INOVATYON/ ENGOT-ov5 study: Randomized phase III international study comparing trabectedin/pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) followed by platinum at progression vs carboplatin/PLD in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer progressing within 6-12 months after last platinum line.

BACKGROUND: This trial investigated the hypothesis that the treatment with trabectedin/PLD (TP) to extend the platinum-free interval (TFIp) can improve overall survival (OS) in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer (OC). METHODS: Patients with OC (up to two previous platinum-based lines), with a TFIp of 6-12 months, were randomised to receive carboplatin/PLD (CP) or TP followed by platinum therapy at relapse. The primary endpoint was OS (HR: 0.75). RESULTS: The study enrolled 617 patients. The median TFIp was 8.3 months and 30.3% of patients had received two previous platinum lines. 74% and 73.9% of patients, respectively, received a subsequent therapy (ST) in the CP and TP arm; in the latter TP arm 87.2% of ST was platinum-based, as per protocol. The median OS was 21.4 for CP and 21.9 months for TP (HR 1.13; 95% CI: 0.94-1.35; p = 0.197). Grade 3-5 adverse reactions occurred in 37.1% of patients in the CP arm and 69.7% of patients in the TP arm, and the most frequent were neutropenia (22.8% CP, 39.5% TP), gastrointestinal (7.1% CP, 17.4% TP), hepatic (0.7% CP, 19.1% TP). CONCLUSIONS: This study did not meet the primary endpoint. CP combination remains the standard for patients with recurrent OC and a 6-12 months TFIp; TP is an effective treatment in patients suffering from persistent platinum toxicities. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01379989.

Chronobiology of acute pancreatitis in a single Italian centre.

OBJECTIVE: Seasonal variation may occur in many different diseases hence influencing awareness in clinical practice. This study aimed to establish seasonal variations of acute pancreatitis by using a validated chronobiological analysis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All cases of acute pancreatitis consecutively observed in fifteen years, i.e., from January 2003 to December 2017, at St. Anna University Hospital of Ferrara, Italy, were included in this study. Accurate statistical and logistic regression analyses were applied to our database. RESULTS: A total number of 1883 consecutive cases of acute pancreatitis were observed. A significant peak was identified in the summer period (p=0.014). Patient stratification, according to age, showed that elderly people had an increased incidence of acute pancreatitis in autumn and summer (being the biliary stone disease the main cause, p=0.011) vs. other seasons (p=0.003). Mortality occurred more prominently in males vs. females, although the latter gender was more prone to acute pancreatitis (p=0.017). CONCLUSIONS: In a single centre of Northern East of Italy, we demonstrated that acute pancreatitis had a clear seasonal variation with a prominent incidence during summer. Various associated factors could contribute to this chronobiological pattern, including gender, age, and biliary stone disease.

Overall survival results of AGO-OVAR16: A phase 3 study of maintenance pazopanib versus placebo in women who have not progressed after first-line chemotherapy for advanced ovarian cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The AGO-OVAR16 study was designed to test the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of pazopanib maintenance after first-line chemotherapy in patients with newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer (AOC). METHODS: Nine hundred and forty patients with histologically confirmed AOC, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage II-IV, were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive either 800 mg pazopanib once daily or placebo for up to 24 months, unless there was disease progression, toxicity, withdrawal of consent, or death. The primary endpoint (investigator-assessed progression-free survival [PFS]) was met and previously reported. The results of final analyses of overall survival (OS) are reported here. RESULTS: A third OS interim analysis showed futility and led to study closure and a final OS analysis after last patient last visit. At the time of the final OS analysis, 494 (89.7% of the planned 551) events had occurred. No difference was observed in OS between pazopanib and placebo. The hazard ratio (HR) was 0.960 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.805-1.145), and the median OS from randomization was 59.1 months in pazopanib and 64.0 months in placebo arms. For the East Asian patients, similar to the first three interim OS analyses, a numerical negative trend was observed favoring placebo (HR, 1.332; 95% CI: 0.863-2.054). Exploratory analyses showed a trend for a longer time to first subsequent anti-cancer therapy or death with pazopanib over placebo (HR, 0.829; 95% CI: 0.713-0.965), with a median estimate of 19.0 and 14.5 months, respectively. No new safety signals were observed. CONCLUSION: Although pazopanib prolonged PFS, this was not associated with improvement in median OS. CLINICAL TRIAL INFORMATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00866697.

