acute thrombocytopenia

BACKGROUND: Endothelial dysfunction links thrombotic microangiopathy to steroid-refractory graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after allogeneic stem-cell transplantation. We aimed to assess if the simple formula-lactate dehydrogenase (U/L) × creatinine (mg/dL)/thrombocytes (10(9) cells per L)-termed the Endothelial Activation and Stress Index (EASIX), might be valuable for the prediction of death in patients with acute GVHD after allogeneic stem-cell transplantation. METHODS: For this retrospective analysis, we analysed a training cohort (in Germany) and three validation cohorts (in Germany and the USA) of patients with acute GVHD who had received consecutive allogeneic stem-cell transplantation...

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Therapeutic anticoagulation is the standard treatment in patients with acute non-cirrhotic portal vein thrombosis (PVT). In critically ill patients, anticoagulation only may not suffice to achive rapid and stable recanalization. This study evaluates efficacy and safety of transjugular interventional therapy in acute non-cirrhotic PVT. METHODS: This retrospective study includes 17 consecutive patients with acute noncirrhotic, non-malignant PVT...

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome is an emerging life-threatening infectious disease identified in 2009. Given high case-fatality rate among patients with severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome, identification of the risk factors at acute phase associated with fatality is crucial for treatment. Therefore, we aimed to meta-analytically evaluate risk factors of fatal clinical outcome of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome. 238 fatal cases and 873 non-fatal cases from 12 studies were included in this meta-analysis...

Murine typhus occurs relatively commonly in southern Texas, as well as in California. We reviewed records of 90 adults and children in whom murine typhus was diagnosed during a 3-year period in 2 hospitals in southern Texas, USA. Most patients lacked notable comorbidities; all were immunocompetent. Initial signs and symptoms included fever (99%), malaise (82%), headache (77%), fatigue (70%), myalgias (68%), and rash (39%). Complications, often severe, in 28% of patients included bronchiolitis, pneumonia, meningitis, septic shock, cholecystitis, pancreatitis, myositis, and rhabdomyolysis; the last 3 are previously unreported in murine typhus...

BACKGROUND: Thrombocytopenia is a frequently encountered phenomenon during intra-aortic balloon pumping (IABP), which may limit its prolonged utilization. The aim of the study was to explore the risk factors and clinical implications of IABP-associated thrombocytopenia in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 222 patients with ACS undergoing invasive treatment strategy supported by IABP. The incidence and risk factors of IABP-associated thrombocytopenia, and the association between thrombocytopenia and relevant clinical endpoints (in-hospital death, bleeding according to the TIMI scale, and thromboembolic events), were analyzed...

Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV) is a well-known virus that belongs to the Herpesviridae family which induces a self-limited disease except in specific cases in particular among stem cell transplant patients. This virus is not known however to trigger atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (aHUS). Here we report the case of a six-year-old boy who was hospitalized with fever and abdominal pains associated to pruritic and vesicular rash, thrombocytopenia and acute renal failure. He was diagnosed with aHUS precipitated by varicella virus...

Q fever is a neglected and potentially fatal disease. During acute Q fever, antiphospholipid antibodies are very prevalent and have been associated with fever, thrombocytopenia, acquired heart valve disease, and progression to chronic endocarditis. However, thrombosis, the main clinical criterion of the 2006 updated classification of the antiphospholipid syndrome, has not been assessed in this context. To test whether thrombosis is associated with antiphospholipid antibodies and whether the criteria for antiphospholipid syndrome can be met in patients with acute Q fever, we conducted a cross-sectional study at the French National Referral Center for Q fever...

A 70-year-old, immunocompromised patient presented to the emergency room (ER) five weeks after she was started on clopidogrel. She complained of skin eruption, mouth ulcers, fatigue, and myalgia over the past two weeks. Labs showed severe hyponatremia, acute kidney injury, rhabdomyolysis, hyperkalemia, and elevated liver enzymes. She was treated with steroids and discharged after her condition improved. However, a month later, she returned to the ER, complaining of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, chills, and shortness of breath over the past two days...

Inherited thrombocytopenia is a topic that was expanded greatly over the last decade and many new genes are being identified. However, inheritance patterns are not always easy to identify because sporadic cases from de novo mutations may in fact be more common. Few studies have assessed the relationship between thrombocytopenia and malignancies, specifically acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Here we present a pediatric case of persistent thrombocytopenia associated with T-cell ALL. Our patient was initially diagnosed with immune thrombocytopenic purpura with no evidence of malignancy on bone marrow biopsy but presented shortly after with ALL...

Atypical Haemolytic Uremic Syndrome (aHUS) is a rare life threatening entity characterized by thrombocytopenia, haemolytic anaemia and renal dysfunction. It is a thrombotic microangiopathy related to genetic mutations in the alternate complement pathway and has a distinct pathophysiology which makes it harder to distinguish from other microangiopathies. We present a case of a 25-year-old male patient with history of polysubstance abuse who presented with chest pain and dyspnoea. He admitted to using injectable oxymorphone (Opana) two weeks before presentation...

