Hiperplasia tímica de rebote posquimioterapia en niños con linfoma / Rebound (reactive) thymic hyperplasia after chemotherapy in children with lymphoma

Introducción: Se ha descrito la regeneración del timo tras la quimioterapia en niños con linfoma y, para evitar diagnosticar incorrectamente estos casos como recurrencias, los facultativos han de familiarizarse con la hiperplasia tímica de rebote (HTR) y tener en consideración su posible ocurrencia. Nuestro objetivo fue estimar la prevalencia de HTR en niños con linfoma tras la quimioterapia y evaluar las características clínicas, evolución y hallazgos de las pruebas de imagen mediante tomografía computarizada (TC) y la gammagrafía con galio 67 (GA-67). Pacientes y métodos: Estudio retrospectivo transversal, mediante la revisión de las historias clínicas de niños diagnosticados de linfoma, realizado en la Clínica Ambulatoria de Oncología Infantil del Centro de Oncología de Yeda, Arabia Saudita. Resultados: Se detectó HTR en el 51,9% de los pacientes con linfoma (14/27 pacientes). La HTR ocurrió una mediana de 2,5 meses tras finalizarse el tratamiento (rango: 2,0-4,25 meses). Los pacientes con HTR recibieron tratamientos significativamente más cortos, y no se observaron diferencias entre pacientes con y sin HTR en cuanto al sexo, la edad al diagnóstico, el tipo de linfoma o el tipo de tratamiento recibido. Todos los pacientes con HTR se encontraban asintomáticos y las pruebas rutinarias de laboratorio no evidenciaron alteraciones. La TC y la GA-67 fueron altamente sugestivas de HTR. Ninguno de los pacientes con HTR tuvieron recurrencias y la HTR se resolvió espontáneamente en una mediana de 6 meses (rango: 4,0-11,0 meses). Conclusión: Se detectó HTR en alrededor del 50% de los niños con linfoma tras completarse el tratamiento. La evaluación clínica, pruebas de laboratorio, TC y gammagrafía con GA-67 resultan útiles para identificar la HTR y descartar otras lesiones en otras localizaciones

Introduction: Thymic regrowth after chemotherapy treatment has been reported in children with lymphoma, and in order to avoid misdiagnosing these cases as relapses, physicians should become familiar with rebound (reactive) thymic hyperplasia (RTH) and remain aware of its possible occurrence. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of RTH in children with lymphoma after completion of chemotherapy and to evaluate the clinical characteristics, outcomes, and the findings of computed tomography (CT) and gallium-67 (GA-67) scans in these patients. Patients and methods: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study by reviewing the health records of children with a lymphoma diagnosis managed at an outpatient paediatric oncology clinic in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Results: Rebound thymic hyperplasia was detected in 51.9% of the lymphoma patients (14/27). It developed a median of 2.5 months after completion of chemotherapy (range, 2.0-4.25 months). Patients with RTH had significantly shorter treatment durations, and we found no significant differences between patients with and without RTH in sex, age at diagnosis, type of lymphoma or type of treatment received. All patients with RTH were asymptomatic, and routine laboratory tests did not detect any abnormalities in them. The findings of CT and GA-67 scans were highly suggestive of RTH. None of the patients with RTH had a recurrence, and RTH resolved spontaneously within a median of 6 months (range, 4.0-11.0). Conclusion: RTH was detected in ∼50% of children with lymphoma after completion of chemotherapy. A clinical evaluation and laboratory tests combined with imaging by CT and GA-67 can help identify RTH and rule out other lesions elsewhere

An Analysis of Overweight and Obesity Status among Childhood Cancer Survivors in Saudi Arabia: A Single Center Study.

Overweight and obesity in the pediatric population remains a growing worldwide health burden. The extent to which this trend extends to childhood cancer survivors (CCS) remains less well explored. We conducted a retrospective observational study from a single institution in Saudi Arabia to estimate the prevalence of overweight and obese status among CCS over a five-year period. A total of 91 CCS patients were identified, 63 of whom had complete weight data from their treatment to the time of the study. Of these patients, 29 (46.0%) were found to be overweight or obese [body mass index (BMI) ≥85th percentile] at the time of the study. Of these patients, this rate was particularly high for patients who were female, older at the time of diagnosis (>6 years) (72.8%) and among pubescent patients (Tanner 3-5 at diagnosis). The rate of overweight and obesity increased from 31.7% immediately after the end of treatment (average age of 7.1 years) to 36.5% one year after. Thereafter, these percentages increased to approximately 38% over the 5-year follow-up period and increased beyond that up to 46%. A high prevalence of overweight and obesity among CCS was found at the end of their treatment with an observed increasing trend towards overweight and obesity in the following years, suggesting the need for early and continuous intensive intervention and frequent dietary evaluation.

