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Purpose This retrospective study evaluated the effectiveness and tolerability in clinical practice of an L-proline-stabilized 10 % intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG; Privigen®) in patients with primary (PID) or secondary immunodeficiency (SID). Methods Pati

Purpose: To find out if millimeter waves can decrease experimental pain response in mice using cold water tail flick test. Materials and methods: Male Swiss albino mice (15 mice per group) were exposed to continuous millimeter waves at a frequency of 61.22 GHz with incident power densities (IPD) ranging from 0.15 to 5.0 mW/cm[sup 2] for 15 min or sham exposed. Latency of tail withdrawal in a cold water (1 +/- 0.5°C) tail flick test was measured before the exposure (baseline) and then four times after the exposure with 15 min breaks. Results: The mean latency of the tail flick response in mice exposed to millimeter waves was more than twice that of sham-exposed controls (p < 0.05). This effect was proportional to the power of millimeter waves and completely disappeared at an IPD level of 0.5 mW/cm[sup 2]. Pretreatment of mice with the opioid antagonist naloxone (1 mg/kg i.p.) blocked the effect of millimeter waves. Conclusions: Results suggest that the antinociceptive effect of millimeter waves is mediated through endogenous opioids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract. BALB/c mice were injected ip with either ketamine 80 mg/kg or chloral hydrate 450 mg/kg. Anaesthetized mice were exposed to unmodulated electromagnetic millimeter waves at the frequency of 61.22 GHz with a peak specific absorption rate of 420 W/kg and corresponding incident power density of 15 mW/cm -2 for 15 min or sham-exposed. In combination with either of the anaesthetics used, mm waves increased the duration of anaesthesia by approximately 50% ( p 0.05) in a dose (power)dependent manner. Sham exposure to mm waves did not affect the sleeping time of mice. Pretreatment of mice with naloxone, an opioid antagonist, did not change the duration of anaesthesia caused by the corresponding chemical agent, but completely blocked or decreased the additional effect of mm waves. The data in this study indicates that exposure of mice to mm waves in vivo releases endogenous opioids or enhances the activity of opioid signalling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: IgPro20 (Hizentra®), a 20% subcutaneous immunoglobulin G (IgG), is an effective treatment for patients with primary immunodeficiencies with impaired IgG production. Flexible dosing regimens of IgPro20 have been supported by pharmacokinetic (PK) modeling and simulation. This study further describes the PK characteristics of serum IgG concentrations after weekly and biweekly administration of IgPro20 and compares predicted and actual serum IgG data using a previously-developed population PK (popPK) model., Methods: A popPK model was developed by combining data from a previously-published model with data from a Phase 4 study (IgPro20&#95;4005). An external validation of the original model using dosing, demographics, and historic endogenous serum IgG concentrations from patients enrolled in study IgPro20&#95;4005 was performed. This dataset was then simulated 300 times and predicted serum IgG PK characteristics compared with the observed data., Results: A total of 173 patients (156 unique patients from original model and 17 patients from study IgPro20&#95;4005) provided 4078 observations of serum IgG concentrations. The popPK estimates obtained demonstrated a clearance (% inter-individual variability) of 0.138 L/day (35%), volume of central compartment of 3.95 L (78.6%), inter-compartmental clearance of 0.260 L/day (56%), and volume of peripheral compartment of 4.44 L. Validation results indicated that observed serum IgG concentration vs time data fell within the 90% prediction intervals for median, 25th, and 75th percentiles of the simulated IgG concentration time courses., Conclusions: The present analysis validated the ability of the previously published popPK model to predict serum IgG concentration time profiles after biweekly subcutaneous IgPro20 administration., (Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Primary immunodeficiency diseases (PIDDs) are a heterogenous group of disorders characterized by intrinsic impairment in the immune system. Most patients with PIDD require life-long immunoglobulin G replacement therapy, which has been shown to reduce the rate of infections and, related hospitalizations and reduce health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Here, treatment satisfaction and HRQOL in patients with PIDD was evaluated upon switching from intravenous (IVIG) or subcutaneous immunoglobulins (SCIGs) to 20% SCIG (Hizentra®), and during long-term steady-state Hizentra® treatment., Methods: Analyses were based on two pivotal (switch) and four extension/follow-up (maintenance) Phase III studies of Hizentra® conducted in Europe (EU), Japan (JP), and the United States (US). Two validated questionnaires were used: Life Quality Index (LQI) for assessment of IgG-specific perceptions of HRQOL and Short Form 36 version 2 (SF-36v2)., Results: In the EU and JP switch studies, there was significant and meaningful improvement from Screening in LQI domain scores at all time points, largely driven by patients switching from IVIG to SCIG. In the EU switch study, there were also significant increases in mean SF-36v2 domain scores for Physical Function and General Health from Screening to Week 12. These improvements were observed also at Week 24. Overall, LQI and SF-36v2 domain scores were generally sustained in the maintenance studies., Conclusions: These results showed that switching patients from IVIG to SCIG improves patient self-reported health status and IgG-specific HRQOL perception. The maintenance studies generally showed no deterioration of this improved health status over a long follow-up period.

