (range, 15-78). There were 15 patients with acute myeloid leukemia, 8 with myelodysplastic syndrome, 4 with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia, and 1 with primary myelofibrosis. Ten patients received azacitidine for overt relapse, 14 received it as a preemptive therapy, and 4 others received it as maintenance treatment after allo-hematopoietic cell transplant (HSCT). Eleven patients received a donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI). RESULTS: The patients received median 5 (1-9) cycles of azacitidine in preemptive and maintenance therapy and median 2.5 (1-9) cycles in patients with relapse. Thirty-nine percent of patients received DLIs. Median overall survival was 6.1 months (95% CI, 0.7-13) for relapse therapy vs 21.2 months (95% CI, 8.4-inf) for preemptive therapy. Among patients treated for relapse, 30% achieved temporary disease control and underwent the second allo-HSCT. A complete, cytogenetic remission was achieved in 50% of patients and stable minimal residual disease in 14% of patients in a group with preemptive therapy. Toxicity was considerable; neutropenia (71%), anemia (14%), thrombocytopenia (36%), and serious infections (36%) were observed in the preemptive setting. CONCLUSIONS: These data support the notion that azacitidine is best used as a preemptive therapy against relapse for patients after allo-HSCT performed for myeloid malignancy. Applying azacitidine as therapy for ongoing relapse after allo-HSCT may lead to stable disease and allow for better performance of the second allo-HSCT.

Self-injuries in adolescents: social competence, emotional intelligence, and stigmatization.

Social competence, emotional intelligence, and strategies of coping with stress were investigated in adolescents who commit acts of self-injury. Furthermore, the extent to which stigma influences changes in psychological functioning of self-injuring persons also was examined. The methodology consisted of recognized self-reporting psychometric tools. Findings revealed substantial disturbances in all of the above mentioned psychological aspects of functioning of the self-injured. There were significant decreases in the level of emotions directed toward the 'self' and in the components of social competence dealing with intimate relations and assertiveness, as compared with healthy persons. Emotion-oriented strategy of dealing with stress became dominant in the self-injured. A decrease in social competence was appreciably intensified by stigma. Findings, however, failed to reveal changes in emotions directed toward the 'others', which may help explain good functioning in social exposure and everyday life situations of the self-injured.

[Activity of lysozymes in blood serum of rabbits with experimental salmonellosis (Salmonella agona) (author's transl)]. / Die lysozymaktivität im Blutserum von experimentell mit Salmonella agona infizierten Kaninchen

The authors have analysed the influence of experimental infection of rabbits with Salmonella agona on lysozyme activity in the blood serum of examined animals. 37 rabbits were used in the experiments; experimental salmonellosis was developed in 22 out of this number, the remaining ones (15 rabbits) served as controls A statistically significant increase of lysozyme activity has been found in the serum of sick animals in the acute stage of the disease. A significantly high activity of this enzyme was observed in the diluted blood serum of experimental animals. No correlation was founds between the number of leucocytes and the percentage of granulocytes, and the lysozyme activity.