[Combination therapy of chronic bacterial prostatitis].

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Khryanin, A A; Reshetnikov, O V

2016-08-01

The article discusses the possible etiological factors in the development of chronic bacterial prostatitis. The authors presented a comparative long-term analysis of morbidity from non-viral sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Russia. Against the background of general decline in STIs incidence, a significant percentage of them is made up by urogenital trichomoniasis. The findings substantiated the advantages of combination therapy (ornidazole and ofloxacin) for bacterial urinary tract infections.

Ethnic differences in the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy combined with medication: Comparing Asian American and white psychiatric patients.

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Tang, Jennifer Y; Li, Chieh; Rodgers, Rachel F; Ballou, Mary

2016-12-01

Several meta-analyses have demonstrated the effectiveness of treatment utilizing cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) combined with medication. There is, however, a paucity of research comparing the effectiveness of this combined treatment with psychiatric patients from different ethnic backgrounds. This study is the first of its kind to compare the effectiveness of CBT combined with medication for Asian American and White patients' psychiatric symptom severity levels of depression, anxiety, psychological well-being, and quality of life. The study examined the effects of CBT combined with medication for 43 Asian American and 43 White Non-Hispanic patients at an acute psychiatric partial hospital. A 2×2 between-within repeated measures analysis of variance was used. Results indicated significant improvement after treatment in all symptom categories assessed for the Asian American and White patients. The findings displayed trends over the course of treatment toward a greater decrease in anxiety symptoms among Asian patients but a larger increase in functioning level among White patients. In conclusion, the findings from this study provide preliminary cross-cultural support for CBT combined with medication as a treatment in partial hospital settings and suggest that the effectiveness of such treatments is similar across cultural groups. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Strategies for combinational cancer therapies

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Khleif, Samir

2014-01-01

The countless pre-clinical studies and many clinical trials that have applied tumor antigen-based therapies for the cancer treatment, and although the necessary tumor-specific immune response may be elicited in tumor-bearing hosts, this was not sufficient for the positive therapeutic outcome since there are multiple mechanisms that tumors develop to escape immune surveillance. The tumor-mediated inhibitory mechanisms involve co-inhibitory receptor-ligand interactions, such as PD-1/ PD-L1, secretion of inhibitory molecules, such as TGFb, and recruitment of suppressive cells, such as regulatory T cells (Treg), myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSC), etc. Therefore, we hypothesized that successful cancer immunotherapy requires not only induction and enhancement of effector immune response but also simultaneous targeting of suppressor arm of immune system, thus in addition to enhancing antigen-specific immunity using vaccines or radiation therapy, one should also target tumor-mediated immune suppression to improve the overall efficacy of therapy. We developed multiple strategies to target various tumor-mediated immune inhibitory mechanisms that can enhance anti-tumor immunity and restructure tumor microenvironment to allow effector cells generated due to vaccination or radiation therapy to function potently. We evaluated the immune and therapeutic efficacy of multiple combinational therapies, including blocking and agonist antibodies to co-inhibitory/co-stimulatory molecules, such as PD-1, PD-L1, OX40, CTLA-4, GITR, inhibitors and neutralizing antibodies to inhibitory cytokines/molecules, such as IL-10, TGFb, IDO, and small molecules for selective inhibition of Tregs. In addition to evaluation of anti-tumor efficacy we are also investigated cellular and molecular mechanisms of action for these agents when combined with vaccine or radiation therapy and exploring the interactions between compounds within combinational therapies in animal tumor models. We are

Efficacy of intense pulse light therapy and tripple combination cream versus intense pulse light therapy and tripple combination cream alone in epidermal melasma treatment

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Shakeeb, N.; Noor, S.M.; Paracha, M.M.; Ullah, G.

2018-01-01

Objective:To compare the efficacy of intense pulse light therapy (IPL) and triple combination cream (TCC) versus intense pulse light therapy and triple combination cream alone in epidermal melasma treatment, downgrading MASI score to more than 10. Study Design:Randomized controlled trial. Place and Duration of Study:Dermatology Department, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar, from August 2014 to January 2015. Methodology:Patients of 18-45 years were included in the study with Fitzpatrick skin type II-V. Sample of 96 patients was divided in to three groups of 32 each, through consecutive (non-probability) sampling method. Detailed history was taken, Woods Lamp Examination done, and melasma area and severity index (MASI) score was calculated. TCC had to be applied daily at night for two months by group A patients while group B was consigned for IPL therapy fortnightly, and those in group C were given both for two months. Efficacy was compared by recalculating MASI score at treatment end as well as at follow-up after 4 weeks, using Chi-square test with significance at p < 0.05. Results:Male and female patients were 10 (31.2%) and 22 (68.8%) in group A, 7 (21.9%) and 25 (78.1%) in group B, while in group C were 12 (37.5%) and 20 (62.5%). The average age was 28.70 +8.70 years. MASI score reduction was achieved in 22 (68.8%) patients in group A; whereas, in 20 (62.5%) and 30(93.8%) patients in group B and C, respectively. Efficacy-wise distribution was significant (p=0.009). Conclusion:Intense pulse light therapy and triple combination cream are more efficacious in epidermal melasma treatment than intense pulse light therapy and triple combination cream alone. (author)

Inhibition of SIRT1 combined with gemcitabine therapy for pancreatic carcinoma

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Gong DJ

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Dao-Jun Gong,1 Jia-Min Zhang,1 Min Yu,1 Bo Zhuang,1 Qing-Qu Guo21Department of Hepatobiliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Jinhua Hospital of Zhejiang University, Jinhua, People's Republic of China; 2Department of Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University College of Medicine, Hangzhou, People's Republic of ChinaBackground: Pancreatic carcinoma possesses one of the highest lethality rates, highest drug-resistance, and highest incidence rates. The objective of this research was to enhance the efficacy and drug-resistance for pancreatic carcinoma by using inhibition of SIRT1 combined with gemcitabine therapy methods.Methods: Three pancreatic carcinoma cells (PANC-1 cells, BxPC-3 cells, and SW1990 cells received treatment with physiological saline, inhibition of SIRT1, gemcitabine, and combination therapy with inhibition of SIRT1 and gemcitabine in vitro; then BxPC-3 pancreatic cancer xenogeneic mice also received treatment with physiological saline, inhibition of SIRT1, gemcitabine, and combination therapy with inhibition of SIRT1 and gemcitabine in vivo.Results: The cleaved poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP-1 effect of drug in pancreatic carcinoma cells was significantly different (P < 0.05 and the efficacy in descending order was the combination therapy with inhibition of SIRT1 and gemcitabine, inhibition of SIRT1, and gemcitabine. The BxPC-3 pancreatic cancer xenogeneic mice model received treatment with physiological saline, inhibition of SIRT1, gemcitabine, and combination therapy with inhibition of SIRT1 and gemcitabine in vivo and the results showed that the tumor volumes decreased and the survival rate within 45 days increased according to the order of the given drugs and the difference was significant (P < 0.05.Conclusion: Combination therapy with inhibition of SIRT1 and gemcitabine could improve efficacy and survival time in a BxPC-3 pancreatic cancer xenogeneic mice model, compared with single inhibition of SIRT1, or single

Evaluation of the Efficacy of Combined Therapy of Methotrexate and Etanercept versus Methotrexate as a Mono-Therapy.

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Rexhepi, Sylejman; Rexhepi, Mjellma; Rexhepi, Blerta; Sahatçiu-Meka, Vjollca; Mahmutaj, Vigan

2018-05-20

This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of Methotrexate (MTX) alone and combined therapy with Etanercept (ETN) and Methotrexate in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In the randomised control study, conducted in the period from March 2014 until March 2016, we evaluated the efficacy of the treatment of patients with RA with MTX as monotherapy and combination treatment with MTX and ETN. In the Clinic of Rheumatology in Prishtina, 90 adult patients with RA were treated in combination with ETN (doses of 50 mg subcutaneously/weekly), with oral MTX (doses up to 20 mg weekly), and MTX alone (doses up to 20 mg weekly) during this period of two years. Clinical response was assessed using European League against Rheumatism (EULAR)/American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Criteria and the Disease Activity Score (DAS28). Radiographic changes were measured in the beginning and at the end of the study using Larsen's method. Of the cohort groups of 90 patients, mean age of 55.63, 15 patients, (16.6 %) were treated with combined therapy (ETN plus MTX) and 75 patients (83.3%) with monotherapy (MTX). After two years of treatment the group with combined therapy resulted with improvement of acute phase reactants as erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) for the first hour (41.1 vs. 10.3 mm/hour) and C - reactive protein (CRP) (40.8 vs. 6 mg/liter), and compared to the group treated with monotherapy, there were no significant changes (ESR: 45.7 vs 34.3 mm/hour; CRP: 48 vs 24 mg/liter). Before the treatment, the severity of the disease was high, wherein the group with combined therapy DAS28 was 5.32, compared to the monotherapy group whom DAS28 was 5.90. After 2 years of treatment, we had significant changes in the results of DAS28, wherein the group treated with ETN plus MTX DAS28 was 2.12 ± 0.15, while in the group of patients treated with MTX DAS28 were 3.75 ± 0.39 (t = 13.03; df = 58; p < 0.0001). The group with combined therapy showed no evidence of radiographic

[Combination drug therapy in patients with BPH].

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Kuzmenko, A V; Kuzmenko, V V; Gyaurgiev, T A

2018-03-01

Introuction. One of the risk factors for LUTS is an infravesical obstruction, which is most often caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). BPH symptoms are formed due to three components: static (mechanical), dynamic, and impaired functional capacity of the bladder. Medical treatment with 1-blockers decreases the outflow obstruction. 5-alpha reductase inhibitors are used to inhibit the static component of BPH. To investigate the effectiveness of various modifications of medical therapy of BPH using -blockers and 5-reductase inhibitors and combinations thereof. The study comprised 90 BPH patients who were divided into three groups, with each group containing 30 people. Patients of group I, II and III received monotherapy with -blockers, a combination of 5-reductase and -blockers, and fixed-dose combination drug Duodart, respectively. Evaluation of the treatment effectiveness included filling out voiding diaries, completing the I-PSS and QL questionnaires, uroflowmetry, transrectal ultrasonography of the prostate and estimation of the incidence of adverse effects. Also, compliance with the treatment was evaluated, and the number of patients who had episodes of acute urinary retention and required surgical treatment during the 12 month treatment course was registered. Compared to monotherapy, combination therapy with -blockers and 5-reductase inhibitors more effectively reduces the LUTS, increases Qmax and prevents the disease progression, which manifests in a lower incidence of AUR and fewer surgical interventions in groups II and III. However, the combination therapy can be associated with some side effects. Patients who received fixed-dose combination drug Duodart had a greater compliance rate than patients on the combination of drugs, which, in our opinion, is associated with fewer cases of AUR and surgical interventions. The use of Duodart in patients with BPH effectively alleviates LUTS and reduces the risk of the disease progression, which manifests itself

Initial paclitaxel improves outcome compared with CMFP combination chemotherapy as front-line therapy in untreated metastatic breast cancer.

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Bishop, J F; Dewar, J; Toner, G C; Smith, J; Tattersall, M H; Olver, I N; Ackland, S; Kennedy, I; Goldstein, D; Gurney, H; Walpole, E; Levi, J; Stephenson, J; Canetta, R

1999-08-01

To determine the place of single-agent paclitaxel compared with nonanthracycline combination chemotherapy as front-line therapy in metastatic breast cancer. Patients with previously untreated metastatic breast cancer were randomized to receive either paclitaxel 200 mg/m(2) intravenously (IV) over 3 hours for eight cycles (24 weeks) or standard cyclophosphamide 100 mg/m(2)/d orally on days 1 to 14, methotrexate 40 mg/m(2) IV on days 1 and 8, fluorouracil 600 mg/m(2) IV on days 1 and 8, and prednisone 40 mg/m(2)/d orally on days 1 to 14 (CMFP) for six cycles (24 weeks) with epirubicin recommended as second-line therapy. A total of 209 eligible patients were randomized with a median survival duration of 17.3 months for paclitaxel and 13.9 months for CMFP. Multivariate analysis showed that patients who received paclitaxel survived significantly longer than those who received CMFP (P =.025). Paclitaxel produced significantly less severe leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, mucositis, documented infections (all P = .07). Initial paclitaxel was associated with significantly less myelosuppression and fewer infections, with longer survival and similar quality of life and control of metastatic breast cancer compared with CMFP.

Preoperative combination therapy of 5-fluorouracil suppository and radiation for carcinoma of the rectum

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Mizusawa, Hirokazu; Takahashi, Toshio

1983-01-01

Twelve cases of carcinoma of the rectum were treated preoperatively by combination therapy with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) suppository (100 mg twice a day consecutively, a total dose of more than 4,000 mg) and irradiation (300 rad x 3/week, a total dose of 3,000 rad). This group was compared with 34 cases given single preoperative 5-FU therapy and 24 control cases given no preoperative adjuvant modality. The group treated by preoperative combination therapy showed marked antitumor effects macroscopically and histologically. In addition, decrease in local recurrence was expected for this group, compared with the other two groups. (Chiba, N.)

Oral combination therapy: repaglinide plus metformin for treatment of type 2 diabetes.

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Raskin, P

2008-12-01

Type 2 diabetes is characterized by decreases in insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity. Several classes of oral antidiabetic medications are currently approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. A stepwise treatment approach from monotherapy to combination therapy is traditionally used; however, the frequency of treatment failure with monotherapy has resulted in a move towards earlier treatment with combination therapies that target the two principal defects in glycaemic control. One such combination regimen is repaglinide (a prandial glucose regulator that increases insulin release) plus metformin (an insulin sensitizer that inhibits hepatic glucose output, increases peripheral glucose uptake and utilization and minimizes weight gain). Findings from several clinical trials have shown that combination therapy with repaglinide plus metformin is well tolerated and results in greater reductions of haemoglobin A(1c) and fasting plasma glucose values compared with either monotherapy. Repaglinide may also provide a more suitable alternative to combination therapy with sulphonylureas and metformin because of its reduced propensity for hypoglycaemia. The combination regimen of repaglinide plus metformin should therefore be considered as a valuable option in the management of patients with type 2 diabetes when monotherapy is no longer adequate.

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy combined with conventional endodontic treatment to eliminate root canal biofilm infection.

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Garcez, Aguinaldo S; Ribeiro, Martha S; Tegos, George P; Núñez, Silvia C; Jorge, Antonio O C; Hamblin, Michael R

2007-01-01

To compare the effectiveness of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (PDT), standard endodontic treatment and the combined treatment to eliminate bacterial biofilms present in infected root canals. Ten single-rooted freshly extracted human teeth were inoculated with stable bioluminescent Gram-negative bacteria, Proteus mirabilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa to form 3-day biofilms in prepared root canals. Bioluminescence imaging was used to serially quantify bacterial burdens. PDT employed a conjugate between polyethylenimine and chlorin(e6) as the photosensitizer (PS) and 660-nm diode laser light delivered into the root canal via a 200-micro fiber, and this was compared and combined with standard endodontic treatment using mechanical debridement and antiseptic irrigation. Endodontic therapy alone reduced bacterial bioluminescence by 90% while PDT alone reduced bioluminescence by 95%. The combination reduced bioluminescence by >98%, and importantly the bacterial regrowth observed 24 hours after treatment was much less for the combination (Ptreatment. Bioluminescence imaging is an efficient way to monitor endodontic therapy. Antimicrobial PDT may have a role to play in optimized endodontic therapy. (c) 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The use of combined radiation therapy and hormonal therapy in the management of lymph node-positive prostate cancer

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Whittington, Richard; Malkowicz, S Bruce; Machtay, Mitchell; Van Arsdalen, Keith; Barnes, Margaret M; Broderick, Gregory A; Wein, Alan J

1997-10-01

Purpose: To determine the rate of tumor response and patterns of relapse following combined hormonal-radiation therapy of adenocarcinoma of the prostate and to measure the survival in a group of men with tumor metastatic to pelvic lymph nodes. Methods and Materials: 66 patients with adenocarcinoma of the prostate with pathologically confirmed pelvic lymph node involvement were treated with combined radiation therapy and hormonal therapy. An additional five patients declined hormonal therapy. The patients treated with combined therapy represented a group with locally advanced disease including 44 patients (67%) with T3 or T4 tumors and 51 patients (80%) had N2 or N3 lymph node metastases. The pelvic lymph nodes were treated to a dose of 45 Gy and the prostate was boosted to a dose of 65 to 71 Gy. Hormonal therapy began up to 2 months before radiation and continued indefinitely. Patients were allowed to select their hormonal therapy and could choose DES (2 patients), orchiectomy (21 patients), LHRH agonist (7 patients) or combined androgen blockade (34 patients). Results: Median follow-up is 49 months (range 12 to 131 months) and 21 patients have been followed for longer than 5 years. There have been 15 recurrences the entire group including three local recurrences in the prostate, seven patients with distant metastases, four patients with biochemical recurrences without clinical evidence of disease, and one patient where the location was unknown. Two of the PSA recurrences occurred in patients who elected to discontinue hormones after less than 3 years of therapy. The overall survival at 5 and 8 years is 94 and 84%, the clinical disease free survival is 85 and 67%, and the biochemical disease-free survival is 78 and 47%. There was no increased toxicity of the combined modality regimen compared to the expected effects of radiation and hormonal therapy. Conclusion: Combined hormonal and radiation therapy represents an effective treatment option for patients with

The use of combined radiation therapy and hormonal therapy in the management of lymph node-positive prostate cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whittington, Richard; Malkowicz, S. Bruce; Machtay, Mitchell; Van Arsdalen, Keith; Barnes, Margaret M.; Broderick, Gregory A.; Wein, Alan J.

1997-01-01

Purpose: To determine the rate of tumor response and patterns of relapse following combined hormonal-radiation therapy of adenocarcinoma of the prostate and to measure the survival in a group of men with tumor metastatic to pelvic lymph nodes. Methods and Materials: 66 patients with adenocarcinoma of the prostate with pathologically confirmed pelvic lymph node involvement were treated with combined radiation therapy and hormonal therapy. An additional five patients declined hormonal therapy. The patients treated with combined therapy represented a group with locally advanced disease including 44 patients (67%) with T3 or T4 tumors and 51 patients (80%) had N2 or N3 lymph node metastases. The pelvic lymph nodes were treated to a dose of 45 Gy and the prostate was boosted to a dose of 65 to 71 Gy. Hormonal therapy began up to 2 months before radiation and continued indefinitely. Patients were allowed to select their hormonal therapy and could choose DES (2 patients), orchiectomy (21 patients), LHRH agonist (7 patients) or combined androgen blockade (34 patients). Results: Median follow-up is 49 months (range 12 to 131 months) and 21 patients have been followed for longer than 5 years. There have been 15 recurrences the entire group including three local recurrences in the prostate, seven patients with distant metastases, four patients with biochemical recurrences without clinical evidence of disease, and one patient where the location was unknown. Two of the PSA recurrences occurred in patients who elected to discontinue hormones after less than 3 years of therapy. The overall survival at 5 and 8 years is 94 and 84%, the clinical disease free survival is 85 and 67%, and the biochemical disease-free survival is 78 and 47%. There was no increased toxicity of the combined modality regimen compared to the expected effects of radiation and hormonal therapy. Conclusion: Combined hormonal and radiation therapy represents an effective treatment option for patients with

Effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy integrated with systematic desensitization, cognitive behavioral therapy combined with eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy combined with virtual reality exposure therapy methods in the treatment of flight anxiety: a randomized trial.

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Triscari, Maria Teresa; Faraci, Palmira; Catalisano, Dario; D'Angelo, Valerio; Urso, Viviana

2015-01-01

The purpose of the research was to compare the effectiveness of the following treatment methods for fear of flying: cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) integrated with systematic desensitization, CBT combined with eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy, and CBT combined with virtual reality exposure therapy. Overall, our findings have proven the efficacy of all interventions in reducing fear of flying in a pre- to post-treatment comparison. All groups showed a decrease in flight anxiety, suggesting the efficiency of all three treatments in reducing self-report measures of fear of flying. In particular, our results indicated significant improvements for the treated patients using all the treatment programs, as shown not only by test scores but also by participation in the post-treatment flight. Nevertheless, outcome measures maintained a significant effect at a 1-year follow-up. In conclusion, combining CBT with both the application of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing treatment and the virtual stimuli used to expose patients with aerophobia seemed as efficient as traditional cognitive behavioral treatments integrated with systematic desensitization.

Combination Intravenous and Intra-Articular Tranexamic acid compared with Intravenous Only Administration and No Therapy in Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Case Series Study

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Chris Buntting

2016-07-01

This study supports the existing literature and suggests that the use of IV Tranexamic acid alone or in combination with intra-articular dose in TKA may reduce the requirement for transfusion (Level IV evidence. Furthermore, this study suggests that the use of tranexamic acid as a combination of Intravenous and intra-articular administration has no effect on range of motion, or medical complications during hospital stay. Although it was not a statistically significant finding, our study suggested a trend towards a greater reduction in haemoglobin and haematocrit fall in the combination therapy group when compared to IV Tranexamic acid alone

Combined Therapy at Persistent Herpes Virus Infection in Sickly Children

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F. S. Kharlamova

2012-01-01

Full Text Available We examined 40 sickly children with recurrent croup (RC — 28 and bronchial obstruction (ROB — 8, (RC + ROB — 4 aged from 18 months till 14 years. We found that high frequency of persistent herpes viruses usually occurs as associations with CMV, EBV and human herpes virus 6 type. We substantiated anti viral and immune corrective therapy in two schemes compared in efficacy: the 1st group was administered monotherapy with Viferon, and the 2nd group received combined therapy Viferon + Arbidol in doses according to the age during three months. We received a more expressed clinical immunologic effect from the therapy with decreased antigenic load and frequency of recurrence of RC and ROB with Viferon application in suppositories in combination with Arbidol per orally in the intermittent scheme during three months. 

Comparative evaluation of efficacy of three treatment modalities – tetracycline fibers, scaling and root planing, and combination therapy: A clinical study

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Aashima Bajaj Dang

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Tetracycline is one of the primary antibiotics prescribed for antimicrobial therapy in periodontics. It has a broad spectrum of activity being effective against most bacteria as well as spirochetes. Due to limitations of systemic drug therapy, recent formulations of the drug for local administration in the subgingival area have been introduced, including collagen fibers impregnated with tetracycline. Aims and Objective: To compare the effectiveness of tetracycline fibers alone or in combination with scaling and root planing (SRP on clinical parameters in chronic periodontitis patients. Materials and Methods: A total of twenty patients comprising of both sexes in the age group of 35-60 years with chronic periodontitis were selected. Split-mouth design was used, and three teeth from each patient with periodontal pocket measuring > 5 mm were selected which were treated with different treatment modality. They were randomly divided into site A (SRP, site B (tetracycline fibers only, and site C (combination therapy. Clinical parameters of plaque index (PI, gingival index (GI, pocket probing depth, and clinical attachment level (CAL were recorded at 0, 30, and 45 days. The data obtained was compiled and put to statistical analysis. Results: All the three groups showed improvement in PI, GI, probing pocket depth, and CAL. Results of the study showed greater improvements in clinical parameters in Group C compared to Group A and Group B. Conclusion: The results indicate that the adjunctive use of tetracycline fibers with SRP is a clinically effective and simple nonsurgical treatment method to improve periodontal health.

Trial Protocol: Cognitive functional therapy compared with combined manual therapy and motor control exercise for people with non-specific chronic low back pain: protocol for a randomised, controlled trial.

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Belache, Fabiana Terra Cunha; Souza, Cíntia Pereira de; Fernandez, Jessica; Castro, Julia; Ferreira, Paula Dos Santos; Rosa, Elizana Rodrigues de Sousa; Araújo, Nathalia Cristina Gimenez de; Reis, Felipe José Jandre; Almeida, Renato Santos de; Nogueira, Leandro Alberto Calazans; Correia, Luís Cláudio Lemos; Meziat-Filho, Ney

2018-06-11

Chronic low back pain is a public health problem, and there is strong evidence that it is associated with a complex interaction of biopsychosocial factors. Cognitive functional therapy is an intervention that deals with potentially modifiable multidimensional aspects of pain (eg, provocative cognitive, movement and lifestyle behaviours). There is evidence (from a single randomised, controlled trial) that cognitive functional therapy is better than combined manual therapy and motor control exercise. However, this study had significant methodological shortcomings including the failure to carry out an intention-to-treat analysis and a considerable loss of follow-up of participants. It is important to replicate this study in another domain through a randomised clinical trial with similar objectives but correcting these methodological shortcomings. To investigate the efficacy of cognitive functional therapy compared to combined manual therapy and exercise on pain and disability at 3 months in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain. Two-group, randomised, multicentre controlled trial with blinded assessors. One hundred and forty-eight participants with chronic low back pain that has persisted for >3months and no specific spinal pathology will be recruited from the school clinic of the Centro Universitário Augusto Motta and a private clinic in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Four to 10 sessions of cognitive functional therapy. The physiotherapists who will treat the participants in the cognitive functional therapy group have previously attended 2 workshops with two different tutors of the method. Such physiotherapists have completed 106 hours of training, including workshops and patient examinations, as well as conducting a pilot study under the supervision of another physiotherapist with>3 years of clinical experience in cognitive functional therapy. Four to 10 sessions of combined manual therapy and motor control exercises. Participants in the combined

Experimental study of chemical embolus therapy combined with radiotherapy for VX2 bone tumors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamaguchi, Hiroshi; Mochizuki, Kazuo; Ishii, Yoshiaki

2000-01-01

We conducted an experimental study, using a combination of coarse crystal cisplatin and radiotherapy for bone tumors, to evaluate the possibility of the clinical application of chemical embolus therapy in the field of orthopedic surgery. Experimental femoral bone tumors were produced, in rabbits, using VX2 carcinoma. The rabbits were allocated to five groups: untreated control, embolus, chemical embolus, irradiation alone, and chemical embolus and irradiation combination. These therapies were evaluated comparatively, in terms of local antitumor effects (including body weight, X-ray findings, angiography, and histopathology) and in terms of inhibition of pulmonary metastasis. Local antitumor effects, as evaluated by all parameters, except for body weight, were significantly greater for the chemical and irradiation combination group than for the chemical embolus, irradiation alone, untreated control, and embolus groups. There was no significant difference in the inhibition of pulmonary metastasis among the chemical embolus and irradiation combination, chemical embolus, and irradiation alone groups. These findings demonstrated the synergistic effect of the combination of chemical embolus therapy and radiotherapy. In this study, however, no significant difference was found between the chemical embolus therapy alone and the combination therapy groups in the inhibitory effect on pulmonary tumor metastasis, suggesting the need to conduct combination therapy repeatedly in the clinical setting. (author)

A Comparative Study of the Management of Stage 2 hypertension by Combined therapy with Losartan, Amlodipine and Hydrochlorothiazide

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Reza Jafarzadeh Esfehani

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Background: The most effective and accurate treatment of hypertensive patients reduces cardiovascular events and improves the quality of life. Objective: This study compared the efficacy and safety of combined (combination therapy with an angiotensin-receptor blocker (ARB a calcium-channel blocker (CCB (Losartan / Amloidipine 50/10mg vs maximal combination doses of ARB with hydrochlorothiazide (Losartan /HCTZ 100/25 mg and maximal combination doses of CCB with HCTZ (Amlodipine /HCTZ 10/25 mg in the management of stage 2 hypertension. Methods: This randomized clinical trial (RTC comprised 478 hypertensive patients with mean age 50.5±5.21 years, and took place between January 2010 and December 2011 in Vasei Hospital clinic in Sabzevar. Antihypertensive drugs were washed out after 5 days of discontinuation of drugs and the patients with mean blood pressure in sitting position ≥ 160 and <200 mmHg in systole and ≥ 100 and <110 mmHg in diastole were randomized into three groups: Losartan / Amlodipine 50/10 mg (n =164 , Losartan / HCTZ 100/25 mg (n =155 and Amlodipine / HCTZ 10/25 mg (n =159. The end point was reaching the blood pressure below 140/90 within 56 days of treatment in each group. Results: There was a significant difference in systolic blood pressure reductions between treatment groups (P<0.001 and also there was a significant difference between groups in reducing diastolic blood pressure (P<0.01. The highest systolic and diastolic blood pressure reduction respectively was found in Amlodipine/losartane and losartane/HTCZ group. The ANCOVA analysis revealed that only treatment regimen had a significant effect (P=0.01 and other factor including Age, Gender, Diabetes Mellitus, Smoking and High serum cholesterol didn’t have significant effect on blood pressure reduction. Conclusion: ARB/CCB combination therapy reduced blood pressure more effectively than the maximal doses of ARB or CCB with HCTZ in stage 2 hypertensive patients within

Options for empagliflozin in combination therapy in type 2 diabetes mellitus

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Hershon KS

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Kenneth S Hershon1,2 1North Shore Diabetes and Endocrine Associates, New Hyde Park, 2Department of Medicine, Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine, Hempstead, NY, USA Objective: To update clinicians with an overview of empagliflozin for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM, with focus on use in combination regimens. Methods: Keyword searches were conducted in the Medline database to identify literature reporting clinical trials of at least 12 weeks' duration using empagliflozin treatment in patients with T2DM. Results: When given as monotherapy or in combination therapy (as add-on or single-pill therapy with metformin, pioglitazone, sulfonylurea, linagliptin, and insulin, empagliflozin produced clinically meaningful reductions in glycated hemoglobin levels, plasma glucose concentrations, bodyweight, and blood pressure. These changes were sustained during long-term treatment. In a dedicated cardiovascular event trial, empagliflozin on top of standard of care demonstrated a significant reduction in the risk of cardiovascular mortality and all-cause mortality. Across the clinical trials, empagliflozin combination therapies were well tolerated, and empagliflozin used alone was not associated with increased risk of hypoglycemia versus placebo. Indeed, the combination of empagliflozin and metformin had a significantly reduced rate of hypoglycemia compared with the combination of metformin and a sulfonylurea. On the other hand, empagliflozin treatment did have increased risk of genital infections compared with placebo. In clinical trials to date, diabetic ketoacidosis was not seen more frequently with empagliflozin than with placebo, but physicians should be alert to the possibility of this rare event. Conclusion: Empagliflozin has the potential to make an important contribution to the treatment of patients with T2DM. In some patients, empagliflozin may be used as monotherapy, but it is most likely to be used in combination with other

Cyclophosphamide/x-ray: combined mode preparation for transplantation therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meredith, R.; Okunewick, J.; Shadduck, R.; Raikow, R.; Brozovich, B.; Seeman, P.

1979-01-01

Use of total body irradiation (TBI) and/or chemotherapy as a preparation for marrow transplantation in the treatment of leukemia has been only moderately successful in the clinic. Although cyclophosphamide (CY) has shown promise as a marrow ablative agent, leukemia relapses are often found, and optimal therapeutic protocols have not been established. Our transplantation therapy studies of murine leukemia with parental recipients and hybrid donors provide an excellent model for research aimed at improved survival of human transplant patients. Utilizing a murine leukemia induced by a virus, various doses of CY in combination with sub-lethal irradiation were compared to determine the optimal pretreatment for transplantation therapy. Both normal and leukemic mice were engrafted with virus resistant, histocompatible marrow following these preparations, then monitored for survival and long term effects. Leukemic mice were also evaluated for pluripotent as well as myeloid committed stem cells as a measure of the effectiveness of the treatment in elimination of leukemic cells. Leukemic groups were also compared for the percentage and time of leukemia relapse. All CY/X-ray combinations were more effective in elimination of stem cell populations than supralethal TBI alone. However, the best survival was obtained with lethal TBI alone or low dose CY in combination with 550 R

Artificial intelligence in drug combination therapy.

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Tsigelny, Igor F

2018-02-09

Currently, the development of medicines for complex diseases requires the development of combination drug therapies. It is necessary because in many cases, one drug cannot target all necessary points of intervention. For example, in cancer therapy, a physician often meets a patient having a genomic profile including more than five molecular aberrations. Drug combination therapy has been an area of interest for a while, for example the classical work of Loewe devoted to the synergism of drugs was published in 1928-and it is still used in calculations for optimal drug combinations. More recently, over the past several years, there has been an explosion in the available information related to the properties of drugs and the biomedical parameters of patients. For the drugs, hundreds of 2D and 3D molecular descriptors for medicines are now available, while for patients, large data sets related to genetic/proteomic and metabolomics profiles of the patients are now available, as well as the more traditional data relating to the histology, history of treatments, pretreatment state of the organism, etc. Moreover, during disease progression, the genetic profile can change. Thus, the ability to optimize drug combinations for each patient is rapidly moving beyond the comprehension and capabilities of an individual physician. This is the reason, that biomedical informatics methods have been developed and one of the more promising directions in this field is the application of artificial intelligence (AI). In this review, we discuss several AI methods that have been successfully implemented in several instances of combination drug therapy from HIV, hypertension, infectious diseases to cancer. The data clearly show that the combination of rule-based expert systems with machine learning algorithms may be promising direction in this field. © The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

[Clinical study of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy treated with massage therapy combined with Magnetic sticking therapy at the auricular points and the cost comparison].

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Wang, Saina; Sheng, Feng; Pan, Yunhua; Xu, Feng; Wang, Zhichao; Cheng, Lei

2015-08-01

To compare the clinical efficacy on cervical spondylotic radiculopathy between the combined therapy of massage and magnetic-sticking at the auricular points and the simple massage therapy, and conduct the health economics evaluation. Seventy-two patients of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy were randomized into a combined therapy group, and a simple massage group, 36 cases in each one. Finally, 35 cases and 34 cases were met the inclusive criteria in the corresponding groups separately. In the combined therapy group, the massage therapy and the magnetic sticking therapy at auricular points were combined in the treatment. Massage therapy was mainly applied to Fengchi (GB 20), Jianjing (GB 21), Jianwaishu (SI 14), Jianyu (LI 15) and Quchi (LI 11). The main auricular points for magnetic sticking pressure were Jingzhui (AH13), Gan (On12) Shen (CO10), Shenmen (TF4), Pizhixia (AT4). In the simple massage group, the simple massage therapy was given, the massage parts and methods were the same as those in the combined therapy group. The treatment was given once every two days, three times a week, for 4 weeks totally. The cervical spondylosis effect scale and the simplified McGill pain questionnaire were adopted to observe the improvements in the clinical symptoms, clinical examination, daily life movement, superficial muscular pain in the neck and the health economics cost in the patients of the two groups. The effect was evaluated in the two groups. The effective rate and the clinical curative rate in the combined therapy group were better than those in the control group [100. 0% (35/35) vs 85. 3% (29/34), 42. 9% (15/35) vs 17. 6% (6/34), both Pmassage therapy, the massage therapy combined with magnetic sticking therapy at auricular points achieves the better effect and lower cost in health economics.

Advances in combination therapy of lung cancer

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Wu, Lan; Leng, Donglei; Cun, Dongmei

2017-01-01

Lung cancer is a complex disease caused by a multitude of genetic and environmental factors. The progression of lung cancer involves dynamic changes in the genome and a complex network of interactions between cancer cells with multiple, distinct cell types that form tumors. Combination therapy......, including small molecule drugs and biopharmaceuticals, which make the optimization of dosing and administration schedule challenging. This article reviews the recent advances in the design and development of combinations of pharmaceuticals for the treatment of lung cancer. Focus is primarily on rationales...... for the selection of specific combination therapies for lung cancer treatment, and state of the art of delivery technologies and dosage regimens for the combinations, tested in preclinical and clinical trials....

Effects of Hormone Deprivation, 2-Methoxyestradiol Combination Therapy on Hormone-Dependent Prostate Cancer In Vivo

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Fuminori Sato

2005-09-01

Full Text Available 2-Methoxyestradiol (2-ME has potent anti proliferative effects on cancer cells. Its utility alone or in combination with other therapies for treating prostate cancer, however, has not been fully explored. Androgendependent, independent human prostate cancer cells were examined in vivo for their response to combination therapy. Efficacy was assessed by terminal deoxynucleotide transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling assay, measuring microvessel density (MVD in excised tumors. Animals harboring hormonedependent tumors treated with 2-ME alone, androgen deprivation therapy alone, or the combination of the two had a 3.1-fold, 5.3-fold, 10.1-fold increase in apoptosis, respectively. For hormone-independent tumors, treatment with 2-ME resulted in a 2.43-fold increase in apoptosis, a 73% decrease in MVD. 2-ME was most effective against hormone-dependent tumors in vivo, combination therapy resulted in a significant increase in efficacy compared to no treatment controls, trended toward greater efficacy than either 2-ME or androgen deprivation alone. Combination therapy should be investigated further as an additional therapeutic option for early prostate cancer.

Combined modality therapy for exsudative form of age-related macular degeneration

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М. V. Budzinskaya

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Treatment outcomes in patients with age-related vascular degeneration due to formation of subretinal neovascular membrane (SNM of two groups: photodynamic therapy (PDT with Photosens alone (18 patients and in combination with anti-VEGF therapy with Lucentis (20 patients. For both groups Photosens was administrated i.v. in single dose of 0.05 mg/kg. The irradiation was performed on the 3rd day (the wave length 675 nm, light dose 120 J/cm2, total light dose did not exceed 500 J/cm2. The number of sessions accounted for 3 to 5 per week according to clinical manifestation of SNM. Patients with multimodality treatment had intravitreal administration of Lucensis in dose 0.05 ml (0.5 mg. The study showed that combination of PDT and anti-VEGF therapy improved vision better and with more stable effect then PDT alone. Thus vision improvement and decrease of SNM activity occurred in 50% of patients with PDT alone and in 60% of patients with multimodality treatment. For 2-year follow-up in the group of PDT alone the vision gradient gradually decreased compared with baseline vision (from 0.11 to 0.06, in the group of multimodality treatment gradual increase of vision gradient was noticed (from 0.03 to 0.155. The superior efficiency of PDT combined with anti-VEGF therapy compared with PDT alone in patients with age-related vascular degeneration was confirmed by study of vision, fundus angiography and average thickness of retina in foveola in both groups.

Transient Serotonin Toxicity Evoked by Combination of Electroconvulsive Therapy and Fluoxetine

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Klysner, René; Bjerg Bendsen, Birgitte; Hansen, Maja Soon

2014-01-01

The serotonin syndrome has been described only in rare instances for electroconvulsive therapy combined with an antidepressant medication. We describe a case of serotonin toxicity induced by electroconvulsive therapy in combination with fluoxetine.......The serotonin syndrome has been described only in rare instances for electroconvulsive therapy combined with an antidepressant medication. We describe a case of serotonin toxicity induced by electroconvulsive therapy in combination with fluoxetine....

[Flying needling therapy combined with clomiphene for ovulation failure in polycystic ovary syndrome:a randomized controlled trial].

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Ma, Hong; Quan, Xiaohong; Chen, Xiuhua; Dong, Ying

2016-11-12

To compare the efficacy among the combined treatment of flying needling therapy and clomiphene, the simple application of flying needling therapy and simple clomiphene in the treatment of ovulation failure in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Ninety patients of PCOS were randomized into a flying needling therapy group, a medication group and a combined treatment group, 30 cases in each one. In the flying needling therapy group, the flying needling therapy was simply applied to Ganshu (BL 18), Shenshu (BL 23), Zhongwan (CV 12), Shuifen (CV 9), Guanyuan (CV 4) and Zhongji (CV 3). The unilateral back- shu points were used alternatively in each treatment. The needles were inserted rapidly with rotation technique and even-needling manipulation. The needles were retained for 30 min. The treatment was given once every two days, 3 times a week. In the medication group, clomiphene was taken orally on the 5th day of menstruation, continuously for 5 days. In the combined treatment group, the flying needling therapy and clomiphene were used in combination. All of the patients were treated for 3 months and followed up for 1 month. The ovulation rates were compared among the three groups. The levels of androgen testosterone were compared before and after treatment. In the combined treatment group, the ovulation rate was 86.2% (100/116), better than 66.7% (80/120) in the flying needling therapy group and 69.6% (78/112) in the medication group (both P medication group ( P >0.05). After treatment, the level of testosterone was reduced in the three groups (all P medication group (both P medication group ( P >0.05). The adverse reactions in the combined treatment group and the flying needling therapy group were lower than those in the medication group (both P <0.05). The flying needling therapy effectively improves in the ovulation failure of PCOS and its effect is similar to clomiphene. The allied treatment of them apparently improves the clinical efficacy and alleviates the adverse

Combined EGFR and VEGFR versus single EGFR signaling pathways inhibition therapy for NSCLC: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

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Xinji Zhang

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is a heterogeneous disease with multiple signaling pathways influencing tumor cell survival and proliferation, and it is likely that blocking only one of these pathways allows others to act as salvage or escape mechanisms for cancer cells. Whether combined inhibition therapy has greater anti-tumor activity than single inhibition therapy is a matter of debate. Hence, a meta-analysis comparing therapy inhibiting both VEGFR and EGFR signaling pathways with that inhibiting EGFR signaling pathway alone was performed. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We searched PubMed, EMBASE database and the proceedings of major conferences for relevant clinical trials. Outcomes analyzed were objective tumor response rate (ORR, progression-free survival (PFS, overall survival (OS and toxicity. Besides, subgroup analyses were performed to investigate whether the combined inhibition therapy is best performed using combination of selective agents or a single agent with multiple targets. Six trials recruiting 3,302 patients were included in the analysis. Combined inhibition therapy was associated with a 3% improvement in OS as compared with single-targeted therapy, but this difference was not statistically significant (HR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.89-1.05; P=0.472. Patients receiving combined inhibition therapy had significant longer PFS than the group with single-targeted therapy (HR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.67-0.95; P=0.011. There was no difference in the ORR between the groups (OR, 1.44; 95% CI, 0.95-2.18; P=0.085. Subgroup analysis revealed that combined inhibition therapy using combination regimens was associated with statistically significant improvement in both ORR and PFS. Toxicity was greater in combined inhibition therapy. CONCLUSIONS: There is no evidence to support the use of combined inhibition therapy in unselected patients with advanced NSCLC. However, given the significant advantage in ORR and PFS, combined inhibition therapy using combination

Asthma Severity in patients initiating controller monotherapy versus combination therapy.

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Diette, Gregory B; Fuhlbrigge, Anne L; Allen-Ramey, Felicia; Hopper, April; Sajjan, Shiva G; Markson, Leona E

2011-04-01

Asthma treatment guidelines recommend medications based on the level of asthma control. To evaluate differences in asthma control between patients who initiated asthma controller monotherapy versus combination therapy. Children (5-16 years; n = 488) and adults (17-80 years; n = 530) with asthma and no controller therapy in the prior 6 months were included. Telephone surveys were conducted within 5 days of filling a new asthma controller prescription with either the caregiver of children or the adult patient. Demographics, asthma control before therapy, and asthma-related resource use were assessed for patients initiating monotherapy (filling one asthma controller prescription) and combination therapy (filling more than one controller medication or a fixed-dose combination). Mean pediatric age was 10 years; 53% were male. Mean adult age was 47 years; 25% were male. There were no significant differences in asthma control score between patients receiving monotherapy and combination therapy. Children on combination therapy did not have more nighttime awakening or short-acting β-agonist use but were more likely to have been hospitalized due to asthma attack (p = .05) and have more unscheduled (p = .0374) and scheduled (p = .009) physician visits. Adults on combination therapy were more likely to have been hospitalized due to asthma attack (p asthma (p asthma control scores in the 4 weeks before index medication suggests that asthma severity during a treatment-free period did not differ significantly for patients initiating controller monotherapy versus combination therapy. From these findings, it appears that although physicians may not focus on asthma control when choosing the intensity of initial controller therapy, the intensity of health-care encounters may be an influence.

Effectiveness of medication / auricular therapy / phyto-therapy combination in the treatment of hypertensive patients

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José Ramón Martínez Pérez

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Background: hypertension is one of the main cardiovascular risk factors, so its control improves the life expectancy of patients.Objective: to assess the effects of a treatment combining medication with auricular therapy and phyto-therapy in hypertensive patients assisted at the health area of ”Romárico Oro” Polyclinic, in Puerto Padre, Las Tunas province.Methods: an intervention study was carried out in 68 hypertensive patients of the health area of “Romárico Oro” Polyclinic in Puerto Padre from April, 2013 to April, 2014. The patients were distributed at random into two equal groups; the first received medication combined with auricular therapy and phyto-therapy, while the second one received only medication. The statistical analysis was done by means of Statistic system, t-student and Chi-Square tests were used and p< or =0.05 was considered as level of statistical significance.Results: by the end of the intervention, 73, 53% of the patients of the group with the combination of drug treatment and auricular therapy and phyto-therapy were controlled. In this group, the diastolic filling pressure diminished to 2, 2 mm Hg and the systolic gradient to 3, 66 mm, regarding the group treated only with drugs. Only one patient, representing the 2, 94% showed adverse reaction to the natural and traditional treatment.Conclusions: the combination of medication with auricular therapy and phyto-therapy proved to be effective, corroborated by a significant decrease of quantity of crisis, diastolic and systolic filling pressure values and increase of number of patients with their disease controlled; the report of only one complication shows the innocuousness of the auricular therapy and phyto-therapy treatment.

Does combination therapy with tamsulosin and trospium chloride improve lower urinary tract symptoms after SEEDS brachytherapy for prostate cancer compared with tamsulosin alone? : A prospective, randomized, controlled trial.

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Yan, Miao; Xue, Peng; Wang, Kunpeng; Gao, Guojun; Zhang, Wei; Sun, Fanghu

2017-09-01

To compare the efficacy of combination therapy with an alpha-blocker and an anticholinergic to monotherapy with an alpha blocker on lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) following brachytherapy in prostate cancer patients. A total of 124 patients that had been clinically diagnosed with localized prostate cancer and underwent prostate brachytherapy were enrolled in the present study. Patients were randomized and allocated to two groups, including 60 to the combination group (tamsulosin 0.2 mg/day and trospium chloride 20 mg twice daily) and 64 to the monotherapy group (tamsulosin 0.2 mg/day). Treatment began 1 day after brachytherapy and continued for 6 months. LUTS were compared between the two groups using the total International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), storage and voiding IPSS subscores, quality of life (QoL) scores, maximum flow rate (Qmax), and postvoid residual (PVR) urine volume at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after implantation. In all, 111 patients were ultimately analyzed in the study. Compared with pretreatment scores, a significant increase in total IPSS was found at 1, 3, and 6 months in both groups, but no statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups. The combination therapy group showed a greater decrease in the IPSS storage score compared with the monotherapy group at 1, 3, and 6 months (p = 0.031, 0.030 and 0.042, respectively). Patients receiving tamsulosin plus trospium chloride also showed significant improvements in QoL at 1 and 3 months compared with tamsulosin alone (P = 0.039, P = 0.047). Between the two groups, there was no significant difference in IPSS voiding score, Qmax, and PVR from baseline to each point of the study period. Combination therapy with tamsulosin and trospium chloride helped to improve IPSS storage symptoms and Qol scores in prostate brachytherapy patients with LUTS compared with tamsulosin monotherapy.

Combination phenylbutyrate/gemcitabine therapy effectively inhibits in vitro and in vivo growth of NSCLC by intrinsic apoptotic pathways

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Schniewind Bodo

2006-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Standard chemotherapy protocols in NSCLC are of limited clinical benefit. Histone deacetylase (HDAC inhibitors represent a new strategy in human cancer therapy. In this study the combination of the HDAC inhibitor phenylbutyrate (PB and the nucleoside analogue gemcitabine (GEM was evaluated and the mechanisms underlying increased cell death were analyzed. Methods Dose escalation studies evaluating the cytotoxicity of PB (0.01–100 mM, GEM (0.01–100 μg/ml and a combination of the two were performed on two NSCLC cell lines (BEN and KNS62. Apoptotic cell death was quantified. The involvement of caspase-dependent cell death and MAP-kinase activation was analyzed. Additionally, mitochondrial damage was determined. In an orthotopic animal model the combined effect of PB and GEM on therapy was analyzed. Results Applied as a single drug both GEM and PB revealed limited potential to induce apoptosis in KNS62 and Ben cells. Combination therapy was 50–80% (p = 0.012 more effective than either agent alone. On the caspase level, combination therapy significantly increased cleavage of the pro-forms compared to single chemotherapy. The broad spectrum caspase-inhibitor zVAD was able to inhibit caspase cleavage completely, but reduced the frequency of apoptotic cells only by 30%. Combination therapy significantly increased changes in MTP and the release of cyto-c, AIF and Smac/Diabolo into the cytoplasm. Furthermore, the inhibitors of apoptosis c-IAP1 and c-IAP2 were downregulated and it was shown that in combination therapy JNK activation contributed significantly to induction of apoptosis. The size of the primary tumors growing orthotopically in SCID mice treated for 4 weeks with GEM and PB was significantly reduced (2.2–2.7 fold compared to GEM therapy alone. The Ki-67 (KNS62: p = 0.015; Ben: p = 0.093 and topoisomerase IIα (KNS62: p = 0.008; Ben: p = 0.064 proliferation indices were clearly reduced in tumors treated by combination

Synergy of combined tPA-edaravone therapy in experimental thrombotic stroke.

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Sun, Yu-Yo; Morozov, Yury M; Yang, Dianer; Li, Yikun; Dunn, R Scott; Rakic, Pasko; Chan, Pak H; Abe, Koji; Lindquist, Diana M; Kuan, Chia-Yi

2014-01-01

Edaravone, a potent antioxidant, may improve thrombolytic therapy because it benefits ischemic stroke patients on its own and mitigates adverse effects of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) in preclinical models. However, whether the combined tPA-edaravone therapy is more effective in reducing infarct size than singular treatment is uncertain. Here we investigated this issue using a transient hypoxia-ischemia (tHI)-induced thrombotic stroke model, in which adult C57BL/6 mice were subjected to reversible ligation of the unilateral common carotid artery plus inhalation of 7.5% oxygen for 30 min. While unilateral occlusion of the common carotid artery suppressed cerebral blood flow transiently, the addition of hypoxia triggered reperfusion deficits, endogenous thrombosis, and attenuated tPA activity, leading up to infarction. We compared the outcomes of vehicle-controls, edaravone treatment, tPA treatment at 0.5, 1, or 4 h post-tHI, and combined tPA-edaravone therapies with mortality rate and infarct size as the primary end-points. The best treatment was further compared with vehicle-controls in behavioral, biochemical, and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) analyses. We found that application of tPA at 0.5 or 1 h--but not at 4 h post-tHI--significantly decreased infarct size and showed synergistic (pedaravone treatment, respectively. The acute tPA-edaravone treatment conferred >50% reduction of mortality, ∼ 80% decline in infarct size, and strong white-matter protection. It also improved vascular reperfusion and decreased oxidative stress, inflammatory cytokines, and matrix metalloproteinase activities. In conclusion, edaravone synergizes with acute tPA treatment in experimental thrombotic stroke, suggesting that clinical application of the combined tPA-edaravone therapy merits investigation.

Synergy of combined tPA-edaravone therapy in experimental thrombotic stroke.

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Yu-Yo Sun

Full Text Available Edaravone, a potent antioxidant, may improve thrombolytic therapy because it benefits ischemic stroke patients on its own and mitigates adverse effects of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA in preclinical models. However, whether the combined tPA-edaravone therapy is more effective in reducing infarct size than singular treatment is uncertain. Here we investigated this issue using a transient hypoxia-ischemia (tHI-induced thrombotic stroke model, in which adult C57BL/6 mice were subjected to reversible ligation of the unilateral common carotid artery plus inhalation of 7.5% oxygen for 30 min. While unilateral occlusion of the common carotid artery suppressed cerebral blood flow transiently, the addition of hypoxia triggered reperfusion deficits, endogenous thrombosis, and attenuated tPA activity, leading up to infarction. We compared the outcomes of vehicle-controls, edaravone treatment, tPA treatment at 0.5, 1, or 4 h post-tHI, and combined tPA-edaravone therapies with mortality rate and infarct size as the primary end-points. The best treatment was further compared with vehicle-controls in behavioral, biochemical, and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI analyses. We found that application of tPA at 0.5 or 1 h--but not at 4 h post-tHI--significantly decreased infarct size and showed synergistic (p50% reduction of mortality, ∼ 80% decline in infarct size, and strong white-matter protection. It also improved vascular reperfusion and decreased oxidative stress, inflammatory cytokines, and matrix metalloproteinase activities. In conclusion, edaravone synergizes with acute tPA treatment in experimental thrombotic stroke, suggesting that clinical application of the combined tPA-edaravone therapy merits investigation.

Modeling antibiotic treatment in hospitals: A systematic approach shows benefits of combination therapy over cycling, mixing, and mono-drug therapies.

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Tepekule, Burcu; Uecker, Hildegard; Derungs, Isabel; Frenoy, Antoine; Bonhoeffer, Sebastian

2017-09-01

Multiple treatment strategies are available for empiric antibiotic therapy in hospitals, but neither clinical studies nor theoretical investigations have yielded a clear picture when which strategy is optimal and why. Extending earlier work of others and us, we present a mathematical model capturing treatment strategies using two drugs, i.e the multi-drug therapies referred to as cycling, mixing, and combination therapy, as well as monotherapy with either drug. We randomly sample a large parameter space to determine the conditions determining success or failure of these strategies. We find that combination therapy tends to outperform the other treatment strategies. By using linear discriminant analysis and particle swarm optimization, we find that the most important parameters determining success or failure of combination therapy relative to the other treatment strategies are the de novo rate of emergence of double resistance in patients infected with sensitive bacteria and the fitness costs associated with double resistance. The rate at which double resistance is imported into the hospital via patients admitted from the outside community has little influence, as all treatment strategies are affected equally. The parameter sets for which combination therapy fails tend to fall into areas with low biological plausibility as they are characterised by very high rates of de novo emergence of resistance to both drugs compared to a single drug, and the cost of double resistance is considerably smaller than the sum of the costs of single resistance.

Nanomedicine of synergistic drug combinations for cancer therapy - Strategies and perspectives.

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Zhang, Rui Xue; Wong, Ho Lun; Xue, Hui Yi; Eoh, June Young; Wu, Xiao Yu

2016-10-28

Nanomedicine of synergistic drug combinations has shown increasing significance in cancer therapy due to its promise in providing superior therapeutic benefits to the current drug combination therapy used in clinical practice. In this article, we will examine the rationale, principles, and advantages of applying nanocarriers to improve anticancer drug combination therapy, review the use of nanocarriers for delivery of a variety of combinations of different classes of anticancer agents including small molecule drugs and biologics, and discuss the challenges and future perspectives of the nanocarrier-based combination therapy. The goal of this review is to provide better understanding of this increasingly important new paradigm of cancer treatment and key considerations for rational design of nanomedicine of synergistic drug combinations for cancer therapy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Randomized Controlled Double-blind Trial Comparing Haloperidol Combined With Conventional Therapy to Conventional Therapy Alone in Patients With Symptomatic Gastroparesis.

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Roldan, Carlos J; Chambers, Kimberly A; Paniagua, Linda; Patel, Sonali; Cardenas-Turanzas, Marylou; Chathampally, Yashwant

2017-11-01

Gastroparesis is a debilitating condition that causes nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Management includes analgesics and antiemetics, but symptoms are often refractory. Haloperidol has been utilized in the palliative care setting for similar symptoms. The study objective was to determine whether haloperidol as an adjunct to conventional therapy would improve symptoms in gastroparesis patients presenting to the emergency department (ED). This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of adult ED patients with acute exacerbation of previously diagnosed gastroparesis. The treatment group received 5 mg of haloperidol plus conventional therapy (determined by the treating physician). The control group received a placebo plus conventional therapy. The severity of each subject's abdominal pain and nausea were assessed before intervention and every 15 minutes thereafter for 1 hour using a 10-point scale for pain and a 5-point scale for nausea. Primary outcomes were decreased pain and nausea 1 hour after treatment. Of the 33 study patients, 15 were randomized to receive haloperidol. Before treatment, the mean intensity of pain was 8.5 in the haloperidol group and 8.28 in the placebo group; mean pretreatment nausea scores were 4.53 and 4.11, respectively. One hour after therapy, the mean pain and nausea scores in the haloperidol group were 3.13 and 1.83 compared to 7.17 and 3.39 in the placebo group. The reduction in mean pain intensity therapy was 5.37 in the haloperidol group (p ≤ 0.001) compared to 1.11 in the placebo group (p = 0.11). The reduction in mean nausea score was 2.70 in the haloperidol group (p ≤ 0.001) and 0.72 in the placebo group (p = 0.05). Therefore, the reductions in symptom scores were statistically significant in the haloperidol group but not in the placebo group. No adverse events were reported. Haloperidol as an adjunctive therapy is superior to placebo for acute gastroparesis symptoms. © 2017 by the Society for Academic

Combined Therapies of Modified Taiyi Miraculous Moxa Roll and Cupping for Patients with Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Herniation.

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Cai, Chunyue; Gong, Yuefeng; Dong, Dayong; Xue, Jinbiao; Zheng, Xiaoting; Zhong, Zhangfeng; Shao, Jialong; Mi, Daguo

2018-01-01

Lumbar intervertebral disc herniation is a kind of syndrome caused by stimulation or pressure of nerve root and cauda equina due to intervertebral disc disorder, fibrous ring rupture, and pulpiform nucleus protrusion. Application of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) including acupuncture therapy and cupping therapy is unique and effective treatment for lumbar intervertebral disc herniation in China. Hence, we try to investigate the combined clinical efficacy of modified Taiyi miraculous moxa roll and cupping therapy on patients with lumbar intervertebral disc herniation. Seventy patients were randomly assigned into combined treatment group ( n = 35) and control group ( n = 35). The treatment group received combined therapy of modified Taiyi miraculous moxa roll and cupping therapy, while control group received acupuncture therapy alone. Diagnostic criteria of TCM syndrome, Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score, and simplified McGill pain questionnaire (MPQ) were used to evaluate the therapy. 11 and 13 out of 35 subjects in the combined treatment group had improvement > 75% and between 50% and 75%, respectively. The corresponding number was 2 and 22 of 35 subjects in the acupuncture group. There was significant difference in the clinical efficacy between the treatment group and control group ( P = 0.036). The scores of JOA and MPQ detected in the patients of the two groups ( P cupping therapy or acupuncture. The combined or alone therapies can effectively improve the treatment efficacy in the patients with lumbar intervertebral disc herniation, while the combined therapies show more comparative effectiveness. Furthermore, the combined therapies are potentially safe and cost-effective and also benefit the improvement of short-term pain. Therefore, the combined therapies of the two ancient TCM deserve further clinical applications.

Effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy integrated with systematic desensitization, cognitive behavioral therapy combined with eye movement desensitization and reprocess­ing therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy combined with virtual reality exposure therapy methods in the treatment of flight anxiety: a randomized trial

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Triscari MT

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Maria Teresa Triscari,1 Palmira Faraci,2 Dario Catalisano,3 Valerio D’Angelo,1 Viviana Urso1 1Laboratory for Psychosomatic Disorders, Local Health Trust, Palermo, Italy; 2Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, University of Enna “Kore”, Enna, Italy; 3Italian Flight Safety Committee, Aeroporto di Fiumicino, Fiumicino (RM, Italy Abstract: The purpose of the research was to compare the effectiveness of the following treatment methods for fear of flying: cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT integrated with systematic desensitization, CBT combined with eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy, and CBT combined with virtual reality exposure therapy. Overall, our findings have proven the efficacy of all interventions in reducing fear of flying in a pre- to post-treatment comparison. All groups showed a decrease in flight anxiety, suggesting the efficiency of all three treatments in reducing self-report measures of fear of flying. In particular, our results indicated significant improvements for the treated patients using all the treatment programs, as shown not only by test scores but also by participation in the post-treatment flight. Nevertheless, outcome measures maintained a significant effect at a 1-year follow-up. In conclusion, combining CBT with both the application of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing treatment and the virtual stimuli used to expose patients with aerophobia seemed as efficient as traditional cognitive behavioral treatments integrated with systematic desensitization. Keywords: flight anxiety, fear of flying, aerophobia, cognitive behavioral therapy, EMDR, VRET 

Effect of Smilax China Capsules and azithromycin combined therapy on chronic annexitis

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Rong-Jun Cong

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Objective: To explore the mechanism of Smilax China (Chinese spelling: Jingangteng Capsules and Azithromycin combined therapy for chronic annexitis, and offer help to patients with chronic annexitis on relevant clinical therapies. Methods: A total of 170 cases of patients with chronic annexitis were selected from the gynecological department in our hospital, and randomly divided to be the combination therapy group and the control group by digital table, 85 cases for each group. Patients in control group were treated with Azithromycin. Patients in combination therapy group were treated by giving Smilax China capsules based on the Azithromycin treatment. Relevant indexes of lymphocyte subsets (CD3+ , CD4+ , CD8+ and CD4+ /CD8+ , cytokines (TNF-α, IL-2, IL-6 and IL-10 and hemorheology (blood viscosity, plasma viscosity, hematocrit, red blood cell aggregation index in patients of the two groups were detected before and after treatment. Results: Before treatment, no statistical significance found on the differences of lymphocyte subsets, cytokines and hemorheology between the two groups of patients (P>0.05; After treatment received on the two groups of patients, indexes of CD3+ , CD4+ and CD4+ /CD8+ were dramatically increased, CD8+ , cytokines (TNF-α, IL-2, IL-6 and IL-10 and hemorheology in the combination therapy group were significantly decreased compared with patients in the control group; Statistical significance existed in differences between the two groups (P<0.05. Conclusions: Patients who received Azithromycin therapy added with Smilax China capsules concurrently could be significantly improved levels of lymphocyte subsets, cytokines and hemorheology index. It is of clinical importance for treatment of patients with chronic annexitis.

Effect of Polycosanol, a grape seed extract and its combined therapy on oxidation markers in rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oyarzabal Yera, Ambar; Molina Cuevas, Vivian; Jimenez Despaigne, Sonia

2010-01-01

The Polycosanol, a mixture of superior primary aliphatic alcohols obtained from the sugarcane wax (Sacharum officinarum, L.) and the grape seeds extract (Vitis vinifera, L.) produces antioxidant effects experimentally and clinically demonstrated. The aim of present paper was to compare the effects of Polycosanol, the grape seed extract, and its combined therapy on oxidative markers in plasma and liver of rats. The rats were distributed into 4 groups: a control one and three treated with Polycosanol, grape seed extract and its combined therapy, respectively, using a 25 mg/kg dose over 4 weeks. The single-therapies significantly reduced the plasmatic concentrations of malonyldialdehyde and of protein-associated carbonyl groups regarding the control, showing a similar efficacy. Combined therapy reduced in a more effective way (p < 0,001) the malonyldialdehyde concentrations of carbonyl groups, and also decreased (p < 0,01) the concentrations of carbonyl groups, but no more than the single-therapies. Each single-therapy reduced the malonyldialdehyde concentrations generated by spontaneous oxidant system in liver homogenate. The effect of combined therapy was higher (p < 0,05) than the grape seed extract, but no more than that of polycosanol. We concluded that oral single-therapies using polycosanol and grape seed extract, administered during 4 weeks, decreased in a similar way, the lipid peroxidation in plasma and liver of rats. Combined therapy was more effective to inhibits the lipid peroxidation in plasma than each single-therapy, separately

Comparative efficacy of inhaled corticosteroid and long-acting beta agonist combinations in preventing COPD exacerbations: a Bayesian network meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Oba, Yuji; Lone, Nazir A

2014-01-01

A combination therapy with inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) and a long-acting beta agonist (LABA) is recommended in severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients experiencing frequent exacerbations. Currently, there are five ICS/LABA combination products available on the market. The purpose of this study was to systematically review the efficacy of various ICS/LABA combinations with a network meta-analysis. Several databases and manufacturer's websites were searched for relevant clinical trials. Randomized control trials, at least 12 weeks duration, comparing an ICS/LABA combination with active control or placebo were included. Moderate and severe exacerbations were chosen as the outcome assessment criteria. The primary analyses were conducted with a Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo method. Most of the ICS/LABA combinations reduced moderate-to-severe exacerbations as compared with placebo and LABA, but none of them reduced severe exacerbations. However, many studies excluded patients receiving long-term oxygen therapy. Moderate-dose ICS was as effective as high-dose ICS in reducing exacerbations when combined with LABA. ICS/LABA combinations had a class effect with regard to the prevention of COPD exacerbations. Moderate-dose ICS/LABA combination therapy would be sufficient for COPD patients when indicated. The efficacy of ICS/LABA combination therapy appeared modest and had no impact in reducing severe exacerbations. Further studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy of ICS/LABA combination therapy in severely affected COPD patients requiring long-term oxygen therapy.

Combined Therapies of Modified Taiyi Miraculous Moxa Roll and Cupping for Patients with Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Herniation

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Chunyue Cai

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Lumbar intervertebral disc herniation is a kind of syndrome caused by stimulation or pressure of nerve root and cauda equina due to intervertebral disc disorder, fibrous ring rupture, and pulpiform nucleus protrusion. Application of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM including acupuncture therapy and cupping therapy is unique and effective treatment for lumbar intervertebral disc herniation in China. Hence, we try to investigate the combined clinical efficacy of modified Taiyi miraculous moxa roll and cupping therapy on patients with lumbar intervertebral disc herniation. Seventy patients were randomly assigned into combined treatment group (n=35 and control group (n=35. The treatment group received combined therapy of modified Taiyi miraculous moxa roll and cupping therapy, while control group received acupuncture therapy alone. Diagnostic criteria of TCM syndrome, Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA score, and simplified McGill pain questionnaire (MPQ were used to evaluate the therapy. 11 and 13 out of 35 subjects in the combined treatment group had improvement > 75% and between 50% and 75%, respectively. The corresponding number was 2 and 22 of 35 subjects in the acupuncture group. There was significant difference in the clinical efficacy between the treatment group and control group (P=0.036. The scores of JOA and MPQ detected in the patients of the two groups (P<0.05 also showed statistically significant differences. Moreover, no serious adverse events occurred in the patients, who received cupping therapy or acupuncture. The combined or alone therapies can effectively improve the treatment efficacy in the patients with lumbar intervertebral disc herniation, while the combined therapies show more comparative effectiveness. Furthermore, the combined therapies are potentially safe and cost-effective and also benefit the improvement of short-term pain. Therefore, the combined therapies of the two ancient TCM deserve further clinical

Dynamics of tumor growth and combination of anti-angiogenic and cytotoxic therapies

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Kohandel, M.; Kardar, M.; Milosevic, M.; Sivaloganathan, S.

2007-07-01

Tumors cannot grow beyond a certain size (about 1-2 mm in diameter) through simple diffusion of oxygen and other essential nutrients into the tumor. Angiogenesis, the formation of blood vessels from pre-existing vessels, is a crucial and observed step, through which a tumor obtains its own blood supply. Thus, strategies that interfere with the development of this tumor vasculature, known as anti-angiogenic therapy, represent a novel approach to controlling tumor growth. Several pre-clinical studies have suggested that currently available angiogenesis inhibitors are unlikely to yield significant sustained improvements in tumor control on their own, but rather will need to be used in combination with conventional treatments to achieve maximal benefit. Optimal sequencing of anti-angiogenic treatment and radiotherapy or chemotherapy is essential to the success of these combined treatment strategies. Hence, a major challenge to mathematical modeling and computer simulations is to find appropriate dosages, schedules and sequencing of combination therapies to control or eliminate tumor growth. Here, we present a mathematical model that incorporates tumor cells and the vascular network, as well as their interplay. We can then include the effects of two different treatments, conventional cytotoxic therapy and anti-angiogenic therapy. The results are compared with available experimental and clinical data.

COMPARISON OF EFFECTS OF MASSAGE THERAPY ALONE AND IN COMBINATION WITH GREEN COCONUT WATER THERAPY ON Β-ENDORPHIN LEVEL IN TEENAGE GIRLS WITH DYSMENORRHEA

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Fitria Hikmatul Ulya

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Background: Dysmenorrhea is pain during menstruation in lower abdomen, and is not due to other diseases. Effleurage massage and consuming green coconut water are considered able to reduce menstrual pain. However, little is known about the effect of the combination between the two interventions. Objective: To compare the effectiveness of effleurage massage and in combination with green coconut water on pain, anxiety, and ß-endorphin level in teenage girls with menstrual pain (dysmenorrhea. Design: A quasy experiment with pretest-posttest approach design with control group. There were 36 samples recruited in this study by purposive sampling, which were divided into a massage therapy group, the combination therapy group, and a control group. Menstrual pain was measured using Numeric Rating Scale, while anxiety was measured using Zung Self rating Anxiety Scale (ZSAS, and endorphin level using ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay. One way anova test and repeated anova were performed as a bivariate analysis. Mancova and post hoc anova were used for multivariate analysis. Result: The combination of massage and green coconut water was more effective in reducing pain (p 0.013 and anxiety levels (p 0.000, and in increasing β-endorphin (p 0.029 with significant value of <0.05 compared to the massage therapy alone. Conclusion: The combination of effleurage massage and green coconut water had significant effect in decreasing anxiety and pain levels, and increasing β-endorphin levels in teenage girls with painful periods (dysmenorrhea; and more effective than performing effleurage massage only. It is suggested that this combination therapy could be used as an alternative therapy for women with dysmenrrohea.

Nanomedicine-based combination anticancer therapy between nucleic acids and small-molecular drugs.

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Huang, Wei; Chen, Liqing; Kang, Lin; Jin, Mingji; Sun, Ping; Xin, Xin; Gao, Zhonggao; Bae, You Han

2017-06-01

Anticancer therapy has always been a vital challenge for the development of nanomedicine. Repeated single therapeutic agent may lead to undesirable and severe side effects, unbearable toxicity and multidrug resistance due to complex nature of tumor. Nanomedicine-based combination anticancer therapy can synergistically improve antitumor outcomes through multiple-target therapy, decreasing the dose of each therapeutic agent and reducing side effects. There are versatile combinational anticancer strategies such as chemotherapeutic combination, nucleic acid-based co-delivery, intrinsic sensitive and extrinsic stimulus combinational patterns. Based on these combination strategies, various nanocarriers and drug delivery systems were engineered to carry out the efficient co-delivery of combined therapeutic agents for combination anticancer therapy. This review focused on illustrating nanomedicine-based combination anticancer therapy between nucleic acids and small-molecular drugs for synergistically improving anticancer efficacy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Combination antiretroviral therapy and cancer risk

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Borges, Álvaro H

2017-01-01

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To review the newest research about the effects of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) on cancer risk. RECENT FINDINGS: HIV+ persons are at increased risk of cancer. As this risk is higher for malignancies driven by viral and bacterial coinfections, classifying malignanci......ART initiation in reducing cancer risk, understand the relationship between long-term cART exposure and cancer incidence and assess whether adjuvant anti-inflammatory therapies can reduce cancer risk during treated HIV infection.......PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To review the newest research about the effects of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) on cancer risk. RECENT FINDINGS: HIV+ persons are at increased risk of cancer. As this risk is higher for malignancies driven by viral and bacterial coinfections, classifying malignancies...... into infection-related and infection-unrelated has been an emerging trend. Cohorts have detected major reductions in the incidence of Kaposi sarcoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) following cART initiation among immunosuppressed HIV+ persons. However, recent randomized data indicate that cART reduces risk...

Risks and safety of combination therapy for hypothyroidism.

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Jonklaas, Jacqueline

2016-08-01

Hypothyroidism is currently a condition that can be treated, but not cured. Although levothyroxine reverses stigmata of hypothyroidism in most individuals, some patients feel dissatisfied with 'monotherapy', and this has stimulated interest in 'combination therapy' with both levothyroxine and liothyronine. A search of PubMed was conducted using terms including hypothyroidism, treatment, benefits, risks, and safety. Based on the articles identified, the body of evidence regarding the efficacy of traditional levothyroxine is reviewed. Concerns with levothyroxine therapy including impaired quality of life in treated patients, thyroxine-predominant hormone ratios, and inadvertent iatrogenic thyroid disease are discussed. The trials of combination therapy performed since 1999 were reviewed. The heterogeneity of these trials, both in terms of design and results, is discussed. The potential for new trials to determine whether combination therapy can reverse the dissatisfaction associated with monotherapy, while avoiding non-physiologic hormone ratios, inadvertent thyrotoxicosis, and unacceptable side effects is discussed. Expert commentary: Research regarding which therapy fully reverses hypothyroidism at a tissue and cellular level is ongoing. The field would be advanced by the development of an extended release preparation of liothyronine. In the future regeneration of functional thyroid follicles from stem cells may offer hope for curing hypothyroidism.

Combination of chemotherapy and heavy-ion particle therapy for pancreas cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamada, Shigeru; Ando, Koichi

2003-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the combination of chemotherapy and heavy-ion particle therapy for pancreas cancer. We measured surviving fractions in four culture pancreas cancer cells. The cell killing of heavy-ion irradiation is more effective compared to that of X ray irradiation. Gemcitabine induced radiosensitization for pancreas cancer cells. (author)

Combination of chemotherapy and heavy-ion particle therapy for pancreas cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamada, Shigeru; Ando, Koichi

2004-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the combination of chemotherapy and heavy-ion particle therapy for pancreas cancer. We measured surviving fractions in four culture pancreas cancer cells. The cell killing of heavy-ion irradiation is more effective compared to that of X ray irradiation. Gemcitabine induced radiosensitization for pancreas cancer cells. (author)

Clinical impact of a combined therapy of peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis.

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Matsuo, N; Yokoyama, K; Maruyama, Y; Ueda, Y; Yoshida, H; Tanno, Y; Yamamoto, R; Terawaki, H; Ikeda, M; Hanaoka, K; Yamamoto, H; Ogura, M; Watanabe, S; Kimura, Y; Hosoya, T

2010-09-01

Although peritoneal dialysis (PD) is recommended as the first-line treatment for end-stage renal disease, limitations exist to achieving good clinical status when the residual renal function (RRF) has declined. Combined therapy with PD and hemodialysis (HD) is the treatment of choice for patients who cannot control body fluid status and/or cannot obtain adequate solute removal by PD alone. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of this combined therapy. In this retrospective study, 53 patients on PD and diagnosed with underdialysis and/or overhydration with declining RRF were recruited. Parameters of volume control, uremic solute removal, anemia, and predictors for encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS) were compared before and 1 year after combined therapy. The patients' hydration status improved significantly with reductions in atrial natriuretic peptide and blood pressure. Serum creatinine and beta2 microglobulin also decreased significantly. The hemoglobin level increased remarkably from 8.2 ± 1.6 to 10.7 ± 1.2 g/dl (p < 0.01) and the reticulocyte count also increased significantly, even though at the same time the dose of recombinant human erythropoietin decreased significantly. The dialysate to plasma creatinine ratio obtained from the fast peritoneal equilibration test (PET) decreased significantly from 0.65 ± 0.11 to 0.59 ± 0.13, and the level of interleukin 6 in PET drainage also significantly decreased. Furthermore, serum C-reactive protein and fibrinogen decreased significantly. Combined therapy with PD and HD is an effective way to control fluid status and to correct inadequate solute removal, leading to improvement in inflammation, peritoneal function and anemia.

Comparative efficacy of crystalloid and colloid-crystalloid combination for the management of hemorrhagic gastroenteritis in dogs

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Chandreyee Sen

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Aim: In the present study, a therapeutic trial was conducted to assess comparative efficacy of crystalloid plus colloid and crystalloid intravenous infusions alone as fluid therapy in dogs suffering from hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE. Materials and Methods: 20 dogs manifesting HGE, presented at Teaching Veterinary Clinical Services Complex, Ludhiana, Punjab, were selected randomly for the trial. All of them were observed to suffer from moderate dehydration on clinical examination. Crystalloids 5% DNS and RL were used in combination with polygelin 3.5% colloidal solution in the first group (Combination I and in the second group, the afore-said crystalloids (Combination II were used, both groups consisting of 10 cases each. Antibiotics and symptomatic treatment were same for all the 20 cases. The outcome of both treatment groups was evaluated on hemato-biochemical parameters, before and after administration of the therapies and compared statistically within and between the two groups. Hemato-biochemical parameters of eight clinically healthy animals were considered as control for comparison. Result: On hemato-biochemical examination, significant alterations were observed in leucogram, platelet and serum globulin concentration after the treatment in the first group as compared to before treatment values. In the second group, mean hemoglobin varied significantly after the treatment. After therapies were administered, significant difference in serum globulin level and albumin: Globulin was found in between the treatment groups (Combination I and Combination II. Clinical recovery was faster in the first group than the second group of animals. Conclusion: On hemodynamic and laboratory data, efficacies of both the fluid therapies were equivocal. Colloidal solutions may hasten recovery in small animals suffering from gastrointestinal crisis.

Nanoparticle-mediated combination chemotherapy and photodynamic therapy overcomes tumor drug resistance in vitro.

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Khdair, Ayman; Handa, Hitesh; Mao, Guangzhao; Panyam, Jayanth

2009-02-01

Drug resistance limits the success of many anticancer drugs. Reduced accumulation of the drug at its intracellular site of action because of overexpression of efflux transporters such as P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is a major mechanism of drug resistance. In this study, we investigated whether photodynamic therapy (PDT) using methylene blue, also a P-gp inhibitor, can be used to enhance doxorubicin-induced cytotoxicity in drug-resistant tumor cells. Aerosol OT (AOT)-alginate nanoparticles were used as a carrier for the simultaneous cellular delivery of doxorubicin and methylene blue. Methylene blue was photoactivated using light of 665 nm wavelength. Induction of apoptosis and necrosis following treatment with combination chemotherapy and PDT was investigated in drug-resistant NCI/ADR-RES cells using flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy. Effect of encapsulation in nanoparticles on the intracellular accumulation of doxorubicin and methylene blue was investigated qualitatively using fluorescence microscopy and was quantitated using HPLC. Encapsulation in AOT-alginate nanoparticles significantly enhanced the cytotoxicity of combination therapy in resistant tumor cells. Nanoparticle-mediated combination therapy resulted in a significant induction of both apoptosis and necrosis. Improvement in cytotoxicity could be correlated with enhanced intracellular and nuclear delivery of the two drugs. Further, nanoparticle-mediated combination therapy resulted in significantly elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) production compared to single drug treatment. In conclusion, nanoparticle-mediated combination chemotherapy and PDT using doxorubicin and methylene blue was able to overcome resistance mechanisms and resulted in improved cytotoxicity in drug-resistant tumor cells.

[Acupuncture combined with magnetic therapy for treatment of temple-jaw joint dysfunction].

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Wang, Xiao-Hui; Zhang, Wen

2009-04-01

To compare clinical therapeutic effects of acupuncture combined with magnetic therapy and simple magnetic therapy on temple-jaw joint dysfunction. Eighty-two cases were randomly divided into an observation group (n = 52) and a control group (n = 30). The observation group was treated with acupuncture at Xiaguan (ST 7), Jiache (ST 6), Hegu (LI 4), etc. and AL-2 low frequency electromagnetic comprehensive treatment instrument; the control group was treated with AL-2 low frequency electromagnetic comprehensive treatment instrument. The cured and markedly effective rate of 90.4% in the observation group was significantly better than 66.7% in the control group (P magnetic therapy is significantly better than that of the simple magnetic therapy on temple-jaw joint dysfunction.

Combined statin-fibrate therapy-induced rhabdomyolysis: Case report

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Jozić Tanja L.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction Rhabdomyolysis is a rare, but serious and potentially fatal adverse reaction of the statin application that may be developed in any time of therapy. It is characterized by massive destruction of muscles associated with the large increase of creatine kinase (CK leading to myoglobinuria and potential acute renal failure. Combined statin-fibrate therapy increases the risk of rhabdomyolysis, especially in elderly and diabetic patients. Case report An 81-year-old male was admitted to Coronary Care Unit of the Emergency Center, Clinical Center of Serbia (CCS with the clinical picture and electrocardiogram of the acute anterior wall myocardial infarction complicated with pulmonary edema. Laboratory tests on admission showed higher elevated values of serum creatinine 179 μmol/L and BUN 9.2 mmol/L (eGFR 32 mL/min/1.73m2, CK 309 U/L (on day 2: 3476 U/L and mixed hyperlipidemia (total cholesterol 10.3 mmol/L, HDL 2.26 mmol/L, TG 4.85 mmol/L. The patient was treated with thrombolysis medication therapy (Alteplase, anticoagulant and dual antiplatelet therapy, diuretics, organic nitrates, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE inhibitors, antibiotics, and proton pump inhibitors. During seven days, his therapy included combined pravastatin 20 mg and fenofibrate (160 mg, which was discontinued due to pains and weakness of muscles and significantly elevated CC to 7080 U/L (upper limit 200 U/L, but no significant deterioration of renal function was observed. Discontinuation of therapy resulted in CC level normalization and improvement of clinical condition. Conclusion Combined statin and fibrate therapy requires strict clinical control and monitoring of CK i transaminases. Four-time or higher increase of CK requires discontinuation of therapy. In addition, patients are advised to report immediately any pains in muscles, sensibility, weakness or cramps.

Combining Oncolytic Virotherapy with p53 Tumor Suppressor Gene Therapy

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Christian Bressy

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Oncolytic virus (OV therapy utilizes replication-competent viruses to kill cancer cells, leaving non-malignant cells unharmed. With the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved OV, dozens of clinical trials ongoing, and an abundance of translational research in the field, OV therapy is poised to be one of the leading treatments for cancer. A number of recombinant OVs expressing a transgene for p53 (TP53 or another p53 family member (TP63 or TP73 were engineered with the goal of generating more potent OVs that function synergistically with host immunity and/or other therapies to reduce or eliminate tumor burden. Such transgenes have proven effective at improving OV therapies, and basic research has shown mechanisms of p53-mediated enhancement of OV therapy, provided optimized p53 transgenes, explored drug-OV combinational treatments, and challenged canonical roles for p53 in virus-host interactions and tumor suppression. This review summarizes studies combining p53 gene therapy with replication-competent OV therapy, reviews preclinical and clinical studies with replication-deficient gene therapy vectors expressing p53 transgene, examines how wild-type p53 and p53 modifications affect OV replication and anti-tumor effects of OV therapy, and explores future directions for rational design of OV therapy combined with p53 gene therapy.

Combined Functional Voice Therapy in Singers With Muscle Tension Dysphonia in Singing.

Science.gov (United States)

Sielska-Badurek, Ewelina; Osuch-Wójcikiewicz, Ewa; Sobol, Maria; Kazanecka, Ewa; Rzepakowska, Anna; Niemczyk, Kazimierz

2017-07-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate vocal tract function and the voice quality in singers with muscle tension dysphonia (MTD) after undergoing combined functional voice therapy of the singing voice. This is a prospective, randomized study. Forty singers (29 females and 11 males, mean age: 24.6 ± 8.8 years) with MTD were enrolled in the study. The study group consisted of 20 singers who underwent combined functional voice therapy (10-15 individual sessions, 30-40 minutes each). Singers who did not opt for vocal rehabilitation consisted of the control group. Effects of rehabilitation were assessed with videolaryngostroboscopy, palpation of the vocal tract structures, flexible fiberoptic evaluation of the pharynx and the larynx, perceptual speaking and singing voice assessment, acoustic analysis, maximal phonation time, and the Voice Handicap Index. After combined functional voice therapy in the study group, great improvement was noticed in palpation of the vocal tract structures (P singing range obtained from acoustic analysis of glissando (P singing. Development of palpation and perceptual singing voice examination protocols enables one to compare results before and after rehabilitation in clinics. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of combination therapy with alogliptin and lansoprazole on glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Science.gov (United States)

Takebayashi, Kohzo; Sakurai, Shintaro; Suzuki, Tatsuhiko; Hori, Kenichiro; Terasawa, Tomoko; Naruse, Rika; Hara, Kenji; Suetsugu, Mariko; Tsuchiya, Takafumi; Aoki, Hiromi; Hamasaki, Takashi; Shuutou, Hiroshi; Inukai, Toshihiko

2014-01-01

The main purpose of the current study was to investigate the effect of a combination of alogliptin [a dipeptydil peptidase (DPP)-4 inhibitor] and lansoprazole [a proton pump inhibitor (PPI)] compared with alogliptin mono-therapy on glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes. This study was a multicenter randomized open-label study. One hundred type 2 diabetic patients were randomly assigned to either the alogliptin with lansoprazole group or the alogliptin mono-therapy group. After 3 months of treatment, the changes in hemoglobin (Hb)A1c, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), serum gastrin, homeostasis model assessment (HOMA)-β, and HOMA-insulin resistance (IR) were evaluated. A significant decrease in HbA1c and FPG, and a significant increase in HOMA-β were observed in both groups (all with P lansoprazole more effectively elevated serum gastrin levels compared with alogliptin mono-therapy, the effect of the combination therapy on glycemic control was equal to that of alogliptin mono-therapy during a 3-month study period.

Combined analgesics in (headache pain therapy: shotgun approach or precise multi-target therapeutics?

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Fiebich Bernd L

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Pain in general and headache in particular are characterized by a change in activity in brain areas involved in pain processing. The therapeutic challenge is to identify drugs with molecular targets that restore the healthy state, resulting in meaningful pain relief or even freedom from pain. Different aspects of pain perception, i.e. sensory and affective components, also explain why there is not just one single target structure for therapeutic approaches to pain. A network of brain areas ("pain matrix" are involved in pain perception and pain control. This diversification of the pain system explains why a wide range of molecularly different substances can be used in the treatment of different pain states and why in recent years more and more studies have described a superior efficacy of a precise multi-target combination therapy compared to therapy with monotherapeutics. Discussion In this article, we discuss the available literature on the effects of several fixed-dose combinations in the treatment of headaches and discuss the evidence in support of the role of combination therapy in the pharmacotherapy of pain, particularly of headaches. The scientific rationale behind multi-target combinations is the therapeutic benefit that could not be achieved by the individual constituents and that the single substances of the combinations act together additively or even multiplicatively and cooperate to achieve a completeness of the desired therapeutic effect. As an example the fixesd-dose combination of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA, paracetamol (acetaminophen and caffeine is reviewed in detail. The major advantage of using such a fixed combination is that the active ingredients act on different but distinct molecular targets and thus are able to act on more signalling cascades involved in pain than most single analgesics without adding more side effects to the therapy. Summary Multitarget therapeutics like combined analgesics broaden

Combined analgesics in (headache) pain therapy: shotgun approach or precise multi-target therapeutics?

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background Pain in general and headache in particular are characterized by a change in activity in brain areas involved in pain processing. The therapeutic challenge is to identify drugs with molecular targets that restore the healthy state, resulting in meaningful pain relief or even freedom from pain. Different aspects of pain perception, i.e. sensory and affective components, also explain why there is not just one single target structure for therapeutic approaches to pain. A network of brain areas ("pain matrix") are involved in pain perception and pain control. This diversification of the pain system explains why a wide range of molecularly different substances can be used in the treatment of different pain states and why in recent years more and more studies have described a superior efficacy of a precise multi-target combination therapy compared to therapy with monotherapeutics. Discussion In this article, we discuss the available literature on the effects of several fixed-dose combinations in the treatment of headaches and discuss the evidence in support of the role of combination therapy in the pharmacotherapy of pain, particularly of headaches. The scientific rationale behind multi-target combinations is the therapeutic benefit that could not be achieved by the individual constituents and that the single substances of the combinations act together additively or even multiplicatively and cooperate to achieve a completeness of the desired therapeutic effect. As an example the fixesd-dose combination of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), paracetamol (acetaminophen) and caffeine is reviewed in detail. The major advantage of using such a fixed combination is that the active ingredients act on different but distinct molecular targets and thus are able to act on more signalling cascades involved in pain than most single analgesics without adding more side effects to the therapy. Summary Multitarget therapeutics like combined analgesics broaden the array of therapeutic

Combined analgesics in (headache) pain therapy: shotgun approach or precise multi-target therapeutics?

Science.gov (United States)

Straube, Andreas; Aicher, Bernhard; Fiebich, Bernd L; Haag, Gunther

2011-03-31

Pain in general and headache in particular are characterized by a change in activity in brain areas involved in pain processing. The therapeutic challenge is to identify drugs with molecular targets that restore the healthy state, resulting in meaningful pain relief or even freedom from pain. Different aspects of pain perception, i.e. sensory and affective components, also explain why there is not just one single target structure for therapeutic approaches to pain. A network of brain areas ("pain matrix") are involved in pain perception and pain control. This diversification of the pain system explains why a wide range of molecularly different substances can be used in the treatment of different pain states and why in recent years more and more studies have described a superior efficacy of a precise multi-target combination therapy compared to therapy with monotherapeutics. In this article, we discuss the available literature on the effects of several fixed-dose combinations in the treatment of headaches and discuss the evidence in support of the role of combination therapy in the pharmacotherapy of pain, particularly of headaches. The scientific rationale behind multi-target combinations is the therapeutic benefit that could not be achieved by the individual constituents and that the single substances of the combinations act together additively or even multiplicatively and cooperate to achieve a completeness of the desired therapeutic effect.As an example the fixed-dose combination of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), paracetamol (acetaminophen) and caffeine is reviewed in detail. The major advantage of using such a fixed combination is that the active ingredients act on different but distinct molecular targets and thus are able to act on more signalling cascades involved in pain than most single analgesics without adding more side effects to the therapy. Multitarget therapeutics like combined analgesics broaden the array of therapeutic options, enable the completeness

Effectiveness of Manual Therapy Combined With Physical Therapy in Treatment of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome: Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Espí-López, Gemma Victoria; Arnal-Gómez, Anna; Balasch-Bernat, Mercè; Inglés, Marta

2017-06-01

The purpose of this study was to conduct a review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to determine the treatment effectiveness of the combination of manual therapy (MT) with other physical therapy techniques. Systematic searches of scientific literature were undertaken on PubMed and the Cochrane Library (2004-2014). The following terms were used: "patellofemoral pain syndrome," "physical therapy," "manual therapy," and "manipulation." RCTs that studied adults diagnosed with patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) treated by MT and physical therapy approaches were included. The quality of the studies was assessed by the Jadad Scale. Five RCTs with an acceptable methodological quality (Jadad ≥ 3) were selected. The studies indicated that MT combined with physical therapy has some effect on reducing pain and improving function in PFPS, especially when applied on the full kinetic chain and when strengthening hip and knee muscles. The different combinations of MT and physical therapy programs analyzed in this review suggest that giving more emphasis to proximal stabilization and full kinetic chain treatments in PFPS will help better alleviation of symptoms.

Psychological therapies versus antidepressant medication, alone and in combination for depression in children and adolescents.

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Cox, Georgina R; Callahan, Patch; Churchill, Rachel; Hunot, Vivien; Merry, Sally N; Parker, Alexandra G; Hetrick, Sarah E

2014-11-30

Depressive disorders are common in children and adolescents and, if left untreated, are likely to recur in adulthood. Depression is highly debilitating, affecting psychosocial, family and academic functioning. To evaluate the effectiveness of psychological therapies and antidepressant medication, alone and in combination, for the treatment of depressive disorder in children and adolescents. We have examined clinical outcomes including remission, clinician and self reported depression measures, and suicide-related outcomes. We searched the Cochrane Depression, Anxiety and Neurosis Review Group's Specialised Register (CCDANCTR) to 11 June 2014. The register contains reports of relevant randomised controlled trials (RCTs) from the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE (1950 to date), EMBASE (1974 to date), and PsycINFO (1967 to date). RCTs were eligible for inclusion if they compared i) any psychological therapy with any antidepressant medication, or ii) a combination of psychological therapy and antidepressant medication with a psychological therapy alone, or an antidepressant medication alone, or iii) a combination of psychological therapy and antidepressant medication with a placebo or'treatment as usual', or (iv) a combination of psychological therapy and antidepressant medication with a psychological therapy or antidepressant medication plus a placebo.We included studies if they involved participants aged between 6 and 18 years, diagnosed by a clinician as having Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) or International Classification of Diseases (ICD) criteria. Two review authors independently selected studies, extracted data and assessed the quality of the studies. We applied a random-effects meta-analysis, using the odds ratio (OR) to describe dichotomous outcomes, mean difference (MD) to describe continuous outcomes when the same measures were used, and standard mean difference (SMD) when

Integrated analysis of the molecular action of Vorinostat identifies epi-sensitised targets for combination therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Hay, Jodie F; Lappin, Katrina; Liberante, Fabio; Kettyle, Laura M; Matchett, Kyle B; Thompson, Alexander; Mills, Ken I

2017-09-15

Several histone deacetylase inhibitors including Vorinostat have received FDA approval for the treatment of haematological malignancies. However, data from these trials indicate that Vorinostat has limited efficacy as a monotherapy, prompting the need for rational design of combination therapies. A number of epi-sensitised pathways, including sonic hedgehog (SHH), were identified in AML cells by integration of global patterns of histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9) acetylation with transcriptomic analysis following Vorinostat-treatment. Direct targeting of the SHH pathway with SANT-1, following Vorinostat induced epi-sensitisation, resulted in synergistic cell death of AML cells. In addition, xenograft studies demonstrated that combination therapy induced a marked reduction in leukemic burden compared to control or single agents. Together, the data supports epi-sensitisation as a potential component of the strategy for the rational development of combination therapies in AML.

Comparative cost-effectiveness of a fluticasone-propionate/salmeterol combination versus anticholinergics as initial maintenance therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

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An

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Anand A Dalal1, Melissa H Roberts2, Hans V Petersen2, Christopher M Blanchette3, Douglas W Mapel41US Health Outcomes, GlaxoSmithKline, Research Triangle Park, NC; 2Division of Clinical and Outcomes Research, Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM; 3Kannapolis, North Carolina; 4Lovelace Clinic Foundation, Albuquerque, NM, USAPurpose: Relative costs and utilization-related outcomes of a fluticasone propionate 250 µg + salmeterol 50 µg combination (FSC, tiotropium bromide, and ipratropium as initial maintenance therapy in COPD have not been compared in a commercially-insured population.Methods: This retrospective, observational cohort study used health care claims data from January 2004 to June 2009 from a large administrative database for patients aged ≥40 years with COPD. Time-to-first COPD-related health care event beginning 30 days following therapy initiation with FSC (n = 16,684, ipratropium alone or in fixed dose combination with albuterol (n = 14,449, or tiotropium (n = 12,659 was estimated using Cox proportional hazard models that controlled for differences in patient demographic characteristics, health care utilization, and comorbidities at baseline. Mean adjusted costs and numbers of COPD-related health care encounters and prescription medication fills were compared among patients with 12 months of follow-up (FSC, n = 12,595; ipratropium, n = 10,617; tiotropium, n = 9126.Results: With FSC as the reference, risk for a COPD-related hospitalization and/or emergency department visit was significantly higher for ipratropium (hazard ratio [HR] 1.64, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.50–1.79 and tiotropium (HR 1.29, CI 1.17–1.41. Mean adjusted 12-month COPD-related total health care costs were lower for FSC ($2068, standard deviation [SD] $1190 than for ipratropium ($2841, SD $1858 and tiotropium ($2408, SD $1511, both P < 0.05. Mean number of COPD-related hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and outpatient

Combined therapy of radiation and hyperthermia on a metastatic tumor of angiosarcoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yasuda, Hiroshi; Kitayama, Yoshiaki

1987-01-01

A combined therapy of radiation and hyperthermia is said to be fairly effective when applied to certain malignant tumors. However, the utility of this therapy for the treatment of angiosarcoma has not been well discussed. Recently, we have had a chance to treat a patient with metastatic angiosarcoma of the neck by using this combined therapy. In this paper, the clinical course of this patient and the availability of this combined therapy for angiosarcoma is reported. The patient was a 77-year-old man, having a primary lesion on the head and a metastatic tumor over the left cheek and neck. This combined therapy was used for the treatment of the metastatic tumor which caused severe pain and uncontrollable bleeding. The results were considered good ; the tumor decreased in size, pain disappeared and no further bleeding or severe side effects were observed. Though the patient died of another metastatic lesion which could not be treated with this combined therapy because the area of its localization could not allow placement in our hyperthermal apparatus, it is concluded that the combined therapy of radiation and hyperthermia is useful selectively for the treatment for angiosarcoma. (author)

Combination stem cell therapy for heart failure

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Ichim Thomas E

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Patients with congestive heart failure (CHF that are not eligible for transplantation have limited therapeutic options. Stem cell therapy such as autologous bone marrow, mobilized peripheral blood, or purified cells thereof has been used clinically since 2001. To date over 1000 patients have received cellular therapy as part of randomized trials, with the general consensus being that a moderate but statistically significant benefit occurs. Therefore, one of the important next steps in the field is optimization. In this paper we discuss three ways to approach this issue: a increasing stem cell migration to the heart; b augmenting stem cell activity; and c combining existing stem cell therapies to recapitulate a "therapeutic niche". We conclude by describing a case report of a heart failure patient treated with a combination stem cell protocol in an attempt to augment beneficial aspects of cord blood CD34 cells and mesenchymal-like stem cells.

Combination therapy in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia

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Bojan Tršinar

2006-11-01

Full Text Available Background: The purpose of observational program of patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS because of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH (LUTS/BPH was to acquire additional pharmaco-epidemiological data on the safety and efficacy of combination therapy with finasteride and tamsulosin.Methods: Observational program of men with BPH was conducted in urological outpatient clinics in Slovenia from April 2004 until November 2005. In open-label, non-interventional program 1173 patients were observed, who had been treated because of LUTS/BPH with combination therapy with finasteride and tamsulosin, in the framework of common treatment. At baseline and after six months of treatment for each patient the International Prostatic Symptom Score (IPSS questionnaire and assessment of quality of life (QL were filled in. In addition, urinary flow rate and prostate volume were determined. Adverse effects of drugs were reported spontaneously. For statistical analysis the Student’s t-test was performed.Results: Combination therapy with finasteride and tamsulosin was well tolerated. 89 (7.6 % patients discontinued with medication because of lack of efficacy or because of adverse effects of drugs. Symptom score, assessment of quality of patients’ lives and volume of prostates were significantly lower (p < 0.0001, while urinary flow rate was significantly higher (p < 0.0001 after six months of treatment with finasteride and tamsulosin.Conclusions: Combination therapy of patients with LUTS/BPH with finasteride and tamsulosin is effective and safe.

Trial of Music, Sucrose, and Combination Therapy for Pain Relief during Heel Prick Procedures in Neonates.

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Shah, Swapnil R; Kadage, Shahajahan; Sinn, John

2017-11-01

To compare the effectiveness of music, oral sucrose, and combination therapy for pain relief in neonates undergoing a heel prick procedure. This randomized, controlled, blinded crossover clinical trial included stable neonates >32 weeks of postmenstrual age. Each neonate crossed over to all 3 interventions in random order during consecutive heel pricks. A video camera on mute mode recorded facial expressions, starting 2 minutes before until 7 minutes after the heel prick. The videos were later analyzed using the Premature Infant Pain Profile-Revised (PIPP-R) scale once per minute by 2 independent assessors, blinded to the intervention. The PIPP-R scores were compared between treatment groups using Friedman test. For the 35 participants, the postmenstrual age was 35 weeks (SD, 2.3) with an average weight of 2210 g (SD, 710). The overall median PIPP-R scores following heel prick over 6 minutes were 4 (IQR 0-6), 3 (IQR 0-6), and 1 (IQR 0-3) for the music, sucrose, and combination therapy interventions, respectively. The PIPP-R scores were significantly lower at all time points after combination therapy compared with the groups given music or sucrose alone. There was no difference in PIPP-R scores between the music and sucrose groups. In relatively stable and mature neonates, the combination of music therapy with sucrose provided better pain relief during heel prick than when sucrose or music was used alone. Recorded music in isolation had a similar effect to the current gold standard of oral sucrose. www.anzctr.org.au ACTRN12615000271505. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Combination therapy of gastric carcinoma with radiation and chemotherapy

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Asakawa, Hiroshi; Otawa, Hirokazu; Yamada, Shogo; Matsumoto, Ko [Miyagi Prefectural Adult Disease Center, Natori (Japan)

1982-08-01

The concurrent combination therapy of radiation and chemotherapy was performed in a total of 134 cases of stomach cancer. Radiation response of tumor was remarkable in 35 (37%) of 95 cases, irradiated more than 5,000 rad. Yearly survival rates in 81 cases, in which the scheduled curative treatment was completed, were 63% in one, 31% in two, 21% in three, 17% in four and 13% in five years. These rates were intimately correlated to tumor size and cancer type. However, this combination therapy accompanied some fatal complications in a few percent. From the results, it was concluded that this combination therapy should be valuable to prolong the life of patients with gastric cancer, and that the curable indications for this treatment should be T1-T3: M0 cases with radio-responsive tumor.

Enhancing Photodynamyc Therapy Efficacy by Combination Therapy: Dated, Current and Oncoming Strategies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Postiglione, Ilaria; Chiaviello, Angela; Palumbo, Giuseppe

2011-01-01

Combination therapy is a common practice in many medical disciplines. It is defined as the use of more than one drug to treat the same disease. Sometimes this expression describes the simultaneous use of therapeutic approaches that target different cellular/molecular pathways, increasing the chances of killing the diseased cell. This short review is concerned with therapeutic combinations in which PDT (Photodynamyc Therapy) is the core therapeutic partner. Besides the description of the principal methods used to assess the efficacy attained by combinations in respect to monotherapy, this review describes experimental results in which PDT was combined with conventional drugs in different experimental conditions. This inventory is far from exhaustive, as the number of photosensitizers used in combination with different drugs is very large. Reports cited in this work have been selected because considered representative. The combinations we have reviewed include the association of PDT with anti-oxidants, chemotherapeutics, drugs targeting topoisomerases I and II, antimetabolites and others. Some paragraphs are dedicated to PDT and immuno-modulation, others to associations of PDT with angiogenesis inhibitors, receptor inhibitors, radiotherapy and more. Finally, a look is dedicated to combinations involving the use of natural compounds and, as new entries, drugs that act as proteasome inhibitors

Vancomycin-Rifampin Combination Therapy Has Enhanced Efficacy against an Experimental Staphylococcus aureus Prosthetic Joint Infection

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Niska, Jared A.; Shahbazian, Jonathan H.; Ramos, Romela Irene; Francis, Kevin P.; Bernthal, Nicholas M.

2013-01-01

Treatment of prosthetic joint infections often involves a two-stage exchange, with implant removal and antibiotic spacer placement followed by systemic antibiotic therapy and delayed reimplantation. However, if antibiotic therapy can be improved, one-stage exchange or implant retention may be more feasible, thereby decreasing morbidity and preserving function. In this study, a mouse model of prosthetic joint infection was used in which Staphylococcus aureus was inoculated into a knee joint containing a surgically placed metallic implant extending from the femur. This model was used to evaluate whether combination therapy of vancomycin plus rifampin has increased efficacy compared with vancomycin alone against these infections. On postoperative day 7, vancomycin with or without rifampin was administered for 6 weeks with implant retention. In vivo bioluminescence imaging, ex vivo CFU enumeration, X-ray imaging, and histologic analysis were carried out. We found that there was a marked therapeutic benefit when vancomycin was combined with rifampin compared with vancomycin alone. Taken together, our results suggest that the mouse model used could serve as a valuable in vivo preclinical model system to evaluate and compare efficacies of antibiotics and combinatory therapy for prosthetic joint infections before more extensive studies are carried out in human subjects. PMID:23917317

Therapeutic Cancer Vaccines in Combination with Conventional Therapy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Mads Hald; Junker, N.; Ellebaek, E.

2010-01-01

The clinical efficacy of most therapeutic vaccines against cancer has not yet met its promise. Data are emerging that strongly support the notion that combining immunotherapy with conventional therapies, for example, radiation and chemotherapy may improve efficacy. In particular combination...

Therapeutic cancer vaccines in combination with conventional therapy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Mads Hald; Junker, Niels; Ellebaek, Eva

2010-01-01

The clinical efficacy of most therapeutic vaccines against cancer has not yet met its promise. Data are emerging that strongly support the notion that combining immunotherapy with conventional therapies, for example, radiation and chemotherapy may improve efficacy. In particular combination...

Cognitive and affective benefits of combination therapy with galantamine plus cognitive rehabilitation for Alzheimer's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Tokuchi, Ryo; Hishikawa, Nozomi; Matsuzono, Kosuke; Takao, Yoshiki; Wakutani, Yosuke; Sato, Kota; Kono, Syoichiro; Ohta, Yasuyuki; Deguchi, Kentaro; Yamashita, Toru; Abe, Koji

2016-04-01

The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of a galantamine only therapy and a combination therapy with galantamine plus ambulatory cognitive rehabilitation for Alzheimer's disease patients. For this retrospective cohort study, we enrolled 86 patients with Alzheimer's disease, dividing them into two groups - a galantamine only group (group G, n = 45) and a combination with galantamine plus ambulatory rehabilitation group (group G + R, n = 41). The present cognitive rehabilitation included a set of physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy for 1-2 h once or twice a week. We compared the Mini-Mental State Examination and Frontal Assessment Battery for cognitive assessment, and Geriatric Depression Scale, Apathy Scale, and Abe's Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia score for affective assessment in two groups over 6 months. The baseline Mini-Mental State Examination score was 20.2 and 18.7 in groups G and G + R, respectively. Other baseline data (Frontal Assessment Battery, Geriatric Depression Scale, Apathy Scale, and Abe's Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia) were not different between the two groups. Although group G kept all the scores stable until 6 months of the treatment, the Apathy Scale score showed a significant improvement in group G + R as early as 3 months, followed by the Mini-Mental State Examination and Frontal Assessment Battery improvements at 6 months (*P = 0.04 and *P = 0.02, respectively). The Geriatric Depression Scale and Abe's Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia did not show any changes. The combination therapy of galantamine plus ambulatory cognitive rehabilitation showed a superior benefit both on cognitive and affective functions than galantamine only therapy in Alzheimer's disease patients. © 2015 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Combination of chemotherapy and heavy-ion particle therapy for gastrointestinal cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamada, Shigeru; Kitabayashi, Hiroyuki; Furusawa, Yoshiya; Ando, Koichi

2005-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the combination of chemotherapy and heavy-ion particle therapy for pancreas and esophageal cancer. We measured surviving fractions in four culture pancreas and esophageal cancer cells. The cell killing of heavy-ion irradiation is more effective compared to that of X ray irradiation. Gemcitabine induced radiosensitization for pancreas cancer cells and also taxotel for esophageal cancer. (author)

Transient Serotonin Toxicity Evoked by Combination of Electroconvulsive Therapy and Fluoxetine

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René Klysner

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The serotonin syndrome has been described only in rare instances for electroconvulsive therapy combined with an antidepressant medication. We describe a case of serotonin toxicity induced by electroconvulsive therapy in combination with fluoxetine.

Sample size requirements for separating out the effects of combination treatments: randomised controlled trials of combination therapy vs. standard treatment compared to factorial designs for patients with tuberculous meningitis.

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Wolbers, Marcel; Heemskerk, Dorothee; Chau, Tran Thi Hong; Yen, Nguyen Thi Bich; Caws, Maxine; Farrar, Jeremy; Day, Jeremy

2011-02-02

In certain diseases clinical experts may judge that the intervention with the best prospects is the addition of two treatments to the standard of care. This can either be tested with a simple randomized trial of combination versus standard treatment or with a 2 x 2 factorial design. We compared the two approaches using the design of a new trial in tuberculous meningitis as an example. In that trial the combination of 2 drugs added to standard treatment is assumed to reduce the hazard of death by 30% and the sample size of the combination trial to achieve 80% power is 750 patients. We calculated the power of corresponding factorial designs with one- to sixteen-fold the sample size of the combination trial depending on the contribution of each individual drug to the combination treatment effect and the strength of an interaction between the two. In the absence of an interaction, an eight-fold increase in sample size for the factorial design as compared to the combination trial is required to get 80% power to jointly detect effects of both drugs if the contribution of the less potent treatment to the total effect is at least 35%. An eight-fold sample size increase also provides a power of 76% to detect a qualitative interaction at the one-sided 10% significance level if the individual effects of both drugs are equal. Factorial designs with a lower sample size have a high chance to be underpowered, to show significance of only one drug even if both are equally effective, and to miss important interactions. Pragmatic combination trials of multiple interventions versus standard therapy are valuable in diseases with a limited patient pool if all interventions test the same treatment concept, it is considered likely that either both or none of the individual interventions are effective, and only moderate drug interactions are suspected. An adequately powered 2 x 2 factorial design to detect effects of individual drugs would require at least 8-fold the sample size of the

The TOPSHOCK study: Effectiveness of radial shockwave therapy compared to focused shockwave therapy for treating patellar tendinopath - design of a randomised controlled trial

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Diercks Ron L

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Patellar tendinopathy is a chronic overuse injury of the patellar tendon that is especially prevalent in people who are involved in jumping activities. Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy is a relatively new treatment modality for tendinopathies. It seems to be a safe and promising part of the rehabilitation program for patellar tendinopathy. Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy originally used focused shockwaves. Several years ago a new kind of shockwave therapy was introduced: radial shockwave therapy. Studies that investigate the effectiveness of radial shockwave therapy as treatment for patellar tendinopathy are scarce. Therefore the aim of this study is to compare the effectiveness of focussed shockwave therapy and radial shockwave therapy as treatments for patellar tendinopathy. Methods/design The TOPSHOCK study (Tendinopathy Of Patella SHOCKwave is a two-armed randomised controlled trial in which the effectiveness of focussed shockwave therapy and radial shockwave therapy are directly compared. Outcome assessors and patients are blinded as to which treatment is given. Patients undergo three sessions of either focused shockwave therapy or radial shockwave therapy at 1-week intervals, both in combination with eccentric decline squat training. Follow-up measurements are scheduled just before treatments 2 and 3, and 1, 4, 7 and 12 weeks after the final treatment. The main outcome measure is the Dutch VISA-P questionnaire, which asks for pain, function and sports participation in subjects with patellar tendinopathy. Secondary outcome measures are pain determined with a VAS during ADL, sports and decline squats, rating of subjective improvement and overall satisfaction with the treatment. Patients will also record their sports activities, pain during and after these activities, and concurrent medical treatment on a weekly basis in a web-based diary. Results will be analysed according to the intention-to-treat principle. Discussion

The TOPSHOCK study: effectiveness of radial shockwave therapy compared to focused shockwave therapy for treating patellar tendinopath - design of a randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

van der Worp, Henk; Zwerver, Johannes; van den Akker-Scheek, Inge; Diercks, Ron L

2011-10-11

Patellar tendinopathy is a chronic overuse injury of the patellar tendon that is especially prevalent in people who are involved in jumping activities. Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy is a relatively new treatment modality for tendinopathies. It seems to be a safe and promising part of the rehabilitation program for patellar tendinopathy. Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy originally used focused shockwaves. Several years ago a new kind of shockwave therapy was introduced: radial shockwave therapy. Studies that investigate the effectiveness of radial shockwave therapy as treatment for patellar tendinopathy are scarce. Therefore the aim of this study is to compare the effectiveness of focussed shockwave therapy and radial shockwave therapy as treatments for patellar tendinopathy. The TOPSHOCK study (Tendinopathy Of Patella SHOCKwave) is a two-armed randomised controlled trial in which the effectiveness of focussed shockwave therapy and radial shockwave therapy are directly compared. Outcome assessors and patients are blinded as to which treatment is given. Patients undergo three sessions of either focused shockwave therapy or radial shockwave therapy at 1-week intervals, both in combination with eccentric decline squat training. Follow-up measurements are scheduled just before treatments 2 and 3, and 1, 4, 7 and 12 weeks after the final treatment. The main outcome measure is the Dutch VISA-P questionnaire, which asks for pain, function and sports participation in subjects with patellar tendinopathy. Secondary outcome measures are pain determined with a VAS during ADL, sports and decline squats, rating of subjective improvement and overall satisfaction with the treatment. Patients will also record their sports activities, pain during and after these activities, and concurrent medical treatment on a weekly basis in a web-based diary. Results will be analysed according to the intention-to-treat principle. The TOPSHOCK study is the first randomised controlled trial that

Cost-effectiveness of combined oral bisphosphonate therapy and falls prevention exercise for fracture prevention in the USA.

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Mori, T; Crandall, C J; Ganz, D A

2017-02-01

We developed a Markov microsimulation model among hypothetical cohorts of community-dwelling US white women without prior major osteoporotic fractures over a lifetime horizon. At ages 75 and 80, adding 1 year of exercise to 5 years of oral bisphosphonate therapy is cost-effective at a conventionally accepted threshold compared with bisphosphonates alone. The purpose of this study was to examine the cost-effectiveness of the combined strategy of oral bisphosphonate therapy for 5 years and falls prevention exercise for 1 year compared with either strategy in isolation. We calculated incremental cost-effectiveness ratios [ICERs] (2014 US dollars per quality-adjusted life year [QALY]), using a Markov microsimulation model among hypothetical cohorts of community-dwelling US white women with different starting ages (65, 70, 75, and 80) without prior history of hip, vertebral, or wrist fractures over a lifetime horizon from the societal perspective. At ages 65, 70, 75, and 80, the combined strategy had ICERs of $202,020, $118,460, $46,870, and $17,640 per QALY, respectively, compared with oral bisphosphonate therapy alone. The combined strategy provided better health at lower cost than falls prevention exercise alone at ages 70, 75, and 80. In deterministic sensitivity analyses, results were particularly sensitive to the change in the opportunity cost of participants' time spent exercising. In probabilistic sensitivity analyses, the probabilities of the combined strategy being cost-effective compared with the next best alternative increased with age, ranging from 35 % at age 65 to 48 % at age 80 at a willingness-to-pay of $100,000 per QALY. Among community-dwelling US white women ages 75 and 80, adding 1 year of exercise to 5 years of oral bisphosphonate therapy is cost-effective at a willingness-to-pay of $100,000 per QALY, compared with oral bisphosphonate therapy only. This analysis will help clinicians and policymakers make better decisions about treatment

Enhanced therapeutic effect of multiple injections of HSV-TK + GCV gene therapy in combination with ionizing radiation in a mouse mammary tumor model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vlachaki, Maria T.; Chhikara, Madhu; Aguilar, Laura; Zhu Xiaohong; Chiu, Kam J.; Woo, Shiao; Teh, Bin S.; Thompson, Timothy C.; Butler, E. Brian; Aguilar-Cordova, Estuardo

2001-01-01

Purpose: Standard therapies for breast cancer lack tumor specificity and have significant risk for recurrence and toxicities. Herpes simplex virus-thymidine kinase (HSV-tk) gene therapy combined with radiation therapy (XRT) may be effective because of complementary mechanisms and distinct toxicity profiles. HSV-tk gene therapy followed by systemic administration of ganciclovir (GCV) enhances radiation-induced DNA damage by generating high local concentrations of phosphorylated nucleotide analogs that increase radiation-induced DNA breaks and interfere with DNA repair mechanisms. In addition, radiation-induced membrane damage enhances the 'bystander effect' by facilitating transfer of nucleotide analogs to neighboring nontransduced cells and by promoting local and systemic immune responses. This study assesses the effect of single and multiple courses of HSV-tk gene therapy in combination with ionizing radiation in a mouse mammary cancer model. Methods and Materials: Mouse mammary TM40D tumors transplanted s.c. in syngeneic immunocompetent BALB-c mice were treated with either adenoviral-mediated HSV-tk gene therapy or local radiation or the combination of gene and radiation therapy. A vector consisting of a replication-deficient (E1-deleted) adenovirus type 5 was injected intratumorally to administer the HSV-tk gene, and GCV was initiated 24 h later for a total of 6 days. Radiation was given as a single dose of 5 Gy 48 h after the HSV-tk injection. A metastatic model was developed by tail vein injection of TM40D cells on the same day that the s.c. tumors were established. Systemic antitumor effect was evaluated by counting the number of lung nodules after treating only the primary tumors with gene therapy, radiation, or the combination of gene and radiation therapy. To assess the therapeutic efficacy of multiple courses of this combinatorial approach, one, two, and three courses of HSV-tk + GCV gene therapy, in combination with radiation, were compared to HSV-tk or

The role of combination medical therapy in the treatment of acromegaly.

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Dawn Shao Ting; Fleseriu, Maria

2017-02-01

Uncontrolled acromegaly results in approximately 2-fold excess mortality. Pituitary surgery is first-line therapy, and medical treatment is indicated for persistent disease. While cabergoline and pegvisomant are used in select patients, somatostatin receptor ligands (SRLs) remain the cornerstone of medical treatment. Management of patients poorly responsive to SRLs is therefore, challenging. The purpose of this review is to highlight the options for combination medical therapy in the treatment of acromegaly, with an emphasis on efficacy and safety. All original articles/abstracts detailing combination medical therapy in acromegaly were identified from a PubMed search. Studies reviewed included retrospective and open-label prospective studies. While the combination of SRL and cabergoline was generally well tolerated, a lower baseline insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) level was the best predictor of efficacy; this combination may be most effective in patients with mildly elevated IGF-1. SRL-pegvisomant combination normalized IGF-1 in the majority of patients; continued efficacy despite individual drug dosing reduction was also reported. The risk of significant liver enzyme elevation was, however, higher than that reported with SRL monotherapy; close monitoring is recommended. Data on pegvisomant-cabergoline combination is limited, but this may be an option in the setting of SRL intolerance. Reports on temozolomide used in combination with other medical therapies in patients with aggressive GH-secreting tumors are also summarized. While more prospective, randomized controlled trials on long-term efficacy and safety are needed, combination medical therapy remains a treatment strategy that should be considered for acromegaly patients poorly responsive to SRLs.

Combination Therapy with Losartan and Pioglitazone Additively Reduces Renal Oxidative and Nitrative Stress Induced by Chronic High Fat, Sucrose, and Sodium Intake

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Xiang Kong

2012-01-01

Full Text Available We recently showed that combination therapy with losartan and pioglitazone provided synergistic effects compared with monotherapy in improving lesions of renal structure and function in Sprague-Dawley rats fed with a high-fat, high-sodium diet and 20% sucrose solution. This study was designed to explore the underlying mechanisms of additive renoprotection provided by combination therapy. Losartan, pioglitazone, and their combination were orally administered for 8 weeks. The increased level of renal malondialdehyde and expression of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase subunit p47phox and nitrotyrosine as well as the decreased total superoxide dismutase activity and copper, zinc-superoxide dismutase expression were tangible evidence for the presence of oxidative and nitrative stress in the kidney of model rats. Treatment with both drugs, individually and in combination, improved these abnormal changes. Combination therapy showed synergistic effects in reducing malondialdehyde level, p47phox, and nitrotyrosine expression to almost the normal level compared with monotherapy. All these results suggest that the additive renoprotection provided by combination therapy might be attributed to a further reduction of oxidative and nitrative stress.

