Maintenance Regimen (maintenance + regimen)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Acellular dermal matrix allograft used to gain attached gingiva in a case of epidermolysis bullosa

JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PERIODONTOLOGY, Issue 11 2003
Eralp Buduneli
Abstract Background: Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is an acquired disease or inherited as either autosomal dominant or recessive with an incidence of 1/50,000. The prominent clinical characteristic of the disease is the development of bullae or vesicles in mucosa or skin in response to minor trauma. Aim: A female patient with a dystrophic type of EB had been put in a maintenance regimen after completion of the initial phase of periodontal therapy and followed for 7 years. The purpose of this report is to document acellular dermal matrix allograft application to increase the width of the attached gingiva in this patient experiencing difficulty in chewing and performing plaque control due to the dramatic loss of attached gingiva after 7 years of supportive periodontal therapy. Methods: Under local anaesthesia and antibiotic coverage, the acellular dermal matrix allograft was applied in the anterior region of the upper jaw in order to increase the width of attached gingiva, thereby improving patient comfort. Results: The healing was uneventful and a significant gain in attached gingiva dimensions was observed 9 months after the periodontal surgery. The procedure avoided a second surgical site, provided satisfactory results from an aesthetic point of view, and improved patient comfort. Conclusion: Acellular dermal matrix allograft may be regarded as an alternative in the treatment of EB cases to increase the width of attached gingiva and facilitate maintenance of the dentition. Zusammenfassung Hintergrund: Die Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) ist eine erworbene oder eine autosomal dominant oder rezessiv vererbte Krankheit mit einer Incidenz von 1:50,000. Die hervorstechenden klinischen Symptome dieser Erkrankung sind die Entwicklung von Blasen oder Vesikeln in der Mukosa oder in der Haut auf geringste Traumen. Ziel: Eine Frau mit dem dystrophischen Typ von EB wurde in der Erhaltungsphase seit 7 Jahren geführt, nachdem die initiale Phase der parodontalen Therapie beendet worden war. Der Zweck dieser Studie ist die Dokumentation der Applikation eines azellulären Hautmatrixtransplantats für die Verbreiterung der fest angewachsenen Gingiva bei dieser Patientin, die nach 7 Jahren der erhaltenden parodontalen Therapie Probleme beim Kauen und bei der Durchführung der Plaquekontrolle durch einen starken Verlust an fest angewachsener Gingiva hatte. Methoden: Unter lokaler Anästhesie und antibiotischer Abschirmung wurde das azelluläre Hautmatrixtransplantat in die anteriore Region des Oberkiefers appliziert, um die Breite der fest angewachsenen Gingiva zu vergrößern und so das Befinden der Patientin zu verbessern. Ergebnisse: Die Heilung war komplikationslos, und ein signifikanter Gewinn an fest angewachsener Gingiva 9 Monate nach der parodontalen Operation wurde beobachtet. Die Methode vermied eine zweite chirurgische Region, erbrachte zufriedenstellende Ergebnisse aus ästhetischer Sicht und verbesserte das Befinden der Patientin. Schlussfolgerung: Das azelluläre Hautmatrixtransplantat kann als eine Alternative in der Behandlung von EB betrachtet werden, um die Breite der fest angewachsenen Gingiva zu vergrößern und zur Möglichkeit der Erhaltung der Dentition beizutragen. Résumé La bullose épidermolysie (EB) est une maladie contractée ou héritée qui peut être aussi bien autosomale dominante que récessive avec une fréquence de 1/50,000. La caractéristique clinique importante de la maladie est le développement de bulles ou de vésicules au niveau de la muqueuse ou de la peau comme réponse à un traumatisme mineur. Une femme avec un type dystrophique de EB a été placée dans un régime de maintenance après la fin de la phase initiale du traitement parodontal et suivie durant sept années. Le but de ce rapport est de documenter le placement d'un allographe de la matrice dermique acellulaire visant à augmenter la largeur de la gencive attachée chez cette patiente qui avait des problèmes aux niveaux masticatoire et du contrôle de la plaque dentaire vu la perte dramatique de la gencive attachée après sept années de maintenance parodontale. Sous anesthésie locale et sous couverture antibiotique, l'allographe de la matrice dermique acellulaire a été placé dans la région antérieure de la mâchoire supérieure pour augmenter la largeur de la gencive attachée afin d'améliorer le confort de la patiente. La guérison s'est déroulée sans problème et un gain significatif de gencive attachée a été observé neuf mois après la chirurgie parodontale. Ce processus chirurgical élimine la nécessité d'avoir un site donneur, apporte des résultats satisfaisants du point de vue esthétique et améliore le confort du patient. L'allographe de la matrice dermique acellulaire peut donc être considéré comme une alternative dans le traitement des cas de EB afin d'augmenter la largeur de la gencive attachée et faciliter le maintien de la dentition. [source]


Pediatric cardiac transplant: Results using a steroid-free maintenance regimen

PEDIATRIC TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 1 2003
H. Leonard
Abstract: We report on survival, rejection, lymphoma and renal function following cardiac transplant using a steroid-free maintenance immunosuppressive regimen. We have performed 73 cardiac transplants in 71 children under 16 yr of age in the last 12 yr. There were eight perioperative and four late deaths giving actuarial survival of 88, 88, 85 and 70% at 1, 2, 5 and 10 yr, respectively. A total of 11 (15.3%) children had one episode of rejection (grade 3) in the first 6 months; one died and one was re-transplanted because of rejection. There was only one episode of late rejection (8 yr post-transplant) because of low drug levels in a patient with lymphoma and sepsis. This patient did not survive. Three other children (5.6%) also developed lymphoma and recovered but one died subsequently of graft failure. Four children have developed severe renal failure (glomerular filtration rate GFR <30 mL/min/m2). Two have not survived and one is expected to commence dialysis soon. The remainder have mild to moderate renal impairment. We report excellent survival and low rejection rates without use of long-term steroids. However the doses of cyclosporin used have had a significant effect on renal function in many cases. [source]