Background: Increased estrogen levels during pregnancy can exacerbate hereditary angioedema (HAE), yet disease and treatment ramifications remain poorly studied in pregnant women., Objective: Data from the international Berinert Patient Registry were used to evaluate outcomes of pregnancies exposed to plasma-derived, pasteurized, nanofiltered C1-inhibitor concentrate (pnfC1-INH) during routine HAE management., Methods: This observational registry, conducted between 2010 and 2014 at 30 U.S. and 7 European sites, gathered data on 318 subjects and 15,000 pnfC1-INH infusions. Whenever possible, the subjects who used pnfC1-INH during pregnancy were followed up to term to assess neonatal outcomes and to collect maternal adverse events (AE) that occurred up to 1 month after pnfC1-INH administration., Results: The registry data base included 11 pregnancies in 10 subjects who used pnfC1-INH for HAE attack treatment and/or prophylaxis (>261 doses during pregnancy). Eight pregnancies concluded in the birth of a healthy baby. Of the remaining three pregnancies: one was voluntarily terminated at 9 weeks of gestation; a second ended as a first-trimester spontaneous abortion 1 week after the subject's most recent pnfC1-INH infusion and was considered unrelated to pnf-C1INH treatment; and the third occurred in a subject who exited the registry approximately 2 months before her due date, with no further follow up. As assessed for 30 days after each pnfC1-INH infusion, there were no AEs that were considered related to pnfC1-INH therapy., Conclusion: Administration of pnfC1-INH during pregnancy was generally safe and not associated with any treatment-related AEs. In all registry pregnancies followed up to term, the birth of a healthy baby was reported.

Background: The plasma-derived, pasteurized, nanofiltered C1-inhibitor concentrate (pnfC1-INH) is approved in the United States as an intravenous (IV) on-demand treatment for hereditary angioedema (HAE) attacks, and, in Europe, as on demand and short-term prophylaxis., Objective: This analysis evaluated Berinert Patient Registry data regarding IV pnfC1-INH used as long-term prophylaxis (LTP)., Methods: The international registry (2010-2014) collected prospective and retrospective usage, dosing, and safety data on individuals who used pnfC1-INH for any reason., Results: The registry included data on 47 subjects (80.9% female subjects; mean age, 44.8 years), which reflected 4082 infusions categorized as LTP and a total of 430.2 months of LTP administration. The median absolute dose of pnfC1-INH given for LTP was 1000 IU (range, 500-3000 IU), with a median time interval between infusion and a subsequent pnfC1-INH-treated attack of 72.0 hours (range, 0.0-166.4 hours). Fifteen subjects (31.9%) had no pnfC1-INH-treated HAE attacks within 7 days after pnfC1-INH infusion for LTP; 32 subjects (68.1%) experienced 246 attacks, with rates of 0.06 attacks per infusion and 0.57 attacks per month. A total of 81 adverse events were reported in 16 subjects (34.0%) (0.02 events per infusion; 0.19 events per month); only 3 adverse events were considered related to pnfC1-INH (noncardiac chest pain, postinfusion headache, deep vein thrombosis in a subject with an IV port)., Conclusion: In this international registry, IV pnf-C1-INH given as LTP for HAE was safe and efficacious, with a low rate of attacks that required pnfC1-INH treatment, particularly within the first several days after LTP administration.

