Brain natriuretic peptide as a cardiotoxicity biomarker in children with hematological malignancies.

AIM: Aim of our study was to evaluate BNP as early cardiotoxicity biomarker after completion of chemotherapy in twenty children with hematological malignancies at diagnosis (t=0) and after completion of intensive chemotherapy (t=1). METHODS: Demographic data, underlying disease, cumulative anthracyclines dose, measurement of serum BNP and evaluation of systolic function of left ventricle with ejection fraction (EF) and shortening fraction (FS) in both times . Pathological values for EF and FS were found in 4 (20%) and 1 (5%) patient at t=1, while respective values were normal at diagnosis. RESULTS: Mean BNP values at t=0 were 59.09±19.95 pg/mL and differ significantly from values at t=1 (153.22±29.14 pg/mL) (P=0.04). Mean value of EF also differed significantly (75.42±4.11% vs. 69.87±10.51%, P=0.04). No statistic difference was found regarding FS values at both (P=0.102). CONCLUSION: Present data indicate that anthracyclines related cardiotoxicity is registered in children with hematological malignancies and BNP represents a useful biomarker of myocardial dysfunction.

Epileptic seizures after octreotide administration in a 6.5-year-old female with ALL and L-asparaginase associated pancreatitis: a possible drug interaction.

INTRODUCTION: Octreotide is a synthetic somatostatin analogue which has been suggested for use in the management of acute pancreatitis, though its safety and effectiveness in the pediatric setting has not been extensively studied. CASE REPORT: we present a rare case of a 6.5-year-old female with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and L-asparaginase (L-asp) induced pancreatitis, who developed epileptic seizures, possibly associated with octreotide administration. Her imaging and laboratory findings ruled out a leukemic involvement or infection of CNS. The EEG revealed repetitive sharp waves maximal on the frontal and temporal areas of the right hemisphere. The child was treated with diazepam and she continued with systemic anticonvulsant treatment with levetiracetam. After 2 weeks of conservative treatment, pancreatitis resolved and she continued her chemotherapy protocol. Levetiracetam treatment lasted 8 months. 7 months after the first episode, EEG was reported as normal, and the child completed the chemotherapy protocol without any further severe complications. CONCLUSIONS: Larger and well designed studies are needed to warrant the safety of octreotide in pediatric population.

Management of paediatric sinonasal rhabdomyosarcoma.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Rhabdomyosarcoma is the commonest malignant tumour of the nose and paranasal sinuses in the paediatric population. Due to its rarity and largely unknown biological behaviour, the treatment of this tumour is complex and controversial. We present the results of multimodality treatment of paediatric sinonasal rhabdomyosarcoma, and we explore the role of surgery in the management of this malignancy. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 14 patients (median age 7.5 years) with sinonasal rhabdomyosarcoma. Six patients underwent major surgery with post-operative chemoradiation. Eight patients received multi-agent chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The mean follow-up time was 58 months (range seven to 276 months). RESULTS: The five-year overall survival rates for all patients and for the surgery group were 53.9 and 83.3 per cent, respectively. All patients with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma had a poor prognosis, with a median survival time of 17 months. Intracranial extension and an age greater than 10 years were also associated with an unfavourable outcome. Non- or partial responders to initial chemoradiation died within a year of diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Management of paediatric rhabdomyosarcoma requires a combination of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery. Primary chemoradiotherapy is the established treatment approach for advanced tumours. Early stage tumours with favourable histology can be treated successfully with radical surgery, provided that function and cosmetic appearance are preserved.

Seroepidemiology of hepatitis A among Greek children indicates that the virus is still prevalent: Implications for universal vaccination.

A national cross-sectional seroprevalence survey was conducted in order to evaluate the current seroepidemiology of hepatitis A among 1,383 children, aged 0-14 years, residing in Greece. Stratification of the study population was conducted according to age and area of residence. Sera from study participants were tested for the presence of anti-HAV IgG antibodies. Immigrant children, as well as children residing in rural areas, had lower immunization rates. Among unvaccinated children, the seroprevalence rate of anti-HAV was 17.1%. Nationality was shown to have a marginally significant effect since non-immunized immigrant children had a higher seroprevalence rate (22.4% vs. 15.9%, OR = 1.52, P = 0.064). Significant differences between geographic areas for both vaccination coverage and natural immunity were observed. The study findings indicate that hepatitis A is prevalent in Greece and therefore universal infant hepatitis A immunization should be implemented.

