Utilidad de la terapia intracoronaria con células progenitoras en pacientes con miocardiopatía dilatada: ¿puente o alternativa al trasplante cardiaco? / Usefulness of intracoronary therapy with progenitor cells in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy: Bridge or alternative to heart transplantation?

Introducción y objetivos: Recientemente, algunas publicaciones pediátricas han planteado la utilidad de la terapia intracoronaria con células progenitoras autólogas (CPA) derivadas de la médula ósea en niños con miocardiopatía dilatada (MCD) e insuficiencia cardiaca. Describimos la utilidad de este tratamiento en dos lactantes con MCD e insuficiencia cardiaca grave, que habían sido trasladados a nuestro centro para valoración de trasplante cardiaco. Pacientes y métodos: El primer paciente es un varón de 3 meses de edad y 4 kg de peso. El segundo es un varón de 4 meses de edad y 5 kg de peso. En el momento del ingreso, ambos presentan mala situación clínica (NYHA IV), dilatación y disfunción sistólica grave (fracción de eyección [FE] <30%) del ventrículo izquierdo y marcada elevación de NT-pro BNP, precisando tratamiento con ventilación mecánica e inotrópicos en perfusión IV. Tras movilización con G-CSF durante 4 días, las CPA se obtienen desde la sangre periférica mediante leucocitoaféresis. Se administran por vía intracoronaria, con catéter-balón y técnica de stop-flow, 6,15 x 106 célulasCD34-positivas/kg en el primer paciente, y 10,55 x 106 células CD34-positivas/kg en el segundo. Resultados: Ya en la primera semana tras el procedimiento, la situación clínica de los pacientes mejora significativamente y en la ecocardiografía se objetiva una disminución importante de la dilatación del ventrículo izquierdo. Un mes después, también se evidencia mejoría importante en la FE (>40%) y de los niveles de NT-pro BNP, que se mantiene en el tiempo posteriormente. No obstante, en el primer paciente, a los cuatro meses del tratamiento, el ventrículo izquierdo se dilata de nuevo y empeora discretamente su función, aunque sin existir repercusión clínica significativa. Conclusiones: La terapia intracoronaria con CPA puede suponer una alternativa terapéutica en niños, especialmente de corta edad, con MCD y fallo cardiaco, pudiendo disminuir la mortalidad en lista, mejorar su situación clínica y ofrecer mayor tiempo de espera para recibir un órgano idóneo o, incluso, hacer innecesario el trasplante(AU)

Introduction and objectives: Some paediatric publications have recently raised the value of intracoronary therapy with autologous bone marrow-derived progenitor cells (APCs) in children with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and heart failure. We describe the usefulness of this treatmen tin two infants with severe DCM and heart failure, who had been transferred to our hospital for cardiac transplant evaluation. Patients and methods: The first patient was a 3 months old male weighing 4 kg. The second was a 4 months old male weighing 5 kg. At the time of admission, both were in poor clinical condition (NYHA IV), with severe dilation and systolic dysfunction (ejection fraction [EF] <30%)of the left ventricle and marked elevation of NT-pro BNP, requiring treatment with mechanical ventilation and inotropic iv infusion. After mobilization with G-CSF for 4 days, APCs were obtained from peripheral blood by leukocytapheresis, administering them by a slow intracoronary bolus injection using a stop-flow technique (6.15x106 CD34-positive cells/Kg in the first patient, and 10.55x106 CD34-positive cells/Kg in the second). Results: Since the first week after the procedure, clinical status of patients improved and echocardiography showed a decrease in left ventricular dilation. A month later, there was a significant improvement in EF (> 40%) and NT-pro BNP levels, subsequently maintained throughout the follow-up. However, four months later in the first patient, the left ventricle dilated again and its function slightly worsened, but without any significant impact in his clinical status. Conclusions: Intracoronary therapy with APCs can be an alternative in children, especially infants, with DCM and heart failure. It can reduce the waiting list mortality, improve clinical status and provide more time on the waiting list to receive a suitable organ, or even to make transplantation unnecessary (AU)

[Usefulness of intracoronary therapy with progenitor cells in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy: Bridge or alternative to heart transplantation?]. / Utilidad de la terapia intracoronaria con células progenitoras en pacientes con miocardiopatía dilatada: ¿puente o alternativa al trasplante cardiaco?

