The Medical journal of Australia
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Six patients with aplastic anaemia, and nine patients with acute leukaemia in relapse, underwent bone-marrow transplantation between November, 1975, and November, 1979. All patients with aplastic anaemia developed a functioning marrow graft and four were alive 42, 24, 22, and 17 months respectively after the procedure. ⋯ However, two patients remained alive, with no evidence of recurrent leukaemia, 18 and nine months respectively after the graft. These results confirm that bone-marrow transplantation is a useful therapeutic procedure in severe aplastic anaemia, but is of limited value in the treatment of acute leukaemia in relapse.
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Historical Article
Centenary oration. Evolution of responsibilities in the care of health.
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Detailed clinical and laboratory follow-up was made of 113 patients, two to 12 years after their first attack of acute pancreatitis, to assess complete recovery versus the development either of acute relapsing pancreatitis, or of chronic pancreatitis. Mortality was low in patients with recurrent attacks of acute pancreatitis. Complete recovery decreased wih increasing periods of follow-up. ⋯ Alcohol withdrawal decreased the pain syndrome, but not the development of chronic pancreatitis. Early removal of gallstones minimized the development of chronic pancreatitis. Complete recovery did occur after one attack of acute pancreatitis, but probably only when the aetiological antecedent (alcohol or gallstones) had not been operating for a long time, as it is the antecedent rather than the acute attack which determines the eventual outcome.