Metformin plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone in the first-line treatment of HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer. The MYME randomized, phase 2 clinical trial.

PURPOSE: To investigate the efficacy of metformin (M) plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone in metastatic breast cancer (MBC). METHODS: Non-diabetic women with HER2-negative MBC were randomized to receive non-pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (NPLD) 60 mg/m2 + cyclophosphamide (C) 600 mg/m2 × 8 cycles Q21 days plus M 2000 mg/day (arm A) versus NPLD/C (arm B). The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). RESULTS: One-hundred-twenty-two patients were evaluable for PFS. At a median follow-up of 39.6 months (interquartile range [IQR] 24.6-50.7 months), 112 PFS events and 71 deaths have been registered. Median PFS was 9.4 months (95% CI 7.8-10.4) in arm A and 9.9 (95% CI 7.4-11.5) in arm B (P = 0.651). In patients with HOMA index < 2.5, median PFS was 10.4 months (95% CI 9.6-11.7) versus 8.5 (95% CI 5.8-9.7) in those with HOMA index ≥ 2.5 (P = 0.034). Grade 3/4 neutropenia was the most common toxicity, occurring in 54.4% of arm A patients and 72.3% of the arm B group (P = 0.019). M induced diarrhea (G2) was observed in 8.8% of patients in Arm A. The effect of M was similar in patients with HOMA index < 2.5 and ≥ 2.5, for PFS and OS. CONCLUSIONS: The MYME trial failed to provide evidence in support of an anticancer activity of M in combination with first line CT in MBC. A significantly shorter PFS was observed in insulin-resistant patients (HOMA ≥ 2.5). Noteworthy, M had a significant effect on CT induced severe neutropenia. Further development of M in combination with CT in the setting of MBC is not warranted.

Quality-of-life analysis of the MITO-8, MaNGO, BGOG-Ov1, AGO-Ovar2.16, ENGOT-Ov1, GCIG study comparing platinum-based versus non-platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with partially platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer.

Background: MITO-8 showed that prolonging platinum-free interval by introducing non-platinum-based chemotherapy (NPBC) does not improve prognosis of patients with partially platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer. Quality of life (QoL) was a secondary outcome. Patients and methods: Ovarian cancer patients recurring or progressing 6-12 months after previous platinum-based chemotherapy (PBC) were randomized to receive PBC or NPBC as first treatment. QoL was assessed at baseline, third and sixth cycles, with the EORTC C-30 and OV-28 questionnaires. Mean changes and best response were analysed. Progression-free survival, response rate, and toxicity are also reported for proper interpretation of data. All analyses were based on intention-to-treat. Results: Out of the 215 patients, 151 (70.2%) completed baseline questionnaire, balanced between the arms; thereafter, missing rate was higher in the NPBC arm. At mean change analysis, C30 scores were prevalently worse in the NPBC than PBC arm, statistical significance being attained for emotional functioning, global health status/QoL, fatigue, and dyspnoea (effect sizes ranging from 0.30 to 0.51). Conversely, as for OV28 scale, the other chemotherapy side-effects item was significantly worse with PBC at three and six cycles, with a larger effect size (0.70 and 0.54, respectively). At best response analysis, improvement of emotional functioning and pain and worsening of peripheral neuropathy and other chemotherapy side-effects were significantly more frequent in the PBC arm. Progression-free survival (median 9 versus 5 months, P = 0.001) and objective response rate (51.6% versus 19.4%, P = 0.0001) were significantly better with PBC. Allergy, blood cell count, alopecia, nausea, musculoskeletal, and neurological side-effects were more frequent and severe with PBC; hand-foot skin reaction, rash/desquamation, mucositis, and vascular events were more frequent with NPBC. Conclusion: MITO-8 QoL analysis shows that deterioration of some functioning and symptom scales is lower with PBC, with improvement of emotional functioning and pain, despite worsening of toxicity-related items. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00657878.

