Web-based Registry for Hematolologic Malignancy Patients

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Developing a web-based registry among community oncologists may be useful for

collecting significant information about febrile events in patients with

hematologic malignancies. Italian researchers have suggested that both morbidity

and mortality could be lowered in this patient population through a computerized

registry that collected data in a prospective manner. “We have developed what

may be the first web-based registry to collect febrile events in hematologic

malignancy patients so you can register a real-life picture of what is occurring

in these patients,” said study investigator Morena Caira, MD, a research

scientist at the Catholic University in Rome.

Dr. Caira said developing such a system has allowed oncologists in Italy to

create a complete system for the epidemiological study of infectious

complications in this cancer patient population. It is a simple system that

could be adopted in the U.S. on a community- wide, state-wide, or country-wide

basis, she said.

“We need to know better what is causing febrile events so that we can reduce the

use of antimicrobials that are unnecessary,” said lead investigator Livio

Pagano, MD, an associate professor of hematology in the department of

epidemiology at Catholic University. Read more..........

http://tinyurl.com/4nuxz7z

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How Allopurinol Helps with Management of CML

1) Allopurinol. Patients with leukemia, lymphoma and malignancies who are

receiving cancer therapy which causes elevations of serum and urinary uric acid

levels. Allopurinol treatment should be discontinued when the potential for

overproduction of uric acid is no longer present.

1.. The management of patients with signs and symptoms of primary or secondary

gout (acute attacks, tophi, joint destruction, uric acid lithiasis, and/or

nephropathy).

2.. Patients with leukemia, lymphoma and malignancies who are receiving

cancer therapy which causes elevations of serum and urinary uric acid levels.

Allopurinol treatment should be discontinued when the potential for

overproduction of uric acid is no longer present.

3.. The management of patients with recurrent calcium oxalate calculi whose

daily uric acid excretion exceeds 800 mg/day in male patients and 750 mg/day in

female patients. Therapy in such patients should be carefully assessed initially

and reassessed periodically to determine in each case that treatment is

beneficial and that the benefits outweigh the risks.

NOTE:

Allopurinol and its primary active metabolite oxipurinol are eliminated by the

kidneys; therefore, changes in renal function have a profound effect on dosage.

In patients with decreased renal function or who have concurrent illnesses which

can affect renal function such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus, periodic

laboratory parameters of renal function, particularly BUN and serum creatinine

or creatinine clearance, should be performed and the patient’s allopurinol

dosage reassessed.

http://tinyurl.com/4r9wfdx

FYI,

Lottie Duthu