OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to identify the association of food intake with bio-physiological indicators: blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), waist/hip ratio (WHR), cholesterol and urine sugar among rural people. METHODS: The subjects were 890 inhabitants from 14 towns of G County in Honam province. Data were collected by interview and self-reported with structured questionnaires from April 6th to 30th 2005. Data were analyzed with the frequency, percentage, t-test, chi-square-test, ANOVA, Scheffe test and ANCOVA using SPSS 12.0 program. RESULTS: Pre-hypertensive and hypertensive group was 27.0%, overweight and obese 27.1%, more than 0.90 in WHR 42.0%, more than 201 mg/dl of cholesterol 23.9%, and positive urine sugar was 8.7% in general. Among eleven food groups, fruit intakes were more effective in normotensive group than in the others. Vegetables, liquors, and milk products were 0.90 WHR more effective than the others. Milk products and liquors in BMI, and grains, beans and seaweed in low cholesterol group were more effective than the others. CONCLUSIONS: Bio-physiological indicators are related significantly only with fruits, milk products, meats, cereal and liquors among eleven food categories. Further study on the relationship between food intake, physical activities, smoking, drinking and lifestyle with bio-physiological indicators are suggested.
Adult ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Cholesterol ; Drinking ; Edible Grain ; Eating ; Fabaceae ; Fruit ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Life Style ; Meat Products ; Milk ; Motor Activity ; Overweight ; Seaweed ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Vegetables ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: We developed a Pseudomonas aeruginosa outer membrane protein(OMP) vaccine, CFC-101, and the prophylactic efficacy of which has been demonstrated in animal models. In order to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of the P. aeruginosa vaccine, we carried out a phase I/IIa clinical trial in healthy male volunteers. METHODS: Groups of eight volunteers, including two placebo subjects, were vaccinated intramuscularly with three doses of 0.25, 0.5 or 1.0 mg of the vaccine at one week intervals. Signs of systemic and local reactions observed after vaccination were recorded for each vaccinee for 5 days. Physical examinations were performed on days 0, 1, 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, and 42, and clinical laboratory tests were done on days 0, 3, and 21. Blood samples for assay of serum antibody levels were obtained up to 42 days after the first vaccination. RESULTS: The vaccine was generally well tolerated by all vaccinees, showing no significant side effects. In the three dosage groups, all vaccinees, except one receiving the 0.25 mg dose, showed significant elevation in serum IgG antibody titers against the vaccine proteins, indicating 100% seroconversion in 0.5 and 1.0 mg groups. The human antibodies induced by the vaccine were specific for P. aeruginosa OMPs, as confirmed by western blot analysis and immunoprecipitation assays. The capacity of the human antisera to enhance opsonophagocytic killing activity by polymorphonuclear leukocytes and to confer protection against P. aeruginosa infections indicates that the antibodies elicited by the vaccine have protective efficacy. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the P. aeruginosa OMP vaccine is safe and effective for human use and its optimal dose to be 0.5 or 1.0 mg.
Antibodies ; Blotting, Western ; Homicide ; Humans ; Immune Sera ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoprecipitation ; Male ; Membrane Proteins* ; Membranes* ; Models, Animal ; Neutrophils ; Physical Examination ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa* ; Pseudomonas* ; Vaccination ; Volunteers

