Cerebral vasculopathy in sickle cell anemia: diagnostic contribution of positron emission tomography

Children with sickle cell anemia (SS) have an increased risk for cerebral vasculopathy with stroke (CVA) and cognitive impairment. The present study examines the extent to which adding positron emission tomography (PET) to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can improve the detection of cerebral vasculopathy. Whereas MRI has been the prime modality for showing anatomical lesions, PET excels at assessing the functional metabolic state through glucose utilization 2-deoxy-2 [18F] fluoro-D-glucose (FDG) and microvascular blood flow ([15O]H2O). Forty-nine SS children were studied. Among them, 19 had clinically overt CVA, 20 had life-threatening hypoxic episodes or soft neurologic signs, and 10 were normal based on neurological history and examination. For the entire sample of 49 subjects, 30 (61%) had abnormal MRI findings, 36 (73%) had abnormal PET findings, and 44 (90%) showed abnormalities on either the MRI or the PET or both. Of the 19 subjects with overt CVA, 17 had abnormal MRI (89%), 17 had abnormal PET (89%), and 19 (100%) had either abnormal MRI or PET or both. Among the 20 subjects with soft neurologic signs, 10 (50%) had abnormal MRI, 13 (65%) had abnormal PET, and 17 (85%) had abnormal MRI and/or PET. Six (60%) of the 10 neurologically normal subjects had abnormal PET. Among the 30 subjects with no overt CVA, 25 (83%) demonstrated imaging abnormalities based on either MRI or PET or both, thus, silent ischemia. Lower than average full-scale intelligence quotient (FSIQ) was associated with either overt CVA or silent ischemic lesions. Four subjects who received chronic red blood cell transfusion showed improved metabolic and perfusion status on repeat PET scans. In conclusion, (1) the addition of PET to MRI identified a much greater proportion of SS children with neuroimaging abnormalities, particularly in those who had no history of overt neurologic events. (2) PET lesions are more extensive, often bihemispheric, as compared with MRI abnormalities. (3) PET may be useful in management as a tool to evaluate metabolic improvement after therapeutic interventions, and (4) the correlation of PET abnormalities to subsequent stroke or progressive neurologic dysfunction requires further study.

Severe autoimmune hemolytic anemia associated with IgM warm autoantibodies directed against determinants on or associated with glycophorin A

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Autoimmune hemolytic anemiA (AIHA) is rarely caused by IgM warm autoantibodies, and is sometimes difficult to diagnose. We describe three patients with severe AIHA caused by IgM warm autoantibodies; in two of the three, the hemolysis was fatal.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Conventional hematologic and serologic procedures were used.

RESULTS

The IgM autoantibodies in all three cases were directed against determinants on or associated with glycophorin A (Ena, Wrb, and Pr). The IgM autoantibodies and unusual serological characteristics, in that the agglutinins were detected or greatly enhanced only by the presence of albumin or a low pH, and/or the agglutinins reacted optimally at 20-30 degrees C.

CONCLUSIONS

IgM warm autoantibodies directed at determinants on or associated with glycophorin A appear to cause severe (often fatal) hemolytic anemia.

Early onset of childhood pulmonary lymphangiomyomatosis

The authors present the first case of lymphangiomyomatosis in a pediatric patient. Radiographic findings, biopsy, computerized tomography, and electron microscopy were useful in detailing the presentation of early onset of pulmonary lymphangiomyomatosis. The unusual presentation of this child includes a description of her disease prior to any pulmonary symptomatology and 4 years of follow-up.

Coumarin necrosis, neonatal purpura fulminans, and protein C deficiency

Protein C (PC), a 62,000-molecular weight vitamin K-dependent serine protease zymogen, is a natural anticoagulant that occurs in plasma at 4 mg/L. Activated PC inactivates clotting factors V and VIII and is also profibrinolytic. Activated PC is enhanced in its anticoagulant activity by protein S (PS), another vitamin K-dependent protein. Protein S is found in platelets and endothelial cells as well as in plasma. Inherited PC deficiency and PS deficiency have been associated with venous thrombosis. Both heterozygous PC and PS deficiency appear to be inherited in an autosomal dominant manner in some families. Homozygous PC deficiency presents as neonatal purpura fulminans and results in massive venous thrombosis of the skin and other organs within the first few days of life. Symptomatic heterozygous PC deficiency and PS deficiency have been treated with oral anticoagulants, successfully minimizing recurrence of thrombosis. Coumarin-induced skin necrosis, a rare complication of oral anticoagulant therapy usually seen within three to five days of initiation of therapy, has also been associated with heterozygous PC deficiency. The short half-life of PC (six to eight hours) compared with most of the vitamin K-dependent clotting factors (greater than 30 hours) is the probable reason for this paradoxical response to oral anticoagulants in some PC-deficient patients, since a transient imbalance of procoagulant and anticoagulant factors may exist during initiation of oral anticoagulant therapy. Acquired deficiency of the PC pathway occurs in disseminated intravascular coagulation and possibly other diseases such as those associated with a lupus anticoagulant.