Background: Limited data are available regarding C1 inhibitor (C1-INH) administration and anti-C1-INH antibodies., Objective: To assess the incidence of antibody formation during treatment with pasteurized, nanofiltered plasma-derived C1-INH (pnfC1-INH) in patients with hereditary angioedema with C1-INH deficiency (C1-INH-HAE) and the comparative efficacy of pnfC1-INH in patients with and without antibodies., Methods: In this multicenter, open-label study, patients with C1-INH-HAE (≥12 years of age) were given 20 IU/kg of pnfC1-INH per HAE attack that required treatment and followed up for 9 months. Blood samples were taken at baseline (day of first attack) and months 3, 6, and 9 and analyzed for inhibitory anti-C1-INH antibody (iC1-INH-Ab) and noninhibitory anti-C1-INH antibodies (niC1-INH-Abs)., Results: The study included 46 patients (69.6% female; mean age, 38.9 years; all white) who received 221 on-site pnfC1-INH infusions; most patients received 6 or fewer infusions. No patient tested positive (titer ≥1:50) for iC1-INH-Ab at any time during the study. Thirteen patients (28.2%) had detectable niC1-INH-Abs in 1 or more samples. Nine patients (19.6%) had detectable niC1-INH-Abs at baseline; 3 of these had no detectable antibodies after baseline. Of 10 patients (21.7%) with 1 or more detectable result for niC1-INH-Abs after baseline, 6 had detectable niC1-INH-Abs at baseline. Mean times to symptom relief onset and complete symptom resolution per patient were similar for those with or without anti-niC1-INH-Abs., Conclusion: Administration of pnfC1-INH was not associated with iC1-INH-Ab formation in this population. Noninhibitory antibodies were detected in some patients but fluctuated during the study independently of pnfC1-INH administration and appeared to have no effect on pnfC1-INH efficacy., Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01467947., (Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Treatment of hereditary angioedema (HAE) in 'older adults' (those aged ≥65 years) has not been well studied. The international Berinert Patient Registry collected data on the use of intravenous plasma-derived, pasteurized, nanofiltered C1-inhibitor concentrate (pnfC1-INH; Berinert ® /CSL Behring) in patients of any age, including many older adults., Methods: This observational registry, conducted from 2010 to 2014 at 30 US and seven European sites, gathered prospective (post-enrollment) and retrospective (pre-enrollment) usage and adverse event (AE) data on subjects treated with pnfC1-INH., Results: The registry documented 1701 pnfC1-INH infusions in 27 older adults. A total of 1511 HAE attacks treated with pnfC1-INH administration were reported among 25 of the 27 (92.6 %) older adults. Among the older adults, mean (standard deviation [SD]) (8.8 [4.1] IU/kg) and median (6.4 IU/kg) pnfC1-INH doses were lower than those reported for 252 'younger adults' (those aged <65 years: 12.9 [6.2], 12.5 IU/kg, respectively). A total of 19 AEs occurred in 8 of 23 (34.8 %) older adults with prospective data, for rates of 0.83 events per subject and 0.02 events per infusion, similar to corresponding rates in younger adults (0.91 and 0.03, respectively). None of the AEs were considered related to pnfC1-INH, and all but two events (prostatectomy, gastrointestinal bleeding) were mild or moderate in severity. Administration of pnfC1-INH outside of a healthcare setting was reported for 1609 infusions in 16 older adults, representing 94.6 % of all pnfC1-INH infusions in this age group. There were no recorded instances of difficulty with self-administration of intravenous pnfC1-INH., Conclusions: These findings suggest a high degree of safety with intravenous pnfC1-INH use in older adults with HAE, regardless of administration setting. Trial Registration Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01108848., Competing Interests: Compliance with Ethical Standards Funding This study was funded by CSL Behring. Disclosures Dr. Anette Bygum has received consulting fees and travel expenses from CSL Behring and Shire; grants and writing assistance from CSL Behring; fees for participation in reviews and speaker fees as a chairperson for Shire; she has taken an unpaid part in educational events with SOBI; and has provided unpaid writing assistance for ViroPharma. Dr. Inmaculada Martinez-Saguer has received consultancy fees and fees for participation in reviews from CSL Behring, Shire, Sobi, BioCryst, and Pharming. Dr. Murat Bas has received grants, consulting fees, honorarium, and travel support from CSL Behring. Dr. Jeffrey Rosch has no conflicts to disclose. Drs Jonathan Edelman and Mikhail Rojavin are employees at CSL Behring. Dr. Debora Williams-Herman was an employee of CSL Behring at the time of study conduct.