Expression of multidrug resistance 1 (MDR1), multidrug resistance-related protein 1 (MRP1), lung resistance protein (LRP), and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) genes and clinical outcome in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

The aim of this prospective study was to analyze the expression of messenger RNA of genes, such as MDR1, MRP1, BCRP, and LRP, implicated in the mechanism of multidrug resistance (MDR) in relation to the response to induction chemotherapy and relapse and these genes' correlation with each other and with pretreatment laboratory and clinical characteristics. We prospectively studied 49 children (26 boys and 23 girls) with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) (median age, 5.5 years; range, 15 months to 12.5 years) who were treated with the BFM95 chemotherapy protocol. We used bone marrow mononuclear cells from 7 healthy children as controls. The expression of MDR genes and the beta-actin housekeeping gene was detected by the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction with the appropriate primers. The mean expression of each MDR gene was significantly higher in the patients than in the control group (P < .01). We found statistically significant correlations between MRP1 and LRP expression and between MRP1 or LRP expression and MDR1 expression (P < .05). High expression for the MDR1 gene was found in 18 patients (36.7%), and their prognoses were significantly worse than those with low expression (event-free survival, 55.56% versus 86.67%; P = .03, log-rank test). Expression of each of the MDR genes was independent of the initial white blood cell count, immunophenotype, National Cancer Institute risk classification, and prednisone response. Interestingly, MDR1 expression was significantly higher at relapse than at diagnosis for 4 sample pairs. Evaluation of MDR1 expression at diagnosis of childhood ALL may contribute to the early identification of patients at risk of treatment failure.

Serial procalcitonin responses in infection of children with secondary immunodeficiency.

PURPOSE: Procalcitonin has proven to be a sensitive inflammatory marker in non-neutropenic patients. The aim of this study was to determine and compare Procalcitonin with other inflammatory markers in the serum of immunosuppressed children with haematological malignancies; and to assess the predictive value of these mediators in distinguishing between bacterial and non-bacterial infection. METHODS & RESULTS: The study included 37 children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia undergoing intensive chemotherapy. They were divided into 3 groups, A, B and C. Group A consisted of 29 neutropenic children with 94 febrile episodes, group B of 20 neutropenic children with 56 afebrile episodes and group C of 13 non-neutropenic children with 58 afebrile episodes. Serial serum levels of PCT, C-Reactive Protein, Neopterin, Interleukin-6 and NO2/NO3 were all determined on a day-to-day basis for 7 consecutive days. In serum the concentrations of CRP was determined by nephelometry, of PCT by immunoluminescence and of Neopterin, IL-6 and NO2/NO3 by ELISA method. CONCLUSIONS: According to our results the Procalcitonin concentration increased rapidly in patients with microbial infection; the response was detectable within 24 hs of the onset of fever due to microbial infections. Procalcitonin is a specific and sensitive marker of microbial infection in patients with neutropenic fever. The markers, C-Reactive Protein, Interleukin-6 and NO2/NO3 may not help to identify infections and distinguish the etiology of infection in neutropenic febrile children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

p16 inactivation associated with aggressive clinical course and fatal outcome in TEL/AML1-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

The authors describe a 7-year-old boy with TEL/AML1-positive pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia, with hemizygous 9p21 deletion at presentation and no p16(INK4A) protein expression. Despite an initial response to a standard chemotherapy regimen, the patient suffered two hematologic relapses and died 34 months after diagnosis. The authors discuss the possibility that complete p16(INK4A) gene inactivation may adversely modify the prognostic significance of TEL/AML1 fusion in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and present evidence from clinical and in vitro observations in favor of this assumption.

