1/12. Acute myocardial infarction as the presenting symptom of acute myeloblastic leukemia with extreme hyperleukocytosis.This case report deals with an unusual leukostatic complication in a 56-year-old woman with acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) and extreme hyperleukocytosis (316 x 10(9)/L) who presented with acute myocardial infarction (MI). After leukopheresis the patient achieved hemodynamic stabilization and rapid neurologic recovery of encephalopathy that had also developed after the infarction. Considering the central role of WBC in the remodeling of post MI myocardial tissue, it was obvious that administration of chemotherapy with its subsequent inevitable pancytopenia could impose an increased risk for further cardiac complications including myocardial rupture. Nevertheless, cytarabine-based induction chemotherapy was initiated 3 days after admission, and she achieved prolonged complete remission. coronary angiography disclosed segmental atherosclerosis, but the only significant obstruction was in the right coronary artery. The patient died with relapsed leukemia 7 years later without recurrence of any cardiac symptoms or signs. autopsy disclosed segmental coronary atherosclerosis involving the LAD (60% obstruction), suggesting that atherosclerosis was a predisposing risk factor. Additional compromise to blood perfusion due to leukostasis had led to this unusual complication of AML involving a major vessel. This is the first documented case of leukostasis causing coronary artery occlusion as well as the first report of successful induction chemotherapy for AML during a myocardial infarction.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = administration (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/12. pulmonary embolism and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura in acute promyelocytic leukemia treated with all-trans retinoic acid.We describe a patient with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) who developed pulmonary embolism (PE) and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) during remission induction all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) therapy. A 44-year-old man was diagnosed with APL and was treated with ATRA. On day 14, he developed PE, and on day 24, he developed TTP. Both PE and TTP occurred in association with leukocytosis due to ATRA administration. The PE responded to dexamethasone and TTP responded to plasma infusion. The PE and TTP remitted, and he achieved complete remission of APL. To our knowledge, there have been no reports of TTP occurring as a complication of ATRA therapy.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = administration (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/12. Intrauterine fetal death caused by pit viper venom poisoning in early pregnancy.Poisonous snakebite is a rare complication of pregnancy. It has been suggested that snakebite poisoning during pregnancy may cause fetal loss. We report a case of intrauterine fetal death after a poisonous snakebite in the first trimester of pregnancy. A 29-year-old pregnant Japanese woman was admitted to hospital after being bitten by a pit viper on her right heel. The patient was at 10 weeks of gestation. In response to the bite, her right leg became extremely swollen, and paralysis of the right oculomotor nerve was observed. Intravenous administration of cepharanthine, ulinastatin, hydrocortisone sodium succinate, gabexate mesylate and antibiotics was started. Laboratory data suggested the presence of rhabdomyolysis. One week after admission, although she improved clinically and symptomatically, transvaginal ultrasonography revealed intrauterine fetal death. No vaginal bleeding was observed. A dilatation and curettage was performed. The patient made an uneventful recovery and was discharged from hospital 17 days after the snakebite. Consistent with other reports, in the first trimester intrauterine fetal death may especially occur when the mother has systemic symptoms, although its mechanism remains unclear.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = administration (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/12. Immediate haemostasis with recombinant factor viia for haemorrhage following Hickman line insertion in acute myeloid leukaemia.Bleeding following Hickman line insertion is not uncommon but can be life threatening, especially in the presence of coagulopathy and thrombocytopenia following chemotherapy. Treatment to control the bleeding can be challenging and treatment options are limited. We present our experience of a patient who had persisting haemorrhage immediately following Hickman line insertion for administration of chemotherapy for relapsed acute myeloid leukaemia. Haemostasis could not be achieved after FFP and platelet administration. A single dose of recombinant factor viia (rhFVIIa) stopped the bleeding immediately, avoiding the need for surgical intervention or line removal. Our experience indicates rhFVIIa may be an effective option for bleeding related to Hickman line insertion.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2keywords = administration (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/12. A case of uterine cervical cancer presenting with granulocytosis.Granulocytosis occurs in 40% of patients with lung and gastrointestinal cancers, 20% of patients with breast cancer, 30% of patients with brain tumor and ovarian cancer and 10% of patients with renal cell carcinoma. Granulocytosis occurs because of production of G-CSF, GM-CSF and IL-6. Uterine cervical carcinoma with granulocytosis as a paraneoplastic syndrome, however, has been rarely reported. We recently witnessed a case of invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix with granulocytosis. leukocytosis developed up to 69,000/microL, and then normalized after chemo-radiotherapy. There was no evidence of infection, tumor necrosis, glucocorticoid administration, or myeloproliferative disease by examination of a bone marrow aspirate when granulocytosis appeared. This phenomenon was probably associated with the secretion of hematopoietic growth factors such as G-CSF, GM-CSF and IL-6 by the tumor. We suggest that, like some other solid tumors, cervical cancer can present with granulocytosis as a paraneoplastic syndrome.