Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura in pediatrics. A case report

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura is a rare disease in pediatrics, but it has a high mortality if not managed in an adequate and timely manner. It is characterized by microangiopathic hemolytic anemia associated with neurological, cardiac, abdominal, and less frequently, renal signs and symptoms; it may be accompanied by fever. In children, diagnosis is based on clinical and laboratory findings. ADAMTS13 activity < 10% supports the diagnosis but does not confirm it and, given its severity, the result should not delay treatment initiation. Here we describe the case of a previously healthy 15-year-old female patient with neurological signs associated with hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia. During hospitalization, she was diagnosed with acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.

[Acute suppurative thyroiditis in a patient with a piriform sinus fistula: A case report]

Acute suppurative thyroiditis is an infectious disease, uncommon in children, caused by various microorganisms, being bacteria the most frequently involved. The typical presentation includes the appearance of a tumor in combination with signs of swelling in the anterior aspect of the neck, which is painful on palpation and is associated with warmth and erythema. It usually moves with swallowing and the patient can suffer fever, dysphagia or dhysfonia. In children, congenital anomalies can lead to the gland's infection, and the surgical excision of them is important to prevent recurrency. A quick diagnosis, based on clinical manifestations and imaging studies, is necessary to install an adequate antibiotic treatment. We present the case of a 3-year-old patient, who was previously healthy, with a painful left cervical tumor associated with fever. During the hospitalization, we reached the diagnosis of acute suppurative thyroiditis caused by an underlying pyriform sinus fistula.

Variation in patient management and outcomes for acute coronary syndromes in Latin America and North America: results from the Platelet IIb/IIIa in Unstable Angina: Receptor Suppression Using Integrilin Therapy (PURSUIT) trial

BACKGROUND

Although more than 9500 patients have been enrolled in major clinical trials in Latin America, practice patterns in this region have rarely been examined. We sought to compare characteristics, resource utilization, and outcomes of patients treated for acute coronary syndromes in Latin America with those in North America.

METHODS

The Platelet IIb/IIIa in Unstable Angina: Receptor Suppression Using Integrilin Theraphy Trial (PURSUIT) enrolled 10,948 patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes, including 585 in Latin America and 4358 in North America. We analyzed regional differences in patient groups, treatment patterns, and outcomes and used logistic regression analysis to identify association of enrollment region and survival.

RESULTS

For patients in Latin America, the length of hospital stay was significantly longer (10 [7, 15] days vs 6 [4, 9], P <.001). Angiograms, angioplasty, and bypass surgery were significantly less common in Latin America (46.2%, 17.6%, and 11.3% vs 79.4%, 33.6%, and 19.4%, P <.001). Thirty-day death/myocardial infarction was not significantly higher, although mortality alone was significantly higher (6.8% vs 3.1%, P <.001). After adjustment for baseline characteristics, enrollment in Latin America remained an independent predictor for death at 30 days (odds ratio [OR] [95% confidence interval (CI)] 2.42 [1.60-3.67]) and persisted at 6 months (OR [95% CI] 2.5 [1.8-3.4]).

CONCLUSIONS

Latin American patients treated for acute coronary syndromes were managed less invasively and were twice as likely as their North American counterparts to die within 6 months. This mortality difference was not explained by imbalances in baseline risk.

[Echocardiographic diagnosis of atrial thrombosis]

Seventy patients with rheumatic mitral disease were studied by M-Mode and 2D echocardiography in order to detect left atrial thrombosis before surgery. Thrombosis were suspected by the observation of abnormal echoes in the left atrium. During surgery 17 (24%) patients had atrial thrombosis. It had been suspected by echocardiography in 12 (sensitivity 70%). In 53 patients thrombosis were not found during surgery; in 46 the echo had been also negative (specificity 86%). There was a false positive detection of thrombosis by echo in 7 patients (14%) and false negativity in 5 (30%). Patients with atrial thrombosis had atrial fibrilation in 91% of cases; and the most frequent valvular disease was mitral stenosis. There was not a direct relationship among existence of left atrial thrombosis and the anteroposterior diameter of the left atrium as measured by echo. We conclude that echocardiography has good specificity to rule out atrial thrombosis and moderate sensitivity to detect it in rheumatic mitral disease.