Serum adenosine deaminase and procalcitonin concentrations in neutropenic febrile children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Neutropenia as a state of immunosuppression is probably the major problem in patients suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukaemia undergoing intensive chemotherapy. Fever is frequent in neutropenic patients and often related to infection. Clinically, the presence of infection in patients with neutropenia may be difficult to establish, because there are usually few signs of infection. The aim of this work was to study sensitive markers for early diagnosis of microbial infection in neutropenic children undergoing intensive chemotherapy as a treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. The study included three groups (A, B and C) of children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and neutropenia. Group A consisted of 29 children with febrile neutropenia and microbial infection, aged 1-14 years (5.8+/-2.9), 11 boys and 18 girls; Group B of 38 children with febrile neutropenia without microbial infection, aged 2-14 years (6.8+/-3.1), 14 boys and 24 girls; and Group C of 53 children with neutropenia without fever and without infection, aged 1-14 years (5.9+/-2.1), 21 boys and 32 girls. Blood samples were collected upon admission and before the start of any antimicrobial treatment. The samples were used for blood culture, serological tests, leukocyte count and analysis of levels of C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, total adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity and its isoenzymes, ADA-1 and ADA-2. According to our results the procalcitonin levels and total ADA activity discriminated best between neutropenic febrile (Groups A and B) and neutropenic afebrile episodes (Group C). In conclusion, this study suggests procalcitonin and total ADA activity as two easily measurable and cost effective markers for the assessment of immune response in febrile neutropenic patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Hemangiopericytoma in an adolescent girl: a case report.

Hemangiopericytoma (HPC) is a rare soft tissue tumor The few published reports account for the little information available on its clinical management. Here the authors report the successful treatment of an adolescent girl with rare HPC of the tongue. After incomplete surgical excision of the tumor she was admitted to the Hematology-Oncology Department and was treated with a 3-drug combination regimen (ifosfamide, actinomycin D, vincristine) for 8 weeks. She achieved partial remission in week 9 based on the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)findings. Conventional radiation therapy was initiated at week 9 and continued until week 16. At week 20, according to the MRI findings, she achieved complete remission and continuation therapy was initiated. The young girl has been alive without evidence of the disease for the last 3 years of follow-up. In conclusion, the current report indicates that in cases of incomplete surgical excision of the tumor, chemotherapy and radiotherapy seem to be effective.

Adenosine deaminase activity and its isoenzyme pattern in patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus.

Adenosine deaminase (ADA) is involved in purine metabolism and plays a significant role in the mechanisms of the immune system. The aim of this study was to investigate the activity of total ADA (tADA) and its isoenzymes ADA1 and ADA2 in serum and peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) of children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in different phases of the diseases. The study comprised 34 patients with rheumatic disease, 24 with JRA and 10 with SLE, and 64 healthy controls. The tADA activity and its isoenzymes were measured in serum and PBLs of all patients by the method of Giusti and by the presence or absence of EHNA (erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3-nonyl)adenine) during the active phase of the disease (before treatment), as well as during remission and relapse. Our data show that increased tADA activity in the serum and PBLs of patients with JRA and SLE is correlated mainly to increased levels of ADA2 activity in serum and ADA1 activity in PBLs. It also closely correlates with clinical disease activity and relapse. The cause of this increased tADA/ADA2 activity in serum and tADA/ADA1 activity in PBLs in JRA and SLE remains to be elucidated. Nevertheless, it may be noted that the measurement of tADA activity, together with ADA2 activity in serum and tADA with ADA1 activity in PBLs, could offer a biochemical approach to the assessment of the pathophysiology of JRA and SLE. Also, tADA and its isoenzymes could be used as alternative parameters representing disease activity.

