Anti-Inflammatory and Anticancer Effects of Anticoagulant Therapy in Patients with Malignancy

Optimizing the anticoagulation therapy is of pivotal importance in patients with a malignant tumor, as venous thromboembolism (VTE) has become the second-leading cause of death in this population. Cancer can highly increase the risk of thrombosis and bleeding. Consequently, the management of cancer-associated VTE is complex. In recent years, translational research has intensified, and several studies have highlighted the role of inflammatory cytokines in cancer growth and progression. Simultaneously, the pleiotropic effects of anticoagulants currently recommended for VTE have emerged. In this review, we describe the anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects of both direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) and low-molecular-weight heparins (LWMHs).

Antioxidant Properties of Oral Antithrombotic Therapies in Atherosclerotic Disease and Atrial Fibrillation

The thrombosis-related diseases are one of the leading causes of illness and death in the general population, and despite significant improvements in long-term survival due to remarkable advances in pharmacologic therapy, they continue to pose a tremendous burden on healthcare systems. The oxidative stress plays a role of pivotal importance in thrombosis pathophysiology. The anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs commonly used in the management of thrombosis-related diseases show several pleiotropic effects, beyond the antithrombotic effects. The present review aims to describe the current evidence about the antioxidant effects of the oral antithrombotic therapies in patients with atherosclerotic disease and atrial fibrillation.

Advanced Heart Failure in Special Population-Pediatric Age

Heart failure (HF) is an important health care issue in children because of its considerable morbidity and mortality. Advanced HF encompasses patients who remained symptomatic despite optimal medical treatment and includes patients who require special management, such as continuous inotropic therapy, mechanical circulatory support, or heart transplantation (HT). HT is the gold standard for children with advanced HF; nonetheless, the number of suitable donors has not increased for decades, leading to prolonged waitlist times and increased mortality rates. Therefore, the role of pediatric mechanic circulatory support has been assessed as an alternative treatment in patients in whom heart transplant could not be performed. The authors discuss the epidemiology, causes, pathophysiology, clinical manifestation, medical treatment, device therapy, and HT in pediatric HF, and a particular emphasis was posed on patients with advanced HF.

[Histoenzymatic changes and dosimetric studies of some organs and areas, using diagnostic radioisotopes. Critical review of a 10-year experiment]

Ten years experience of dosimetry and study of the histochemical changes brought on by internal irradiation are reviewed. The research is broken down into three stages: 1) identification of enzymatic damage in small laboratory animals; 2) study of the dose really absorbed at various points of critical organs of large animals, 3) the collection of histoenzymatic data resulting from research on large animals treated internally with isotopes commonly used in diagnosis.

[Histoenzymatic research and internal irradiation. V. Histochemical modifications in rat liver with the use of colloidal Au198]

The histochemical behaviour of succinic dehydrogenase, isocitric dehydrogenase, acid phosphatase and acetylglucosaminidase activities was studied in rat liver treated with Au198-colloidal. In these experimental conditions it was found that the hepatocytes present changes in the enzymatic activities examined, generally proportional to the doses employed. With lower doses of radionuclides, the histoenzymatic changes have a local character and are completely reversible after a month. With higher doses they take on a more extensive character. These findings suggest that Au198 could be used clinically with due precautions.

[Histoenzymatic studies and internal irradiation. III. Histoenzymatic changes of the kidney treated with chloromeridrin Hg 197]

The histochemical behaviour of alkaline phosphatase, adenosintriphosphatase, acid phosphatase and acetylglucosaminidase activities was studied in rat kidney treated with Chloromeridrin Hg. In these experimental conditions it was found that the nephrocytes in the proximal convoluted tubule present changes in the enzymatic activities examined, generally proportional to the doses employed. With lower doses of radionuclides, the histoenzymatic changes have a local character and are completely reversible after a month. With higher doses they take on a more extensive character and persis to some extent one month after treatment. These findings suggesti that Hg could be used clinically with due precautions.