[Rebound (reactive) thymic hyperplasia after chemotherapy in children with lymphoma]. / Hiperplasia tímica de rebote posquimioterapia en niños con linfoma.

INTRODUCTION: Thymic regrowth after chemotherapy treatment has been reported in children with lymphoma, and in order to avoid misdiagnosing these cases as relapses, physicians should become familiar with rebound (reactive) thymic hyperplasia (RTH) and remain aware of its possible occurrence. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of RTH in children with lymphoma after completion of chemotherapy and to evaluate the clinical characteristics, outcomes, and the findings of computed tomography (CT) and gallium-67 (GA-67) scans in these patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study by reviewing the health records of children with a lymphoma diagnosis managed at an outpatient paediatric oncology clinic in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. RESULTS: Rebound thymic hyperplasia was detected in 51.9% of the lymphoma patients (14/27). It developed a median of 2.5 months after completion of chemotherapy (range, 2.0-4.25 months). Patients with RTH had significantly shorter treatment durations, and we found no significant differences between patients with and without RTH in sex, age at diagnosis, type of lymphoma or type of treatment received. All patients with RTH were asymptomatic, and routine laboratory tests did not detect any abnormalities in them. The findings of CT and GA-67 scans were highly suggestive of RTH. None of the patients with RTH had a recurrence, and RTH resolved spontaneously within a median of 6 months (range, 4.0-11.0). CONCLUSION: RTH was detected in ∼50% of children with lymphoma after completion of chemotherapy. A clinical evaluation and laboratory tests combined with imaging by CT and GA-67 can help identify RTH and rule out other lesions elsewhere.

Humoral immune response of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia survivors against the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination.

BACKGROUND: There is a great risk of infection with viral-vaccine-preventable diseases like measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) infections after the end of chemotherapy treatment of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), which could have been prevented with MMR vaccination. Previous studies reported widely variable rates of seropositivity (seroprotection) for MMR after ALL treatment ends. Also, few studies evaluated the response to MMR booster vaccinations after the end of ALL treatment and reported unclear and difficult to interpret results. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrospective cross-sectional study evaluated the prevalence of seropositive (protection) antibody titer levels for MMR among ALL childhood survivors who were followed-up at Jeddah Oncology Center, Saudi Arabia. The aim of the study was also to investigate and analyze the response of seronegative patients to a booster MMR vaccination. RESULTS: Fifty-seven ALL children were evaluated. Thirty-five patients (61.4%) were seropositive/seroprotected and the remaining 22 patients (38.6%) were seronegative for MMR. ALL Children under the age of 5 years had a higher prevalence of seronegative titers. Interestingly, the prevalence of seroprotection decreased as the time interval increased post-treatment, while seroconversion rates after administering a booster MMR vaccine were 57.1%, 87.5%, and 78.6%, respectively for MMR. CONCLUSION: We suggest the need for booster MMR vaccination, especially for ALL children under the age of 5 years and those who experienced a protracted time interval post-treatment.

Hypovitamininosis D in Childhood Cancer Survivors: Importance of Vitamin D Supplementation and Measurement Over Different Points of Time.

This observational retrospective cross-sectional and case-controlled study measures levels of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25-OH-VD) in pediatric cancer survivors at different intervals and assesses the effect of 2 supplementation regimens over a period of 12 months. Sixty-eight patients were included in this quasi-experimental study, of which 32 were boys and 36 were girls. A control group of 30 healthy children were included. It was found that initial 25-OH-VD levels were insufficient (<30 ng/mL) in 61 patients (89.7%). Yet, no significant difference between the levels of 25-OH-VD in these patients as compared with the healthy control group was evidenced. However, 25-OH-VD levels were significantly higher at 18 months in patients who were supplemented with oral 50,000 IU/month vitamin D during the 12 months in comparison with patients supplemented with 1000 IU/day. Our findings indicate that pediatric cancer survivors who require frequent monitoring of their 25-OH-VD levels yielded better results when supplemented with higher doses of vitamin D over longer periods of time. A course of oral vitamin D supplementation regimen of 50,000 IU/month gave effective results with excellent compliance and no reports of any adverse or harmful effects.

Delays in diagnosis and treatment among children with cancer: Egyptian perspective.

