Anemia

The utility of iron fortification of food to improve iron deficiency, anemia, and biological outcomes is not proven unequivocally.|The objectives were to evaluate 1) the effect of iron fortification on hemoglobin and serum ferritin and the prevalence of iron deficiency and anemia, 2) the possible predictors of a positive hemoglobin response, 3) the effect of iron fortification on zinc and iron status, and 4) the effect of iron-fortified foods on mental and motor development, anthropometric measures, and infections.|Randomized and pseudorandomized controlled trials that included food fortification or biofortification with iron were included.|Data from 60 trials showed that iron fortification of foods resulted in a significant increase in hemoglobin (0.42 g/dL; 95% CI: 0.28, 0.56; P < 0.001) and serum ferritin (1.36 g/L; 95% CI: 1.23, 1.52; P < 0.001), a reduced risk of anemia (RR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.48, 0.71; P < 0.001) and iron deficiency (RR: 0.48; 95% CI: 0.38, 0.62; P < 0.001),

Despite the widespread acceptance of dose-dense (DD) regimens as adjuvant chemotherapy for early breast cancer (EBC), studies of efficacy offer contradictory findings. This systematic review evaluates the real impact of DD chemotherapy.|Randomized controlled trials comparing conventional adjuvant chemotherapy versus a DD regimen for EBC patients were searched in electronic databases. Dose-dense regimens included the same drugs and total amount as conventional chemotherapy, but applied in shorter intervals. Meta-analyses were performed using a fixed-effects model. Hazard ratios (HRs) or odds ratios (ORs) were expressed with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). The outcomes were overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and toxicities. Analyses were conducted according to tumor hormone receptor expression, plus tests for interaction.|Four studies (3418 patients) were included. The meta-analysis demonstrated that DD therapy can improve DFS (3356 patients; HR=0.83; 95% CI 0.73-0.95

Anemia is prevalent in 30% to 90% of patients with cancer. Anemia can be corrected through either treating the underlying cause or providing supportive care through transfusion with packed red blood cells or administration of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs), with or without iron supplementation. Recent studies showing detrimental health effects of ESAs sparked a series of FDA label revisions and a sea change in the perception of these once commonly used agents. In light of this, the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines) for Cancer- and Chemotherapy-Induced Anemia underwent substantial revisions this year. The purpose of these NCCN Guidelines is twofold: 1) to operationalize the evaluation and treatment of anemia in adult cancer patients, with an emphasis on those who are receiving concomitant chemotherapy, and 2) to enable patients and clinicians to individualize anemia treatment options based on patient condition.

To compared pemetrexed-based doublet with single-agent pemetrexed as second-line treatment for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer|We systematically searched for randomized clinical trials that compared pemetrexed-based doublet with single-agent pemetrexed in patients with histologically proven non-small-cell lung cancer. The primary end point was overall survival. Secondary end points were progression-free survival, overall response rate and grade 3 or 4 toxicity. Data were extracted from the studies by 2 independent reviewers. The meta-analysis was performed by Stata version 10.0 software (Stata Corporation, College Station, Texas, USA).|Five randomized clinical trials (totally 1,186 patients) were eligible. Meta-analysis showed that there was significant improvement in PFS (HR 0.82, 95% CI 0.71-0.95, P=0.007) and overall response rate (OR 2.39, 95% CI 1.58-3.62, P=0.000) in pemetrexed-based doublet group, compared with pemetrexed alone, though the pooled HR for overall

The aim was to compare the efficacy and toxicity of gemcitabine plus docetaxel (GD) with platinum-based regimens in patients with untreated advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).|We searched PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases for relevant trials. Reference lists of original articles and review articles were also examined. Abstracts presented at the ASCO and ESMO meetings were also searched. Studies were evaluated for eligibility and quality, and then, the data were extracted and analyzed. Statistical analyses were conducted by using RevMan 5.1. The primary end point was overall survival (OS). Secondary end points included 1-year survival, time to progression (TTP), overall response rate (ORR) and grade 34 toxicity.|Nine randomized controlled trials were identified ultimately. The meta-analysis demonstrated that the survival between GD and platinum-based regimens was comparable according to the pooled HR for overall survival (1.04,

