High prognostic value of measurable residual disease detection by flow cytometry in chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients treated with front-line fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab, followed by three years of rituximab maintenance

It has been postulated that monitoring measurable residual disease (MRD) could be used as a surrogate marker of progression-free survival (PFS) in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients after treatment with immunochemotherapy regimens. In this study, we analyzed the outcome of 84 patients at 3 years of follow-up after first-line treatment with fludarabine, cyclophosphamide and rituximab (FCR) induction followed by 36 months of rituximab maintenance thearpy. MRD was assessed by a quantitative four-color flow cytometry panel with a sensitivity level of 10-4. Eighty out of 84 evaluable patients (95.2%) achieved at least a partial response or better at the end of induction. After clinical evaluation, 74 patients went into rituximab maintenance and the primary endpoint was assessed in the final analysis at 3 years of follow-up. Bone marrow (BM) MRD analysis was performed after the last planned induction course and every 6 months in cases with detectable residual disease during the 36 months of maintenance therapy. Thirty-seven patients (44%) did not have detectable residual disease in the BM prior to maintenance therapy. Interestingly, 29 patients with detectable residual disease in the BM after induction no longer had detectable disease in the BM following maintenance therapy. After a median followup of 6.30 years, the median overall survival (OS) and PFS had not been reached in patients with either undetectable or detectable residual disease in the BM, who had achieved a complete response at the time of starting maintenance therapy. Interestingly, univariate analysis showed that after rituximab maintenance OS was not affected by IGHV status (mutated vs. unmutated OS: 85.7% alive at 7.2 years vs. 79.6% alive at 7.3 years, respectively). As per protocol, 15 patients (17.8%), who achieved a complete response and undetectable peripheral blood and BM residual disease after four courses of induction, were allowed to stop fludarabine and cyclophosphamide and complete two additional courses of rituximab and continue with maintenance therapy for 18 cycles. Surprisingly, the outcome in this population was similar to that observed in patients who received the full six cycles of the induction regimen. These data show that, compared to historic controls, patients treated with FCR followed by rituximab maintenance have high-quality responses with fewer relapses and improved OS. The tolerability of this regime is favorable. Furthermore, attaining an early undetectable residual disease status could shorten the duration of chemoimmunotherapy, reducing toxicities and preventing long-term side effects. The analysis of BM MRD after fludarabine-based induction could be a powerful predictor of post-maintenance outcomes in patients with CLL undergoing rituximab maintenance and could be a valuable tool to identify patients at high risk of relapse, influencing further treatment strategies

Guillain-Barré Syndrome Outbreak in Peru 2019 Associated With Campylobacter jejuni Infection

OBJECTIVE: To identify the clinical phenotypes and infectious triggers in the 2019 Peruvian Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) outbreak. METHODS: We prospectively collected clinical and neurophysiologic data of patients with GBS admitted to a tertiary hospital in Lima, Peru, between May and August 2019. Molecular, immunologic, and microbiological methods were used to identify causative infectious agents. Sera from 41 controls were compared with cases for antibodies to Campylobacter jejuni and gangliosides. Genomic analysis was performed on 4 C jejuni isolates. RESULTS: The 49 included patients had a median age of 44 years (interquartile range [IQR] 30-54 years), and 28 (57%) were male. Thirty-two (65%) had symptoms of a preceding infection: 24 (49%) diarrhea and 13 (27%) upper respiratory tract infection. The median time between infectious to neurologic symptoms was 3 days (IQR 2-9 days). Eighty percent had a pure motor form of GBS, 21 (43%) had the axonal electrophysiologic subtype, and 18% the demyelinating subtype. Evidence of recent C jejuni infection was found in 28/43 (65%). No evidence of recent arbovirus infection was found. Twenty-three cases vs 11 controls (OR 3.3, confidence interval [CI] 95% 1.2-9.2, p < 0.01) had IgM and/or IgA antibodies against C jejuni. Anti-GM1:phosphatidylserine and/or anti-GT1a:GM1 heteromeric complex antibodies were strongly positive in cases (92.9% sensitivity and 68.3% specificity). Genomic analysis showed that the C jejuni strains were closely related and had the Asn51 polymorphism at cstII gene. CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates that the 2019 Peruvian GBS outbreak was associated with C jejuni infection and that the C jejuni strains linked to GBS circulate widely in different parts of the world

Nutrición parenteral domiciliaria en españa 2016; informe del grupo de nutrición artificial domiciliaria y ambulatoria NAYDA

