[Clinical features of hepatitis-associated aplastic anemia in children].

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical features of hepatitis-associated aplastic anemia (HAAA) in children. METHODS: The clinical data of the children with newly diagnosed HAAA from January 2007 to December 2008 were respectively studied, including clinical manifestations, and blood routine, bone marrow examination, viral serology and immune function results as well as treatment and prognosis. RESULTS: A total of 8 children were confirmed as HAAA, accounting for 4.9% in children with aplastic anemia. There were 7 males and 1 female. The median age was 7.5 years (range 4.4 to 10.3 years) at diagnosis. They had negative serologic results and the causes of hepatitis could not be identified. The median interval from hepatitis occurrence to blood cell reduction was 6 weeks. Three cases were diagnosed as severe aplastic anemia and 5 cases as very severe aplastic anemia. Severe T cell immune disorders were found in all 8 cases. The percentage of Ts cells increased and the percentage of Th cells decreased significantly in the 8 children with HAAA. Four children survived after immune suppress treatment, three children died within one month after diagnosis and one child required own discharge without treatment. CONCLUSIONS: HAAA is more frequent in male school children. The children with HAAA have severe T cell immune disorders, with a higher early death rate. Immune suppress treatment is effective.

[Relationship Between the Changes of Regulatory T Cells and Th17 Cells and the Prognosis of Children with Aplastic Anemia].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the correlation between the of regulatory T cells, Th17 cells and the prognosis of children with aplastic anemia. METHODS: The clinical data 13 children with aplastic anemia (AA) treated by antithymocyte globulin (ATG) combined with Cyclosporine in Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2017 to January 2018 were analyized retrospectively. The changes of T cell and Th17 cell expression level in peripheral blood of AA children before and after IST for 6 and 12 month were compared and analyzed. The SPSS 19.0 statistical package was used for data analysis. RESULTS: Compared with the pre-IST, the expression level of Treg cells decreased at 6 months of IST, the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05); however the expression level of Th17 cells did not show significant difference as compared with that pre-IST. The expression level of Treg and Th17 cells at 12 months of IST was lower than that pre-IST (P＜0.01), compared with the level pre-IST, the ratio of Treg cells/Th17 cell at 6 months and 12 months of IST did not show a singificand difference. CONCLUSION: Treg cells and Th17 cells in peripheral blood of AA children decrease after IST, which suggests that the change of regulatory T cells and Th17 cells correlate with the clinical outcome of children with aplastic anemia.

[Advance of Mechanisms and Clinical Applications about Rapamycin for Treating Immune Mediated Hemocytopenia--Review].

Immune-mediated hemocytopenia is a common cytopenic diseases without bone marrow hematopoietic abnormalities, the patient's quality of life is significantly reduced when first-line treatments are ineffective. Rapamycin, possesses a clear mechanism of targeting mTOR protein, can upregulate regulatory T cells and induces apoptosis of specific cells, by regulating the lymphocyte subsets, so as to treat various types of immune-mediated hemocytopenia with a certain therapeutic effect. In this reviews, the action mechanism and clinical application of rapamycin in immune thrombocytopenia（ITP）, autoimmune hemolytic anemia（AIHA）, acquired aplastic anemia and autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome（ALPS） etc. are summarized.

[Study on Immunophenotypes and Gene of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia--Review].

Transplantation-associated thrombotic microangiopathy (TA-TMA) is one of the fatal complications of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation(HSCT). The pathogenesis of TA-TMA has not been fully elucidated. The latest researches show that the abnormal activation of the complement system may lead to widespread endothelial injury which may play an important role in the pathogenesis of this disease. Incontrotable hypertension, proteinuria, increase of soluble C5b-9 concentration and early pericardial effusion are the risk factors of TA-TMA . In this review, the latest advances of pathogenesis, early diagnosis, treatment and other aspects of the progress of TA-TMA are summarized, so as to provide new ideas to early diagnosis and treatment in TA-TMA.

[Research Progress of Desialylation in Immune Thrombocytopenia -Review].

Some patients diagnosed as immune thrombocytopenia(ITP) have poor response to common first-line therapy such as corticosteroid and immunoglobulin. Studies in recent years have found a FC-independent platelet clearance pathway exists, which is characterized by desialylation of platelet surface glycoprotein(GP), recognition and phagocytosis by Ashwell-Morell receptor(AMR) on hepatocytes, independent on Fc receptors of the reticuloendothelial system. The up-regulation of neuraminidase-1(Neu1) expression on platelet caused by various factors, such as cold storage of platelet, septicemia and ITP could desialylate GPs. It has been found that ITP with positive anti-GPIbα antibody mostly has a poor response to first-line therapy and indicated that such antibody may lead to FC-independent platelet clearance. It also has been proved that anti-GPIbα antibody could desialylate GPs on platelet in animal experiments. Researchers have tris to use sialidase inhibitor agent to treat ITP and got a persistent response of platelet. Here, the desialylation of platelet and its role in ITP pathogensis and therapy are reviewed.

