Browsing by Author "Ostojić, Gordana (55553738583)"

Introduction. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated disease of the central nervous system that affects young individuals and leads to severe disability. High dose immunoablation followed by autologous hemopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) has been considered in the last 15 years as potentialy effective therapeutic approach for agressive MS. The most recent long-time follow-up results suggest that AHSCT is not only effective for highly aggressive MS, but for relapsing-remitting MS as well, providing long-term remission, or maybe even cure. We presented a 10-year follow-up of the first MS patient being treated by immunoablation therapy and AHSCT. Case report. A 27-year-old male experienced the first symptoms-intermitent numbness and paresthesia of arms and legs of what was treated for two years by psychiatrist as anxiety disorder. After he developed severe paraparesis he was admitted to the Neurology Clinic and diagnosed with MS. Our patient developed aggressive MS with frequent relapses, rapid disability progression and transi-tion to secondary progressive form 6 years after MS onset [the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) 7.0 Ambulation Index (AI) 7]. AHSCT was performed, cyclophosphamide was used for hemopoietic stem cell mobilization and the BEAM protocol was used as conditionig regimen. No major adverse events followed the AHSCT. Neurological impairment improved, EDSS 6.5, AI 6 and during a 10-year follow-up remained unchanged. Brain MRI follow-up showed the absence of gadolinium enhancing lesions and a mild progression of brain atrophy. Conclusion. The patient with rapidly evolving, aggressive, noninflammatory MS initialy improved and remained stable, without disability progression for 10 years, after AHSCT. This kind of treatment should be considered in aggressive MS, or in disease modifying treatment nonresponsive MS patients, since appropriately timed AHSCT treatment may not only prevent disability progression but reduce the achieved level of disability, as well. © 2016, Institut za Vojnomedicinske Naucne Informacije/Documentaciju. All rights reserved.

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Background/Aim. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) 2019 infection represents a global problem. At this moment, in October 2020, there is no vaccine or efficient treatment for infected patients. Treatment with blood plasma rich with anti-SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies might be a safe, and effective therapy for COVID-19 patients. Methods. A total of 768 patients were analyzed in this study, whose samples were collected in a time interval from May 1, 2020, till August 15, 2020. Patients were enrolled in the study from COVID-19 hospitals and out-clinics. In-house ELISA tests were developed to measure the concentration of anti-S1S2 spike and anti-nucleoprotein (np) (IgG, IgA, IgM) SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Blood convalescent plasma was selectively collected from recovered patients according to specific antibodies concentration. Results. The highest concentrations of anti-S1S2 spike or anti-np specific IgG antibodies were detected in patients with the moderate/heavy clinical form of the infection. An extremely high concentration of anti-S1S2 spike IgG and anti-np IgG was demonstrated in 3% and 6% of patients who recovered from severe COVID-19, respectively. Of tested hospitalized patients, 63% and 51% had modest levels of anti-S1S2 spike and anti-np, respectively. After 60 days, in our selected donors, concentrations of antiS1S2 spike IgG and anti-np IgG antibodies increased in 67% and 58% of donors, respectively. Conclusion. In-house developed ELISA tests enable a novel protocol for selecting convalescent blood plasma donors recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection. © 2022 Inst. Sci. inf., Univ. Defence in Belgrade. All rights reserved.