Delayed diagnosis is one of the contributing factors to lower cure rates for cancer in low-income countries. This was a cross-sectional study of 138 children with cancer who were treated at the Pediatric Oncology Unit, Oncology Center of Mansoura University, Egypt. One hundred and sixteen patients were initially misdiagnosed. The median total delay was 37 days, including median patient/parent delay of 3 days and median physician delay of 28 days. The type of cancer significantly influenced the diagnostic delay. Patients' sex, level of parents' education, and residence did not significantly affect the median total delay, while patients aged < 5 years and those who had an initial provisional diagnosis of cancer had the shortest median total delay. We suggest implementation of continuing medical education programmes, improving access to diagnostic facilities, and facilitating referral to give priority to those with suspected cancer to shorten the time for cancer diagnosis.

Assessment of hepatitis B virus antibody titers in childhood cancer survivors.

Pediatric patients suffering from cancer are at risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and its related complications even though it is considered a vaccine preventable disease. Little is known of the effects of chemotherapy, and even less is known regarding the impact of HBV booster on HBV antibody titers. It is the purpose of this study to investigate and measure the prevalence of the antihepatitis B surface antibodies (HBsAb) in childhood cancer survivors after completion of their chemotherapy treatment and to further evaluate survivors' response to a single booster dose of HBV vaccine. This observational, cross-sectional retrospective study included 43 patients, of which 37 (86%) were found to be seronegative (HBsAb titer <10 mIU/ml). The notable result was that, of the seronegative patients who received a booster dose of HBV vaccine, 90% of the tested cases exhibited a successful raising of HBsAb titers >10 mIU/ml. CONCLUSION: Childhood cancer survivors have high seronegative rates for HBV and the majority of the patients achieved HBsAb titer > 10mIU/ml with a single booster dose of HBV vaccine, which is worth further investigation and research. This study suggests revaccination against HBV post-chemotherapy treatment, as the recommended advice, especially in countries with a high prevalence of HBV infection. What is Known: • There is a variable prevalence of low HBsAb titers measured after the end of chemotherapy in childhood cancer survivors. • There are no universal guidelines for revaccination of these patients. What is New: • This research identified that 86% of childhood cancer survivors treated with standard chemotherapy were seronegative for HBV infection. • A single booster dose HBV vaccine was successful for the majority of patients (90%) to achieve HBsAb titers >10 mIU/ml.

Kidney injury in infants and children with iron-deficiency anemia before and after iron treatment.

BACKGROUND: Our study aimed to investigate the effects of iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) on renal tubular functions before and after iron treatment for infants and children with IDA. We measured urinary levels of two kidney injury markers: neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and liver-type fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty-six infants and children with IDA and 20 matched healthy controls were included. We assessed different laboratory parameters, estimated glomerular filtration rate, urinary levels of NGAL, and L-FABP. Urinary kidney injury markers were measured in IDA patients before and after 3 months of oral iron therapy. RESULTS: IDA patients had significantly higher urinary NGAL and L-FABP levels compared to their healthy controls. After 3 months of oral iron treatment, there was a significant improvement (decrease) in urinary NGAL and L-FABP in infants and children with IDA. Urinary markers returned to normal levels (healthy control levels) in children with IDA, but not for infants with IDA compared to their healthy controls. CONCLUSION: Subclinical kidney injury was found in infants and children with IDA. This injury was completely reversible in older children with IDA and partially reversible in infants with IDA after iron therapy. Higher urinary levels of kidney injury molecules in IDA infants after iron treatment are suggestive of more sensitivity of these infants to oxidative stress caused by iron therapy or may be due to the immaturity of the kidney and more damage caused by IDA which may require more time to recover.

Immunization status in childhood cancer survivors: A hidden risk which could be prevented.

BACKGROUND: A limited number of studies have examined the vaccine-specific antibody status of children with cancer. There are disagreements over the guidelines for postcancer immunization strategy. METHODS: Our study was an observational, cross-sectional retrospective review of data collected on children who were seen in the outpatient clinic at King Abdullah Medical City, Oncology Center, Jeddah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Our aim was to evaluate the seropositive status to vaccine-preventable diseases: measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, polio, and Haemophilus influenzae type B (HIB) in childhood cancer survivors at our center in order to plan future vaccination for these children and establish a simple revaccination schedule. RESULTS: Forty-seven patients (21 boys and 26 girls) were included in the study. Age at the time of cancer diagnosis (mean±standard deviation) was 5.68±3.79 years and age at test sampling was 10.68±3.79 years. Acute leukemia was the most common cancer (49% of patients), followed by lymphoma (28%), brain tumors (13%), and solid tumors (10%). Treatment intensities (according to the Treatment Intensity Rating Scale, version 3.0; ITR-3) were 2, 3, and 4 for 26 patients (55%), 20 patients (43%), and one patient (2.1%), respectively. We found that 93% of our patients were considered seronegative (unprotected) for at least one vaccine-preventable disease. The seronegative rates for measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, polio, and HIB were 46.8%, 36.2%, 36.2%, 46.8%, 61.7%, 17.1%, and 42.6%, respectively. Criteria including age at diagnosis, age at sampling, type of malignancy, and treatment intensity were not significantly different between seropositive and seronegative patients. CONCLUSION: Seronegative rates for vaccine-preventable diseases were very high in childhood cancer survivors, which represented a subpopulation of high-risk patients who could benefit from revaccination. We suggest a universal revaccination approach for all childhood cancer survivors, which is easily applicable and of low cost.

