Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0016382 (flushing)
 6,387 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Leukopenia or pancytopenia as a result of bone marrow dysfunction are manifestations of various diseases or complications of therapeutic regimens. The spectrum of diseases associated with leukopenia is wide and includes congenital as well as acquired neutropenias secondary to conditions such as myelodysplastic syndromes, AIDS, malignant tumors with or without chemotherapy-enhanced neutropenia, bone marrow transplantation or therapeutic or accidental radiation. The morbidity and mortality of infectious diseases is greatly enhanced during neutropenic phases. Over the last few years attempts have been made to shorten the duration and lessen the severity of neutropenia in patients with the above conditions by administration of Granulocyte Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor (G-CSF). Both cytokines were successfully tested in phase I and II trials. Treatment with GM-CSF or G-CSF results in a dose-dependent increase of the neutrophil count. GM-CSF also increases the number of eosinophils and monocytes in peripheral blood. The effect of both cytokines on the neutrophil count is transient as long as the underlying disease persists. This prompted the institution of maintenance therapy, which has been successfully used with either cytokine. Long-term treatment is usually well tolerated and results in a reduction in the frequency of infections as well as in the duration of antibiotic treatments. Side effects of GM-CSF or G-CSF are usually mild and include fever, myalgia, bone pain, and erythema. A number of patients developed dyspnea, hypotension, sweating, flushing and erythema after the first dose of GM-CSF in each treatment cycle. This first-dose reaction occurs more frequently after intravenous than reactions were reported with G-CSF. Some patients with myelodysplastic syndrome progressed to acute myeloic leukemia during or after treatment with GM-CSF or G-CSF. Most of these patients presented with an increased fraction of blasts in the bone marrow, which preceded the treatment with the colony stimulating factors. Since GM-CSF and possibly G-CSF may increase the risk of developing acute leukemia in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome, it appears prudent to limit the use of these cytokines in patients with this disease. The subcutaneous route of administration appears to be preferable to intravenous administration, since the incidence and severity of side effects are reduced. While many questions concerning dosage, long-term therapy and combination therapy still remain unanswered, the information presented in this review concerning the clinical use of these cytokines warrants an optimistic outlook.
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PMID:[GM-CSF and G-CSF: cytokines in clinical application]. 170 94

Trimetrexate is a nonclassical antifol currently being tested for efficacy in cancer patients and as an antiparasitic agent against Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in AIDS patients. We have now received the first reports of hypersensitivity reactions in Phase II cancer trials. Two types of reactions were noted. The most severe reaction, immediate hypotension with loss of consciousness, occurred in only one patient. Four other patients exhibited an immediate systemic effect with one or more of the following symptoms: facial flushing, fever, shaking, pruritus, bronchospasm, periorbital edema, and difficulty in swallowing. Immediate hypersensitivity should now be considered a known side effect of trimetrexate therapy, occurring in less than 2% of patients.
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PMID:Hypersensitivity reactions to trimetrexate. 214 1

At a time when the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome as well as hepatitis and other blood-borne diseases are a threat to patients with bleeding disorders who need treatment with blood products, it is rewarding to realize that a number of these patients can be safely and effectively treated with their own desmopressin-stimulated F.VIII:C and vWF. Desmopressin is clinically useful for treatment of patients with moderate and mild hemophilia. The limits of the clinical indications are established by the nature of the bleeding episode, the resting factor level, the level that must be achieved, and the length of time the level must be maintained to manage any given bleeding episode. In von Willebrand disease, desmopressin can be used more extensively to raise F.VIII:C levels than in classic hemophilia, because fewer of the patients have the severe form of the disease that is unresponsive to desmopressin. Increases in the level of F.VIII:C of about four times the resting value can be expected both in hemophilia and von Willebrand disease, but it must be borne in mind that the range of individual responses is large. Even though it is not easy to correct the prolonged bleeding time, particularly in patients with dysfunctional vWF, this drawback is of clinical relevance only in a minority of cases. A role for the use of desmopressin in acquired diseases of primary hemostasis has been proposed more recently, and experience is more limited than in congenital bleeding disorders. Uremia is probably the most firmly established indication because it has been shown that the bleeding time is often dramatically shortened by desmopressin, and hemorrhages can be stopped or prevented before surgical procedures. The indications for use of the compound in liver cirrhosis and congenital and acquired platelet dysfunctions are promising but much less established from a clinical standpoint. The bulk of available clinical experience is based on intravenous administration. Intranasal and subcutaneous administration have been successfully attempted and might be more convenient in selected circumstances, such as home treatment and the stimulation of blood donors to provide more abundant supplies of F.VIII:C and vWF. However, the responses after intranasal administration are less predictable and consistent than after intravenous administration. Desmopressin has few troublesome side-effects. Mild facial flushing, a small increase in heart rate, and, more rarely, mild headache can occur transiently during infusion. Signs of hyponatremia or cerebral edema are extremely rare, providing that excessive fluid intake is avoided.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
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PMID:Desmopressin (DDAVP) for treatment of disorders of hemostasis. 310 87