Background: The plasma-derived, highly purified, nanofiltered C1-inhibitor concentrate (Berinert; "pnfC1-INH") is approved in the United States for treating hereditary angioedema (HAE) attacks and in many European countries for attack treatment and short-term prophylaxis., Objective: The objective of this study was to describe safety and usage patterns of pnfC1-INH., Methods: A multicenter, observational, registry was conducted between 2010 and 2014 at 30 United States and 7 European sites to obtain both prospective (occurring after enrollment) and retrospective (occurring before enrollment) safety and usage data on subjects receiving pnfC1-INH for any reason., Results: Of 343 enrolled patients, 318 received 1 or more doses of pnfC1-INH for HAE attacks (11,848 infusions) or for prophylaxis (3142 infusions), comprising the safety population. Median dosages per infusion were 10.8 IU/kg (attack treatment) and 16.6 IU/kg (prophylaxis). Approximately 95% of infusions were administered outside of a health care setting. No adverse events (AEs) were reported in retrospective data. Among prospective data (n = 296 subjects; 9148 infusions), 252 AEs were reported in 85 (28.7%) subjects (rate of 0.03 events/infusion); 9 events were considered related to pnfC1-INH. Two thromboembolic events were reported in subjects with thrombotic risk factors. No patient was noted to have undergone viral testing for suspected blood-borne infection during registry participation., Conclusions: The findings from this large, international patient registry documented widespread implementation of pnfC1-INH self-administration outside of a health care setting consistent with current HAE guidelines. These real-world data revealed pnfC1-INH usage for a variety of reasons in patients with HAE and showed a high level of safety regardless of administration setting or reason for use., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: The plasma-derived, pasteurized C1-inhibitor (C1-INH) concentrate, Berinert has a 4-decade history of use in hereditary angioedema (HAE), with a substantial literature base that demonstrates safety and efficacy. Thromboembolic events have rarely been reported with C1-INH products, typically with off-label use or at supratherapeutic doses., Objectives: Active surveillance of safety and clinical usage patterns of pasteurized C1-inhibitor concentrate and the more recent pasteurized, nanofiltered C1-INH, with a particular interest in thromboembolic events., Methods: A registry was initiated in April 2010 at 27 US and 4 EU sites to obtain both prospective and retrospective safety and usage data on subjects who were administered C1-INH (Berinert)., Results: As of May 10, 2013, data were available for 135 subjects and 3196 infusions. By subject, 67.4% were using C1-INH as on-demand therapy and 23.0% as both on-demand therapy and prophylactic administration. Approximately half of the infusions (49.5%) were administered for prophylaxis and >90% were given by the patient or a caregiver in the home setting. A total of 299 adverse events were reported, for an overall rate of 0.09 events per infusion with only 6 considered related to C1-INH. Two thromboembolic events were reported, both in patients with prothrombotic risk factors., Conclusion: This large pool of real-world clinical usage data in HAE further supports the extensive safety profile of 2 Berinert formulations when used on demand and/or for prophylaxis in both home and health care settings. No evidence was found to suggest that Berinert is an independent, causative risk factor for thromboembolic events., (Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Standard treatment for patients with primary immunodeficiency (PID) is monthly intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), or weekly/biweekly subcutaneous immunoglobulin (SCIG) infusion. We used population pharmacokinetic modeling to predict immunoglobulin G (IgG) exposure following a broad range of SCIG dosing regimens for initiation and maintenance therapy in patients with PID., Methods: Simulations of SCIG dosing were performed to predict IgG concentration-time profiles and exposure metrics [steady-state area under the IgG concentration-time curve (AUC), IgG peak concentration (C max), and IgG trough concentration (C min) ratios] for various infusion regimens., Results: The equivalent of a weekly SCIG maintenance dose administered one, two, three, five, or seven times per week, or biweekly produced overlapping steady-state concentration-time profiles and similar AUC, C max, and C min values [95% confidence interval (CI) for ratios was 0.98-1.03, 0.95-1.09, and 0.92-1.08, respectively]. Administration every 3 or 4 weeks resulted in higher peaks and lower troughs; the 95% CI of the AUC, C max, and C min ratios was 0.97-1.04, 1.07-1.26, and 0.86-0.95, respectively. IgG levels >7 g/L were reached within 1 week using a loading dose regimen in which the weekly maintenance dose was administered five times in the first week of treatment. In patients with very low endogenous IgG levels, administering 1.5 times the weekly maintenance dose five times in the first week of treatment resulted in a similar response., Conclusions: The same total weekly SCIG dose can be administered at different intervals, from daily to biweekly, with minimal impact on serum IgG levels. Several SCIG loading regimens rapidly achieve adequate serum IgG levels in treatment-naïve patients.