Quality of life in patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) randomized to maintenance pazopanib or placebo after first-line chemotherapy in the AGO-OVAR 16 trial. Measuring what matters-patient-centered end points in trials of maintenance therapy.

Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was a secondary end point in AGO-OVAR 16, which randomized 940 patients with EOC after first-line chemotherapy to maintenance pazopanib (PZ) or placebo (P). Additional post hoc analyses were carried out to investigate additional patient-centered end points. Patients and methods: HRQoL was measured with EORTC-QLQ-C30, QLQ-OV28 and EQ-5D-3L. Pre-specified end points included mean differences in HRQoL between treatment arms. Exploratory analyses included quality-adjusted progression-free survival (QAPFS), impact of specific symptoms and progressive disease (PD) on HRQoL and time to second-line chemotherapy. The objective was to provide clinical perspective to the significant median PFS gain of 5.6 months with PZ. Results: There were statistically significant differences between PZ and P in QLQ-C30 global health status [5.5 points; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.7-10.4, P = 0.024] from baseline to 25 months, but not EQ-5D-3L (0.018 points; 95% CI - 0.033 to 0.069, P = 0.485). The impact of diarrhea was captured in QLQ-OV28 Abdominal/GI-Symptoms scale (8.1 points; 95% CI 3.6-12.5, P = 0.001). QAPFS was 386 days (95% CI 366-404 days) with PZ versus 359 days (95% CI 338-379 days) with placebo (P = 0.052). PD was associated with a decline in HRQoL (P < 0.0001). Median time to second-line chemotherapy was 19.7 months with PZ and 15.0 months with P [hazard ratio (HR) 0.72, 95% CI 0.69-0.86, P = 0.0001]. Conclusions: There were small to no significant mean score differences in global HRQoL and EQ5D-3L between PZ and placebo, respectively, despite the increased toxicity of PZ. Exploratory end points including QAPFS, impact of specific symptoms on HRQoL during treatment and at PD help place the PFS gain with PZ in context and interpret the results. Additional patient-centered end points should be considered in trials of maintenance therapy in EOC beyond mean differences in HRQoL scores alone, to support the benefit to patients of prolongation of PFS. Clinical Trials Registration Number: NCT00866697.

Impact of 2013 ASCO/CAP guidelines on HER2 determination of invasive breast cancer: A single institution experience using frontline dual-color FISH.

PURPOSE: The new ASCO/CAP guidelines published in 2013 (AC2013) significantly modified the scoring criteria for HER2-FISH, introducing the most controversial change to the HER2-equivocal category. We retrospectively evaluated the impact of AC2013 in a cohort of consecutive invasive breast cancers (IBCs) analyzed with frontline dual-color FISH. METHODS: 2788 consecutive IBCs were reclassified based on the AC2013 guidelines. Clinico-pathological features of equivocal IBCs were compared with HER2-negative and HER2-positive IBCs. FISH HER2-equivocal cases underwent reflex tests: HER2-IHC, RARA-FISH, and SMS-FISH. Overall and disease-free survivals were evaluated in AC2007 HER2-positive patients treated with trastuzumab and in patients that became eligible for target-therapy according to AC2013. RESULTS: Two-hundred HER2-negative cases (7.2%) were classified differently, following AC2013: 0.3% (8/2788) became HER2-positive and 6.9% (192/2788) HER2-equivocal. AC2013, compared with AC2007, significantly increased initial HER2-equivocal cases (6.9%vs1.6%, p < 0.001). AC2013 equivocal-IBCs affected older patients and showed pathological features between HER2-negative and HER2-positive IBCs. After reflex tests, 102 of the 190 equivocal cases (53.7%) were reclassified as HER2-positive, 51 (26.8%) as negative and 37 (19.5%) as equivocal. IHC tested negative in 44.7% of cases, whereas SMS-FISH showed the highest percentage of positive results (45.8%). Clinical outcomes showed no statistically significant differences. CONCLUSION: Overall, 80.5% of FISH-equivocal cases were solved with at least one reflex test and 3.6% of patients became AC2013 HER2-positive, therefore eligible for target-therapy, but showed clinical outcomes similar to HER2-positive patients treated with trastuzumab. Our data belittle the clinical impact of AC2013 HER2-equivocal reclassification; further prospective randomized clinical studies are necessary to support these findings.