TAFRO syndrome is a distinct idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease characterized by the association of thrombocytopenia, anasarca, fever, reticulin fibrosis, and organomegaly. We report the first case occurring in a Caucasian pregnant woman. At 34 weeks of gestation, our patient presented with all clinical and biological symptoms compatible with a TAFRO syndrome. Tough quick cesarean section was performed as symptoms got worse with onset of multiorgan failure requiring mechanical ventilation for acute respiratory distress, continuous renal replacement, and vasopressors...

Abciximab (c7E3 Fab) is one of the three potent intravenous glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor inhibitors (along with eptifibatide and tirofiban) that have shown significant positive outcomes when used in patients with intracoronary thrombus. However, major side effects have been reported with its use including hypotension, major bleeding and thrombocytopenia. This case is a 53-year-old man presenting with acute chest pain diagnosed with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction, who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention with abciximab and heparin infusion and developed acute profound thrombocytopenia (platelet count <20,000/L) within 9 hours of infusion...

BACKGROUND: In Alpharadin in Symptomatic Prostate Cancer (ALSYMPCA) trial, radium-223 versus placebo prolonged overall survival with favorable safety in castration-resistant prostate cancer patients with symptomatic bone metastases. Long-term radium-223 monitoring underlies a comprehensive safety and risk/benefit assessment. OBJECTIVE: To report updated ALSYMPCA safety, including long-term safety up to 3 yr after the first injection. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Safety analyses from phase 3 randomized ALSYMPCA trial included patients receiving ≥1 study-drug injection (600 radium-223 and 301 placebo)...

BACKGROUND: Radiochemotherapy in cervical cancer was implemented to clinical practice based on five randomized clinical trials, published at the end of 20th century, which showed improvement in total and symptomless survivals by about 10 to 18 %. The increase of therapeutic index of such treatment can take place only at the advantage of the efficiency over the increase of its toxicity. Thus, it is necessary to monitor treatment reaction during radiochemotherapy. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to assess the acute post-radiation reaction during radiochemotherapy for cervical cancer and the analysis of the reasons of the unplanned course of combined treatment...

Adverse cardiovascular events after lung transplantation (LT) increase the mortality in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Long-term intravenous prostacyclin is the usual treatment in severe patients with PAH, but it may increase the risk of hemorrhage due to its antiplatelet aggregation effect or thrombocytopenia. We investigated the impact of length of intravenous prostacyclin therapy on acute adverse cardiovascular events including hemorrhagic complication after LT. We retrospectively compared the incidence of adverse events (death, intrathoracic hematoma and bleeding, cardiac congestion or shock, cerebral infarction and pulmonary embolism) within 30 days after LT between no/short-term (median 0...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) therapy in hospitalized patients with suspected heparin induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of adult patients prescribed apixaban, dabigatran, or rivaroxaban for the treatment of acute HIT from January 1 2013 to January 1 2017. Eligibility requirements included an intermediate or high pretest probability for HIT (4T score ≥ 4) and a positive IgG-specific anti-PF4/ heparin complex assay...

BACKGROUND: Sepsis is an important cause of mortality in the Intensive Care Units (ICUs) worldwide. Information regarding early predictive factors for mortality and morbidity is limited. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The primary objective of the study was to estimate the mortality of severe sepsis among adult patients admitted into the medical ICU. The secondary objective was to identify the predictors associated with mortality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Adult patients admitted with severe sepsis in the medical ICU were studied...

Coinfections contribute significantly to diagnostic challenges of acute febrile illnesses, especially in endemic areas. The confusion caused by overlapping clinical features impedes timely management. Herein, we report an unusual, previously unreported case of a pregnant woman suffering from a coinfection of scrub typhus and hepatitis E virus. A 25-year-old, 31-week pregnant woman presented with jaundice for 5 days and altered sensorium for 2 days. She had features of both viral acute liver failure (ALF) and tropical infections mimicking ALF, including hyperbilirubinemia, coagulopathy, anemia, thrombocytopenia, intravascular hemolysis, and hepatosplenomegaly...

BACKGROUND: RUNX1 haplodeficiency is associated with thrombocytopenia, platelet dysfunction and a predisposition to acute leukaemia. Platelets possess three distinct types of granules and secretory processes involving dense granules (DG), α-granules and vesicles or lysosomes containing acid hydrolases (AH). Dense granules and granule deficiencies have been reported in patients with RUNX1 mutations. Little is known regarding the secretion from AH-containing vesicles. METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied two related patients with a RUNX1 mutation, easy bruising, and mild thrombocytopenia...

OBJECTIVES: This study was intended to explore the etiology and risk factors of severe neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and to analyze the adverse events associated with ECT (Exchange Transfusion), as well as to identify the factors related to the poor prognosis. METHODS: All of the full-term neonates who had undergone ECT for hyperbilirubinemia at Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from January 2001 to December 2011 were enrolled in this study. General demographic characteristics, comorbidities, pre- and post-exchange TSB(Total Serum Bilirubin) levels, duration and frequency of ECT, and clinical outcomes were recorded and analyzed anonymously...