Thrombotic storm in a 4-year-old boy with a thrombus in the right atrium.

Thrombotic storm (TS) is a rare disease, especially with thrombus in the heart of pediatric patient. We present a case of a 4-year-old boy, who was diagnosed with TS during his first hospitalization due to lower extremity deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and thrombosis of the inferior vena cava, cerebral, left internal jugular, portal, renal, and iliac veins. He was eventually prescribed with rivaroxaban to control thrombosis after 30 days of successive use of low-molecular-weight heparin, unfractionated heparin, and warfarin, which were demonstrating little effect on preventing thrombosis, and the patient was intolerant to argatroban. While his lupus anticoagulant ratio was slightly above the normal range and no other potential causes such as congenital thrombophilia, severe infection, malignancy, and trauma were confirmed, we suspected antiphospholipid antibody syndrome and prescribed glucocorticoid and rituximab to control the disease. After 36 days of admission, ultrasonography showed recanalization of the former thrombus. One month after discharge, a tumor embolus resembling a mass emerged in his right atrium under effective anticoagulant therapy. During his second admission, he underwent surgical thrombectomy, and pathological examination confirmed the mass to be a platelet-rich thrombus rather than tumor embolus or infection. Considering the suspected antiphospholipid antibody syndrome as the cause of the TS, we prescribed aspirin combined with rivaroxaban to prevent thrombosis. In this case, surgery and pathology shed light on the type of thrombus that emerged from the inferior vena cava and traveled to the heart, which is the possible potential cause of TS. It also changed our therapeutic strategy to antiplatelet therapy combined with anticoagulant therapy to control the disease.

Pharmacokinetic Studies of Factor VIII in Chinese Boys with Severe Hemophilia A: A Single-Center Study.

BACKGROUND: Although much attention has been paid to the pharmacokinetics (PKs) of different factor VIII (FVIII) concentrates in persons with hemophilia A (HA), limited information is available in young boys with severe HA. In this study, we aimed to assess the PK parameters of FVIII products in boys with severe HA in China. METHODS: A total of 36 boys (plasma-derived [pd]-FVIII, n = 15; recombinant [r] FVIII, n = 21) were enrolled between January 2015 and May 2016 in Beijing Children's Hospital. PK characteristics of FVIII products were studied according to a reduced 4-sampling time point design (1 h, 9 h, 24 h, and 48 h postinfusion). RESULTS: The mean FVIII half-life (t1/2) was 10.99 ± 3.45 h (range 5.52-20.02 h), the mean in vivo recovery (IVR) was 2.01 ± 0.42 IU/dl per IU/kg (range 1.24-3.02 IU/dl per IU/kg) and mean clearance (CL) of FVIII is 4.34 ± 1.58 ml·kg-1·h-1 (range 2.29-7.90 ml·kg-1·h-1). We also analyzed the influence of several parameters that potentially modulate FVIII PK. The age was closely associated with FVIII half-life (R2 = 0.32, P < 0.01). The t1/2of FVIII increased by 0.59 h per year. Besides age, von Willebrand factor antigen (VWF:Ag) also was associated with FVIII half-life (R2 = 0.52, P < 0.01). Patients with blood Group O had a shorter FVIII half-life than patients with non-O blood group (9.40 ± 0.68 h vs. 12.3 ± 0.79 h, t = 2.70, P = 0.01). The FVIII IVR correlated with age (R2 = 0.21, P < 0.01) and VWF:Ag level (R2 = 0.28, P < 0.01). CL rates were faster in young patients and in those with low-VWF:Ag levels. CL rates of FVIII are higher in blood Group O versus non-blood Group O persons (5.02 ± 0.38 vs. 4.00 ± 0.32 ml·kg-1·h-1, t = 2.53, P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Chinese boys with severe HA have similar PK values to other ethnic groups and large differences in FVIII PK between individual patients. Age, blood group, and VWF:Ag levels are important determining factors for FVIII CL.

[Pulsed High-dose Dexamethasone Therapy and Its Application in Children with Immune Thrombocytopenia-Review].

Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is the most common immune-mediated acquired bleeding disorders in children. The prognosis of majority of these patient are well, with recent complete remission. However, a few patients are facing the risk of bleeding since they do not respond to the first-line therapy, and need second-line therapy. The present second-line treatments are difficult to be popularized due to their efficacy, side-effects, costs and some other factors. The pulsed high-dose dexamethasone (HDD) therapy with its good effect, small adverse effects and low cost in adults has been used as the first-line therapy in newly diagnosed ITP, which now has attracted the attention of pediatricians. In this review, we briefly summarized the latest progress of pulsed HDD therapy for ITP in children.

[Recent Research Advances on Pediatric Myelodysplastic Syndrome].

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a group of highly heterogeneous, acquired hematopoietic stem/clonal disease, which is characterized by bone marrow dysplasia and high-risk conversion to acute leukemia, and is manifested by single or multi-lineage of cytopenia.The pathogenesis of MDS is complex, and has not yet been fully elucidated. Studies have shown that there are many differences between children and adults MDS.In this article the advances of studies on pediatric myelodysplastic syndrome are summaried.

Infections during induction therapy of protocol CCLG-2008 in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a single-center experience with 256 cases in China.

BACKGROUND: Infections remain a major cause of therapy-associated morbidity and mortality in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the medical charts of 256 children treated for ALL under the CCLG-2008 protocol in Beijing Children's Hospital. RESULTS: There were 65 infectious complications in 50 patients during vincristine, daunorubicin, L-asparaginase and dexamethasone induction therapy, including microbiologically documented infections (n = 12; 18.5%), clinically documented infections (n = 23; 35.3%) and fever of unknown origin (n = 30; 46.2%). Neutropenia was present in 83.1% of the infectious episodes. In all, most infections occurred around the 15 th day of induction treatment (n = 28), and no patients died of infection-associated complications. CONCLUSIONS: The infections in this study was independent of treatment response, minimal residual diseases at the end of induction therapy, gender, immunophenotype, infection at first visit, risk stratification at diagnosis, unfavorable karyotypes at diagnosis and morphologic type. The infection rate of CCLG-2008 induction therapy is low, and the outcome of patients is favorable.

[Relationship between platelet specific antibodies and the onset, clinical manifestation, treatment and prognosis of ITP].

Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an autoimmune hemorrhagic disease. It is considered that production of platelet auto-antibodies was one of the pathogenesis of ITP, first-line therapy including corticosteroid and immunoglobulin could reduce destruction of platelets by inhibiting production of auto-antibodies and blocking Fc-receptor of reticuloendothelial system, but some of the patients were refractory to first-line therapy and have persistent duration of the disease, having worse prognosis and developing into chronic/refractory ITP(C/RITP) . Platelet membrane glycoprotein like GPIIb/IIIa and GPIbα are the most common antigen targets, but first-line therapy was less effective to patients whose anti-GPIbα antibodies are positive. Further studies revealed that the way causing platelet destruction by anti-GPIIb/IIIa antibodies and anti-GPIbα antibodies are different: the former is mainly dependent to Fc-pathway, and the latter mainly cleared platelet by Fc-independent way. Results above indicated that detection of type of platelet auto-antibodies maybe potential to treatment and prognosis of ITP. This article summarizes relationship between platelet specific antibodies and the onset, clinical manifestation, treatment and prognosis of ITP.

[Clinical analysis of recombinant humanized thrombopoietin for treating 25 children with severe immune thrombocytopenia].

This study was aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of recombinant humanized thrombopoietin (rhTPO) for treating children with severe immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). A total of 25 patients with severe ITP who accepted rhTPO treatment for 14 days between December, 2009 and November, 2012 in Beijing Children's Hospital was retrospectively analyzed. The results showed that the median platelet counts of all 25 patients increased from the lowest level 4.0×10(9)/L (0×10(9)/L-10×10(9)/L) to the highest level 71×10(9)/L (14×10(9)/L-439×10(9)/L) on median 11 days (range from 3 days to 15 days). After rhTPO discontinuation, the platelet counts of patients gradually decreased. Complete response rate was 44% (11/25), response rate was 32% (8/25), non-response rate was 24% (6/25) and total response rate was 76% (19/25). The platelet count in the patients who showed complete response to rhTPO therapy reached the highest 112×10(9)/L (43×10(9)/L-439×10(9)/L) on median 12 days(range from 7 days to 15 days). The patients showed response to rhTPO treatment on median 4 days (range from 1 days to 11 days). The platelet count decreased gradually after the discontinuation of rhTPO administration but still significantly higher on 28 days than the level before the treatment (P < 0.05). 12 patients who did not respond to γ-globulin before rhTPO treatment showed response to γ-globulin after the discontinuation of rhTPO therapy. 2 patients showed mild clinical adverse reaction. It is concluded that rhTPO is an effective and safe treatment method for children with severe ITP. It will help the patient smoothly through the dangerous period of severe bleeding, but the platelet count decreases gradually after rhTPO discontinuation. Maintenance treatment is needed to consolidate the curative efficacy.