Effect of adjuvant trastuzumab treatment in conventional clinical setting: an observational retrospective multicenter Italian study.

Clinical trials have shown the efficacy of trastuzumab-based adjuvant therapy in HER2-positive breast cancers, but routine clinical use awaits evaluation of compliance, safety, and effectiveness. Adjuvant trastuzumab-based therapy in routine clinical use was evaluated in the retrospective study GHEA, recording 1,002 patients treated according to the HERA protocol between March 2005 and December 2009 in 42 Italian oncology departments; 874 (87.23 %) patients completed 1-year trastuzumab treatment. In 128 patients (12.77 %), trastuzumab was withdrawn due to cardiac or non-cardiac toxicity (28 and 29 patients, respectively), disease progression (5 patients) or the clinician's decision (66 patients). In addition, 156 patients experienced minor non-cardiac toxicities; 10 and 44 patients showed CHF and decreased LVEF, respectively, at the end of treatment. Compliance and safety of adjuvant trastuzumab-based therapy in Italian hospitals were high and close to those reported in the HERA trial. With a median follow-up of 32 months, 107 breast cancer relapses were recorded (overall frequency, 10.67 %), and lymph node involvement, estrogen receptor negativity, lymphoid infiltration, and vascular invasion were identified as independent prognostic factors for tumor recurrence, indicating that relapses were associated with advanced tumor stage. Analysis of site and frequency of distant metastases showed that bone metastases were significantly more frequent during or immediately after trastuzumab (<18 months from the start of treatment) compared to recurrences in bone after the end of treatment and wash-out of the drug (>18 months from the start of treatment) (35.89 vs. 14.28 %, p = 0.0240); no significant differences were observed in recurrences in the other recorded body sites, raising the possibility that the protection exerted by trastuzumab is lower in bone metastases.

Complicaciones de la Colangiopancreatografia retrogada endoscopica / Complications of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography

INTRODUCTION: Endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES) is commonly used to remove bile-duct stones and to treat other problems. We prospectively investigated complications and mortality of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). 2. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between june 6, 1998 and june 6, 1999 553 ERCP were performed in our centers. Inclusion criteria for protocol were: ERCP indication, complete follow-up and informed consent. We prospectively studied complications of ECRP in consecutive patients treated at 2 institutions (San Martin Hospital, La Plata, Argentina and Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel). The follow-up was done during 365 days with a clinical examination, laboratory test and ultrasonography to determine the possible complications. 3. RESULTS: Of 553 ERCP, 43 had a complications; including pancreatitis in 16 cases, cholangitis in 12, hemorrhage in 5, perforation in 3 and miscellaneous in 7. 3-1) ES frequency: 241 patients (pts). 3-2) Follow-up: 365 days in 504 pts. 3-3) Sex and age: women 274 pts, men 230 pts. Age range 1 month to 90 year old. 3-4) Final diagnoses: choledocholitiasis (38.8%), strictures (18%), pancreatic cancer (4.3%), ampullary cancer (2.3%) and normal ERCP (24.4%). 4. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of complications after ES can vary in different circumstances and is primarily related to the indication for the procedure and to endoscopic technique. Our percentage of complications (7.53%) coincide with consulted studies. Today, diagnostic ERCP has been challenged by magnetic resonance cholangiography (MRC). MRC provides images of the billary and pancreatic ducts that are nearly equal to those of ERCP without the procedural risk associated.

