Our data provide strong evidence for humoral and cellular autoimmunity in adult IDDM patients with onset both before and after 40 years of age. However, late-onset differs from young-onset IDDM with respect to Ab profiles, especially a lack of IA2-Ab, and HLA class II types. These findings have consequences for the diagnostic strategy for identifying slow-onset IDDM in individuals after 40 years of age.

Background: Controversies surround various treatment variables for patients with childhood craniopharyngioma such as growth hormone (GH) replacement, which some believe can exacerbate recurrence/progression. We prospectively assessed the risk of tumor recurrence/progression in survivors of childhood craniopharyngioma. Methods: Multivariable analyses of risk factors (age at diagnosis, degree of resection, irradiation, GH treatment and gender) and descriptive analyses of overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) rates were performed in 117 patients, recruited prospectively and evaluated after 3 years of follow-up in the German, Austrian and Swiss multicenter trial KRANIOPHARYNGEOM 2000. Results: We observed a 3-year OS of 0.97 and a 3-year EFS of 0.46, indicating high recurrence rates after complete resection (CR) (n = 47; 3-year-EFS: 0.64) and high progression rates after incomplete resection (IR) (n = 64; 3-year EFS: 0.31). The risk of an event decreased by 80% after CR compared to IR (hazard ratio = 0.20; p < 0.001). Irradiation had protective effects on EFS: irradiated patients had an 88% lower risk of recurrence/progression compared to patients without/before irradiation (hazard ratio = 0.12; p < 0.001). GH treatment had no impact on 3-year EFS rates. Conclusions: Tumor recurrences/progressions are frequent and occur early after initial treatment of childhood craniopharyngioma. A radical resection preserving the integrity of hypothalamic structures appears optimal at original diagnosis. Irradiation was efficient in preventing recurrences/progressions. GH treatment had no impact on the low 3-year EFS observed in our study. However, further conclusions on the influence of GH on recurrence rates have to be refined to long-term follow-up studies of patients with childhood craniopharyngioma.

Our study shows that the breakdown of the blood-ocular barrier as determined by aqueous flare is a major risk factor for PVR redetachment. The laser flare-cell meter is a fast, noninvasive, and safe tool that allows predicting the PVR redetachment risk preoperatively. It provides the surgeon with an estimate to choose those patients who could benefit from intravitreal drugs to prevent PVR.

The Dunhill operation and BST are safe procedures. In case of small remnants, clinically significant recurrence is a rare event especially after the Dunhill operation.

Background In many European countries, patients with a variety of chronical inflammatory diseases are treated with low-dose radiotherapy (LD-RT). In contrast to high-dose irradiation given to tumor patients, little is known about radiobiological mechanisms underlying this clinical successful LD-RT application. The objective of this study was to gain a better insight into the modulation of inflammatory reactions after LD-RT on the basis of endothelial cells (EC) as major participants and regulators of inflammation. Methods Three murine EC lines were cultivated under 2D and 3D culture conditions and irradiated with doses from 0.01 Gy to 2 Gy. To simulate an inflammatory situation, cells were activated with TNF-α. After LD-RT, a screening of numerous inflammatory markers was determined by multiplex assay, followed by detailed analyses of four cytokines (KC, MCP-1, RANTES, and G-CSF). Additionally, the monocyte binding to EC was analyzed. Results Cytokine concentrations were dependent on culture condition, IR dose, time point after IR, and EC origin. IR caused nonlinear dose-dependent effects on secretion of the proinflammatory cytokines KC, MCP-1, and RANTES. The monocyte adhesion was significantly enhanced after IR as well as activation. Conclusions The study shows that LD-RT, also using very low radiation doses, has a clear immunomodulatory effect on EC as major participants and regulators of inflammation.