BACKGROUND Abciximab and ticlopidine reduce adverse cardiovascular events after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). The goal of the current study was to determine if combined abciximab/ticlopidine therapy inhibits arterial thrombosis more effectively than either treatment alone. The effect of each therapy on platelet-leukocyte interactions was also investigated. METHODS AND...

Background Vancomycin is used for the treatment of resistant staphylococcal and enterococcal infections but is associated with nephrotoxicity. Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) was recently identified as a sensitive biomarker for acute kidney injury. Here, we aimed to investigate the usefulness of serum NGAL in monitoring patients undergoing vancomycin therapy. Methods A total ...

OBJECTIVE Interferon is the first-choice therapy for HCV-positive mixed cryoglobulinemia, but only a small fraction of the patients show long-term recovery from the disease. In non-responders or relapsers, the second-line therapy (high dose interferon) generally is not effective. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of leukocyte interferon as a second-line therapy in patients...

Purpose: Atrial fibrillation remains the leading postoperative complication following cardiopulmonary bypass. A randomized trial was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of leukocyte filtration and aprotinin, applied separately and in combination, on the incidence of post-operative atrial fibrillation. A secondary component of the study was the impact of these adjunct interventions on post-...

BACKGROUND Antibody therapy to inhibit either P-selectin or intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) has been reported to provide myocardial protection against leukocyte-mediated reperfusion injury. Because these molecules play different roles in the leukocyte-endothelial interaction, co-inhibition of both may achieve further enhanced cardioprotection. In addition, the therapeutic efficacy of...

background: recurrent spontaneous abortion (rsa) is defined as three or more se-quential abortions before the twentieth week of gestation. there are evidences to sup-port an allo-immunologic mechanism for rsa. one of the methods for treatment of rsa is leukocyte therapy; however there is still controversy about effectiveness of this method. objectives: to evaluate the effectiveness of leukocyte...

Retrospective analysis of 303 patients who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation identified 35 (11.5%) with adenovirus infection. Among them, 22 received specific therapy. As first-line therapy, 18 were treated with intravenous ribavirin, 3 with cidofovir, and 1 with vidarabine. Moreover, 2 received donor leukocyte infusion in combination with ribavirin, and 1 received it...

Leukocyte trafficking from the blood into the tissues represents a key process during inflammation and requires multiple steps mediated by adhesion molecules and chemoattractants. Inflammation has a detrimental role in several diseases, and in such cases, the molecular mechanisms controlling leukocyte migration are potential therapeutic targets. Over the past 20 years, leukocyte migration in th...

Methotrexate has been used as an important alternative therapy in the treatment of various rheumatic diseases. Life threatening marrow suppression in end-stage renal disease patients undergoing hemodialysis or continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis has been reported. A 33-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus undergoing chronic peritoneal dialysis developed severe mucositis and pa...

OBJECTIVE To study the effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on tissue lesions in an experimental model of acute pancreatitis induced by pancreatic duct ligation. ANIMALS Forty-eight adult female Wistar rats were randomized into two groups (n=24): control group and hyperbaric oxygen therapy group. INTERVENTION The second group was treated with a two-hour daily session of hyperbaric oxygen th...