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Some paediatric publications have recently raised the value of intracoronary therapy with autologous bone marrow-derived progenitor cells (APCs) in children with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and heart failure. We describe the usefulness of this treatment in two infants with severe DCM and heart failure, who had been transferred to our hospital for cardiac transplant evaluation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The first patient was a 3 months old male weighing 4 kg. The second was a 4 months old male weighing 5 kg. At the time of admission, both were in poor clinical condition (NYHA IV), with severe dilation and systolic dysfunction (ejection fraction [EF]<30%) of the left ventricle and marked elevation of NT-proBNP, requiring treatment with mechanical ventilation and inotropic iv infusion. After mobilization with G-CSF for 4 days, APCs were obtained from peripheral blood by leukocytapheresis, administering them by a slow intracoronary bolus injection using a stop-flow technique (6.15x106 CD34-positive cells/Kg in the first patient, and 10.55x106 CD34-positive cells/Kg in the second). RESULTS: Since the first week after the procedure, clinical status of patients improved and echocardiography showed a decrease in left ventricular dilation. A month later, there was a significant improvement in EF (> 40%) and NT-proBNP levels, subsequently maintained throughout the follow-up. However, four months later in the first patient, the left ventricle dilated again and its function slightly worsened, but without any significant impact in his clinical status. CONCLUSIONS: Intracoronary therapy with APCs can be an alternative in children, especially infants, with DCM and heart failure. It can reduce the waiting list mortality, improve clinical status and provide more time on the waiting list to receive a suitable organ, or even to make transplantation unnecessary.

[Cases of neurological symptoms associated with star anise consumption used as a carminative]. / Casos de enfermedad de sintomatología neurológica asociados al consumo de anís estrellado empleado como carminativo.

BACKGROUND: Since March 2000, a series of infants with serious gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms have been observed in Spain. These symptoms were suspected to be associated with the use of star anise infusion. We performed an epidemiological study to determine the characteristics of these patients and to evaluate the association between the symptoms and anise consumption. METHOD: From February to September 2001, a matched case-control study (1:2) was performed among infants aged less than 3 months admitted to the pediatric emergency departments of two hospitals in Madrid. Mantel-Haenszel and conditional logistic regression odds ratios (OR) were calculated to quantify the association and the dose-response relationship. Laboratory analyses of the implicated substances were performed. RESULTS: Twenty-three cases were studied. The mean age was 29.2 days (SD: 25.5). The symptoms observed were irritability, abnormal movements, vomiting and nystagmus. Eighteen cases and 36 controls were included in the case-control study. Nine controls (25 %) consumed anis infusion (consumption was high in five and low in four). The Mantel-Haenszel OR was 18.0 (2.03-631) and the OR for the dose-response relationship was 11.7 (95 % CI: 1.3-188.5) for low levels of consumption and 18.2 (95 % CI: 1.8-183.5) for high levels. Laboratory analyses revealed contamination of Illicium verum by Illicium anisatum. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms the association between the symptoms described and the use of anise infusion. The dose response analyses provide further evidence for the association. Cross-contamination was found between the product and other anise species. We recommend destruction of the contaminated products, avoidance of anise infusions among infants, and dissemination of the results among pediatricians.

Casos de enfermedad de sintomatología neurológica asociados al consumo de anís estrellado empleado como carminativo / Cases of neurological symptoms associated with star anis consumption used as a carminative

Antecedentes: Desde marzo de 2001 se observaron en España una serie de niños, menores de 3 meses, que presentaban sintomatología digestiva y neurológica grave, presuntamente asociada al consumo de anís estrellado. Se inició un estudio epidemiológico con el objetivo de conocer las características de los afectados y valorar la asociación entre el cuadro y el consumo de anís. Método: Estudio de casos-controles apareados (1:2), en niños menores de 3 meses ingresados en las urgencias pediátricas de dos hospitales de Madrid, entre febrero y septiembre de 2001. Se emplearon odds ratio (OR) de Mantel-Haenzel y regresión logística condicionada para cuantificar la asociación y la dosis-respuesta. Se realizaron análisis de laboratorio de las sustancias implicadas. Resultados: Se estudiaron 23 casos. La sintomatología consistió en irritabilidad (78,3%), movimientos anormales y vómitos (56,5%), nistagmo (52,2%) y episodios de desaturación de oxígeno (21,7%). En el estudio de casos-controles se emplearon 18 casos y 36 controles. Nueve (25%) controles consumieron anís estrellado (exposición leve, 5 casos; alta, 4 casos). La OR de Mantel-Haenzel fue de 18,0 (intervalo de confianza [IC] del 95%, 2,03-631) y para la dosis-respuesta de 11,7 (IC 95%, 1,3-188,5) en la exposición leve y de 18,2 (IC 95%, 1,8-183,5) en la alta. Los análisis de laboratorio mostraron contaminación de Illicium verum con Illicium anisatum. Conclusiones: Se confirma la relación entre la enfermedad y el consumo de anís estrellado. La asociación se refuerza en los análisis de dosis-respuesta. Se encontró contaminación del producto con otras especies de anís. Se recomienda destrucción de las partidas contaminadas, no utilizar en lactantes y divulgación de los resultados entre pediatras (AU)