Role of MIB1 in Predicting Survival in Patients with Glioblastomas

Summary Background: Histologic immunomarkers of cell cycle proteins have been utilized for prognosis in high-grade astrocytic tumors. One such marker, MIB1, an antibody immunoreactive throughout the cell cycle, is predictive of more aggressive disease and poorer prognosis in astrocytomas. An independent role of MIB1 analysis for survival prediction and clinical management within histologic grades has not been clearly proven. Methods: This study retrospectively evaluated MIB1 reactivity in tissue samples from 116 patients with glioblastomas on initial medical presentation. Clinical variables considered included gender, age, Karnofsky Performance Scores (KPS), extent of surgical resection, adjuvant radiation and survival. Results: Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to correlate these variables with MIB1 staining. MIB1 staining does not predict overall survival or response to adjuvant therapy as an independent risk factor. Conclusion: MIB1 labeling does not predict patient survival as an independent variable and does not predict response to additional therapies. Patient survival with glioblastoma was predicted by KPS, age, extent of resection and use of adjuvant radiotherapy.     

The effect of food and exercise on the skin response to compound 48/80 in patients with food-associated exercise-induced urticaria-angioedema

Food-associated, exercise-induced urticaria-angioedema is increasingly being recognized. We studied five atopic individuals in whom ingestion of food was followed by exercise-induced urticaria-angioedema. The combined effect of food and exercise on skin wheal response to compound 48/80 and histamine was studied. Symptoms could be reproduced in only four of the patients who performed strenuous exercise after ingestion of food to which they were skin sensitive. When symptoms appeared, that is, after a combination of food and exercise challenge, there was a marked increase in the wheal response to compound 48/80 (greater than 200%) and not to histamine. Food or exercise challenge alone did not induce any significant change in the skin reactivity to compound 48/80 or to histamine. It was concluded that mast cell releasability could be increased when the patient was subjected to combined factors.     

Bronchial inhalation challenge with ultrasonically nebulized saline; comparison to exercise-induced asthma

The airway response to ultrasonically nebulized sodium chloride of increasing concentration (0.9%, 2.5%, 5%, 10%, and 20%) was assessed in twenty asthmatic patients and five healthy subjects. Their response was compared to a standard exercise provocation test. Each concentration was inhaled for five minutes and the airway response was assessed by the measurement of the maximal expiratory flow volume curves. While only 65% of the patients developed significant bronchoconstriction to exercise, 90% had such response to inhaled sodium chloride of 20% or less. None of the healthy subjects showed any significant airway response. It is concluded that the inhalation of hypertonic sodium chloride is a sensitive method for the evaluation of airway hyperreactivity and can be used instead of the exercise provocation test in asthmatic patients.