We administered recombinant (biosynthetic) human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) to 16 patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and leukopenia (2225 +/- 614 cells per microliter [mean +/- SD]). Each patient first received a single intravenous dose; 48 hours later a 14-day continuous intravenous infusion of the agent was begun. The doses used were 1.3 X 10(3) (n = 4), 2.6 X 10(3) (n = 4), 5.2 X 10(3) (n = 4), 1.0 X 10(4) (n = 3), or 2.0 X 10(4) (n = 1) U per kilogram of body weight per day. Administration of recombinant GM-CSF resulted in dose-dependent increases in circulating leukocytes and in increases in circulating neutrophils, eosinophils, and monocytes. The peak leukocyte count ranged from 4575 +/- 2397 cells per microliter at the lowest dose, to 48,700 in the patient receiving the highest dose. Mild side effects--low-grade fever, myalgia, phlebitis, and flushing--were observed in some patients; there were no life-threatening toxic reactions. Our data demonstrate that recombinant human GM-CSF is well tolerated and biologically active in leukopenic patients with AIDS. Strategies to increase the number and function of circulating leukocytes may reduce the morbidity and mortality of infections in these and other patients with leukopenia.
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PMID:Effect of recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor on myelopoiesis in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. 349 44

Previous research has suggested that frequent vaginal douching modifies vaginal flora and increases the risk of cervical infections -- a probable risk factor for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). To assess the association between HIV infection and vaginal douching, 397 women attending a sexually transmitted disease clinic in Bangui, Central African Republic, during 1994-95 were interviewed regarding their sexual behavior and vaginal douching practices in the preceding 3 years. The overall HIV prevalence rate was 34%. Douching, primarily for hygiene or treatment of a vaginal discharge, was reported by 195 women (49%); its mean weekly frequency was 7 times. A commercial antiseptic was used by 140 women (72%); 48 (25%) used a noncommercial preparation (largely herbs) and 7 (3%) used water. The analysis was restricted to women who used commercial or noncommercial preparations at least once a week (104 and 32 women, respectively). 25 (21.7%) of the 115 HIV-positive women reported use of commercial antiseptics compared with 79 (35.4%) of seronegative women (odds ratio, 0.6; 95% confidence interval, 0.4-0.9 after adjustment for condom use, lifetime number of sexual partners, and marital status). Use of noncommercial preparations was reported by 17 (14.8%) seropositive and 15 (6.7%) seronegative women (adjusted odds ratio, 1.7; 95% confidence interval, l.0-3.0). Although these findings should be considered preliminary, it is speculated that the antifungal and bacteriostatic properties of commercial antiseptics used after sexual intercourse may reduce the inoculum of HIV through a flushing mechanism or reduce the frequency of sexually transmitted diseases that serve as co-factors for HIV infection. Moreover, the agents used in noncommercial preparations may irritate vaginal mucosa, enhancing HIV transmission.
AIDS 1997 Jan
PMID:HIV infection and vaginal douching in central Africa. 911 82

