Search results for "OUTCOME"

Localized Interleukin-12 for Cancer Immunotherapy

2020

Interleukin-12 (IL-12) is a potent, pro-inflammatory type 1 cytokine that has long been studied as a potential immunotherapy for cancer. Unfortunately, IL-12's remarkable antitumor efficacy in preclinical models has yet to be replicated in humans. Early clinical trials in the mid-1990's showed that systemic delivery of IL-12 incurred dose-limiting toxicities. Nevertheless, IL-12's pleiotropic activity, i.e., its ability to engage multiple effector mechanisms and reverse tumor-induced immunosuppression, continues to entice cancer researchers. The development of strategies which maximize IL-12 delivery to the tumor microenvironment while minimizing systemic exposure are of increasing interest…

The Monoclonal Antitoxin Antibodies (Actoxumab–Bezlotoxumab) Treatment Facilitates Normalization of the Gut Microbiota of Mice with Clostridium diffi…

2016

Antibiotics have significant and long-lasting impacts on the intestinal microbiota and consequently reduce colonization resistance against Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). Standard therapy using antibiotics is associated with a high rate of disease recurrence, highlighting the need for novel treatment strategies that target toxins, the major virulence factors, rather than the organism itself. Human monoclonal antibodies MK-3415A (actoxumab–bezlotoxumab) to C. difficile toxin A and toxin B, as an emerging non-antibiotic approach, significantly reduced the recurrence of CDI in animal models and human clinical trials. Although the main mechanism of protection is through direct neutraliza…

Is it time to combine untargeted antifungal strategies to reach the goal of 'early' effective treatment?

2016

A recently published retrospective study by Posteraro et al. [1] investigated the use of (1–3)-β-D-glucan (BDG) as a strategy for antifungal drug administration in patients at high risk of candidemia. The strategy consisted of the administration of antifungals (anidulafungin in most cases) to septic patients with a Candida score ≥ 3a nd a positive BDG result (≥80 pg/ml). This untargeted strategy led to better selection of patients, avoiding exposure to antifungals in approximately 73 % of patients with negative BDG results and leading to shortened treatment duration in another 20 % of patients. Untargeted antifungal treatments (including prophylaxis, pre-emptive and empiric approaches) are …

Embryo multinucleation at the two-cell stage is an independent predictor of intracytoplasmic sperm injection outcomes.

2016

Objective To determine the prognostic impact of the nuclear status at the two-cell stage on intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcomes. Design Retrospective study. Setting Hospital. Patient(s) Only ICSI cycles with time-lapse monitoring of transferred embryos with known implantation/delivery data from November 2012 to December 2014 were included. A total of 2,449 embryos were assessed for multinucleation rates at the two- and four-cell stage, and 608 transferred embryos were studied for ICSI outcomes. Intervention(s) None. Main Outcome Measure(s) Implantation rate (IR) and live birth rate (LBR) according to the number of multinucleated blastomeres at the two-cell stage: none (Without-…

Hepatocellular carcinoma and direct-acting antivirals: A never ending story?

2017

Comparative Effectiveness of Multiple Different First-Line Treatment Regimens for Helicobacter pylori Infection: A Network Meta-analysis

2021

Background & Aims A number of double, triple, and quadruple therapies have been proposed as first-line empiric treatments for Helicobacter pylori infection. However, knowledge of their worldwide and regional comparative efficacy is lacking. We examined the comparative effectiveness of all empirically used first-line regimens tested against standard triple treatment using a network meta-analysis of published randomized controlled trials. Methods Data extracted from eligible randomized controlled trials were entered into a Bayesian network meta-analysis to investigate the comparative efficacy of H pylori infection empiric first-line regimens and to explore their effectiveness rank order. The …

The efficacy and safety of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors compared to other oral glucose-lowering medications in the treatment of type 2 diabetes

2020

ABSTRACT Introduction The dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4is), which belong to the class of incretin-based medications, are recommended as second or third-line therapies in guidelines for the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus. They have a favorable drug tolerability and safety profile compared to other glucose-lowering agents. Objective This review discusses data concerning the use of DPP-4is and their cardiovascular profile, and gives an updated comparison with the other oral glucose-lowering medications with regards to safety and efficacy. Currently available original studies, abstracts, reviews articles, systematic reviews and meta-analyses were included in the review. Discu…

Cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil with or without epidermal growth factor receptor inhibition panitumumab for patients with non-resectable, advanced or me…

2020

Background Palliative chemotherapy of advanced oesophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) consists of cisplatin/5-fluorouracil (CF) to target epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) with panitumumab (P); chemotherapy enhanced overall survival (OS) in advanced colorectal or squamous cell head and neck cancers. With prospective serum and tumour biomarkers, we tested if P added to CF (CFP) improved OS in advanced ESCC. Patients and methods Eligible patients with confirmed ESCC that was not curatively resectable or did not qualify for definitive radiochemotherapy, were randomised 1 : 1 to receive CF [cisplatin (C) 100 mg/m2 i.v., day 1; 5-fluorouracil (F) 1000 mg/m2 i.v., days 1–4] or CF plus P (9…

Analysis of the morphological dynamics of blastocysts after vitrification/warming: defining new predictive variables of implantation

2017

Objective To describe the morphological dynamics of vitrified/warmed blastocysts and to identify quantitative morphological variables related to implantation. Subsequently, by using the most predictive parameters, to develop a hierarchical model by subdividing vitrified/warmed blastocysts into categories with different implantation potentials. Design Observational, retrospective, cohort study. Setting University-affiliated private IVF center. Patient(s) The study included 429 vitrified/warmed blastocysts with known implantation data, which were evaluated by time-lapse imaging. Blastocysts were routinely placed in EmbryoScope (Vitrolife) immediately after warming until transfer. Intervention…

Development of the Angioedema Control Test—A patient‐reported outcome measure that assesses disease control in patients with recurrent angioedema

2019

Background Recurrent angioedema (AE) is an important clinical problem in the context of chronic urticaria (mast cell mediator-induced), ACE-inhibitor intake and hereditary angioedema (both bradykinin-mediated). To help patients obtain control of their recurrent AE is a major treatment goal. However, a tool to assess control of recurrent AE is not yet available. This prompted us to develop such a tool, the Angioedema Control Test (AECT). Methods After a conceptional framework was developed for the AECT, a list of potential AECT items was generated by a combined approach of patient interviews, literature review and expert input. Subsequent item reduction was based on impact analysis, inter-it…