Current concepts in combination therapy for the treatment of hypertension: combined calcium channel blockers and RAAS inhibitors

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Alberto F Rubio-Guerra

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Alberto F Rubio-Guerra1, David Castro-Serna2, Cesar I Elizalde Barrera2, Luz M Ramos-Brizuela21Metabolic and Research Clinic, 2Internal Medicine Department, Hospital General de Ticomán SS DF, MéxicoAbstract: Recent guidelines for the management of hypertension recommend target blood pressures <140/90 mmHg in hypertensive patients, or <130/80 mmHg in subjects with diabetes, chronic kidney disease, or coronary artery disease. Despite the availability and efficacy of antihypertensive drugs, most hypertensive patients do not reach the recommended treatment targets with monotherapy, making combination therapy necessary to achieve the therapeutic goal. Combination therapy with 2 or more agents is the most effective method for achieving strict blood pressure goals. Fixed-dose combination simplifies treatment, reduces costs, and improves adherence. There are many drug choices for combination therapy, but few data are available about the efficacy and safety of some specific combinations. Combination therapy of calcium antagonists and inhibitors of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS are efficacious and safe, and have been considered rational by both the JNC 7 and the 2007 European Society of Hypertension – European Society of Cardiology guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension. The aim of this review is to discuss some relevant issues about the use of combinations with calcium channel blockers and RAAS inhibitors in the treatment of hypertension.Keywords: hypertension, calcium channel blockers, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors, fixed-dose combination, adherence

The acitretin and methotrexate combination therapy for psoriasis vulgaris achieves higher effectiveness and less liver fibrosis.

Science.gov (United States)

An, Jingang; Zhang, Dingwei; Wu, Jiawen; Li, Jiong; Teng, Xiu; Gao, Xiaomin; Li, Ruilian; Wang, Xiuying; Xia, Linlin; Xia, Yumin

2017-07-01

Both acitretin and methotrexate are effective in ameliorating psoriatic lesion. However, their combination has been seldom reported in the treatment of psoriasis because of the warning regarding the potential hepatotoxicity of the drug interactions. This study was designed to investigate the effectiveness of such combination therapy for psoriasis vulgaris, and the potential benefit as well as side effect during the treatment. Thirty-nine patients with psoriasis vulgaris were treated with acitretin, methotrexate or their combination or as control. Similarly, K14-VEGF transgenic psoriasis-like mice were treated with these drugs. Human primary keratinocytes and hepatic stellate cells were used for analyzing their effect in vitro. The results showed that the combination therapy exhibited higher effectiveness in remitting skin lesion, but did not significantly affect the liver function of both patients and mice. Moreover, the combination groups showed less elevation of profibrotic factors in sera when compared with methotrexate alone groups accordingly. Furthermore, primary keratinocytes expressed more involucrin as well as loricrin and proliferated more slowly on the combined stimulation. Interestingly, such combination treatment induced lower expression of profibrotic factors in hepatic stellate cells. In conclusion, the acitretin-methotrexate combination therapy for psoriasis vulgaris can achieve higher effectiveness and result in less liver fibrosis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Response to combination antiretroviral therapy: variation by age

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Lundgren, Jens

2008-01-01

-naive individuals starting combination antiretroviral therapy from 1998 to 2006. OUTCOME MEASURES: Time from combination antiretroviral therapy initiation to HIV RNA less than 50 copies/ml (virological response), CD4 increase of more than 100 cells/microl (immunological response) and new AIDS/death were analysed...... response. The probability of virological response was lower in those aged 6-12 (adjusted hazard ratio: 0.87) and 13-17 (0.78) years, but was higher in those aged 50-54 (1.24), 55-59 (1.24) and at least 60 (1.18) years. The probability of immunological response was higher in children and younger adults...... and reduced in those 60 years or older. Those aged 55-59 and 60 years or older had poorer clinical outcomes after adjusting for the latest CD4 cell count. CONCLUSION: Better virological responses but poorer immunological responses in older individuals, together with low precombination antiretroviral therapy...

Combinations of Radiation Therapy and Immunotherapy for Melanoma: A Review of Clinical Outcomes

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Barker, Christopher A.; Postow, Michael A.

2014-01-01

Radiation therapy has long played a role in the management of melanoma. Recent advances have also demonstrated the efficacy of immunotherapy in the treatment of melanoma. Preclinical data suggest a biologic interaction between radiation therapy and immunotherapy. Several clinical studies corroborate these findings. This review will summarize the outcomes of studies reporting on patients with melanoma treated with a combination of radiation therapy and immunotherapy. Vaccine therapies often use irradiated melanoma cells, and may be enhanced by radiation therapy. The cytokines interferon-α and interleukin-2 have been combined with radiation therapy in several small studies, with some evidence suggesting increased toxicity and/or efficacy. Ipilimumab, a monoclonal antibody which blocks cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4, has been combined with radiation therapy in several notable case studies and series. Finally, pilot studies of adoptive cell transfer have suggested that radiation therapy may improve the efficacy of treatment. The review will demonstrate that the combination of radiation therapy and immunotherapy has been reported in several notable case studies, series and clinical trials. These clinical results suggest interaction and the need for further study

Combinations of Radiation Therapy and Immunotherapy for Melanoma: A Review of Clinical Outcomes

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Barker, Christopher A., E-mail: barkerc@mskcc.org [Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York (United States); Postow, Michael A. [Department of Medicine, Melanoma and Sarcoma Oncology Service, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York (United States)

2014-04-01

Radiation therapy has long played a role in the management of melanoma. Recent advances have also demonstrated the efficacy of immunotherapy in the treatment of melanoma. Preclinical data suggest a biologic interaction between radiation therapy and immunotherapy. Several clinical studies corroborate these findings. This review will summarize the outcomes of studies reporting on patients with melanoma treated with a combination of radiation therapy and immunotherapy. Vaccine therapies often use irradiated melanoma cells, and may be enhanced by radiation therapy. The cytokines interferon-α and interleukin-2 have been combined with radiation therapy in several small studies, with some evidence suggesting increased toxicity and/or efficacy. Ipilimumab, a monoclonal antibody which blocks cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4, has been combined with radiation therapy in several notable case studies and series. Finally, pilot studies of adoptive cell transfer have suggested that radiation therapy may improve the efficacy of treatment. The review will demonstrate that the combination of radiation therapy and immunotherapy has been reported in several notable case studies, series and clinical trials. These clinical results suggest interaction and the need for further study.

Combined transcranial direct current stimulation and home-based occupational therapy for upper limb motor impairment following intracerebral hemorrhage

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Mortensen, Jesper; Figlewski, Krystian; Andersen, Henning

2016-01-01

PURPOSE: To investigate the combined effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and home-based occupational therapy on activities of daily living (ADL) and grip strength, in patients with upper limb motor impairment following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). METHODS: A double......-blind randomized controlled trial with one-week follow-up. Patients received five consecutive days of occupational therapy at home, combined with either anodal (n = 8) or sham (n = 7) tDCS. The primary outcome was ADL performance, which was assessed with the Jebsen-Taylor test (JTT). RESULTS: Both groups improved...... with the sham group, from baseline to post-assessment (p = 0.158). CONCLUSIONS: Five consecutive days of tDCS combined with occupational therapy provided greater improvements in grip strength compared with occupational therapy alone. tDCS is a promising add-on intervention regarding training of upper limb motor...

Synergistic combination therapy of antitumor agents, membrane modification agents and irradiation

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Watarai, Jiro; Itagaki, Takatomo; Akutsu, Thoru; Yamaguchi, Kouichi; Kato, Isao

1983-01-01

Larygeal cancer were treated with synergistic combination therapy of Futraful in suppository, vitamin A, cepharanthin and irradiation from April 1981 to June 1982. This combination therapy resulted in high percentage of the tumor regression in the case of the invading laryngeal cancer and negligible complication. (author)

Radiotherapy in combination with vascular-targeted therapies

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Ciric, Eva; Sersa, Gregor

2010-01-01

Given the critical role of tumor vasculature in tumor development, considerable efforts have been spent on developing therapeutic strategies targeting the tumor vascular network. A variety of agents have been developed, with two general approaches being pursued. Antiangiogenic agents (AAs) aim to interfere with the process of angiogenesis, preventing new tumor blood vessel formation. Vascular-disrupting agents (VDAs) target existing tumor vessels causing tumor ischemia and necrosis. Despite their great therapeutic potential, it has become clear that their greatest clinical utility may lie in combination with conventional anticancer therapies. Radiotherapy is a widely used treatment modality for cancer with its distinct therapeutic challenges. Thus, combining the two approaches seems reasonable. Strong biological rationale exist for combining vascular-targeted therapies with radiation. AAs and VDAs were shown to alter the tumor microenvironment in such a way as to enhance responses to radiation. The results of preclinical and early clinical studies have confirmed the therapeutic potential of this new treatment strategy in the clinical setting. However, concerns about increased normal tissue toxicity, have been raised

"Smart" nickel oxide based core-shell nanoparticles for combined chemo and photodynamic cancer therapy.

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Bano, Shazia; Nazir, Samina; Munir, Saeeda; AlAjmi, Mohamed Fahad; Afzal, Muhammad; Mazhar, Kehkashan

2016-01-01

We report "smart" nickel oxide nanoparticles (NOPs) as multimodal cancer therapy agent. Water-dispersible and light-sensitive NiO core was synthesized with folic acid (FA) connected bovine serum albumin (BSA) shell on entrapped doxorubicin (DOX). The entrapped drug from NOP-DOX@BSA-FA was released in a sustained way (64 hours, pH=5.5, dark conditions) while a robust release was found under red light exposure (in 1/2 hour under λmax=655 nm, 50 mW/cm(2), at pH=5.5). The cell viability, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and diphenylisobenzofuran assays conducted under light and dark conditions revealed a high photodynamic therapy potential of our construct. Furthermore, we found that the combined effect of DOX and NOPs from NOP-DOX@BSA-FA resulted in cell death approximately eightfold high compared to free DOX. We propose that NOP-DOX@BSA-FA is a potential photodynamic therapy agent and a collective drug delivery system for the systemic administration of cancer chemotherapeutics resulting in combination therapy.

Is there a decline in cognitive functions after combined electroconvulsive therapy and antipsychotic therapy in treatment-refractory schizophrenia?

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Pawełczyk, Agnieszka; Kołodziej-Kowalska, Emilia; Pawełczyk, Tomasz; Rabe-Jabłońska, Jolanta

2015-03-01

An analysis of literature shows that there is still little evidence concerning the efficacy of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) combined with antipsychotic therapy in a group of treatment-resistant schizophrenia patients. More precisely, its influence on cognitive functions is still equivocal. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of ECT combined with antipsychotic therapy on working memory, attention, and executive functions in a group of treatment-refractory schizophrenia patients. Twenty-seven patients completed the study: 14 men and 13 women, aged 21 to 55 years (mean age, 32.8 years), diagnosed with treatment-resistant schizophrenia. Each patient underwent a course of ECT sessions and was treated with antipsychotic medications. Before the ECT and within 3 days after the last ECT session, the participants were assessed with the following neuropsychological tests: Trail Making Test (TMT) and Wisconsin Cart Sorting Test (WCST). There were no significant differences in the TMT and WCST results after combined ECT and antipsychotic therapy in treatment-refractory schizophrenia patients. According to the results of the neuropsychological tests, there was no decline in attention, executive functions, or working memory. The current study shows no significant difference in attention, working memory, or executive functions after treatment with a combination of electroconvulsive and antipsychotic therapy. This suggests that combined electroconvulsive therapy may not have a negative influence on the neuropsychological functioning of patients with treatment resistant schizophrenia.

Combination therapy with sivelestat and recombinant human soluble thrombomodulin for ARDS and DIC patients

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Miyoshi S

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Seigo Miyoshi,1 Ryoji Ito,1 Hitoshi Katayama,1 Kentaro Dote,2 Mayuki Aibiki,3 Hironobu Hamada,1,4 Takafumi Okura,1 Jitsuo Higaki1 1Department of Cardiology, Pulmonology, Hypertension and Nephrology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, 2Intensive Care Division, Ehime University Hospital, 3Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, Ehime University, Shitsukawa, Toon, Ehime, 4Department of Physical Analysis and Therapeutic Sciences, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, Japan Background: Neutrophil elastase, alveolar thrombin generation, and fibrin deposition play crucial roles in the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC. However, the usefulness of combination therapy with a selective neutrophil elastase inhibitor, sivelestat, and recombinant human soluble thrombomodulin (rhTM for patients with ARDS and DIC remains unknown. Methods: We conducted a retrospective data analysis of 142 ARDS patients with DIC to assess the effects of sivelestat combined with rhTM. Patients were divided into four groups: control (no sivelestat or rhTM treatment, sivelestat treatment alone, rhTM treatment alone, and combined treatment with sivelestat and rhTM. A Cox proportional hazard model was used to assess subject mortality rates. The efficacy of these drugs was evaluated based on survival rate, number of ventilator-free days, and change in PaO2/FIO2 (P/F ratios and DIC scores before and at 7 days after a diagnosis of ARDS with DIC. Results: Multivariate analysis showed that patient age, combination therapy, gas exchange, organ failure, cause, associated disease score, and serum C-reactive protein levels were predictors of mortality for patients with ARDS and DIC. As compared with untreated controls, combination therapy significantly improved the 60-day survival rate of patients with ARDS and DIC

Combined Antirelapse Therapy in Patients with Schizoaffective Disorder: A Prospective Cohort Study

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Zhanna R. Gardanova

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Background: In most studies, patients with schizoaffective disorder (SAD are often combined into one group along with schizophrenia patients or less commonly with those suffering from affective disorders, which makes it difficult to obtain data about the peculiarities of SAD treatment. Articles dedicated to SAD treatment in the interictal period are rare. Methods and Results: The prospective cohort study was conducted from 2011 to 2015. The study involved 86 patients diagnosed with SAD according to ICD-10. Patients received neuroleptics (NLs as antirelapse therapy for 2 years (NL therapy; then mood stabilizers (MSs were added to the antirelapse treatment (NL+MS therapy. The results of this combined therapy with MSs were evaluated after 2 years of treatment. Our results suggest that the use of combination therapy that includes antipsychotics and MSs leads to maintenance of a higher quality remission. Remission becomes more prolonged and affective swings less pronounced, resulting in improved quality of life in SAD patients. Improving the quality of remission can be attributed to the following characteristics of the combined therapy: a the use of lower doses of neuroleptics; b a reduction in the frequency and severity of mood swings; and c an increase in patient compliance. Conclusion: The use of combined pharmacotherapy including antipsychotics and MSs produces a longer, high-quality remission. The inclusion of MSs in the scheme of treatment increases the patient adherence to a medication regimen. The use of MSs in combination therapy reduces affective fluctuations, thereby increasing the probability of maintaining remission with complete symptom relief.

Sample size requirements for separating out the effects of combination treatments: Randomised controlled trials of combination therapy vs. standard treatment compared to factorial designs for patients with tuberculous meningitis

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Farrar Jeremy

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In certain diseases clinical experts may judge that the intervention with the best prospects is the addition of two treatments to the standard of care. This can either be tested with a simple randomized trial of combination versus standard treatment or with a 2 × 2 factorial design. Methods We compared the two approaches using the design of a new trial in tuberculous meningitis as an example. In that trial the combination of 2 drugs added to standard treatment is assumed to reduce the hazard of death by 30% and the sample size of the combination trial to achieve 80% power is 750 patients. We calculated the power of corresponding factorial designs with one- to sixteen-fold the sample size of the combination trial depending on the contribution of each individual drug to the combination treatment effect and the strength of an interaction between the two. Results In the absence of an interaction, an eight-fold increase in sample size for the factorial design as compared to the combination trial is required to get 80% power to jointly detect effects of both drugs if the contribution of the less potent treatment to the total effect is at least 35%. An eight-fold sample size increase also provides a power of 76% to detect a qualitative interaction at the one-sided 10% significance level if the individual effects of both drugs are equal. Factorial designs with a lower sample size have a high chance to be underpowered, to show significance of only one drug even if both are equally effective, and to miss important interactions. Conclusions Pragmatic combination trials of multiple interventions versus standard therapy are valuable in diseases with a limited patient pool if all interventions test the same treatment concept, it is considered likely that either both or none of the individual interventions are effective, and only moderate drug interactions are suspected. An adequately powered 2 × 2 factorial design to detect effects of

Treating Hypothyroidism with Thyroxine/Triiodothyronine Combination Therapy in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Michaelsson, Luba Freja; Medici, Bjarke Borregaard; la Cour, Jeppe Lerche

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Five to ten percent of patients with hypothyroidism describe persistent symptoms despite being biochemically well regulated on levothyroxine (L-T4). Thyroxine (T4)/triiodothyronine (T3) combination therapy [L-T4/liothyronine (L-T3) or desiccated thyroid] are still regarded as experime......BACKGROUND: Five to ten percent of patients with hypothyroidism describe persistent symptoms despite being biochemically well regulated on levothyroxine (L-T4). Thyroxine (T4)/triiodothyronine (T3) combination therapy [L-T4/liothyronine (L-T3) or desiccated thyroid] are still regarded...

Triple combination antibiotic therapy for carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobs, David M; Safir, M Courtney; Huang, Dennis; Minhaj, Faisal; Parker, Adam; Rao, Gauri G

2017-11-25

The spread of carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae (CPKP) has become a significant problem worldwide. Combination therapy for CPKP is encouraging, but polymyxin resistance to many antibiotics is hampering effective treatment. Combination therapy with three or more antibiotics is being increasingly reported, therefore we performed a systematic review of triple combination cases in an effort to evaluate their clinical effectiveness for CPKP infections. The PubMed database was searched to identify all published clinical outcomes of CPKP infections treated with triple combination therapy. Articles were stratified into two tiers depending on the level of clinical detail provided. A tier 1 study included: antibiotic regimen, regimen-specific outcome, patient status at onset of infection, and source of infection. Articles not reaching these criteria were considered tier 2. Thirty-three studies were eligible, 23 tier 1 and ten tier 2. Among tier 1 studies, 53 cases were included in this analysis. The most common infection was pneumonia (31%) followed by primary or catheter-related bacteremia (21%) and urinary tract infection (17%). Different combinations of antibiotic classes were utilized in triple combinations, the most common being a polymyxin (colistin or polymyxin B, 86.8%), tigecycline (73.6%), aminoglycoside (43.4%), or carbapenem (43.4%). Clinical and microbiological failure occurred in 14/39 patients (35.9%) and 22/42 patients (52.4%), respectively. Overall mortality for patients treated with triple combination therapy was 35.8% (19/53 patients). Triple combination therapy is being considered as a treatment option for CPKP. Polymyxin-based therapy is the backbone antibiotic in these regimens, but its effectiveness needs establishing in prospective clinical trials.

Diffuse Non-toxic Goitre Therapy with Iodine Alone or with Combination of Iodine and Levothyroxine

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N Galkina

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Aim: to assess the efficacy and tolerability of low-dose iodine therapy compared with the combination of iodine and levothyroxine in endemic goitre patients. Methods: 12-month prospective study was performed, in which 81 patients were randomized on two groups: Group 1 (n = 40 - KI (200 micrograms/day and Group 2 (n = 41 - KI (100 mcg/day + L-T4 (1.0 mcg/kg. Thyroid volume, TSH and Anti-TPO-Ab levels were evaluated at baseline, at 8 month of the treatment and at 12 month (4 month after the cessation of the therapy. Results: the significant decreasing of thyroid volumes was found in group 1 at 8 month compared with baseline (20.5 ml at baseline and 16,4 ml at 8 month р < 0.001. After the therapy cessation the further benefit of a sustained effect was demonstrated (16.4 ml at 8 month and 16.1 ml at 12 month, р = 0.31. Iodine-induced hypo- and hyperthyroidism were not observed. High Anti-TPO-Ab level was found in one of 31 patients (3%. In group 2 significant difference between thyroid volumes was found at 8 month compared with baseline (20,5 ml at baseline and 16.2 ml at 8 month р < 0.001. The sustained effect was revealed at least 4 month after the therapy cessation (16.2 ml at 8 month and 16.1 ml at 12 month, р = 0.77. One man had iodine-induced subclinical hyperthyroidism. Anti-TPO-Ab was not detected in this group. No significant difference between thyroid volume decreasing, TSH and Anti-TPO-Ab levels in two comparable groups was observed. Conclusion: KI alone (200 mcg/day or the combination of L-T4 (1.0 mcg/kg and KI (100 mcg/day are equally effective and tolerable for endemic goitre therapy.

Combination therapy or monotherapy for the depressed type of schizoaffective disorder

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Lubomira Izáková

2009-02-01

Full Text Available Lubomira Izáková1, Ivan Andre1, Angelos Halaris21Psychiatric Clinic, Faculty of Medicine Comenius University and Faculty Hospital, Bratislava, Slovakia; 2Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, USAAbstract: Several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of adjunctive antidepressant drug therapy to improve the depressive or negative symptoms of schizoaffective disorder, however, monotherapy with atypical antipsychotics may be advantageous. We compared the efficacy and safety of risperidone monotherapy versus combination therapy of haloperidol with sertaline for the acute treatment of schizoaffective disorder, depressed type. This is an open label study of 52 female inpatients randomly assigned to risperidone alone (N = 26 or haloperidol in combination with sertraline (N = 26 for 12 weeks. The mean daily doses of medications were: risperidone: 3.75–3.29 mg/day, haloperidol: 5.35–4.15 mg/day, sertraline: 65.39–133.82 mg/day. Efficacy was measured using clinical rating scales of treatment, safety, and tolerability. Risperidone patients showed statistically significant greater improvement than haloperidol-sertraline patients on efficacy measures including Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and Clinical Global Impressions rating. A higher number of risperidone patients dropped out of the study early. Fewer adverse events and lesser need for concomitant medications occurred in patients on risperidone. The risperidone group showed better psychological, social and occupational functioning (Global Assessment of Functioning and higher quality of life (Heinrich’s Quality of Life Scale. Risperidone has higher antipsychotic efficacy and tolerability compared with haloperidol-sertraline combination for the acute treatment of schizoaffective disorder, depressed type. Both treatments were comparable in terms of antidepressant efficacy.Keywords: schizoaffective disorder, depressed type

Survival of lung cancer patients after combined therapy with hyperglycemia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zharkov, V.V.; Demidchik, Yu.E.; Khodina, T.V.

1991-01-01

The results of a randomized study of combined therapy of lung cancer patients including large field radiotherapy (total irradiation of 20 Gy, daily fractionation of 4 Gy) and induced hyperglycemia (22-23 mmol/1) are presented. The use of new variants of combined therapy was shown to increase significantly the survival of patients, however therapeutic efficacy was different depending on the time of hyperglycemia: wheter it was used before radiotherapy sessions of after their discontinuation

Gastrointestinal Toxicities With Combined Antiangiogenic and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy

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Pollom, Erqi L.; Deng, Lei [Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California (United States); Pai, Reetesh K. [Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (United States); Brown, J. Martin; Giaccia, Amato; Loo, Billy W.; Shultz, David B.; Le, Quynh Thu; Koong, Albert C. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California (United States); Chang, Daniel T., E-mail: dtchang@stanford.edu [Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California (United States)

2015-07-01

Combining the latest targeted biologic agents with the most advanced radiation technologies has been an exciting development in the treatment of cancer patients. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is an ablative radiation approach that has become established for the treatment of a variety of malignancies, and it has been increasingly used in combination with biologic agents, including those targeting angiogenesis-specific pathways. Multiple reports have emerged describing unanticipated toxicities arising from the combination of SBRT and angiogenesis-targeting agents, particularly of late luminal gastrointestinal toxicities. In this review, we summarize the literature describing these toxicities, explore the biological mechanism of action of toxicity with the combined use of antiangiogenic therapies, and discuss areas of future research, so that this combination of treatment modalities can continue to be used in broader clinical contexts.

Multimodal therapy for locally advanced prostate cancer: the roles of radiotherapy, androgen deprivation therapy, and their combination

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Lee, Sung Uk; Cho, Kwan Ho [The Proton Therapy Center, Research Institute and Hospital, National Cancer Center, Goyang (Korea, Republic of)

2017-09-15

Locally advanced prostate cancer (LAPC) is defined as histologically proven T3–4 prostatic adenocarcinoma. In this review, we define the individual roles of radiotherapy (RT), short-term (ST-) and long-term (LT-) androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), and their combination in multimodal therapy for LAPC. Despite limitations in comparing the clinical outcomes among published papers, in the present study, a trend of 10-year clinical outcomes was roughly estimated by calculating the average rates weighted by the cohort number. With RT alone, the following rates were estimated: 87% biochemical failure, 34% local failure (LF), 48% distant metastasis (DM), 38% overall survival (OS), and 27% disease-specific mortality (DSM). Those associated with ADT alone were 74% BCF, 54% OS, and 25% DSM, which appeared to be better than those of RT alone. The addition of ADT to RT produced a notable local and systemic effect, regardless of ST- or LT-ADT. The LF rate decreased from 34% with RT alone to 21% with ST-ADT and further to 15% with LT-ADT. The DM and DSM rates also showed a similar trend among RT alone, RT+ST-ADT, and RT+LT-ADT. The combination of RT+LT-ADT resulted in the best long-term clinical outcomes, indicating that both RT and ADT are important parts of multimodal therapy.

Multimodal therapy for locally advanced prostate cancer: the roles of radiotherapy, androgen deprivation therapy, and their combination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Sung Uk; Cho, Kwan Ho

2017-01-01

Locally advanced prostate cancer (LAPC) is defined as histologically proven T3–4 prostatic adenocarcinoma. In this review, we define the individual roles of radiotherapy (RT), short-term (ST-) and long-term (LT-) androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), and their combination in multimodal therapy for LAPC. Despite limitations in comparing the clinical outcomes among published papers, in the present study, a trend of 10-year clinical outcomes was roughly estimated by calculating the average rates weighted by the cohort number. With RT alone, the following rates were estimated: 87% biochemical failure, 34% local failure (LF), 48% distant metastasis (DM), 38% overall survival (OS), and 27% disease-specific mortality (DSM). Those associated with ADT alone were 74% BCF, 54% OS, and 25% DSM, which appeared to be better than those of RT alone. The addition of ADT to RT produced a notable local and systemic effect, regardless of ST- or LT-ADT. The LF rate decreased from 34% with RT alone to 21% with ST-ADT and further to 15% with LT-ADT. The DM and DSM rates also showed a similar trend among RT alone, RT+ST-ADT, and RT+LT-ADT. The combination of RT+LT-ADT resulted in the best long-term clinical outcomes, indicating that both RT and ADT are important parts of multimodal therapy

Cost-effectiveness analysis of combination therapies for visceral leishmaniasis in the Indian subcontinent.

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Filip Meheus

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Visceral leishmaniasis is a systemic parasitic disease that is fatal unless treated. We assessed the cost and cost-effectiveness of alternative strategies for the treatment of visceral leishmaniasis in the Indian subcontinent. In particular we examined whether combination therapies are a cost-effective alternative compared to monotherapies.We assessed the cost-effectiveness of all possible mono- and combination therapies for the treatment of visceral leishmaniasis in the Indian subcontinent (India, Nepal and Bangladesh from a societal perspective using a decision analytical model based on a decision tree. Primary data collected in each country was combined with data from the literature and an expert poll (Delphi method. The cost per patient treated and average and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios expressed as cost per death averted were calculated. Extensive sensitivity analysis was done to evaluate the robustness of our estimations and conclusions. With a cost of US$92 per death averted, the combination miltefosine-paromomycin was the most cost-effective treatment strategy. The next best alternative was a combination of liposomal amphotericin B with paromomycin with an incremental cost-effectiveness of $652 per death averted. All other strategies were dominated with the exception of a single dose of 10mg per kg of liposomal amphotericin B. While strategies based on liposomal amphotericin B (AmBisome were found to be the most effective, its current drug cost of US$20 per vial resulted in a higher average cost-effectiveness. Sensitivity analysis showed the conclusion to be robust to variations in the input parameters over their plausible range.Combination treatments are a cost-effective alternative to current monotherapy for VL. Given their expected impact on the emergence of drug resistance, a switch to combination therapy should be considered once final results from clinical trials are available.

Combinational chelation therapy abrogates lead-induced neurodegeneration in rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pachauri, Vidhu; Saxena, Geetu; Mehta, Ashish; Mishra, Deepshikha; Flora, Swaran J.S.

2009-01-01

Lead, a ubiquitous and potent neurotoxicant causes oxidative stress which leads to numerous neurobehavioral and physiological alterations. The ability of lead to bind sulfhydryl groups or compete with calcium could be one of the reasons for its debilitating effects. In the present study, we addressed: i) if chelation therapy could circumvent the altered oxidative stress and prevent neuronal apoptosis in chronic lead-intoxicated rats, ii) whether chelation therapy could reverse biochemical and behavioral changes, and iii) if mono or combinational therapy with captopril (an antioxidant) and thiol chelating agents (DMSA/MiADMSA) is more effective than individual thiol chelator in lead-exposed rats. Results indicated that lead caused a significant increase in reactive oxygen species, nitric oxide, and intracellular free calcium levels along with altered behavioral abnormalities in locomotor activity, exploratory behavior, learning, and memory that were supported by changes in neurotransmitter levels. A fall in membrane potential, release of cytochrome c, and DNA damage indicated mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis. Most of these alterations showed significant recovery following combined therapy with captopril with MiADMSA and to a smaller extend with captopril + DMSA over monotherapy with these chelators. It could be concluded from our present results that co-administration of a potent antioxidant (like captopril) might be a better treatment protocol than monotherapy to counter lead-induced oxidative stress. The major highlight of the work is an interesting experimental evidence of the efficacy of combinational therapy using an antioxidant with a thiol chelator in reversing neurological dystrophy caused due to chronic lead exposure in rats.

A Systematic Review of Clinical Practice Guidelines' Recommendations on Levothyroxine Therapy Alone versus Combination Therapy (LT4 plus LT3) for Hypothyroidism.

Science.gov (United States)

Kraut, Eyal; Farahani, Pendar

2015-12-04

Patients with hypothyroidism are increasingly enquiring about the benefit of using combination therapy of levothyroxine (LT4) and liothyronine (LT3) as a potential treatment for hypothyroidism. Combination therapy, however, remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to systematically review available hypothyroidism treatment recommendations from clinical practice guidelines from around the world to identify the consensus regarding combination therapy. Clinical practice guidelines were obtained from searches of PubMed, EMBASE, and MEDLINE, using several combinations of MeSH terms. The search was limited to clinical guidelines in English-language publications, published between January 1, 1990 and May 1, 2015. A quantitative approach was utilized for data synthesis. Thirteen guidelines were identified, including three regarding pregnancy, two regarding pediatric populations and eight regarding adult populations. There were six guidelines from North America, four guidelines from Europe and three guidelines from South America. Twelve of the guidelines were published after 2010. Nine guidelines addressed combination therapy of LT4 plus LT3, and all nine concluded that LT4 therapy alone is the standard of care, with insufficient evidence to recommend widespread combination therapy. Only the 2012 ETA Guidelines and the 2015 BTA Guidelines concluded that combination therapy could be used, although only in certain circumstances and as an experimental treatment. This systematic review illustrates that clinical practice guidelines worldwide do not recommend and do not support routine use of combination LT4 and LT3 therapy to treat hypothyroidism.

Potential benefits of combining cytosine deaminase/5-fluorocytosine gene therapy and irradiation for prostate cancer. Experimental study

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Kato, Hiroaki; Koshida, Kiyoshi; Yokoyama, Kunihiko; Mizokami, Atsushi; Namiki, Mikio [Kanazawa Univ. (Japan). School of Medicine

2002-10-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential of combining cytosine deaminase/5-fluorocytosine (CD/5-FC) gene therapy and radiation therapy (either external beam radiation or radioimmunotherapy [RIT]), for the treatment of prostate cancer. Tumor xenografts of CD-transduced LNCaP cells grown in the testes of severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice were used to evaluate antitumor effect. The mice were injected intraperitoneally with 500 mg/kg of 5-FC, or with 5, 15 or 30 mg/kg of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), for 9 days. The tumors were treated with fractionated radiation at a dose of 1 or 3 Gy/day for 3 days, or I-131 labelled anti-prostate specific antigen (anti-PSA) monoclonal antibody (mAb) administration at a subtherapeutic dose of 20 or 80 {mu}Ci. Intratumoral and serum concentrations of 5-FU were measured using high performance liquid chromatography. Mice treated with CD/5-FC gene therapy presented a significant tumor growth inhibition comparable to that obtained with 15 mg/kg, 5-FU systemic administration without marked weight loss. Treatment with CD/5-FC gene therapy resulted in higher tumor but lower serum concentrations of 5-FU than treatment with systemic 5-FU chemotherapy. An additive antitumor effect was obtained when CD/5-FC therapy was combined with 1 Gy irradiation, which by itself did not produce a significant antitumor effect. However, the efficacy of CD/5-FC therapy was not enhanced when combined with RIT, probably due to poor accumulation of the mAb as the tumor/blood ratio never exceeded 1. These findings indicate that CD/5-FC gene therapy for prostate cancer may function with enhanced antitumor effect when combined with external beam radiation. However, combining CD/5-FC gene therapy and RIT using an anti-PSA mAb may not be effective because of insufficient accumulation of the mAb at the target tumors. (author)

Potential benefits of combining cytosine deaminase/5-fluorocytosine gene therapy and irradiation for prostate cancer. Experimental study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kato, Hiroaki; Koshida, Kiyoshi; Yokoyama, Kunihiko; Mizokami, Atsushi; Namiki, Mikio

2002-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential of combining cytosine deaminase/5-fluorocytosine (CD/5-FC) gene therapy and radiation therapy (either external beam radiation or radioimmunotherapy [RIT]), for the treatment of prostate cancer. Tumor xenografts of CD-transduced LNCaP cells grown in the testes of severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice were used to evaluate antitumor effect. The mice were injected intraperitoneally with 500 mg/kg of 5-FC, or with 5, 15 or 30 mg/kg of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), for 9 days. The tumors were treated with fractionated radiation at a dose of 1 or 3 Gy/day for 3 days, or I-131 labelled anti-prostate specific antigen (anti-PSA) monoclonal antibody (mAb) administration at a subtherapeutic dose of 20 or 80 μCi. Intratumoral and serum concentrations of 5-FU were measured using high performance liquid chromatography. Mice treated with CD/5-FC gene therapy presented a significant tumor growth inhibition comparable to that obtained with 15 mg/kg, 5-FU systemic administration without marked weight loss. Treatment with CD/5-FC gene therapy resulted in higher tumor but lower serum concentrations of 5-FU than treatment with systemic 5-FU chemotherapy. An additive antitumor effect was obtained when CD/5-FC therapy was combined with 1 Gy irradiation, which by itself did not produce a significant antitumor effect. However, the efficacy of CD/5-FC therapy was not enhanced when combined with RIT, probably due to poor accumulation of the mAb as the tumor/blood ratio never exceeded 1. These findings indicate that CD/5-FC gene therapy for prostate cancer may function with enhanced antitumor effect when combined with external beam radiation. However, combining CD/5-FC gene therapy and RIT using an anti-PSA mAb may not be effective because of insufficient accumulation of the mAb at the target tumors. (author)

Combination Therapy with NHS-muIL12 and Avelumab (anti-PD-L1) Enhances Antitumor Efficacy in Preclinical Cancer Models.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Chunxiao; Zhang, Yanping; Rolfe, P Alexander; Hernández, Vivian M; Guzman, Wilson; Kradjian, Giorgio; Marelli, Bo; Qin, Guozhong; Qi, Jin; Wang, Hong; Yu, Huakui; Tighe, Robert; Lo, Kin-Ming; English, Jessie M; Radvanyi, Laszlo; Lan, Yan

2017-10-01

Purpose: To determine whether combination therapy with NHS-muIL12 and the anti-programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) antibody avelumab can enhance antitumor efficacy in preclinical models relative to monotherapies. Experimental Design: BALB/c mice bearing orthotopic EMT-6 mammary tumors and μMt - mice bearing subcutaneous MC38 tumors were treated with NHS-muIL12, avelumab, or combination therapy; tumor growth and survival were assessed. Tumor recurrence following remission and rechallenge was evaluated in EMT-6 tumor-bearing mice. Immune cell populations within spleen and tumors were evaluated by FACS and IHC. Immune gene expression in tumor tissue was profiled by NanoString® assay and plasma cytokine levels were determined by multiplex cytokine assay. The frequency of tumor antigen-reactive IFNγ-producing CD8 + T cells was evaluated by ELISpot assay. Results: NHS-muIL12 and avelumab combination therapy enhanced antitumor efficacy relative to either monotherapy in both tumor models. Most EMT-6 tumor-bearing mice treated with combination therapy had complete tumor regression. Combination therapy also induced the generation of tumor-specific immune memory, as demonstrated by protection against tumor rechallenge and induction of effector and memory T cells. Combination therapy enhanced cytotoxic NK and CD8 + T-cell proliferation and T-bet expression, whereas NHS-muIL12 monotherapy induced CD8 + T-cell infiltration into the tumor. Combination therapy also enhanced plasma cytokine levels and stimulated expression of a greater number of innate and adaptive immune genes compared with either monotherapy. Conclusions: These data indicate that combination therapy with NHS-muIL12 and avelumab increased antitumor efficacy in preclinical models, and suggest that combining NHS-IL12 and avelumab may be a promising approach to treating patients with solid tumors. Clin Cancer Res; 23(19); 5869-80. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

Combination radiation-adriamycin therapy: renoprival growth, functional and structural effects in the immature mouse

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Donaldson, S.S.; Moskowitz, P.S.; Canty, E.L.; Fajardo, L.F.

1980-01-01

The normal tissue effects of radiation-adriamycin combination therapy were studied in the renoprival weanling mouse in an attempt to determine whether compensatory renal growth inhibition from radiation and chemotherapy could be associated with structural or functional abnormalities. Weanling BLc/sub Fl/ mice underwent unilateral nephrectomy, then single fraction renal irradiation, LD 1/21 doses of adriamycin in 5 daily doses, or combination therapy with radiation and adriamycin. Animals were sacrificed at 3, 12, and 24 weeks. Compensatory renal growth, body growth, serum blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and renal morphology by light microscopy were evaluated. Significant compensatory renal growth inhibition from radiation-adriamycin therapy exceeded that produced by adriamycin alone and radiation alone, at all time periods (p < 0.005). Body growth inhibition from radiation-adriamycin therapy or adriamycin alone significantly exceeded that produced by radiation alone (p < 0.005). Kidney and body growth inhibition from radiation-adriamycin therapy was proportionately severe. Kidney growth inhibition proportionately exceeded body growth inhibition with radiation alone; body growth inhibition proportionately exceeded kidney growth inhibition with adriamycin alone. Comparable azotemia developed by 24 weeks in both the radiation alone (p < .005) and radiation-adriamycin animals (p < 0.005), but not in the adriamycin only animals. Morphologic alterations consisting of increased glomerular density, tubular atrophy, and stromal fibrosis occurred with greater severity in the radiation-adriamycin animals than in the radiation only animals by 24 weeks; no alterations were seen in the adriamycin only animals. Using histologic criteria 750 rad plus adriamycin produced comparable injury as seen with 1000 rad alone, thus adriamycin produced an apparent dose-modifying factor of 1.33

Combined therapy of major depression with concomitant borderline personality disorder: comparison of interpersonal and cognitive psychotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Bellino, Silvio; Zizza, Monica; Rinaldi, Camilla; Bogetto, Filippo

2007-11-01

The combination of antidepressants and brief psychotherapies has been proven more efficacious in treating major depression and is particularly recommended in patients with concomitant personality disorders. We compare the effects of 2 combined therapies, fluoxetine and interpersonal therapy (IPT) or fluoxetine and cognitive therapy (CT), on major depression in patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Thirty-five consecutive outpatients with a diagnosis of BPD and a major depressive episode (not bipolar and not psychotic) were enrolled. They were randomly assigned to 1 of the 2 combined treatments and treated for 24 weeks. Assessment included a semistructured interview, Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scale, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS), Satisfaction Profile (SAT-P) for quality of life (QOL), and Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP-64). Statistical analysis was performed using the univariate General Linear Model to calculate the effects of duration and type of treatment. No significant differences between treatments were found at CGI, HDRS, BDI-II, and SOFAS score. Combined treatment with CT had greater effects on HARS score and on psychological functioning factor of SAT-P. Combined treatment with IPT was more effective on social functioning factor of SAT-P and on domains domineering or controlling and intrusive or needy of IIP-64. Both combined therapies are efficacious in treating major depression in patients with BPD. Differences between CT and IPT concern specific features of subjective QOL and interpersonal problems. These findings lack reliable comparisons and need to be replicated.

Synergistic Enhancement of Cancer Therapy Using a Combination of Ceramide and Docetaxel

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Li-Xia Feng

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Ceramide (CE-based combination therapy (CE combination as a novel therapeutic strategy has attracted great attention in the field of anti-cancer therapy. The principal purposes of this study were to investigate the synergistic effect of CE in combination with docetaxel (DTX (CE + DTX and to explore the synergy mechanisms of CE + DTX. The 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT and combination index (CI assay showed that simultaneous administration of CE and DTX with a molar ratio of 0.5:1 could generate the optimal synergistic effect on murine malignant melanoma cell (B16, CI = 0.31 and human breast carcinoma cell (MCF-7, CI = 0.48. The apoptosis, cell cycle, and cytoskeleton destruction study demonstrated that CE could target and destruct the microfilament actin, subsequently activate Caspase-3 and induce apoptosis. Meanwhile, DTX could target and disrupt the microtubules cytoskeleton, leading to a high proportion of cancer cells in G2/M-phase arrest. Moreover, CE plus DTX could cause a synergistic destruction of cytoskeleton, which resulted in a significantly higher apoptosis and a significantly higher arrest in G2/M arrest comparing with either agent alone (p < 0.01. The in vivo antitumor study evaluated in B16 tumor-bearing mice also validated the synergistic effects. All these results suggested that CE could enhance the antitumor activity of DTX in a synergistic manner, which suggest promising application prospects of CE + DTX combination treatment.

Cost-effectiveness of Paclitaxel + Ramucirumab Combination Therapy for Advanced Gastric Cancer Progressing After First-line Chemotherapy in Japan.

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Saito, Shota; Muneoka, Yusuke; Ishikawa, Takashi; Akazawa, Kouhei

2017-12-01

The combination of paclitaxel + ramucirumab is a standard second-line treatment in patients with advanced gastric cancer. This therapy has been associated with increased median overall survival and progression-free survival compared with those with paclitaxel monotherapy. We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of paclitaxel + ramucirumab combination therapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer, from the perspective of health care payers in Japan. We constructed a Markov model to compare, over a time horizon of 3 years, the costs and effectiveness of the combination of paclitaxel + ramucirumab and paclitaxel alone as second-line therapies for advanced gastric cancer in Japan. Health outcomes were measured in life-years (LYs) and quality-adjusted (QA) LYs gained. Costs were calculated using year-2016 Japanese yen (¥1 = US $17.79) according to the social insurance reimbursement schedule and drug tariff of the fee-for-service system in Japan. Model robustness was addressed through 1-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses. The costs and QALYs were discounted at a rate of 2% per year. The willingness-to-pay threshold was set at the World Health Organization's criterion of ¥12 million, because no consensus exists regarding the threshold for acceptable cost per QALY ratios in Japan's health policy. Paclitaxel + ramucirumab combination therapy was estimated to provide an additional 0.09 QALYs (0.10 LYs) at a cost of ¥3,870,077, resulting in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of ¥43,010,248/QALY. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for the combination therapy was >¥12 million/QALY in all of the 1-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses. Adding ramucirumab to a regimen of paclitaxel in the second-line treatment of advanced gastric cancer is expected to provide a minimal incremental benefit at a high incremental cost per QALY. Based on our findings, adjustments in the price of ramucirumab, as well as improves in other clinical parameters such as survival

Atorvastatin/trimetazidine combination therapy in patients with ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Purpose: To explore the outcomes and safety of atorvastatin/trimetazidine combination therapy in patients with chronic cardiac failure. Methods: A total of 144 patients with chronic cardiac failure were divided into test group (n = 72) and control group (n = 72). In addition to conventional anti-heart failure treatment, all patients ...

A retrospective study of treatment persistence and adherence to α-blocker plus antimuscarinic combination therapies, in men with LUTS/BPH in the Netherlands.

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Drake, Marcus J; Bowditch, Sally; Arbe, Emilio; Hakimi, Zalmai; Guelfucci, Florent; Amri, Ikbel; Nazir, Jameel

2017-05-22

To assess treatment persistence and adherence in men ≥45 years of age with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), using prescription records from the Netherlands IMS Lifelink™ LRx database. In this retrospective, observational cohort study, we identified men who received combination therapy with an α-blocker plus an antimuscarinic (e.g. solifenacin or tolterodine) between 1 November 2013 and 31 October 2014. Treatment could be received as a fixed-dose combination (FDC) tablet or as two drugs administered together (concomitant therapy), if both combination drugs were prescribed within 30 days. The primary objective was to assess treatment persistence, defined as the time from initiation of combination therapy until first discontinuation of the FDC or at least one of the drugs given concomitantly (i.e. ≥30 days without prescription renewal). Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess persistence by antimuscarinic agent, and with different gap lengths used to define discontinuation (45, 60 and 90 days), respectively. A total of 1891 men received an α-blocker plus an antimuscarinic (FDC, N = 665; concomitant therapy, N = 1226). Median time to discontinuation was significantly longer with FDC versus concomitant therapy (414 vs. 112 days; adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 2.04, 95% confidence interval 1.77, 2.35; p BPH treated with α-blocker plus antimuscarinic combination therapy in the Netherlands showed that treatment persistence was significantly greater in those who received a FDC tablet compared with combination therapy given concomitantly. The study also shows that treatment persistence was extended in men who received combination therapy containing solifenacin compared with other antimuscarinics. Overall, these findings may be useful for prescribers, as improved persistence on-treatment may translate into improved outcomes for men with LUTS/BPH. Further study is warranted to establish the key

Combination Therapy Strategies Against Multiple-Resistant Streptococcus Suis

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Yang Yu

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Streptococcus suis is a major swine pathogen, an emerging zoonotic agent responsible for meningitis, endocarditis and septicaemia followed by deafness in humans. The development of antimicrobial resistance in S. suis increases the risk for therapeutic failure in both animals and humans. In this study, we report the synergism of combination therapy against multi-resistant S. suis isolates from swine. Twelve antibiotic profiles were determined against 11 S. suis strains. To investigate their synergistic/antagonistic activity, checkerboard assay was performed for all the possible combinations. In-vitro killing curves and in-vivo treatment trials were used to confirm the synergistic activity of special combinations against S. suis dominant clones. In this study, 11 S. suis isolates were highly resistant to erythromycin, clindamycin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, and tetracycline with ratios of 80–100%, and the resistance percentages to enrofloxacin, florfenicol, and spectinomycin were ~50%. The checkerboard data identified two combination regimens, ampicillin plus apramycin and tiamulin plus spectinomycin which gave the greatest level of synergism against the S. suis strains. In-vitro kill-curves showed a bacterial reduction of over 3-logCFU with the use of combination treatments, whilst the application of mono-therapies achieve less than a 2-logCFU cell killing. In-vivo models confirm that administration of these two combinations significantly reduced the number of bacterial cells after 24 h of treatment. In conclusions, the combinations of ampicillin plus apramycin and tiamulin plus spectinomycin showed the greatest synergism and may be potential strategies for treatment of multi-resistant S. suis in animal.

Combined tumor therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wrba, H.

1990-01-01

This comprehensive survey of current methods and achievements first takes a look at the two basic therapies, devoting a chapter each to the surgery and radiotherapy of tumors. The principal subjects of the book, however, are the systemic, adjuvant therapy, biological therapies, hyperthermia and various other therapies (as e.g. treatment with ozone, oxygen, or homeopathic means), and psychotherapy. (MG) With 54 figs., 86 tabs [de

Atypical and Typical Winter Depressive Symptoms and Responsiveness to Light Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, or Combination Treatment

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Johnson, Leigh G; Rohan, Kelly J

2005-01-01

...), group cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), or combination therapy (CBT+LT). Atypical and typical symptoms were assessed using subscales of the Structured Interview Guide for the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression - SAD Version (SIGH-SAD...

Fixed-dose combination therapy for the prevention of cardiovascular disease

Science.gov (United States)

de Cates, Angharad N; Farr, Matthew RB; Rees, Karen; Casas, Juan P; Huffman, Mark

2014-01-01

This is the protocol for a review and there is no abstract. The objectives are as follows: To determine the effectiveness of fixed-dose combination therapy on optimising CVD risk factors and reducing CVD fatal and non-fatal events for both primary and secondary prevention of CVD. Details of CVD events and risk factors included are listed in the methods. We will also determine any adverse events associated with taking fixed-dose combination therapy. This will include studies conducted in both developed and developing regions of the world. PMID:25267903

Improved outcome in solitary bone plasmacytomata with combined therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Avilés, A; Huerta-Guzmán, J; Delgado, S; Fernández, A; Díaz-Maqueo, J C

1996-09-01

Solitary bone plasmacytoma (SBP) is a rare presentation of plasma cell dyscrasias. Radiotherapy has been considered the treatment of choice, however, most patients will develop multiple myeloma, 3 to 10 years after initial diagnosis and treatment. No innovations have been introduced in the treatment of SBP in the last 30 years. We began a prospective clinical trial to assess the efficacy and toxicity of adjuvant chemotherapy with low doses of melphalan and prednisone administered to patients with SBP after radiation therapy in an attempt to improve the disease-free survival and overall survival. Between 1982 and 1989, 53 patients with SBP were randomly assigned to be treated with either local radiotherapy with doses ranged from 4000 to 5000 cGy to achieve local control of disease (28 patients) or the same radiotherapy schedule followed by melphalan and prednisone given every 6 weeks for 3 years (25 patients). After a median follow-up of 8.9 years, disease-free survival and overall survival were improved in patients who were treated with combined therapy, 22 patients remain alive and free of disease in the combined treatment group compared to only 13 patients in the radiotherapy group (p radiotherapy in patients with SBP improved duration of remission and survival without severe side-effects. However, as with other studies in SBP, the group was too small to draw definitive conclusions and more controlled clinical trials are necessary to define the role of this therapeutic approach in patients with SBP.

Research advances in traditional Chinese medicine combined with interventional therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma

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LIU Yang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Interventional therapy has become the first choice of non-surgical treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC due to its advantages such as little trauma and marked local effect. However, the clinical efficiency is less than expected. One of the possibilities is the resistance of cancer cells to anti-cancer drugs. Increasing attention has been paid to the combination of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM and interventional therapy in HCC treatment. This paper reviews the progress in TCM combined with interventional therapy for HCC at animal experiment and clinical study levels in recent ten years. It is pointed out that the combination therapy with TCM and intervention for HCC has a unique advantage.

Randomized comparative trial of efficacy of paracetamol, ibuprofen and paracetamol-ibuprofen combination for treatment of febrile children

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Falgun Indravadan Vyas

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: Paracetamol and ibuprofen are widely used for fever in children as monotherapy and as combined therapy. None of the treatments is proven clearly superior to others. Hence, the study was planned to compare the efficacy of paracetamol, ibuprofen and paracetamol-ibuprofen combination for treatment of febrile children. Materials and Methods: This was an investigator blind, randomized, comparative, parallel clinical trial conducted in 99 febrile children, 6 months to 12 years of age, allocated to three groups. First group received paracetamol 15 mg/kg, second group received ibuprofen 10 mg/kg and third group received both paracetamol and ibuprofen, all as a single dose by the oral route. Patients were followed-up at intervals of 1, 2, 3 and 4 h post dose by tympanic thermometry. Results: Mean tympanic temperature after 4 h of drug administration was significantly lower in the combination group compared with paracetamol group (P < 0.05; however, the difference was not clinically significant (<1΀C. The rate of fall of temperature was highest in the combination group. Number of afebrile children any time post dose until 4 h was highest in the combination group. Difference between combination and paracetamol was significant for the 1 st h (P = 0.04. Highest fall of temperature was noted in the 1 st h of drug administration in all the groups. No serious adverse events were observed in any of the groups. Conclusion: Paracetamol and ibuprofen combination caused quicker temperature reduction than either paracetamol or ibuprofen alone. If quicker reduction of body temperature is the desired goal of therapy, the use of combination of paracetamol + ibuprofen may be advocated.

Orthodontics-surgical combination therapy for Class III skeletal malocclusion

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M S Ravi

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The correction of skeletal Class III malocclusion with severe mandibular prognathism in an adult individual requires surgical and Othodontic combination therapy. The inter disciplinary approach is the treatment of choice in most of the skeletal malocclusions. A case report of an adult individual with Class III malocclusion, having mandibular excess in sagittal and vertical plane and treated with orthodontics,, bilateral sagittal split osteotomy and Le - Forte I osteotomy for the correction of skeletal, dental and soft tissue discrepancies is herewith presented. The surgical-orthodontic combination therapy has resulted in near-normal skeletal, dental and soft tissue relationship, with marked improvement in the facial esthetics in turn, has helped the patient to improve the self-confidence level.

ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF COMBINED THERAPY OF ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION BY MARKOV’S MODELING

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N. S. Maksimchuk-Kolobova

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Aim. To evaluate the economic effectiveness of the combined two-drug antihypertensive therapy in patients with arterial hypertension (HT and high cardiovascular risk by Markov’s modeling.Material and methods. Patients (n= 65; 19 males and 46 females with essential HT accompanied by metabolic disorders, history of previous ineffective antihypertensive therapy were included into the study. Patients were randomized into 2 groups. Group V/A was treated with valsartan and amlodipine in fixed-dose combinations of 160/5 and 160/10 mg depending on blood pressure (BP level. Patients of group L/A were treated with losartan 100 mg and amlodipine 5 or 10 mg daily. Treatment duration was 24 weeks. Changes in BP level, and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH regression were assessed. Economic evaluation was performed on the basis of modeling with specialized software Decision Tree 4.xla.Results. Effect of the two variants of combination therapy on LVH was used to estimate treatment effectiveness and to build the model. Patients were distributed according to the left ventricular mass (LVM at baseline and after 24 weeks of therapy. Significant decrease in LVM was observed in V/A group: from 225.1±71.7 to 186.3±44.5 g (p<0.05. There was no LVM dynamics in L/A group. The model took into account economic and frequency factors for 10 years forecast. V/A therapy is able to prevent 94 deaths, 22 strokes, and 64 myocardial infarction per 1000 patients. Absence of need in treatment of these prevented events can save about 5.5 million RUR for every 1000 patients. It would reduce the total costs per patient during 10 years. V/A therapy is able to save maximal number of quality adjusted life years (QALY due to LVM regression (5.016 years. L/A combination is the most economical variant of pharmacotherapy due to low cost of treatment (16.491.25 RUR per 1 QALY. It would take 286.698.7 RUR additionally for one additional QALY in the treatment with V/A, and it is

Nanoparticle-mediated combination chemotherapy and photodynamic therapy overcomes tumor drug resistance.

Science.gov (United States)

Khdair, Ayman; Chen, Di; Patil, Yogesh; Ma, Linan; Dou, Q Ping; Shekhar, Malathy P V; Panyam, Jayanth

2010-01-25

Tumor drug resistance significantly limits the success of chemotherapy in the clinic. Tumor cells utilize multiple mechanisms to prevent the accumulation of anticancer drugs at their intracellular site of action. In this study, we investigated the anticancer efficacy of doxorubicin in combination with photodynamic therapy using methylene blue in a drug-resistant mouse tumor model. Surfactant-polymer hybrid nanoparticles formulated using an anionic surfactant, Aerosol-OT (AOT), and a naturally occurring polysaccharide polymer, sodium alginate, were used for synchronized delivery of the two drugs. Balb/c mice bearing syngeneic JC tumors (mammary adenocarcinoma) were used as a drug-resistant tumor model. Nanoparticle-mediated combination therapy significantly inhibited tumor growth and improved animal survival. Nanoparticle-mediated combination treatment resulted in enhanced tumor accumulation of both doxorubicin and methylene blue, significant inhibition of tumor cell proliferation, and increased induction of apoptosis. These data suggest that nanoparticle-mediated combination chemotherapy and photodynamic therapy using doxorubicin and methylene blue has significant therapeutic potential against drug-resistant tumors. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of visual perception training combined with total nutrition meal sequential therapy on myopic amblyopia in preschool children

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Hong Chen

2017-12-01

Full Text Available AIM: To observe the therapeutic effect of visual perception training combined with total nutrition meal sequential therapy in the treatment of myopic amblyopia. METHODS: Totally 73 children(135 eyeswith myopic amblyopia were divided into control group(36 cases, 67 eyesand treatment group(37 cases, 68 eyesaccording to random number table. The control group were treated with traditional spectaculars and grating covering combined with fine eyesight training; the treatment group were treated with visual perception training combined with total nutrient meal sequential therapy. The visual acuity, diopter and average diopter of two groups were compared before and after treatment at 3, 6mo and 1a. The curative effect of two groups of children was compared after 1a treatment. And the adverse reactions were recorded in two groups during the treatment period. The recurrence rate of amblyopia in 1a follow-up was compared between two groups. RESULTS: The difference of visual acuity between two groups was not significant at 3mo(P>0.05. The visual acuity of the treatment group was significantly higher than that of the control group at 6mo and 1a(PP>0.05, but the average annual refractive changes in the treatment group were significantly lower than that in the control group(PPPCONCLUSION: Visual perception training combined with total nutrition meal sequential therapy in the treatment of myopic amblyopia in preschool children can significantly improve patients' visual acuity, reduce the average annual diopter changes, improve the therapeutic effect, reduce the recurrence rate of amblyopia.

