Use of biosimilar filgrastim compared with lenograstim in autologous haematopoietic stem-cell transplant and in sibling allogeneic transplant.

OBJECTIVES: Biosimilar filgrastim was compared with lenograstim for autologous haematopoietic stem-cell transplant (HSCT) in patients with haematological malignancies. Data from a separate group of sibling donors who underwent allogeneic HSCT are also reported. METHODS: Patients with lymphoma or multiple myeloma (MM) who underwent autologous HSCT with biosimilar filgrastim were compared with a historical control group of patients who received lenograstim. Peripheral blood (PB) cells counts were monitored after 7-8 consecutive days of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) injection and apheresis was performed on day 8 if PB CD34+ cell count was ⩾10 cells/µl. The target PB CD34+ cell doses were ⩾2.0 × 10(6)/kg (lymphoma), ⩾4.0 × 10(6)/kg (MM ⩾60 years old) or ⩾8.0 × 10(6)/kg (MM <60 years old). RESULTS: A total of 259 patients were included in the autologous HSCT comparison (biosimilar filgrastim, n = 104; lenograstim, n = 155). In patients with lymphoma and older MM patients (⩾60 years old), no significant differences were observed between groups with regard to stem-cell mobilization parameters. However, in MM patients <60 years old, all parameters were significantly superior in the biosimilar filgrastim group, including the need for 1 rather than 2 apheresis procedures. No significant differences were observed between groups in median number of days to absolute neutrophil count (ANC) or platelet recovery. In the allogeneic setting, 47 sibling donors received biosimilar filgrastim. Mean CD34+ count at the first apheresis was 6.1 × 10(6)/kg. A total of 13 donors needed a second apheresis and 4 required a third. Among recipients, median days to ANC recovery was 16 (10-28) and to platelet recovery was 13 (9-54). CONCLUSIONS: Biosimilar filgrastim is as effective as lenograstim for autologous HSCT in patients with lymphoma or MM patients ⩾60 years old. However, mobilization with biosimilar filgrastim appeared to be superior to that with lenograstim in younger MM patients.S.A. has received support for meetings and unrestricted educational grants from Amgen, Chugai and SandozPDF version submitted- requires post print - withdraw

Plerixafor: What we still have to learn

Plerixafor, a hematopoietic stem cell mobilizer, is indicated in combination with G-CSF to mobilize hematopoietic stem cells to the peripheral blood for collection and subsequent autologous transplantation in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and multiple myeloma. Current evidence suggests that the addition of plerixafor with chemotherapy plus G-CSF is safe and effective in the large majority of the patients with low blood CD34+ cell count after mobilization and/or poor yield after the first collection. Nevertheless, there are several questions strongly debated, and in this paper, we would like to identify areas of possible future use and development of the drug

Literature and Cinema in Canada: Comparing Cultures / Letteratura e Cinema in Canada: Culture a confronto / Littérature et Cinéma au Canada: Cultures en comparaison, 1995 –2005, Convegno Internazionale

Il convegno ha inteso mettere a confronto cinema e letteratura in ambito Canadese, indagando sia lo specifico anglofono che francofono. Il convegno ha portato a Bologna studiosi di varie nazionalità europee e nordamericane, ed ha preso in esame soprattutto le produzioni cinematografiche dell’ultimo decennio, per fare emergere eventuali nuove specificità, prospettive, dinamiche. Il binomio cinema-letteratura è stato inteso nel senso più ampio, che va dalla più evidente idea di trasposizione di opere letterarie o teatrali in film, e viceversa, alla scrittura di sceneggiature cinematografiche realizzate da scrittori o drammaturghi, alla ripresa o alla rielaborazione nel cinema di tematiche letterarie

Relationship between hyponatremia at hospital admission and cardiopulmonary profile at follow-up in patients with SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) infection

Purpose: Hyponatremia occurs in about 30% of patients with pneumonia, including those with SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) infection. Hyponatremia predicts a worse outcome in several pathologic conditions and in COVID-19 has been associated with a higher risk of non-invasive ventilation, ICU transfer and death. The main objective of this study was to determine whether early hyponatremia is also a predictor of long-term sequelae at follow-up. Methods: In this observational study, we collected 6-month follow-up data from 189 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients previously admitted to a University Hospital. About 25% of the patients (n = 47) had hyponatremia at the time of hospital admission. Results: Serum [Na+] was significantly increased in the whole group of 189 patients at 6&nbsp;months, compared to the value at hospital admission (141.4 ± 2.2 vs 137 ± 3.5&nbsp;mEq/L, p &lt; 0.001). In addition, IL-6 levels decreased and the PaO2/FiO2 increased. Accordingly, pulmonary involvement, evaluated at the chest X-ray by the RALE score, decreased. However, in patients with hyponatremia at hospital admission, higher levels of LDH, fibrinogen, troponin T and NT-ProBNP were detected at follow-up, compared to patients with normonatremia at admission. In addition, hyponatremia at admission was associated with worse echocardiography parameters related to right ventricular function, together with a higher RALE score. Conclusion: These results suggest that early hyponatremia in COVID-19 patients is associated with the presence of laboratory and imaging parameters indicating a greater pulmonary and right-sided heart involvement at follow-up