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = administration (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/12. The "retinoic acid syndrome" in acute promyelocytic leukemia.OBJECTIVE: To describe a novel complication of therapy with all-trans retinoic acid in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia. DESIGN: Case series. SETTING: Comprehensive cancer center. patients: Consecutive patients with a morphologic diagnosis of acute promyelocytic leukemia who underwent remission induction treatment with all-trans retinoic acid, 45 mg/m2 body surface area per day. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Nine of 35 patients (26%; 95% CI, 9% to 52%) with acute promyelocytic leukemia who were treated with all-trans retinoic acid developed a syndrome consisting primarily of fever and respiratory distress. Additional prominent signs and symptoms included weight gain, lower-extremity edema, pleural or pericardial effusions, and episodic hypotension. The onset of this symptom complex occurred from 2 to 21 days after starting treatment. Three deaths occurred; post-mortem examinations in two patients showed pulmonary interstitial infiltration with maturing myeloid cells. Six other patients survived, each achieving complete remission (five patients with all-trans retinoic acid only; 1 patient with chemotherapy). In six of the nine cases, the onset of the syndrome was preceded by an increase in peripheral blood leukocytes to a level of at least 20 x 10(9) cells/L. Certain therapeutic interventions, including leukapheresis, temporary cessation of therapy with all-trans retinoic acid, and cytotoxic chemotherapy in moderate doses were not useful after respiratory distress was established. However, the administration of high-dose corticosteroid therapy (dexamethasone, 10 mg IV intravenously every 12 hours for 3 or more days) early in the course of the syndrome resulted in prompt symptomatic improvement and full recovery in three of four patients. CONCLUSIONS: The use of all-trans retinoic acid to induce hematologic remission in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia is associated in some patients with the development of a potentially lethal syndrome that is not uniformly accompanied by peripheral blood leukocytosis. Early recognition of the symptom complex of fever and dyspnea, combined with prompt corticosteroid treatment, may decrease morbidity and mortality associated with this syndrome.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = administration (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/12. Persistent CSF leucocytosis associated with intrathecal gentamycin.A case where the administration of intrathecal gentamycin, used to treat a ventriculitis consequent upon a ventriculoperitoneal shunt infection, with a persistent elevation of the CSF leucocyte count is described. In a situation where the number of white cells in the CSF is taken to indicate resolution of infection, it is important to recognise that apparent failure of resolution of infection may be due to the gentamycin itself and not persistent infection.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = administration (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/12. Three cases of oral squamous cancer associated with leukocytosis, hypercalcemia, or both.Three examples of malignant neoplasms primary to the oral cavity and associated with paraneoplastic syndromes are presented. The first case is a squamous cell carcinoma of the maxilla associated with leukocytosis. The second case is a mandibular squamous cell carcinoma associated with hypercalcemia in the absence of bony metastases. The third case is a squamous cancer of the tongue that metastasized to the lumbar vertebrae and right second rib and was associated with both hypercalcemia and leukocytosis. There was no evidence of acute infection or leukemia that could be expected to account for leukocytosis. hypercalcemia in the second case was defined as humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy by biochemical and clinical evaluations. To our knowledge, this is the first definitive report of a carcinoma primary to the oral cavity associated with humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy. In each case, the severity of hypercalcemia, leukocytosis, or both very closely correlated with tumor growth. Surgical excision of the tumors or regression of tumor mass due to aggressive anticancer drug administration resulted in decreases in leukocyte number, serum calcium level, or both. In contrast, recurrence or regrowth of tumors induced further development of hypercalcemia, leukocytosis, or both. It is therefore likely that humoral factors released by these oral carcinomas are responsible for the hypercalcemia, leukocytosis, or both.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = administration (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/12. Increase in white blood cell count and serum sodium level following the addition of lithium to carbamazepine treatment among three chronically psychotic male patients with disturbed affective states.Three male chronically psychotic patients (mean age 33.0 /- S.D. 7.2 years), two with schizoaffective disorder and one with organic affective disorder, received carbamazepine (CBZ) because of affective symptoms (and, in one case, partial complex seizures) refractory to management with antipsychotic drugs. Coincident with CBZ administration (and clinical improvement), hyponatremia developed thought to be due to the antidiuretic effect of this drug. lithium was added to counteract the antidiuretic effect of CBZ. Further clinical improvement ensured, serum sodium levels became normal, and there was an increase in the white blood cell count in each patient. The clinical implications of our findings are discussed.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = administration (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/12. Sweet's syndrome in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.We describe the case of a man, previously affected by B-CLL, who developed Sweet's syndrome four months later the previous diagnosis. Sweet's syndrome was diagnosed by cutaneous biopsy. Neither infections nor drugs administration were demonstrated, in order to explain beginning of Sweet's syndrome. Altered immune responsiveness, as seen in B-CLL, could cause Sweet's syndrome.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = administration (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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