Combination therapy in a patient with chronic neuronopathic Gaucher disease: a case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Ceravolo, Ferdinando; Grisolia, Michele; Sestito, Simona; Falvo, Francesca; Moricca, Maria Teresa; Concolino, Daniela

2017-01-20

The variants of neuronopathic Gaucher disease may be viewed as a clinical phenotypic continuum divided into acute and chronic forms. The chronic neuronopathic form of Gaucher disease is characterized by a later onset of neurological symptoms and protracted neurological and visceral involvement. The first-choice treatment for nonneuronopathic Gaucher disease is enzyme replacement therapy with recombinant analogues of the deficient human enzyme glucocerebrosidase. Enzyme replacement therapy has been shown to improve hematological and bone manifestations associated with Gaucher disease, but, as with most proteins, recombinant enzymes cannot cross the blood-brain barrier, which prevents effects on neurological manifestations. Substrate reduction therapy with miglustat (N-butyldeoxynojirimycin) inhibits glucosylceramide synthase, which catalyzes the first step in glycosphingolipid synthesis. Because miglustat can cross the blood-brain barrier, it has been suggested that, combined with enzyme replacement therapy, it might be effective in treating neurological symptoms in patients with neuronopathic Gaucher disease. We report observed effects of combined enzyme replacement therapy and substrate reduction therapy in a 7-year-old Caucasian boy with neuronopathic Gaucher disease who was homozygous for L444P mutations. He had received enzyme replacement therapy from the age of 18 months, and concomitant miglustat treatment was commenced, with dosing according to body surface area uptitrated over 1 month with dietary modifications when he reached the age of 30 months. He experienced mild diarrhea after commencing miglustat therapy, which decreased in frequency/severity over time. His splenomegaly was reduced, and his hematological values and plasma angiotensin-converting enzyme activity normalized. Plasma chitotriosidase also showed substantial and sustained decreases. After 5 years of combination therapy, the patient showed no signs of neurological impairment. This case

Ribavirin-induced anemia in hepatitis C virus patients undergoing combination therapy.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sheeja M Krishnan

2011-02-01

Full Text Available The current standard of care for hepatitis C virus (HCV infection - combination therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin - elicits sustained responses in only ∼50% of the patients treated. No alternatives exist for patients who do not respond to combination therapy. Addition of ribavirin substantially improves response rates to interferon and lowers relapse rates following the cessation of therapy, suggesting that increasing ribavirin exposure may further improve treatment response. A key limitation, however, is the toxic side-effect of ribavirin, hemolytic anemia, which often necessitates a reduction of ribavirin dosage and compromises treatment response. Maximizing treatment response thus requires striking a balance between the antiviral and hemolytic activities of ribavirin. Current models of viral kinetics describe the enhancement of treatment response due to ribavirin. Ribavirin-induced anemia, however, remains poorly understood and precludes rational optimization of combination therapy. Here, we develop a new mathematical model of the population dynamics of erythrocytes that quantitatively describes ribavirin-induced anemia in HCV patients. Based on the assumption that ribavirin accumulation decreases erythrocyte lifespan in a dose-dependent manner, model predictions capture several independent experimental observations of the accumulation of ribavirin in erythrocytes and the resulting decline of hemoglobin in HCV patients undergoing combination therapy, estimate the reduced erythrocyte lifespan during therapy, and describe inter-patient variations in the severity of ribavirin-induced anemia. Further, model predictions estimate the threshold ribavirin exposure beyond which anemia becomes intolerable and suggest guidelines for the usage of growth hormones, such as erythropoietin, that stimulate erythrocyte production and avert the reduction of ribavirin dosage, thereby improving treatment response. Our model thus facilitates, in

Biological basis of combination therapy with radiation and bleomycin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukuda, Hiroshi; Matsuzawa, Taiju; Yokoyama, Kumiko; Okuyama, Shinichi; Yamaura, Hiroshi

1976-01-01

The biological basis for combination therapy with radiation and bleomycin (BLM) was studied on C 2 W cells growing in vitro. When BLM was added to the medium before or after irradiation, a potentiating effect was observed. The potentiation remained for 4-6 hours after irradiation. To make clear the mechanism, both type of repair from radiation damage (Elkind type and PLD) by BLM were examined. BLM didn't inhibit the Elkind type recovery but it did inhibit the repair of potentially lethal damage (PLD repair). Plateau phase C 2 W cells were irradiated, incubated at 37 0 C for a various number of hours, then trypsinized for colony formation. PLD repair was inhibited when BLM was added immediately after irradiation. Based on such experimental results, we treated lung cancer with combination of radiation and BLM. BLM was injected intravenously within 30 minutes after irradiation. Although it seems too early to discuss the result of the combination therapy, it is very promising. (J.P.N.)

Biological basis of combination therapy with radiation and bleomycin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fukuda, H; Matsuzawa, T; Yokoyama, K; Okuyama, S; Yamaura, H [Tohoku Univ., Sendai (Japan). Research Inst. for Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Cancer

1976-01-01

The biological basis for combination therapy with radiation and bleomycin (BLM) was studied on C/sub 2/W cells growing in vitro. When BLM was added to the medium before or after irradiation, a potentiating effect was observed. The potentiation remained for 4-6 hours after irradiation. To make clear the mechanism, both type of repair from radiation damage (Elkind type and PLD) by BLM were examined. BLM didn't inhibit the Elkind type recovery but it did inhibit the repair of potentially lethal damage (PLD repair). Plateau phase C/sub 2/W cells were irradiated, incubated at 37/sup 0/C for a various number of hours, then trypsinized for colony formation. PLD repair was inhibited when BLM was added immediately after irradiation. Based on such experimental results, we treated lung cancer with combination of radiation and BLM. BLM was injected intravenously within 30 minutes after irradiation. Although it seems too early to discuss the result of the combination therapy, it is very promising.

Role of Esophageal Metal Stents Placement and Combination Therapy in Inoperable Esophageal Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Lai, Andrew; Lipka, Seth; Kumar, Ambuj; Sethi, Sajiv; Bromberg, David; Li, Nanxing; Shen, Huafeng; Stefaniwsky, Lilia; Brady, Patrick

2018-04-01

More than 50% of patients with esophageal cancer already have inoperable disease at the time of diagnosis. Controversy surrounds the outcomes of patients with advanced esophageal cancer who receive palliative care by either stent alone or stent plus an additional modality. We set out to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies assessing the use of metal stents as treatment options for symptomatic improvement, survival, and adverse events. We searched Embase, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) from inception until January 14, 2016, as well as other databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing esophageal stent versus either esophageal stent plus brachytherapy, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy. For quality assurance purposes throughout the systematic review, multiple independent extractions were performed, and the process was executed as per the standards of the Cochrane collaboration. Primary outcomes were mean change in dysphagia score, overall survival, and quality of life. Secondary outcomes were adverse events including fever, severe pain, aspiration, fistula, stent migration, perforation, and restenosis. Eight RCTs enrolling 732 patients were included with three distinct comparisons: stents combination therapy vs stents alone (5 studies, n = 417), stents alone versus brachytherapy alone (2 studies, n = 274), and stents + brachytherapy vs brachytherapy alone (1 study, n = 41). Stents combination therapy was defined as stents plus radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or both. Mean change in dysphagia scores favored stents combination therapy versus stents alone, and the effect was seen in patients surviving longer than 3 months. Stents combination therapy was also associated with a more favorable overall survival. The risks of stent migration, aspiration pneumonia, and restenosis were lower in the stents combination group compared to stents alone, while the risks of severe pain, hemorrhage, and

Ethical hot spots of combined individual and group therapy: applying four ethical systems.

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Brabender, Virginia M; Fallon, April

2009-01-01

Abstract Combined therapy presents ethical quandaries that occur in individual psychotherapy and group psychotherapy, and dilemmas specifically associated with their integration. This paper examines two types of ethical frameworks (a classical principle-based framework and a set of context-based frameworks) for addressing the ethical hot spots of combined therapy: self-referral, transfer of information, and termination. The principle-based approach enables the practitioner to see what core values may be served or violated by different courses of action in combined therapy dilemmas. Yet, the therapist is more likely to do justice to the complexity and richness of the combined therapy situation by supplementing a principle analysis with three additional ethical frameworks. These approaches are: virtue ethics, feminist ethics, and casuistry. An analysis of three vignettes illustrates how these contrasting ethical models not only expand the range of features to which the therapist attends but also the array of solutions the therapist generates.

Comparing systemic therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy for social anxiety disorders: study protocol for a randomized controlled pilot trial.

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Hunger, Christina; Hilzinger, Rebecca; Koch, Theresa; Mander, Johannes; Sander, Anja; Bents, Hinrich; Schweitzer, Jochen

2016-03-31

Social anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent anxiety disorders in the general population. The efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for social anxiety disorders is well demonstrated. However, only three studies point to the efficacy of systemic therapy (ST) in anxiety disorders, and only two of them especially focus on social anxiety disorders. These ST studies either do not use a good comparator but minimal supportive therapy, they do not use a multi-person ST but a combined therapy, or they do not especially focus on social anxiety disorders but mood and anxiety disorders in general. Though ST was approved as evidence based in Germany for a variety of disorders in 2008, evidence did not include anxiety disorders. This is the first pilot study that will investigate multi-person ST, integrating a broad range of systemic methods, specifically for social anxiety disorders and that will compare ST to the "gold standard" CBT. This article describes the rationale and protocol of a prospective, open, interventive, balanced, bi-centric, pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT). A total of 32 patients with a primary SCID diagnosis of social anxiety disorder will be randomized to either CBT or ST. Both treatments will be manualized. The primary outcome will include social anxiety symptoms at the end of therapy. Therapy will be restricted to no more than 26 hours (primary endpoint). Secondary outcomes will include psychological, social systems and interpersonal functioning, symptom adjustment, and caregiver burden, in addition to change measures, therapist variables and treatment adherence. At the secondary endpoints, 9 and 12 months after the beginning of therapy, we will again assess all outcomes. The study is expected to pilot test a RCT which will be the first to directly compare CBT and multi-person ST, integrating a broad range of systemic methods, for social anxiety disorders, and it will provide empirical evidence for the calculation of the number of

Randomized study comparing full dose monotherapy (S-1 followed by irinotecan) and reduced dose combination therapy (S-1/oxaliplatin followed by S-1/irinotecan) as initial therapy for older patients with metastatic colorectal cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Winther, Stine Braendegaard; Österlund, Pia; Berglund, Åke

2017-01-01

to select which older patients should receive therapy. Methods: The NORDIC 9 trial is a Nordic multicenter randomized phase II study comparing full dose monotherapy (S-1 30 mg/m2 twice daily days 1-14 every 3 weeks, followed by second line irinotecan 250-350 mg/m2 iv day 1 every 3 weeks or 180-250 mg/m2 iv...... day 1 every 2 weeks) with reduced dose combination therapy (S-1 20 mg/m2 days 1-14 + oxaliplatin 100 mg/m2 iv day 1 every 3 weeks, followed by second line S-1 20 mg/m2 days 1-14 + irinotecan 180 mg/m2 day 1 every 3 week) for older patients (≥70 years) with mCRC who are not candidates for full...... chance for tailored treatment strategies in these patients. Trial registration: EU Clinical Trial Register, EudraCT no. 2014-000394-39. Registered 05 May 2014....

Early experience of proton beam therapy combined with chemotherapy for locally advanced oropharyngeal cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishikawa, Youjirou; Nakamura, Tatsuya; Takada, Akinori; Takayama, Kanako; Makita, Chiyoko; Suzuki, Motohisa; Azami, Yusuke; Kikuchi, Yasuhiro; Fuwa, Nobukazu

2013-01-01

Between 2009 and 2012, 10 patients with advanced oropharyngeal cancer underwent proton therapy combined with chemotherapy. The initial results of this therapy were 8 complete response (CR) and 2 partial response (PR), local recurrence was detected 1 patient. Proton beam therapy combined with chemotherapy is thought to be an effective treatment for locally advanced oropharyngeal cancer. (author)

Cost-effectiveness Analysis of Antipsychotic Combination Therapy in Schizophrenia Inpatients

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Rizky Abdulah

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Schizophrenia is one of mental disorders with high cost and lifetime morbidity risk. Hence, it is necessary to analyze the cost-effectiveness of various combinations of antipsychotics. The aim of this study was to analyze the most cost-effective group of antipsychotic combinations in schizophrenia inpatients in West Java Psychiatric Hospital during 2012–2013. Data were collected retrospectively from medical record of patients who used antipsychotics clozapine-haloperidol or clozapine-risperidone therapy. Direct medical costs were obtained from antipsychotics costs, costs of medical treatment, medical expenses, hospitalization costs, and administrative costs. The results showed that the average cost-effectiveness ratio of antipsychotic clozapine-haloperidol was Rp126.898/day and Rp132.781/day for the combination of clozapine-haloperidol and clozapine-risperidone, respectively. Considering length of stay as the therapy effectiveness, it can be concluded that the combination of clozapine-haloperidol is more cost-effective than clozapine-risperidone.

An experimental study on cervix cancer with combination of HSV-TK/GCV suicide gene therapy system and 60Co radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Daozhen; Tang, Qiusha

2010-01-01

To evaluate the killing effect of HSV-TK/GCV suicide gene therapy system combined with 60 Co radiotherapy on human cervical cancer Hela cell line in vitro and in vivo, and to explore the radiosensitization by HSV-TK/GCV system. HSV-TK/GCV suicide gene therapy system and 60 Co radiotherapy were used separately or in combination on human cervical cancer Hela cell line in vitro and in vivo to compare their effects. Colony formation test and the rate of radiosensitization effect (E/O) were employed to observed the radiosensitization by HSV-TK/GCV system. HSV-TK/GCV suicide gene therapy system had strong therapeutic effects on Hela cells in vitro and in vivo (the inhibition rates were 45.8% and 39.5%, respectively), moreover, the combined administration of gene therapy and radiotherapy had stronger therapeutic effects in vitro and in vivo (the inhibition rate was 87.5% in vitro, and the inhibition rate was 87.9% in vivo) (P < 0.01). The inhibition rate by radiotherapy alone was 42.4% in vitro and 35.8% in vivo. The sensitivity of combined therapy to radiotherapy increased more than that of therapy alone, the ability of colony formation decreased (P < 0.01). The rate of radiosensitivity effect (E/O) was 3.17(> 1.4), indicating HSV-TK/GCV system could exert a sensitizing effect on 60 Co radiotherapy of the transplanted human cervical cancer cell in nude mice. HSV-TK/GCV system had radiosensitization. Gene therapy combined with radiotherapy may be a good supplementary method for cervix cancer synthetic treatment

Safety of combination therapy with milrinone and esmolol for heart protection during percutaneous coronary intervention in acute myocardial infarction.

Science.gov (United States)

Poh, Kian-Keong; Xu, Xin; Chan, Mark Y; Lee, Chi-Hang; Tay, Edgar L; Low, Adrian F; Chan, Koo Hui; Sia, Winnie; Tang, Liang-Qiu; Tan, Huay Cheem; Lui, Charles Y; Nguyen, Vincent; Fujise, Kenichi; Huang, Ming-He

2014-05-01

Ischemia/reperfusion injury remains an untreated clinical problem in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) despite significant advances in emergent revascularization through percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Pharmacological intervention for infarct size reduction is unavailable. We have identified that the medications milrinone and esmolol, when administered together at the beginning of the reperfusion, significantly decrease infarct size via reducing reperfusion injury in an experimental model. The present study tested the safety of combination therapy of milrinone and esmolol (M + E) in patients with AMI. Sixteen subjects with AMI requiring PCI were consecutively recruited. M + E was intravenously infused simultaneously for 10 min started at 5 min before anticipated angioplasty balloon inflation. Another 16 consecutively recruited AMI patients requiring PCI served as a placebo arm treated per routine clinical protocol. Blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) were monitored continuously during PCI. M + E combination therapy resulted in a trend of non-significant reduction in BP compared with a control group. There was a modest but significant increase in HR at the later phase of M + E infusion compared with a control group. No significant cardiac arrhythmia was induced during M + E infusion. The combination therapy with M + E produces a minimal change in hemodynamics and appears safe as an adjunctive therapy to PCI in AMI patients. Further studies are warranted.

Intense pulsed light, near infrared pulsed light, and fractional laser combination therapy for skin rejuvenation in Asian subjects: a prospective multi-center study in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, Li; Wu, Jiaqiang; Qian, Hui; Lu, Zhong; Li, Yuanhong; Wang, Weizhen; Zhao, Xiaozhong; Tu, Ping; Yin, Rui; Xiang, Leihong

2015-09-01

Ablative skin rejuvenation therapies have limitations for Asian people, including post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and long down time. Non-ablative lasers are safer but have limited efficacy. This study is to investigate the safety and efficacy of a combination therapy consisting of intense pulsed light (IPL), near infrared (NIR) light, and fractional erbium YAG (Er:YAG) laser for skin rejuvenation in Asian people. This study recruited 113 subjects from six sites in China. Subjects were randomly assigned to a full-face group, who received combination therapy, and split-face groups, in which one half of the face received combination therapy and the other half received IPL monotherapy. Each subject received five treatment sessions during a period of 90 days. Subjects were followed up at 1 and 3 months post last treatment. Three months after last treatment, the full-face group (n = 57) had a global improvement rate of 29 % and 29 % for wrinkles, 32 % for skin texture, 33 % for pigment spots, 28 % for pore size, respectively. For patients in the split-face groups (n = 54), monotherapy side had a global improvement rate of 23 % and 20 % for wrinkles, 27 % for skin texture, 25 % for pigment spots, 25 % for pore size, respectively. Both combination therapy and monotherapy resulted in significant improvements at the follow-up visits compared to baseline (P < 0.001). Combination therapy showed significantly greater improvements compared to monotherapy at two follow-up visits (P < 0.05). Combination therapy is a safe and more effective strategy than IPL monotherapy for skin rejuvenation in Asian people.

Combined transcranial direct current stimulation and home-based occupational therapy for upper limb motor impairment following intracerebral hemorrhage: a double-blind randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Mortensen, Jesper; Figlewski, Krystian; Andersen, Henning

2016-01-01

To investigate the combined effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and home-based occupational therapy on activities of daily living (ADL) and grip strength, in patients with upper limb motor impairment following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). A double-blind randomized controlled trial with one-week follow-up. Patients received five consecutive days of occupational therapy at home, combined with either anodal (n = 8) or sham (n = 7) tDCS. The primary outcome was ADL performance, which was assessed with the Jebsen-Taylor test (JTT). Both groups improved JTT over time (p occupational therapy provided greater improvements in grip strength compared with occupational therapy alone. tDCS is a promising add-on intervention regarding training of upper limb motor impairment. It is well tolerated by patients and can easily be applied for home-based training. Larger studies with long-term follow-up are needed to further explore possible effects of tDCS in patients with ICH. Five consecutive days of tDCS combined with occupational therapy provided greater improvements in grip strength compared with occupational therapy alone. tDCS is well tolerated by patients and can easily be applied for home-based rehabilitation.

[Influence of Saccharomyces boulardii Sachets combined with bismuth quadruple therapy for initial Helicobacter pylori eradication].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, X Y; Du, J; Wu, J; Zhao, L W; Meng, X; Liu, G F

2017-08-08

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Saccharomyces boulardii Sachets combined with bismuth quadruple therapy for initial Helicobacter pylori ( H . pylori ) eradication. Methods: From March 2014 to March 2015, 240 participants from the third hospital of Hebei medical university with H . pylori infection were recruited and randomized into three groups: Quadruple therapy group received bismuth potassium citrate 220 mg bid + Rabeprazole 10 mg bid + amoxicillin 1 000 mg bid+ furazolidone 100 mg bid for 10 days. Short-term group and long-term group received the same quadruple therapy for 10 days as above, as well as Saccharomyces boulardii Sachets 500 mg bid for 14 days and 28 days, respectively. H . pylori eradication was confirmed by (13)C/(14)C-UBT at least 4 weeks after completion of therapy. And side effects were investigated during the therapy. Results: The H . pylori eradication rates in quadruple therapy, short-term and long-term group were 80%, 87.5% and 87.5% by ITT analysis ( P =0.321) and 92.8%, 94.6% and 95.9% by PP analysis ( P =0.717), respectively. The overall side effect rate and occurrence of diarrhea and abdominal distension were significantly lower in short-term or long-term group as compared with quadruple therapy group( P =0.007, 0.003, 0.004), but there was no significant difference between the two probiotics groups. Conclusions: Both short and long-term Saccharomyces boulardii Sachets reduced the overall side effect rate and occurrence of diarrhea or abdominal distension when combined with bismuth quadruple therapy for initial H . pylori eradication and no difference was observed in efficacy or safety between the two groups.

Combined riluzole and sodium phenylbutyrate therapy in transgenic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Del Signore, Steven J; Amante, Daniel J; Kim, Jinho; Stack, Edward C; Goodrich, Sarah; Cormier, Kerry; Smith, Karen; Cudkowicz, Merit E; Ferrante, Robert J

2009-04-01

Recent evidence suggests that transcriptional dysregulation may play a role in the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The histone deacetylase inhibitor, sodium phenylbutyrate (NaPB), is neuroprotective and corrects aberrant gene transcription in ALS mice and has recently been shown to be safe and tolerable in ALS patients while improving hypoacetylation. Since many patients are already on riluzole, it is important to ensure that any proposed therapy does not result in negative synergy with riluzole. The combined treatment of riluzole and NaPB significantly extended survival and improved both the clinical and neuropathological phenotypes in G93A transgenic ALS mice beyond either agent alone. Combination therapy increased survival by 21.5%, compared to the separate administration of riluzole (7.5%) and NaPB (12.8%), while improving both body weight loss and grip strength. The data show that the combined treatment was synergistic. In addition, riluzole/NaPB treatment ameliorated gross lumbar and ventral horn atrophy, attenuated lumbar ventral horn neuronal cell death, and decreased reactive astrogliosis. Riluzole/NaPB administration increased acetylation at H4 and increased NF-kappaB p50 translocation to the nucleus in G93A mice, consistent with a therapeutic effect. These data suggest that NaPB may not interfere with the pharmacologic action of riluzole in ALS patients.

Exploring the effectiveness of combined mentalization-based group therapy and dialectical behaviour therapy for inpatients with borderline personality disorder - A pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Edel, Marc-Andreas; Raaff, Vanessa; Dimaggio, Giancarlo; Buchheim, Anna; Brüne, Martin

2017-03-01

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by emotional instability, interpersonal dysfunction, and other features that typically develop before a background of insecure attachment and traumatic experiences. Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) has proven highly effective in reducing self-harm and improving emotion regulation, whereby problems concerning social cognition, which are also characteristic of BPD, may need additional approaches such as mentalization-based treatment (MBT). Here, we examined, in a pilot study, the effectiveness of MBT given adjunct to DBT, compared to DBT alone, in an inpatient sample with BPD, whereby mentalization was measured using a novel cartoon-based task. Both treatments were highly effective in reducing symptom severity. The combination of DBT and MBT was superior in reducing fearful attachment and in improving affective mentalizing. Mentalization-based treatment in combination with DBT may improve certain aspects of social cognitive skills and attachment security, as compared to DBT alone, although the exact mechanisms that led to these changes need to be studied further. Clinical implications Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) can usefully be combined with mentalization-based treatment (MBT). The combination of DBT and MBT reduces self-harm more than DBT alone. DBT plus MBT may lead to a reduction in fearful attachment and improvement of affective mentalizing. Short-term combinations of evidence-based borderline treatments may enrich psychiatric inpatient care. Therefore, such approaches deserve further research. Limitations The treatment condition was therapeutically more intense than the control condition. The study lacked a follow-up assessment. The impact of comorbid conditions on treatment response was not taken into account. Adherence to the manualized approach was not measured. © 2016 The British Psychological Society.

Combined use of Dexa-Scheroson and Primobolan-Depot in radiation therapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nagai, J [Shizuoka Rosai Hospital (Japan)

1976-05-01

Dexa-Scheroson and Primobolan-Depot were used together with radiation therapy (Linac therapy) required in 13 cases. The following results were obtained. The decrease in white cell counts, which often occurs in radiation therapy, was inhibited by the drugs. There was no case in which radiation therapy should necessarily withdraw because the number of leuckocytes was decreased to less than 3,000. The patients whose liver function was poor should be treated with both drugs at the beginning of radiation therapy. It was found that the combined use of the drugs is effective in the prevention and the treatment of cerebral edema in radiation therapy of intracranial lesion.

EFFECTS OF COMBINATION THERAPY ON PLATELET COUNT IN PATIENTS OF MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sadaf Ahmed

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Aspirin and clopidogrel are usually used individually to prevent adverse cardiovascular events and stroke. They are used in stabilizing the blood pressure in patients of myocardial infarction while combination therapy of aspirin and Clopidogrel (dual anti-platelet therapy is used for preventing adverse cardiovascular events in myocardial infarction patients. A cross-sectional observational study is conducted through a structured questionnaire from 110 patients of K.I.H.D (Karachi Institute of Heart Disease hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. Indoor/admitted patients with diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS, non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTE-MI, ST elevation myocardial infarction (STE-MI, supra ventricular tachycardia (SVT were included along with those with previous or current onset of angina pectoris or heart attack. Information from the test reports of these patients was included in the data. Patients without proper test reports were excluded from the study. Combination therapy duration is considered as key tool for evaluation. Out of 100 patients (after exclusion criteria applied almost 18% patients were using the combination therapy for 10 to 25 years while 52% of patients were using the combination therapy for 1 to 10 years. Platelet count of 88% patients was found to be in between 1,50,000–3,50,000/µl. Remaining patients had less than 1,50,000 µl to more than 3,50,000 to 4,50,000 µl. Most frequently reported side effects were chest pain, respiratory issues, headache and depression. On the basis of our data analysis it is concluded that long duration dual anti-platelet therapy will not harm platelet count in human blood but it can create drug dependency in patients. Hypertension is not completely cured with this therapy but can help in stabilizing blood pressure.

Comparison of palbociclib in combination with letrozole or fulvestrant with endocrine therapies for advanced/metastatic breast cancer: network meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Chirila, Costel; Mitra, Debanjali; Colosia, Ann; Ling, Caroline; Odom, Dawn; Iyer, Shrividya; Kaye, James A

2017-08-01

Palbociclib is the first cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitor approved in the United States for HR+/HER2- advanced/metastatic breast cancer, in combination with letrozole as initial endocrine-based therapy in postmenopausal women or with fulvestrant in women with disease progression following endocrine therapy. We compared progression-free survival (PFS) and discontinuations due to adverse events for palbociclib combinations against other endocrine therapies using a mixed-treatment comparison meta-analysis of randomized, controlled trials. A systematic literature review identified relevant trials. Separate analyses were conducted for each palbociclib combination using a Bayesian approach. Treatment rankings were established using the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA). Sixty-five unique studies met inclusion criteria. Palbociclib plus letrozole had the highest SUCRA value (99.9%) and was associated with significantly longer PFS than all comparators in treatment-naïve patients (hazard ratios [HRs] ranged from 0.41 to 0.58). Palbociclib plus fulvestrant had the second highest SUCRA value (93.9%) and, in previously treated patients, yielded significantly longer PFS than most comparators (HRs ranged from 0.26 to 0.46); the exception was everolimus plus exemestane, with similar PFS (HR, 1.04; 95% credible interval [CrI], 0.58-1.76). Palbociclib plus fulvestrant was associated with significantly lower odds of discontinuation due to adverse events than everolimus plus exemestane (odds ratio, 0.14; 95% CrI, 0.05-0.39). The results suggest that the two palbociclib combinations yielded significantly greater PFS than endocrine therapy in treatment-naïve and previously treated patients with advanced/metastatic breast cancer. Palbociclib plus fulvestrant was associated with significantly less toxicity than everolimus plus exemestane.

Possible artemisinin-based combination therapy-resistant malaria in Nigeria: a report of three cases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nnennaya Anthony Ajayi

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Artemisinin-based combination therapy-resistant malaria is rare in Sub-Saharan Africa. The World Health Organization identifies monitoring and surveillance using day-3 parasitaemia post-treatment as the standard test for identifying suspected artemisinin resistance. We report three cases of early treatment failure due to possible artemisinin-based combination therapy-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria. All cases showed adequate clinical and parasitological responses to quinine. This study reveals a need to re-evaluate the quality and efficacy of artemisinin-based combination therapy agents in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Antitumor bystander effect induced by radiation-inducible target gene therapy combined with α particle irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Hui; Jin Chufeng; Wu Yican; Ge Shenfang; Wu Lijun; FDS Team

2012-01-01

In this work, we investigated the bystander effect of the tumor and normal cells surrounding the target region caused by radiation-inducible target gene therapy combined with α-particle irradiation. The receptor tumor cell A549 and normal cell MRC-5 were co-cultured with the donor cells irradiated to 0.5 Gy or the non-irradiated donor cells, and their survival and apoptosis fractions were evaluated. The results showed that the combined treatment of Ad-ET and particle irradiation could induce synergistic antitumor effect on A549 tumor cell, and the survival fraction of receptor cells co-cultured with the irradiated cells decreased by 6%, compared with receptor cells co-cultured with non-irradiated cells, and the apoptosis fraction increased in the same circumstance, but no difference was observed with the normal cells. This study demonstrates that Ad-ET combined with α-particle irradiation can significantly cause the bystander effect on neighboring tumor cells by inhibiting cell growth and inducing apoptosis, without obvious toxicity to normal cells. This suggests that combining radiation-inducible TRAIL gene therapy and irradiation may improve tumor treatment efficacy by specifically targeting tumor cells and even involving the neighboring tumor cells. (authors)

Transdermal estrogen gel and oral aspirin combination therapy improves fertility prognosis via the promotion of endometrial receptivity in moderate to severe intrauterine adhesion

Science.gov (United States)

Chi, Yugang; He, Ping; Lei, Li; Lan, Yi; Hu, Jianguo; Meng, Ying; Hu, Lina

2018-01-01

Intrauterine adhesion (IUA) is one of the most common gynecological diseases in women of reproductive age. IUA, particularlyin moderate to severe forms, accounts for a large percentage of infertility cases. Clinically, the first-line treatment strategy for IUA is transcervical resection of adhesion (TCRA), followed by adjuvant postoperative treatment. Estrogen is one of the classic chemotherapies used following TCRA and contributes to preventing re-adhesion following surgery. However, estrogen has limited effects in promoting pregnancy, which is the ultimate goal for IUA management. In the present study, a transdermal estrogen gel and oral aspirin combination therapy was used in patients with IUA following TCRA. Compared with in the control group (transdermal estrogen only therapy), the combination therapy significantly increased endometrial receptivity marker (αvβ٣ and laminin) expression in endometrium tissues. Additionally, ultrasonic examination revealed the pulsatility index and resistant index of the uterine artery were lower in the combination therapy group. Combination therapy promoted angiogenesis and prevented fibrosis following TCRA more effectively than estrogen-only therapy. Collectively, the evaluation indices, including American Fertility Society score, endometrial parameters and pregnancy rate, indicated that patients with combination therapy had better prognoses in endometrial repair and pregnancy. In conclusion, postoperative combination therapy with transdermal estrogen gel and oral aspirin may be more efficacious in enhancing endometrial receptivity by increasing uterine blood and angiogenesis, contributing to improved fertility prognosis. The findings of the present study may provide novel guidance to the clinical treatment of IUA. PMID:29512784

Manual therapy compared with physical therapy in patients with non-specific neck pain : A randomized controlled trial

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Groeneweg, Ruud; van Assen, Luite; Kropman, Hans; Leopold, Huco; Mulder, Jan; Smits-Engelsman, Bouwien C.M.; Ostelo, Raymond W.J.G.; Oostendorp, R.A.B.; van Tulder, Maurits W.

2017-01-01

Background: Manual therapy according to the School of Manual Therapy Utrecht (MTU) is a specific type of passive manual joint mobilization. MTU has not yet been systematically compared to other manual therapies and physical therapy. In this study the effectiveness of MTU is compared to physical

Combined therapy for critical limb ischemia: biomimetic PLGA microcarriers potentiates the pro-angiogenic effect of adipose tissue stromal vascular fraction cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoareau, Laurence; Fouchet, Florian; Planesse, Cynthia; Mirbeau, Sophie; Sindji, Laurence; Delay, Emmanuel; Roche, Régis; Montero-Menei, Claudia N; Festy, Franck

2018-04-14

We propose a regenerative solution in the treatment of critical limb ischemia. Poly-lactic/glycolic acid (PLGA) microcarriers were prepared and coated with laminin to be sterilized through γ-irradiation of 25 kGy at low temperature. Stromal vascular fraction (SVF) cells were extracted through enzymatic digestion of adipose tissue. Streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice underwent arteriotomy and received an administration of SVF cells combined or not with biomimetic microcarriers. Functional evaluation of the ischemic limb was then reported and tissue reperfusion was evaluated through fluorescence molecular tomography (FMT). Microcarriers were stable and functional after γ-irradiation until at least 12 months storage. Mice which received an injection of SVF cells in the ischemic limb have 22 % of supplementary blood supply within this limb 7 days after surgery compared to vehicle, whereas no difference was observed at day 14. With the combined therapy, the improvement of blood flow is significantly higher compared to vehicle, of about 31 % at day 7 and of about 11 % at day 14. Injection of SVF cells induces a significant 27 % decrease of necrosis compared to vehicle. This effect is more important when SVF cells were mixed with biomimetic microcarriers: - 37% compared to control. Although SVF cells injection leads to a non-significant 22 % proprioception recovery, the combined therapy induces a significant recovery of about 27 % compared to vehicle. We show that the combination of SVF cells from adipose tissue with laminin-coated PLGA microcarriers is efficient for CLI therapy in a diabetic mouse model. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Comparative evaluation of esthetic changes in nonpitted fluorosis stains when treated with resin infiltration, in-office bleaching, and combination therapies.

Science.gov (United States)

Gugnani, Neeraj; Pandit, I K; Gupta, Monika; Gugnani, Shalini; Soni, Sugandhi; Goyal, Virender

2017-09-01

Dental fluorosis leads to esthetic deviation and varies from nonpitted white opacities, dark brown stains to pitting or structural breakdown of enamel surface. Treatment for fluorosis depends on the severity of condition and includes both noninvasive methods and invasive methods. Recently resin infiltration has been proposed as an alternative treatment for nonpitted fluorosis. This study was done to evaluate the esthetic changes in nonpitted fluorosis stains when treated with resin infiltration, in-office bleaching and combination therapies. The present study is a randomized, single blinded controlled trial with four parallel arms with 1:1 allocation ratio. The intervention arms included bleaching with 35% hydrogen peroxide, resin infiltration, resin infiltration with increased infiltration time and a combination approach of bleaching and infiltration. Immediate esthetic changes were evaluated for two parameters including, 'Change in esthetics' and 'Improvement in opacities/stains' using a VAS scale by two independent observers. Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney U-test were done for intergroup comparisons. Best results for both the parameters were observed among patients treated with resin infiltration with increased infiltration time. Mann-Whitney U test revealed significantly better results for resin infiltration groups (alone or combination with bleaching) as compared to bleaching alone (P esthetics and improvement in stains. White and brown opacities due to fluorosis have always been a concern for esthetics. In our study, resin infiltration technique with tailored etching times and increased infiltration time exhibited best immediate esthetic improvement for nonpitted fluorotic opacities and stains. These esthetic outcomes reaffirm the applicability of RI technique for nonpitted fluorosis, which was originally advocated only for white spot lesions due to early caries. This will in turn help the dentists to plan the esthetic management of nonpitted fluorosis

"Smart" nickel oxide based core–shell nanoparticles for combined chemo and photodynamic cancer therapy

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Bano S

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Shazia Bano,1–3,* Samina Nazir,2,* Saeeda Munir,3 Mohamed Fahad AlAjmi,4 Muhammad Afzal,1 Kehkashan Mazhar3 1Department of Physics, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, 2Nanosciences and Technology Department, National Centre for Physics, Islamabad, 3Institute of Biomedical and Genetic Engineering, Islamabad, Pakistan; 4College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: We report “smart” nickel oxide nanoparticles (NOPs as multimodal cancer therapy agent. Water-dispersible and light-sensitive NiO core was synthesized with folic acid (FA connected bovine serum albumin (BSA shell on entrapped doxorubicin (DOX. The entrapped drug from NOP-DOX@BSA-FA was released in a sustained way (64 hours, pH=5.5, dark conditions while a robust release was found under red light exposure (in 1/2 hour under λmax=655 nm, 50 mW/cm2, at pH=5.5. The cell viability, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and diphenylisobenzofuran assays conducted under light and dark conditions revealed a high photodynamic therapy potential of our construct. Furthermore, we found that the combined effect of DOX and NOPs from NOP-DOX@BSA-FA resulted in cell death approximately eightfold high compared to free DOX. We propose that NOP-DOX@BSA-FA is a potential photodynamic therapy agent and a collective drug delivery system for the systemic administration of cancer chemotherapeutics resulting in combination therapy. Keywords: light-triggered drug release, cancer, bovine serum albumin, multi-model therapy

Combining Voice Therapy and Physical Therapy: A Novel Approach to Treating Muscle Tension Dysphonia

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Craig, Jennifer; Tomlinson, Carey; Stevens, Kristin; Kotagal, Kiran; Fornadley, Judith; Jacobson, Barbara; Garrett, C. Gaelyn; Francis, David O.

2015-01-01

Objective This study investigated the role of a specialized physical therapy program for muscle tension dysphonia patients as an adjunct to standard of care voice therapy. Study Design Retrospective Cohort Study Methods Adult MTD patients seen between 2007 and 2012 were identified from the clinical database. They were prescribed voice therapy and, if concomitant neck pain, adjunctive physical therapy. In a pragmatic observational cohort design, patients underwent one of four potential treatment approaches: voice therapy alone (VT), voice therapy and physical therapy (VT+PT), physical therapy alone (PT), or incomplete/no treatment. Voice handicap outcomes were compared between treatment approaches. Results Of 153 patients meeting criteria (Median age 48 years, 68% female, and 30% had fibromyalgia, chronic pain, chronic fatigue, depression, and/or anxiety), there was a similar distribution of patients with moderate or severe pre-treatment VHI scores across treatment groups (VT 45.5%, VT+PT 43.8%, PT 50%, no treatment 59.1%; p=0.45). Patients treated with VT alone had significantly greater median improvement in VHI than those not treated: 10-point vs. 2-point (p=0.02). Interestingly, median VHI improvement in patients with baseline moderate-severe VHI scores was no different between VT (10), VT+PT (8) and PT alone (10; p=0.99). Conclusions Findings show voice therapy to be an effective approach to treating MTD. Importantly, other treatment modalities incorporating physical therapy had a similar, albeit not significant, improvement in VHI. This preliminary study suggests that physical therapy techniques may have a role in the treatment of a subset of MTD patients. Larger, comparative studies are needed to better characterize the role of physical therapy in this population. PMID:26012419

[Combined l-thyroxine and l-triiodothyronine replacement therapy in congenital hypothyroidism].

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Péter, Ferenc; Muzsnai, Agota

2013-05-12

L-thyroxine replacement therapy is the treatment of choice for hypothyroidism. Recently, several studies suggested to complete it with l-triiodothyronine in acquired hypothyroidism. To study the role of combined l-thyroxine and l-triiodothyronine therapy in special cases with congenital hypothyroidism. Data of 16 patients (age: 11.9 ± 6.3 years; mean ± SD) are presented who had high serum free thyroxine values or even above the upper limit of reference range (21.16 ± 2.5 pmol/l) together with nonsuppressed TSH levels (15.7 ± 5.7 mIU/l), and therefore received l-triiodothyronine in completion (0.18 ± 0.09 μg/kg) once a day. The combined replacement therapy resulted in a rapid improvement of the hormone parameters (TSH: 4.2 ± 3.15 mIU/l; free thyroxine: 16.55 ± 2.4 and free triiodothyronine: 7.4 ± 1.8 pmol/l). The efficiency of this combined therapy proved to be more evident (TSH: 4.33 ± 3.2 mIU/l; free thyroxine: 16.85 ± 3.1 and free triiodothyronine: 6.4 ± 0.85 pmol/l) in 10 patients treated for a longer period of time (duration of treatment: 2.9 ± 2.0 years). The dose of thyroxine substitution decreased from 2.6 ± 0.9 to 2.18 ± 0.6 μg/kg/day), the ratio of these hormones was between 5:1 and 19:1 and the quotient of free fractions was normalized (3.8 ± 0.4→2.6 ± 0.3) during the replacement therapy. According to the observation of the authors a serious disturbance of feed-back mechanism may develop in some (>5%) children with congenital hypothyroidism (increased TSH release despite elevated free thyroxine level) after normal function of the feed-back system for years. Hormone parameters of these patients improve, then become normal on combined therapy supporting the rationale for this treatment method.

Prospective, randomized comparison between pulsatile GnRH therapy and combined gonadotropin (FSH+LH) treatment for ovulation induction in women with hypothalamic amenorrhea and underlying polycystic ovary syndrome.

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Dubourdieu, Sophie; Fréour, Thomas; Dessolle, Lionel; Barrière, Paul

2013-05-01

To compare the efficacy of pulsatile GnRH therapy versus combined gonadotropins for ovulation induction in women with both hypothalamic amenorrhoea and polycystic ovarian syndrome (HA/PCOS) according to their current hypothalamic status. This single-centre, prospective, randomized study was conducted in the Nantes University Hospital, France. Thirty consecutive patients were treated for ovulation induction with either pulsatile GnRH therapy or combined gonadotropins (rFSH+rLH). Frequency of adequate ovarian response (mono- or bi-follicular) and clinical pregnancy rate were then compared between both groups. Ovarian response was similar in both groups with comparable frequency of adequate ovarian response (73% vs 60%), but the clinical pregnancy rate was significantly higher in the pulsatile GnRH therapy group than in the combined gonadotropin group (46% vs 0%). HA/PCOS is a specific subgroup of infertile women. Pulsatile GnRH therapy is an effective and safe method of ovulation induction that can be used successfully in these patients. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimization of combination of peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) and temozolomide therapy using SPECT/CT and MRI in mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bison, S.M.; Haeck, J.C.; Bemsen, M.R.; Jong, M. de; Koelewijn, S.J.; Groen, H.C.; Bemdsen, S.; Melis, M.

2015-01-01

Full text of publication follows. Aim: successful treatment of patients with somatostatin receptor over-expressing neuroendocrine tumours (NET) with Lutetium-177-labelled octreotate, (PRRT) or temozolomide (TMZ) as single treatments has been described. Their combination might result in additive response, so we studied tumour characteristics and therapeutic responses after different administration schemes in mice to obtain the optimal strategy to combine PRRT and TMZ. Materials and methods: Initially we performed imaging studies of nu/nu mice, (n=5-8) bearing somatostatin receptor-expressing human H69 small cell lung carcinoma xenografts, after single administration of 177 Lu-octreotate (30 MBq/μg) or TMZ therapy (50 mg/kg/day (d) 5 x/ week for 2 weeks). Weekly tumour perfusion was measured by DCE-MRI and tumour 111 In-uptake 24 hours after administration of 30 MBq 111 In-octreotide was quantified using SPECT/CT. Based on the imaging results, seven groups were included in a combination therapy study in H69 tumour-bearing mice (n=8-9): 1: control (saline), 2: TMZ, 3: PRRT, 4: PRRT + TMZ both d1, 5: PRRT d1, TMZ from d15, 6: TMZ from d1, PRRT d15, 7: PRRT d1 and d15. Study endpoint was tumour volume >1800-2000 mm 3 . Results: single treatment with 177 Lu-octreotate or TMZ therapy resulted in reduction of tumour size, which led to changes in MRI characteristics such as intrinsic T2, T2* and perfusion values. Moreover, TMZ treatment not only showed tumour size reduction 9 days after start of treatment and an increase in MRI perfusion parameters but uptake of 111 In-octreotide peaked at day 15 followed by a decrease afterwards. In the combination therapy study no complete cure was found in control, single TMZ and single and double PRRT groups, while in the TMZ/PRRT combination groups resp. 44%, 38% and 55% of mice (groups 4, 5 and 6) showed cure without recurrence of tumour growth during follow-up. This was also reflected in an extended median survival time (MST), resp

Anti-tumor effects of Egr-IFN gamma gene therapy combined with {sup 125}I-UdR radionuclide therapy

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Jingguo, Zhao [No.403 Hospital of PLA, Dalian (China); Yanjun, Ni; Xiangfu, Song; Yanyi, Li; Wei, Yang; Ting, Sun; Qingjie, Ma; Fengtong, Gao

2008-12-15

Objective: To explore the anti-tumor effects of Egr-IFNgamma gene therapy combined with {sup 125}I-UdR radionuclide therapy in mice bearing H22 hepatocarcinoma and its mechanism. Methods: The recombinant plasmid pcDNAEgr-IFNgamma mixed with liposome was injected into tumor. 48 h later, 370 kBq {sup 125}I-UdR was injected into tumor. The tumor growth rates at different times were observed. After 3 d gene-radionuclide therapy, the concentration of IFNgamma in cytoplasm of H22 cells and cytotoxic activities of splenic CTL of the mice in different groups were examined. Results: The tumor growth rates of pcDNAEgr-IFNgamma + {sup 125}I-UdR group were obviously lower than those of control group, {sup 125}I-UdR group and pcDNAEgr-1 + {sup 125}I-UdR group 6-15 d after gene-radionuclide therapy. IFNgamma protein was found in cytoplasm of H22 cells in pcDNAEgr-IFNgamma + {sup 125}I-UdR group after 3 d gene-radionuclide therapy. Cytotoxic activity of splenic CTL in pcDNAEgr-IFNgamma + {sup 125}I-UdR group was significantly higher than that in the other groups (P<0.01). Conclusions: The anti-tumor effects in vivo of pcDNAEgr-IFNgamma gene therapy combined with {sup 125}I-UdR radionuclide therapy are better than those of {sup 125}I-UdR therapy. (authors)

Combined miglustat and enzyme replacement therapy in two patients with type 1 Gaucher disease: two case reports.

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Amato, Dominick; Patterson, Mary Anne

2018-01-27

Intravenous enzyme replacement therapy is a first-line therapy for Gaucher disease type 1, and substrate reduction therapy represents an oral treatment alternative. Both enzyme replacement therapy and substrate reduction therapy are generally used as monotherapies in Gaucher disease. However, one randomized study and several case reports have described combination therapy over short time periods. We report two female Gaucher disease type 1 patients of mainly Anglo-Saxon descent, where combined enzyme replacement therapy and miglustat substrate reduction therapy were administered to overcome refractory clinical symptoms. The first patient was diagnosed at age 17 and developed Gaucher disease-related bone manifestations that worsened despite starting imiglucerase enzyme replacement therapy. After switching to miglustat substrate reduction therapy, her bone symptoms improved, but she developed tremors and eventually switched back to enzyme replacement therapy. Miglustat was later recommenced in combination with ongoing enzyme replacement therapy due to continued bone pain, and her bone symptoms improved along with maintained visceral manifestations. Enzyme replacement therapy was subsequently tapered off and the patient has since been successfully maintained on miglustat. The second patient was diagnosed aged 3, and commenced imiglucerase enzyme replacement therapy aged 15. After 9 years on enzyme replacement therapy she switched to miglustat substrate reduction therapy and her core symptoms were maintained/stable for 3 years. Imiglucerase enzyme replacement therapy was later added as a boost to therapy and her symptoms were subsequently maintained over a 2.3-year period. However, miglustat was discontinued due to her relocation, necessitating an increase in enzyme replacement therapy dose. Overall, both patients benefited from combination therapy. While the majority of Gaucher disease type 1 patients will not need treatment with both substrate reduction therapy

Efficacy of ciprofloxacin-gentamicin combination therapy in murine bubonic plague.

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Nadine Lemaître

Full Text Available Potential benefits of combination antibiotic therapy for the treatment of plague have never been evaluated. We compared the efficacy of a ciprofloxacin (CIN and gentamicin (GEN combination therapy with that of each antibiotic administered alone (i against Yersinia pestis in vitro and (ii in a mouse model of bubonic plague in which animals were intravenously injected with antibiotics for five days, starting at two different times after infection (44 h and 56 h. In vitro, the CIN+GEN combination was synergistic at 0.5x the individual drugs' MICs and indifferent at 1x- or 2x MIC. In vivo, the survival rate for mice treated with CIN+GEN was similar to that observed with CIN alone and slightly higher than that observed for GEN alone 100, 100 and 85%, respectively when treatment was started 44 h post challenge. 100% of survivors were recorded in the CIN+GEN group vs 86 and 83% in the CIN and GEN groups, respectively when treatment was delayed to 56 h post-challenge. However, these differences were not statistically significant. Five days after the end of treatment, Y. pestis were observed in lymph nodes draining the inoculation site (but not in the spleen in surviving mice in each of the three groups. The median lymph node log(10 CFU recovered from persistently infected lymph nodes was significantly higher with GEN than with CIN (5.8 vs. 3.2, p = 0.04 or CIN+GEN (5.8 vs. 2.8, p = 0.01. Taken as the whole, our data show that CIN+GEN combination is as effective as CIN alone but, regimens containing CIN are more effective to eradicate Y. pestis from the draining lymph node than the recommended GEN monotherapy. Moreover, draining lymph nodes may serve as a reservoir for the continued release of Y. pestis into the blood - even after five days of intravenous antibiotic treatment.

Combination Therapy for Airflow Limitation In COPD

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Jafar Aslani

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Background and the purpose of the study Existing evidence confirms that no pharmacologic agent ameliorates the decline in the lung function or changes the prognosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD. We tried a critical combination therapy for management of COPD. Methods Current or past smoker (passive or active COPD patients with moderate to severe COPD who did not respond to primitive therapy (i.e., oral prednisolone (50 mg in the morning for 5 days; with Beclomethasone Fort (3 puff q12h, totally 1500 micrograms/day, Salmeterol (2 puffs q12h, 50 micrograms/puff and ipratropium bromide (4 puffs q8h for two months, enrolled to study. Furthermore they were received N-Acetylcysteine (1200 mg/daily, Azithromycin (tablet 250 mg/every other day and Theophylline (100 mg BD.Results The study group consisted of 44 men and 4 women, with a mean age and standard deviation of 63.6+/-12.7 years (range 22-86 years. Thirteen of 48 patients (27.0% was responder based on 15% increasing in FEV 1 (27.7+/-7.9 after 6.7+/-6.1 months (57.9+/-12.9 year old. There were statistically significant differences in age and smoking between responders and nonresponders (P value was 0.05 and 0.04 respectively. There was no difference in emphysema and air trapping between two groups (p=0.13. Conclusion Interestingly considerable proportion of patients with COPD can be reversible using combination drug therapy and patients will greatly benefit from different and synergic action of the drugs. The treatment was more effective in younger patients who smoke less.

Synergistic effects of Combined Therapy: nonfocused ultrasound plus Aussie current for noninvasive body contouring

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Canela, Vivianne Carvalho; Crivelaro, Cinthia Nicoletti; Ferla, Luciane Zacchi; Pelozo, Gisele Marques; Azevedo, Juliana; Liebano, Richard Eloin; Nogueira, Caroline; Guidi, Renata Michelini; Grecco, Clóvis; Sant’Ana, Estela

2018-01-01

Background and objectives Nowadays, there are several noninvasive technologies being used for improving of body contouring. The objectives of this pilot study were to verify the effectiveness of the Heccus® device, emphasizing the synergism between nonfocused ultrasound plus Aussie current in the improvement of body contour, and to determine if the association of this therapy with whole-body vibration exercises can have additional positive effects in the results of the treatments. Subjects and methods Twenty healthy women aged 20–40 years participated in the study. Ten patients received Combined Therapy treatment (G1) and the other 10 participants received Combined Therapy with additional vibratory platform treatment (G2). Anthropometric and standardized photography analysis, ultrasonography, cutometry and self-adminestered questionnaires of tolerance and satisfaction levels with the treatment were used. Results Compared with baseline values, reduction of fat thickness was observed by ultrasonography in the posterior thigh area in the G1 group (Pcellulite degree in the buttocks, G1 (Ptreatment for improving the aspect of the cellulite, skin firmness and localized fat. If used in association with the whole-body vibratory platform, the results can be better, especially in the treatment of localized fat. Further studies with larger sample size should be performed to confirm these results. PMID:29731654

Theranostic GO-based nanohybrid for tumor induced imaging and potential combinational tumor therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Si-Yong; Feng, Jun; Rong, Lei; Jia, Hui-Zhen; Chen, Si; Liu, Xiang-Ji; Luo, Guo-Feng; Zhuo, Ren-Xi; Zhang, Xian-Zheng

2014-02-12

Graphene oxide (GO)-based theranostic nanohybrid is designed for tumor induced imaging and potential combinational tumor therapy. The anti-tumor drug, Doxorubicin (DOX) is chemically conjugated to the poly(ethylenimine)-co-poly(ethylene glycol) (PEI-PEG) grafted GO via a MMP2-cleavable PLGLAG peptide linkage. The therapeutic efficacy of DOX is chemically locked and its intrinsic fluorescence is quenched by GO under normal physiological condition. Once stimulated by the MMP2 enzyme over-expressed in tumor tissues, the resulting peptide cleavage permits the unloading of DOX for tumor therapy and concurrent fluorescence recovery of DOX for in situ tumor cell imaging. Attractively, this PEI-bearing nanohybrid can mediate efficient DNA transfection and shows great potential for combinational drug/gene therapy. This tumor induced imaging and potential combinational therapy will open a window for tumor treatment by offering a unique theranostic approach through merging the diagnostic capability and pathology-responsive therapeutic function. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Efficacy and Safety of Switching Prostaglandin Analog Monotherapy to Tafluprost/Timolol Fixed-Combination Therapy

Science.gov (United States)

Kitamura, Kazuyoshi; Chiba, Tatsuya; Mabuchi, Fumihiko; Ishijima, Kiyotaka; Omoto, Shu; Kashiwagi, Fumiko; Godo, Takashi; Kogure, Satoshi; Goto, Teruhiko; Shibuya, Takashi; Tanabe, Jhoji; Tsukahara, Shigeo; Tsuchiya, Tadaharu; Tokunaga, Takaharu; Hosaka, Osamu; Saito, Tetsunori

2018-01-01

Purpose To assess the efficacy and safety of switching from prostaglandin analog (PGA) monotherapy to tafluprost/timolol fixed-combination (Taf/Tim) therapy. Subjects and Methods Patients with primary open-angle glaucoma, normal-tension glaucoma, or ocular hypertension who had received PGA monotherapy for at least 3 months were enrolled. Patients were examined at 1, 2, and 3 months after changing therapies. Subsequently, the patients were returned to PGA monotherapy. The examined parameters included intraocular pressure (IOP) and adverse events. A questionnaire survey was conducted after the switch to Taf/Tim therapy. Results Forty patients with a mean age of 66.5 ± 10.3 years were enrolled; 39 of these patients completed the study protocol. Switching to Taf/Tim significantly reduced the IOP from 18.2 ± 2.6 mmHg at baseline to 14.8 ± 2.5 mmHg at 1 month, 15.2 ± 2.8 mmHg at 2 months, and 14.9 ± 2.5 mmHg at 3 months (P Taf/Tim reduced the pulse rate insignificantly. No significant differences were observed in blood pressure, conjunctival hyperemia, or corneal adverse events. A questionnaire showed that the introduction of Taf/Tim did not significantly influence symptoms. Conclusions Compared with PGA monotherapy, Taf/Tim fixed-combination therapy significantly reduced IOP without severe adverse events. PMID:29675274

Trigeminal neuralgia: successful antiepileptic drug combination therapy in three refractory cases

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Prisco L

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Lara Prisco1, Mario Ganau2, Federica Bigotto1, Francesca Zornada11Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine, University Hospital of Cattinara, 2Graduate School of Nanotechnology, University of Trieste, ItalyAbstract: Antiepileptic drug combination therapy remains an empirical second-line treatment approach in trigeminal neuralgia, after treatment with one antiepileptic drug or other nonantiepileptic drugs have failed. The results in three patients followed in our clinic are not sufficient to draw definitive conclusions, but suggest the possibility of developing this type of therapeutic approach further.Keywords: trigeminal neuralgia, antiepileptic drugs, combination therapy

Effect of pancreatic kallikrein combined with magnesium sulfate therapy on disease severity of patients with severe preeclampsia

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Yi Yang

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Objective: To study the clinical effect of pancreatic kallikrein combined with magnesium sulfate therapy on severe preeclampsia. Methods: A total of 47 patients with severe preeclampsia treated in our hospital from May 2013 to October 2015 were retrospectively analyzed, patients who received pancreatic kallikrein combined with magnesium sulfate therapy were selected as observation group, patients who received magnesium sulfate therapy were selected as control group, and then blood pressure level, renal function, uterine artery and umbilical artery blood flow state, and hypoxia indexes in serum and placenta were compared between two groups. Results: After treatment, systolic pressure and diastolic pressure levels as well as serum CysC level and 24 h urine protein level of observation group were significantly lower than those of control group, the uterine artery and umbilical artery S/ D and PI were significantly lower than those of control group, PIGF and NO levels in serum as well as Xiap and Survivin levels in placenta were significantly higher than those of control group, and sVEGFR1 level in serum as well as Caspase-3 and Caspase-7 levels in placenta was significantly lower than those of control group. Conclusions: Pancreatic kallikrein combined with magnesium sulfate therapy can alleviate the disease severity, lower blood pressure and vascular resistance, and improve renal function and the apoptosis caused by placental hypoxia in patients with severe preeclampsia.

Feasibility Study Combining Art Therapy or Cognitive Remediation Therapy with Family-based Treatment for Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa.

Science.gov (United States)

Lock, James; Fitzpatrick, Kathleen Kara; Agras, William S; Weinbach, Noam; Jo, Booil

2018-01-01

Adolescents with anorexia nervosa who have obsessive-compulsive (OC) features respond poorly to family-based treatment (FBT). This study evaluated the feasibility of combining FBT with either cognitive remediation therapy (CRT) or art therapy (AT) to improve treatment response in this at-risk group. Thirty adolescents with anorexia nervosa and OC features were randomized to 15 sessions of FBT + CRT or AT. Recruitment rate was 1 per month, and treatment attrition was 16.6% with no differences between groups. Suitability, expectancy and therapeutic relationships were acceptable for both combinations. Correlations between changes in OC traits and changes in cognitive inefficiencies were found for both combinations. Moderate changes in cognitive inefficiencies were found in both groups but were larger in the FBT + AT combination. This study suggests that an RCT for poor responders to FBT because of OC traits combining FBT with either CRT or AT is feasible to conduct. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

Review on comparative efficacy of bevacizumab, panitumumab and cetuximab antibody therapy with combination of FOLFOX-4 in KRAS-mutated colorectal cancer patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Pathak, Surajit; S, Sushmitha; Banerjee, Antara; Marotta, Francesco; Gopinath, Madhumala; Murugesan, Ramachandran; Zhang, Hong; B, Bhavani; Girigoswami, Agnishwar; Sollano, Jose; Sun, Xiao-Feng

2018-01-26

Colorectal cancer, fourth leading form of cancer worldwide and is increasing in alarming rate in the developing countries. Treating colorectal cancer has become a big challenge worldwide and several antibody therapies such as bevacizumab, panitumumab and cetuximab are being used with limited success. Moreover, mutation in KRAS gene which is linked with the colorectal cancer initiation and progression further interferes with the antibody therapies. Considering median progression free survival and overall survival in account, this review focuses to identify the most efficient antibody therapy in combination with chemotherapy (FOLFOX-4) in KRAS mutated colorectal cancer patients. The bevacizumab plus FOLFOX-4 therapy shows about 9.3 months and 8.7 months of progression free survival for KRAS wild and mutant type, respectively. The overall survival is about 34.8 months for wild type whereas for the mutant it is inconclusive for the same therapy. In comparison, panitumumab results in better progression-free survival which is about (9.6 months) and overall survival is about (23.9 months) for the wild type KRAS and the overall survival is about 15.5 months for the mutant KRAS . Cetuximab plus FOLFOX-4 therapy shows about 7.7 months and 5.5 months of progression-free survival for wild type KRAS and mutant type, respectively. Thus, panitumumab shows significant improvement in overall survival rate for wild type KRAS , validating as a cost effective therapeutic for colorectal cancer therapy. This review depicts that panitumumab along with FOLFOX-4 has a higher response in colorectal cancer patients than the either of the two monoclonal antibodies plus FOLFOX-4.

