Prevalence of malnutrition in COPD and its relationship with the parameters related to disease severity

Burak Mete,1 Erkan Pehlivan,1 Gazi Gülbaş,2 Hakan Günen3 1Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, İnönü University, Malatya, Turkey; 2Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, İnönü University, Malatya, Turkey; 3Sureyyapasa Research and Training Center for Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery, Health Sciences University, Ministry of Health, Istanbul, Turkey Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the nutritional status and anthropometric values in a group of patients with COPD and to examine the relationship between these factors and disease severity. Methods: A total of 105 COPD patients were included in this cross-sectional study. The patients underwent spirometric exmination. Mini nutritional assessment form was applied, and the anthropometric values of the patients were measured by bioelectrical impedance method. Nutrient registration forms were given using a 3-day, 24-hour recall method to assess the nutrient uptake. COPD severity was determined using the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease criteria, and the correlations between nutritional status and disease severity parameters were measured. Results: The prevalence of malnutrition in our patients with COPD was found to be 17%. Spirometric parameters were found to be significantly lower in patients with low body mass index (BMI) and malnutrition. As the modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale score increased, the frequency of malnutrition increased (P=0.002). Positive significant correlation was found between spirometric variables and muscle mass and fat external tissue volume of the patients. Patients receiving higher protein content in diet showed a better muscle mass amount (P<0.001). Conclusion: Our study results confirmed that malnutrition is an important and frequently encountered problem in COPD patients, and spirometric values of the patients with malnourishment and with low BMI are significantly lower. We think that nutritional status should be evaluated in every COPD patient, and nutritional intake should be tailored individually. Keywords: COPD, malnutrition, nutritional statu

Synthesis and mesomorphic properties of new side chain liquid crystalline oligomers containing salicylaldimine mesogenic groups

New liquid crystalline salicylaldimine-based homopolymers PLC1 and PLC2 have been synthesized from their corresponding monomers 5-(10-undecenyloxy)-2-[[(4-(hexyloxy)phenyl)imino]methyl]phenol (LC1) and 5-(10-undecenyloxy)-2-[[(4-(hexyl)phenyl)imino]methyl]phenol (LC 2) via free radical polymerization. The polymers were characterized by 1H-NMR, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and optical microscopy in polarized light (polarizing microscope). The synthesized polymers have low molecular weights, and so are in the oligomeric domain. The oligomers behave very similarly to their monomers that exhibit smectic mesophases. Replacing the hexyloxy chain by a hexyl chain of the mesogenic unit generates an additional SmC mesophase in the temperature range of both the monomer and oligomer. All the observations suggest that the oligomerization of the liquid crystalline salicylaldimine monomers gives rise to decreased transition temperatures whereas it has no influence on the type and stability of the mesophase formed. © 2013 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.The work has been supported by Yildiz Technical University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Department under Project Number: 24–01-02–03. We also acknowledge Mrs. N. Coskun for the synthesis of PLC1 and PLC2

Nivolumab for relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma: real-life experience.

BACKGROUND: Reed-Sternberg cells of classical Hodgkin's lymphoma (cHL) are characterized by genetic alterations at the 9p24.1 locus, leading to over-expression of programmed death-ligand 1 and 2. In a phase 1b study, nivolumab, a PD-1-blocking antibody, produced a high response in patients with relapsed or refractory cHL, with an acceptable safety profile. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We present a retrospective analysis of 82 patients (median age: 30 years; range: 18-75) with relapsed/refractory HL treated with nivolumab in a named patient program from 24 centers throughout Turkey. The median follow-up was 7 months, and the patients had a median of 5 (2-11) previous lines of therapy. Fifty-seven (70%) and 63 (77%) had been treated by stem-cell transplantation and brentuximab vedotin, respectively. RESULTS: Among 75 patients evaluated after 12 weeks of nivolumab treatment, the objective response rate was 64%, with 16 complete responses (CR; 22%); after 16 weeks, it was 60%, with 16 (26%) patients achieving CR. Twenty patients underwent subsequent transplantation. Among 11 patients receiving allogeneic stem-cell transplantation, 5 had CR at the time of transplantation and are currently alive with ongoing response. At the time of analysis, 41 patients remained on nivolumab treatment. Among the patients who discontinued nivolumab, the main reason was disease progression (n = 19). The safety profile was acceptable, with only four patients requiring cessation of nivolumab due to serious adverse events (autoimmune encephalitis, pulmonary adverse event, and two cases of graft-versus-host disease aggravation). The 6-month overall and progression-free survival rates were 91.2% (95% confidence interval: 0.83-0.96) and 77.3% (0.66-0.85), respectively. Ten patients died during the follow-up; one of these was judged to be treatment-related. CONCLUSIONS: Nivolumab represents a novel option for patients with cHL refractory to brentuximab vedotin, and may serve as a bridge to transplantation; however, it may be associated with increased toxicity