[Advance in thrombopoietic drugs used in treatment of children's immune thrombocytopenia].

Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is a common acquired hemorrhagic disease. Conventional view considered its pathogenesis as the destruction of platelets induced by platelet associated antibodies, the target of treatment are inhibiting the production of antibodies and blocking the destruction of platelets in reticuloendothelial system, but they are ineffective in part of ITP patients, who transform to chronic/refractory ITP (C/RITP). As to children's C/RITP, the effect of first-line therapy is low, while the second-line therapy isn't effective definitely and has obvious side effects. The safe and effective second-line drugs to prevent disease progressing are urgently required. Recently, a pathogenesis that decrease the platelet production has been confirmed, thrombopoietic drugs, including thrombopoietin (TPO) and its receptor agonist (TRA), are under research and clinical application gradually. Recombinate human TPO (rhTPO) has accomplished Phase III clinical trails in adult C/RITP and tumor children. The Phase III clinical trails of romiplostim and eltrombopag, as the representative of TRA, in adult C/RITP have been performed. There are also two clinical trails of TRA for children's C/RITP, the efficacy and safety have been approved, with the convenience for using. In pediatric population, they have a good clinical application. In this article the research and development of thrombopoietic drugs and their perspective in pediatric clinical use are reviewed.

[Treatment with combined all-trans retinoic acid and anthracycline of 37 children with acute promyelocytic leukemia].

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical features of childhood acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) and to analyze the survival and prognostic factors and efficacy and safety of combined treatment with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and anthracycline. METHOD: The clinical features of 37 children with newly diagnosed APL hospitalized in our center during January 2005 to February 2009 were retrospectively analyzed. RESULT: Thirty percent of patients were at low risk, 43% patients were at intermediate risk, 27% patients were at high risk. Sixty percent of patients had DIC. Retinoic acid syndrome (RAS) was present in 2 patients (6%). Death during induction occurred in 3 patients (8%). Complete remission (CR) was achieved in 83.7% of patients. The patients in high risk group had higher risk than those in intermediate and low risk group (P = 0.029). The time to achieve CR was not significantly different (P = 0.612). Idarubicin had no advantage compared with daunorubicin in time to achieve CR (P = 0.628). Survival rates were calculated using Kaplan-Meier statistical method, and 2 years event-free survival (EFS) rate was 81%, the 2-year EFS rate was 100% for low-risk group, 81% for intermediate-risk group, and 60% for high-risk group. CONCLUSION: Using combined chemotherapy with ATRA and anthracyclines had the following advantages: high CR rate, high long-time survival rate and low side effect. DIC remained the main complication among patients receiving induction treatment. Initial WBC count and platelet count are important prognostic factors which might be useful in prognostication and treatment planning.

[Clinical analysis and follow-up study of Epstein-Barr virus associated-hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in childhood].

OBJECTIVE: To identify the clinical characteristics of and to explore the prognostic factors influencing mortality in children with Epstein-Barr virus-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (EBV-HLH). METHOD: A retrospective study was conducted on 62 pediatric patients with EBV-HLH who were admitted to our hospital between 2003 and 2008. All their medical records were reviewed and analyzed. For each patient, demographic, clinical and laboratory data, genetic findings and outcome information were collected. The patients were divided into two groups: deceased or survived based on the follow-up results. Comparative analysis of the data was done by using independent-samples t test and Logistic multiple and univariate regression. RESULT: (1) Among the 62 EBV-HLH patients, 36 were male and 26 were female. The age of onset ranged from 2 months to 14 years and most of the patients were between 1 and 3 years of age. EBV-HLH occurred mainly in the setting of reactivation (61.3%). (2) All patients exhibited persistent or intermittent fever and cytopenia >/= 2 cell lines. Most of the patients presented with hepatomegaly (83.9%), splenomegaly (72.6%) and lymphadenopathy (69.4%). The main laboratory features showed an elevation of serum ferritin and aminotransferase levels. A reduction in serum albumin was observed and exhibited coagulopathy with hypofibrinogenemia and hypertriglyceridemia in most of the patients. Forty-eight of patients had hemophagocytosis in bone marrow at diagnosis of EBV-HLH. The serum EBV DNA level in 14 of 31 patients with EBV-HLH was in the range of 5.12 x 10(2) - 7.69 x 10(7) copies/ml with a mean value of 10(3.9) copies/ml. (3) Three heterozygous mutations in coding region were found, which resulted in amino acid change (C102F, S108N and T450M) in 3 patients. One patient had compound heterozygous mutations (S108N and T450M) in the PRF1 gene as the background defect and documented familial HLH type 2 (FHL2). (4) During the observational period, 35 of 57 patients (61.4%) died 3 months to 3 years after the onset, while 21 of whom died despite aggressive polychemotherapy, 15 of whom died within 2 months after hospitalization. The deceased patients were more likely to have lower albumin level and more prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time than the survived patients (P < 0.05 for all comparisons). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis revealed that duration of illness >/= 1 month, non-chemotherapy, albumin level < / = 25 microg/L and internal organs hemorrhage were related with the prognosis significantly (P < 0.05 for all comparisons). CONCLUSION: This study revealed that EBV-HLH infection in pediatric patients had severe clinical courses and prognosis was poor and the majority of cases underwent EBV reactivation. The early diagnosis, prompt and proper chemotherapy can improve the survival rate. The duration of illness >/= 1 month, non-chemotherapy, decreases in albumin and internal organs hemorrhage were the risk factors related to mortality in children with EBV-HLH.