Synergistic effects of Combined Therapy: nonfocused ultrasound plus Aussie current for noninvasive body contouring.

Science.gov (United States)

Canela, Vivianne Carvalho; Crivelaro, Cinthia Nicoletti; Ferla, Luciane Zacchi; Pelozo, Gisele Marques; Azevedo, Juliana; Liebano, Richard Eloin; Nogueira, Caroline; Guidi, Renata Michelini; Grecco, Clóvis; Sant'Ana, Estela

2018-01-01

Nowadays, there are several noninvasive technologies being used for improving of body contouring. The objectives of this pilot study were to verify the effectiveness of the Heccus ® device, emphasizing the synergism between nonfocused ultrasound plus Aussie current in the improvement of body contour, and to determine if the association of this therapy with whole-body vibration exercises can have additional positive effects in the results of the treatments. Twenty healthy women aged 20-40 years participated in the study. Ten patients received Combined Therapy treatment (G1) and the other 10 participants received Combined Therapy with additional vibratory platform treatment (G2). Anthropometric and standardized photography analysis, ultrasonography, cutometry and self-adminestered questionnaires of tolerance and satisfaction levels with the treatment were used. Compared with baseline values, reduction of fat thickness was observed by ultrasonography in the posterior thigh area in the G1 group ( P <0.05) and in the buttocks ( P <0.05) and the posterior thigh areas ( P <0.05) in the G2. All the treated areas in both groups showed reduction in cellulite degree in the buttocks, G1 ( P <0.05) and G2 ( P <0.05), and in posterior thigh areas, G1 ( P <0.05) and G2 ( P <0.05). Optimal improvement of skin firmness (G1, P <0.0001; G2, P =0.0034) in the treated areas was observed in both groups. We conclude that the synergistic effects of the Combined Therapy (nonfocused ultrasound plus Aussie current) might be a good option with noninvasive body contouring treatment for improving the aspect of the cellulite, skin firmness and localized fat. If used in association with the whole-body vibratory platform, the results can be better, especially in the treatment of localized fat. Further studies with larger sample size should be performed to confirm these results.

Discordant perspectives of rheumatologists and patients on COBRA combination therapy in rheumatoid arthritis.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tuyl, L.H.D. van; Plass, A.M.C.; Lems, W.F.; Voskuyl, A.E.; Kerstens, P.J.S.M.; Dijkmans, B.A.C.; Boers, M.

2008-01-01

Objective. The COBRA therapy (combination therapy in early rheumatoid arthritis) has proven to be an effective treatment for early RA, but is rarely prescribed. A survey showed reluctance of Dutch reumatologists to apply COBRA therapy in early RA. The present qualitative study was carried out to

Cancer treatment: the combination of vaccination with other therapies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, M.H.; Sorensen, R.B.; Schrama, D.

2008-01-01

approach to fight cancer, the combination with additional therapy could create a number of synergistic effects. Herein we discuss the possibilities and prospects of vaccination when combined with other treatments. In this regard, cell death upon drug exposure may be immunogenic or non-immunogenic depending...... and endothelial cells. The efficacy of therapeutic vaccination against cancer will over the next few years be studied in settings taking advantage of strategies in which vaccination is combined with other treatment modalities. These combinations should be based on current knowledge not only regarding the biology...... of the cancer cell per se, but also considering how treatment may influence the malignant cell population as well as the immune system Udgivelsesdato: 2008/11...

Combination chemotherapy concurrent with small dose radiation therapy for small cell carcinoma of the lung

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tada, Toshihiko; Fujita, Hiroji; Shintomi, Takenori

1987-01-01

Forty consecutive patients with small cell carcinoma of the lung were treated with chemotherapy, radiotherapy or both. Of 34 patients treated with chemotherapy, 24 were treated with combination chemotherapy, containing cyclophosphamide vincristine methotrexate and procarbazine, concurrent with small dose radiation therapy (500 cGy/5 fraction) as a chemosensitizer (COMPrt). The response rate to this regimen was 81 % (29 % complete) and the 2 year survival rate was 28.6 %. These results have been superior to other regimens and the toxicity was not see to be any higher. After completion of COMPrt regimen, 10 patients were treated with intrathoracic radiation therapy (average dose 3000 cGy) and 3 recieved surgical treatment. Radiation therapy improved the 2-year survival rate (42.2 %) when compared with those patients who received no radiation therapy (18.2 %). Three patients received surgical treatment were considered to be disease-free for 23, 17, and 9 months respectively, after induction of chemotherapy. (author)

Traditional manual acupuncture combined with rehabilitation therapy for shoulder hand syndrome after stroke within the Chinese healthcare system: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

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Peng, Le; Zhang, Chao; Zhou, Lan; Zuo, Hong-Xia; He, Xiao-Kuo; Niu, Yu-Ming

2018-04-01

To investigate the effectiveness of traditional manual acupuncture combined with rehabilitation therapy versus rehabilitation therapy alone for shoulder hand syndrome after stroke. PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, Chinese Biomedicine Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP Information Database, Wan Fang Database and reference lists of the eligible studies were searched up to July 2017 for relevant studies. Randomized controlled trials that compared the combined effects of traditional manual acupuncture and rehabilitation therapy to rehabilitation therapy alone for shoulder hand syndrome after stroke were included. Two reviewers independently screened the searched records, extracted the data and assessed risk of bias of the included studies. The treatment effect sizes were pooled in a meta-analysis using RevMan 5.3 software. A total of 20 studies involving 1918 participants were included in this study. Compared to rehabilitation therapy alone, the combined therapy significantly reduced pain on the visual analogue scale and improved limb movement on the Fugl-Meyer Assessment scale and the performance of activities of daily living (ADL) on the Barthel Index scale or Modified Barthel Index scale. Of these, the visual analogue scale score changes were significantly higher (mean difference = 1.49, 95% confidence interval = 1.15-1.82, P < 0.00001) favoring the combined therapy after treatment, with severe heterogeneity ( I 2  = 71%, P = 0.0005). Current evidence suggests that traditional manual acupuncture integrated with rehabilitation therapy is more effective in alleviating pain, improving limb movement and ADL. However, considering the relatively low quality of available evidence, further rigorously designed and large-scale randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm the results.

Incidence of HIV-associated tuberculosis among individuals taking combination antiretroviral therapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

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Tendesayi Kufa

Full Text Available Knowledge of tuberculosis incidence and associated factors is required for the development and evaluation of strategies to reduce the burden of HIV-associated tuberculosis.Systematic literature review and meta-analysis of tuberculosis incidence rates among HIV-infected individuals taking combination antiretroviral therapy.From PubMed, EMBASE and Global Index Medicus databases, 42 papers describing 43 cohorts (32 from high/intermediate and 11 from low tuberculosis burden settings were included in the qualitative review and 33 in the quantitative review. Cohorts from high/intermediate burden settings were smaller in size, had lower median CD4 cell counts at study entry and fewer person-years of follow up. Tuberculosis incidence rates were higher in studies from Sub-Saharan Africa and from World Bank low/middle income countries. Tuberculosis incidence rates decreased with increasing CD4 count at study entry and duration on combination antiretroviral therapy. Summary estimates of tuberculosis incidence among individuals on combination antiretroviral therapy were higher for cohorts from high/intermediate burden settings compared to those from the low tuberculosis burden settings (4.17 per 100 person-years [95% Confidence Interval (CI 3.39-5.14 per 100 person-years] vs. 0.4 per 100 person-years [95% CI 0.23-0.69 per 100 person-years] with significant heterogeneity observed between the studies.Tuberculosis incidence rates were high among individuals on combination antiretroviral therapy in high/intermediate burden settings. Interventions to prevent tuberculosis in this population should address geographical, socioeconomic and individual factors such as low CD4 counts and prior history of tuberculosis.

Antihypertensive combination therapy in primary care offices: results of a cross-sectional survey in Switzerland

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Roas S

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Susanne Roas,1 Felix Bernhart,2 Michael Schwarz,3 Walter Kaiser,4 Georg Noll5 1Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Zurich, 2Private Practice, Biberist, 3Ambulatorium Wiesendamm, Basel, 4Healthworld (Schweiz AG, Steinhausen, 5HerzKlinik Hirslanden, Zurich, Switzerland Background: Most hypertensive patients need more than one substance to reach their target blood pressure (BP. Several clinical studies indicate the high efficacy of antihypertensive combinations, and recent guidelines recommend them in some situations even as initial therapies. In general practice they seem widespread, but only limited data are available on their effectiveness under the conditions of everyday life. The objectives of this survey among Swiss primary care physicians treating hypertensive patients were: to know the frequency of application of different treatment modalities (monotherapies, free individual combinations, single-pill combinations; to see whether there are relationships between prescribed treatment modalities and patient characteristics, especially age, treatment duration, and comorbidities; and to determine the response rate (percentage of patients reaching target BP of different treatment modalities under the conditions of daily practice. Methods: This cross-sectional, observational survey among 228 randomly chosen Swiss primary care physicians analyzed data for 3,888 consecutive hypertensive patients collected at one single consultation. Results: In this survey, 31.9% of patients received monotherapy, 41.2% two substances, 20.9% three substances, and 4.7% more than three substances. By combination mode, 34.9% took free individual combinations and 30.0% took fixed-dose single-pill combinations. Combinations were more frequently given to older patients with a long history of hypertension and/or comorbidities. In total, 67.8% of patients achieved their BP target according to their physician's judgment. When compared, single

Cancer Nanomedicine: From Targeted Delivery to Combination Therapy

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Xu, Xiaoyang; Ho, William; Zhang, Xueqing; Bertrand, Nicolas; Farokhzad, Omid

2015-01-01

The advent of nanomedicine marks an unparalleled opportunity to advance the treatment of a variety of diseases, including cancer. The unique properties of nanoparticles, such as large surface-to volume ratio, small size, the ability to encapsulate a variety of drugs, and tunable surface chemistry, gives them many advantages over their bulk counterparts. This includes multivalent surface modification with targeting ligands, efficient navigation of the complex in vivo environment, increased intracellular trafficking, and sustained release of drug payload. These advantages make nanoparticles a mode of treatment potentially superior to conventional cancer therapies. This article highlights the most recent developments in cancer treatment using nanoparticles as drug-delivery vehicles, including promising opportunities in targeted and combination therapy. PMID:25656384

Cancer nanomedicine: gold nanoparticle mediated combined cancer therapy

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Yang, C.; Bromma, Kyle; Chithrani, B. D.

2018-02-01

Recent developments in nanotechnology has provided new tools for cancer therapy and diagnosis. Among other nanomaterial systems, gold nanoparticles are being used as radiation dose enhancers and anticancer drug carriers in cancer therapy. Fate of gold nanoparticles within biological tissues can be probed using techniques such as TEM (transmission electron microscopy) and SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) due to their high electron density. We have shown for the first time that cancer drug loaded gold nanoparticles can reach the nucleus (or the brain) of cancer cells enhancing the therapeutic effect dramatically. Nucleus of the cancer cells are the most desirable target in cancer therapy. In chemotherapy, smart delivery of highly toxic anticancer drugs through packaging using nanoparticles will reduce the side effects and improve the quality and care of cancer patients. In radiation therapy, use of gold nanoparticles as radiation dose enhancer is very promising due to enhanced localized dose within the cancer tissue. Recent advancement in nanomaterial characterization techniques will facilitate mapping of nanomaterial distribution within biological specimens to correlate the radiobiological effects due to treatment. Hence, gold nanoparticle mediated combined chemoradiation would provide promising tools to achieve personalized and tailored cancer treatments in the near future.

Spillover adherence effects of fixed-dose combination HIV therapy

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Kauf TL

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Teresa L Kauf1, Keith L Davis2, Stephanie R Earnshaw2, E Anne Davis31Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 2RTI Health Solutions, Research Triangle Park, NC, 3Independent consultant, Pittsboro, NC, USAAbstract: The impact of fixed-dose combination (FDC products on adherence to other, non-fixed regimen components has not been examined. We compared adherence to a third antiretroviral (ART component among patients receiving a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI backbone consisting of the FDC Epzicom®, GlaxoSmithKline Inc, Research Triangle Park, NC (abacavir sulfate 600 mg + lamivudine 300 mg; FDC group versus NRTI combinations taken as two separate pills (NRTI Combo group using data from a national sample of 30 health plans covering approximately 38 million lives from 1997 to 2005. Adherence was measured as the medication possession ratio (MPR. Multivariate logistic regression compared treatment groups based on the likelihood of achieving ≥95% adherence, with sensitivity analyses using alternative thresholds. MPR was assessed as a continuous variable using multivariate linear regression. Covariates included age, gender, insurance payer type, year of study drug initiation, presence of mental health and substance abuse disorders, and third agent class. The study sample consisted of 650 FDC and 1947 NRTI Combo patients. Unadjusted mean adherence to the third agent was higher in the FDC group than the NRTI Combo group (0.92 vs 0.85; P < 0.0001. In regression analyses, FDC patients were 48% and 39% more likely to achieve 95% and 90% third agent adherence, respectively (P ≤ 0.03. None of the other MPR specifications achieved comparable results. Among managed care patients, use of an FDC appears to substantially improve adherence to a third regimen component and thus the likelihood of achieving the accepted standard for adherence to HIV therapy of 95%.Keywords

Comparative Risk Predictions of Second Cancers After Carbon-Ion Therapy Versus Proton Therapy

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Eley, John G., E-mail: jeley@som.umaryland.edu [Department of Radiation Physics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas (United States); Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland (United States); Friedrich, Thomas [GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Darmstadt (Germany); Homann, Kenneth L.; Howell, Rebecca M. [Department of Radiation Physics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas (United States); Scholz, Michael; Durante, Marco [GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Darmstadt (Germany); Newhauser, Wayne D. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, Baton Rouge, Louisiana (United States); Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana (United States)

2016-05-01

Purpose: This work proposes a theoretical framework that enables comparative risk predictions for second cancer incidence after particle beam therapy for different ion species for individual patients, accounting for differences in relative biological effectiveness (RBE) for the competing processes of tumor initiation and cell inactivation. Our working hypothesis was that use of carbon-ion therapy instead of proton therapy would show a difference in the predicted risk of second cancer incidence in the breast for a sample of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) patients. Methods and Materials: We generated biologic treatment plans and calculated relative predicted risks of second cancer in the breast by using two proposed methods: a full model derived from the linear quadratic model and a simpler linear-no-threshold model. Results: For our reference calculation, we found the predicted risk of breast cancer incidence for carbon-ion plans-to-proton plan ratio, , to be 0.75 ± 0.07 but not significantly smaller than 1 (P=.180). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that second cancer risks are, on average, comparable between proton therapy and carbon-ion therapy.

Targeting the NF-κB Pathway as a Combination Therapy for Advanced Thyroid Cancer.

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Nikita Pozdeyev

Full Text Available NF-κB signaling plays an important role in tumor cell proliferation, cell survival, angiogenesis, invasion, metastasis and drug/radiation resistance. Combination therapy involving NF-κB pathway inhibition is an attractive strategy for the treatment of advanced forms of thyroid cancer. This study was designed to test the efficacy of NF-κB pathway inhibition in combination with cytotoxic chemotherapy, using docetaxel and ionizing radiation in in vitro models of thyroid cancer. We found that while both docetaxel and ionizing radiation activated NF-κB signaling in thyroid cancer cells, there was no synergistic effect on cell proliferation and/or programmed cell death with either genetic (transduction of a dominant negative mutant form of IκBα or pharmacologic (proteasome inhibitor bortezomib and IKKβ inhibitor GO-Y030 inhibition of the NF-κB pathway in thyroid cancer cell lines BCPAP, 8505C, THJ16T and SW1736. Docetaxel plus bortezomib synergistically decreased in vitro invasion of 8505C cells, but not in the other cell lines. Screening of a panel of clinically relevant targeted therapies for synergy with genetic NF-κB inhibition in a proliferation/cytotoxicity assay identified the histone deacetylase (HDAC inhibitor suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA as a potential candidate. However, the synergistic effect was confirmed only in the BCPAP cells. These results indicate that NF-κB inhibitors are unlikely to be beneficial as combination therapy with taxane cytotoxic chemotherapy, external radiation therapy or radioiodine therapy. There may be unique circumstances where NF-κB inhibitors may be considered in combination with docetaxel to reduce tumor invasion or in combination with HDAC inhibitors to reduce tumor growth, but this does not appear to be a combination therapy that could be broadly applied to patients with advanced thyroid cancer. Further research may identify which subsets of patients/tumors may respond to this therapeutic

Research progress in combination therapy with pegylated interferon and nucleos(tide analogues in treatment of chronic hepatitis B

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YU Yiqi

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Current antiviral treatment strategy for chronic hepatitis B (CHB includes pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN and nucleos(tide analogues (NAs. Whether combination therapy with PEG-IFN and NAs improve therapeutic efficacy has become the key question regarding the antiviral therapy for CHB. This article reviews the recent progress in combination therapy for the management of CHB. The results indicate that the efficacy of simultaneous combination of PEG-IFN and NAs is not superior to that of PEG-IFN monotherapy in terms of HBeAg seroconversion and response after drug withdrawal. Sequential combination or switching therapy in PEG-IFN- or NAs-treated patients, as well as combination with immune cell therapy, is a promising treatment strategy.

Combination use of lentinan with x-ray therapy in mouse experimental tumor system, (3). Combination effect on the metastatic tumors

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Shiio, Tsuyoshi; Ohishi, Kazuo; Niitsu, Iwayasu; Hayashibara, Hiromi; Tsuchiya, Yoshiharu; Yoshihama, Takashi; Moriyuki, Hirobumi

1988-03-01

Combination effect of lentinan with X-ray irradiation on the metastatic mouse tumors, L1210, KLN205 and Lewis lung carcinoma were studied. Combination use of lentinan with X-ray therapy prolonged the life of BDF/sub 1/ mice bearing L1210 leukemia in the suitable combination conditions. Combination effects of lentinan with X-ray therapy were also observed on the suppression of the growth of KLN205 squamus cell carcinoma and on the suppression of the metastasis of Lewis lung carcinoma. Especially, in the case that lentinan was administered before or after X-ray local irradiation in the pulmorary metastasis system of Lewis lung carcinoma, a marked suppressin of pulmonary metastasis was observed and 2 to 4 mice among 8 tested mice were tumor free.

Patient's adherence on pharmacological therapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)-associated lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) is different: is combination therapy better than monotherapy?

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Cindolo, Luca; Pirozzi, Luisella; Sountoulides, Petros; Fanizza, Caterina; Romero, Marilena; Castellan, Pietro; Antonelli, Alessandro; Simeone, Claudio; Tubaro, Andrea; de Nunzio, Cosimo; Schips, Luigi

2015-09-21

Recent studies showed that the non-adherence to the pharmacological therapy of patients affected by BPH-associated LUTS increased the risk of clinical progression of BPH. We examined the patients adherence to pharmacological therapy and its clinical consequences in men with BPH-associated LUTS looking at the differences between drug classes comparing mono vs combination therapy. A retrospective, population-based cohort study, using prescription administrative database and hospital discharge codes from a total of 1.5 million Italian men. Patients ≥ 40 years, administered alpha-blockers (AB) and 5alpha-reductase inhibitors (5ARIs), alone or in combination (CT), for BPH-associated LUTS were analyzed. The 1-year and long term adherence together with the analyses of hospitalization rates for BPH and BPH-related surgery were examined using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model and Pearson chi square test. Patients exposed to at least 6 months of therapy had a 1-year overall adherence of 29 % (monotherapy AB 35 %, monotherapy 5ARI 18 %, CT 9 %). Patient adherence progressively declined to 15 %, 8 % and 3 % for AB, 5ARI, and CT, respectively at the fifth year of follow up. Patients on CT had a higher discontinuation rate along all the follow-up compared to those under monotherapy with ABs or 5ARIs (all p BPH-related surgery (HR 0.94; p BPH-associated LUTS is low and varies depending on drugs class. Patients under CT have a higher likelihood of discontinuing treatment for a number of reasons that should be better investigated. Our study suggests that new strategies aiming to increase patient's adherence to the prescribed treatment are necessary in order to prevent BPH progression.

Adenovirus-mediated IL-12 gene therapy in combination with radiotherapy for murine liver cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei Daoyan; Dai Bingbing; Wang Zhonghe; Chen Shishu

2001-01-01

Objective: To investigate the synergistic antitumor effects of adenovirus-mediated IL-12 gene therapy in combination with radiotherapy in mice bearing liver cancer. Methods: Balb/c mice bearing liver cancer received the treatment at day 1 with tumor local irradiation (TLI) of 20 Gy or mask irradiation when tumor size reached 0.6-1.0 cm. Within 1 hour after irradiation, adenovirus containing IL-12 gene or PBS was intra-tumor injected once a week. Forty-eight hours after the second injection, IFN-γ levels in sera and the supernatant of cultured spleen cells were assayed by ELISA, CTL activity of spleen cells was measured by 3 H-TdR release assay, and phenotypes of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes were analysed by immunohistochemical staining. Results: The growth of tumors in animals treated with a combination of IL-12 gene therapy and TLI was inhibited more significantly than those with either single treatment (P + and CD8 + lymphocyte infiltration and tumor-specific cytolytic activities, and the levels of IFN-γ in sera were higher in IL-12 gene therapy and IL-12 gene therapy combined with TLI groups. Conclusion: These results suggest that IL-12 gene therapy combined with radiotherapy is more effective than both single treatment modalities and can induce specific antitumor immuno-response greatly

Targeting EGFR with photodynamic therapy in combination with Erbitux enhances in vivo bladder tumor response

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Soo Khee

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Photodynamic therapy (PDT is a promising cancer treatment modality that involves the interaction of the photosensitizer, molecular oxygen and light of specific wavelength to destroy tumor cells. Treatment induced hypoxia is one of the main side effects of PDT and efforts are underway to optimize PDT protocols for improved efficacy. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-tumor effects of PDT plus Erbitux, an angiogenesis inhibitor that targets epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR, on human bladder cancer model. Tumor-bearing nude mice were assigned to four groups that included control, PDT, Erbitux and PDT plus Erbitux and tumor volume was charted over 90-day period. Results Our results demonstrate that combination of Erbitux with PDT strongly inhibits tumor growth in the bladder tumor xenograft model when compared to the other groups. Downregulation of EGFR was detected using immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence and western blotting. Increased apoptosis was associated with tumor inhibition in the combination therapy group. In addition, we identified the dephosphorylation of ErbB4 at tyrosine 1284 site to play a major role in tumor inhibition. Also, at the RNA level downregulation of EGFR target genes cyclin D1 and c-myc was observed in tumors treated with PDT plus Erbitux. Conclusion The combination therapy of PDT and Erbitux effectively inhibits tumor growth and is a promising therapeutic approach in the treatment of bladder tumors.

Combination photodynamic therapy of human breast cancer using salicylic acid and methylene blue

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Hosseinzadeh, Reza; Khorsandi, Khatereh; Jahanshiri, Maryam

2017-09-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of combination therapy with methylene blue (MB) assisted photodynamic therapy (PDT) and salicylic acid (SA) as chemo-therapy anticancer agent. The binding of salicylic acid to methylene blue was studied using spectrophotometric method. The results show the 1:2 complex formation between SA and MB. The binding constants and related Gibbs free energies o are obtained (Kb1 = 183.74, Kb2 = 38.13 and ∆ Gb1° = 12.92 kJ·mol- 1, ∆ Gb2° =9.02 kJ·mol- 1). The spectrophotometric results show the improvement in solubilization and reduction prevention for SA and MB in the complex form. These results are in agreements with cellular experiments. The dark toxicity measurements represent the improve efficacy of chemotherapy using combination of SA and MB. The photodynamic therapy results (using red LED as light source (630 nm; power density: 30 mW cm- 2)) show that the cancer cell killing efficiency of MB increases in the combination with SA due to reduction prevention and stabilization of monomeric form of MB.

Combined aquaretic and diuretic therapy in acute heart failure

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Goyfman M

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Michael Goyfman,1 Paul Zamudio,2 Kristine Jang,3 Jennifer Chee,3 Catherine Miranda,2 Javed Butler,1 Nand K Wadhwa2 1Division of Cardiology, 2Division of Nephrology, 3Department of Medicine, Stony Brook School of Medicine, Stony Brook, NY, USA Introduction: Acute heart failure (AHF is a leading cause of hospitalization and readmission in the US. The present study evaluated maximum diuresis while minimizing electrolyte imbalances, hemodynamic instability, and kidney dysfunction, to achieve a euvolemic state safely in a shorter period of time.Methods and results: A protocol of combined therapy with furosemide, metolazone, and spironolactone, with or without tolvaptan and acetazolamide, was used in 17 hospitalized patients with AHF. The mean number of days on combination diuretic protocol was 3.8 days. The mean daily fluid balance was 3.0±2.1 L negative. The mean daily urine output (UOP was 4.1±2.0 L (range 1.8–10.5 L. There were minimal fluctuations in serum electrolyte levels and serum creatinine over the duration of diuretic therapy. There was no statistically significant change in patients’ creatinine from immediately prior to therapy to the last day of therapy, with a mean increase in creatinine of 0.14 mg/dL (95% CI −0.03, +0.30, p=0.10.Conclusion: Our strategy of treating AHF by achieving high UOP, while maintaining stable electrolytes and creatinine in a short period to euvolemic state, is safe. Keywords: diuretics, aquaretic, acute heart failure, volume overload

Building a roadmap for developing combination therapies for Alzheimer's disease.

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Perry, Daniel; Sperling, Reisa; Katz, Russell; Berry, Donald; Dilts, David; Hanna, Debra; Salloway, Stephen; Trojanowski, John Q; Bountra, Chas; Krams, Michael; Luthman, Johan; Potkin, Steven; Gribkoff, Val; Temple, Robert; Wang, Yaning; Carrillo, Maria C; Stephenson, Diane; Snyder, Heather; Liu, Enchi; Ware, Tony; McKew, John; Fields, F Owen; Bain, Lisa J; Bens, Cynthia

2015-03-01

Combination therapy has proven to be an effective strategy for treating many of the world's most intractable diseases. A growing number of investigators in academia, industry, regulatory agencies, foundations and advocacy organizations are interested in pursuing a combination approach to treating Alzheimer's disease. A meeting co-hosted by the Accelerate Cure/Treatments for Alzheimer's Disease Coalition, the Critical Path Institute and the Alzheimer's Association addressed challenges in designing clinical trials to test multiple treatments in combination and outlined a roadmap for making such trials a reality.

Well-established and more recent aspects of combined therapy of gynaecological tumours

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ladner, H.A.

1981-01-01

The question of superiority concerning operative or radiation therapy should not make us forget that the combined therapy of gynaecologic carcinomas was proven to be good. The differing therapy results are due to the problems of classifying the phases, the ages of the patients, the histology, and, not less important, the radiation sensibility of gynaecologic tumours. The psychological and psychosomatic aspects of treating gynaecologic tumours are discussed. (APR) [de

Smart activatable and traceable dual-prodrug for image-guided combination photodynamic and chemo-therapy.

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Hu, Fang; Yuan, Youyong; Mao, Duo; Wu, Wenbo; Liu, Bin

2017-11-01

Activatable photosensitizers (PSs) and chemo-prodrugs are highly desirable for anti-cancer therapy to reduce systemic toxicity. However, it is difficult to integrate both together into a molecular probe for combination therapy due to the complexity of introducing PS, singlet oxygen quencher, chemo-drug, chemo-drug inhibitor and active linker at the same time. To realize activatable PS and chemo-prodrug combination therapy, we develop a smart therapeutic platform in which the chemo-prodrug serves as the singlet oxygen quencher for the PS. Specifically, the photosensitizing activity and fluorescence of the PS (TPEPY-SH) are blocked by the chemo-prodrug (Mitomycin C, MMC) in the probe. Meanwhile, the cytotoxicity of MMC is also inhibited by the electron-withdrawing acyl at the nitrogen position next to the linker. Upon glutathione activation, TPEPY-S-MMC can simultaneously release active PS and MMC for combination therapy. The restored fluorescence of TPEPY-SH is also used to report the activation for both PS and MMC as well as to guide the photodynamic therapy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparative effectiveness of oral drug therapies for lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic hyperplasia: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

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Xinghuan Wang

Full Text Available Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH are common in elder men and a number of drugs alone or combined are clinically used for this disorder. But available studies investigating the comparative effects of different drug therapies are limited. This study was aimed to compare the efficacy of different drug therapies for LUTS/BPH with network meta-analysis.An electronic search of PubMed, Cochrane Library and Embase was performed to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs comparing different drug therapies for LUTS/BPH within 24 weeks. Comparative effects were calculated using Aggregate Data Drug Information System. Consistency models of network meta-analysis were created and cumulative probability was used to rank different therapies.A total 66 RCTs covering seven different therapies with 29384 participants were included. We found that α-blockers (ABs plus phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors (PDE5-Is ranked highest in the test of IPSS total score, storage subscore and voiding subscore. The combination therapy of ABs plus 5α-reductase inhibitors was the best for increasing maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax with a mean difference (MD of 1.98 (95% CI, 1.12 to 2.86 as compared to placebo. ABs plus muscarinic receptor antagonists (MRAs ranked secondly on the reduction of IPSS storage subscore, although monotherapies including MRAs showed no effect on this aspect. Additionally, PDE5-Is alone showed great effectiveness for LUTS/BPH except Qmax.Based on our novel findings, combination therapy, especially ABs plus PDE5-Is, is recommended for short-term treatment for LUTS/BPH. There was also evidence that PDE5-Is used alone was efficacious except on Qmax. Additionally, it should be cautious when using MRAs. However, further clinical studies are required for longer duration which considers more treatment outcomes such as disease progression, as well as basic research investigating mechanisms involving PDE5-Is and other

Recovery of behavioral symptoms in hemi-parkinsonian rhesus monkeys through combined gene and stem cell therapy.

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Zhou, Yan; Sun, Maosheng; Li, Hongjun; Yan, Min; He, Zhanlong; Wang, Wenju; Wang, Wanpu; Lu, Shuaiyao

2013-04-01

The use of adipose mesenchymal stromal cells (ASCs) in cellular and genic therapy has attracted considerable attention as a possible treatment for neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson disease. However, the effects of gene therapy combined with intracerebral cell transplantation have not been well defined. Recent studies have demonstrated the respective roles of LIM homeobox transcription factor 1, alpha (LMX1A) and Neurturin (NTN) in the commitment of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) to a midbrain dopaminergic neuronal fate and the commitment of mesenchymal stromal cells to cells supporting the nutrition and protection of neurons. We investigated a novel in vitro neuronal differentiation strategy with the use of LMX1A and Neurturin. We were able to elicit a neural phenotype regarding cell morphology, specific gene/protein expression and physiological function. Neuronal-primed ASCs derived from rhesus monkey (rASCs) combined with adenovirus containing NTN and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) (Ad-NTN-TH) were implanted into the striatum and substantia nigra of methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-lesioned hemi-parkinsonian rhesus monkeys. Monkeys were monitored with the use of behavioral tests and health measures until the fourth month after implantation. The differentiated cells transcribed and expressed a variety of dopaminergic neuron-specific genes involved in the SHH/LMX1A pathway. Single-photon emission computed tomography analysis and postmortem analysis revealed that the grafting of rASCs combined with Ad-NTN-TH had neuroprotective effects compared with Ad-NTN-TH or rASCs alone. Behavioral measures demonstrated autograft survival and symptom amelioration. These findings may lead to cellular sources for autologous transplantation of Parkinson disease. Combined transplantation of Ad-NTN-TH and induced rASCs expressing LMX1A and NTN may be a better therapy candidate for the treatment of Parkinson disease. Copyright © 2013 International Society

The Effect of Entonox, Play Therapy and a Combination on Pain Relief in Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

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Mohan, Simi; Nayak, Ruma; Thomas, Reju Joseph; Ravindran, Vinitha

2015-12-01

Pediatric pain is often undertreated/neglected due to time constraints, difficulties in timing of oral analgesics, fear of side effects of opioids and anxiolytics, and apprehension of additional pain in the use of local anesthetic injections. In this study, the researcher was prompted to choose rapidly acting interventions that were low dose and allowed the child to stay alert, suitable for a quick discharge. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of Entonox, play therapy, and a combination to relieve procedural pain in children aged 4-15 years. The study was designed as a randomized controlled trial; the subjects were divided into four groups using a sequential allocation plan from 123 total subjects. Group A received Entonox, Group B received play therapy, Group C received both Entonox and play therapy, and Group D received existing standard interventions. The study was vetted by the departmental study review committee. The pain level was assessed using FLACC scale for children aged 4-9 years and the Wong Bakers Faces Pain Scale for children aged 10-15 years; scores ranged from 0 to 10. All the data were analyzed using SPSS 16.0 with descriptive statistics and, inferential statistics. The mean pain scores were as follows: Entonox group, 2.87; Play therapy group, 4; combination group, 3; and control group, 5.87. When statistical testing was applied, a significant reduction in the pain score in all the three experimental groups when compared to the control group was found (p = .002), but not in the pain score among the three experimental groups (p = .350). The findings of this study indicated that all three interventions were effective in lowering pain scores when compared to the control group. Play therapy is as potent as Entonox in relieving procedural pain, though there was no additive effect on pain relief when play therapy and Entonox were combined. A protocol for age-related choice between play therapy and Entonox administration was introduced

Combined therapy with peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis: a multicenter retrospective observational cohort study in Japan.

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Maruyama, Yukio; Yokoyama, Keitaro; Nakayama, Masaaki; Higuchi, Chieko; Sanaka, Tsutomu; Tanaka, Yoshihide; Sakai, Ken; Mizuiri, Sonoo; Otsuka, Yasushi; Kuriyama, Satoru; Maeba, Teruhiko; Iwasawa, Hideaki; Nakao, Toshiyuki; Hosoya, Tatsuo

2014-01-01

Combining peritoneal dialysis (PD) and hemodialysis (HD) has been common treatment option in Japan. In this retrospective, multicenter, observational study, the clinical characteristics and outcomes of 104 patients (57 ± 11 years, males 72%) who had switched from PD alone to combined therapy with PD and HD were studied. Clinical parameters were measured at baseline and after 3 months of combined therapy. At baseline, urine volume, dialysate-to-plasma ratio of creatinine (D/P Cr), and total Kt/V were 150 ml/day (range: 0-2,000 ml/day), 0.67 ± 0.11, and 1.8 ± 0.4, respectively. During the first 3 months of combined therapy, body weight, urine volume, serum creatinine level, and D/P Cr decreased, whereas hemoglobin levels increased. In patients where PD does not result in acceptable outcomes, combined therapy with PD and HD may have potential benefits in terms of dialysis adequacy and hydration status. Video Journal Club “Cappuccino with Claudio Ronco” at http://www.karger.com/?doi=368389 © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

[Clinical Trial of Treatment of Cervicogenic Scapulohumeral Periarthritis by Red-hot Needle Therapy Combined with Cupping].

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Yuan, Tao; Wang, Fen

2015-10-01

To observe the therapeutic effect of red-hot needle therapy combined with cupping for cervicogenic periarthritis of shoulder. Forty-two cases of cervicogenic periarthritis of shoulder were randomized into red-hot needle group and routine acupuncture group (n = 21). For patients of the routine acupuncture group, the filiform needles were applied to Tianzhu (BL 10), Jianjing (GB 21), Jianzhongshu (SI 15), Jianzhen (SI 9), Jianliao (TE 14), Jianyu (LI 15), Jianqian, Tianzong (SI 11) and Ashi-points on the affected side, followed by conducting cupping at the anterior and posterior regions of the affected shoulder, SI 11, GB 21 and SI 15. For patients of the red-hot needle group, the Ashi-points on the affected shoulder were punctured with cauterized filiform needles, following by performing cupping. The treatment was performed once daily and once every other day respectively for two weeks. The shoulder motor function was assessed according to the adjusted Constant-Murley test. After the treatment, the integrated scores of shoulder pain, shoulder-joint activities in daily living and shoulder-joint motion range were significantly increased in both groups compared with pre-treatment in the same one group (P therapy was significantly superior to that of the routine acupuncture (P therapy combined with cupping is effective in relieving cervicogenic shoulder periarthritis and is remarkably superior to routine acupuncture combined with cupping in improving shoulder periarthritis patients' symptoms.

Second-line combination therapies in nonsmall cell lung cancer without known driver mutations

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Maria-Virginia Bluthgen

2015-12-01

Full Text Available In advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC patients, platinum-based combination chemotherapy is standard treatment in the first-line setting; however, the large majority of patients ultimately progress. For more than a decade, single-agent therapy with docetaxel, pemetrexed or erlotinib has been the standard of care after failure with platinum salts, showing some benefit over best supportive care. Nonetheless, prognosis remains poor and new second-line strategies are urgently needed. Combinations of cytotoxic agents, including rechallenge with platinum salts, do not offer clear benefit over single-agent therapy for the majority of patients. In patients without a known tumoural oncogenic driver mutation, regimens based on combinations of targeted agents have shown promising results; however, a clear role in therapeutic management is yet to be established. Some success has been reported in recent research combining a cytotoxic agent with targeted therapies. In this review, we summarise published data for the various strategies evaluated over the past decade in second-line treatment of NSCLC patients without a known driver mutation. We focus on combination treatments and consider future perspectives, including the need to identify predictive markers to support personalised therapeutic strategies.

Trial of radiation therapy combined with hyperthermia

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Takegawa, Y; Fujiwara, K; Oe, J; Nagase, M; Akiyama, H [Tokushima Univ. (Japan). School of Medicine

1978-08-01

Nine patients were treated by the combination therapy of external irradiation and hyperthermia, 5 patients with metastatic lesions; two breast cancer, one lung cancer, one malignant melanoma, one vulva cancer, 1 patient with recurrent lesion of skin cancer and 3 patients with bladder cancer. All patients were treated by heating locally (42/sup 0/C, 30 min) followed by external irradiation with 4,000 - 5,000 rad over 4 to 5 weeks. No local recurrence was found in 4 of 9 patients.

An Archaeosome-Adjuvanted Vaccine and Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy Combination Significantly Enhances Protection from Murine Melanoma

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Felicity C. Stark

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Archaeosomes constitute archaeal lipid vesicle vaccine adjuvants that evoke a strong CD8+ T cell response to antigenic cargo. Therapeutic treatment of murine B16-ovalbumin (B16-OVA melanoma with archaeosome-OVA eliminates small subcutaneous solid tumors; however, they eventually resurge despite an increased frequency of circulating and tumor infiltrating OVA-CD8+ T cells. Herein, a number of different approaches were evaluated to improve responses, including dose number, interval, and the combination of vaccine with checkpoint inhibitors. Firstly, we found that tumor protection could not be enhanced by repetitive and/or delayed boosting to maximize the CD8+ T cell number and/or phenotype. The in vivo cytotoxicity of vaccine-induced OVA-CD8+ T cells was impaired in tumor-bearing mice. Additionally, tumor-infiltrating OVA-CD8+ T cells had an increased expression of programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1 compared to other organ compartments, suggesting impaired function. Combination therapy of tumor-bearing mice with the vaccine archaeosome-OVA, and α-CTLA-4 administered concurrently as well as α-PD-1 and an α-PD-L1 antibody administered starting 9 days after tumor challenge given on a Q3Dx4 schedule (days 9, 12, 15 and 18, significantly enhanced survival. Following multi-combination therapy ~70% of mice had rapid tumor recession, with no detectable tumor mass after >80 days in comparison to a median survival of 17–22 days for untreated or experimental groups receiving single therapies. Overall, archaeosomes offer a powerful platform for delivering cancer antigens when used in combination with checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapies.

Artemisinin versus nonartemisinin combination therapy for uncomplicated malaria: randomized clinical trials from four sites in Uganda.

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Adoke Yeka

2005-07-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Drug resistance in Plasmodium falciparum poses a major threat to malaria control. Combination antimalarial therapy including artemisinins has been advocated recently to improve efficacy and limit the spread of resistance, but artemisinins are expensive and relatively untested in highly endemic areas. We compared artemisinin-based and other combination therapies in four districts in Uganda with varying transmission intensity. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We enrolled 2,160 patients aged 6 mo or greater with uncomplicated falciparum malaria. Patients were randomized to receive chloroquine (CQ + sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP; amodiaquine (AQ + SP; or AQ + artesunate (AS. Primary endpoints were the 28-d risks of parasitological failure either unadjusted or adjusted by genotyping to distinguish recrudescence from new infections. A total of 2,081 patients completed follow-up, of which 1,749 (84% were under the age of 5 y. The risk of recrudescence after treatment with CQ + SP was high, ranging from 22% to 46% at the four sites. This risk was significantly lower (p < 0.01 after AQ + SP or AQ + AS (7%-18% and 4%-12%, respectively. Compared to AQ + SP, AQ + AS was associated with a lower risk of recrudescence but a higher risk of new infection. The overall risk of repeat therapy due to any recurrent infection (recrudescence or new infection was similar at two sites and significantly higher for AQ + AS at the two highest transmission sites (risk differences = 15% and 16%, p < 0.003. CONCLUSION: AQ + AS was the most efficacious regimen for preventing recrudescence, but this benefit was outweighed by an increased risk of new infection. Considering all recurrent infections, the efficacy of AQ + SP was at least as efficacious at all sites and superior to AQ + AS at the highest transmission sites. The high endemicity of malaria in Africa may impact on the efficacy of artemisinin-based combination therapy. The registration number for this trial is ISRCTN

Artemisinin versus Nonartemisinin Combination Therapy for Uncomplicated Malaria: Randomized Clinical Trials from Four Sites in Uganda

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Yeka, Adoke; Banek, Kristin; Bakyaita, Nathan; Staedke, Sarah G; Kamya, Moses R; Talisuna, Ambrose; Kironde, Fred; Nsobya, Samuel L; Kilian, Albert; Slater, Madeline; Reingold, Arthur; Rosenthal, Philip J; Wabwire-Mangen, Fred; Dorsey, Grant

2005-01-01

Background Drug resistance in Plasmodium falciparum poses a major threat to malaria control. Combination antimalarial therapy including artemisinins has been advocated recently to improve efficacy and limit the spread of resistance, but artemisinins are expensive and relatively untested in highly endemic areas. We compared artemisinin-based and other combination therapies in four districts in Uganda with varying transmission intensity. Methods and Findings We enrolled 2,160 patients aged 6 mo or greater with uncomplicated falciparum malaria. Patients were randomized to receive chloroquine (CQ) + sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP); amodiaquine (AQ) + SP; or AQ + artesunate (AS). Primary endpoints were the 28-d risks of parasitological failure either unadjusted or adjusted by genotyping to distinguish recrudescence from new infections. A total of 2,081 patients completed follow-up, of which 1,749 (84%) were under the age of 5 y. The risk of recrudescence after treatment with CQ + SP was high, ranging from 22% to 46% at the four sites. This risk was significantly lower (p AQ + SP or AQ + AS (7%–18% and 4%–12%, respectively). Compared to AQ + SP, AQ + AS was associated with a lower risk of recrudescence but a higher risk of new infection. The overall risk of repeat therapy due to any recurrent infection (recrudescence or new infection) was similar at two sites and significantly higher for AQ + AS at the two highest transmission sites (risk differences = 15% and 16%, pAQ + AS was the most efficacious regimen for preventing recrudescence, but this benefit was outweighed by an increased risk of new infection. Considering all recurrent infections, the efficacy of AQ + SP was at least as efficacious at all sites and superior to AQ + AS at the highest transmission sites. The high endemicity of malaria in Africa may impact on the efficacy of artemisinin-based combination therapy. The registration number for this trial is ISRCTN67520427 (http

Increased skin and mucosal toxicity in the combination of vemurafenib with radiation therapy

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Merten, Ricarda; Hecht, Markus; Haderlein, Marlen; Distel, Luitpold; Fietkau, Rainer; Semrau, Sabine; Heinzerling, Lucie

2014-01-01

Palliative radiotherapy is often required for patients with metastatic malignant melanoma in the case of bone or brain metastases. Since BRAF inhibitor therapy is highly efficient in V600-mutated melanomas, there is hesitation to stop it during radiotherapy. Consequently, radiotherapy under simultaneous vemurafenib treatment is frequently needed. We report the case of a patient receiving palliative radiotherapy of spinal bone metastases before and during vemurafenib therapy. The skin reactions were quantitatively scored using computer-assisted digital image evaluation. Radiotherapy without vemurafenib was tolerated very well, whereas radiotherapy under simultaneous vemurafenib treatment resulted in accentuated skin reactions. Furthermore, the patient developed dysphagia and had to be hospitalized for parenteral nutrition. In the quantitative analysis, there was a twofold increase in pigmentation and erythema of the irradiated skin area of the thoracic spine when vemurafenib was combined with radiotherapy compared with radiotherapy treatment alone. This is the first reported case of a patient showing no complications during radiotherapy without vemurafenib but remarkable skin and mucosal toxicity under concurrent vemurafenib therapy. Thus, a genetically conditioned individually elevated radiosensitivity can definitely be excluded. Compared with other reported cases, radiosensitization was not limited to the skin, but also affected the esophageal mucosa. Vemurafenib is a strong radiosensitizer. Patients receiving radiotherapy under simultaneous vemurafenib treatment should be monitored very closely. (orig.) [de

Combined cisplatin and radiation therapy for advanced bladder cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tajima, Masaharu; Sawamura, Yoshikatsu; Kase, Takahisa

1991-01-01

The combined effects of cisplatin and irradiation were investigated in 44 patients with bladder cancer accompanied by the infiltration of T 2 ∼T 4 cells, in a study commencing in September 1985. The antitumor effect and adverse reactions to the therapy were recorded. The majority of these patients had not undergone total bladder excision, for a variety of reasons. Thirty-two patients were male and 12 were female; the average age was 66.7 years, with ranging from 33∼83 years of age. Irradiation was performed using table cobalt 60 or a linear accelerator at a dose of 2 Gy per day, 5 days a week. The total radiation dose ranged from 40 to 70 Gy. Cisplatin was administered systemically at a dose of 20∼30 mg/day for 5 consecutive days during the first and fourth weeks of irradiation. At the time of final assessment of the antitumor effect, 24 out of 40 eligible patients (60%) had achieved complete remission (CR). The duration of CR averaged 18.8 months, with a range of 1∼50 months. The actual survival rates were as follows: 81% at 1 year, 69% at 2 years, and 52% at 3 and 4 years. Regarding adverse reactions, anorexia occurred in 28 patients (70%), nausea and vomiting in 21 (53%), diarrhea in 8 (20%), leukopenia in 16 (40%), mild thrombocytopenia in 5 (13%), and dermatitis in 8 (20%). All of these adverse reactions were mild and were alleviated after completion of the combined therapy. The present investigation demonstrated that combined therapy with cisplatin and irradiation is effective for the regional treatment of invasive bladder cancer. (author)

Combination therapy in type 2 diabetes mellitus: adding empagliflozin to basal insulin

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Andrew Ahmann

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM management is complex, with few patients successfully achieving recommended glycemic targets with monotherapy, most progressing to combination therapy, and many eventually requiring insulin. Sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2 inhibitors are an emerging class of antidiabetes agents with an insulin-independent mechanism of action, making them suitable for use in combination with any other class of antidiabetes agents, including insulin. This review evaluates a 78-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial investigating the impact of empagliflozin, an SGLT2 inhibitor, as add-on to basal insulin in patients with inadequate glycemic control on basal insulin, with or without metformin and/or a sulfonylurea. Empagliflozin added on to basal insulin resulted in significant and sustained reductions in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c levels compared with placebo. Empagliflozin has previously been shown to induce weight loss, and was associated with sustained weight loss in this study. This combination therapy was well tolerated, with similar levels of hypoglycemic adverse events in the empagliflozin and placebo groups over the 78-week treatment period. Urinary tract infections and genital infections, side effects associated with SGLT2 inhibitors, were reported more commonly in the empagliflozin group; however, such events led to treatment discontinuation in very few patients. These findings suggest that, with their complementary mechanisms of action, empagliflozin added on to basal insulin may be a useful treatment option in patients on basal insulin who need additional glycemic control without weight gain.

Combined immunotherapy and antiangiogenic therapy of cancer with microencapsulated cells.

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Cirone, Pasquale; Bourgeois, Jacqueline M; Shen, Feng; Chang, Patricia L

2004-10-01

An alternative form of gene therapy involves immunoisolation of a nonautologous cell line engineered to secrete a therapeutic product. Encapsulation of these cells in a biocompatible polymer serves to protect these allogeneic cells from host-versus-graft rejection while recombinant products and nutrients are able to pass by diffusion. This strategy was applied to the treatment of cancer with some success by delivering either interleukin 2 or angiostatin. However, as cancer is a complex, multifactorial disease, a multipronged approach is now being developed to attack tumorigenesis via multiple pathways in order to improve treatment efficacy. A combination of immunotherapy with angiostatic therapy was investigated by treating B16-F0/neu melanoma-bearing mice with intraperitoneally implanted, microencapsulated mouse myoblasts (C2C12) genetically modified to deliver angiostatin and an interleukin 2 fusion protein (sFvIL-2). The combination treatment resulted in improved survival, delayed tumor growth, and increased histological indices of antitumor activity (apoptosis and necrosis). In addition to improved efficacy, the combination treatment also ameliorated some of the undesirable side effects from the individual treatments that have led to the previous failure of the single treatments, for example, inflammatory response to IL-2 or vascular mimicry due to angiostatin. In conclusion, the combination of immuno- and antiangiogenic therapies delivered by immunoisolated cells was superior to individual treatments for antitumorigenesis activity, not only because of their known mechanisms of action but also because of unexpected protection against the adverse side effects of the single treatments. Thus, the concept of a "cocktail" strategy, with microencapsulation delivering multiple antitumor recombinant molecules to improve efficacy, is validated.

The combined application of biological therapy and methotrexate in case of escape phenomenon progressing

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Ponich E.S.

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Aim: the study of the efficacy of methotrexate in patients with the "escape effect" during the ustekinumab therapy. Materials and Methods. The results of methotrexate at a dose of 15-20mg/week in treatment of 4 patients receiving biologic and developed "escape effect". Ustekinumab is used as a hypodermic injection at a dose of 45 mg for a body weight of a patient no more than 100 kg, and 90 mg of body weight over 100 kg, at the zero week, the 4th week and then every 12 weeks. Patients control meets the standard management of patients in biological therapy. Results. The study shows that in the case of the resistance progressing when applying preparations of biological therapy, methotrexate is useful at a dose of 15-20mg/week for up to 6 months. The combined use of biologic therapy and methotrexate in the treatment of patients with psoriasis vulgaris, "escape effect" contributes to the marked regression of clinical symptoms and allows to control the process long enough, which is confirmed by the dynamics of the index PASI, BRS and DLQI. The combined method is highly safe, as evidenced by the lack of inhibition of hematopoiesis, the normal level of hepatic transaminases and serum creatinine, which greatly improves patient compliance in this type of therapy. Conclusion. The article presents the data of the combined application of biological medication therapy (ustekinumab and methotrexate for the treatment of patients with the common form of psoriasis vulgaris. In the case of the development of resistance of biological therapy recommended the appointment of methotrexate. The combined use of methotrexate and biologic therapy in the treatment of patients with psoriasis vulgaris contributes to marked regression of clinical symptoms and allows to control the process for a long time.

Improved Outcomes with Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy Combined with Temozolomide for Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma Multiforme

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Noel J. Aherne

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose. Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM is optimally treated by maximal debulking followed by combined chemoradiation. Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT is gaining widespread acceptance in other tumour sites, although evidence to support its use over three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT in the treatment of gliomas is currently lacking. We examined the survival outcomes for patients with GBM treated with IMRT and Temozolomide. Methods and Materials. In all, 31 patients with GBM were treated with IMRT and 23 of these received chemoradiation with Temozolomide. We correlated survival outcomes with patient functional status, extent of surgery, radiation dose, and use of chemotherapy. Results. Median survival for all patients was 11.3 months, with a median survival of 7.2 months for patients receiving 40.05 Gray (Gy and a median survival of 17.4 months for patients receiving 60 Gy. Conclusions. We report one of the few series of IMRT in patients with GBM. In our group, median survival for those receiving 60 Gy with Temozolomide compared favourably to the combined therapy arm of the largest randomised trial of chemoradiation versus radiation to date (17.4 months versus 14.6 months. We propose that IMRT should be considered as an alternative to 3DCRT for patients with GBM.

Improved outcomes with intensity modulated radiation therapy combined with temozolomide for newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme.

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Aherne, Noel J; Benjamin, Linus C; Horsley, Patrick J; Silva, Thomaz; Wilcox, Shea; Amalaseelan, Julan; Dwyer, Patrick; Tahir, Abdul M R; Hill, Jacques; Last, Andrew; Hansen, Carmen; McLachlan, Craig S; Lee, Yvonne L; McKay, Michael J; Shakespeare, Thomas P

2014-01-01

Purpose. Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is optimally treated by maximal debulking followed by combined chemoradiation. Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is gaining widespread acceptance in other tumour sites, although evidence to support its use over three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT) in the treatment of gliomas is currently lacking. We examined the survival outcomes for patients with GBM treated with IMRT and Temozolomide. Methods and Materials. In all, 31 patients with GBM were treated with IMRT and 23 of these received chemoradiation with Temozolomide. We correlated survival outcomes with patient functional status, extent of surgery, radiation dose, and use of chemotherapy. Results. Median survival for all patients was 11.3 months, with a median survival of 7.2 months for patients receiving 40.05 Gray (Gy) and a median survival of 17.4 months for patients receiving 60 Gy. Conclusions. We report one of the few series of IMRT in patients with GBM. In our group, median survival for those receiving 60 Gy with Temozolomide compared favourably to the combined therapy arm of the largest randomised trial of chemoradiation versus radiation to date (17.4 months versus 14.6 months). We propose that IMRT should be considered as an alternative to 3DCRT for patients with GBM.

Assessment of immunomodulating action of combined therapy with UHF-hyperthermia in children with osteogenic sarcoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neprina, G.S.; Panteleeva, E.S.; Vatin, O.E.; Bizer, V.A.; Bojko, I.N.

1989-01-01

The paper is concerned with immunological evaluation of different stages of combined therapy with local UHF-hyperthermia in children with osteogenic sarcoma. Combined therapy (polychemo- and raditherapy) was shown to cause a decrease in the number of immunocompetent cells, to enhance dysbalance of immunoregulatory T-lymphocytes, to weaken T-lymphocyte function on PHA; immunosuppressive action of combined therapy did not depend on a tumor site. The incorporation of UHF-hyperthermia in the therapeutic scheme weakened the manifestations of secondary immunodeficiency, got back to normal structure of T-lymphocyte population. A favorable immunomodulating effect of hyperthermia was more frequently observed in patients with crural bone tumors. The effect of hyperthermia was revealed after direct influence of thermotherapy but it was absent in continuation of combined treatment

Electroacupuncture and Rosiglitazone Combined Therapy as a Means of Treating Insulin Resistance and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Randomized Controlled Trial

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Rong-Tsung Lin

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Aims. To evaluate the efficacy of rosiglitazone (TZD and electroacupuncture (EA combined therapy as a treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM patients by randomized single-blind placebo controlled clinical trial. Methods. A total of 31 newly diagnostic T2DM patients, who fulfilled the study's eligibility criteria, were recruited. The individuals were randomly assigned into two groups, the control group (TZD, N=15 and the experimental group (TZD + EA, N=16. Changes in their plasma free fatty acid (FFA, glucose, and insulin levels, together with their homeostasis model assessment (HOMA indices, were statistically compared before and after treatment. Hypoglycemic activity (% was also compared between these two groups. Results. There was no significant difference in hypoglycemic activity between the TZD and TZD + EA group. The effectiveness of the combined therapy seems to derive from an improvement in insulin resistance and a significant lowering of the secreted insulin rather than the effect of TZD alone on T2DM. The combined treatment had no significant adverse effects. A lower plasma FFA concentration is likely to be the mechanism that causes this effect. Conclusion. This combined therapy seems to suppress endogenous insulin secretion by improving insulin resistance via a mechanism involving a reduction in plasma FFA. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01577095.

Photodynamic therapy combined with antivascular endothelial growth factor treatment for recalcitrant chronic central serous chorioretinopathy

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Asahi MG

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Masumi G Asahi,1 Andrew T Chon,1 Esmeralda Gallemore,1 Ron P Gallemore1,2 1Clinical Research Department, Retina Macula Institute, Torrance, CA, USA; 2Jules Stein Eye Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA Purpose: To determine whether combination photodynamic therapy (PDT and antivascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF therapy is effective in the management of chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC recalcitrant to conventional therapy. Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of eight patients with chronic CSC unresponsive to topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, focal photocoagulation, anti-VEGF alone, or PDT alone. All patients were evaluated with a full ophthalmic examination, spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT, fluorescein angiography (FA, and most with indocyanine green angiography (ICGA followed by treatment with half-fluence PDT and intravitreal anti-VEGF injection (seven bevacizumab, one aflibercept. Patients were seen in follow-up 1 month after treatment. Results: All eight patients achieved complete resolution in subretinal fluid following combination treatment. Average duration of CSC prior to initiation of combination therapy was 7.5 months. Mean central macular thickness on OCT decreased significantly from 401.2±52.7 µm to 297.9±18.2 µm (p=0.0010 by 4 months after treatment (1.63±1.18 months. Seven of eight patients were followed up for an average of 13 months with no recurrence during that time. One case recurred at 8 months and was treated with repeat combination at that time. Frank choroidal neovascularization (CNV was not identified in these cases on FA or ICGA studies. Eight of eight patients showed significant improvement in vision from a logMAR of 0.1125±0.099 to 0.0125±0.064 (p=0.019. Conclusion: Combination PDT and anti-VEGF is effective for chronic CSC which has failed conventional therapy. Associated CNV and/or inflammation may be reasons for greater success in

A Systematic Review of the Combined Use of Electroconvulsive Therapy and Psychotherapy for Depression

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McClintock, Shawn M.; Brandon, Anna R.; Husain, Mustafa M.; Jarrett, Robin B.