Fever of Unknown Origin in Children: A 6 year- Experience in a Tertiary Pediatric Egyptian Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Fever of unknown origin (FUO) is among the most conditions which poses challenge in diagnosis. The presence of information on regional patterns of FUO will shorten the time for diagnosis and reduces health services costs. There are almost no previous studies describing the etiology of FUO in children of Egypt or nearby countries. AIM OF THE STUDY: To determine different causes of FUO and the possible diagnostic procedures. METHODS: Data of patients with FUO, presented to the Infectious Diseases Unit of Mansoura University Children Hospital, were retrospectively collected in a 6 year-period from May 2006 to May 2011. The study included children with a fever of 38.3° C or more documented by a health care provider and for which the cause could not be identified after 3 weeks of evaluation as an outpatient or after a week of evaluation in hospital. Patients were then categorized into 5 groups. RESULTS: 127 patients met the diagnostic criteria. Infectious diseases were the commonest causes of FUO in 46 cases (36.22%) followed by the miscellaneous causes in 38 cases (29.9%). Meanwhile, collagen vascular diseases and malignancy were diagnosed in 13 cases (10.2%) and 10 cases (7.87%) respectively. While, 20 cases (15.75%) remained undiagnosed. CONCLUSIONS: Infectious diseases are the commonest cause of FUO. The delay in diagnosis was due to atypical presentations or inappropriate use of antibiotic prior to the referral. Non infectious causes, malignancy and collagen or vascular disorders were diagnosed in rest of the patients. However, about 15% of our patients remained undiagnosed. The diagnosis was established by non-invasive means in more than two-third of the cases.

Does decline of lung function in wheezy infants justify the early start of controller medications?

OBJECTIVE: To compare lung function in wheezy infants, with risk factors of asthma and with some immunological parameters which may be useful as predictors of subsequent asthma. METHODS: The data of 241 infants aged 5­36 mo, with recurrent wheeze (≥3 episodes of physician confirmed wheeze) prior to receiving inhaled corticosteroids or anti-leukotrine agents was retrospectively analyzed. They were subdivided into 2 subgroups; those with asthma risk factors (132 patients) and those without (109 patients) Also, 67 healthy, age and sex matched children without recurrent wheezes were taken as control group. Total serum IgE, eosinophilic percentage, tPTEF/tE (time to peak expiratory flow to total expiratory time), total respiratory system compliance (Crs) and resistance of the respiratory system (Rrs) was done for patients and control groups. RESULTS: Wheezy infants had a significantly higher eosinophilic percentage and total serum IgE as well as a significantly lower pulmonary function parameters when compared to healthy controls. Wheezy infants with positive family history of asthma and those who had not been breast fed showed significant reduction in the mean values of tPTEF/tE and increased both eosinophilic percentage and total serum IgE. Crs was significantly decreased in wheezy infants with positive seasonal variations and those who had increased both eosinophilic percentage and total serum IgE. Rrs showed significant increase in wheezy infants with positive family history of atopy and those who had increased eosinophilic percentage and increased total serum IgE. CONCLUSIONS: Lung function, eosinophilic percentage, total serum IgE and asthma risk factors could be used as predictors for ongoing wheeze in this subset of children.

Impact of anti-oxidant status and apoptosis on the induction phase of chemotherapy in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

This study aimed to evaluate oxidative stress and apoptosis in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at diagnosis and their impact on outcome at the end of the induction phase. Our study included 50 newly diagnosed children with ALL. Evaluation of oxidative stresses (malondialdehyde and total anti-oxidant capacity) was made at diagnosis and at the end of the induction phase. Apoptosis level was determined by fluorometric terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling system for patients at diagnosis and after 1 week of treatment. Our study showed that there was increased oxidative stress at diagnosis and after treatment with chemotherapy. Apoptosis index was higher after 1 week of treatment with chemotherapy when compared to its level at diagnosis.