This retrospective study aimed to compare the clinical features of paramedullary lesions (PLs) and extramedullary lesions (ELs) of plasmacytomas at diagnosis, using positron emission tomography integrated with computed tomography, using glucose labeled with the positron-emitting radionuclide ¹⁸F (¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT) in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM), and to address their prognostic impact. Sixty-four patients with NDMM presenting ELs (n=22) and/or PLs (n=42) were included. Patients with ELs at initial presentation had unfavorable laboratory parameters of calcium and lactate dehydrogenase, a higher percentage of bone marrow plasma cells, and showed a trend toward advanced international staging system (ISS), compared to patients with PLs. Using X-ray imaging, high bone disease (HBD) was observed in 50% and 71% of patients with ELs and PLs, respectively. After a median follow-up of 29.2 months (range, 3.4–76.5 months) in survivors, patients with ELs had a significantly lower overall survival (OS) (p=0.033) than patients with PLs did, whereas the progression-free survival (PFS) did not differ significantly (p=0.818). However, the PFS after 1(st) progression was significantly worse in patients with ELs than in those with PLs (p=0.017). In the multivariate analyses, the negative impact of initial ELs on OS (p=0.033) was sustained. Our results demonstrated the different clinical features and outcomes of ELs and PLs in NDMM. Patients with initial ELs showed a shorter PFS after 1(st) progression, which translated into poor OS, providing insight into the different biological effect of ELs.
Bone Diseases ; Bone Marrow ; Calcium ; Diagnosis ; Disease-Free Survival ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glucose ; Humans ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; Multiple Myeloma* ; Multivariate Analysis ; Plasma Cells ; Plasmacytoma ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Retrospective Studies ; Survivors

PURPOSE: Multidrug resistance mediated by several drug resistant genes impedes the successful outcome of anti-cancer chemotherapy. In this study, we investigated the expressions of drug resistant genes encoding multidrug resistance (MDR1), multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP), topoisomerase I (Topo I), topoisomerase II g (Topo II a) in narmal volunteers (n=12) in and patients with myeloid leukemia (n=34). Material and Method: We compared the levels of their transcripts in bone matrow mononuclear cells by semiquantitative RT-PCR. The amount of specific transcripts was represented as the optical density ratio of PCR product of target gene to that of B2- microglobulin (MG). Twenty patients of acute myelogenous leukemia (eight in remission state, twelve in refractory) and fourteen patients of chronic myelogenous leukemia (nine in chronic phase and five in blastic crisis) were examined. Twelve normal healthy persons were compared with leukemic patients. RESULTS: The expression levels of all resistant genes in normal volunteers were relatively high as those of AML patients. Regardless of the disease status including remission status of AML (complete remission versus refractory) and the phase of CML (chronic phase versus blastic phase), the expression levels of all resistant genes in patients with CML were significantly lower than in the patients with AML (p < 0.05). Of interest, the patients with refractary AML did not show any statistical difference in comparison with normal controls and even the patients with AML in complete remission. Among the four drug resistant genes, the optical density ratio of MDRl was significantly lower than that of any other genes (p<0.05). Using HL-60 cell line, we compared the changes of various resistant gene expressions before and after differentiation induced by dimethylsulfoxide. The expressions of resistant genes declined in paralle1 with granulocytic differentiation, suggesting that the induction of cell differentiation might make leukemic cells susceptible to chemotherapeutic agents. CONCLUSION: It is impossibble to explain the mechanism of drug resistance by comparing the level of drug resistant gene expression between nonnal subjects and patients with myeloid leukemias. Therefore, we suppose that longitudinal study of drug resistant gene expression is necessary to demonstrate the development of drug resistant during chemotherapy.
Bone Marrow* ; Cell Differentiation ; Dimethyl Sulfoxide ; DNA Topoisomerases, Type I ; DNA Topoisomerases, Type II ; Drug Resistance ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; Drug Therapy ; Gene Expression ; Healthy Volunteers ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive ; Leukemia, Myeloid* ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; Multidrug Resistance-Associated Proteins ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Volunteers

Background/Aims: Idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease (iMCD) comprises approximately 30% of all cases of Castleman disease. It is characterized by constitutional symptoms, enlarged lymph nodes at multiple anatomical sites, and laboratory test abnormalities, which are primarily related to the overproduction of interleukin 6 (IL-6). Siltuximab is a human-mouse chimeric immunoglobulin G1κ monoclonal antibody against human IL-6. In view of the limited treatment options for iMCD, this study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of siltuximab in the management of this condition. Methods: In this real-world retrospective study, we administered siltuximab to 15 patients with iMCD who previously received conventional chemotherapy and/or steroid pulse therapy. The median time to a durable symptomatic response was 22 days (range, 17 to 56). The serum hemoglobin and albumin levels and erythrocyte sedimentation rates significantly normalized after the first 3 months of siltuximab treatment. Lymph node involution, assessed using imaging, was relatively gradual, demonstrating a complete or partial response at 6 months. Results: On an average, the improvements in clinical, laboratory, and radiologic parameters of iMCD in responders were observed after one, three, and eight cycles of siltuximab treatment, respectively. Siltuximab demonstrated a favorable safety profile, and prolonged treatment was well-tolerated. Conclusions Despite the small sample size of the present study, the results are encouraging and demonstrate the potential of siltuximab as the first-line treatment of iMCD. Further large multicenter studies are needed to evaluate the clinical outcomes and adverse events associated with siltuximab.