2011-01-01

Objective Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is one of the most effective treatments for severe Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). However, after acute phase treatment and initial remission, relapse rates are significant. Strategies to prolong remission include continuation phase ECT, pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, or their combinations. This systematic review synthesizes extant data regarding the combined use of psychotherapy with ECT for the treatment of patients with severe MDD and offers the hypothesis that augmenting ECT with depression-specific psychotherapy represents a promising strategy for future investigation. Methods The authors performed two independent searches in PsychInfo (1806 – 2009) and MEDLINE (1948 – 2009) using combinations of the following search terms: Electroconvulsive Therapy (including ECT, ECT therapy, electroshock therapy, EST, shock therapy) and Psychotherapy (including cognitive behavioral, interpersonal, group, psychodynamic, psychoanalytic, individual, eclectic, and supportive). We included in this review a total of six articles (English language) that mentioned ECT and psychotherapy in the abstract, and provided a case report, series, or clinical trial. We examined the articles for data related to ECT and psychotherapy treatment characteristics, cohort characteristics, and therapeutic outcome. Results Although research over the past seven decades documenting the combined use of ECT and psychotherapy is limited, the available evidence suggests that testing this combination has promise and may confer additional, positive functional outcomes. Conclusions Significant methodological variability in ECT and psychotherapy procedures, heterogeneous patient cohorts, and inconsistent outcome measures prevent strong conclusions; however, existing research supports the need for future investigations of combined ECT and psychotherapy in well-designed, controlled clinical studies. Depression-specific psychotherapy approaches may need special

Rituximab, alkylating agents or combination therapy for gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma: a monocentric non-randomised observational study.

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Amiot, A; Lévy, M; Copie-Bergman, C; Dupuis, J; Szablewski, V; Le Baleur, Y; Baia, M; Belhadj, K; Sobhani, I; Leroy, K; Haioun, C; Delchier, J-C

2014-03-01

There is no consensus on the standard treatment of gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma for Helicobacter pylori-negative patients and for patients with persistent disease despite H. pylori eradication. To evaluate the comparative efficacy and safety of alkylating agents and rituximab alone or in combination. In this monocentric retrospective study, which included 106 patients who had not been previously treated with anti-cancer agents, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of oral alkylating agents monotherapy (n = 48), rituximab monotherapy (n = 28) and the therapy combining both drugs (n = 30). Evaluations were performed at weeks 6 (W6), 25 (W25), and 52 (W52) and after 2 years (W104). After a median follow-up period of 4.9 years (range 0.4-17.2 years), complete remission and overall response were significantly higher in patients in the combination therapy group at W104 (92% and 100% respectively) compared with patients treated with alkylating agents alone (66% and 68%) and rituximab alone (64% and 73%). The 5-year progression-free survival probabilities were 68%, 70% and 89% in patients treated with alkylating agents alone, rituximab alone and combination therapy respectively. Haematological adverse events were reported in 32 (30%) patients (mostly grade 1) and were more frequent in the two groups receiving alkylating agents (P = 0.05 and P alkylating agents alone. Rituximab has a better safety profile than regimens containing alkylating agents. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Preliminary clinical evaluation of continuous infusion of 5-FU and low-dose cisplatin (LFP) therapy alone and combined with radiation therapy for treatment of advanced or recurrent esophageal cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Itoh, Satoshi; Morita, Sojiro; Ohnishi, Takenao; Tsuji, Akihito; Takamatsu, Masahiro; Horimi, Tadashi

2002-01-01

We evaluated the clinical effect of 5-FU and low-dose Cisplatin (LFP) therapy alone and LFP therapy combined with radiation therapy in patients with advanced or recurrent esophageal cancer. From March 1995 to September 2000, 11 patients with inoperable esophageal cancer, 8 patients with adjuvant chemotherapy post operation, and 14 patients with recurrent esophageal cancer were treated with LFP therapy. 5-FU (160 mg/m 2 /day) was continuously infused over 24 hours, and CDDP (3-7 mg/m 2 /day) was infused for 30 minutes. The administration schedule consisted of 5-FU for 7 consecutive days and CDDP for 5 days followed by a 2-day rest, each for four weeks. We combined radiation therapy for the patients with all lesions that could be included in the radiation field. Of 30 patients with measurable lesions the response rates of LFP therapy alone and LFP therapy combined with radiation therapy were 33% and 60%, respectively. Toxicity over grade 3 appeared in 3 of 15 patients with LFP therapy combined with radiation therapy. There was no significant difference between LFP therapy alone and LFP therapy combined with radiation therapy with regard to survival rate of inoperable and recurrent esophageal cancer. In conclusion, LFP therapy alone may be effective for esophageal cancer. (author)

Fixed-functional appliance treatment combined with growth hormone therapy.

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Jung, Min-Ho

2017-09-01

The purpose of this study was to illustrate the effects of growth hormone (GH) therapy and fixed functional appliance treatment in a 13-year-old Class II malocclusion patient without GH deficiency. GH has been shown to effectively increase endochondral growth and induce a more prognathic skeletal pattern. Although a major concern in Class II retrognathic patients is chin deficiency, long-term studies have shown that the mandibular growth enhancement effects of functional appliances are clinically insignificant. This case report demonstrates that the mandible grew significantly during fixed functional appliance treatment combined with GH therapy, with stable results during 2 years 11 months of retention. More studies are needed to evaluate GH therapy as a supplement in Class II treatment. Copyright © 2017 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of radiation and combined chemoradiation therapy on cardiac activity in patients with esophagus cancer. [Combined effects of /sup 60/Co. gamma. rays and methylglyoxal-bis(guanylhydrazone) an antineoplastic drug

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neklyudova, V I; Shkhvatsabaya, L V; Ivanova, E M

1978-12-01

The results of a comparative study of the effect of radiation and combined chemoradiation therapy with methyl-GAG in 51 patients with cancer of the chest region of the esophagus indicate an adverse effect of these methods of treatment on cardiac activity. Against the background of chemoradiation therapy, these changes were more marked due perhaps to some cardiotoxic effect of methyl-GAG. However, the changes induced did not lead to considerable disorders of hemodynamics during treatment.

Combination therapy with DPP-4 inhibitors and pioglitazone in type 2 diabetes: theoretical consideration and therapeutic potential

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nasser Mikhail

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Nasser MikhailEndocrinology Division, Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, David-Geffen School of Medicine, CA, USAAbstract: Sitagliptin and vildagliptin represent a new class of anti-diabetic agents that enhance the action of incretin hormones through inhibition of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4, the enzyme that normally inactivates incretin hormones. Because of their distinct mechanism of action, DPP-4 inhibitors can be used as add-on therapy to other classes of drugs for treatment of type 2 diabetes. The objective of this review is to critically evaluate clinical trials of sitagliptin and vildagliptin in combination with pioglitazone. The addition of either sitagliptin or vildagliptin to ongoing pioglitazone therapy is associated with reduction in average hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c levels of approximately 0.7% compared with placebo and 1% compared with baseline after 24 weeks. When started concomitantly in drug-naïve patients, the combination of pioglitazone 30 mg and vildagliptin 100 mg qd reduces HbA1c by 1.9% after 24 weeks, compared with 1.1% with pioglitazone monotherapy. In general, the addition of DPP-4 inhibitors to pioglitazone was well tolerated, did not increase the incidence of hypoglycemia, and did not substantially worsen the weight-gain induced by pioglitazone. The combination of sitagliptpin or vildagliptin with pioglitazone can be a useful therapeutic approach in patients with type 2 diabetes who cannot tolerate metformin or a sulfonylurea.Keywords: incretins, sitagliptin, vildagliptin, dipeptidyl peptidase inhibitors, pioglitazone, type 2 diabetes

[Electrical stimulation therapy and its effects on the general activity of motor impaired cerebral palsied children; a comparative study of the Bobath physiotherapy and its combination with the Hufschmidt electrical stimulation therapy (author's transl)].

Science.gov (United States)

Leyendecker, C

1975-08-01

The purpose of this study was to answer the following questions: (1) Is it more effective to treat spastic cerebral palsy with the Hufschmidt electrical stimulation therapy combined with the Bobath neuro-development treatment or only with the Bobath therapy? (2) Can a general increase in activity be obtained by the electrotherapeutic muscle stimulation? A test group (combined Hufschmidt/Bobath therapy) and a control group (Bobath), both consisting of 10 subjects, were observed for four months. The duration of observation was divided into two four months treatment periods with a rest interval of two months in between. At the start of therapeutic measures, motor activity and psychic condition were tested with corresponding motormetric and psychodiagnostic techniques; three check-up examinations were carried out at the end of the first, and at the beginning and end of the second period of treatment. The motor-metric control examination showed that at the end of the first period the test group had achieved by far the better results, but at the end of the second therapeutic period, both groups were equally successful. The combined electrophysiotherapy hence reached in a relatively shorter time - as it were by leaps and bounds - the optimal obtainable state of functional improvements which, with the Bobath therapy alone, can be effected more slowly but with more continuity. The psychodiagnostic controls clearly indicate that the electrical stimulation produced an unspecified increase in activity, especially after the first phase of treatment, whereas in the second phase this could only be proven in a graded form. The report closes with an examination of the results and their consequences for the implementation of the treatment for cerebral palsied children.

Smart Porous Silicon Nanoparticles with Polymeric Coatings for Sequential Combination Therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Wujun; Thapa, Rinez; Liu, Dongfei; Nissinen, Tuomo; Granroth, Sari; Närvänen, Ale; Suvanto, Mika; Santos, Hélder A; Lehto, Vesa-Pekka

2015-11-02

In spite of the advances in drug delivery, the preparation of smart nanocomposites capable of precisely controlled release of multiple drugs for sequential combination therapy is still challenging. Here, a novel drug delivery nanocomposite was prepared by coating porous silicon (PSi) nanoparticles with poly(beta-amino ester) (PAE) and Pluronic F-127, respectively. Two anticancer drugs, doxorubicin (DOX) and paclitaxel (PTX), were separately loaded into the core of PSi and the shell of F127. The nanocomposite displayed enhanced colloidal stability and good cytocompatibility. Moreover, a spatiotemporal drug release was achieved for sequential combination therapy by precisely controlling the release kinetics of the two tested drugs. The release of PTX and DOX occurred in a time-staggered manner; PTX was released much faster and earlier than DOX at pH 7.0. The grafted PAE on the external surface of PSi acted as a pH-responsive nanovalve for the site-specific release of DOX. In vitro cytotoxicity tests demonstrated that the DOX and PTX coloaded nanoparticles exhibited a better synergistic effect than the free drugs in inducing cellular apoptosis. Therefore, the present study demonstrates a promising strategy to enhance the efficiency of combination cancer therapies by precisely controlling the release kinetics of different drugs.

FIRST EXPERIENCE OF CYMEVEN IN THE COMBINED THERAPY OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

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R M Balabanova

2001-01-01

Full Text Available Ummary Objective. To reveal J'reguency of accompaning virus infection and possibility to use antivirus therapy together in therapy RA. Material. 40 patients with RA at the age of 17-45 were studied. The duration of disease was not more than 6 months; patients had 2-3 degrees of activity. Every one had a positive rheumatoid factor. Results. 78,2% of the examined patients connected the beginning of the illness with virus infection they have had. The most difficalt variant of RA course and uneffectiveness of basic therapy were registerd among the patients with combination HSV and CMV infection. Inclusion of Cymevene in complex therapy RA has exerted positive influence on clinical-laboratory, signs stregthened effect of basic therapy. Conclusion. The most difficult variant of RA course was registered among the patients with virus infection. Inclusion of antivirus drugs had a positive influence on effectiveness of basic therapy.

Comparative effectiveness research (CER): a summary of AHRQ's CER on therapies for rheumatoid arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Oderda, Gary M; Balfe, Lisa M

2011-01-01

In recent years, the U.S. government has designated funding of several large-scale initiatives for comparative effectiveness research (CER) in health care. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 apportioned more than $1 billion to support CER programs administered by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). CER is generally defined as the undertaking of original research or systematic reviews of published literature in order to compare the benefits and risks of different approaches to preventing, diagnosing, or treating diseases. These approaches may include diagnostic tests, medications, medical devices, and surgeries. The overall goals of CER are to support informed health care decisions by patients, clinicians, payers, and policy makers and to apply its evidence to ultimately improve the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of health care. To (a) provide managed care professionals with general definitions of CER, specifically as it is administered by AHRQ; (b) discuss the importance of CER to clinical and managed care pharmacists; and (c) summarize key methods and findings from AHRQ's 2007 comparative effectiveness review on therapies for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). As supported by AHRQ, CER is conducted in order to synthesize comprehensive evidence on the comparative benefits and harms of treatment interventions. The findings from comparative effectiveness reviews can thus contribute to informing therapeutic strategies and treatment decisions. In 2007, a multitude of RA treatment options and studies motivated AHRQ to commission a systematic comparative effectiveness review. Conducted by investigators at the RTI-University of North Carolina Evidence-Based Practice Center, the review included comparisons of synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), biologic agents, synthetic DMARDs versus biologic agents, and various

[Efficacy of combination therapy of tamsulosin and solifenacin for mild and moderate benign prostatic hyperplasia with overactive bladder].

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Zhong-Wei; Xin, Shi-Yong; Zhang, Jian-Guo; Ren, Xiao-Qiang; Shang, Ya-Feng; Zhang, Wei; Li, Hui-Bing; Xiao, Fei; Shao, Chang-Shuai

2014-03-01

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the combination therapy of tamsulosin and solifenacin for mild and moderate benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) with overactive bladder (OAB). We randomly divided 166 patients with BPH and concomitant OAB into a mild obstruction symptom group (n = 88) and a moderate obstruction symptom group (n =78), 48 of the former group treated with 0. 2 mg tamsulosin + 5 mg solifenacin and the other 40 with 0. 2 mg tamsulosin; 36 of the latter group treated with 0. 2 mg tamsulosin + 5 mg solifenacin and the other 42 with 0. 2 mg tamsulosin, all administered once daily for 12 weeks. We obtained the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), urine storage period symptom score (USPSS), voiding symptom score (VSS), Qmax, residual urine volume, OAB symptom score (OABSS) and adverse reactions, and compared them among different Among the patients with mild obstruction symptoms, the combination of tamsulosin and solifenacin achieved remark-groups. able improvement in IPSS, USPSS, Qmax and OABSS as compared with the baseline (P 0. 05) , while tamsulosin improved IPSS only (P tamsulosin alone in improving IPSS (9.7 micro 3.0 vs 15.8 micro 3.3), USPSS (8. 1 micro 1.7 vs 12.3 micro 3.1), Qmax ([18.6 micro 2.3] ml/s vs [14.2 micro 2.3] ml/s ), and OABSS (5.3micro 1.3 vs 9.7 micro 2.7) (P 0. 05). In those with moderate obstruction symptoms, the combination therapy significantly improved IPSS, VSS, Qmax and OABSS (P 0. 05) in comparison with the baseline. The tamsulosin therapy achieved obvious improvement in IPSS, VSS, Qmax, OABSS and residual urine. The combination therapy showed a better effect than tamsulosin only in OABSS (4. 8 +/-1.5 vs 6.5 +/-2.5, P tamsulosin and solifenacin is obviously safe and efficacious in the treatment (P > 0.05). events of both mild and moderate BPH with concomitant OAB, and it is superior to tamsulosin alone.

Combination cell therapy with mesenchymal stem cells and neural stem cells for brain stroke in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Hosseini, Seyed Mojtaba; Farahmandnia, Mohammad; Razi, Zahra; Delavari, Somayeh; Shakibajahromi, Benafsheh; Sarvestani, Fatemeh Sabet; Kazemi, Sepehr; Semsar, Maryam

2015-05-01

Brain stroke is the second most important events that lead to disability and morbidity these days. Although, stroke is important, there is no treatment for curing this problem. Nowadays, cell therapy has opened a new window for treating central nervous system disease. In some previous studies the Mesenchymal stem cells and neural stem cells. In this study, we have designed an experiment to assess the combination cell therapy (Mesenchymal and Neural stem cells) effects on brain stroke. The Mesenchymal stem cells were isolated from adult rat bone marrow and the neural stem cells were isolated from ganglion eminence of rat embryo 14 days. The Mesenchymal stem cells were injected 1 day after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and the neural stem cells transplanted 7 day after MCAO. After 28 days, the neurological outcomes and brain lesion volumes were evaluated. Also, the activity of Caspase 3 was assessed in different groups. The group which received combination cell therapy had better neurological examination and less brain lesion. Also the combination cell therapy group had the least Caspase 3 activity among the groups. The combination cell therapy is more effective than Mesenchymal stem cell therapy and neural stem cell therapy separately in treating the brain stroke in rats.

Music therapy internship supervisors and preinternship students: a comparative analysis of questionnaires.

Science.gov (United States)

Knight, Andrew J

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare perceptions of professional competency between preinternship music therapy students and internship supervisors. Preinternship music therapy students and internship supervisors were asked to fill out the Internship Concerns Questionnaire (ICQ-ST, student; ICQ-SU, supervisor). Participants (N = 106) included 85 students at 16 AMTA-approved universities (n = 85), and 21 internship supervisors at active AMTA national roster internship sites (n = 21). Twenty items on the ICQ were rated on a Likert-type scale, and 1 item (Part B) asked the participant to indicate any other concerns not addressed in the ICQ. Music therapy interns and supervisors differed significantly in their mean ratings on 2 of the 20 items: "Communicating with facility staff" (p = .025) and "Maintaining client confidence" (p = .016). In both cases the student interns reported a significantly lower mean level of concern about getting assistance in these areas than did their supervisors. The present study suggests that music therapy educators may better prepare music therapy students for a successful internship by evaluating the perceptual gaps in professional training expectations between students and supervisors prior to the internship. Internship supervisors may also benefit from student's own perceptions of their knowledge and skills upon beginning the internship. Ultimately, the student is responsible for being prepared to begin the process from intern to beginning professional at the start of the internship, and to commit to gaining as much as possible from the combination of academic and clinical experiences available to them.

[Clinical benefit of HCV core antigen assay in patients receiving interferon and ribavirin combination therapy].

Science.gov (United States)

Higashimoto, Makiko; Takahashi, Masahiko; Jokyu, Ritsuko; Saito, Hidetsugu

2006-02-01

A highly sensitive second generation HCV core antigen assay has recently been developed. We compared viral disappearance and kinetics data between commercially available core antigen assays, Lumipulse Ortho HCV Ag, and a quantitative HCV RNA PCR assay, Cobas Amplicor HCV Monitor Test, Version 2 to estimate the predictive benefit of sustained viral response (SVR) and non-SVR in 59 patients treated with interferon and ribavirin combination therapy. We found a good correlation between HCV core Ag and HCV RNA level regardless of genotype. Although the sensitivity of the core antigen assay was lower than PCR, the dynamic range was broader than that of the PCR assay, so that we did not need to dilute the samples in 59 patients. We detected serial decline of core Ag levels in 24 hrs, 7 days and 14 days after interferon combination therapy. The decline of core antigen levels was significant in SVR patients compared to non-SVR as well as in genotype 2a, 2b patients compared to 1b. Core antigen-negative on day 1 could predict all 10 SVR patients (PPV = 100%), whereas RNA-negative could predict 22 SVR out of 25 on day 14 (PPV = 88.0%). None of the patients who had detectable serum core antigen on day 14 became SVR(NPV = 100%), although NPV was 91.2% on RNA negativity. An easy, simple, low cost new HCV core antigen detecting system seems to be useful for assessing and monitoring IFN treatment for HCV.

Two drugs are better than one. A short history of combined therapy of ovarian cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Bukowska, Barbara; Gajek, Arkadiusz; Marczak, Agnieszka

2015-01-01

Combined therapy of ovarian cancer has a long history. It has been applied for many years. The first drug which was commonly combined with other chemotherapeutics was cisplatin. It turned out to be effective given together with alkylating agents as well as with taxanes. Another drug which is often the basis of first-line therapy is doxorubicin. The use of traditional chemotherapy is often limited due to side effects. This is why new drugs, targeted specifically at cancer cells (e.g. monoclonal antibodies or epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors), offer a welcome addition when used in combination with conventional anticancer agents. Drugs applied in combination should be synergistic or at least additive. To evaluate the type of interaction between drugs in a plausible sequence, isobolographic analysis is used. This method allows one to assess whether the two agents could make an efficient combination, which might improve the therapy of ovarian cancer.

Ranibizumab alone or in combination with photodynamic therapy vs photodynamic therapy for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy: a systematic review and Meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Kai; Si, Jun-Kang; Guo, Da-Dong; Cui, Yan; Du, Yu-Xiang; Pan, Xue-Mei; Bi, Hong-Sheng

2015-01-01

To compare the efficacy of intravitreal ranibizumab (IVR) alone or in combination with photodynamic therapy (PDT) vs PDT in patients with symptomatic polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). A systematic search of a wide range of databases (including PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and Web of Science) was searched to identify relevant studies. Both randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-RCT studies were included. Methodological quality of included literatures was evaluated according to the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. RevMan 5.2.7 software was used to do the Meta-analysis. Three RCTs and 6 retrospective studies were included. The results showed that PDT monotherapy had a significantly higher proportion in patients who achieved complete regression of polyps than IVR monotherapy at months 3, 6, and 12 (All P≤0.01), respectively. However, IVR had a tendency to be more effective in improving vision on the basis of RCTs. The proportion of patients who gained complete regression of polyps revealed that there was no significant difference between the combination treatment and PDT monotherapy. The mean change of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) from baseline showed that the combination treatment had significant superiority in improving vision vs PDT monotherapy at months 3, 6 and 24 (All Pcompare with PDT either in stabilizing or in improving vision, although it can hardly promote the regression of polyps. The combination treatment of PDT and IVR can exert a synergistic effect on regressing polyps and on maintaining or improving visual acuity. Thus, it can be the first-line therapy for PCV.

[Clinical effect of Saccharomyces boulardii powder combined with azithromycin sequential therapy in treatment of children with diarrhea secondary to Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia].

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Qi-Fen; Zhang, Yi-Wei

2018-02-01

To investigate the clinical effect of Saccharomyces boulardii powder combined with azithromycin sequential therapy in the treatment of children with diarrhea secondary to Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia. A total of 88 children with diarrhea secondary to Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia between June 2015 and March 2017 were divided into control group and study group using a random number table, with 44 children in each group. The children in the control group were given routine treatment combined with azithromycin sequential therapy, and those in the study group were given oral Saccharomyces boulardii powder in addition to the treatment in the control group until the end of azithromycin sequential therapy. After the treatment ended, the two groups were compared in terms of time to improvement of clinical symptoms, length of hospital stay, clinical outcome, defecation frequency before and after treatment, condition of intestinal dysbacteriosis, and incidence of adverse events. Compared with the control group, the study group had significantly shorter time to improvement of clinical symptoms and length of hospital stay (P0.05). In the treatment of children with diarrhea secondary to Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia, Saccharomyces boulardii powder combined with azithromycin sequential therapy can improve clinical symptoms, shorten the length of hospital stay, reduce defecation frequency and the incidence of intestinal dysbacteriosis, and improve clinical outcomes, and does not increase the risk of adverse events.

Nonstent Combination Interventional Therapy for Treatment of Benign Cicatricial Airway Stenosis

OpenAIRE

Xiao-Jian Qiu; Jie Zhang; Ting Wang; Ying-Hua Pei; Min Xu

2015-01-01

Background: Benign cicatricial airway stenosis (BCAS) is a life-threatening disease. While there are numerous therapies, all have their defects, and stenosis can easily become recurrent. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and complications of nonstent combination interventional therapy (NSCIT) when used for the treatment of BCAS of different causes and types. Methods: This study enrolled a cohort of patients with BCAS resulting from tuberculosis, intubation, tracheotomy, and othe...

Myxedema coma associated with combination aripiprazole and sertraline therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Church, Chelsea O; Callen, Erin C

2009-12-01

To describe a case of myxedema coma (MC) associated with combination aripiprazole and sertraline therapy. A 41-year-old male presented to the emergency department with confusion, right-sided numbness and tingling, slurred speech, dizziness, and facial edema. His blood pressure was 160/113 mm Hg, with a pulse of 56 beats/min and temperature of 35.4 degrees C. Initial abnormal laboratory values included creatine kinase (CK) 439 U/L; serum creatinine 1.6 mg/dL; aspartate aminotransferase 85 U/L; and alanine aminotransferase 35 U/L. Repeat cardiac markers revealed an elevated CK level of 3573 U/L with a CK-MB of 24 ng/mL. Thyroid function tests showed thyroid-stimulating hormone 126.4 microIU/mL and free thyroxine 0.29 ng/dL. Home medications of unknown duration were sertraline 200 mg and aripiprazole 20 mg daily. He was admitted to the intensive care unit and initially treated with intravenous levothyroxine and dexamethasone. By hospital day 4, the patient was clinically stable and discharged to home. Myxedema coma, the most significant form of hypothyroidism (HT), is a rare but potentially fatal condition. The known precipitating causes of MC were ruled out in this patient, which left his home medications as the likely cause. Cases of HT caused by certain atypical antipsychotics and antidepressants are found in the literature, but none was reported with aripiprazole therapy. There are also no reported cases of sertraline or aripiprazole inducing MC. Use of the Naranjo probability scale indicates that the combination of aripiprazole and sertraline was a probable inducer of MC in this patient. Due to the widespread use of psychotropic medications, clinicians should be reminded of the rare, yet life-threatening, occurrence of MC when treating patients, especially with combination therapies such as sertraline and aripiprazole.

Severe Rhabdomyolysis Associated with the Cerivastatin-Gemfibrozil Combination Therapy

Science.gov (United States)

Lau, Theodore K.; Leachman, D. Richard; Lufschanowski, Roberto

2001-01-01

Cerivastatin is the new 3rd-generation of the synthetic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors, the 1st drugs of choice for treating hypercholesterolemia. A potent inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase, it possesses a high affinity for liver tissue and decreases plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol at microgram doses. Cerivastatin produces reductions in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol of 31.3% and 36.1% at doses of 0.3 and 0.4 mg/day, respectively. It is an uncomplicated agent with regard to its pharmacokinetic profile, low potential for interaction with other drugs, and suitability for use in those with impaired renal function. Most other statins have been implicated in causing rhabdomyolysis, either as mono-therapy or in combination with other agents. We report what to our knowledge is the most profound case yet in the literature of rhabdomyolysis in association with ceriva-statin-gemfibrozil combination therapy, in regard both to the extreme elevation in serum creatinine kinase and to the patient's near-paralytic weakness. PMID:11453128

Effect of combination therapy with irradiation and ACNU on rectal cancer in mice

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Suzuki, Masahiko; Nakajima, Atsushi; Kato, Koichiro; Eiraku, Hitoshi (Tokyo Medical Coll. (Japan))

1992-03-01

Colon 26, a transplantable strain of colon cancer, was implanted in BALB/C mice, and the effect of combination therapy with irradiation and ACNU on the mice was studied. Regional irradiation with 9 MeV electron beams was administered once without anesthetization, and ACNU was injected intraperitoneally. The 102 mice used as subjects were divided into 6 groups: nontreated group, 3 Gy irradiation group, 9 Gy irradiation group, 20 mg/kg ACNU group, 40 mg/kg ACNU group, and 3 Gy irradiation + 20 mg/kg ACNU group. Antitumor effects were evaluated based on survival time and inhibition of tumor volume growth, which were calculated from mean days of survival, Kaplan-Meier survival rate curves, and tumor volume growth curves, and the results were compared among these 6 groups. In addition, pathological and cytological studies were performed. As a result, antitumor effect was found to be significantly remarkable in the group receiving the combination of irradiation and ACNU compared to any other group given either irradiation or ACNU alone, suggesting that the antitumor effect of irradiation was potentiated by ACNU. (author).

Effectiveness of combined antyviral therapy in children with chronic hepatitis C

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. P. Martynova

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The paper presents the results of the research on effectiveness of combined antiviral therapy conducted with pegylated interferon alpha 2b of prolonged action (Peginterferon alpha 2b at a dose of 60 mcg/m2 per week and Rebetol (Ribavirin at a dose of 15 mg/kg per day in 26 children with chronic viral hepatitis C aged from 3 to 17, who underwent regular medical check-ups in City Clinical Hospital № 20 named after I.S. Berzon in Krasnoyarsk. Evaluation of effectiveness of combined antiviral therapy revealed that patients with genotype 1 had an immediate virologic response in 78,5% of cases, 83,3% of patients with genotype 2, 3 had a stable virologic response.

Effect of alprostadil combined with conventional therapy on serum markers in patients with acute cerebral infarction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li-Lan Chen

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: To study the effect of alprostadil combined with conventional therapy on serum markers in patients with acute cerebral infarction. Methods: Patients with acute cerebral infarction treated in our hospital from May 2012 to August 2014 were enrolled and randomly divided into two groups. Observation group received alprostadil combined with conventional therapy and control group received conventional treatment. Then serum markers of both groups were compared. Results: (1 contents of serum nerve function related molecules: serum NSE and S100β contents of observation group showed a decreasing trend, and BDNF and NGF contents showed an increasing trend; (2 contents of atherosclerosis related enzymes: serum GGT, iNOS and MPO contents of observation group showed a decreasing trend, and PON1 and PON2 contents showed an increasing trend; (3 platelet activation related molecules: serum PPARγ, CD62p, YKL-40, sCD40L and Fibulin-5 contents of observation group all showed a decreasing trend. Conclusions: Alprostadil combined with conventional treatment is helpful to alleviate neuronal damage and inhibit the processes of atherosclerosis and platelet activation; it’s an ideal method for treating acute cerebral infarction.

Calreticulin as cancer treatment adjuvant: combination with photodynamic therapy and photodynamic therapy-generated vaccines

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Mladen eKorbelik

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Calreticulin is recognized as one of pivotal damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP molecules alerting the host of the presence of distressed cells. In this role, calreticulin becomes exposed on the surface of tumor cells treated by several types of cancer therapy including photodynamic therapy (PDT. The goal of the present study was to examine the potential of externally added calreticulin for augmenting antitumor effect mediated by PDT. Recombinant calreticulin was found to bind to mouse SCCVII tumor cells treated by PDT. Compared to the outcome with PDT alone, cure-rates of SCCVII tumors grown in immunocompetent C3H/HeN mice were elevated when calreticulin (0.4 mg/mouse was injected peritumorally immediately after PDT. Such therapeutic gain with PDT plus calreticulin combination was not obtained with SCCVII tumors growing in immunodeficient NOD-scid mice. In PDT vaccine protocol, where PDT-treated SCCVII cells are used for vaccination of SCCVII tumor-bearing mice, adding recombinant calreticulin to cells before their injection produced improved therapeutic effect. The expression of calreticulin gene was reduced in PDT-treated cells, while no changes were observed with the expression of this gene in tumor, liver, and spleen tissues in PDT vaccine-treated mice. These findings reveal that externally added recombinant calreticulin can boost antitumor responses elicited by PDT or PDT-generated vaccines, and can thus serve as an effective adjuvant for cancer treatment with PDT and probably other cancer cell stress-inducing modalities.

The efficacy of tramadol/acetaminophen combination tablets (Ultracet®) as add-on and maintenance therapy in knee osteoarthritis pain inadequately controlled by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID).

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Kyung-Su; Choi, Jin-Jung; Kim, Wan-Uk; Min, June-Ki; Park, Sung-Hwan; Cho, Chul-Soo

2012-02-01

The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy of tramadol 37.5 mg/acetaminophen 325 mg combination tablets (tramadol/APAP) with that of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) as maintenance therapy following tramadol/APAP and NSAID combination therapy in knee osteoarthritis (OA) pain which was inadequately controlled by NSAIDs. Subjects with knee OA for over 1 year and moderate pain (numerical rating scale [NRS] ≥5) despite at least 4 weeks' NSAID therapy (meloxicam 7.5 mg or 15 mg qd or aceclofenac 100 mg bid) received tramadol/APAP add-on (combination with NSAID) for 4 weeks. Thereafter, subjects with significant pain improvement (NRS pain intensity (NRS), pain relief score, and subjects' and investigators' overall medication assessments. Of 143 subjects enrolled, 112 completed the 4-week tramadol/APAP and NSAID combination phase and 97 (67.8%) experienced significant pain improvement. Of the 97 subjects randomized, 36 in tramadol/APAP group and 47 in NSAID group completed the 8-week comparator study. On days 29 and 57, WOMAC scores and pain intensities did not increase in both groups compared to measurements immediately after the combination therapy. At these two time points, there were no significant differences in WOMAC scores, pain intensities, and other secondary measures between the two groups. Overall adverse event rates were similar in both groups. Tramadol/APAP add-on significantly improved knee OA pain which had been inadequately controlled by NSAIDs. In those subjects who showed favorable response to tramadol/APAP and NSAID combination therapy, both tramadol/APAP and NSAIDs were effective at maintaining the pain-reduced state and there was no significant difference in efficacy between tramadol/APAP and NSAIDs.

Extrafine Beclomethasone/formoterol compared to Fluticasone/salmeterol Combination Therapy in COPD

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Singh, D.; Nicolini, G.; Bindi, E.

2014-01-01

Background: The study evaluated the efficacy of beclomethasone dipropionate/formoterol fumarate (BDP/FF) extrafine combination versus fluticasone propionate/salmeterol (FP/S) combination in COPD patients. Methods: The trial was a 12-week multicentre, randomised, double-blind, double dummy study......; 419 patients with moderate/severe COPD were randomised to BDP/FF 200/12 mu g or FP/S 500/50 mu g twice daily. The primary objective was to demonstrate the equivalence between treatments in terms of Transition Dyspnoea Index (TDI) score and the superiority of BDP/FF in terms of change from pre- dose...... in the first 30 minutes in forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1). Secondary endpoints included lung function, symptom scores, symptom-free days and use of rescue medication, St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire, six minute walking test and COPD exacerbations. Results: BDP/FF was equivalent...

A comparative study of atenolol, nifedipine and their combination in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

1991-01-05

Jan 5, 1991 ... ambulatory blood pressure measurement, of nHedlplne slow- release (SR), atenolol and the ... common with combination therapy and least common with atenolol. ... sitting position with a mercury sphygmomanometer after 5 minutes of rest. ... Three methods of adverse effects analysis were used. At each.

Photodynamic therapy and diagnosis: Principles and comparative aspects.

Science.gov (United States)

Dobson, Jane; de Queiroz, Genilson Fernandes; Golding, Jon P

2018-03-01

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an evolving method of treating superficial tumours that is non-invasive and carries minimal risk of toxicity. It combines tumour-selective photosensitiser dyes, tissue oxygen and targeted illumination to generate cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) within the tumour. In addition to directly acting on tumour cells, PDT damages and restricts tumour microvasculature, and causes a local inflammatory response that stimulates an immune response against the tumour. Unlike surgery or radiotherapy, the surrounding extracellular matrix is unaffected by PDT; thus, tissue healing is excellent and PDT seldom causes scars. This, combined with the ease of light application, has made PDT a popular treatment for cancers and pre-cancerous conditions in human beings. Moreover, because photosensitiser dyes are fluorescent and selectively accumulate in tumour tissues, they can additionally be used to visualise and discriminate tumour from normal tissues, thereby improving the accuracy of tumour surgery. In veterinary practice, PDT has been used successfully for treatment of superficial squamous cell carcinomas of the feline nasal planum; urinary tract, urinary bladder and prostate neoplasia in dogs; and equine sarcoids. The purpose of this article is to provide a comparative review of the current literature on PDT in human and veterinary medicine, and to establish a basis for future development of PDT in veterinary medicine. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Initial combination therapy with ambrisentan and tadalafil in connective tissue disease-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension (CTD-PAH): subgroup analysis from the AMBITION trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Coghlan, John Gerry; Galiè, Nazzareno; Barberà, Joan Albert; Frost, Adaani E; Ghofrani, Hossein-Ardeschir; Hoeper, Marius M; Kuwana, Masataka; McLaughlin, Vallerie V; Peacock, Andrew J; Simonneau, Gérald; Vachiéry, Jean-Luc; Blair, Christiana; Gillies, Hunter; Miller, Karen L; Harris, Julia H N; Langley, Jonathan; Rubin, Lewis J

2017-07-01

Patients with connective tissue disease-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension (CTD-PAH), in particular systemic sclerosis (SSc), had an attenuated response compared with idiopathic PAH in most trials. Thus, there is uncertainty regarding the benefit of PAH-targeted therapy in some forms of CTD-PAH. To explore the safety and efficacy of initial combination therapy with ambrisentan and tadalafil versus ambrisentan or tadalafil monotherapy in patients with CTD-PAH and SSc-PAH enrolled in the AMBITION trial. This was a post hoc analysis of patients with CTD-PAH and SSc-PAH from AMBITION, an event-driven, double-blind trial in patients with WHO functional class II/III PAH. Treatment-naive patients were randomised 2:1:1 to once-daily initial combination therapy with ambrisentan plus tadalafil or monotherapy with ambrisentan or tadalafil, respectively. The primary endpoint was time to the first clinical failure event (first occurrence of death, hospitalisation for worsening PAH, disease progression or unsatisfactory long-term clinical response). In the primary analysis set (N=500), 187 patients had CTD-PAH, of whom 118 had SSc-PAH. Initial combination therapy reduced the risk of clinical failure versus pooled monotherapy in each subgroup: CTD-PAH (HR 0.43 (95% CI 0.24 to 0.77)) and SSc-PAH (0.44 (0.22 to 0.89)). The most common AE was peripheral oedema, which was reported more frequently with initial combination therapy than monotherapy in the two PAH subgroups. The relative frequency of adverse events between those on combination therapy versus monotherapy was similar across subgroups. This post hoc subgroup analysis provides evidence that CTD-PAH and SSc-PAH patients benefit from initial ambrisentan and tadalafil combination therapy. NCT01178073, post results. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

The study of combination therapy for arterial infusion chemotherapy and radiation therapy in unresectable gallbladder cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goto, Takuma; Saito, Hiroya; Yanagawa, Nobuyuki; Fujinaga, Akihiro; Saito, Yoshinori

2013-01-01

In this study, we investigated an effective strategy of treatment for unresectable gallbladder cancer (GBC) by the retrospective analysis of prognostic factors and anti-tumor therapies, especially combination therapy of arterial infusion chemotherapy and radiation therapy (AI+PT). Forty-three patients with unresectable GBC were enrolled, and prognostic factors were investigated by multivariate analysis using a proportional hazard model. In addition, we examined the indication and after-therapy by analyzing the each factor cumulative survival rates and anti-tumor effect about the AI + RT group (n=24). AI + RT and the responders to the first-line therapy were significant prognostic factors. In AI + RT group, median survival time, progression-free survival and the 1-year survival rate, the response and disease control rates was 15.5 months, 7.1 months, 62.5%. 54.2% and 95.8%, respectively; which suggested prolonged survival and high anti-tumor effect. Cumulative survival rate was significantly shorter in cases with distant metastasis except liver metastases, and has been tendency to extend in the group who underwent systemic chemotherapy as after-therapy. The treatment strategy, using the Al + RT as first-line with the systemic chemotherapy as after-therapy, suggested contribute to the prolonged survival in locally advanced and liver metastases cases of GBC. (author)

Pemetrexed With Platinum Combination as a Backbone for Targeted Therapy in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Stinchcombe, Thomas E; Borghaei, Hossein; Barker, Scott S; Treat, Joseph Anthony; Obasaju, Coleman

2016-01-01

Standard platinum-based chemotherapy combinations for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have reached a plateau in terms of the survival benefit they offer for patients. In addition, the emerging clinical trend of tailored treatment based on patient characteristics has led to the development of therapeutic strategies that target specific cancer-related molecular pathways, including epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), angiogenesis, and anaplastic lymphoma kinase inhibitors. Current research is focused on combining targeted therapy with platinum-based chemotherapy in an endeavor to achieve an additional benefit in specific patient populations. Currently, pemetrexed is indicated for use in the first-line, maintenance, and second-line settings for the treatment of nonsquamous NSCLC. The combination of pemetrexed and cisplatin is well tolerated and is the approved standard first-line therapy. Thus, the pemetrexed-platinum backbone provides an attractive option for combination with targeted therapies. This review aims to summarize the current knowledge and future prospects of the use of pemetrexed-platinum as a backbone for combination with targeted therapies for NSCLC. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dual combination therapy targeting DR5 and EMMPRIN in pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Hyunki; Zhai, Guihua; Samuel, Sharon L; Rigell, Christopher J; Umphrey, Heidi R; Rana, Samir; Stockard, Cecil R; Fineberg, Naomi S; Zinn, Kurt R

2012-02-01

The goal of the study was to assess the efficacy of combined extracellular matrix metalloprotease inducer (EMMPRIN)- and death receptor 5 (DR5)-targeted therapy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma in orthotopic mouse models with multimodal imaging. Cytotoxicity of anti-EMMPRIN antibody and anti-DR5 antibody (TRA-8) in MIA PaCa-2 and PANC-1 cell lines was measured by ATPlite assay in vitro. The distributions of Cy5.5-labeled TRA-8 and Cy3-labeled anti-EMMPRIN antibody in the 2 cell lines were analyzed by fluorescence imaging in vitro. Groups 1 to 12 of severe combined immunodeficient mice bearing orthotopic MIA PaCa-2 (groups 1-8) or PANC-1 (groups 9-12) tumors were used for in vivo studies. Dynamic contrast-enhanced-MRI was applied in group 1 (untreated) or group 2 (anti-EMMPRIN antibody). The tumor uptake of Tc-99m-labeled TRA-8 was measured in group 3 (untreated) and group 4 (anti-EMMPRIN antibody). Positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging with (18)F-FDG was applied in groups 5 to 12. Groups 5 to 8 (or groups 9 to 12) were untreated or treated with anti-EMMPRIN antibody, TRA-8, and combination, respectively. TRA-8 showed high killing efficacy for both MIA PaCa-2 and PANC-1 cells in vitro, but additional anti-EMMPRIN treatment did not improve the cytotoxicity. Cy5.5-TRA-8 formed cellular caps in both the cell lines, whereas the maximum signal intensity was correlated with TRA-8 cytotoxicity. Anti-EMMPRIN therapy significantly enhanced the tumor delivery of the MR contrast agent, but not Tc-99m-TRA-8. Tumor growth was significantly suppressed by the combination therapy, and the additive effect of the combination was shown in both MIA PaCa-2 and PANC-1 tumor models.

Estimated radiation pneumonitis risk after photon versus proton therapy alone or combined with chemotherapy for lung cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vogelius, Ivan R.; Westerly, David C; Aznar, Marianne Camille

2011-01-01

Background. Traditionally, radiation therapy plans are optimized without consideration of chemotherapy. Here, we model the risk of radiation pneumonitis (RP) in the presence of a possible interaction between chemotherapy and radiation dose distribution. Material and methods. Three alternative......-radiation combinations could be an interesting indication for selecting patients for proton therapy. It is likely that the IMRT plans would perform better if the CERD was accounted for during optimization, but more clinical data is required to facilitate evidence-based plan optimization in the multi-modality setting....... treatment plans are compared in 18 non-small cell lung cancer patients previously treated with helical tomotherapy; the tomotherapy plan, an intensity modulated proton therapy plan (IMPT) and a three dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) plan. All plans are optimized without consideration...

Quality of Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy for malaria found in Ghanaian markets and public health implications of their use.

Science.gov (United States)

Tivura, Mathilda; Asante, Isaac; van Wyk, Albert; Gyaase, Stephaney; Malik, Naiela; Mahama, Emmanuel; Hostetler, Dana M; Fernandez, Facundo M; Asante, Kwaku Poku; Kaur, Harparkash; Owusu-Agyei, Seth

2016-10-28

Ghana changed their antimalarial drug policy from monotherapies to Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies in 2004 in order to provide more efficacious medicines for treatment of malaria. The policy change can be eroded if poor quality Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies are allowed to remain on the Ghanaian market unchecked by regulatory bodies and law enforcement agencies. The presence and prevalence of substandard and counterfeit Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies need to be determined on open markets in Ghana; a review of the current policy; identifying any gaps and making recommendations on actions to be taken in addressing gaps identified are essential as the data provided and recommendations made will help in ensuring effective control of malaria in Ghana. A field survey of antimalarial drugs was conducted in the central part of Ghana. The amount of active pharmaceutical ingredient in each Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy sample identified in the survey was measured using high performance liquid chromatographic analyses. Active pharmaceutical ingredient within the range of 85-115 % was considered as standard and active pharmaceutical ingredient results out of the range were considered as substandard. All samples were screened to confirm stated active pharmaceutical ingredient presence using mass spectrometry. A total of 256 Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies were purchased from known medicine outlets, including market stalls, hospitals/clinics, pharmacies, drug stores. Artemether lumefantrine (52.5 %) and artesunate amodiaquine (43.2 %) were the predominant Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies purchased. Of the 256 Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies purchased, 254 were tested, excluding two samples of Artesunate-SP. About 35 % of Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies were found to be substandard. Nine percent of Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies purchased were past their expiry date; no counterfeit (falsified) medicine

A clinical study on combined modality therapy, radio-hyperthermo-chemotherapy, for pancreatic cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamamoto, Yoshikazu

1989-01-01

A new multimodality therapy, radio-hyperthermo-chemotherapy, has been performed in a total of 31 pancreatic cancer patients with the purpose of improving treatment outcome. Combination of hyperthermia and chemotherapy was given as a pre-irradiation therapy in 7 resectable cancer patients. Among 24 unresectable cancer patients, 17 had irradiation in combination with hyperthermia and chemotherpay. Although both degeneration and necrosis of cancer cells were observed in all resectable cases at biopsy, these were not predictive of a better outcome. Of evaluable 17 patients with unresectable cancer, tumor regression was observed in 5 (29.4%). Although 22 patients had pain before therapy, 8 and 5 patients had remarkable and moderate pain relief, respectively, with therapy. Performance status was improved in 7 patients (29.2%). Survival rate at 12 months was still low (8.3%). However, the radio-hyperthermo-chemotherapy appears to help in increasing the quality of life in view of pain relief. (N.K.)

[Tadalafil combined with behavior therapy for semen collection from infertile males in whom masturbation fails].

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Wen-Hao; Jiang, Hui; Ma, Lu-Lin; Hong, Kai; Zhao, Lian-Ming; Liu, De-Feng; Mao, Jia-Ming; Yang, Yi; Zhang, Ju; Gao, Ling; Qiao, Jie

2013-05-01

To study the effect of Tadalafil combined with behavior therapy in helping obtain semen from infertile men in whom masturbation has failed. Sixty male infertile patients from whom masturbation had failed to obtain semen were equally assigned to receive Tadalafil combined with behavior therapy (combination group) or Tadalafil only (control group). All the patients took Tadalafil 20 mg orally the night before the day of semen collection by masturbation. Before this procedure, the patients of the combination group practiced masturbation 16 - 24 times at home. The average ages of the patients were (37.0 +/- 5.1) yr and (37.5 +/- 5.2) yr and their IIEF-5 scores were 16.50 +/- 1.25 and 16.90 +/- 1.09 in the combination and the control group, respectively, neither with statistically significant difference between the two groups. Semen was successfully obtained from 9 patients (30.0%) of the combination group and 1 patient (3.33%) of the control group, with statistically significant difference between the two groups (chi2 = 7.680, P masturbation, Tadalafil combined with behavior therapy can significantly increase the success rate of semen collection from the male infertile patients in whom masturbation fails.

Comparison of cephalonium alone and in combination with an internal teat sealant for dry cow therapy in seasonally calving dairy cows.

Science.gov (United States)

Bates, A J; Chambers, G; Laven, R A

2016-03-01

To assess the effect of combining an internal teat sealant (ITS) and a long-acting cephalonium-based dry cow therapy (DCT) on the prevalence of cows with a somatic cell count (SCC) >150,000 cells/mL 60-80 days after calving, and the incidence of clinical mastitis diagnosed by farm staff in the first 100 days after calving. Cows from a spring-calving, pasture-based, dairy farm in the South Canterbury region of New Zealand were randomly allocated to receive cephalonium DCT (n=289) or cephalonium and internal teat sealant (n=304) at the end of lactation. Cows were inspected twice daily by farm staff during the dry period and following calving for signs of mastitis. Individual SCC were determined from herd tests conducted in the previous lactation and following calving. Logistic regression models were used to determine relationships with the prevalence of cows with a SCC >150,000 cells/mL after calving, and survival analysis was used to model time to the first case of clinical mastitis following calving at the cow and quarter level. The OR for a cow with a SCC >150,000 cells/mL after calving, including age and individual SCC in the preceding lactation in the model, was 0.53 (95% CI=0.32-0.89) for cows treated with combination therapy compared to cows receiving cephalonium (p=0.017). At the cow level, including age and preceding SCC in the model, the hazard ratio for diagnosis of clinical mastitis by farm staff in the first 100 days of lactation was 0.60 (95% CI=0.39-0.98) for cows treated with combination therapy compared to cows receiving cephalonium (p=0.04). At the quarter level, the hazard ratio for diagnosis of clinical mastitis, with age included in the model, was 0.41 (95% CI=0.23-0.74) for the combination therapy compared to cephalonium alone (pmastitis diagnosed by farm staff in the 100 days after calving, and the prevalence of cows with a SCC >150,000 cells/mL 60-80 days after calving. This study adds to the evidence that the prevention of intra mammary

Imatinib in combination with hydroxyurea versus hydroxyurea alone as oral therapy in patients with progressive pretreated glioblastoma resistant to standard dose temozolomide

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dresemann, G.; Weller, M.; Ostenfeld-Rosenthal, Ann Maria

2010-01-01

A randomized, multicenter, open-label, phase 3 study of patients with progressive, recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) for whom front-line therapy had failed was conducted. This study was designed to determine whether combination therapy with imatinib and hydroxyurea (HU) has superior antitumor...... activity compared with HU monotherapy in the treatment of recurrent GBM. The target population consisted of patients with confirmed recurrent GBM and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-2 who had completed previous treatment comprising surgical resection, irradiation therapy...

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Efficacy and Safety of Combined Epinephrine and Corticosteroid Therapy for Acute Bronchiolitis in Infants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kok P. Kua

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of combined epinephrine and corticosteroid therapy for acute bronchiolitis in infants.Methods: Four electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and CENTRAL were searched from their inception to February 28, 2017 for studies involving infants aged less than 24 months with bronchiolitis which assessed the use of epinephrine and corticosteroid combination therapy. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration's Risk of Bias Tool. A random-effects meta-analysis was used to pool the effect estimates. The primary outcomes were hospital admission rate and length of hospital stay.Results: Of 1,489 citations identified, 5 randomized controlled trials involving 1,157 patients were included. All studies were of high quality and low risk of bias. Results of the meta-analysis showed no significant differences in the primary outcomes. Hospitalization rate was reduced by combinatorial therapy of epinephrine and corticosteroid in only one out of five studies, whereas pooled data indicated no benefit over epinephrine plus placebo. Clinical severity scores were significantly improved in all five RCTs when assessed individually, but no benefit was observed compared to epinephrine monotherapy when the data were pooled together. Pooled data showed that combination therapy was more effective at improving oxygen saturation level (mean difference: −0.70; 95% confidence interval: −1.17 to −0.22, p = 0.004. There was no difference in the risk of serious adverse events in infants treated with the combined epinephrine and corticosteroid therapy.Conclusions: Combination treatment of epinephrine and dexamethasone was ineffective in reducing hospital admission and length of stay among infants with bronchiolitis.

Limited Effect of Rebamipide in Addition to Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) in the Treatment of Post-Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection Gastric Ulcers: A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing PPI Plus Rebamipide Combination Therapy with PPI Monotherapy

OpenAIRE

Nakamura, Kazuhiko; Ihara, Eikichi; Akiho, Hirotada; Akahoshi, Kazuya; Harada, Naohiko; Ochiai, Toshiaki; Nakamura, Norimoto; Ogino, Haruei; Iwasa, Tsutomu; Aso, Akira; Iboshi, Yoichiro; Takayanagi, Ryoichi

2016-01-01

Background/Aims The ability of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) to resect large early gastric cancers (EGCs) results in the need to treat large artificial gastric ulcers. This study assessed whether the combination therapy of rebamipide plus a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) offered benefits over PPI monotherapy. Methods In this prospective, randomized, multicenter, open-label, and comparative study, patients who had undergone ESD for EGC or gastric adenoma were randomized into groups recei...

Accelerating cancer therapy development: the importance of combination strategies and collaboration. Summary of an Institute of Medicine workshop.

Science.gov (United States)

LoRusso, Patricia M; Canetta, Renzo; Wagner, John A; Balogh, Erin P; Nass, Sharyl J; Boerner, Scott A; Hohneker, John

2012-11-15

Cancer cells contain multiple genetic changes in cell signaling pathways that drive abnormal cell survival, proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. Unfortunately, patients treated with single agents inhibiting only one of these pathways--even if showing an initial response--often develop resistance with subsequent relapse or progression of their cancer, typically via the activation of an alternative uninhibited pathway. Combination therapies offer the potential for inhibiting multiple targets and pathways simultaneously to more effectively kill cancer cells and prevent or delay the emergence of drug resistance. However, there are many unique challenges to developing combination therapies, including devising and applying appropriate preclinical tests and clinical trial designs, prioritizing which combination therapies to test, avoiding overlapping toxicity of multiple agents, and overcoming legal, cultural, and regulatory barriers that impede collaboration among multiple companies, organizations, and/or institutions. More effective strategies to efficiently develop combination cancer therapies are urgently needed. Thus, the Institute of Medicine's National Cancer Policy Forum recently convened a workshop with the goal of identifying barriers that may be impeding the development of combination investigational cancer therapies, as well as potential solutions to overcome those barriers, improve collaboration, and ultimately accelerate the development of promising combinations of investigational cancer therapies. ©2012 AACR.

Phase II study of bevacizumab and temsirolimus combination therapy for recurrent glioblastoma multiforme

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lassen, Ulrik; Sorensen, Morten; Gaziel, Tine Bernhardtsen

2013-01-01

standard temozolomide chemoradiotherapy and bevacizumab-containing second-line therapy, received temsirolimus (25 mg i.v.) on days 1 and 8 and bevacizumab (10 mg/kg) on day 8, every two weeks. Assessments were performed every eight weeks. Blood samples for biomarkers were collected weekly for the first...... eight weeks and at progression. The primary end-point was median progression-free survival (PFS) and secondary end-points were radiographic response, overall survival (OS), and safety of the bevacizumab-temsirolimus combination. RESULTS: Thirteen patients were included, whereof three went off....../10), infection (1/10), hypertension (1/10), and hyperglycemia (1/10). CONCLUSION: Temsirolimus can be safely administered in combination with bevacizumab. This study failed to detect activity of such a combination in patients with progressive GBM beyond bevacizumab therapy....

Role of olmesartan in combination therapy in blood pressure control and vascular function

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos M Ferrario

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Carlos M Ferrario, Ronald D SmithWake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USAAbstract: Angiotensin receptor blockers have emerged as a first-line therapy in the management of hypertension and hypertension-related comorbidities. Since national and international guidelines have stressed the need to control blood pressure to <140/90 mmHg in uncomplicated hypertension and <130/80 mmHg in those with associated comorbidities such as diabetes or chronic kidney disease, these goal blood pressures can only be achieved through combination therapy. Of several drugs that can be effectively combined to attain the recommended blood pressure goals, fixed-dose combinations of angiotensin receptor blockers and the calcium channel blocker amlodipine provide additive antihypertensive effects associated with a safe profile and increased adherence to therapy. In this article, we review the evidence regarding the beneficial effects of renin–angiotensin system blockade with olmesartan medoxomil and amlodipine in terms of blood pressure control and improvement of vascular function and target organ damage.Keywords: amlodipine, angiotensin receptor blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, hypertension, renin–angiotensin system

Combination use of lentinan with x-ray therapy in mouse experimental tumor system, (3)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shiio, Tsuyoshi; Ohishi, Kazuo; Niitsu, Iwayasu; Hayashibara, Hiromi; Tsuchiya, Yoshiharu; Yoshihama, Takashi; Moriyuki, Hirobumi

1988-01-01

Combination effect of lentinan with X-ray irradiation on the metastatic mouse tumors, L1210, KLN205 and Lewis lung carcinoma were studied. Combination use of lentinan with X-ray therapy prolonged the life of BDF 1 mice bearing L1210 leukemia in the suitable combination conditions. Combination effects of lentinan with X-ray therapy were also observed on the suppression of the growth of KLN205 squamus cell carcinoma and on the suppression of the metastasis of Lewis lung carcinoma. Especially, in the case that lentinan was administered before or after X-ray local irradiation in the pulmorary metastasis system of Lewis lung carcinoma, a marked suppressin of pulmonary metastasis was observed and 2 to 4 mice among 8 tested mice were tumor free. (author)

Combination Therapy for the Cardiovascular Effects of Perinatal Lead Exposure in Young and Adult Rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaspar, Andréia Fresneda; Cordellini, Sandra

2014-01-01

Combination therapy can play a significant role in the amelioration of several toxic effects of lead (Pb) and recovery from associated cardiovascular changes. To investigate the effects of combination therapy on the cardiovascular effects of perinatal lead exposure in young and adult rats Female Wistar rats received drinking water with or without 500 ppm of Pb during pregnancy and lactation. Twenty-two- and 70-day-old rat offspring who were or were not exposed to Pb in the perinatal period received meso-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA), L-arginine, or enalapril and a combination of these compounds for 30 additional days. Noradrenaline response curves were plotted for intact and denuded aortas from 23-, 52-, 70-, and 100-day-old rats stratified by perinatal Pb exposure (exposed/unexposed) and treatment received (treated/untreated). Systolic blood pressure was evaluated and shown to be higher in the 23-, 52-, 70-, and 100-day age groups with Pb exposure than in the corresponding control age groups: 117.8 ± 3.9*, 135.2 ± 1.3*, 139.6 ± 1.6*, and 131.7 ± 2.8*, respectively and 107.1 ± 1.8, 118.8 ± 2.1, 126.1 ± 1.1, and 120.5 ± 2.2, respectively (p < 0.05). Increased reactivity to noradrenaline was observed in intact, but not denuded, aortas from 52-, 70-, and 100-day-old exposed rats, and the maximum responses (g of tension) in the respective Pb-exposed and control age groups were as follows: 3.43 ± 0.16*, 4.32 ± 0.18*, and 4.21 ± 0.23*, respectively and 2.38 ± 0.33, 3.37 ± 0.13, and 3.22 ± 0.21, respectively (p < 0.05). All treatments reversed the changes in vascular reactivity to noradrenaline in rats perinatally exposed to Pb. The combination therapy resulted in an earlier restoration of blood pressure in Pb-exposed rats compared with the monotherapies, except for enalapril therapy in young rats. These findings represent a new approach to the development of therapeutic protocols for the treatment of Pb-induced hypertension

Net clinical benefit of combination anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapy versus anticoagulation alone in atrial fibrillation patients: Results from the amadeus trial

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lane, Deirdre; Kamphuisen, Pieter; Minini, Pascal; De Peuter, Olaf R.; Buller, Harry R.; Lip, Gregory Y. H.

