Myeloid Sarcoma of Both Kidneys, the Brain, and Multiple Bones in a Nonleukemic Child

A myeloid sarcoma (MS) is an extramedullary tumor consisting of primitive granulocytic precursor cells. Although most such tumors have been reported in patients with acute myelogenous leukemia, MS is rarely recognized as an isolated tumor without any evidence of leukemia. However, in such cases, the initial diagnosis of MS can be difficult, so initial misdiagnosis rates of up to 75% have been reported. This report describes an unusual case of MS in a 3-year 5-month-old girl presenting as bilateral renal enlargements, and brain masses, with multiple bone involvements, but no hematological abnormalities.

Clinical Study of the Correlation of Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha and the Proteinuria of Henoch-Schonlein Nephritis and Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome

PURPOSE: It is not clear that the development of glomerular injury and aggravation by tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) is related to intrarenal or serum concentration of TNF-alpha. So, we studied the relationship between the concentration of TNF-alpha and aggravation of glomerular damage in the Henoch-Schonlein nephritis(HSN) and idiopathic nephrotic syndrome(INS). METHODS: We collected the sera and urines of 21 patients with Henoch-Schonlein purpura(HSP) and 22 patients with INS visited Chungbuk National University hospital from March 1998 to March 2001. The concentration of TNF-alpha in the sera and urines were measured by sandwich ELISA. RESULTS: Serum TNF-alpha levels in the HSP patients with renal involvement were significantly higher than those without renal involvement(P=0.009). But urine TNF-alpha levels have no correlation with renal involvement(P=0.088). In the HSN patients, proteinuria have a significant correlation with serum TNF-alpha levels(P=0.004) but less correlation with urine TNF-alpha levels(P=0.053). Otherwise, proteinuria have no correlation with serum TNF-alpha levels(P=0.763) but have a significant correlation with urine TNF-alpha levels(P=0.007) in INS. CONCLUSION: These result suggest that the serum concentration of TNF-alpha would be important to glomerular involvement in HSP. And, it is interesting that proteinuria shows a significant relation with serum TNF-alpha levels in the HSN, but with urine TNF-alpha levels in the INS. This means the major production of TNF-alpha may be originated by extrarenal inflammation in the HSN and by intrarenal tubulo-interstitial damage due to proteinuria in the INS.

Two Cases Suggesting the Relationship of IgA Nephropathy and Henoch-Sch nlein Purpura

There are a considerable number of reports suggesting a common pathogenesis of IgA nephritis(IgAN) and Henoch-Sch nlein purpura(HSP). In previous reports, a patient develops IgAN after kidney transplantation for HSP nephritis, one of Identical twin boys, developed IgAN and the other HSP, and a boy with IgAN later developed HSP. We report two cases, one with IgAN who later developed HSP and the other with HSP who later developed IgAN, suggesting that IgAN and HSP have a common pathogenesis.

Unusual association of pulmonary artery sling with right aortic arch and aberrant left subclavian artery

We present an unusual case of vascular sling, tracheal stenosis by complete cartilaginous ring, and aberrant left subclavian artery with right aortic arch that underwent successful surgical repair for the sling. These abnormalities were suspected from unusual multiple indentations found on esophagogram. Complete preoperative diagnosis was established with chest computerized tomogram combined with angiography.