HCG contamination of alglucerase: clinical implications in low-dose regimen

Periodontal disease prevalence, extent, and risk associations in untreated individuals

Objectives

to examine the prevalence, extent, and risk associations of untreated periodontitis.

Materials and Methods

A purposive sample of subjects who were never treated for periodontal conditions was clinically examined after collecting information about their sociodemographic characteristics, medical conditions, oral health behaviors, perceived stress, and perceived social support.

Results

A total of 431 subjects were recruited (response rate, 97.0%), and their mean age (SD) was 35.4 (13.3) years. Overall, high plaque levels were observed in all untreated individuals. The prevalence of periodontitis and severe (stage III/IV) periodontitis using the American Academy of Periodontology and European Federation of Periodontology (AAP/EFP) classification were 85.4% and 48.5%, respectively. The prevalence of moderate‐severe and severe periodontitis using the definitions of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and AAP were 78.4% and 31.1%, respectively. The extent of periodontitis expressed as mean% of clinical attachment loss (CAL) ≥ 3 mm and CAL ≥ 5 mm were 34.9% and 14.4%, respectively, while the mean% of a periodontal probing depth (PPD) ≥4 mm and PPD ≥6 mm were 22.0% and 9.2%, respectively. Risk determinants associated with AAP/EFP periodontitis after the adjustment for other variables were age ≥35 years (odds ratio [OR] = 11.5) and lower income (OR = 2.5). Adjusted risk associations with stage II/IV periodontitis included age ≥35 years (OR = 8.2), males (OR = 2.5), lower income (OR = 2.3), and lower perceived stress (OR = 2.0). Adjusted risk associations with CDC/AAP moderate‐severe periodontitis included age ≥35 years (OR = 12.0), lower income (OR = 2.1), and current cigarette smoking (OR = 4.2). Adjusted risk associations with CDC/AAP severe periodontitis included age ≥35 years (OR = 4.5), males (OR = 1.9), lower education (OR = 2.0), lower income (OR = 1.7), uncontrolled diabetes mellitus (OR = 2.0), and current cigarette smoking (OR = 2.3).

Conclusions

The prevalence and extent of periodontitis were high in untreated subjects. Risk associations with untreated periodontitis included age ≥35 years, males, lower income, lower education, current cigarette smoking, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, and lower perceived stress.

The efficacy of enzyme replacement therapy in patients with chronic neuronopathic Gaucher's disease

OBJECTIVE

To assess the long-term systemic and neurologic responses to enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) with macrophage-targeted glucocerebrosidase in patients with type 3 Gaucher's disease.

STUDY DESIGN

Patients with type 3 Gaucher's disease (n = 21), aged 8 months to 35 years, were enrolled in a prospective study. Enzyme dose was adjusted to control systemic manifestations. Clinical and laboratory evaluations were performed at baseline and every 6 to 12 months thereafter. Patients were followed up for 2 to 8 years.

RESULTS

Significant improvement in hemoglobin levels, platelet count, and acid phosphatase values occurred. Liver and spleen volume markedly decreased, and bone structure improved. Nineteen patients had asymptomatic interstitial lung disease unresponsive to ERT. Supranuclear gaze palsy remained stable in 19 patients, worsened in one patient, and improved in one. Cognitive function remained unchanged or improved over time in 13 patients but decreased in 8 patients, 3 of whom developed progressive myoclonic encephalopathy accompanied by cranial magnetic resonance imaging and electroencephalographic deterioration.

CONCLUSIONS

At relatively high doses, ERT reverses almost all the systemic manifestations in patients with type 3 Gaucher's disease. Most treated patients do not deteriorate neurologically. Novel therapeutic strategies are required to reverse the pulmonary and neuronopathic aspects of the disease.

A practical approach to diagnosis and management of Gaucher's disease

The diagnosis of Gaucher's disease is established by demonstration of reduced acid beta-glucosidase activity in peripheral blood leukocytes. Genotyping at the glucocerebrosidase gene locus can give additional prognostic information and facilitate carrier detection. However, extreme phenotypic diversity precludes reliable prediction of prognosis in individual patients. Histological diagnosis of Gaucher's disease is unnecessary and can be misleading. A range of clinical, radiological and laboratory parameters are useful for staging disease activity which is central to achieving optimal timing to initiate enzyme therapy. Treatment should be individualized to obtain maximum therapeutic response. The recent introduction of chitotriosidase measurements has provided a valuable indicator of total cellular burden of storage cells. Serial measurements of chitotriosidase activity are useful for monitoring disease progression as well as response to therapy. A number of adjuvant therapies are available for use in conjunction with enzyme treatment. Special considerations apply to management of affected children.

Therapeutic delivery of proteins to macrophages: implications for treatment of Gaucher's disease

BACKGROUND

The primary defect in Gaucher's disease, a lysosomal disorder affecting macrophages, is in the activity of glucocerebrosidase. Treatment with exogenous enzyme (modified to increase its affinity for macrophage glycoprotein receptors) aims to restore this activity. However, the fate of the exogenous enzyme in vivo is unknown. We used radiolabelled enzyme to assess macrophage receptor activity for mannosylated ligands in vivo.

METHODS

We examined the uptake and tissue distribution of radiolabelled enzyme molecules by gamma scintigraphy after bolus injection of iodine-123-labelled recombinant or placental enzyme (imiglucerase and alglucerase, respectively) in eight patients with type 1 Gaucher's disease, and in one healthy individual. The metabolism of the tracer enzyme was followed by scintigraphy and by analysis of blood, urine, and faeces.

RESULTS

The tracer enzyme was rapidly cleared from blood (half-life 4.7 min [SD 1.0]). Concomitantly, there was avid uptake by the liver (about 30% of the injected dose), the spleen (about 15%), and the bone marrow. 40-55% of the tracer was cleared rapidly from the viscera (half-life 1-2 h) and 45-60% was cleared slowly (half-life 34-42 h). The half-life in the bone marrow was 14.1 h. Infusion of alglucerase at dose of 5 U/kg bodyweight normalised acid beta-glucosidase activity of splenic Gaucher's cells in vivo. When the enzyme was administered at a seven-fold higher dose (35 U/kg over 1 h), the receptor-mediated uptake in vivo was saturated, as shown by the increase in blood-clearance half-life of tracer enzyme from 4.5 min to 12 min.

INTERPRETATION

Avid and saturable uptake of modified glucocerebrosidase was found, which indicates high-affinity targeting to the macrophage system in vivo. The rate of enzyme turnover suggests a rational basis for use of this therapy in treatment of Gaucher's disease.