Effect of Duration and Intermittency of Rifampin on Tuberculosis Treatment Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

In a systematic review of randomized controlled trials on tuberculosis treatment, Dick Menzies and colleagues find shorter courses of rifampin to be associated with poorer treatment outcomes

Efeitos adversos no tratamento da tuberculose: experiência em serviço ambulatorial de um hospital-escola na cidade de São Paulo Adverse effects of tuberculosis treatment: experience at an outpatient clinic of a teaching hospital in the city of São Paulo, Brazil

OBJETIVOS: Verificar a freqüência de efeitos adversos com o uso do Esquema I para tratamento da tuberculose e a necessidade de alterações no tratamento devido a esses efeitos. MÉTODOS: Foi feita uma análise retrospectiva de 329 prontuários de pacientes que foram tratados com o Esquema I e receberam alta por cura entre março de 2000 e abril de 2006 no Ambulatório de Tuberculose da Clínica de Pneumologia da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo. Foram analisados os dados referentes aos efeitos adversos, época de seu aparecimento e modificações do esquema de tratamento subseqüentes. RESULTADOS: Foram incluídos 297 pacientes, e 146 (49,1%) apresentaram um ou mais efeitos adversos relacionados às drogas antituberculose. A freqüência dos efeitos colaterais menores foi de 41,1%, e a dos efeitos maiores foi de 12,8%. Os efeitos relacionados ao trato gastrointestinal (40,3%) e pele (22,1%) foram os mais freqüentes. Os efeitos adversos foram mais freqüentes nos primeiros dois meses de tratamento (58,4%). Houve necessidade de modificação do esquema de tratamento em 11 casos (3,7% do total). A hepatite induzida por medicamentos foi o efeito colateral que mais exigiu modificações. CONCLUSÕES: A freqüência de efeitos adversos relacionados ao tratamento da tuberculose com o Esquema I foi de 49,1% neste grupo de pacientes. Entretanto, na maioria dos casos, não houve necessidade da modificação do esquema de tratamento devido aos efeitos adversos.<br>OBJECTIVES: To determine the frequency of adverse effects related to the use of the tuberculosis treatment regimen designated Regimen I and the need for regimen alterations due to these effects. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 329 medical charts of patients who were treated with Regimen I and discharged after cure between March 2000 and April 2006 was carried out at the Tuberculosis Outpatient Clinic, Department of Pulmonology of the Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo Hospital in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. Adverse effects and the timing of their appearance, as well as subsequent modifications in the treatment regimen, were investigated. RESULTS: We included 297 patients, 146 (49.1%) of whom presented one or more adverse effects related to antituberculosis medications. The frequency of minor side effects was 41.1%, and that of major side effects was 12.8%. The most common reactions were those involving the gastrointestinal tract (40.3%) and the skin (22.1%). Adverse effects were more common in the first and second months of treatment (58.4%). Modification of the treatment regimen was necessary in 11 cases (3.7% of the total sample). Drug-induced hepatitis was the adverse effect that demanded the most regimen changes. CONCLUSIONS: In this group of patients, the frequency of adverse effects related to treatment with Regimen I was 49.1%. However, in most of the cases, it was not necessary to modify the treatment regimen due to side effects

Analysis of Normal-Tumour Tissue Interaction in Tumours: Prediction of Prostate Cancer Features from the Molecular Profile of Adjacent Normal Cells

Statistical modelling, in combination with genome-wide expression profiling techniques, has demonstrated that the molecular state of the tumour is sufficient to infer its pathological state. These studies have been extremely important in diagnostics and have contributed to improving our understanding of tumour biology. However, their importance in in-depth understanding of cancer patho-physiology may be limited since they do not explicitly take into consideration the fundamental role of the tissue microenvironment in specifying tumour physiology. Because of the importance of normal cells in shaping the tissue microenvironment we formulate the hypothesis that molecular components of the profile of normal epithelial cells adjacent the tumour are predictive of tumour physiology. We addressed this hypothesis by developing statistical models that link gene expression profiles representing the molecular state of adjacent normal epithelial cells to tumour features in prostate cancer. Furthermore, network analysis showed that predictive genes are linked to the activity of important secreted factors, which have the potential to influence tumor biology, such as IL1, IGF1, PDGF BB, AGT, and TGFβ