2010-01-01

Background: To compare the effect of combination anticoagulant and antiplatelet (AP) therapy with anticoagulation alone on stroke and bleeding risk in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients and examine predictors of clinically relevant bleeding. Methods: Post-hoc analysis of 4576 AF patients [mean (SD)

A retrospective claims analysis of combination therapy in the treatment of adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pohl Gerhardt M

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Combination therapy in managing psychiatric disorders is not uncommon. While combination therapy has been documented for depression and schizophrenia, little is known about combination therapy practices in managing attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD. This study seeks to quantify the combination use of ADHD medications and to understand predictors of combination therapy. Methods Prescription dispensing events were drawn from a U.S. national claims database including over 80 managed-care plans. Patients studied were age 18 or over with at least 1 medical claim with a diagnosis of ADHD (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification [ICD-9-CM] code 314.0, a pharmacy claim for ADHD medication during the study period July2003 to June2004, and continuous enrollment 6 months prior to and throughout the study period. Dispensing events were grouped into 6 categories: atomoxetine (ATX, long-acting stimulants (LAS, intermediate-acting stimulants (IAS, short-acting stimulants (SAS, bupropion (BUP, and Alpha-2 Adrenergic Agonists (A2A. Events were assigned to calendar months, and months with combined use from multiple categories within patient were identified. Predictors of combination therapy for LAS and for ATX were modeled for patients covered by commercial plans using logistic regression in a generalized estimating equations framework to adjust for within-patient correlation between months of observation. Factors included age, gender, presence of the hyperactive component of ADHD, prior diagnoses for psychiatric disorders, claims history of recent psychiatric visit, insurance plan type, and geographic region. Results There were 18,609 patients identified representing a total of 11,886 months of therapy with ATX; 40,949 months with LAS; 13,622 months with IAS; 38,141 months with SAS; 22,087 months with BUP; and 1,916 months with A2A. Combination therapy was present in 19.7% of continuing

A retrospective claims analysis of combination therapy in the treatment of adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Science.gov (United States)

Pohl, Gerhardt M; Van Brunt, David L; Ye, Wenyu; Stoops, William W; Johnston, Joseph A

2009-06-08

Combination therapy in managing psychiatric disorders is not uncommon. While combination therapy has been documented for depression and schizophrenia, little is known about combination therapy practices in managing attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study seeks to quantify the combination use of ADHD medications and to understand predictors of combination therapy. Prescription dispensing events were drawn from a U.S. national claims database including over 80 managed-care plans. Patients studied were age 18 or over with at least 1 medical claim with a diagnosis of ADHD (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification [ICD-9-CM] code 314.0), a pharmacy claim for ADHD medication during the study period July 2003 to June 2004, and continuous enrollment 6 months prior to and throughout the study period. Dispensing events were grouped into 6 categories: atomoxetine (ATX), long-acting stimulants (LAS), intermediate-acting stimulants (IAS), short-acting stimulants (SAS), bupropion (BUP), and Alpha-2 Adrenergic Agonists (A2A). Events were assigned to calendar months, and months with combined use from multiple categories within patient were identified. Predictors of combination therapy for LAS and for ATX were modeled for patients covered by commercial plans using logistic regression in a generalized estimating equations framework to adjust for within-patient correlation between months of observation. Factors included age, gender, presence of the hyperactive component of ADHD, prior diagnoses for psychiatric disorders, claims history of recent psychiatric visit, insurance plan type, and geographic region. There were 18,609 patients identified representing a total of 11,886 months of therapy with ATX; 40,949 months with LAS; 13,622 months with IAS; 38,141 months with SAS; 22,087 months with BUP; and 1,916 months with A2A. Combination therapy was present in 19.7% of continuing months (months after the first month of therapy

[Expediency of switching from combined therapy with prostamol Uno and alpha-1-adrenoblockers to monotherapy with prostamol Uno in patients with prostatic adenoma].

Science.gov (United States)

Razumov, S V; Egorov, A A

2007-01-01

A 9-month randomized open comparative trial was performed of efficacy and safety of combined treatment with prostamol Uno and tamsulosin followed by monotherapy with prostamol Uno. A total of 58 patients with prostatic adenoma (PA) treated with prostamol Uno in combination with tamsulosin were divided into two groups: 28 patients continued the above combined therapy, 30 patients were switched to monotherapy with prostamol Uno. All the patients were examined in the course of 4 visits according to standard protocol requesting information on the disease history, complaints, digital rectal examination, IPSS questionnaire, QOL, uroflowmetry with test for residual urine, transrectal ultrasonography of the prostate, blood test for PSA. The results of the trial show reduction of IPSS and QOL indices in 87% patients. QOL improved both in group 1 after 3 months of combined treatment and in group 2 who continued on monotherapy with prostamol Uno to the end of month 9 (p 0.05). Prostamol Uno was especially safe for hypotensive patients and those on antihypertensive therapy. After discontinuation of tamsulosin 100% patients of group 2 stopped exhibiting symptoms of retrograde ejaculation. None cases of a hypotonic reaction to the drug were registered. Mean cost of a course of therapy in group 1 to that of group 2 was 1:3.16. Thus, pharmacotherapy with prostamol Uno in moderate symptoms of PA is comparable in efficacy with combination prostamol Uno + tamsulosin, is safe and cost-effective.

Hepatic veno-occlusive disease in pediatric stem cell transplantation: impact of pre-emptive antithrombin III replacement and combined antithrombin III/defibrotide therapy.

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Haussmann, Ursula; Fischer, Joachim; Eber, Stefan; Scherer, Franziska; Seger, Reinhard; Gungor, Tayfun

2006-06-01

Hepatic veno-occlusive disease (VOD) remains a serious complication after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Based on a protective effect of antithrombin III (ATIII) on endothelial cells, we assessed the incidence of VOD after pre-emptive ATIII replacement and the outcome of VOD after combined high dose defibrotide (DF) and ATIII therapy. This prospective case series comprised two phases. In the first phase 71 children did not receive any specific VOD prophylaxis or therapy (controls). In the second phase 91 children were given pre-emptive ATIII replacement in case of decreased ATIII activity (defibrotide (60 mg/day) and ATIII replacement therapy were combined. The severity of VOD was determined according to the degree of multiple organ dysfunction. The incidence of VOD was similar in both groups (13/71, 18% vs. 14/91, 15%). All 14 patients in the second group who developed VOD showed decreased ATIII activity not more than 1 day prior to the clinical diagnosis of VOD. The resulting short duration of pre-emptive ATIII therapy failed to prevent VOD (OR 0.96). None of the patients (n=72) maintaining normal ATIII levels developed VOD. All 14 patients with VOD who received combined therapy achieved complete remission and 93 % (13/14) survived until day +100, compared to six survivors (46%) in the first group. Pre-emptive ATIII administration did not alter the incidence of VOD. Combination treatment with ATIII and defibrotide was safe and yielded excellent remission and survival rates.

Efficacy and safety of statin and fibrate combination therapy in lipid management.

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Kota, Sunil Kumar; Meher, Lalit Kumar; Rao, Epari Sanjeeva; Jammula, Sruti; Modi, Kirtikumar D

2012-01-01

Adequate control of hyperlipidemia is of paramount importance for prevention of vascular events. Statins and fibrates are well established treatments for hyperlipidemia. Combination therapy with a statin and fibrate offers significant therapeutic advantage for the treatment of severe or refractory mixed hyperlipidemia. Although such a combination does increase the risk of myopathy, with an incidence of approximately 0.12%, this small risk of myopathy rarely outweighs the established morbidity and mortality benefits of achieving lipid goals. Nevertheless, a higher incidence of myopathy has been reported with statin monotherapy. Statin+fibrate therapy should be considered if monotherapy or adding other drugs (e.g. cholesterol absorption inhibitors, omega-3 fatty acids or nicotinic acid) did not achieve lipid targets or is impractical. The current article focuses on recent studies highlighting the beneficial effects of this combination. Copyright © 2012 Diabetes India. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sustained long-term immune responses after in situ gene therapy combined with radiotherapy and hormonal therapy in prostate cancer patients

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Fujita, Tetsuo; Teh, Bin S.; Timme, Terry L.; Mai, W.-Y.; Satoh, Takefumi; Kusaka, Nobuyuki; Naruishi, Koji; Fattah, Elmoataz Abdel; Aguilar-Cordova, Estuardo; Butler, E. Brian; Thompson, Timothy C.

2006-01-01

Purpose: To explore long-term immune responses after combined radio-gene-hormonal therapy. Methods and Materials: Thirty-three patients with prostate specific antigen 10 or higher or Gleason score of 7 or higher or clinical stage T2b to T3 were treated with gene therapy that consisted of 3 separate intraprostatic injections of AdHSV-tk on Days 0, 56, and 70. Each injection was followed by 2 weeks of valacyclovir. Intensity-modulated radiation therapy was delivered 2 days after the second AdHSV-tk injection for 7 weeks. Hormonal therapy was initiated on Day 0 and continued for 4 months or 2.3 years. Blood samples were taken before, during, and after treatment. Lymphocytes were analyzed by fluorescent antibody cell sorting (FACS). Results: Median follow-up was 26 months (range, 4-48 months). The mean percentages of DR + CD8 + T cells were increased at all timepoints up to 8 months. The mean percentages of DR + CD4 + T cells were increased later and sustained longer until 12 months. Long-term (2.3 years) use of hormonal therapy did not affect the percentage of any lymphocyte population. Conclusions: Sustained long-term (up to 8 to 12 months) systemic T-cell responses were noted after combined radio-gene-hormonal therapy for prostate cancer. Prolonged use of hormonal therapy does not suppress this response. These results suggest the potential for sustained activation of cell-mediated immune responses against cancer

Combination of nitric oxide therapy, anti-oxidative therapy, low level laser therapy, plasma rich platelet therapy and stem cell therapy as a novel therapeutic application to manage the pain and treat many clinical conditions

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Halasa, Salaheldin; Dickinson, Eva

2014-02-01

From hypertension to diabetes, cancer to HIV, stroke to memory loss and learning disorders to septic shock, male impotence to tuberculosis, there is probably no pathological condition where nitric oxide does not play an important role. Nitric oxide is an analgesic, immune-modulator, vasodilator, anti-apoptotic, growth modulator, angiogenetic, anti-thrombotic, anti-inflammatory and neuro-modulator. Because of the above actions of nitric oxide, many clinical conditions associated with abnormal Nitric oxide (NO) production and bioavailability. Our novel therapeutic approach is to restore the homeostasis of nitric oxide and replace the lost cells by combining nitric oxide therapy, anti-oxidative therapy, low level laser therapy, plasma rich platelet therapy and stem cell therapy.

The combined effects of cold therapy and music therapy on pain following chest tube removal among patients with cardiac bypass surgery.

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Yarahmadi, Sajad; Mohammadi, Nooredin; Ardalan, Arash; Najafizadeh, Hassan; Gholami, Mohammad

2018-05-01

Chest tube removal is an extremely painful procedure and patients may not respond well to palliative therapies. This study aimed to examine the effect of cold and music therapy individually, as well as a combination of these interventions on reducing pain following chest tube removal. A factorial randomized-controlled clinical trial was performed on 180 patients who underwent cardiac surgery. Patients were randomized into four groups of 45. Group A used ice packs for 20 minutes prior to chest tube removal. Group B was assigned to listen to music for a total length of 30 minutes which started 15 minutes prior to chest tube removal. Group C received a combination of both interventions; and Group D received no interventions. Pain intensity was measured in each group every 15 minutes for a total of 3 readings. Analysis of variance, Tukey and Bonferroni post hoc tests, as well as repeated measures ANOVA were employed for data analysis. Cold therapy and combined method intervention effectively reduced the pain caused by chest tube removal (P < 0.001). Additionally, there were no statistically significant difference in pain intensity scores between groups at 15 minutes following chest tube removal (P = 0.07). Cold and music therapy can be used by nursing staff in clinical practice as a combined approach to provide effective pain control following chest tube removal. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A study on radiation therapy combined with superselective intraarterial infusion therapy for maxillary sinus carcinoma

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Okamoto, Isaku; Ito, Hiroyuki; Shimizu, Akira; Shimizu, Shigetaka; Suzuki, Mamoru; Yoshida, Tomoyuki; Nakamura, Kazuhiro; Tsukahara, Kiyoaki

2010-01-01

The data of 14 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the maxillary sinus who were admitted to our hospital and received radiation therapy and concurrent superselective intraarterial infusion therapy between 1998 and 2008 were analyzed to determine the effect of the primary treatment and the adverse events. The subjects were between 43 and 79 years old (median, 61 years old), and there were 10 male and 4 female patients. Superselective intraarterial infusion therapy was administered using the Seldinger method, and cisplatin (CDDP) was administered by intraarterial infusion at a total of 200 mg/m 2 . 5-fluorouracil (FU) was systemically administered by intravenous infusion at the dose of 800 mg/m 2 from day 2 to day 5. In addition, radiation therapy was given concurrently, beginning on day 2. At 4 weeks after completion of the scheduled radiation therapy combined with superselective intraarterial infusion therapy, the treatment effect was judged based on macroscopic, radiological and histopathological findings. The response rates to the primary treatment were as follows: 57.1%, complete response (CR) (8 patients) and 42.9%, partial response (PR) (6 patients). Thus, the overall response rate was 100%. As for the adverse events, while grade 4 cerebral infarction occurred in one patient, all of the other adverse events were reversible and not serious. The safety of the treatment was therefore considered to be acceptable. We are planning to investigate the long-term outcomes in a future study. (author)

Hypothalamic Obesity following Craniopharyngioma Surgery: Results of a Pilot Trial of Combined Diazoxide and Metformin Therapy

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Ahmet Alexandra

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Objective. To assess the effect of combined diazoxide-metformin therapy in obese adolescents treated for craniopharyngioma. Design. A prospective open-label 6-month pilot treatment trial in 9 obese subjects with craniopharyngioma. Diazoxide (2 mg/kg divided b.i.d., maximum 200 mg/day and metformin (1000 mg b.i.d.. Whole body insulin sensitivity index (WBISI and area-under-the-curve insulin (AUCins were calculated. Results. Seven subjects completed: 4M/3F, mean ± SD age years, weight  kg, BMI  kg/m2, and BMI SDS . Two were withdrawn due to vomiting and peripheral edema. Of participants completing the study, the mean ± SD weight gain, BMI, and BMI SDS during the 6 months were reduced compared to the 6 months prestudy ( versus  kg, ; versus  kg/m2, ; versus , , resp.. AUCins correlated with weight loss (, and BMI decrease (, . Conclusion. Combined diazoxide-metformin therapy was associated with reduced weight gain in patients with hypothalamic obesity. AUCins at study commencement predicted effectiveness of the treatment.

Combination Therapy with Continuous Three-in-One Femoral Nerve Block and Periarticular Multimodal Drug Infiltration after Total Hip Arthroplasty

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Tomonori Tetsunaga

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Various postoperative pain relief modalities, including continuous femoral nerve block (CFNB, local infiltration analgesia (LIA, and combination therapy, have been reported for total knee arthroplasty. However, no studies have compared CFNB with LIA for total hip arthroplasty (THA. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of CFNB versus LIA after THA. Methods. We retrospectively reviewed the postoperative outcomes of 93 THA patients (20 men, 73 women; mean age 69.2 years. Patients were divided into three groups according to postoperative analgesic technique: CFNB, LIA, or combined CFNB+LIA. We measured the following postoperative outcome parameters: visual analog scale (VAS for pain at rest, supplemental analgesia, side effects, mobilization, length of hospital stay, and Harris Hip Score (HHS. Results. The CFNB+LIA group had significantly lower VAS pain scores than the CFNB and LIA groups on postoperative day 1. There were no significant differences among the three groups in use of supplemental analgesia, side effects, mobilization, length of hospital stay, or HHS at 3 months after THA. Conclusions. Although there were no clinically significant differences in outcomes among the three groups, combination therapy with CFNB and LIA provided better pain relief after THA than CFNB or LIA alone, with few side effects.

Combination therapy with hormonal, radiation and chemotherapy for stage C prostate cancer

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Iwasawa, Toshihisa; Matsumoto, Hidetsugu

1996-01-01

To improve the effectiveness of treatment for patients with stage C prostate cancer, therapy in combination with hormonal, radiation and chemotherapy was given for the initial period, and there after, hormonal therapy was continuously administered to 18 patients with chemotherapy and three patients without it. At the Social Health Insurance Medical Center, between May 1988 and August 1991, 21 patients were diagnosed to have stage C histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate. The average age of the patients was 69.0 years. The tumor was well, moderate and poorly differentiated in 5, 6 and 10 patients, respectively. As hormonal therapy, orchiectomy was performed on 19 of the 21 patients. Furthermore, 11 patients were administered estramustine phosphate, 9 chlormadinone acetate, and one diethylstilbesterol diphosphate. As, radiation therapy, all patients were treated with AP-PA parallel opposing technique to small pelvis with a 12 cm x 12 cm treatment field (44-45 Gy) combined with conformation radiotherapy to prostate (20-26 Gy). Chemotherapy was performed using either one or a combination of the following; cis-diamminedichloroplatinum, adriamycin, cyclophosphamide, 5-fluorouracil, methotrexate and etoposide. The observation period was 54.5 months on the average. Recurrence was observed in 3 patients, for all of which the sites were at bone. The 5-year non-recurrence rate was 90.4% by Kaplan-Meier's method. There were 4 deaths, three were due to prostate cancer and one to gastric cancer. The 5-year cumulative survival rate by Kaplan-Meier's method was 90.5%. In conclusion, this treatment was effective for stage C cases of prostate cancer. (author)

Combination siRNA therapy against feline coronavirus can delay the emergence of antiviral resistance in vitro.

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McDonagh, Phillip; Sheehy, Paul A; Norris, Jacqueline M

2015-03-23

Virulent biotypes of feline coronavirus (FCoV), commonly referred to as feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV), can result in the development of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), a typically fatal immune mediated disease for which there is currently no effective antiviral treatment. We previously reported the successful in vitro inhibition of FIPV replication by synthetic siRNA mediated RNA interference (RNAi) in an immortalised cell line (McDonagh et al., 2011). A major challenge facing the development of any antiviral strategy is that of resistance, a problem which is particularly acute for RNAi based therapeutics due to the exquisite sequence specificity of the targeting mechanism. The development of resistance during treatment can be minimised using combination therapy to raise the genetic barrier or using highly potent compounds which result in a more rapid and pronounced reduction in the viral replication rate, thereby reducing the formation of mutant, and potentially resistant viruses. This study investigated the efficacy of combination siRNA therapy and its ability to delay or prevent viral escape. Virus serially passaged through cells treated with a single or dual siRNAs rapidly acquired resistance, with mutations identified in the siRNA target sites. Combination therapy with three siRNA prevented viral escape over the course of five passages. To identify more potent silencing molecules we also compared the efficacy, in terms of potency and duration of action, of canonical versus Dicer-substrate siRNAs for two previously identified effective viral motifs. Dicer-substrate siRNAs showed equivalent or better potency than canonical siRNAs for the target sites investigated, and may be a more appropriate molecule for in vivo use. Combined, these data inform the potential therapeutic application of antiviral RNAi against FIPV. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The evaluation of clinical therapy effects of oral western medicine combined with magnetic pulse acupoint stimulation in treating elderly patients with coronary heart disease.

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Fu, Xin; Guo, Li; Jiang, Zheng-Ming; Xu, Ai-Guo

2015-01-01

Treat the patients suffered from coronary heart disease with oral western medicine, combining with magnetic pulse acupoint stimulation, and observe the therapeutic effects of such combination therapy method. 56 old people with coronary heart disease are randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group. Both groups of patients are treated by the routine drugs, in addition, the patients of the treatment group are treated by magnetic pulse therapy additionally. Compare clinical symptoms, blood lipid and blood rheological indexes of the patients in the two groups when they are selected and after 30 days' treatment. after 30 days' treatment, it is found that clinical symptoms, blood lipid and blood rheological indexes of the patients in the treatment group are significantly improved compared with those when they are selected and those of the control group (Pmagnetic therapy and the conventional drug intervention, had relieved synptom, improve blood lipid and heart blood supply function.

Effect of olanzapine combined with modified electroconvulsive therapy on cytokines, sTNFRs and neural electrophysiological characteristics in patients with schizophrenia

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Wei Cheng

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Objective: To analyze the effect of olanzapine combined with modified electroconvulsive therapy on cytokines, sTNFRs and neural electrophysiological characteristics in patients with schizophrenia. Methods: Patients with schizophrenia treated in our hospital between March 2013 and March 2016 were selected and randomly divided into two groups, the observation group received olanzapine combined with modified electroconvulsive therapy, and the control group received olanzapine therapy. After 6 weeks of treatment, serum levels of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor (sTNFR, acute phase reaction proteins and brain function indexes as well as the neural electrophysiological characteristics were compared between the two groups. Results: After 6 weeks of treatment, serum sTNFRs, CRP, CER and AAG content of observation group were lower than those of control group while TRF content was higher than that of control group; serum brain function indexes NGF and BDNF content were higher than those of control group while GFAP, S100B, NSE and Hcy content were lower than those of control group; nerve electrophysiology indexes P300, LPP and ERN amplitude were higher than those of control group while LPP amplitude was lower than that of control group. Conclusions: Olanzapine combined with modified electroconvulsive therapy can optimize the condition of schizophrenia, reduce the abnormal degree of nerve electrophysiology and help to improve treatment outcome.

Drainage alone or combined with anti-tumor therapy for treatment of obstructive jaundice caused by recurrence and metastasis after primary tumor resection.

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Xu, Chuan; Huang, Xin-En; Wang, Shu-Xiang; Lv, Peng-Hua; Sun, Ling; Wang, Fu-An; Wang, Li-Fu

2014-01-01

To compare drainage alone or combined with anti-tumor therapy for treatment of obstructive jaundice caused by recurrence and metastasis after primary tumor resection. We collect 42 patients with obstructive jaundice caused by recurrence and metastasis after tumor resection from January 2008 - August 2012, for which percutaneous transhepatic catheter drainage (pTCD)/ percutaneous transhepatic biliary stenting (pTBS) were performed. In 25 patients drainage was combined with anti-tumor treatment, antineoplastic therapy including intra/postprodure local treatment and postoperative systemic chemotherapy, the other 17 undergoing drainage only. We assessed the two kinds of treatment with regard to patient prognosis. Both treatments demonstrated good effects in reducing bilirubin levels in the short term and promoting liver function. The time to reobstruction was 125 days in the combined group and 89 days in the drainage only group; the mean survival times were 185 and 128 days, the differences being significant. Interventional drainage in the treatment of the obstructive jaundice caused by recurrence and metastasis after tumor resection can decrease bilirubin level quickly in a short term and promote the liver function recovery. Combined treatment prolongs the survival time and period before reobstruction as compared to drainage only.

Radiotherapy combined with hormonal therapy in prostate cancer: the state of the art

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Piotr Milecki

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Piotr Milecki1,2, Piotr Martenka1, Andrzej Antczak3, Zbigniew Kwias31Department of Radiotherapy, Greater Poland Cancer Center, Poznan, Poland; 2Department of Electroradiology, Medical University, Poznan, Poland; 3Chair of Urology, Medical University, Poznan, PolandAbstract: Androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT is used routinely in combination with definitive external beam radiation therapy (EBRT in patients with high-risk clinically localized or locally advanced disease. The combined treatment (ADT–EBRT also seems to play a significant role in improving treatment results in the intermediate-risk group of prostate cancer patients. On the other hand, there is a growing body of evidence that treatment with ADT can be associated with serious and lifelong adverse events including osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and many others. Almost all ADT adverse events are time dependant and tend to increase in severity with prolongation of hormonal manipulation. Therefore, it is crucial to clearly state the optimal schedule for ADT in combination with EBRT, that maintaining the positive effect on treatment efficacy would keep the adverse events risk at reasonable level. To achieve this goal, treatment schedule may have to be highly individualized on the basis of the patient-specific potential vulnerability to adverse events. In this study, the concise and evidence-based review of current literature concerning the general rationales for combining radiotherapy and hormonal therapy, its mechanism, treatment results, and toxicity profile is presented.Keywords: prostate cancer, radiotherapy, androgen deprivation, combined treatment

Results of radiation therapy combined with neoadjuvant hormonal therapy for stage III prostate cancer. Comparison of two different definitions of PSA failure

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Mitsumori, Michihide; Sasaki, Yoshihide; Mizowaki, Takashi

2006-01-01

We herein report the clinical outcome of radical radiation therapy combined with neoadjuvant hormonal therapy (NHT) for stage III (International Union Against Cancer [UICC] 1997: UICC 97) prostate cancer. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) failure-free survival was assessed according to two different definitions, and the appropriateness of each definition is discussed. Between October 1997 and December 2000, 27 patients with stage III prostate cancer were enrolled in this study. The median pretreatment PSA level was 29 ng/ml (range, 7.4-430 ng/ml). The Gleason score (GS) was 7 or more in 22 patients (81%). All patients received 3 months of NHT with a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) analogue, in combination with an antiandrogen (flutamide), given during the first 2 weeks, followed by 70-Gy external-beam radiation therapy (EBRT) in 35 fractions. The initial 46 Gy was given with a four-field technique, while the remainder was given with a dynamic conformal technique. No adjuvant hormonal therapy (AHT) was given. The median follow-up time was 63 months. PSA levels decreased to the normal range (<4 ng/ml) after irradiation in all but one patient. The 5-year PSA failure-free survival was 34.8% according to the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) definition and it was 43.0% according to the ''nadir plus 2'' definition. Discordance of the results between the two definitions was seen in two patients. The 5-year overall and cause-specific survivals were 83.0% and 93.3%, respectively. No severe acute or late adverse effects were observed. Seventy Gy of EBRT following 3 months of NHT produced therapeutic results comparable to those reported in other studies which used long-term AHT. The value of long-term AHT for Japanese men should be tested in a clinical trial. (author)

Anti-tumor effects of Egr-IFN γ gene therapy combined with 125I-UdR radionuclide therapy

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Zhao Jingguo; Ni Yanjun; Song Xiangfu; Li Yanyi; Yang Wei; Sun Ting; Ma Qingjie; Gao Fengtong

2008-01-01

Objective: To explore the anti-tumor effects of Egr-IFNγ gene therapy combined with 125 I-UdR radionuclide therapy in mice bearing H22 hepatocarcinoma and its mechanism. Methods: The recombinant plasmid pcDNAEgr-IFNγ mixed with liposome was injected into tumor. 48 h later, 370 kBq 125 I-UdR was injected into tumor. The tumor growth rates at different times were observed. After 3 d gene-radionuclide therapy, the concentration of IFNγ in cytoplasm of H22 cells and cytotoxic activities of splenic CTL of the mice in different groups were examined. Results: The tumor growth rates of pcDNAEgr-IFNγ + 125 I-UdR group were obviously lower than those of control group, 125 I-UdR group and pcDNAEgr-1 + 125 I-UdR group 6-15 d after gene-radionuclide therapy. IFNγ protein was found in cytoplasm of H22 cells in pcDNAEgr-IFNγ + 125 I-UdR group after 3 d gene-radionuclide therapy. Cytotoxic activity of splenic CTL in pcDNAEgr-IFNγ + 125 I-UdR group was significantly higher than that in the other groups (P 125 I-UdR radionuclide therapy are better than those of 125 I-UdR therapy. (authors)

Effect of hyperthermia in combination with radiation therapy in a rat glioma model

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Tamura, Masaru; Zama, Akira; Kunimine, Hideo; Tamaki, Yoshio; Niibe, Hideo

1988-01-01

Rat glioma model was used to evaluate the effect of hyperthermia with and without radiation therapy. The animal model was induced by left frontal burr hole opening and inoculation of a small piece of G-XII glioma tissue to 6- to 8-week-old rats. The therapeutical experiments were given 10 - 14 days after inoculation of the tumor. Interstitial heating at 44 and 45 deg C at the surface of the inserting probe using 2450 MHz microwave was delivered for 30 minutes. Deep X-ray whole head irradiation of 800 R using Stabilipan 2 (Siemens) was given just after the hyperthermia therapy. The survival of treated animals of hyperthermia, radiation, and combination of hyperthermia and radiation was significantly superior to that of non-treated control group. There was no significant difference of survival among the treated groups, though median survival was longest in the group of combination therapy of hyperthermia and radiation. Large tumors developed at the time of death in all the control and the treated animals. Histological examination showed some tendencies of macrophage infiltration in tumor tissue of hyperthermia therapy. (author)

Lamivudine plus adefovir combination therapy versus entecavir monotherapy for lamivudine-resistant chronic hepatitis B: a systematic review and meta-analysis

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Hu Peng

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV infection represents a serious global health problem and resistance to lamivudine (LAM has become a serious clinical challenge. Previous rescue therapy for the treatment of chronic LAM-resistant hepatitis B infected patients included switching to entecavir (ETV and adding adefovir (ADV or tenofovir (TFV. At present, switching to ETV is not recommended for rescue therapy for LAM-resistant chronic hepatitis B (CHB. The aim of this report was to determine whether add-on ADV was a superior rescue strategy in the treatment of CHB patients with LAM resistance. Methods We searched Medline/PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Knowledge, and the Cochrane Library. Relative risks (RRs of virologic response, virologic breakthrough, normalization of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT levels and HBeAg seroconversion rates were studied. Factors predicting virologic response, standardized mean differences (SMD in HBV DNA levels and safety were reviewed. Results Six eligible trials (451 patients in total were included in the analysis. The rate of virologic breakthrough in the ETV group was higher than that in the LAM plus ADV group. There were no statistical differences in virologic response, ALT normalization and HBeAg seroconversion in either group 48 weeks post treatment. LAM plus ADV combination therapy produced faster and greater HBV DNA reduction rates 24 weeks post therapy compared to ETV monotherapy. HBV DNA baseline levels and the initial virologic response (IVR were predictive of the virologic response. Additionally, combination therapy or monotherapy were both well tolerated. Conclusions LAM plus ADV combination therapy was more effective and produced longer-lasting effects than switching to ETV monotherapy in treating CHB patients with LAM resistance. However, considering the practical benefits and limitations of ADV, individualized therapy will be needed in patients with prior history of LAM resistant infections.

Efficacy and Safety of Metronidazole Monotherapy versus Vancomycin Monotherapy or Combination Therapy in Patients with Clostridium difficile Infection: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

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Rui Li

Full Text Available Clostridium difficile infection (CDI has become a global epidemiological problem for both hospitalized patients and outpatients. The most commonly used drugs to treat CDI are metronidazole and vancomycin. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of metronidazole monotherapy with vancomycin monotherapy and combination therapy in CDI patients.A comprehensive search without publication status or other restrictions was conducted. Studies comparing metronidazole monotherapy with vancomycin monotherapy or combination therapy in patients with CDI were considered eligible. Meta-analysis was performed using the Mantel-Haenszel fixed-effects model, and odds ratios (ORs with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs were calculated and reported.Of the 1910 records identified, seventeen studies from thirteen articles (n = 2501 patients were included. No statistically significant difference in the rate of clinical cure was found between metronidazole and vancomycin for mild CDI (OR = 0.67, 95% CI (0.45, 1.00, p = 0.05 or between either monotherapy and combination therapy for CDI (OR = 1.07, 95% CI (0.58, 1.96, p = 0.83; however, the rate of clinical cure was lower for metronidazole than for vancomycin for severe CDI (OR = 0.46, 95% CI (0.26, 0.80, p = 0.006. No statistically significant difference in the rate of CDI recurrence was found between metronidazole and vancomycin for mild CDI (OR = 0.99, 95% CI (0.40, 2.45, p = 0.98 or severe CDI (OR = 0.98, 95% CI (0.63, 1.53, p = 0.94 or between either monotherapy and combination therapy for CDI (OR = 0.91, 95% CI (0.66, 1.26, p = 0.56. In addition, there was no significant difference in the rate of adverse events (AEs between metronidazole and vancomycin (OR = 1.18, 95% CI (0.80, 1.74, p = 0.41. In contrast, the rate of AEs was significantly lower for either monotherapy than for combination therapy (OR = 0.30, 95% CI (0.17, 0.51, p < 0.0001.Metronidazole and vancomycin are equally effective for the

Combining antiangiogenic therapy with adoptive cell immunotherapy exerts better antitumor effects in non-small cell lung cancer models.

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Shujing Shi

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Cytokine-induced killer cells (CIK cells are a heterogeneous subset of ex-vivo expanded T lymphocytes which are characterized with a MHC-unrestricted tumor-killing activity and a mixed T-NK phenotype. Adoptive CIK cells transfer, one of the adoptive immunotherapy represents a promising nontoxic anticancer therapy. However, in clinical studies, the therapeutic activity of adoptive CIK cells transfer is not as efficient as anticipated. Possible explanations are that abnormal tumor vasculature and hypoxic tumor microenvironment could impede the infiltration and efficacy of lymphocytes. We hypothesized that antiangiogenesis therapy could improve the antitumor activity of CIK cells by normalizing tumor vasculature and modulating hypoxic tumor microenvironment. METHODS: We combined recombinant human endostatin (rh-endostatin and CIK cells in the treatment of lung carcinoma murine models. Intravital microscopy, dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, immunohistochemistry, and flow cytometry were used to investigate the tumor vasculature and hypoxic microenvironment as well as the infiltration of immune cells. RESULTS: Our results indicated that rh-endostatin synergized with adoptive CIK cells transfer to inhibit the growth of lung carcinoma. We found that rh-endostatin normalized tumor vasculature and reduced hypoxic area in the tumor microenvironment. Hypoxia significantly inhibited the proliferation, cytotoxicity and migration of CIK cells in vitro and impeded the homing of CIK cells into tumor parenchyma ex vivo. Furthermore, we found that treatment with rh-endostatin significantly increased the homing of CIK cells and decreased the accumulation of suppressive immune cells in the tumor tissue. In addition, combination therapy produced higher level of tumor-infiltration lymphocytes compared with other treatments. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that rh-endostatin improves the therapeutic effect of adoptive CIK cells

Adjunctive Subantimicrobial Dose Doxycycline in the Treatment of Chronic Periodontitis in Type 2 Diabetic Patients: A Unique Combination Therapy

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Gomaa Marwa Abdelhakim

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Background/Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of combination therapy including subantimicrobial dose doxycycline (SDD and locally delivered doxycycline (LD as adjuncts to scaling and root planing (SRP in the treatment of chronic periodontitis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM. Material and Methods: Forty patients with controlled T2DM (HbA1c ≤7% and chronic periodontitis were selected. They were randomly divided into two groups, twenty patients each: Test group (TG, n=20 patients was treated with combination therapy of full mouth SRP, LD gel 10% and SDD 20 mg twice daily for 6 months. Control group (CG, n=20 patients was treated with full mouth SRP only. The periodontal parameters were recorded at baseline, 3, 6 and 9 months and included periodontal probing depth (PD, clinical attachment level (CAL, and bleeding on probing (BOP. Gingival crevicular fluid (GCF samples were collected and a quantitative measurement of matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8 was carried out by using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELIZA at baseline, 3, 6 and 9 months. Results: Statistically significant reduction in all clinical parameters (PPD, CAL, and BOP was observed at TG over CG at 3, 6, and 9 months (p<0.05. Moreover, combination therapy provided significant reductions in the amount of GCF MMP-8 for the TG compared to CG at 3, 6, and 9 months evaluation period (p<0.05. Conclusions: Combination therapy including SRP, SDD, and LD, provided significantly greater clinical benefits than SRP alone in the treatment of chronic periodontitis in patients with controlled T2DM.

Combination treatment with T4 and T3: toward personalized replacement therapy in hypothyroidism?

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Biondi, Bernadette; Wartofsky, Leonard

2012-07-01

Levothyroxine therapy is the traditional lifelong replacement therapy for hypothyroid patients. Over the last several years, new evidence has led clinicians to evaluate the option of combined T(3) and T(4) treatment to improve the quality of life, cognition, and peripheral parameters of thyroid hormone action in hypothyroidism. The aim of this review is to assess the physiological basis and the results of current studies on this topic. We searched Medline for reports published with the following search terms: hypothyroidism, levothyroxine, triiodothyronine, thyroid, guidelines, treatment, deiodinases, clinical symptoms, quality of life, cognition, mood, depression, body weight, heart rate, cholesterol, bone markers, SHBG, and patient preference for combined therapy. The search was restricted to reports published in English since 1970, but some reports published before 1970 were also incorporated. We supplemented the search with records from personal files and references of relevant articles and textbooks. Parameters analyzed included the rationale for combination treatment, the type of patients to be selected, the optimal T(4)/T(3) ratio, and the potential benefits of this therapy on symptoms of hypothyroidism, quality of life, mood, cognition, and peripheral parameters of thyroid hormone action. The outcome of our analysis suggests that it may be time to consider a personalized regimen of thyroid hormone replacement therapy in hypothyroid patients. Further prospective randomized controlled studies are needed to clarify this important issue. Innovative formulations of the thyroid hormones will be required to mimic a more perfect thyroid hormone replacement therapy than is currently available.

Manual therapy, exercise therapy or combined treatment in the management of adult neck pain - A systematic review and meta-analysis.

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Fredin, Ken; Lorås, Håvard

2017-10-01

Neck pain is a common and often disabling musculoskeletal condition. Two therapies frequently prescribed for its management are manual therapy (MT) and exercise therapy (ET), and combining these treatment approaches are common. To assess whether or not combined treatment consisting of MT and ET is more effective than either therapy alone in relieving pain and improving function in adult patients with grade I-II neck pain. Systematic review with meta-analysis. A systematic search on EMBASE, MEDLINE, AMED, CENTRAL and PEDro were performed until June 2017. Randomized controlled trials with adult grade I-II neck pain patients were included if they investigated the combined effect of MT and ET to the same ET or MT alone, and reported pain intensity or disability on numerical scales. Quality of life was assessed as a secondary outcome. Quality of the included trials was assessed with the PEDro scale, and the quality of evidence was assessed with GRADE. 1169 articles were screened, and 7 studies were included, all of which investigated the addition of ET to MT. Only very small and non-significant between group differences was found on pain intensity at rest, neck disability, and quality of life at immediate post-treatment, 6 months, and 12 months follow-up. The quality of evidence was moderate for pain-at-rest outcomes and moderate too low for neck disability and quality of life outcomes. Combined treatment consisting of MT and ET does not seem to be more effective in reducing neck pain intensity at rest, neck disability or improving quality of life in adult patients with grade I-II neck pain, than ET alone. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Prospective Clinical Trial Combining Radiation Therapy With Systemic Immunotherapy in Metastatic Melanoma

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Hiniker, Susan M., E-mail: shiniker@stanford.edu [Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University Medical Center and Cancer Institute, Stanford, California (United States); Reddy, Sunil A. [Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University Medical Center and Cancer Institute, Stanford, California (United States); Maecker, Holden T.; Subrahmanyam, Priyanka B.; Rosenberg-Hasson, Yael [Human Immune Monitoring Center, Institute for Immunity, Transplantation, and Infection, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, California (United States); Swetter, Susan M. [Department of Dermatology, Pigmented Lesion and Melanoma Program, Stanford University Medical Center and Cancer Institute, Stanford, California (United States); Dermatology Service, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, California (United States); Saha, Saurabh [Atlas Venture, Cambridge, Massachusetts (United States); Shura, Lei; Knox, Susan J. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University Medical Center and Cancer Institute, Stanford, California (United States)

2016-11-01

Purpose: Local radiation therapy (RT) combined with systemic anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte–associated protein-4 immunotherapy may enhance induction of systemic antimelanoma immune responses. The primary objective of the present trial was to assess the safety and efficacy of combining ipilimumab with RT in patients with stage IV melanoma. The secondary objectives included laboratory assessment of induction of antimelanoma immune responses. Methods and Materials: In our prospective clinical trial, 22 patients with stage IV melanoma were treated with palliative RT and ipilimumab for 4 cycles. RT to 1 to 2 disease sites was initiated within 5 days after starting ipilimumab. Patients had ≥1 nonirradiated metastasis measuring ≥1.5 cm available for response assessment. Tumor imaging studies were obtained at baseline, 2 to 4 weeks after cycle 4 of ipilimumab, and every 3 months until progression. Laboratory immune response parameters were measured before and during treatment. Results: Combination therapy was well-tolerated without unexpected toxicities. Eleven patients (50.0%) experienced clinical benefit from therapy, including complete and partial responses and stable disease at median follow-up of 55 weeks. Three patients (27.3%) achieved an ongoing systemic complete response at a median follow-up of 55 weeks (range 32-65), and 3 (27.3%) had an initial partial response for a median of 40 weeks. Analysis of immune response data suggested a relationship between elevated CD8-activated T-cells and response. Conclusion: This is the second prospective clinical trial of treatment of metastatic melanoma using the combination of RT and systemic immunotherapy and the first using this sequence of therapy. The results from the present trial demonstrate that a subset of patients may benefit from combination therapy, arguing for continued clinical investigation of the use of RT combined with immunotherapy, including programmed cell death 1 inhibitors, which might have the

A Prospective Clinical Trial Combining Radiation Therapy With Systemic Immunotherapy in Metastatic Melanoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hiniker, Susan M.; Reddy, Sunil A.; Maecker, Holden T.; Subrahmanyam, Priyanka B.; Rosenberg-Hasson, Yael; Swetter, Susan M.; Saha, Saurabh; Shura, Lei; Knox, Susan J.

2016-01-01

Purpose: Local radiation therapy (RT) combined with systemic anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte–associated protein-4 immunotherapy may enhance induction of systemic antimelanoma immune responses. The primary objective of the present trial was to assess the safety and efficacy of combining ipilimumab with RT in patients with stage IV melanoma. The secondary objectives included laboratory assessment of induction of antimelanoma immune responses. Methods and Materials: In our prospective clinical trial, 22 patients with stage IV melanoma were treated with palliative RT and ipilimumab for 4 cycles. RT to 1 to 2 disease sites was initiated within 5 days after starting ipilimumab. Patients had ≥1 nonirradiated metastasis measuring ≥1.5 cm available for response assessment. Tumor imaging studies were obtained at baseline, 2 to 4 weeks after cycle 4 of ipilimumab, and every 3 months until progression. Laboratory immune response parameters were measured before and during treatment. Results: Combination therapy was well-tolerated without unexpected toxicities. Eleven patients (50.0%) experienced clinical benefit from therapy, including complete and partial responses and stable disease at median follow-up of 55 weeks. Three patients (27.3%) achieved an ongoing systemic complete response at a median follow-up of 55 weeks (range 32-65), and 3 (27.3%) had an initial partial response for a median of 40 weeks. Analysis of immune response data suggested a relationship between elevated CD8-activated T-cells and response. Conclusion: This is the second prospective clinical trial of treatment of metastatic melanoma using the combination of RT and systemic immunotherapy and the first using this sequence of therapy. The results from the present trial demonstrate that a subset of patients may benefit from combination therapy, arguing for continued clinical investigation of the use of RT combined with immunotherapy, including programmed cell death 1 inhibitors, which might have the

Botox combined with myofascial release physical therapy as a treatment for myofascial pelvic pain

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Scott, Lauren; Wyman, Allison; Mora, Nelsi; Miladinovic, Branko; Bassaly, Renee; Hoyte, Lennox

2017-01-01

Purpose To report the effects of combined onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox) injections and myofascial release physical therapy on myofascial pelvic pain (MFPP) by comparing pre- and posttreatment average pelvic pain scores, trigger points, and patient self-reported pelvic pain. Secondary outcomes were to examine posttreatment complications and determine demographic differences between patients with/without an improvement in pain. Materials and Methods This was an Institutional Review Board approved retrospective case series on women over 18 years with MFPP who received Botox and physical therapy between July 2006 and November 2014. Presence of trigger points and pelvic pain scores were determined by digital palpation of the iliococcygeus, puborectalis, obturator internus, and rectus muscles. Average pelvic pain scores (0–10) reflected an average of the scores obtained from palpation of each muscle. Self-reported improvement in pain was recorded as yes/no. Results Fifty women met the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Posttreatment, patients had lower average pelvic pain scores (3.7±4.0 vs. 6.4±1.8, p=0.005), and fewer trigger points (44% vs. 100%, pphysical therapy under anesthesia can be effective in treating women with chronic pelvic pain secondary to MFPP. PMID:28261683

Effects of Neurotrophic Support and Amyloid-Targeted Combined Therapy on Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis in a Transgenic Model of Alzheimer's Disease.

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Christopher D Morrone

Full Text Available Although it is recognized that multi-drug therapies may be necessary to combat AD, there is a paucity of preclinical proof of concept studies. We present a combination treatment paradigm, which temporally affects different aspects of Alzheimer's disease (AD-like pathology, specifically Aβ-toxicity and neurogenesis. At early stages of AD-like pathology, in TgCRND8 mice, we found that combating Aβ pathology with scyllo-inositol ameliorated deficits in neurogenesis. Older TgCRND8 mice with established amyloid load had decreased progenitor cell proliferation and survival compared to non-transgenic mice, regardless of scyllo-inositol treatment. The prolonged exposure to Aβ-pathology leads to deficits in the neurogenic niche, thus targeting Aβ alone is insufficient to rescue neurogenesis. To support the neurogenic niche, we combined scyllo-inositol treatment with leteprinim potassium (neotrofin, the latter of which stimulates neurotrophin expression. We show that the combination treatment of scyllo-inositol and neotrofin enhances neuronal survival and differentiation. We propose this proof of concept combination therapy of targeting Aβ-pathology and neurotrophin deficits as a potential treatment for AD.

Influence of combined therapy with prospidin and methotrexate on radiological progression, functional status and quality of life in pts with rheumatoid arthritis

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O. V. Simonova

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. To evaluate influence of combination therapy with prospidin (P and methotrexate (MTX on X-ray progression, functional status (FS and quality of life (QL in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA in comparison with MTX monotherapy. Material and methods. 143 RA pts (129 female and 14 male were studied. Of them, there were. Mean age was 45.5±5.l years. Average duration of the disease was 4.5 years. 20 pts had II and 123 - 111 degree of RA activity. The second X-ray stage according to Steinbroker dominated. 72 pts of group I received P+MTX combination therapy. The therapy included intravenous drip-feed of P 200-300 mg per week in 200ml of 5% glucose and MTX 10 mg per week 1M. The maintaining therapy included P 100-200 mg per week IM and MTX 10 mg per week. 71 patients of group II received MTX monotherapy 10 mg per week. X-ray progression assessment was performed according to Sharp method. FS was evaluated with the HAQ questionnaire, Lee test. QL was evaluated with SF-36 scale. Pts were examined before and after I, 2, 3, 6 and 12 months of treatment. Results. There was no increase of X-ray progression of the disease in case of P+MTX therapy as compared with MTX monotherapy. Both methods resulted in improvement of FS parameters and physical health. Combination therapy significantly improved psychological health as well.

Potential utility of combination therapy with nateglinide and telmisartan for metabolic derangements in Zucker Fatty rats.

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Kajioka, T; Miura, K; Kitahara, Y; Yamagishi, S

2007-12-01

The metabolic syndrome is strongly associated with insulin resistance and has been recognized as a cluster of risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Insulin resistance and/or impaired early-phase insulin secretion are major determinants of postprandial hyperglycemia. In this study, we investigated the potential utility of combination therapy with telmisartan, an angiotensin II receptor blocker and nateglinide, a rapid-onset/short-duration insulinotropic agent, for the treatment of postprandial hyperglycemia and metabolic derangements in Zucker Fatty (ZF) rats. ZF rats fed twice daily were given vehicle, 50 mg/kg of nateglinide, 5 mg/kg of telmisartan, or both for 6 weeks. Combination therapy with nateglinide and telmisartan for 2 weeks ameliorated postprandial hyperglycemia in ZF rats fed twice daily. Furthermore, 6-week treatment with nateglinide and telmisartan not only decreased fasting plasma insulin, triglycerides, and free fatty acid levels, but also improved the responses of blood glucose to insulin and subsequently reduced the decremental glucose areas under the curve in the ZF rats. Combination therapy also restored the decrease of plasma adiponectin levels in the ZF rats. Monotherapy with nateglinide or telmisartan alone didnot significantly improve these metabolic parameters. These observations demonstrate that combination therapy with nateglinide and telmisartan may improve the metabolic derangements by ameliorating early phase of insulin secretion as well as insulin resistance in ZF rats fed twice daily. Our present findings suggest that the combination therapy with nateglinide and telmisartan could be a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of the metabolic syndrome.

A meta-analysis of combination therapy versus single-agent therapy in anthracycline- and taxane-pretreated metastatic breast cancer: results from nine randomized Phase III trials

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Xu L

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Liang Xu,1,2,* Xiaobo Wu,3,* Chun Hu,1,2 Zhiying Zhang,4 Le Zhang,1,2 Shujing Liang,1,2 Yingchun Xu,5 Fengchun Zhang1,2 1Department of Oncology, Suzhou Kowloon Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Suzhou, 2Department of Oncology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 3Prevention and Cure Center of Breast Disease, Third Hospital of Nanchang, Nanchang, 4Graduate School, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou, 5Department of Oncology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: Nowadays, the philosophy of treating metastatic breast cancer (MBC is slowly evolving. Especially for the anthracycline- and taxane-pretreated MBC patients, no standard therapy exists in this setting. Whether to choose doublet agents or single agent as salvage treatment remains fiercely debated. Thus, we conducted a meta-analysis to resolve this problem. Databases including PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane library were searched for Phase III randomized clinical trials (published before August 2015 comparing the efficacy and adverse effects between the combination therapy and single-agent therapy in anthracycline- and taxane-pretreated MBC patients. The primary end point was the overall survival (OS, and the secondary end points were the progression-free survival (PFS, overall response rate (ORR, and grade 3 or 4 toxicities. The pooled hazard ratio (HR and pooled risk ratio (RR were used to evaluate the efficacy. Analyses were also performed to estimate the side effects and safety of both groups. In all, nine eligible randomized clinical trials were included in this meta-analysis. Improvements were proven in the doublet agents group on OS (HR 0.90, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.84–0.96, P=0.002, PFS (HR 0.81, 95% CI 0.76–0.88, P<0.001, and ORR (RR 1.72, 95% CI 1.34–2.21, P<0.001. Notably, subgroup analysis

Physical Therapy to Treat Torn Meniscus Comparable to Surgery for Many Patients

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... to Surgery for Many Patients Spotlight on Research Physical Therapy to Treat Torn Meniscus Comparable to Surgery ... to avoid surgery and achieve comparable relief from physical therapy, according to a recent, multisite study funded ...

Exercise combined with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ExACT) compared to a supervised exercise programme for adults with chronic pain: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

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Casey, Máire-Bríd; Smart, Keith; Segurado, Ricardo; Hearty, Conor; Gopal, Hari; Lowry, Damien; Flanagan, Dearbhail; McCracken, Lance; Doody, Catherine

2018-03-22

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a form of cognitive behavioural therapy, which may be beneficial for people with chronic pain. The approach aims to enhance daily functioning through increased psychological flexibility. Whilst the therapeutic model behind ACT appears well suited to chronic pain, there is a need for further research to test its effectiveness in clinical practice, particularly with regards to combining ACT with physical exercise. This prospective, two-armed, parallel-group, single-centre randomised controlled trial (RCT) will assess the effectiveness of a combined Exercise and ACT programme, in comparison to supervised exercise for chronic pain. One hundred and sixty patients, aged 18 years and over, who have been diagnosed with a chronic pain condition by a physician will be recruited to the trial. Participants will be individually randomised to one of two 8-week, group interventions. The combined group will take part in weekly psychology sessions based on the ACT approach, in addition to supervised exercise classes led by a physiotherapist. The control group will attend weekly supervised exercise classes but will not take part in an ACT programme. The primary outcome will be pain interference at 12-week follow-up, measured using the Brief Pain Inventory-Interference Scale. Secondary outcomes will include self-reported pain severity, self-perception of change, patient satisfaction, quality of life, depression, anxiety and healthcare utilisation. Treatment process measures will include self-efficacy, pain catastrophising, fear avoidance, pain acceptance and committed action. Physical activity will be measured using Fitbit Zip TM activity trackers. Both groups will be followed up post intervention and again after 12 weeks. Estimates of treatment effects at follow-up will be based on an intention-to-treat framework, implemented using a linear mixed-effects model. Individual and focus group qualitative interviews will be undertaken with a

Targeting chemotherapy-resistant leukemia by combining DNT cellular therapy with conventional chemotherapy.

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Chen, Branson; Lee, Jong Bok; Kang, Hyeonjeong; Minden, Mark D; Zhang, Li

2018-04-24

While conventional chemotherapy is effective at eliminating the bulk of leukemic cells, chemotherapy resistance in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a prevalent problem that hinders conventional therapies and contributes to disease relapse, and ultimately patient death. We have recently shown that allogeneic double negative T cells (DNTs) are able to target the majority of primary AML blasts in vitro and in patient-derived xenograft models. However, some primary AML blast samples are resistant to DNT cell therapy. Given the differences in the modes of action of DNTs and chemotherapy, we hypothesize that DNT therapy can be used in combination with conventional chemotherapy to further improve their anti-leukemic effects and to target chemotherapy-resistant disease. Drug titration assays and flow-based cytotoxicity assays using ex vivo expanded allogeneic DNTs were performed on multiple AML cell lines to identify therapy-resistance. Primary AML samples were also tested to validate our in vitro findings. Further, a xenograft model was employed to demonstrate the feasibility of combining conventional chemotherapy and adoptive DNT therapy to target therapy-resistant AML. Lastly, blocking assays with neutralizing antibodies were employed to determine the mechanism by which chemotherapy increases the susceptibility of AML to DNT-mediated cytotoxicity. Here, we demonstrate that KG1a, a stem-like AML cell line that is resistant to DNTs and chemotherapy, and chemotherapy-resistant primary AML samples both became more susceptible to DNT-mediated cytotoxicity in vitro following pre-treatment with daunorubicin. Moreover, chemotherapy treatment followed by adoptive DNT cell therapy significantly decreased bone marrow engraftment of KG1a in a xenograft model. Mechanistically, daunorubicin increased the expression of NKG2D and DNAM-1 ligands on KG1a; blocking of these pathways attenuated DNT-mediated cytotoxicity. Our results demonstrate the feasibility and benefit of using DNTs as

Efficacy of Fluoroquinolone/Probiotic Combination Therapy for Recurrent Urinary Tract Infection in Children: A Retrospective Analysis.

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Madden-Fuentes, Ramiro J; Arshad, Mehreen; Ross, Sherry S; Seed, Patrick C

2015-09-01

Children with normal urinary tract anatomy and function and highly recurrent urinary tract infection (rUTI) may have a lack of alternatives when antibiotic prophylaxis and "watchful waiting" approaches fail. This retrospective review reports the outcomes in children who received a fluoroquinolone/probiotic combination in an attempt to quantify a reduction in rUTI that was perceived by both clinicians and patients' families. Data from all children with rUTIs previously managed with a fluoroquinolone/probiotic combination at the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Clinic at Duke University Medical Center (Durham, North Carolina) were identified and analyzed. Data from 10 children were eligible for inclusion. Compared with before therapy initiation, total UTI episodes were significantly fewer after therapy initiation (57 vs 4; P = 0.0001). Seven (70%) were free of rUTIs during the follow-up period. Of the 8 patients with known compliance, 7 (88%) were free of rUTIs. Given the chronic nature of these patients' symptoms, the significant decrease in UTI after the initiation of therapy, and the increase in the interval without an infection and/or its symptoms, this treatment regimen has the potential to improve overall quality of life, decrease antibiotic courses, and decrease health care costs in children with rUTI. These results will be validated with a larger cohort of patients in a prospective, randomized trial. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc. All rights reserved.

Valsartan combination therapy in the management of hypertension – patient perspectives and clinical utility

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Nash, David T; McNamara, Michael S

2009-01-01

The morbidity and mortality benefits of lowering blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive patients are well established, with most individuals requiring multiple agents to achieve BP control. Considering the important role of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) in the pathophysiology of hypertension, a key component of combination therapy should include a RAAS inhibitor. Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) lower BP, reduce cardiovascular risk, provide organ protection, and are among the best tolerated class of antihypertensive therapy. In this article, we discuss two ARB combinations (valsartan/hydrochlorothiazide [HCTZ] and amlodipine/valsartan), both of which are indicated for the treatment of hypertension in patients not adequately controlled on monotherapy and as initial therapy in patients likely to need multiple drugs to achieve BP goals. Randomized, double-blind studies that have assessed the antihypertensive efficacy and safety of these combinations in the first-line treatment of hypertensive patients are reviewed. Both valsartan/HCTZ and amlodipine/valsartan effectively lower BP and are well tolerated in a broad range of patients with hypertension, including difficult-to-treat populations such as those with severe BP elevations, prediabetes and diabetes, patients with the cardiometabolic syndrome, and individuals who are obese, elderly, or black. Also discussed herein are patient-focused perspectives related to the use of valsartan/HCTZ and amlodipine/valsartan, and the rationale for use of single-pill combinations as one approach to enhance patient compliance with antihypertensive therapy. PMID:21949614

[Clinical effect of triple therapy combined with Saccharomyces boulardii in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection in children].

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Zhao, Hong-Mei; Ou-Yang, Hong-Juan; Duan, Bo-Ping; Xu, Bin; Chen, Zhi-Yong; Tang, Juan; You, Jie-Yu

2014-03-01

To evaluate the clinical effect of proton pump inhibitor-based triple therapy combined with Saccharomyces boulardii in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection among children in terms of Hp eradication rate and incidence of adverse events. A prospective randomised controlled study was conducted on 240 children with a confirmed diagnosis of Hp infection. These patients were randomized into triple therapy (n=120) and probiotics groups (n=120). The triple therapy group received amoxicillin [40 mg/(kg·d), Tid], clarithromycin [15 mg/(kg·d), Bid] and omeprazole [0.7-0.8 mg/(kg·d), Qd], while the probiotics group received Saccharomyces boulardii (250 mg, Bid) in addition to triple therapy. The course of treatment was 14 days in both groups. The adverse events in subjects were recorded by their parents during treatment. Hp eradiation was evaluated by (13)C breath test at 4 weeks after treatment, and the eradication rate and incidence of adverse events were compared between the two groups. The Hp eradication rates were 75.8% (91/120) in the triple therapy group and 85% (102/120) in the probiotics group (P>0.05). Compared with the triple therapy group, the probiotics group had nonsignificantly lower incidence of nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain (P>0.05) and significantly lower incidence of stomatitis, constipation and diarrhea (PSaccharomyces boulardii cannot significantly increase Hp eradication rate, but can significantly reduce the incidence of stomatitis, constipation, and diarrhea during treatment.

Systems modeling of anti-apoptotic pathways in prostate cancer: psychological stress triggers a synergism pattern switch in drug combination therapy.

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Xiaoqiang Sun

Full Text Available Prostate cancer patients often have increased levels of psychological stress or anxiety, but the molecular mechanisms underlying the interaction between psychological stress and prostate cancer as well as therapy resistance have been rarely studied and remain poorly understood. Recent reports show that stress inhibits apoptosis in prostate cancer cells via epinephrine/beta2 adrenergic receptor/PKA/BAD pathway. In this study, we used experimental data on the signaling pathways that control BAD phosphorylation to build a dynamic network model of apoptosis regulation in prostate cancer cells. We then compared the predictive power of two different models with or without the role of Mcl-1, which justified the role of Mcl-1 stabilization in anti-apoptotic effects of emotional stress. Based on the selected model, we examined and quantitatively evaluated the induction of apoptosis by drug combination therapies. We predicted that the combination of PI3K inhibitor LY294002 and inhibition of BAD phosphorylation at S112 would produce the best synergistic effect among 8 interventions examined. Experimental validation confirmed the effectiveness of our predictive model. Moreover, we found that epinephrine signaling changes the synergism pattern and decreases efficacy of combination therapy. The molecular mechanisms responsible for therapeutic resistance and the switch in synergism were explored by analyzing a network model of signaling pathways affected by psychological stress. These results provide insights into the mechanisms of psychological stress signaling in therapy-resistant cancer, and indicate the potential benefit of reducing psychological stress in designing more effective therapies for prostate cancer patients.