This study was undertaken to determine the value of stained smears from the vaginal introitus and the posterior vaginal fornix for detection of candida morphotypes in the diagnosis of recurrent vulvovaginal candidosis (RVVC) in cases with an assumed novel attack of the condition, and to compare the value of microscopy of such smears in relation to candida culture, vaginal pH-determinations and leucocyte esterase tests (LE). One hundred and thirteen women with a history and a current assumed attack of RVVC were studied by means of culture of samples from the vaginal introitus and posterior vaginal fornix on Sabouraud and CHROMagar. Microscopy of methylene blue- and Gram-stained smears from these sites was performed. The pH of vaginal secretion and the LE activity in vaginal flushing fluid was measured. Candida morphotypes were found significantly more often in the smears from candida culture-positive than culture-negative women. There was no difference in this respect between the findings in the methylene blue- and Gram-stained smears. Differences were found in candida morphotypes among Candida albicans and non-albicans-positive cases, as blastoconidia were detected only in the latter cases. The leukocyte esterase activity score was higher in the candida-positive than in candida-negative cases. The study showed that microscopy of fixed, stained genital smears can play a role in attempts to distinguish cases infected and not infected by candida among patients consulting with an assumed novel attack of RVVC. Study of methylene blue-stained smears is recommended as they represent an easier means than Gram-stained smears to diagnose genital candida infections in assumed RVVC cases.
Int J STD AIDS 2002 May
PMID:Microscopy of stained smears of vaginal secretion in the diagnosis of recurrent vulvovaginal candidosis. 1197 35

Antiretroviral therapy can inhibit HIV replication in patients and prevent progression to AIDS. However, it is not curative. Here we provide an overview of what antiretroviral drugs do and how the virus persists during therapy in rare reservoirs, such as latently infected CD4+ T cells. We also outline several innovative methods that are currently under development to eradicate HIV from infected individuals. These strategies include gene therapy approaches intended to create an HIV-resistant immune system, and activation/elimination approaches directed towards flushing out latent virus. This latter approach could involve the use of novel chemically synthesized analogs of natural activating agents.
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PMID:HIV/AIDS eradication. 2373 43

With the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) has emerged as the leading cause of death in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infected patients. An atherogenic lipoprotein phenotype has been described in HIV- infected patients with a predominance of small, low density lipoprotein (SLDL) particles with accompanying elevated triglycerides and reduced high density lipoprotein cholesterol. This randomized controlled pilot study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of Extended Release Niacin (ERN) in improving the lipid profile in HIV patients. A total of 17 HIV positive subjects on HAART therapy with High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDL) levels below 40mg/dl and Low Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (LDL) below 130mg/dl were enrolled. Nine were randomized to be treated with ERN titrated from a starting level of 500mg/night and titrated to a level of 1500mg/night. Eight patients were assigned to the control arm. No placebo was used. Lipoprotein profiles of the subjects were analyzed at baseline and at the end of 12 weeks using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. At the end of 12 weeks, NMR spectroscopic analysis revealed a significant increase in overall LDL size (1.2% in ERN treated subjects vs 2.0% decrease in control patients, P=.04) and a decrease in small LDL particle concentration (17.0% in ERN treated subjects vs 21.4% increase in control patients, P=.03) in subjects receiving ERN as compared to those in the control group. Only 1 subject receiving ERN developed serious flushing which was attributed to an accidental overdose of the drug. This pilot study demonstrates that ERN therapy in HIV-infected patients with low HDL is safe and effective in improving the lipoprotein profile in these patients.
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PMID:The effects of extended release niacin on lipoprotein sub-particle concentrations in HIV-infected patients. 2379 12

We report a patient with AIDS who had an anaphylactic-like reaction from trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Clinical suspicion of anaphylaxis should be considered in patients presenting with fever, hypotension, eosinophilia, rash, flushing or pulmonary infiltrates after initial exposure and re-exposure to the medication. This case highlights the need for healthcare professionals to be reminded of the association between this unusual antibiotic reaction resembling sepsis and HIV disease.
Int J STD AIDS 2016 06
PMID:Anaphylactic-like reaction from trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in a patient with AIDS. 2599 69