We aimed to investigate the impact of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA on the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We conducted a case/control study based on 506 chronic HBV patients followed up since 1997. Forty-one patients developed HCC, and each of them was age and gender matched with two simultaneously recruited controls without HCC. HBV DNA was measured at the initial visit, at yearl...

Since numerical forecast models often err in predicting the timing and location of lee cyclogenesis, a physically based method to diagnose such errors is sought. A case of Rocky Mountain lee cyclogenesis associated with strong winds is examined to explore the transformation from a stationary lee trough to a mobile midlatitude cyclone (hereafter, departure). Up to 12 h before departure, a pronou...

BACKGROUND Serum infliximab trough levels correlate with efficacy; dose escalation is often beneficial in patients with Crohn's disease who stop responding to infliximab treatment. OBJECTIVE To carry out a post hoc analysis of A Crohn's Disease Clinical Trial Evaluating Infliximab in a New Long-term Treatment Regimen I (ACCENT I) to evaluate the association between serum infliximab trough lev...

BACKGROUND Common variable immunodeficiency disorders (CVIDs) are the most common forms of symptomatic primary antibody failure in adults and children. Replacement immunoglobulin is the standard treatment, although there are few consistent data on optimal dosages and target trough IgG levels required for infection prevention. OBJECTIVE To provide data to support the hypothesis that each patie...

Objective: Few studies have correlated the infliximab (IFX) trough concentration, clinical remission (CM) and mucosal healing (MH). The purpose of the study was to determine if higher IFX trough levels are associated with MH and CR, in a group of Brazilian inflammatory bowel disease patients. Methods: Cross-sectional study of 51 IBD patients in IFX maintenance therapy, at a medical center, in B...

BACKGROUND Combining cyclosporin (CsA) and prednisone with mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) results in a significant reduction in the rate of biopsy-proven acute rejection after kidney transplantation. This is achieved with a standard daily MMF dosage of 2 or 3 g. Whether monitoring of the pharmacologically active metabolite mycophenolic acid (MPA) will lead to improved safety and efficacy is unclea...

Vancomycin trough concentrations should be measured within 30 min of the next dose, but studies have shown that troughs are often measured too early, producing erroneous results that could lead to dosing errors. The purpose of this study was to identify the frequency of early trough measurements and to evaluate whether pharmacokinetically extrapolating mistimed concentrations may locate sub-the...

Differences in virologic response were compared in 32 HIV-infected children with a nelfinavir trough concentration either below (n=7) or above (n=25) 0.8 mg/L. Virologic response at week 48 was observed in 29% of children with subtherapeutic nelfinavir troughs versus 80% in children with therapeutic nelfinavir troughs (P=.02).

The study was performed to determine the gestational age of preterm infants that requires amikacin therapeutic drug monitoring. A study was conducted in preterm infants on amikacin therapy with gestational age of 28 to 36 weeks. Therapeutic drug monitoring in preterm infants was performed based on their individual pharmacokinetics to avoid ototoxicity and nephrotoxicity. Its prerequisite, becau...

INTRODUCTION Treatment of infections in neonates with gentamicin is a balance between optimising bactericidal effect and minimising adverse effects. Previously, at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Kolding Hospital, Denmark, neonates suspected of having infections were treated daily with gentamicin 5 mg/kg for the first three days, thus exposing the smallest neonates to double gentamic...