Lipid nano-bubble combined with ultrasound for anti-keloids therapy.

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Wang, Xiao Qing; Li, Zhou-Na; Wang, Qi-Ming; Jin, Hong-Yan; Gao, Zhonggao; Jin, Zhe-Hu

2018-03-01

Keloids were characterized by excessive growth of fibrous tissues, and shared several pathological characteristics with cancer. They did put physical and emotional stress on patients in that keloids could badly change appearance of patients. N-(4-hydroxyphenyl) retinamide (4HPR) showed cytotoxic activity on a wide variety of invasive-growth cells. Our work was aim to prepare N-(4-hydroxyphenyl) retinamide-loaded lipid microbubbles (4HPR-LM) combined with ultrasound for anti-keloid therapy. 4HPR-loaded liposomes (4HPR-L) were first prepared by film evaporation method, and then 4HPR-LM were manufactured by mixing 4HPR-L and perfluoropentane (PFP) with ultrasonic cavitation method. The mean particle size and entrapment efficiency 4HPR-LM were 113 nm and 95%, respectively. The anti-keloids activity of 4HPR-LM was assessed with BALB/c nude mice bearing subcutaneous xenograft keloids model. 4HPR-LM, combined with ultrasound, could significantly induce apoptosis of keloid fibroblasts in vitro and inhibited growth of keloids in vivo. Thus, 4HPR-LM could be considered as a promising agent for anti-keloids therapy.

Delivery confirmation of bolus electron conformal therapy combined with intensity modulated x-ray therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kavanaugh, James A.; Hogstrom, Kenneth R.; Fontenot, Jonas P.; Henkelmann, Gregory; Chu, Connel; Carver, Robert A.

2013-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that a bolus electron conformal therapy (ECT) dose plan and a mixed beam plan, composed of an intensity modulated x-ray therapy (IMXT) dose plan optimized on top of the bolus ECT plan, can be accurately delivered. Methods: Calculated dose distributions were compared with measured dose distributions for parotid and chest wall (CW) bolus ECT and mixed beam plans, each simulated in a cylindrical polystyrene phantom that allowed film dose measurements. Bolus ECT plans were created for both parotid and CW PTVs (planning target volumes) using 20 and 16 MeV beams, respectively, whose 90% dose surface conformed to the PTV. Mixed beam plans consisted of an IMXT dose plan optimized on top of the bolus ECT dose plan. The bolus ECT, IMXT, and mixed beam dose distributions were measured using radiographic films in five transverse and one sagittal planes for a total of 36 measurement conditions. Corrections for film dose response, effects of edge-on photon irradiation, and effects of irregular phantom optical properties on the Cerenkov component of the film signal resulted in high precision measurements. Data set consistency was verified by agreement of depth dose at the intersections of the sagittal plane with the five measured transverse planes. For these same depth doses, results for the mixed beam plan agreed with the sum of the individual depth doses for the bolus ECT and IMXT plans. The six mean measured planar dose distributions were compared with those calculated by the treatment planning system for all modalities. Dose agreement was assessed using the 4% dose difference and 0.2 cm distance to agreement. Results: For the combined high-dose region and low-dose region, pass rates for the parotid and CW plans were 98.7% and 96.2%, respectively, for the bolus ECT plans and 97.9% and 97.4%, respectively, for the mixed beam plans. For the high-dose gradient region, pass rates for the parotid and CW plans were 93.1% and 94

In vivo and in vitro experimental study on cervix cancer with combination of HSV-TK/GCV suicide gene therapy system and 60Co radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Daozhen; Xue Wenqun; Zhan Huiying; Zhu Yunxia; Yang Youyi; Liu Lu; Tang Qiusha

2006-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the killing effect of HSV-TK/GCV suicide gene therapy system combined with 60 Co radiotherapy on human cervical cancer HeLa cell line in vivo and in vitro, and to explore radiosensitization by the HSV-TK/GCV system. Methods: The HSV-TK/GCV suicide gene therapy system and 60 Co radiotherapy were used separately or in combination for human cervical cancer HeLa cell line in vivo and in vitro to compare their effects. Colony formation test and the rate of radiosensitization effect(E/O) were employed to observed the radiosensitization by the HSV-TK/GCV system. Results: The HSV-TK/GCV suicide gene therapy system showed strong therapeutic effects on HeLa cells both in vitro and in vivo (the inhibition rates were 45.8% and 39.5%, respectively). Moreover, the combined application of gene therapy and radiotherapy exhibited stronger therapeutic effects in vitro and in vivo (the inhibition rate was 87.5% in vitro, and was 87.9% in vivo) (P 1.4), indicating the HSV-TK/GCV system could exert a sensitizing effect on 60 Co radiotherapy of the transplanted human cervical cancer cells in nude mice. Conclusion: The HSV-TK/GCV system has radiosensitizationaction. Gene therapy combined with radiotherapy may be a good supplementary method for synthetic treatment of cervical cancer. (authors)

MaLT - Combined Motor and Language Therapy Tool for Brain Injury Patients Using Kinect.

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Wairagkar, Maitreyee; McCrindle, Rachel; Robson, Holly; Meteyard, Lotte; Sperrin, Malcom; Smith, Andy; Pugh, Moyra

2017-03-23

The functional connectivity and structural proximity of elements of the language and motor systems result in frequent co-morbidity post brain injury. Although rehabilitation services are becoming increasingly multidisciplinary and "integrated", treatment for language and motor functions often occurs in isolation. Thus, behavioural therapies which promote neural reorganisation do not reflect the high intersystem connectivity of the neurologically intact brain. As such, there is a pressing need for rehabilitation tools which better reflect and target the impaired cognitive networks. The objective of this research is to develop a combined high dosage therapy tool for language and motor rehabilitation. The rehabilitation therapy tool developed, MaLT (Motor and Language Therapy), comprises a suite of computer games targeting both language and motor therapy that use the Kinect sensor as an interaction device. The games developed are intended for use in the home environment over prolonged periods of time. In order to track patients' engagement with the games and their rehabilitation progress, the game records patient performance data for the therapist to interrogate. MaLT incorporates Kinect-based games, a database of objects and language parameters, and a reporting tool for therapists. Games have been developed that target four major language therapy tasks involving single word comprehension, initial phoneme identification, rhyme identification and a naming task. These tasks have 8 levels each increasing in difficulty. A database of 750 objects is used to programmatically generate appropriate questions for the game, providing both targeted therapy and unique gameplay every time. The design of the games has been informed by therapists and by discussions with a Public Patient Involvement (PPI) group. Pilot MaLT trials have been conducted with three stroke survivors for the duration of 6 to 8 weeks. Patients' performance is monitored through MaLT's reporting facility

Clinical investigation of 131I therapy combined with low-dose lithium carbonate for Graves disease

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Xu Haiqing; Wu Bian

2006-01-01

Objective: To investigate the clinical curative effects of 131 I therapy combined with low-dose lithium carbonate for Graves disease. Methods: Patients with Graves disease took lithium carbonate (250 mg, once per day) orally for 5 weeks. Then they were treated with 131 I (doses=3.15 MBq(80 uCi)/g, based on 60%-70% of the thyroid size). We kept track from 6 to 24 months (averaging 14 months) and classified the results into three: cured, improved or no effect. Results: After a single cycle of 131 I therapy combined with low-dose lithium carbonate, 106 patients with Graves disease were cured, 28 were improved and 8 saw no effects, respectively 74.6%, 19.7% and 5.6% among the 142 patients. We then treated 23 of them with another 131 I therapy (without lithium carbonate). 10 of such were cured (43.5%), 8 were improved (34.8%) and the other 5 saw no effects. Among all patients, hypothyroidism was observed from 25(17.6%), 6 months after the first 131 I therapy. Conclusions: Notable curative results were observed from 131 I therapy combined with low-dose lithium carbonate for Graves disease. Moreover, the dosage of 131 I was therefore decreased, which also lowered the toxicity response. (authors)

Development of gene therapy: potential in severe combined immunodeficiency due to adenosine deaminase deficiency

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Claudia A Montiel-Equihua

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Claudia A Montiel-Equihua, Adrian J Thrasher, H Bobby GasparCentre for Immunodeficiency, Molecular Immunology Unit, UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UKAbstract: The history of stem cell gene therapy is strongly linked to the development of gene therapy for severe combined immunodeficiencies (SCID and especially adenosine deaminase (ADA-deficient SCID. Here we discuss the developments achieved in over two decades of clinical and laboratory research that led to the establishment of a protocol for the autologous transplant of retroviral vector-mediated gene-modified hematopoietic stem cells, which has proved to be both successful and, to date, safe. Patients in trials in three different countries have shown long-term immunological and metabolic correction. Nevertheless, improvements to the safety profile of viral vectors are underway and will undoubtedly reinforce the position of stem cell gene therapy as a treatment option for ADA-SCID.Keywords: adenosine deaminase, severe combined immunodeficiency, gene therapy, hematopoietic stem cell, retrovirus, clinical trial

Multicomponent Pharmaceutical Cocrystals: A Novel Approach for Combination Therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Fatima, Zeeshan; Srivastava, Dipti; Kaur, Chanchal Deep

2018-03-05

Cocrystallization is a technique for modifying the physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties of an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) embodying the concept of supramolecular synthon. Most of the examples cited in the literature are of cocrystals formed between an API and a coformer chosen from the generally recognized as safe (GRAS) substance list, however, few examples exist where a cocrystal consists of two or more APIs. These cocrystals are commonly known as multi API, multi drug or drug- drug cocrystals. The formation of such cocrystals is feasible by virtue of non covalent interactions between the APIs, which help them in retaining their biologic activity. In addition, drug- drug cocrystals also offer the potential solution to the limitations such as solubility, stability differences and chemical interaction between the APIs which is often faced during the traditional combination therapy. Cocrystallization of two or more APIs can be employed for delivery of combination drugs for the better and efficacious management of many complex disorders where existing monotherapies do not furnish the desired therapeutic effect. This review on the existing drug-drug cocrystals is to gain insight for better designing of multi API cocrystals with improved physicochemical and pharmacokinetic profile and its application in multiple target therapy. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Massage therapy and exercise therapy in patients with multiple sclerosis: a randomized controlled pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Negahban, Hossein; Rezaie, Solmaz; Goharpey, Shahin

2013-12-01

The primary aim was to investigate the comparative effects of massage therapy and exercise therapy on patients with multiple sclerosis. The secondary aim was to investigate whether combination of both massage and exercise has an additive effect. Randomized controlled pilot trial with repeated measurements and blinded assessments. Local Multiple Sclerosis Society. A total of 48 patients with multiple sclerosis were randomly assigned to four equal subgroups labelled as massage therapy, exercise therapy, combined massage-exercise therapy and control group. The treatment group received 15 sessions of supervised intervention for five weeks. The massage therapy group received a standard Swedish massage. The exercise therapy group was given a combined set of strength, stretch, endurance and balance exercises. Patients in the massage-exercise therapy received a combined set of massage and exercise treatments. Patients in the control group were asked to continue their standard medical care. Pain, fatigue, spasticity, balance, gait and quality of life were assessed before and after intervention. Massage therapy resulted in significantly larger improvement in pain reduction (mean change 2.75 points, P = 0.001), dynamic balance (mean change, 3.69 seconds, P = 0.009) and walking speed (mean change, 7.84 seconds, P = 0.007) than exercise therapy. Patients involved in the combined massage-exercise therapy showed significantly larger improvement in pain reduction than those in the exercise therapy (mean change, 1.67 points, P = 0.001). Massage therapy could be more effective than exercise therapy. Moreover, the combination of massage and exercise therapy may be a little more effective than exercise therapy alone.

Combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy in limited disease small-cell lung cancer

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Kim, Moon Kyung; Ahn, Yong Chan; Park, Keun Chil; Lim Do Hoon; Huh, Seung Jae; Kim, Dae Yong; Shin, Kyung Hwan; Lee, Kyu Chan; Kwon, O Jung [College of Medicine, Sungkyunkwan Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1999-03-01

This is a retrospective study to evaluate the response rate, acute toxicity, and survival rate of a combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy in limited disease small cell lung cancer. Forty six patients with limited disease small-cell lung cancer who underwent combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy between October 1994 and April 1998 were evaluated. Six cycles of chemotherapy were planned either using a VIP regimen (etoposide, ifosfamide, and cis-platin) or a EP regimen (etoposide and cis-platin). Thoracic radiation therapy was planned to deliver 44 Gy using 10MV X-ray, starting concurrently with chemotherapy. Response was evaluated 4 weeks after the completion of the planned chemotherapy and radiation therapy, and the prophylactic cranial irradiation was planned only for the patients with complete responses. Acute toxicity was evaluated using the SWOG toxicity criteria, and the overall survival and disease-free survival were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier Method. The median follow-up period was 16 months (range:2 to 41 months). Complete response was achieved in 30 (65%) patients, of which 22 patients received prophylactic cranial irradiations. Acute toxicities over grade III were granulocytopenia in 23 (50%), anemia in 17 (37%), thrombo-cytopenia in nine (20%), alopecia in nine (20%), nausea/vomiting in five (11%), and peripheral neuropathy in one (2%). Chemotherapy was delayed in one patient, and the chemotherapy doses were reduced in 58 (24%) out of the total 246 cycles. No radiation esophagitis over grade III was observed, while interruption during radiation therapy for a mean of 8.3 days occurred in 21 patients. The local recurrences were observed in 8 patients and local progressions were in 6 patients, and the distant metastases in 17 patients. Among these, four patients had both the local relapse and the distant metastasis. Brain was the most common metastatic site (10 patients), followed by the liver as the next common site (4 patients). The

Combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy in limited disease small-cell lung cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Moon Kyung; Ahn, Yong Chan; Park, Keun Chil; Lim Do Hoon; Huh, Seung Jae; Kim, Dae Yong; Shin, Kyung Hwan; Lee, Kyu Chan; Kwon, O Jung

1999-01-01

This is a retrospective study to evaluate the response rate, acute toxicity, and survival rate of a combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy in limited disease small cell lung cancer. Forty six patients with limited disease small-cell lung cancer who underwent combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy between October 1994 and April 1998 were evaluated. Six cycles of chemotherapy were planned either using a VIP regimen (etoposide, ifosfamide, and cis-platin) or a EP regimen (etoposide and cis-platin). Thoracic radiation therapy was planned to deliver 44 Gy using 10MV X-ray, starting concurrently with chemotherapy. Response was evaluated 4 weeks after the completion of the planned chemotherapy and radiation therapy, and the prophylactic cranial irradiation was planned only for the patients with complete responses. Acute toxicity was evaluated using the SWOG toxicity criteria, and the overall survival and disease-free survival were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier Method. The median follow-up period was 16 months (range:2 to 41 months). Complete response was achieved in 30 (65%) patients, of which 22 patients received prophylactic cranial irradiations. Acute toxicities over grade III were granulocytopenia in 23 (50%), anemia in 17 (37%), thrombo-cytopenia in nine (20%), alopecia in nine (20%), nausea/vomiting in five (11%), and peripheral neuropathy in one (2%). Chemotherapy was delayed in one patient, and the chemotherapy doses were reduced in 58 (24%) out of the total 246 cycles. No radiation esophagitis over grade III was observed, while interruption during radiation therapy for a mean of 8.3 days occurred in 21 patients. The local recurrences were observed in 8 patients and local progressions were in 6 patients, and the distant metastases in 17 patients. Among these, four patients had both the local relapse and the distant metastasis. Brain was the most common metastatic site (10 patients), followed by the liver as the next common site (4 patients). The

Observation of the effect of physical rehabilitation therapy combined with the medication on pelvic floor dysfunction.

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Han, Wei; Wang, Yongmei; Qi, Shengbo; Li, Tingting; Cao, Jiang; Zheng, Tinghua; Su, Yan

2018-02-01

We observed the effects of physical rehabilitation therapy combined with medication on pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD). We collected the medical records of 84 maternal patients with PFD who received treatment at the Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University between May 2015 and October 2016. These patients were randomly divided into two groups, the control group (n=42) and observation group (n=42). In the control group, patients received conventional physical rehabilitation therapy while in observation group, patients received the shixiao powder combined with siwu decoction in addition to the physical rehabilitation. The therapeutic effects were compared between the two groups. The total effective rate of the observation group was 97.6%, which was significantly higher than 78.6% in the control group (Ppelvic floor function under rest state, such as electromyo-graphy amplitude, contraction force, coordinate strength and urine flow rate, were significantly higher than those in control group (P0.05). In observation group, after treatment, the rehabilitation effects of urinary incontinence and sexual life quality at 3 months post-delivery were significantly better than those in control group (P0.05), however, after treatment, the levels of CRP and IL-10 of patients in observation group were significantly lower than those in control group (Pphysical rehabilitation therapy combined with the shixiao powder and siwu decoction exhibits significant efficacy in the treatment of PFD by effectively improving the pelvic floor functions, increasing perineal muscle strength, and decreasing expression levels of inflammatory factors, which can significantly ameliorate life quality and reduce the incidence rate of complications. Thus, this treatment method shows great application value in clinical practice.

Transcriptional changes induced by bevacizumab combination therapy in responding and non-responding recurrent glioblastoma patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Urup, Thomas; Staunstrup, Line Maersk; Michaelsen, Signe Regner

2017-01-01

Background: Bevacizumab combined with chemotherapy produces clinical durable response in 25-30% of recurrent glioblastoma patients. This group of patients has shown improved survival and quality of life. The aim of this study was to investigate changes in gene expression associated with response...... and resistance to bevacizumab combination therapy.Methods: Recurrent glioblastoma patients who had biomarker-accessible tumor tissue surgically removed both before bevacizumab treatment and at time of progression were included. Patients were grouped into responders (n = 7) and non-responders (n = 14). Gene...... expression profiling of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor tissue was performed using RNA-sequencing.Results: By comparing pretreatment samples of responders with those of non-responders no significant difference was observed. In a paired comparison analysis of pre- and posttreatment samples of non...

Effectiveness of Combination Therapy with Honey in H.Pylori Eradication in Pediatrics Medical Centre

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Z.N. Hatmi

2006-07-01

Full Text Available Background: There are several million new cases of peptic disease annually. The disease has a various range of presentations. Gram negative helicobacter pylori bacilli is considered as an etiologic factor in this disease. Goal of treatment in peptic disease is eradication of the helicobacter pylori (HP. Combination therapy has been implemented in the treatment of this disease. Different modalities have been recommended up to now. In order to lower adverse effects, cost and drug resistance, researchers have introduced a new combination therapy in which honey is substituted for metronidazole. Methods: A step II of clinical trial was designed. The sample size was 15 children. Diagnosis of HP infection was confirmed with histopathology. Treatment regimen consisted of omeprazole, amoxicillin, bismuth and honey. After a 3-4 week follow- up, eradication was evaluated. Results: 15 children completed the follow- up period. Mean age of patients was 9.4 years. Treatment effectiveness was 80 percent. Conclusion: Combination therapy with 3 drugs along with honey has significant effectiveness on HP eradication.

Randomized comparative study of the safety and efficacy of photodynamic therapy using Photofrin II combined with palliative radiotherapy versus palliative radiotherapy alone in patients with inoperable obstructive non-small cell bronchogenic carcinoma

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Lam, S.; Kostashuk, E.C.; Coy, E.P.; Laukkanen, E.; LeRiche, J.C.; Mueller, H.A.; Szasz, I.J.

1987-11-01

Preliminary results suggest that 3000 cGy radiation therapy alone offers only transient palliation for patients with obstructive endobronchial tumor. The addition of photodynamic therapy (PDT) prior to XRT provides significantly better and longer lasting local control. The combined treatment may also improve survival. It is possible that a therapeutic dose-6000 cGy radiation therapy may offer better local control than 3000 cGy.

Effect of acupuncture combined with drug therapy on the nerve cytokine secretion and oxidative stress in convalescence of cerebral infarction

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Xiao-Jie Dai

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Objective: To explore the effect of acupuncture combined with drug therapy on the nerve cytokine secretion and oxidative stress in convalescence of cerebral infarction. Methods: A total of 118 patients in convalescence of cerebral infarction who were treated in the affiliated hospital of our school between August 2014 and December 2016 were divided into control group (n=59 and observation group (n=59 according to the random number table method. Control group received routine drug therapy, and the observation group received acupuncture combined with drug therapy. The differences in serum levels of neurotrophic factors, nerve injury factors and oxidative stress indexes were compared between the two groups before and after treatment. Results: The differences in serum levels of neurotrophic factors, nerve injury factors and oxidative stress indexes were not statistically significant between the two groups before treatment. After treatment, serum neurotrophic factors IGF-1, BDNF and NGF levels of observation group were higher than those of control group; nerve injury factors S-100β, NSE, GFAP and UCH-L1 levels were lower than those of control group; oxidative stress indexes MDA, AOPPs and LHP levels were lower than those of control group while SOD and GSH-Px levels were higher than those of control group. Conclusion: Acupuncture combined with drug therapy can effectively optimize the nerve function, reduce the nerve injury and suppress the systemic oxidative stress response of patients in convalescence of cerebral infarction.

Comparative effectiveness of budesonide/formoterol combination and tiotropium bromide among COPD patients new to these controller treatments

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Trudo F

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Frank Trudo,1 David M Kern,2 Jill R Davis,1 Ozgur Tunceli,2 Siting Zhou,2 Emma L Graham,3 Charlie Strange,4 Setareh A Williams1 1AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, 2HealthCore, Inc., Wilmington, DE, USA; 3AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, Alderley Park, Cheshire, UK; 4Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA Background: Inhaled corticosteroid/long-acting β2-agonist combinations and/or long-acting muscarinic antagonists are recommended first-line therapies for preventing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD exacerbation. Comparative effectiveness of budesonide/formoterol combination (BFC, an inhaled corticosteroid/long-acting β2-agonist combination vs tiotropium (long-acting muscarinic antagonist in the US has not yet been studied.Methods: Using US claims data from the HealthCore Integrated Research Environment, COPD patients (with or without comorbid asthma ≥40 years old initiating BFC or tiotropium between March 1, 2009 and February 28, 2012 and at risk for exacerbation were identified and followed for 12 months. Patients were propensity score matched on demographics and COPD disease severity indicators. The primary outcome was time to first COPD exacerbation. Secondary outcomes included COPD exacerbation rate, health care resource utilization, and costs.Results: The Cox proportional hazards model for time to first exacerbation yielded a hazard ratio (HR of 0.78 (95% CI =[0.70, 0.87], P<0.001, indicating a 22% reduction in risk of COPD exacerbation associated with initiation of BFC versus tiotropium. A post hoc sensitivity analysis found similar effects in those who had a prior asthma diagnosis (HR =0.72 [0.61, 0.86] and those who did not (HR =0.83 [0.72, 0.96]. BFC initiation was associated with lower COPD-related health care resource utilization and costs ($4,084 per patient-year compared with $5,656 for tiotropium patients, P<0.001.Conclusion

Behaviour therapy for obesity treatment considering approved drug therapy

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Wasem, Jürgen

2008-05-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Obesity is a worldwide health problem whose prevalence is on the increase. Many obesity-associated diseases require intensive medical treatment and are the cause of a large proportion of health-related expenditures in Germany. Treatment of obesity includes nutritional, exercise and behaviour therapy, usually in combination. The goal of behaviour therapy for obesity is to bring about a long-term alteration in the eating and exercise habits of overweight and obese individuals. Under certain circumstances, drug treatment may be indicated. Objectives: What is the effectiveness of behaviour therapy for obesity considering approved drugs reduce weight under medical, economic, ethical-social and legal aspects? Methods: A systematic review was conducted using relevant electronic literature databases. Publications chosen according to predefined criteria are evaluated by approved methodical standards of the evidence-based medicine systematically and qualitatively. Results: In total 18 studies, included one HTA and one meta-analysis could be identified according to the predefined inclusion criteria. Three studies compare behaviour therapy to other therapy forms (advice or instruction on nutritional changes, physical activity or a combination of the two, six studies evaluate different forms of behaviour therapy, four studies and four studies compare behaviour therapies mediated by Internet or telephone. Three studies could be identified examining the effect of the combination of behaviour and drug therapy. Furthermore one HTA and one meta-analysis could be included in the evaluation. The behaviour therapy in comparison with other therapy forms reveals a higher effectiveness. In comparison of the different therapeutic approaches of the behaviour therapy intensive behaviour therapy forms and group therapy show a higher effectiveness. Studies related to behaviour therapy based on media support demonstrate a weight reduction both through the

Conservative treatment of lateral epicondylitis: brace versus physical therapy or a combination of both: a randomized clinical trial

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Struijs, P. A. A.; Kerkhoffs, G. M. M. J.; Assendelft, W. J. J.; van Dijk, C. N.

2004-01-01

BACKGROUND: The authors evaluated the effectiveness of brace-only treatment, physical therapy, and the combination of these for patients with tennis elbow. METHODS: Patients were randomized over 3 groups: brace-only treatment, physical therapy, and the combination of these. Main outcome measures

Combined regional chemotherapy and radiation therapy in the treatment of epidermoid carcinoma in the oro-facial region

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Danko, J; Satko, I [Komenskeho Univ., Bratislava (Czechoslovakia). Lekarska Fakulta; Durkovsky, J [Institute of Clinical Oncology, Bratislava (Czechoslovakia)

1979-01-01

Treatment was studied of oro-facial epidermoid carcinoma by combined chemo- and radiotherapy and eventual surgery. Cytostatic drugs were applied intraarterially. After a monocytostatic treatment trial with Methotrexate (MTX), a combined cytostatic program was developed alternating two cytostatic drugs, viz., MTX and Bleomycin (BLM). The usefulness of chemotherapy and its inclusion in the treatment of epidermoid carcinoma in the oro-facial region was found justified for combined therapy. The selected intraarterial administration, however, is not suitable for routine application. For this reason, the combination irradiation or surgical therapy with chemotherapy was adopted.

Beta-lactam combination therapy for the treatment of Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus species bacteremia: A summary and appraisal of the evidence

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Rachel Bartash

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Staphylococcal bacteremia and enterococcal bacteremia are prevalent in hospitalized or recently instrumented patients, and are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. They are often difficult to treat due to the pathogenicity of the organisms, poor response to antibiotics, and increasing development of multidrug resistance. Therefore, there has been increasing interest in combination therapy for the treatment of these infections. The aim of this review was to summarize and assess the evidence supporting combination beta-lactam therapy for both Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus species blood stream infections. Currently, there is promising in vitro data but little clinical evidence supporting combination beta-lactam therapy for this indication. Further clinical investigations are needed to elucidate the potential benefits of beta-lactam combination therapy over monotherapy for Gram-positive bacteremia, although combination therapy may be useful in refractory cases of bacteremia that do not respond to standard antibiotic therapy.

Cost-Effectiveness of Sacubitril-Valsartan Combination Therapy Compared With Enalapril for the Treatment of Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction.

Science.gov (United States)

King, Jordan B; Shah, Rashmee U; Bress, Adam P; Nelson, Richard E; Bellows, Brandon K

2016-05-01

The objective of this study was to determine the cost-effectiveness and cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained of sacubitril-valsartan relative to enalapril for treatment of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Compared with enalapril, combination angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibition (ARNI), as is found in sacubitril-valsartan, reduces cardiovascular death and heart failure hospitalization rates in patients with HFrEF. Using a Markov model, costs, effects, and cost-effectiveness were estimated for sacubitril-valsartan and enalapril therapies for the treatment of HFrEF. Patients were 60 years of age at model entry and were modeled over a lifetime (40 years) from a third-party payer perspective. Clinical probabilities were derived predominantly from PARADIGM-HF (Prospective Comparison of ARNI With ACEI to Determine Impact on Global Mortality and Morbidity in Heart Failure). All costs and effects were discounted at a 3% rate annually and are presented in 2015 U.S. dollars. In the base case, sacubitril-valsartan, compared with enalapril, was more costly ($60,391 vs. $21,758) and more effective (6.49 vs. 5.74 QALYs) over a lifetime. The cost-effectiveness of sacubitril-valsartan was highly dependent on duration of treatment, ranging from $249,411 per QALY at 3 years to $50,959 per QALY gained over a lifetime. Sacubitril-valsartan may be a cost-effective treatment option depending on the willingness-to-pay threshold. Future investigations should incorporate real-world evidence with sacubitril-valsartan to further inform decision making. Copyright © 2016 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Early use of negative pressure therapy in combination with silver dressings in a difficult breast abscess.

Science.gov (United States)

Richards, Alastair J; Hagelstein, Sue M; Patel, Girish K; Ivins, Nicola M; Sweetland, Helen M; Harding, Keith G

2011-12-01

Combining silver-based dressings with negative pressure therapy after radical excision of chronically infected breast disease is a novel application of two technologies. One patient with complex, chronic, infected breast disease underwent radical excision of the affected area and was treated early with a combination of silver-based dressings and topical negative pressure therapy. The wound was then assessed sequentially using clinical measurements of wound area and depth, pain severity scores and level of exudation. It is possible to combine accepted techniques with modern dressing technologies that result in a positive outcome. In this case, the combination of a silver-based dressing with negative pressure therapy following radical excision proved safe and was well tolerated by the patient. Full epithelisation of the wound was achieved and there was no recurrence of the infection for the duration of the treatment. © 2011 The Authors. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and Medicalhelplines.com Inc.

The role of bleomycin combination in radiation therapy for squamous cell carcinoma in the oral cavity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Masaki, Norie

1986-01-01

In an effort to improve tumor control by radiation therapy, a treatment regimen consisting of concurrent combination of bleomycin (90 mg/3 weeks) and radiation (30 Gy/3 weeks) was applied. Between 1972 and 1981, 287 patients with squamous cell carcinoma in the oral cavity were subjected to this bleomycin-radiation combination regimen. All except 4 patients experienced marked response after treatment using the bleomycin-radiation combination alone. One hundred thirty-four patients (47 %) obtained CR and 149 (53 %) PR. Higher CR rates were obtained in patients with carcinoma of the lower gum (62 %), of the upper gum (68 %), and of the cheek mucosa (43 %), compared to patients with carcinoma of the floor of the mouth (21 %), and of the tongue (15 %). In each of the tumor sites, small lesions (T1, T2) obtained higher CR rates, compared with large lesions (T3, T4). Of the 134 patients who experienced CR, 83 were observed without any further treatment after bleomycin-radiation combination alone. Local recurrence-free rates of these patients were 72 % for T1, T2 lesions and 48 % for T3, T4 lesions. Local control rates were increased to 85 % and 78 %, respectively, with successful salvage treatment involving surgery or interstitial radiotherapy for post-irradiation failures. (author)

Response of spinal myoclonus to a combination therapy of autogenic training and biofeedback.

Science.gov (United States)

Sugimoto, Koreaki; Theoharides, Theoharis C; Kempuraj, Duraisamy; Conti, Pio

2007-10-12

Clinical evidence indicates that certain types of movement disorders are due to psychosomatic factors. Patients with myoclonic movements are usually treated by a variety of therapeutic agents. Autogenic training (AT), a recognized form of psychosomatic therapies, is suitable for certain types of neurological diseases. We describe a patient with myoclonus who failed to respond to conventional medical therapy. His symptoms were exaggerated by psychogenic factors, especially anger. A 42-year-old man was admitted to our hospital, Preventive Welfare Clinic, for severe paroxysmal axial myoclonus of the left shoulder and abdominal muscles. The initial diagnosis was "combination of spinal segmental myoclonus and propriospinal myoclonus". The myoclonic movements did not occur during sleep but were aggravated by bathing, alcohol drinking, and anger. Psychological examination indicated hostile attribution. Although considered not to be a case of psychogenic myoclonus, a "psychogenic factor" was definitely involved in the induction of the organic myoclonus. The final diagnosis was "combination of spinal segmental myoclonus and propriospinal myoclonus accompanied by features of psychosomatic disorders". The patient underwent psychosomatic therapy including AT and surface electromyography (EMG)-biofeedback therapy and treatment with clonazepam and carbamazepine. AT and EMG-biofeedback resulted in shortening the duration and reducing the amplitude and frequency of the myoclonic discharges. Psychosomatic therapy with AT and surface EMG-biofeedback produced excellent improvement of myoclonic movements and allowed the reduction of the dosage of conventional medications.

Metformin and pioglitazone combination therapy ameliorate polycystic ovary syndrome through AMPK/PI3K/JNK pathway

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Yuanyuan; Li, Pengfen; Zhang, Dan; Sun, Yingpu

2018-01-01

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common gynecological endocrine disorder, which results in health problems such as menstrual disorders, hyperandrogenism and persistent anovulation. Hyperandrogenism and insulin resistance are the basic characteristics of PCOS. To investigate the combined effect of metformin and pioglitazone on POCS and the potential mechanisms, a rat model of PCOS was established by intramuscular injection of estradiol valerate (EV). The effect of metformin and pioglitazone monotherapy or combination therapy in control rats and PCOS rats was evaluated, involving the testosterone level, follicular development and insulin resistance. The potential mechanism for the therapeutic effect of metformin and pioglitazone on POCS was explored through using three inhibitors of the 5′adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K)/c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway (Compound C, Wortmannin and SP600125). The results showed that EV-induced PCOS rats demonstrated hyperandrogenemia, hyperinsulinemia and follicular dysplasia. Metformin or pioglitazone monotherapy significantly suppressed the high level of testosterone, reduced the raised percentage of cystic follicles and primary follicles, promoted the number of early antral follicles, and markedly decreased the high concentration of fasting insulin and homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance index in PCOS rats. In addition, metformin and pioglitazone combination therapy demonstrated greater efficacy than its individual components. Furthermore, individual or joint treatment with metformin and pioglitazone affected the phosphorylation level of JNK in PCOS rats. Compound C and Wortmannin eliminated the effect of metformin and pioglitazone combination therapy on improving the follicular growth in PCOS rats, whereas SP600125 treatment enhanced this combination therapy effect. These data suggested that metformin and pioglitazone combination therapy

Hydrotherapy combined with Snoezelen multi-sensory therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Lavie, Efrat; Shapiro, Michele; Julius, Mona

2005-01-01

The aim of this article is to present a new and challenging model of treatment that combines two therapeutic interventions: hydrotherapy and Snoezelen or controlled multisensory stimulation. The combination of the two therapeutic approaches enhances the treatment effect by utilizing the unique characteristics of each approach. We believe that this combined model will further enhance each media to the benefit of the clients and create a new intervention approach. This article relates to a hydrotherapy swimming pool facility that has been established at the Williams Island Therapeutic Swimming and Recreation Center, Beit Issie Shapiro, Raanana in Israel, after acquiring many years of experience and gaining substantial knowledge both in the field of hydrotherapy and Snoezelen intervention. Beit Issie Shapiro is a non-profit community organization providing a range of services for children with developmental disabilities and their families. The organization provides direct services for nearly 6,000 children and adults each year. This article provides an overview of hydrotherapy and Snoezelen and presents a case study, which will demonstrate the new model of treatment and show how this new and innovative form of therapy can be used as a successful intervention. We believe it will open a path to enriching the repertoire of therapists helping people with special needs. This article is also addressed to researchers to provide ideas for further studies in this area.

Sitagliptin as combination therapy in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus

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Shannon A Miller

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Shannon A Miller1, Erin L St Onge2, J Roger Accardi31Pharmacotherapy Faculty, Florida Hospital East Family Practice Residency, Orlando, Florida, USA; 2University of Florida College of Pharmacy, Orlando Campus, Florida, USA; 3Accardi Clinical Pharmacy, Orange City, Florida, USAAbstract: The American Diabetes Association and The European Association for the Study of Diabetes recommend metformin as the initial agent of choice in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Unfortunately, most patients require multiple medications to obtain glycemic control. One of the newest additions to the antidiabetic armamentarium is the class of drugs known as dipeptidyl-peptidase IV (DPP-IV inhibitors. This novel approach focuses on harnessing the beneficial effects of GLP-1, an incretin hormone released from the gut postprandially. The first DPP-IV inhibitor approved in the United States was sitagliptin. It has been studied in both monotherapy and combination therapy. Combination studies with metformin realize a hemoglobin A1c reduction of 0.65%–1.1%. The combination of the two has a modest positive effect on body weight with the convenience of an oral route of administration. It has also been shown to be highly tolerable, efficacious and with little risk of hypoglycemia. This review will focus on combination therapy with sitagliptin with emphasis on combination with metformin. Keywords: DPP-IV inhibitor, sitagliptin, metformin, type 2 diabetes, incretins

The ways of improvement of combination therapy results in patients with local cervical cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shumilo, A.O.

2010-01-01

A new solutions of a scientific task of modern oncogynecology, improvement of the efficacy of treatment for local cervical cancer on the account of expansion of the indications to operative treatment is presented on the clinical material (275 patients with stage II-III CC). The use of the developed technique of multimodality therapy based on the split course of combination radiation therapy against a background of neoadjuvant chemotherapy allowed to convert in 49.6% of cases of immobile tumor process to an operable stage followed by uterus and adnexae removal while at the traditional combination radiotherapy the resectability index was 6.9%.

Hydro-galvanic and rising - temperature bath therapy for chronic elbow epicondylitis: a comparative study

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C. Mucha

2004-02-01

Full Text Available The efficacy of two different regimens of physiotherapy for epicondylitis was compared. A combination treatment with hydrogalvanic four-cell bath and arm bath with rising temperature, which had showed good effects in treatment of tennis elbow in an earlier observational study (Mucha 1987, was compared with the analgesic interference current treatment often recommended in the literature (Sadil and Sadil 1994, Noteboom et al 1994, Becker and Reuter 1982. For this study, 60 patients with epicondylitis that was resistant to conservative treatment were randomized into two groups for comparison. In group 1, interference currents were administered twice a day for six weeks and group 2 received combination treatment with the hydrogalvanic four-cell bath and rising- temperature arm bath once a day for six weeks. Criteria for inclusion, control and appraisal were laid down prospectively. Several parameters were used, recorded and statistically evaluated as outcome measures.  These were active joint range of movement of the elbow, grip strength, pain provocation with muscle contraction, palpation pain and pain with functional activities.  The results showed a significant superiority of combination treatment over therapy with interference current. It is therefore recommended that hydrogalvanic four-cell bath and arm bath with rising temperature should be carried out before considering surgical treatment for chronic epicondylitis.

Combined therapy with levothyroxine and liothyronine in two ratios, compared with levothyroxine monotherapy in primary hypothyroidism: a double-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Appelhof, Bente C.; Fliers, Eric; Wekking, Ellie M.; Schene, Aart H.; Huyser, Jochanan; Tijssen, Jan G. P.; Endert, Erik; van Weert, Henk C. P. M.; Wiersinga, Wilmar M.

2005-01-01

Controversy remains about the value of combined treatment with levothyroxine (LT4) and liothyronine (LT3), compared with LT4 alone in primary hypothyroidism. We compared combined treatment with LT4 and LT3 in a ratio of 5: 1 or 10: 1 with LT4 monotherapy. We conducted a double-blind, randomized,

Nanoscaled red blood cells facilitate breast cancer treatment by combining photothermal/photodynamic therapy and chemotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Wan, Guoyun; Chen, Bowei; Li, Ling; Wang, Dan; Shi, Shurui; Zhang, Tao; Wang, Yue; Zhang, Lianyun; Wang, Yinsong

2018-02-01

Red blood cells (RBCs)-based vesicles have been widely used for drug delivery due to their unique advantages. Intact RBCs contain a large amount of oxyhemoglobin (oxyHb), which can assist with photodynamic therapy (PDT). Indocyanine green (ICG), a photosensitizer both for photothermal therapy (PTT) and PDT, shows potent anticancer efficacy when combined with chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin (DOX). In this study, we prepared nanoscaled RBCs (RAs) containing oxyHb and gas-generating agent ammonium bicarbonate (ABC) for co-loading and controlled release of ICG and DOX, thus hoping to achieve synergistic effects of PTT/PDT and chemotherapy against breast cancer. Compared to free ICG, ICG and DOX co-loaded RAs (DIRAs) exhibited nearly identical PTT efficiency both in vitro and in vivo, but meanwhile their PDT efficiency was enhanced significantly. In mouse breast cancer cells, DIRAs significantly inhibited cell growth and induced cell apoptosis after laser irradiation. In breast tumor-bearing mice, intratumoral injection of DIRAs and followed by local laser irradiation almost completely ablated breast tumor and further suppressed tumor recurrence and metastasis. In conclusion, this biomimetic multifunctional nanosystem can facilitate breast cancer treatment by combining PTT/PDT and chemotherapy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lactate dehydrogenase predicts combined progression-free survival after sequential therapy with abiraterone and enzalutamide for patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Mori, Keiichiro; Kimura, Takahiro; Onuma, Hajime; Kimura, Shoji; Yamamoto, Toshihiro; Sasaki, Hiroshi; Miki, Jun; Miki, Kenta; Egawa, Shin

2017-07-01

An array of clinical issues remains to be resolved for castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), including the sequence of drug use and drug cross-resistance. At present, no clear guidelines are available for the optimal sequence of use of novel agents like androgen-receptor axis-targeted (ARAT) agents, particularly enzalutamide, and abiraterone. This study retrospectively analyzed a total of 69 patients with CRPC treated with sequential therapy using enzalutamide followed by abiraterone or vice versa. The primary outcome measure was the comparative combined progression-free survival (PFS) comprising symptomatic and/or radiographic PFS. Patients were also compared for total prostate-specific antigen (PSA)-PFS, overall survival (OS), and PSA response. The predictors of combined PFS and OS were analyzed with a backward-stepwise multivariate Cox model. Of the 69 patients, 46 received enzalutamide first, followed by abiraterone (E-A group), and 23 received abiraterone, followed by enzalutamide (A-E group). The two groups were not significantly different with regard to basic data, except for hemoglobin values. In a comparison with the E-A group, the A-E group was shown to be associated with better combined PFS in Kaplan-Meier analysis (P = 0.043). Similar results were obtained for total PSA-PFS (P = 0.049), while OS did not differ between groups (P = 0.62). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that pretreatment lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) values and age were significant predictors of longer combined PFS (P < 0.05). Likewise, multivariate analysis demonstrated that pretreatment hemoglobin values and performance status were significant predictors of longer OS (P < 0.05). The results of this study suggested the A-E sequence had longer combined PSA and total PSA-PFS compared to the E-A sequence in patients with CRPC. LDH values in sequential therapy may serve as a predictor of longer combined PFS. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A comparative study of the effect of continuous combined conjugated equine estrogen plus medroxyprogesterone acetate and tibolone on blood coagulability

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skouby, SO; Sidelmann, JJ; Nilas, Lisbeth

2007-01-01

BACKGROUND: Hormone therapy (HT) after the menopause is associated with increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Tibolone has pharmacodynamic properties different from other hormone preparations. We compared the effect of a combined HT and tibolone on the inhibition of haemostasis. METHODS......: Thirty-eight post-menopausal women were randomly assigned to 1.25 or 2.5 mg per day of tibolone or oral continuous combined conjugated equine estrogen plus medroxyprogesterone acetate (CEE/MPA). Inhibitors of haemostasis were measured at baseline and after 12 months. RESULTS: Results from the two groups...

Treatment of non-small cell lung cancer with intensity-modulated radiation therapy in combination with cetuximab: the NEAR protocol (NCT00115518)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jensen, AD; Hoess, A; Haberkorn, U; Huber, PE; Steins, M; Thomas, M; Debus, J; Herfarth, KK; Münter, MW; Bischoff, H; Haselmann, R; Timke, C; Krempien, R; Sterzing, F; Nill, S; Heeger, S

2006-01-01

Even today, treatment of Stage III NSCLC still poses a serious challenge. So far, surgical resection is the treatment of choice. Patients whose tumour is not resectable or who are unfit to undergo surgery are usually referred to a combined radio-chemotherapy. However, combined radio-chemotherapeutic treatment is also associated with sometimes marked side effects but has been shown to be more efficient than radiation therapy alone. Nevertheless, there is a significant subset of patients whose overall condition does not permit administration of chemotherapy in a combined-modality treatment. It could be demonstrated though, that NSCLCs often exhibit over-expression of EGF-receptors hence providing an excellent target for the monoclonal EGFR-antagonist cetuximab (Erbitux ® ) which has already been shown to be effective in colorectal as well as head-and-neck tumours with comparatively mild side-effects. The NEAR trial is a prospective phase II feasibility study combining a monoclonal EGF-receptor antibody with loco-regional irradiation in patients with stage III NSCLC. This trial aims at testing the combination's efficacy and rate of development of distant metastases with an accrual of 30 patients. Patients receive weekly infusions of cetuximab (Erbitux ® ) plus loco-regional radiation therapy as intensity-modulated radiation therapy. After conclusion of radiation treatment patients continue to receive weekly cetuximab for 13 more cycles. The primary objective of the NEAR trial is to evaluate toxicities and feasibility of the combined treatment with cetuximab (Erbitux ® ) and IMRT loco-regional irradiation. Secondary objectives are remission rates, 3-year-survival and local/systemic progression-free survival

Involved-Node Proton Therapy in Combined Modality Therapy for Hodgkin Lymphoma: Results of a Phase 2 Study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoppe, Bradford S.; Flampouri, Stella; Zaiden, Robert; Slayton, William; Sandler, Eric; Ozdemir, Savas; Dang, Nam H.; Lynch, James W.; Li, Zuofeng; Morris, Christopher G.; Mendenhall, Nancy P.

2014-01-01

Purpose: This study describes the early clinical outcomes of a prospective phase 2 study of consolidative involved-node proton therapy (INPT) as a component of combined-mode therapy in patients with stages I to III Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) with mediastinal involvement. Methods and Materials: Between September 2009 and June 2013, 15 patients with newly diagnosed HL received INPT after completing chemotherapy in an institutional review board-approved protocol comparing the dosimetric impact of PT with those of three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT) and intensity modulated RT. Based on 18 F-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography ( 18 F-FDG PET/CT) response, 5 children received 15 to 25.5 cobalt Gy equivalent (CGE) of INPT after receiving 4 cycles of Adriamycin, Bleomycin, Vincristine, Etoposide, Prednisone, Cyclophosphamide or Vincristine, adriamycin, methotrexate, Prednisone chemotherapy, and 10 adults received 30.6 to 39.6 CGE of INPT after 3 to 6 cycles of Adriamycin, Bleomycine, Vinblastine, Dacarbazine. Patients were routinely evaluated for toxicity during and after treatment, using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 3.0, and for relapse by physical examination and routine imaging. Relapse-free survival (RFS) and event-free survival (EFS) rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method from the time of diagnosis. Results: The median follow-up was 37 months (range, 26-55). Two events occurred during follow-up: 1 relapse (inside and outside the targeted field) and 1 transformation into a primary mediastinal large B cell lymphoma. The 3-year RFS rate was 93%, and the 3-year EFS rate was 87%. No acute or late grade 3 nonhematologic toxicities were observed. Conclusions: Although decades of follow-up will be needed to realize the likely benefit of PT in reducing the risk of radiation-induced late effects, PT following chemotherapy in patients with HL is well-tolerated, and disease outcomes were similar

Involved-Node Proton Therapy in Combined Modality Therapy for Hodgkin Lymphoma: Results of a Phase 2 Study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoppe, Bradford S., E-mail: bhoppe@floridaproton.org [Radiation Oncology, University of Florida Proton Therapy Institute, Jacksonville, Florida (United States); Flampouri, Stella [Radiation Oncology, University of Florida Proton Therapy Institute, Jacksonville, Florida (United States); Zaiden, Robert [Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, Florida (United States); Slayton, William [Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida (United States); Sandler, Eric [Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology Nemours Children' s Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida (United States); Ozdemir, Savas [Department of Radiology, Division of Functional and Molecular Imaging, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, Florida (United States); Dang, Nam H.; Lynch, James W. [Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida (United States); Li, Zuofeng; Morris, Christopher G.; Mendenhall, Nancy P. [Radiation Oncology, University of Florida Proton Therapy Institute, Jacksonville, Florida (United States)

2014-08-01

Purpose: This study describes the early clinical outcomes of a prospective phase 2 study of consolidative involved-node proton therapy (INPT) as a component of combined-mode therapy in patients with stages I to III Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) with mediastinal involvement. Methods and Materials: Between September 2009 and June 2013, 15 patients with newly diagnosed HL received INPT after completing chemotherapy in an institutional review board-approved protocol comparing the dosimetric impact of PT with those of three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT) and intensity modulated RT. Based on {sup 18}F-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography ({sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT) response, 5 children received 15 to 25.5 cobalt Gy equivalent (CGE) of INPT after receiving 4 cycles of Adriamycin, Bleomycin, Vincristine, Etoposide, Prednisone, Cyclophosphamide or Vincristine, adriamycin, methotrexate, Prednisone chemotherapy, and 10 adults received 30.6 to 39.6 CGE of INPT after 3 to 6 cycles of Adriamycin, Bleomycine, Vinblastine, Dacarbazine. Patients were routinely evaluated for toxicity during and after treatment, using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 3.0, and for relapse by physical examination and routine imaging. Relapse-free survival (RFS) and event-free survival (EFS) rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method from the time of diagnosis. Results: The median follow-up was 37 months (range, 26-55). Two events occurred during follow-up: 1 relapse (inside and outside the targeted field) and 1 transformation into a primary mediastinal large B cell lymphoma. The 3-year RFS rate was 93%, and the 3-year EFS rate was 87%. No acute or late grade 3 nonhematologic toxicities were observed. Conclusions: Although decades of follow-up will be needed to realize the likely benefit of PT in reducing the risk of radiation-induced late effects, PT following chemotherapy in patients with HL is well-tolerated, and disease outcomes

Enhanced efficacy of combined 213Bi-DTPA-F3 and paclitaxel therapy of peritoneal carcinomatosis is mediated by enhanced induction of apoptosis and G2/M phase arrest

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vallon, Mario; Seidl, Christof; Blechert, Birgit; Li, Zhoulei; Gaertner, Florian C.; Senekowitsch-Schmidtke, Reingard; Essler, Markus; Gilbertz, Klaus-Peter; Baumgart, Anja; Aichler, Michaela; Feuchtinger, Annette; Walch, Axel K.; Bruchertseifer, Frank; Morgenstern, Alfred

2012-01-01

Targeted therapy with α-particle emitting radionuclides is a promising new option in cancer therapy. Stable conjugates of the vascular tumour-homing peptide F3 with the α-emitter 213 Bi specifically target tumour cells. The aim of our study was to determine efficacy of combined 213 Bi-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)-F3 and paclitaxel treatment compared to treatment with either 213 Bi-DTPA-F3 or paclitaxel both in vitro and in vivo. Cytotoxicity of treatment with 213 Bi-DTPA-F3 and paclitaxel, alone or in combination, was assayed towards OVCAR-3 cells using the alamarBlue assay, the clonogenic assay and flow cytometric analyses of the mode of cell death and cell cycle arrest. Therapeutic efficacy of the different treatment options was assayed after repeated treatment of mice bearing intraperitoneal OVCAR-3 xenograft tumours. Therapy monitoring was performed by bioluminescence imaging and histopathologic analysis. Treatment of OVCAR-3 cells in vitro with combined 213 Bi-DTPA-F3 and paclitaxel resulted in enhanced cytotoxicity, induction of apoptosis and G2/M phase arrest compared to treatment with either 213 Bi-DTPA-F3 or paclitaxel. Accordingly, i.p. xenograft OVCAR-3 tumours showed the best response following repeated (six times) combined therapy with 213 Bi-DTPA-F3 (1.85 MBq) and paclitaxel (120 μg) as demonstrated by bioluminescence imaging and histopathologic investigation of tumour spread on the mesentery of the small and large intestine. Moreover, mean survival of xenograft mice that received combined therapy with 213 Bi-DTPA-F3 and paclitaxel was significantly superior to mice treated with either 213 Bi-DTPA-F3 or paclitaxel alone. Combined treatment with 213 Bi-DTPA-F3 and paclitaxel significantly increased mean survival of mice with peritoneal carcinomatosis of ovarian origin, thus favouring future therapeutic application. (orig.)

Suppression of human breast tumors in NOD/SCID mice by CD44 shRNA gene therapy combined with doxorubicin treatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pham PV

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Phuc Van Pham1, Ngoc Bich Vu1, Thuy Thanh Duong1, Tam Thanh Nguyen1, Nhung Hai Truong1, Nhan Lu Chinh Phan1, Tue Gia Vuong1, Viet Quoc Pham1, Hoang Minh Nguyen1, Kha The Nguyen1, Nhung Thi Nguyen1, Khue Gia Nguyen1, Lam Tan Khat1, Dong Van Le2, Kiet Dinh Truong1, Ngoc Kim Phan11Laboratory of Stem Cell Research and Application, University of Science, Vietnam National University, HCM City, 2Military Medical University, Ha Noi, VietnamBackground: Breast cancer stem cells with a CD44+CD24- phenotype are the origin of breast tumors. Strong CD44 expression in this population indicates its important role in maintaining the stem cell phenotype. Previous studies show that CD44 down-regulation causes CD44+CD24- breast cancer stem cells to differentiate into non-stem cells that are sensitive to antitumor drugs and lose many characteristics of the original cells. In this study, we determined tumor suppression in non-obese severe combined immunodeficiency mice using CD44 shRNA therapy combined with doxorubicin treatment.Methods: Tumor-bearing non-obese severe combined immunodeficiency mice were established by injection of CD44+CD24- cells. To track CD44+CD24- cells, green fluorescence protein was stably transduced using a lentiviral vector prior to injection into mice. The amount of CD44 shRNA lentiviral vector used for transduction was based on CD44 down-regulation by in vitro CD44 shRNA transduction. Mice were treated with direct injection of CD44 shRNA lentiviral vector into tumors followed by doxorubicin administration after 48 hours. The effect was evaluated by changes in the size and weight of tumors compared with that of the control.Results: The combination of CD44 down-regulation and doxorubicin strongly suppressed tumor growth with significant differences in tumor sizes and weights compared with that of CD44 down-regulation or doxorubicin treatment alone. In the combination of CD44 down-regulation and doxorubicin group, the tumor weight was

Combined preoperative therapy for oral cancer with nedaplatin and radiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Adachi, Masatoshi; Shibata, Akihiko; Hayashi, Munehiro [Nippon Dental Univ., Tokyo (Japan). Hospital] (and others)

2002-03-01

We performed preoperative combined therapy using nedaplatin (CDGP) and radiation in 12 patients with squamous cell carcinoma originating from the oral cavity and maxillary sinus, and examined for any adverse events that may have occurred during this therapeutic regimen. Regarding the irradiation, external irradiation utilizing a 6 MV linac (linear accelerator) at a dose of 2.0 Gy/day was performed 5 times a week, with the target total radiation dose set at 40 Gy. In addition, CDGP was intravenously administered 30 minutes before irradiation at a dose of 5 mg/m{sup 2}/day. Mucositis was observed in all 12 subjects, however, the severity was observed to be grade 1-2 with no major differences in comparison to the patients given standard radiation monotherapy. Two subjects developed grade 3 leucopenia and were thus given granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF). In addition, grade 2 and grade 3 thrombocytopenia were both observed in one subject each. The subject with grade 3 thrombocytopenia required a platelet transfusion during surgery. No marked changes in serum creatinine levels were noted. These findings are therefore considered to provide evidence supporting the safety of this combination therapy. (author)

Combined radiation therapy and intraarterial chemotherapy for advanced oral or oropharngeal carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okawa, Tomohiko; Kita, Midori; Tanaka, Makiko; Ishii, Tetsuo

1989-01-01

During the period 1982-1988, 34 patients with advanced oral or oropharyngeal carcinoma were treated with radical radiation therapy combined with intraarterial chemotherapy. Five patients were clinically staged as Stage II,15 as Stage III, and 14 as Stage IV. For intraarterial chemotherapy, ACNU (25mg/body) or CDDP (20 mg/m 2 ) plus MMC (6 mg/m 2 ) was used. Overall, the complete response rate was 56%: it was independent of the site of carcinoma, clinical stage, and the kind of drugs. The two-year cumulative survival rate was 80% for Stage II, 56% for Stage III, and 61% for Stage IV. Side effects were not so severe as to continue with the withdrawal of chemotherapy. In view of the efficacy and safety, combined radiation therapy and intraarterial chemotherapy should be performed in the treatment of oral or oropharyngeal carcinoma. (N.K.)

Combination therapy with mitoxantrone and plasma exchange in aggressive relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis: A preliminary clinical study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nasim Tabrizi

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background: The efficacy of mitoxantrone induction therapy in rapidly worsening multiple sclerosis (MS is well established. Plasma exchange is also applied as an adjuvant in exacerbations of relapsing MS. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of combination therapy with mitoxantrone and plasma exchange versus mitoxantrone alone in patients with aggressive MS. Materials and Methods: Forty patients with aggressive relapsing remitting MS were randomly put into two groups. The first group underwent monthly plasma exchange for three successive months, followed by 12 mg/m 2 mitoxantrone at the end of each course and two more doses of 6 mg/m 2 mitoxantrone in 3-month intervals. The second group received the same doses of mitoxantrone only without plasma exchange. At the end of 8 months treatment course, clinical reassessment and neuroimaging was performed and treatment was continued with interferon-β. Results: At the end of induction therapy, Expanded Disability Status Scale score was significantly improved in both groups (P < 0.001. Number of demyelinating and gadolinium-enhancing plaques in brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI was prominently reduced in group 2 (P ≤ 0.05, but the changes were not statistically significant in group 1, except for juxtacortical plaques. Conclusion: Administration of mitoxantrone as an induction therapy in patients of aggressive relapsing remitting MS results in significant improvement of their clinical state and MRI activity. However, combination of plasma exchange with mitoxantrone gives no more benefits than mitoxantrone alone and sometimes worsens the situation possibly by reduction of mitoxantrone efficacy as a result of plasma exchange.

Treatment of primany hepatic carcinoma with three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Li; Wen Xiaoping; Huang Wei

2006-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the effects of three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT) combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) on stage m/IV primary hepatic carcinoma. Methods: Eighty cases of stage III/IV primary hepatic carcinoma were randomly divided into two groups: 40 cases treated with three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (3DCRT + TACE group) and 40 cases treated with three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy associated with hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (3DCRT +HAI group). Results: The response rates were 75% and 45% in 3DCRT + TACE group and 3DCRT + HAI group, respectively; and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P 0.05), The 0.5-, 1- and 2-year survival rates were 73% , 45% and 28% in 3DCRT + TACE group, and 45%, 25% and 13% in 3DCRT + HAI group, respectively; and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P 0.05). Conclusion: Three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization improved prognosis of stage III/IV primary hepatic carcinoma. (authors)