Reticulocyte parameters: markers of early response to oral treatment in children with severe iron-deficiency anemia.

The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of exclusive oral iron supplementation (iron sulphate 2 mg/kg/die) in asymptomatic children with severe iron-deficiency anemia [median hemoglobin (Hb) level before treatment 6.3 g/dL; range 4.5 to 7 g/dL] and to investigate the accuracy of Hb, reticulocyte hemoglobin content (CHr), and absolute reticulocyte count (ARC) as markers for monitoring early response to treatment. The increase in ARC and CHr was statistically significant at day +3. There was a significant association between suitable logarithmic functions of the percentage increase in CHr and ARC at day +3 and the fraction of required Hb increase compared with baseline to reach the mean reference value for age and sex at day +14. If these results are confirmed in a larger population, ARC and CHr could be considered affordable and widely available markers to detect early responders to oral iron therapy, and to switch unresponsive children to parenteral iron supplementation or transfusion.

Efficacy of combined intravenous immunoglobulins and steroids in children with primary immune thrombocytopenia and persistent bleeding symptoms.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the combined administration of intravenous immunoglobulins and steroids as a second-line therapy in 34 children with primary immune thrombocytopenia and persistent, symptomatic bleeding. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Combined therapy (intravenous immunoglobulins 0.4 g/kg daily on days 1 and 2, and methylprednisolone 20 mg/kg daily on days 1-3) was administered to 12 patients with newly diagnosed ITP who did not respond to the administration of a single therapy (either intravenous immunoglobulins or steroids) and to 22 children with persistent and chronic disease who required frequent administrations (i.e. more frequently than every 30 days) of either immunoglobulins or steroids (at the same standard dosages) in order to control active bleeding. RESULTS: A response (i.e. platelet count >50×10(9)/L and remission of active bleeding) was observed in 8/12 (67%) patients with newly diagnosed ITP. The clinical presentation of responders and non-responders did not differ apparently. Patients in the chronic/persistent phase of disease had a significantly longer median period of remission from symptoms compared with the previous longest period of remission (p=0.016). The treatment was well tolerated. DISCUSSION: Our data suggest that the combined approach described is a well-tolerated therapeutic option for children with primary immune thrombocytopenia and persistent bleeding symptoms that can be used in both emergency and/or maintenance settings.

Successful use of antihistamines in severe hypereosinophilia.

Eosinophilia is common in childhood, and in most cases it is mild and of limited clinical relevance, being often secondary to allergy or infections. In rare cases, eosinophilia may be idiopathic or related to neoplastic aetiology. When severe and protracted, it can cause potentially irreversible organ or system damage, whose prevention is the first priority in the clinical management of hypereosinophilia. We describe the case of a patient with very severe eosinophilia, in whom antihistamines proved to be effective and safe in contributing to the eosinophil count normalization, thus avoiding the use of steroids until the hypothesis of an underlying neoplastic disorder was reasonably excluded.