Intermittent preventive therapy with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine to control malaria during pregnancy is used in 37 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, and 31 of those countries use the standard 2-dose regimen. However, 2 doses may not provide protection during the last 4 to 10 weeks of pregnancy, a pivotal period for fetal weight gain.|To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of trials to determine whether regimens containing 3 or more doses of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine for intermittent preventive therapy during pregnancy are associated with a higher birth weight or lower risk of low birth weight (LBW) (<2500 g) than standard 2-dose regimens.|ISI Web of Knowledge, EMBASE, SCOPUS, PubMed, LILACS, the Malaria in Pregnancy Library, Cochrane CENTRAL, and trial registries from their inception to December 2012, without language restriction. Eligible studies included randomized and quasi-randomized trials of intermittent preventive therapy during pregnancy with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine

A 55-year-old man presented with multiple gradually progressing asymptomatic swellings on his body for the preceding 6 months. He had no personal or family history of any skin disease. There was no systemic symptom apart from occasional constipation. Examination revealed multiple discrete, firm, nontender, skin-colored nodules of varying sizes, fixed to the skin but free from the underlying structures on his chest, abdomen, and back. The overlying skin of the nodules was erythematous at places (Figure 1). A solitary depigmented, nonanesthetic patch (measuring 3 cm x 3 cm) was noted around a central gray macule (4 mm x 4 mm) on his left shin (Figure 2). The surface of this lesion was otherwise normal. Wood's lamp examination of this area showed attenuation of pigmentation in the central area and total depigmentation surrounding it. No dyspigmented area was noted on Wood's lamp examination of the other areas. There was no abnormality of the orogenital mucosae. General examination

23343068 2013 01 24 2013 02 01 1533-4406 368 4 Jan 24 N. Engl. J. Med. 387-9 10.1056/NEJMe1215043 Dreke Tilman B TB eng Comment Editorial United States N Engl J Med 0255562 0028-4793 0 Hematinics 0 Peptides 0 peginesatide 11096-26-7 Erythropoietin

Peginesatide is a peptide-based erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) that may have therapeutic potential for anemia in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of peginesatide, as compared with another ESA, darbepoetin, in 983 such patients who were not undergoing dialysis.|In two randomized, controlled, open-label studies (PEARL 1 and 2), patients received peginesatide once a month, at a starting dose of 0.025 mg or 0.04 mg per kilogram of body weight, or darbepoetin once every 2 weeks, at a starting dose of 0.75 g per kilogram. Doses of both drugs were adjusted to achieve and maintain hemoglobin levels between 11.0 and 12.0 g per deciliter for 52 weeks or more. The primary efficacy end point was the mean change from the baseline hemoglobin level to the mean level during the evaluation period; noninferiority was established if the lower limit of the two-sided 97.5% confidence interval was -1.0 g per deciliter or higher. Cardiovascular

Peginesatide, a synthetic peptide-based erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA), is a potential therapy for anemia in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease.|We conducted two randomized, controlled, open-label studies (EMERALD 1 and EMERALD 2) involving patients undergoing hemodialysis. Cardiovascular safety was evaluated by analysis of an adjudicated composite safety end point--death from any cause, stroke, myocardial infarction, or serious adverse events of congestive heart failure, unstable angina, or arrhythmia--with the use of pooled data from the two EMERALD studies and two studies involving patients not undergoing dialysis. In the EMERALD studies, 1608 patients received peginesatide once monthly or continued to receive epoetin one to three times a week, with the doses adjusted as necessary to maintain a hemoglobin level between 10.0 and 12.0 g per deciliter for 52 weeks or more. The primary efficacy end point was the mean change from the baseline hemoglobin level to the

Reviews the evidence for and against hundreds of preventive health services, recommending tests, and counseling interventions when evidence exists that it is effective.

Reviews the evidence for and against hundreds of preventive health services, recommending tests, and counseling interventions when evidence exists that it is effective.

Reviews the evidence for and against hundreds of preventive health services, recommending tests, and counseling interventions when evidence exists that it is effective.