High-dose cyclophosphamide versus monthly intravenous cyclophosphamide for systemic lupus erythematosus: A prospective randomized trial,

ARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM, Issue 5 2010
Michelle Petri
Objective Monthly intravenous (IV) cyclophosphamide for 6 months has been the standard induction regimen for lupus nephritis, followed by a maintenance regimen of quarterly infusions for 2 years. We undertook this study to compare the efficacy and safety of the standard regimen versus a high-dose IV cyclophosphamide regimen. Methods We performed a prospective randomized trial comparing monthly IV cyclophosphamide at 750 mg/m2 body surface area for 6 months followed by quarterly IV cyclophosphamide for 2 years (traditional treatment) against high-dose IV cyclophosphamide (50 mg/kg daily for 4 days) (high-dose treatment). Entry criteria included renal lupus, neurologic lupus, or other organ system involvement with moderate-to-severe activity. Results Fifty-one patients were randomized; 3 withdrew before treatment and 1 committed suicide after 2 months of high-dose treatment. Twenty-two had renal lupus, 14 had neurologic lupus, and 11 had other organ involvement. The outcome measure was the Responder Index for Lupus Erythematosus (complete response, partial response, no change, or worsening). At 6 months (the end of induction), 11 of 21 patients (52%) in the high-dose treatment group had a complete response compared with 9 of 26 patients (35%) in the traditional treatment group (P = 0.13). At the final visit (30 months), 10 of 21 patients (48%) in the high-dose treatment group had a complete response compared with 13 of 20 patients (65%) who continued with traditional treatment (P = 0.13). Six patients crossed over from traditional treatment to high-dose treatment because of lack of response, and 3 of those patients became complete responders. Conclusion There was not strong evidence that monthly IV cyclophosphamide and high-dose IV cyclophosphamide differed in complete or in any (complete or partial) response to induction or maintenance therapy. However, nonresponders to monthly IV cyclophosphamide can sometimes be rescued with high-dose IV cyclophosphamide. [source]


The safety of infliximab, combined with background treatments, among patients with rheumatoid arthritis and various comorbidities: A large, randomized, placebo-controlled trial

ARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM, Issue 4 2006
Rene Westhovens
Objective To assess the risk of serious infections following 22 weeks of infliximab therapy, and to further characterize the safety profile of infliximab in combination with background treatments during 1 year in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with various comorbidities. Methods Patients with active RA despite receiving methotrexate (MTX) were randomly assigned to receive infusions of placebo (group 1, n = 363), 3 mg/kg infliximab (group 2, n = 360), or 10 mg/kg infliximab (group 3, n = 361) at weeks 0, 2, 6, and 14. At week 22, patients in placebo group 1 began receiving 3 mg/kg infliximab, and patients in group 3 continued to receive an infliximab dose of 10 mg/kg. Patients in group 2 who failed to meet predefined response criteria received increasing doses of infliximab in increments of 1.5 mg/kg. Results At week 22, the relative risk of developing serious infections in groups 2 and 3, compared with group 1, was 1.0 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.3,3.1, P = 0.995) and 3.1 (95% CI 1.2,7.9, P = 0.013), respectively. The incidence of serious adverse events was 7.8% in groups 2 and 3 compared with 7.5% in group 1. From week 22 to week 54, 11.8%, 9.9%, and 10.3% of patients in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively, reported occurrences of serious adverse events. Through week 54, 1 patient in group 1, 2 patients in group 2, and 4 patients in group 3 developed active tuberculosis. Conclusion The risk of serious infections in patients receiving the approved infliximab dose of 3 mg/kg plus MTX was similar to that in patients receiving MTX alone. Patients receiving the unapproved induction regimen of 10 mg/kg infliximab plus MTX followed by a 10 mg/kg maintenance regimen had an increased risk of serious infections through week 22. [source]


Refractory subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus successfully treated with rituximab

AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 3 2009
Violet Kieu
ABSTRACT A 48-year-old woman presented with pruritic, scaly, annular plaques over her upper back and chest that were clinically, serologically and histologically characteristic of subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE). She failed to respond to conventional treatment, which included high-dose hydroxychloroquine, methotrexate, prednisolone, chloroquine, acitretin, thalidomide, dapsone and azathioprine. Subsequently treated with intravenous rituximab 375 mg/m2 weekly for 4 weeks, she remained on adjuvant oral hydrochloroquine 600 mg daily and topical clobetasol propionate 0.05% ointment as required. Clearing of annular plaques was noted 8 weeks after the initial course of rituximab. By 12 weeks there were no new lesions and only post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation remained. Both hyper- and hypopigmentation, which is more common, are consistent with SCLE lesion regression. Skin lesions recurred 11 months later; however, no further lesions occurred after re-introduction of rituximab therapy. The treatment was well tolerated. A maintenance regimen of rituximab, 375 mg/m2 every 8 weeks for 2 years, was commenced 3 months after completing the second course of treatment, with ongoing disease remission. Rituximab appears to have activity in refractory SCLE and clinical trials are required to further assess this potential therapy. [source]