Circulating soluble adhesion molecule levels in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

UNLABELLED: The aim of this study was to evaluate levels of serum soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) and soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin) as parameters of disease activity and to monitor the response to treatment in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). The above soluble adhesion molecules were determined in the serum of 35 children with ALL and 30 healthy children (control group) of the same age range. The samples were obtained before treatment, 6 months after the beginning of the treatment (remission of the disease), 6 months after the end of the treatment and during relapse of the disease. The mean levels of sICAM-1, sVCAM-1 and sE-selectin at the onset of the disease were 646.6 +/- 80.9 ng/ml, 1786 +/- 151.8 ng/ml and 140.5 +/- 17.3 ng/ml, respectively. These values were significantly higher (P < 0.001) than those of the control group, which were, 245.8 +/- 25.7 ng/ml, 798.6 +/- 78.9 ng/ml and 44.7 +/- 18.2 ng/ml respectively. During remission, the mean levels did not differ significantly from those of the control group. After the end of the treatment the mean levels again did not show any significant differences compared to the control group. During relapse the soluble adhesion molecule mean levels (923.9 +/- 110.1 ng/ml, 2945.7 +/- 349.9 ng/ml and 258.2 +/- 5.1 ng/ml) were significantly higher (P < 0.001) than those of the control group and also than those obtained during remission and after the end of the treatment (P < 0.001). Pearson's correlation coefficient r was computed in order to detect possible linear correlations between: (1) sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 (r = 0.632); (2) sICAM-1 and sE-selectin (r = 0.788) and (3) sVCAM-1 and sE-selectin (r = 0.752). All three cases correspond to P < 0.001, thus indicating strong linear correlations. CONCLUSIONS: The levels of soluble circulating adhesion molecule levels can be utilized for monitoring disease activity of ALL and its response to treatment, as well as for early detection of relapse. Strong linear correlations between the three soluble adhesion molecules tested suggest that each of them may be sufficient as an indicator.

Prognostic significance of adenosine deaminase in children with malignancies.

In 33 children, 23 with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and 10 with solid tumors, the phenotype of the enzyme adenosine deaminase (ADA) was detected in the erythrocytes by electrophoresis in cellulose acetate. In all children the ADA enzyme activity was also determined in the plasma by spectrophotometry at the onset of the disease, during remission, at the end of the therapy, and during relapse. The phenotype in all children was ADA1-1. There was a difference in enzyme activity between the mean values of children with ALI and those with solid tumors. There were also differences among the subtypes of ALL and also among the stages of ALL and the stages of solid tumors. In 23 children with ALL the mean value (MV) and the corresponding standard error (SEM) of enzyme activity at the onset of the disease were MV +/- SEM = 60.2 +/- 6.2 IU/L. This was higher than that of the control group (control group: MV +/- SEM = 27.8 +/- 3.3 IU/L). During remission the enzyme activity was lower than that of the control group (MV +/- SEM = 19.6 +/- 1.7 IU/L); at the end of the therapy it was MV +/- SEM = 24.0 +/- 1.3 IU/L, which is close to that of the control group; and during relapse it was much higher compared with the control group (MV +/- SEM = 73.1 +/- 4.6 IU/L). These values are discussed in connection to the leukaemic subtypes. In 10 children with solid tumors the mean value of enzyme activity at the onset of the disease was MV +/- SEM = 48.8 +/- 2.4 IU/L. During therapy it was MV +/- SEM = 32.4 +/- 1.9 IU/L and at the end of therapy MV +/- SEM = 22.1 +/- 2.5 IU/L. The aim of this work is to study the qualitative isoenzyme abnormalities to better understand the biological nature of the malignancies, to distinguish main groups and subsets of ALL and solid tumors on an enzymatic basis, and to identify possible sensitive key enzymes as targets for chemotherapy.

Co-existence of Dubowitz and hyper-IgE syndromes: a case report.

UNLABELLED: A case of a 5-year-old girl is described whose clinical features included postnatal growth retardation, microcephaly and characteristic facial appearance. These are recognized as the main features of the Dubowitz syndrome. Apart from these features, our patient had recurrent infections of the sinopulmonary tract, high serum IgE levels, defective chemotaxis of polymorphonuclear cells and defective antibody response, findings characterizing the hyper-IgE syndrome. The co-existence of these two syndromes is rare and we suggest that this is the first such case in the literature. CONCLUSION: Patients with the Dubowitz syndrome will Dubowitz syndrome will require long-term follow up because there is a considerable risk for the syndrome to co-exist with primary immunodeficiency or for malignancies to develop.