Purpose: This retrospective study evaluated the effectiveness and tolerability in clinical practice of an L-proline-stabilized 10 % intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG; Privigen®) in patients with primary (PID) or secondary immunodeficiency (SID)., Methods: Patients from 6 centers in Europe and the US were treated with individually determined regimens of Privigen® for ≥3 months. Serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) trough levels, annualized rates of infection, hospitalization and antibiotics use, and the incidence of adverse events (AEs) were analyzed., Results: Of 72 patients, three infants with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) were analyzed separately. The remaining 69 patients (52.2 % male; median age 38 years [range: 0.1-90.0]) with PID (82.6 %) or SID (17.4 %) received a mean (±standard deviation) Privigen® dose of 532 ± 250 mg/kg/month resulting in trough serum IgG levels of 407-1,581 mg/dL (median: 954 mg/dL). Ten patients (14.5 %) experienced 11 serious bacterial infections over 22.0 ± 15.0 months of treatment (0.087 events/patient/year, upper one-sided 99 % confidence interval: 0.170), the most common being pneumonia (11.6 %). The rates for any infection and hospitalization were 1.082 events/patient/year and 3.63 days/patient/year, respectively. Two patients with severe disease accounted for 303 of 460 hospital days. Across all 72 patients, 13 (18.1 %) patients experienced AEs, including 10 (13.9 %) patients with AEs at least possibly related to Privigen®, including headache (8.3 %), fever, and chills (2.8 % each). No related serious AEs were reported. One infant with SCID died due to severe viral infection., Conclusions: Despite the heterogeneous population, effectiveness and tolerability of Privigen® in clinical practice closely matched those reported in clinical studies.

