AIM：To evaluate the efficacy of L-carnitine on alleviating anemia,thrombocytopenia and leukopenia,and minimizing dose reductions in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus（HCV）in treatment with Interferonα（IFN-α...AIM：To evaluate the efficacy of L-carnitine on alleviating anemia,thrombocytopenia and leukopenia,and minimizing dose reductions in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus（HCV）in treatment with Interferonα（IFN-α）plus ribavirin.METHODS：Sixty-nine patients with chronic hepatitis C were enrolled in the study and divided into two groups.group A（n=35）received Peg-IFN-α2b plus ribavirin plus L-carnitine,and group B（n=34）received Peg-IFN-αand ribavirin for 12 mo.All patients underwent laboratory investigations including：red cell count,he-moglobin,white cell count,platelets,bilirubin,alanineaminotransferase（ALT）,aspartate aminotransferase（AST）,and viremia.RESULTS：After 12 mo in group A compared to group B we observed significant differences in AST 108.8 vs 76.8（IU/L;P0.001）,ALT 137.vs 112.3（IU/L;P 0.001）,viremia 4.04 vs 2.36（106 copies/mL;P 0.001）,Hb 1 vs 3.5（g/dL;P0.05）,red blood cells 0.3 vs 1.1（1012/L;P0.001）,white blood cells 1.5 vs 3（10/L;P0.001）and platelets 86 vs 85（×10/L;P0.001）.The end treatment responders were 18 vs 12（60%vs 44%）and the non responders were 12 vs 15（40%vs 50%）[odds ratio（OR）1.65,5%CI =0.65-5.37,P0.05.In group A compared to group B there was a significant improvement of sustained vi-rological response in 15 vs 7 patients（50%vs25%）,while the relapsers were 3 vs 5（10%vs 18%）（OR 3.57,5%CI=0.65-1.3,P0.001）.CONCLUSION：L-carnitine supplementations modulate erythropoiesis,leucopoiesis and thrombocytopoiesis,and may be useful in patients treated for HCV.L-carni-tine treatment offers the possibility of achieving a sus-tained virological response while preventing overtreat-ment.展开更多
AIM:To evaluate the serum levels of endozepine-4,their relation with ammonia serum levels,the grading of coma and the severity of cirrhosis,in patients with hepatic coma. METHODS:In this study we included 20 subjects ...AIM:To evaluate the serum levels of endozepine-4,their relation with ammonia serum levels,the grading of coma and the severity of cirrhosis,in patients with hepatic coma. METHODS:In this study we included 20 subjects with Hepatic coma,20 subjects with minimal hepatic encephalopathy(MHE) and 20 subjects control. All subjects underwent blood analysis,Child Pugh and Model for End- stage liver disease(MELD) assessment,endozepine-4 analysis. RESULTS:Subjects with hepatic coma showed significant difference in endozepine-4(P < 0.001) and NH3 levels(P < 0.001) compared both to MHE and controls patients. Between NH3 and endozepine-4 we observed a significant correlation(P = 0.009; Pearson correlation 0.570). There was a significant correlation between endozepine-4 and MELD(P = 0.017; Pearsoncorrelation = 0.529). In our study blood ammonia concentration was noted to be raised in patients with hepatic coma,with the highest ammonia levels being found in those who were comatose. We also found a high correlation between endozepine-4 and ammonia(P < 0.001). In patients with grade Ⅳ hepatic coma,endozepine levels were significantly higher compared to other groups. CONCLUSION:This study suggests that an increased level of endozepine in subjects with higher levels of MELD was observed. In conclusion,data concerning involvement of the GABA-ergic system in HE coma could be explained by stage-specific alterations.展开更多
Background: The employment status of workers with cancer has important implications for impairment of intimate and family relationships and for economic, social and psychological health. The aim of the present study w...Background: The employment status of workers with cancer has important implications for impairment of intimate and family relationships and for economic, social and psychological health. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of chemotherapy with capecitabine in patients with colorectal cancer on work productivity and daily activity. Methods: 30 patients with primary diagnosis of stage III colorectal cancer were enrolled for our study. All patients received capecitabine twice daily at a cumulative dose of 2500 mg/m2 on days 1 -14 and repeated on day 22. Work productivity was determined using the WPAI questionnaire. Results: We observed a significant increase in absenteeism after 1 cycle, after 6 cycles of therapy and at follow-up (p 0.001). On the other hand, presenteeism, work productivity loss and daily activity impairment, increased after 1 cycle and 6 cycles of therapy, but we could not find statistically different significances. Conclusions: Colorectal cancer diagnosis and treatment are associated with frailty and vulnerability. Chemotherapy with capecitabine may result in negative consequences for job performance.展开更多