Objetivo: comunicar los datos de nutrición parenteral domiciliaria (NPD) obtenidos del registro del Grupo de Nutrición Artificial Domiciliaria y Ambulatoria (NADYA-SENPE; www.nadya-senpe.com) del año 2016. Material y métodos: análisis descriptivo de los datos recogidos de pacientes adultos y pediátricos con NPD en el registro NADYA-SENPE desde el 1 de enero al 31 de diciembre de 2016. Resultados: se registraron 286 pacientes (54, 2% mujeres), 34 niños y 252 adultos, procedentes de 42 hospitales españoles con 294 episodios, lo que representa una tasa de prevalencia de 6, 16 pacientes/millón de habitantes/año 2016. El diagnóstico más frecuente en adultos fue de oncológico paliativo (25, 8%), seguido de otros. En niños, fue de alteraciones de la motilidad con 6 casos (17, 6%), la enfermedad de Hirschsprung y la enterocolitis necrotizante, ambos con 5 niños (14, 7%). El primer motivo de indicación fue síndrome de intestino corto tanto en niños (64, 7%) como en adultos (37, 3%), seguido de obstrucción intestinal, 28, 6% en adultos y 14, 7% en niños. El tipo de catéter más utilizado fue el tunelizado tanto en niños (70, 6%) como en adultos (37, 9%), y la complicación más frecuente en adultos fue la infección relacionada con el catéter, que presentó una tasa de 0, 48 infecciones/1.000 días de NPD. Durante este periodo, finalizaron 71 episodios en adultos siendo la causa de finalización principal el fallecimiento (57, 7%) y paso a vía oral (31%). Conclusiones: se constata un incremento progresivo de centros y profesionales colaboradores en el registro de pacientes que reciben NPD. Las principales indicaciones de NPD y de motivo de finalización se mantienen estables. Objective: To communicate HPN data obtained from the HPN registry of the NADYA-SENPE group (www.nadya-senpe.com) for the year 2016. Material and methods: Descriptive analysis of the data collected from adult and pediatric patients with HPN in the NADYA-SENPE group registry from January 1st, 2016 to December 31st, 2016. Results: There were 286 patients from 42 Spanish hospitals (54.2% women), 34 children and 252 adults, with 294 episodes, which represent a prevalence rate of 6.16 patients/million inhabitants/year 2016. The most frequent diagnosis in adults was “palliative cancer” (25.8%), followed by “others”. In children it was “motility alterations” with 6 cases (17.6%), Hirschsprung’s disease and necrotising enterocolitis, both with 5 children (14.7%). The first indication was short bowel syndrome in both children (64.7%) and adults (37.3%), followed by intestinal obstruction in 28.6% adults and 14.7% in children. The most frequently used type of catheter was tunnelled in both children (70.6%) and adults (37.9%). The most frequent complication in adults was infection related to the catheter, which presented a rate of 0.48 infections/1, 000 days of NPD. During this period, 71 episodes ended in adults and the main cause was death (57.7%) followed by resuming the oral route (31%). Conclusions: There is a progressive increase of centers and professional collaborators in the registry who report patients receiving parenteral nutrition at home. The main indications of HPN and the motive for ending have remained stable

Current threats faced by Neotropical parrot populations

Berkunsky I, Quillfeldt P, Brightsmith DJ, et al. Current threats faced by Neotropical parrot populations. Biological Conservation. 2017;214:278-287.Psittaciformes (parrots, cockatoos) are among the most endangered birds, with 31% of Neotropical species under threat. The drivers of this situation appear to be manifold and mainly of anthropogenic origin. However, this assessment is based on the last extensive consultation about the conservation situation of parrots carried out in the 1990s. Given the rapid development of anthropogenic threats, updated data are needed to strategize conservation actions. Using a population approach, we addressed this need through a wide-ranging consultation involving biologists, wildlife managers, government agencies and non-governmental conservation organizations. We gathered up-to-date information on threats affecting 192 populations of 96 Neotropical parrot species across 21 countries. Moreover, we investigated associations among current threats and population trends. Many populations were affected by multiple threats. Agriculture, Capture for the Pet Trade, Logging, each of them affected > 55% of the populations, suggesting a higher degree of risk than previously thought. In contrast to previous studies at the species level, our study showed that the threat most closely associated with decreasing population trends is now Capture for the local Pet Trade. Other threats associated with decreasing populations include Small-holder Farming, Rural Population Pressure, Nest Destruction by Poachers, Agro-industry Grazing, Small-holder Grazing, and Capture for the international Pet Trade. Conservation actions have been implemented on < 20% of populations. Our results highlight the importance of a population-level approach in revealing the extent of threats to wild populations. It is critical to increase the scope of conservation actions to reduce the capture of wild parrots for pets

The DESPEC setup for GSI and FAIR

International audienceThe DEcay SPECtroscopy (DESPEC) setup for nuclear structure investigations was developed and commissioned at GSI, Germany in preparation for a full campaign of experiments at the FRS and Super-FRS. In this paper, we report on the first employment of the setup in the hybrid configuration with the AIDA implanter coupled to the FATIMA LaBr3(Ce) fast-timing array, and high-purity germanium detectors. Initial results are shown from the first experiments carried out with the setup. An overview of the setup and function is discussed, including technical advancements along the path