Hizentra(®) (20% subcutaneous immunoglobulin [SCIG]) was administered to subjects with primary immunodeficiency disease in two extension studies in the EU and US to assess long-term efficacy and tolerability. Subjects (aged 4-69 years) were treated for 148 weeks in the EU (N = 40; 5405 infusions) and 87 weeks in the US (N = 21; 1735 infusions). Weekly doses were 116.0 mg/kg (EU) and 193.2 mg/kg (US); IgG levels were 7.97 g/L (EU) and 11.98 g/L (US). Annualized rates of serious bacterial infections were 0.05 infections/subject/year (EU) and 0.06 infections/subject/year (US). Rates of any infection were 3.33 infections/subject/year (EU) and 2.38 infections/subject/year (US). The rate of bronchopulmonary infections was higher in the EU study. No treatment-related serious AEs occurred; no subject discontinued because of treatment-related AEs. Self-administered Hizentra afforded sustained effective protection from infections and favorable tolerability during an extended treatment period of up to 3 years., (© 2013.)

Purpose: Intravenous (IVIG) and subcutaneous (SCIG) immunoglobulin infusions are widely used for the treatment of patients with primary immunodeficiency (PID) worldwide. This prospective, multicenter, open-label, single-arm Phase III study evaluated the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of IgPro20 (Hizentra®; L-proline-stabilized 20 % human SCIG) in adult and pediatric Japanese patients with PID., Methods: Patients received three IVIG infusions at 3-4-week intervals followed by a dose-equivalent switch to weekly SCIG infusions. A 12-week wash-in/wash-out period was followed by a 12-week SCIG efficacy period. The primary efficacy endpoint was the comparison of total serum IgG trough levels during the IVIG and SCIG efficacy periods by calculating the geometric mean ratio (GMR)., Results: The GMR of IgG trough levels on SCIG versus IVIG was 1.09 (2-sided 90% confidence interval: 1.06-1.13). No serious bacterial infections were reported. Eleven patients (52.4%) had infectious episodes with an overall rate of 2.98 infections/patient/year; 7 patients (33.3%) missed school/work/daycare due to infection (3.48 days/patient/year). Sixteen patients (76.2%) were treated with antibiotics for an adverse event (AE; 47.6%) or prophylaxis (23.8%), resulting in 167.42 days/patient/year of antibiotic use. During SCIG treatment, 24 patients (96.0%) had 269 AEs (0.461 AEs per/infusion) including local reactions as the most common AE (20 patients, 80.0%). Local tolerability of IgPro20 was assessed as "very good" or "good" after 85.4% of SCIG infusions. One patient (4.0%) experienced a serious AE of moderate severity (bacterial infection) that was considered unrelated to study medication., Conclusion: IgPro20 was effective and well tolerated in Japanese patients with PID.

Replacement therapy with immunoglobulin G (IgG) given as intravenous or subcutaneous (SC) infusions is the standard treatment for patients with primary immunodeficiency. Due to the life-long need for replacement, increased flexibility in the administration and dosage regimens would improve patients' quality of life. A population pharmacokinetic model that can predict plasma IgG concentrations for various routes, dosage regimens, and patient groups is a valuable tool to improve patient therapy. Such a model was developed based on IgG concentrations from 151 unique adult and pediatric patients who participated in 4 clinical trials of intravenous and SC IgG replacement therapy. Simulations predicted that the same total IgG dose, delivered SC, either in 1 biweekly dose (once every 2 weeks), or in 2 weekly doses, results in IgG peak and trough concentrations that remain within ± 10% of each other throughout the 14-day period. The developed population pharmacokinetic model predicted that biweekly SC Hizentra dosing offers a viable alternative to weekly SC therapy, allowing more flexible and optimized dosage regimens for patients with primary immunodeficiency.

Bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of subcutaneous IgG (SCIG) and intravenous IgG (IVIG) differ. It is not clear if and/or how the dose should be adjusted when switching from IVIG to SCIG. Area under the curve (AUC) of serum IgG versus time and trough level ratios (TLRs) on SCIG/IVIG were evaluated as guides for adjusting the dose. The mean dose adjustments required for non-inferior AUCs with 2 different SCIG preparations were 137% (± 12%) and 153% (± 16%). However, there were wide variations between adjustments required by different subjects, and in the resulting TLRs. In contrast, combined data from multiple studies allow estimation of the ratio of IgG levels with different dose adjustments, and of the steady state serum levels with different SCIG doses. When switching a patient from IVIG to SCIG, individualizing the dosage based on measured serum IgG levels and the clinical response is preferable to using mean pharmacokinetic parameters., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The effects of millimeter waves (MW) on human keratinocytes were studied in vitro using the HaCaT keratinocyte cell line. MW-induced modulation of keratinocyte function was studied in proliferation, adhesion, chemotaxis, and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) production assays. Spontaneous proliferation, adhesion to tissue culture plate, random migration, and IL-8- and RANTES induced chemotaxis were not affected by exposure of cells to millimeter waves under the following conditions: frequency, 61.22 GHz; SAR, 770 W/kg; duration of exposure, 15-30 min. However, MW irradiation resulted in a modest but statistically significant increase in the intracellular level of IL-1beta. These data suggest that exposure of human skin (with keratinocytes being the major component of epidermis) to MW can cause activation of basal keratinocytes resulting in an elevated level of IL-1beta production., (Copyright 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

Unlabelled: We conducted a double-blinded, randomized, cross-over, prospective trial to evaluate the pain relief effect of millimeter waves (MW) under experimental conditions. The cold pressor test was used as a model of tonic aching pain. Twelve healthy male volunteers were exposed to an active medical MW generator and to a disabled sham generator with at least 24 h between exposures. Characteristics of continuous-wave electromagnetic output from the active generator were: wavelength 7.1 mm, incident power density 25 +/- 5 mW/cm2, and duration of exposure 30 min. MW produced a significant (P < 0.05) suppression of pain sensation, with an average 37.7% gain in pain tolerance and a 49.3% increase in pain sensitivity range (the latter being the difference between pain tolerance and pain threshold values). Of the 12 volunteers, 7 (58.3%) reacted to the active MW generator with an increased pain tolerance, and the individual reactions varied from 120% to 315% comparison with their own preexposure levels. MW therapy can potentially be used as a supplementary or alternative treatment for pain relief., Implications: Pain management is still a significant medical problem. In a double-blinded, experimental setting, we confirmed that low-intensity millimeter wave therapy can reduce pain sensitivity in healthy human volunteers and can potentially be used as a supplementary or alternative treatment for pain relief.

Cyclophosphamide 100 mg/kg i.p. increased the duration of ketamine-induced anesthesia in BALB/c mice by 39%. However, combined action of these two substances did not change the number of splenocytes, proliferation of T cells, or phagocytic activity of murine peritoneal macrophages against Candida albicans.

Bacterial cells of the strain Escherichia coli K12 were exposed to millimeter electromagnetic waves (mm waves) with and without additional exposure to ultraviolet light lambda = 254 nm (UVC). The mm waves were produced by a medical microwave generator emitting a 4-GHz-wide band around a 61 GHz center frequency and delivering an irradiation of 1 mW/cm2 and a standard absorption rate (SAR) of 84 W/kg to the bacteria. Exposure to the mm waves alone for up to 39 minutes did not change the survival rate of bacteria. Exposure to mm waves followed by UVC irradiation also did not alter the number of surviving E. coli cells in comparison to UVC-treated controls. When mm waves were applied after the UVC exposure, a dose-dependent increase of up to 30% in the survival of E. coli was observed compared to UVC + sham-irradiated bacteria. Because sham controls and experimental samples were maintained under the same thermal conditions, the effect is not likely to be due to heating, although the possibility of nonuniform distribution of microwave heating in different layers of irradiated bacterial suspension cannot be ruled out. The mechanism for this effect appears to involve certain DNA repair systems that act as cellular targets for mm waves.