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)

Published data indicate that when recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2) is administered to children as a 15-min i.v. bolus, doses of 18 x 10(6) IU/m2 are poorly tolerated, requiring intensive care unit (ICU) management of IL-2-induced hypotension. We administered rIL-2 as a 1- or 2-h i.v. infusion to 11 children with malignancies refractory to conventional therapy. IL-2 was given every Monday/Wednesday/Friday for 3 weeks. Four children received 12 x 10(6) IU/m2/dose, four received 18 x 10(6) IU/m2/dose, and three received 24 x 10(6) IU/m2/dose (1 Cetus Unit = 6 IU). Fever, chills, flushing, nausea, vomiting, transient weight gain, and oliguria were observed at all three dose levels (not dose-limiting toxicities). Cardiovascular toxicity was significantly reduced compared to the bolus regimen. Mild hypotension was observed at all three dose levels; however, there was no severe dose-limiting hypotension. Because of reduced cardiovascular toxicity, IL-2 was safely administered on an outpatient basis. This regimen induced marginal transient increases in natural killer cell activity and lymphokine-activated killer cell activity. No measurable clinical tumor response was observed in any of the 11 children. The maximum-tolerated dose has not been reached. This regimen allows for a considerable cost reduction (outpatient care instead of ICU care) and safety, making further clinical trials on the use of IL-2 in children more feasible.
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PMID:Phase I study of recombinant human interleukin-2 for pediatric malignancies: feasibility of outpatient therapy. A Pediatric Oncology Group Study. 150 55

A prospective study was conducted by means of a questionnaire to determine the prevalence of delayed reactions to contrast media administered intravenously (iopamidol) and orally (diatrizoate sodium) in 170 patients who had received interleukin-2 (IL-2) and in 631 patients who did not. Another control group of 100 non-IL-2 patients received only oral contrast medium. Delayed reactions (eg, fever rash, flulike symptoms, joint pain, flushing, pruritus, and dizziness) were reported in 3.9% (25 of 631) of non-IL-2 patients and in 11.8% (20 of 170) of IL-2 patients. Reactions were mild in the non-IL-2 patients but were more severe in the IL-2 patients. Two IL-2 patients required hospitalization. Only rash, flulike symptoms, and pruritus were statistically more common in IL-2 patients than in non-IL-2 patients. The prevalence of delayed reactions to nonionic contrast medium is higher in patients who have received IL-2 than in the general population. Most delayed reactions do not require therapy, but, when necessary, therapy is usually limited to relief of symptoms.
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PMID:Delayed reactions to contrast media after interleukin-2 immunotherapy. 154 55

Recent attempts to cure HIV usually consist of two phases. The first phase uses antiviral drugs to suppress viral activity as much as possible. The second phase attempts to stimulate the immune system by flushing out latent HIV using Interleukin-2 (IL-2) or other chemicals. A study at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) was recently published, and some media reports concluded that IL-2 was effective in curing HIV. Researchers studied two groups of HIV-infected subjects on HAART, one group taking IL-2 in addition to HAART. Because technicians were unable to culture HIV from the blood of a small number of subjects from the IL-2 group, it was thought that HIV had been eradicated in these subjects. Issues concerning the study and effects of IL-2 use are discussed. NIH researchers have clearly stated that viral eradication did not occur in the trial patients.
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PMID:IL-2 study results in confusion. 1136 29