Complicaciones de la Colangiopancreatografia retrogada endoscopica / Complications of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography

INTRODUCTION: Endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES) is commonly used to remove bile-duct stones and to treat other problems. We prospectively investigated complications and mortality of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). 2. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between june 6, 1998 and june 6, 1999 553 ERCP were performed in our centers. Inclusion criteria for protocol were: ERCP indication, complete follow-up and informed consent. We prospectively studied complications of ECRP in consecutive patients treated at 2 institutions (San Martin Hospital, La Plata, Argentina and Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel). The follow-up was done during 365 days with a clinical examination, laboratory test and ultrasonography to determine the possible complications. 3. RESULTS: Of 553 ERCP, 43 had a complications; including pancreatitis in 16 cases, cholangitis in 12, hemorrhage in 5, perforation in 3 and miscellaneous in 7. 3-1) ES frequency: 241 patients (pts). 3-2) Follow-up: 365 days in 504 pts. 3-3) Sex and age: women 274 pts, men 230 pts. Age range 1 month to 90 year old. 3-4) Final diagnoses: choledocholitiasis (38.8%), strictures (18%), pancreatic cancer (4.3%), ampullary cancer (2.3%) and normal ERCP (24.4%). 4. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of complications after ES can vary in different circumstances and is primarily related to the indication for the procedure and to endoscopic technique. Our percentage of complications (7.53%) coincide with consulted studies. Today, diagnostic ERCP has been challenged by magnetic resonance cholangiography (MRC). MRC provides images of the billary and pancreatic ducts that are nearly equal to those of ERCP without the procedural risk associated. (AU)

[Complications of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography]. / Complicaciones de la colangiopancreatografía retrógada endoscópica.

INTRODUCTION: Endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES) is commonly used to remove bile-duct stones and to treat other problems. We prospectively investigated complications and mortality of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between june 6, 1998 and june 6, 1999 553 ERCP were performed in our centers. Inclusion criteria for protocol were: ERCP indication, complete follow-up and informed consent. We prospectively studied complications of ECRP in consecutive patients treated at 2 institutions (San Martin Hospital, La Plata, Argentina and Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel). The follow-up was done during 365 days with a clinical examination, laboratory test and ultrasonography to determine the possible complications. RESULTS: Of 553 ERCP, 43 had a complications; including pancreatitis in 16 cases, cholangitis in 12, hemorrhage in 5, perforation in 3 and miscellaneous in 7. 3-1) ES frequency: 241 patients (pts). 3-2) FOLLOW-UP: 365 days in 504 pts. 3-3) Sex and age: women 274 pts, men 230 pts. Age range 1 month to 90 year old. 3-4) Final diagnoses: choledocholitiasis (38.8%), strictures (18%), pancreatic cancer (4.3%), ampullary cancer (2.3%) and normal ERCP (24.4%). CONCLUSIONS: The rate of complications after ES can vary in different circumstances and is primarily related to the indication for the procedure and to endoscopic technique. Our percentage of complications (7.53%) coincide with consulted studies. Today, diagnostic ERCP has been challenged by magnetic resonance cholangiography (MRC). MRC provides images of the billary and pancreatic ducts that are nearly equal to those of ERCP without the procedural risk associated.

Complicaciones de la colangiopancreatografía retrógada endoscópica. / [Complications of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography]

1. INTRODUCTION: Endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES) is commonly used to remove bile-duct stones and to treat other problems. We prospectively investigated complications and mortality of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). 2. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between june 6, 1998 and june 6, 1999 553 ERCP were performed in our centers. Inclusion criteria for protocol were: ERCP indication, complete follow-up and informed consent. We prospectively studied complications of ECRP in consecutive patients treated at 2 institutions (San Martin Hospital, La Plata, Argentina and Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel). The follow-up was done during 365 days with a clinical examination, laboratory test and ultrasonography to determine the possible complications. 3. RESULTS: Of 553 ERCP, 43 had a complications; including pancreatitis in 16 cases, cholangitis in 12, hemorrhage in 5, perforation in 3 and miscellaneous in 7. 3-1) ES frequency: 241 patients (pts). 3-2) Follow-up: 365 days in 504 pts. 3-3) Sex and age: women 274 pts, men 230 pts. Age range 1 month to 90 year old. 3-4) Final diagnoses: choledocholitiasis (38.8

), strictures (18

), pancreatic cancer (4.3

), ampullary cancer (2.3

) and normal ERCP (24.4

). 4. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of complications after ES can vary in different circumstances and is primarily related to the indication for the procedure and to endoscopic technique. Our percentage of complications (7.53

) coincide with consulted studies. Today, diagnostic ERCP has been challenged by magnetic resonance cholangiography (MRC). MRC provides images of the billary and pancreatic ducts that are nearly equal to those of ERCP without the procedural risk associated.

