Development of mycosis fungoides after bone marrow transplantation for chronic myeloid leukaemia: transmission from an allogeneic donor

We report on a patient who developed donor-derived cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) 4 years after successful treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia with an allogeneic bone marrow transplant. The patient developed an eczematous rash unresponsive to topical therapy and immunosuppression. When CTCL was diagnosed in the recipient, his sibling donor had been attending his local dermatology unit with a maculosquamous rash, which proved subsequently to be mycosis fungoides. An identical pattern of donor and recipient clonality assessment and T-cell receptor gene sequencing indicated that the CTCL was probably transmitted in the bone marrow harvest. This suggests that CTCL cells circulate in the marrow at an early subclinical stage in this disease. This is the second case of donor-derived CTCL reported to date.

An investigation of potential genetic determinants of propofol requirements and recovery from anaesthesia

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

The objectives of this study were, firstly, to characterize the inter-patient variability in the dose of propofol required to achieve a bispectral index <70 and 'time to eye opening' following propofol infusion and, secondly, to determine if the pharmacodynamic parameter 'time to achieve bispectral index <70' was influenced by genotype of the sex-linked drug receptor gene GABRE or if pharmacokinetic parameters such as clearance and 'time to eye opening' were influenced by the genotype of the metabolizing enzyme CYP2B6.

METHODS

One hundred and fifty patients received a standardized anaesthetic. Apparent systemic clearance values were estimated. Correlation was sought between carriers of different CYP2B6 and GABRE genotypes and apparent systemic clearance, 'time to achieve bispectral index <70' and 'time to eye opening'.

RESULTS

Propofol induction/emergence characteristics varied, with slow recovery times in a subset of males. Time to loss of verbal contact and time to bispectral index <70 varied 6.6- and 4.3-fold, respectively. At emergence, there was a 15.5- to 111-fold variability in the measured time intervals. Clearance varied from 9.1 to 55.8 mL min-1 kg-1. The CYP2B6 C1459T (R487C) genotype frequencies were TT 1%, TC 22% and CC 67%. The three major haplotypes of CYP2B6 (R487C, K262R and Q172H variants) were not significantly associated with time to eye opening or clearance. Clearance was similar in 487C carriers and 487RR genotypes. There was no statistically significant correlation between the four major haplotypes of GABRE variants investigated ([mRNA358]G/T, 20118C/T, 20326C/T and 20502 A/T) and the observed anaesthesia induction time.

CONCLUSIONS

Great inter-patient variability exists in the dose of propofol required to achieve bispectral index <70, apparent systemic propofol clearance and time to eye opening. Common haplotypic differences at the CYP2B6 and GABRE genes do not appear to account for the majority of the observed inter-patient variability.

Recovery of older patients undergoing ambulatory anaesthesia with isoflurane or sevoflurane

BACKGROUND

Delayed recovery of cognitive function is a well-recognized phenomenon in older patients. The potential for the volatile anaesthetic used to contribute to alterations in postoperative cognitive function in older patients following minor surgical procedures has not been determined. We compared emergence from isoflurane and sevoflurane anaesthesia in older surgical patients undergoing urological procedures of short duration.

METHODS

Seventy-one patients, 60 yr of age or older, undergoing anaesthesia expected to last less than 60 min for ambulatory surgery, were randomly assigned to receive isoflurane or sevoflurane. A standardized anaesthetic protocol was used, with intravenous fentanyl 1 microg kg(-1) and propofol 1.5-2.0 mg kg(-1) administered to induce anaesthesia. Anaesthesia was maintained with either sevoflurane or isoflurane in 65% nitrous oxide and oxygen. Early and intermediate recovery times were recorded. The Mini Mental State Examination and digit repetition forwards and backwards were administered at baseline, and at 1, 3 and 6 h postoperatively, to assess cognitive function.

RESULTS

There were no between-group differences in (sevoflurane vs. isoflurane, mean +/- standard error of the mean) times to removal of the laryngeal mask airway (7.7 +/- 0.6 vs. 7.1 +/- 0.4 min), verbal response time (10.1 +/- 0.7 vs. 9.9 +/- 0.7 min) and orientation (12.1 +/- 0.7 vs. 12.1 +/- 0.7 min). Intermediate recovery, as measured by time to readiness for discharge from the post anaesthesia care unit (44.9 +/- 1.5 vs. 44.3 +/- 1.5 min), was similar in the two groups. Postoperative indices of cognitive function and attention were comparably reduced at 1 h, but returned to baseline in both groups at 6 h.

CONCLUSIONS

Isoflurane and sevoflurane anaesthesia resulted in similar clinical and neurocognitive recovery profiles in older patients undergoing ambulatory surgical procedures of short duration.