Background: Arsenic trioxide (ATO) is the standard treatment for relapsed acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). However, consensus on post-remission therapies is still lacking. Methods: We evaluated 52 patients who experienced relapse following initial treatment of APL between 2000 and 2019 at Catholic Hematology Hospital. Among them, 41 patients received reinduction treatment, 30 with ATO-based regimen, whereas 11 with conventional intensive chemotherapy (IC). Results: The ATO reinduction group showed a significantly higher second molecular complete remission (mCR2) rate, superior neutrophil and platelet recovery, and a lower infection rate than the IC reinduction group. No significant differences were observed in survival outcomes after post-remission treatment among the ATO-based (N=19), autologous (N=12), and allogeneic (N=6) hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) groups. In the ATO-based and autologous HSCT groups, among patients with mCR2 after ATO reinduction, nine and five patients experienced a second relapse, respectively (50.7% vs. 41.7%, P =0.878). Among these patients, seven received salvage allogeneic HSCT; six remained alive. The other seven patients received ATO without HSCT. Five died from disease progression, and two survived and have been in mCR2 since. Conclusion Post-remission treatment outcomes of patients with relapsed APL were not significantly different, regardless of the treatment option, suggesting the feasibility of ATO-based treatment without HSCT in mCR2. Allogeneic HSCT may be an effective salvage treatment modality for patients with a second relapse. Owing to a few cases of relapsed APL, multicenter prospective studies may help elucidate the efficacy of each post-remission treatment.

BACKGROUND: Standard remission induction chemotherapy consisting of anthracycline plus cytarabine (3+7) is administered for adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, the effects of intensified regimen on complete remission (CR), relapse and overall survival (OS) remain unknown. METHODS: We analyzed 1195 patients treated with idarubicin plus cytarabine/BHAC (3+7) from 2002 to 2013. Among them, 731 received early intensification with 3-day cytarabine/BHAC (3+10, N=363) or 2-day idarubicin plus cytarabine/BHAC 3 days (5+10, N=368). The 3+10 and 5+10 strategies were applied to patients with bone marrow blast counts of 5–20% and >20% on day 7 of 3+7, respectively. RESULTS: Early intensification correlated with a younger age (median: 40 vs. 45 yr) and higher t(8;21) frequency (20.4% vs. 7.1%), compared to 3+7. After early intensification, the early death rates were higher among the elderly (3+10 [15.7%], 5+10 [21.7%] vs. 3+7 [6.3%], P=0.038), while the post-induction CR rate was higher in young patients (3+10 [79.8%], 5+10 [75.1%] vs. 3+7 [65.1%], P<0.001). Early relapse rate was also decreased (3+10 [11.8%], 5+10 [11.7%] vs. 3+7 [22.0%], P<0.001). In multivariate analysis, early intensification correlated with an inferior 5-year OS among elderly patients (19.2% vs. 22.8%; hazard ratio [HR]=1.84, 95% confidence interval [CI]; 1.11–3.06, P=0.018) and lower overall relapse rate among young patients (33.0% vs. 41.4%, P=0.023; HR=0.71, 95% CI; 0.55–0.93, P=0.012). CONCLUSION: Early intensification correlated with higher CR and lower relapse rates, but not OS in young AML patients. In elderly patients, early intensification correlated with a higher early death rate and poorer OS.
Adult* ; Aged ; Bone Marrow ; Cytarabine ; Drug Therapy* ; Humans ; Idarubicin ; Induction Chemotherapy* ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute* ; Mortality ; Multivariate Analysis ; Recurrence ; Remission Induction