[Treatment with beta blockers in advanced heart failure]. / Il trattamento con betabloccanti nello scompenso cardiaco avanzato.

Sympathetic activation plays an important role in the progression of heart failure, and beta-blocker treatment not only improves ventricular function but may also slow and reverse heart remodeling. Patients with severe heart failure remain markedly symptomatic and have a poor prognosis despite optimal pharmacological treatment which includes an ACE-inhibitor. In these patients the tolerability of beta-blockers is reduced, but they could have the most to gain from this therapy, since they are more likely to show symptomatic and survival improvement in the long term. With close clinical observation during the initiation and titration of the drug, and an adequate adjustment of associated therapy, beta-blockers are tolerated in the majority of such patients. This article reviews the clinical experience of beta-blocker use in advanced heart failure, and discusses the appropriate modality of drug initiation and titration. Considerations are also made about the usefulness of prognostic parameters in the evaluation of tolerability and efficacy of beta-blocker treatment.

[Clinic-epidemiological significance of drug hepatotoxicity in liver disease consultation]. / Significación clínico-epidemiológica de la hepatotoxicidad por fármacos en la consulta hepatológica.

To assess epidemiological and clinical significance of drug hepatotoxicity in the setting of liver diseases consultation, ten thousand and three hundred forty two prospectively designed clinical records from patient cared for in our Liver Unit in the period 1988-1998 were incorporated into the study; 58 out of 10,342 (prevalence = 5.6%) fulfilled at least the first three of the following causality requirements: 1.--Liver injury associated in time to drug exposition; 2.--Negative evaluation of more common other etiologies; (alcohol, viruses, immunologic, metabolic, etc) 3.--Favourable response to drug withdrawal (ALT < 50% of baseline in 8 to 30 days in acute hepatitis type, and alkaline phosphatase and/or total bilirubin < 50% of baseline up to 6 months, in acute cholestasis) 4.--Inadverted or rarely prescribed positive challenge. Acute hepatitis type of injury were considered when serum ALT rise 8 times or more above normal superior level with alkaline phosphatase (APh) below 3 times; "pure" cholestasis when APh rise 3 times or more above normal with ALT below 8 times; mixed acute injury or cholestatic hepatitis when both ALT and APh were elevated above 8 and 3 times respectively, and indeterminate type when both enzymes were below the referred levels. Chronic injury were considered when six or more month of evolution and compatible liver histology happens. Clinical severity were expressed as mild (absence of major clinical complications, serum bilirubin < 5 mg/dl and prothrombin concentration > 75%), moderate (presence of clinical complications, bilirubin > 5 mg/dl and prothrombin concentration between 50-75%), and severe (major clinical complications with bilirubin > 5 mg/dl and prothrombin concentration < 50%). Female/male ratio was 1.4:1, with age average 39 years (R = 15-77) and major concentration of cases above 40. More than 50% of cases received 2 or more drugs. Jaundice was present in 60.4%, and systemic manifestations of hypersensibility (fever, adenomegalies, rush, mononucleosis like syndrome, eosinophilia) in 29.3%. Acute injury represented 91.4% of the cases: 41.4% acute hepatitis, 15.5% "pure" cholestasis, 24.1% cholestatic hepatitis, and 10.3% indeterminate type. Four patients (4.5% of acute injury cases) were presented as severe acute liver failure, leading to liver transplant in one of them, drug association (INH-rifampicin and carbamazepine-phenobarbital) and inadverted challenge (sulphonamides and pemoline) were associated to clinical severity. Chronic injury were found in five patient (8.6%), four of them associated to chronic hepatitis and the other one to a ductopenic syndrome. Six drugs represented 53.4% of our cases; oral contraceptives (7 cases), INH alone or combined with rifampicin (6 cases), sulfonamides and clorpropamida (5 cases each), carbamazepine and amiodarone (4 cases each). Normalization of liver enzymes after drug suppression took 2 to 8 weeks in acute hepatitis type (X = 4 weeks), 4 to 20 in "pure" cholestasis (X = 12 weeks) and 8 to 24 weeks in cholestatic hepatitis or mixed type (X = 16 weeks). Two cases of chronic hepatitis normalize the histological activity index in 20 and 18 month respectively, one case remains as chronic hepatitis at 10 month and the other one progress to cirrhosis; the ductopenic syndrome normalize histology in 19 months receiving urso-deoxicolic acid, 10 mg/k/day.