Clinical analysis and follow-up study of chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection in 53 pediatric cases.

BACKGROUND: Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection (CAEBV) has been previously reported to be sometimes associated with an aggressive clinical course. The characteristics of CAEBV in Mainland Chinese pediatric patients are largely unreported. The main aims of this survey were to recognize the clinical features of CAEBV in children and to explore its diagnostic criteria and risk factors. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed on 53 pediatric patients (36 boys and 17 girls) with CAEBV who were admitted to Beijing Children's Hospital between 2003 and 2007. All their medical records were reviewed and analyzed. For each patient, demographic, clinical, laboratory data and outcome were collected. Independent-samples t test was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The age at onset of CAEBV was from 2 months to 14.6 years (mean (5.3+/-3.3) years). At the time of onset, 43.4% patients had an infectious mononucleosis-like symptom. Most patients exhibited intermittent fever (92.5%, 49/53), hepatomegaly (81.1%, 43/53) and splenomegaly (77.4%, 41/53). Life-threatening complications including hemophagocytic syndrome (24.5%, 13/53), interstitial pneumonia (24.5%, 13/53), hepatic failure (15.1%, 8/53) and malignant lymphoma (11.3%, 6/53) were also observed. The serum EBV DNA level in 23 patients with CAEBV was in the range of 5.05 x 10(2)-4.60 x 10(6) copies/ml with a mean value of 10(3.7) copies/ml. Many patients with CAEBV generally had continuous symptoms during the observational period. Eleven out of 42 patients (26.2%) died 7 months to 3 years after onset. Deceased patients were more likely to have had lower platelet counts and albumin levels than the living patients (P<0.05 for all comparisons). CONCLUSIONS: The study reveals that CAEBV in Chinese pediatric patients has a severe clinical course and prognosis is poor. Thrombocytopenia and decreases in albumin might potentially be risk factors for a poor prognosis. EBV loads should be measured and tissue should be stained on hybridization probes for EBV-encoded small RNA (EBER) if a patient presents with the known symptoms of CAEBV.

Mutations in the perforin gene in children with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have reported germline mutations in the perforin gene (PRF1) in some types of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). However, the prevalence of PRF1 mutations in HLH in Chinese pediatric patients has not been extensively studied. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of mutations and sequence variations in the PRF1 gene in Chinese pediatric patients with HLH. METHODS: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed with five pairs of primers for the coding exons and the flanking intron sequences of PRF1. Sequencing of PCR products was subsequently applied in 30 pediatric patients with HLH and in 50 controls. RESULTS: Three heterozygous mutations in a coding region were found, which resulted in amino acid changes (C102F, S108N and T450M) in three patients. These mutations were not detected in control subjects. One patient had compound heterozygous mutations (S108N and T450M) in PRF1 as the background defect, and documented familial HLH type 2 (FHL2). One synonymous sequence variant (Q540Q) was observed in one patient but not in the controls. Two SNPs (A274A, H300H) in the coding region were detected in HLH patients and controls, but without differences in the heterozygosity rate between the two groups (P > 0.05 for all comparisons). CONCLUSIONS: We have identified three patients with three heterozygous missense mutations in PRF1; two of those three mutations (C102F and S108N) have so far been found only from Chinese patients. These findings are useful in evaluating the prevalence of PRF1 mutations in Chinese pediatric patients with HLH, and to correlate their genotype with phenotype. Some patients without familial history probably have primary HLH, which should be suspected even beyond the usual age range.