British journal of haematology
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
The value of education and self-monitoring in the management of warfarin therapy in older patients with unstable control of anticoagulation.
Of 125 patients aged 65 years or over, with atrial fibrillation taking warfarin for at least 12 months, with a standard deviation (SD) of prothrombin time, expressed as the International Normalized Ratio (INR) >0.5 over the previous 6 months, 40 were randomized to continue with usual clinic care and 85 to receive education about warfarin. Of these, 44 were randomized to self-monitor their INR and 41 returned to clinic. Compared with the previous 6 months there was a significant increase in percentage time within the therapeutic range for the 6 months following education [61.1 vs. 70.4; mean difference 8.8; 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.2-17.8; P = 0.054] and following education and self-monitoring (57 vs. 71.1; mean difference 14.1; 95% CI: 6.7-21.5; P < 0.001), compared with those patients following usual clinic care (60.0 vs. 63.2; mean difference 3.2; 95% CI: -7.3-13.7). ⋯ Inter-group differences were not statistically significant (intervention groups 0.26 +/- 0.30 vs. control 0.16 +/- 0.3, P = 0.10). Quality-of-life measurements and health beliefs about warfarin were unchanged (apart from emotional role limitation) with education or education and self-monitoring. Patient education regarding anticoagulation therapy could be a cost-effective initiative and is worthy of further study.
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Serum procalcitonin (PCT) levels have been proposed as a new discriminative marker for bacterial and fungal infections. We analysed the diagnostic relevance of PCT in febrile episodes of neutropenic adult patients after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). PCT was determined prospectively in 92 febrile episodes, classified according to the final diagnosis as: neutropenic fever of unknown origin (n = 51), microbiological (n = 26) or clinical (n = 5) documented infection and non-infectious febrile episodes (n = 10). ⋯ Cases that were eventually diagnosed with invasive aspergillosis had PCT values significantly higher [10.1 ng/ml (6.7)] than all remaining groups (P = 0.027; Kruskal-Wallis). Our analysis indicates that the PCT level on first day of fever did not facilitate the differential diagnosis of neutropenic febrile episode. However, when fever persisted for more than 5 d, PCT values > or = 3 ng/ml had a high sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis.
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The present study aimed to determine whether rapamycin could increase the expression of gamma-globin genes in human erythroid cells. Rapamycin is a macrocyclic lactone that possesses immunosuppressive, antifungal and anti-tumour properties. This molecule is approved as an immunosuppressive agent for preventing rejection in patients receiving organ transplantation. ⋯ These effects were not associated with inhibition of cell growth. Furthermore, rapamycin was found to increase HbF content in erythroid precursor cells from four beta-thalassaemia patients. These results could have practical relevance, because pharmacologically mediated regulation of the expression of human gamma-globin genes, leading to increased HbF, is considered a potential therapeutic approach in haematological disorders, including beta-thalassaemia and sickle cell anaemia.