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Lanreotide injection prior to Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT does not result in decreased tumour uptake. In contrast, tumour uptake was increased, whereas the uptake in normal organs is decreased, leading to an increased tumour-to-liver ratio. However, these differences were small and not deemed clinically relevant. These results strongly suggest that discontinuation of lanreotide injections in the weeks prior toGa-DOTATATE PET examinations is unnecessary and does not compromise nuclear medicine imaging results.

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Evidence is increasing that mitochondrial dysfunction is involved in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a neurodegenerative disease characterized by selective motoneuron death. To study the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in the pathways leading to motoneuron death, we developed an in vitro model of chronic motoneuron toxicity, based on malonate-induced inhibition of complex II in the mitochondrial electron transport chain. Treatment with malonate resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in cellular ATP levels. We observed that motoneurons were significantly more vulnerable to mitochondrial inhibition than control neurons in the dorsal horn. We could reproduce this dose-dependent phenomenon with the complex IV inhibitor sodium azide. The free radical scavenger alpha-phenyl-N-tert-butylnitrone, the AMPA/kainate receptor blocker 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione, and riluzole, a drug that is currently used for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, were protective against malonate-induced motoneuron death. Furthermore, the caspase inhibitors N-benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethyl ketone and z-Asp-Glu-Val-Asp-fluoromethyl ketone were both protective against malonate toxicity. Our model shows that chronic mitochondrial inhibition leads to selective motoneuron death, which is most likely apoptotic.

Background and AimsPatients on home parenteral nutrition (HPN) are at risk for catheter-related complications; mainly infections and occlusions. We have previously shown in HPN patients presenting with catheter sepsis that catheter locking with taurolidine dramatically reduced re-infections when compared with heparin. Our HPN population therefore switched from heparin to taurolidine in 2008. The aim of the present study was to compare long-term effects of this catheter lock strategy on the occurrence of catheter-related bloodstream infections and occlusions in HPN patients.MethodsData of catheter-related complications were retrospectively collected from 212 patients who received HPN between January 2000 and November 2011, comprising 545 and 200 catheters during catheter lock therapy with heparin and taurolidine, respectively. We evaluated catheter-related bloodstream infection and occlusion incidence rates using Poisson-normal regression analysis. Incidence rate ratios were calculated by dividing incidence rates of heparin by those of taurolidine, adjusting for underlying disease, use of anticoagulants or immune suppressives, frequency of HPN/fluid administration, composition of infusion fluids, and duration of HPN/fluid use before catheter creation.ResultsBloodstream infection incidence rates were 1.1/year for heparin and 0.2/year for taurolidine locked catheters. Occlusion incidence rates were 0.2/year for heparin and 0.1/year for taurolidine locked catheters. Adjusted incidence ratios of heparin compared to taurolidine were 5.9 (95% confidence interval, 3.9–8.7) for bloodstream infections and 1.9 (95% confidence interval, 1.1–3.1) for occlusions.ConclusionsGiven that no other procedural changes than the catheter lock strategy were implemented during the observation period, these data strongly suggest that taurolidine decreases catheter-related bloodstream infections and occlusions in HPN patients compared with heparin.