基金Supported by Ministero dell’Università e Ricerca Scientifica e Tecnologica
文摘AIM：To evaluate the efficacy of L-carnitine on alleviating anemia,thrombocytopenia and leukopenia,and minimizing dose reductions in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus（HCV）in treatment with Interferonα（IFN-α）plus ribavirin.METHODS：Sixty-nine patients with chronic hepatitis C were enrolled in the study and divided into two groups.group A（n=35）received Peg-IFN-α2b plus ribavirin plus L-carnitine,and group B（n=34）received Peg-IFN-αand ribavirin for 12 mo.All patients underwent laboratory investigations including：red cell count,he-moglobin,white cell count,platelets,bilirubin,alanineaminotransferase（ALT）,aspartate aminotransferase（AST）,and viremia.RESULTS：After 12 mo in group A compared to group B we observed significant differences in AST 108.8 vs 76.8（IU/L;P0.001）,ALT 137.vs 112.3（IU/L;P 0.001）,viremia 4.04 vs 2.36（106 copies/mL;P 0.001）,Hb 1 vs 3.5（g/dL;P0.05）,red blood cells 0.3 vs 1.1（1012/L;P0.001）,white blood cells 1.5 vs 3（10/L;P0.001）and platelets 86 vs 85（×10/L;P0.001）.The end treatment responders were 18 vs 12（60%vs 44%）and the non responders were 12 vs 15（40%vs 50%）[odds ratio（OR）1.65,5%CI =0.65-5.37,P0.05.In group A compared to group B there was a significant improvement of sustained vi-rological response in 15 vs 7 patients（50%vs25%）,while the relapsers were 3 vs 5（10%vs 18%）（OR 3.57,5%CI=0.65-1.3,P0.001）.CONCLUSION：L-carnitine supplementations modulate erythropoiesis,leucopoiesis and thrombocytopoiesis,and may be useful in patients treated for HCV.L-carni-tine treatment offers the possibility of achieving a sus-tained virological response while preventing overtreat-ment.
文摘AIM:To evaluate the serum levels of endozepine-4,their relation with ammonia serum levels,the grading of coma and the severity of cirrhosis,in patients with hepatic coma. METHODS:In this study we included 20 subjects with Hepatic coma,20 subjects with minimal hepatic encephalopathy(MHE) and 20 subjects control. All subjects underwent blood analysis,Child Pugh and Model for End- stage liver disease(MELD) assessment,endozepine-4 analysis. RESULTS:Subjects with hepatic coma showed significant difference in endozepine-4(P < 0.001) and NH3 levels(P < 0.001) compared both to MHE and controls patients. Between NH3 and endozepine-4 we observed a significant correlation(P = 0.009; Pearson correlation 0.570). There was a significant correlation between endozepine-4 and MELD(P = 0.017; Pearsoncorrelation = 0.529). In our study blood ammonia concentration was noted to be raised in patients with hepatic coma,with the highest ammonia levels being found in those who were comatose. We also found a high correlation between endozepine-4 and ammonia(P < 0.001). In patients with grade Ⅳ hepatic coma,endozepine levels were significantly higher compared to other groups. CONCLUSION:This study suggests that an increased level of endozepine in subjects with higher levels of MELD was observed. In conclusion,data concerning involvement of the GABA-ergic system in HE coma could be explained by stage-specific alterations.
文摘Background: The employment status of workers with cancer has important implications for impairment of intimate and family relationships and for economic, social and psychological health. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of chemotherapy with capecitabine in patients with colorectal cancer on work productivity and daily activity. Methods: 30 patients with primary diagnosis of stage III colorectal cancer were enrolled for our study. All patients received capecitabine twice daily at a cumulative dose of 2500 mg/m2 on days 1 -14 and repeated on day 22. Work productivity was determined using the WPAI questionnaire. Results: We observed a significant increase in absenteeism after 1 cycle, after 6 cycles of therapy and at follow-up (p 0.001). On the other hand, presenteeism, work productivity loss and daily activity impairment, increased after 1 cycle and 6 cycles of therapy, but we could not find statistically different significances. Conclusions: Colorectal cancer diagnosis and treatment are associated with frailty and vulnerability. Chemotherapy with capecitabine may result in negative consequences for job performance.