Significación clínico-epidemiológica de la hepatotoxicidad por fármacos en la consulta hepatológica / Clinic-epidemiological significance of the hepatotoxicity by pharmaceutical preparations in the liver consultation

Se analizaron los datos epidemiológicos y clínico-evolutivos de la hepatotoxicidad por fármacos en una experiencia de 10 años (1988-1998) de nuestra Unidad de Hígado, que incluye 10342 historias clínicas de registro prospectivo. La prevalencia en este material fué de 5,6 por ciento, con ligero predominio femenino (1.4:1) y en mayores de 40 años; más del 50 por ciento ingirieron 2 o más fármacos. Predominaron las formas agudas (91.4 por ciento) e ictéricas (60.4 por ciento) con manifestaciones sistémicas de hipersensibilidad en 29.3 por ciento, el 4.5 por ciento de las formas agudas se presentaron como fallo hepático agudo severo, con necesidad de transplante hepático en un caso. los 4 casos de hepatitis crónica presentaron evolución a la cirrosis en un caso, y un caso de colestasis con ductopenia (CBP-simil) evolucionó favorablemente en 19 semanas, recibiendo ácido ursode-soxicólico 10 mg/k/día. Seis fármacos representaron el 53.4 por ciento de los casos: anticonceptivos orales, isoniacida, sulfamidas, clorpropamida, carbamacepina y amiodarona.

Significación clínico-epidemiológica de la hepatotoxicidad por fármacos en la consulta hepatológica. / [Clinic-epidemiological significance of drug hepatotoxicity in liver disease consultation]

To assess epidemiological and clinical significance of drug hepatotoxicity in the setting of liver diseases consultation, ten thousand and three hundred forty two prospectively designed clinical records from patient cared for in our Liver Unit in the period 1988-1998 were incorporated into the study; 58 out of 10,342 (prevalence = 5.6

) fulfilled at least the first three of the following causality requirements: 1.--Liver injury associated in time to drug exposition; 2.--Negative evaluation of more common other etiologies; (alcohol, viruses, immunologic, metabolic, etc) 3.--Favourable response to drug withdrawal (ALT < 50

of baseline in 8 to 30 days in acute hepatitis type, and alkaline phosphatase and/or total bilirubin < 50

of baseline up to 6 months, in acute cholestasis) 4.--Inadverted or rarely prescribed positive challenge. Acute hepatitis type of injury were considered when serum ALT rise 8 times or more above normal superior level with alkaline phosphatase (APh) below 3 times; [quot ]pure[quot ] cholestasis when APh rise 3 times or more above normal with ALT below 8 times; mixed acute injury or cholestatic hepatitis when both ALT and APh were elevated above 8 and 3 times respectively, and indeterminate type when both enzymes were below the referred levels. Chronic injury were considered when six or more month of evolution and compatible liver histology happens. Clinical severity were expressed as mild (absence of major clinical complications, serum bilirubin < 5 mg/dl and prothrombin concentration > 75

), moderate (presence of clinical complications, bilirubin > 5 mg/dl and prothrombin concentration between 50-75

), and severe (major clinical complications with bilirubin > 5 mg/dl and prothrombin concentration < 50

