No abstract

CD30 is a cell surface receptor expressed in classical Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), and many other lymphomas to a variable degree. It has been identified as an important therapeutic target in lymphoma. Areas covered: CD30 testing is essential in diagnosis of classical HL and ALCL, and expression can also be seen in other lymphoma subtypes. Development of Brentuximab vedotin (BV), an antibody-drug conjugate directed to CD30, has been an important advance in lymphoma treatment. It is approved in treatment of relapsed HL and ALCL, as well as post-transplant maintenance for HL, and has been shown to be effective in other CD30-expressing lymphomas. This review describes the role of CD30 and the use of CD30-targeted agents in HL, ALCL, and other lymphomas, including review of relevant trials of BV. Expert commentary: Recognition of CD30 expression in lymphoma has led to the development of important therapeutic options. Multiple trials are ongoing combining BV with other agents, such as chemotherapy or immunotherapy, to develop more effective regimens. In addition, treatments targeting CD30 in different ways are being developed, such as bispecific antibodies and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells.

Background and hypothesis The role of smoking as a risk factor for group B streptococcal (GBS) colonization in women during pregnancy has not been previously adequately explored. We hypothesized that women of term or near term neonates who smoked during pregnancy were more likely to have GBS colonization than their non-smoking counterparts. Methods The electronic health records (EHRs) of a convenience sample of women delivering in an inner-city university tertiary care center were reviewed. The outcome variable of interest was maternal GBS colonization during pregnancy. The primary independent variable of interest was tobacco smoking during pregnancy, determined from the EHRs by the number of cigarettes smoked during gestation. Descriptive statistics were conducted and categorical data were compared by the Fischer's exact test. Multiple logistic regression analysis was further conducted to determine the independent impact of tobacco smoke exposure on GBS colonization. Results The prevalence of maternal GBS colonization was 35% among the study population. In the univariate analyses, factors associated with maternal GBS colonization were tobacco smoking during pregnancy (P of trend <0.001), Race (P<0.001), maternal age <20 years (P = 0.006), low birthweight <2500 gm (P = 0.020), maternal drug use (P = 004), and gestational age <37 (P = 0.041). In a multiple logistic regression analysis, tobacco smoking during pregnancy remained the most significant predictor of GBS colonization. Women who smoked during pregnancy were more than twice more likely to be colonized than their non-smoking counterparts (OR = 2.6; 95% CI = 1.5-4.6; p<0.001). Maternal age was the only other

Objective: To describe the effect of interventions designed to improve patient identification (PI) during pathology collection in the ED. Methods: A prospective before-andafter intervention study was conducted between June 2009 and June 2010 in a regional ED in Queensland, Australia. Interventions aimed to improve PI and specimen labelling, and consisted of: (i) education alone; and (ii) education plus an armband scanner that voice-prompted collector behaviour. Main outcomes measured included: frequency of correct key behaviours (KBs) during specimen collection, pathology integrity errors and cost of interventions. Results: Data from 282 ED pathology collections were analysed (before: n = 115, after with education: n = 95, after with education plus armband scanner: n = 72). KBs for PI and labelling improved significantly following education plus armband scanner use. Application of armbands before sample collection increased (36% vs 90%, P < 0.001), as did asking the patient to state their name (25% vs 93%, P < 0.001) and date of birth (22% vs 93%, P < 0.001). These results were similar, albeit less pronounced, when the effect of education only was assessed. No primary patient misidentification was detected in this small study. The annual costs for a hospital to adopt the education programme with and without the armband scanner were $104 045 and $5330 respectively. Conclusion: ED staff had poor behaviours for identifying patients and labelling pathology specimens before intervention. These safety behaviours were considered an assumed skill. Education alone improved critical KBs markedly that was further augmented by the armband scanner. The cost to adopt education alone is relatively low compared to the addition of armband scanner technology.

A 29-year-old man, who recently emigrated from India, presented with a 2-week history of abdominal pain, as well as nausea, constipation, and fatigue. He underwent removal of a parathyroid adenoma 6 weeks prior to admission and received a locally made Indian traditional medicine (Ayurveda) for pain control; however, this information was not initially available. He was instructed to take approximately 15 g/day. Initial evaluation revealed a normocytic anemia, but other workup including imaging and endoscopy was unrevealing. Given his recent use of Ayurvedic medicines, we tested for lead poisoning and found a blood lead level of 72 mcg/dl. We sent his medicine for analysis and found it had a high lead concentration of 36,000 mcg/g, which is over 25,000 times the maximum daily dose. He improved with cessation of the medicine and treatment with succimer. Lead poisoning can present with a variety of nonspecific signs and symptoms, including abdominal pain and anemia. Ayurvedic medicines, as well as traditional medicines from other cultures, may be a source of lead or other heavy metals. It is essential for physicians to be aware of adverse effects of Ayurvedic medicines as they are easily available and increasing in popularity.