). Female/male ratio was 1.4:1, with age average 39 years (R = 15-77) and major concentration of cases above 40. More than 50

of cases received 2 or more drugs. Jaundice was present in 60.4

, and systemic manifestations of hypersensibility (fever, adenomegalies, rush, mononucleosis like syndrome, eosinophilia) in 29.3

. Acute injury represented 91.4

of the cases: 41.4

acute hepatitis, 15.5

[quot ]pure[quot ] cholestasis, 24.1

cholestatic hepatitis, and 10.3

indeterminate type. Four patients (4.5

of acute injury cases) were presented as severe acute liver failure, leading to liver transplant in one of them, drug association (INH-rifampicin and carbamazepine-phenobarbital) and inadverted challenge (sulphonamides and pemoline) were associated to clinical severity. Chronic injury were found in five patient (8.6

), four of them associated to chronic hepatitis and the other one to a ductopenic syndrome. Six drugs represented 53.4

of our cases; oral contraceptives (7 cases), INH alone or combined with rifampicin (6 cases), sulfonamides and clorpropamida (5 cases each), carbamazepine and amiodarone (4 cases each). Normalization of liver enzymes after drug suppression took 2 to 8 weeks in acute hepatitis type (X = 4 weeks), 4 to 20 in [quot ]pure[quot ] cholestasis (X = 12 weeks) and 8 to 24 weeks in cholestatic hepatitis or mixed type (X = 16 weeks). Two cases of chronic hepatitis normalize the histological activity index in 20 and 18 month respectively, one case remains as chronic hepatitis at 10 month and the other one progress to cirrhosis; the ductopenic syndrome normalize histology in 19 months receiving urso-deoxicolic acid, 10 mg/k/day.

Significación clínico-epidemiológica de la hepatotoxicidad por fármacos en la consulta hepatológica / Clinic-epidemiological significance of the hepatotoxicity by pharmaceutical preparations in the liver consultation

Se analizaron los datos epidemiológicos y clínico-evolutivos de la hepatotoxicidad por fármacos en una experiencia de 10 años (1988-1998) de nuestra Unidad de Hígado, que incluye 10342 historias clínicas de registro prospectivo. La prevalencia en este material fué de 5,6 por ciento, con ligero predominio femenino (1.4:1) y en mayores de 40 años; más del 50 por ciento ingirieron 2 o más fármacos. Predominaron las formas agudas (91.4 por ciento) e ictéricas (60.4 por ciento) con manifestaciones sistémicas de hipersensibilidad en 29.3 por ciento, el 4.5 por ciento de las formas agudas se presentaron como fallo hepático agudo severo, con necesidad de transplante hepático en un caso. los 4 casos de hepatitis crónica presentaron evolución a la cirrosis en un caso, y un caso de colestasis con ductopenia (CBP-simil) evolucionó favorablemente en 19 semanas, recibiendo ácido ursode-soxicólico 10 mg/k/día. Seis fármacos representaron el 53.4 por ciento de los casos: anticonceptivos orales, isoniacida, sulfamidas, clorpropamida, carbamacepina y amiodarona. (Au)

[HCV prevalence in health workers]. / Prevalencia de HBV en el personal de salud.

The risk of HBV infections in health workers and the different prevalence according to the hospital activities has been shown in a great number of papers. In order to establish the prevalence of serological HBV markers in health workers fron high complexity hospital, we have analyzed 730 inquiries refilled in the period 1994-1995 before receiving the antihepatitis B vaccine. We studied 730 health workers, 282 (38.8%) males and 447 (61.2%) females with a mean age of 40.1 years old. We found 75/730 (10.2) serums antiçHBc reactives. The found prevalence was significantly larger than the one found in blood donors. The analysis of the prevalence according to the hospital activities showed that the infirmary personnel is the only with anti-HBc prevalence significantly superior to the blood donors, and the other health workers prevalence. Differences in the anti-HBc prevalence between the physicians specialties were not found. Our results agree with other publications that clearly show that health workers are a risk group for HBV infection. However, what attracts attention in the analyzed population is that the only ones with anti-HBc prevalence significantly superior to the blood donors' and the other health workers prevalence were the nurses, suggesting that nurses are the only health workers that have risk of HBV infections.