[NSAID-use delays the diagnosis of 'acute abdomen']. / NSAID-gebruik vertraagt de diagnose 'acute buik'.

In three patients with abdominal pain, two men aged 63 and 18 years and a woman aged 46 years, the use of NSAIDs reduced the symptoms. They were in fact suffering from peritonitis due to gastrointestinal perforation, but the decision to operate was delayed because of the relatively mild presentation. The strong analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory properties of NSAIDs can reduce the symptoms, signs and laboratory findings of peritonitis.

[Right-sided diverticulitis mimicking acute appendicitis]. / Diverticulitis dextra vermomd als appendicitis acuta.

The probability diagnosis in two patients, women aged 43 and 41 years, who for the last few days had had pain in the right lower abdomen, without nausea or vomiting, was acute appendicitis; a third patient, a woman aged 49 with the same symptoms, had undergone appendectomy in the past. Peroperative findings and, in two patients, microscopy of the resected specimen showed diverticulitis in the caecum or ascending colon. This is an uncommon disease, which mimicks acute appendicitis. Treatment depends on the severity of the inflammation. In the absence of perforation or abscess, conservative treatment suffices. Otherwise, resection of the colon is necessary.

Decreased half-life time of plasma von Willebrand factor collagen binding activity in essential thrombocythaemia: normalization after cytoreduction of the increased platelet count.

Patients with essential thrombocythaemia (ET) exhibit a decrease of large von Willebrand factor (VWF) multimers in plasma, which is inversely related to the platelet count. In the present study we investigated whether the decrease of large VWF multimers in plasma with increasing platelet counts is the consequence of increased turnover of large VWF multimers in vivo. To that end we measured the half-life times of endogenously released VWF:Ag and VWF:CBA (collagen binding activity) after intravenous administration of desmopressin (DDAVP) to nine ET patients and nine control subjects (N). In addition, the half-life times of VWF:Ag and VWF:CBA were also measured in four ET patients after cytoreduction of the increased platelet count to normal or nearly normal values. Estimated half-life times of VWF:Ag did not differ between ET patients and normals (11.0+/-4.0 h v 12.4+/-2.5 h, P>0.05). Estimated half-life times of VWF:CBA were significantly lower in ET patients as compared with normal individuals (6.1+/-2.0 h v 8.4+/-2.5 h, P<0.05). After cytoreduction of the increased platelet count to (nearly) normal values in all four ET patients the half-life time of VWF:CBA significantly (P=0.014) increased from 5.2+/-1.2 h to 8.7+/-2.0 h. Our data suggest that platelets may play a role in the homeostasis of circulating von Willebrand factor, which may compromise normal haemostasis at fairly increased platelet counts.

Erythromelalgia in essential thrombocythemia is characterized by platelet activation and endothelial cell damage but not by thrombin generation.

Erythromelalgia, a characteristic aspirin-responsive microvascular thrombotic complication in essential thrombocythemia (ET), may develop despite oral anticoagulant treatment or treatment with heparin, suggesting that the generation of thrombin is not a prerequisite for its development. To study this, a cross-sectional comparison of the plasma levels of thrombomodulin (TM), platelet factor 4 (PF4), beta-thromboglobulin (beta-TG), prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 (F1 + 2) and total degradation products of fibrin(ogen) (TDP) was made between 5 ET patients suffering from erythromelalgia, 16 asymptomatic ET patients and 20 control subjects, and after treatment with aspirin, respectively. Furthermore, 2 ET patients with a history of erythromelalgia were studied at regular time intervals after discontinuation of aspirin until erythromelalgia recurred. As compared with asymptomatic ET patients and control subjects erythromelalgia was characterized by significantly higher beta-TG and TM levels but no significant differences were detected in either F1 + 2 or TDP levels. Treatment of erythromelalgia with aspirin resulted in disappearance of erythromelalgic signs and symptoms, which was paralleled by a significant decrease of beta-TG and TM levels. Histopathologic and immunohistochemical analysis of biopsies derived from erythromelalgic skin areas of 2 ET patients showed that erythromelalgic thrombi stained positively for von Willebrand factor opposed to only a weak fibrin staining. Our data suggest that erythromelalgia is caused by the intravascular activation and aggregation of platelets with subsequent sludging or occlusion of the acral arterial microvasculature. The generation of thrombin appears not to be essential for the formation of these platelet thrombi, thereby giving a plausible explanation for the inefficacy of coumadin derivatives and heparin in the prevention and treatment of erythromelalgia in essential thrombocythemia.

A new model to predict final height in constitutionally tall children.

In order to develop new height prediction models for children with constitutionally tall stature, 55 such boys and 88 girls were recalled for measurement of adult final height (FH). Data on height (H), age (CA), and target height (TH) were collected from the hospital charts and radiographs of the left hand and wrist were retrieved and used for bone age (BA) determination [BA according to the methods of Greulich and Pyle (BAGP) and Tanner and Whitehouse (BARUS)]. Standard multiple regression techniques were used to develop prediction equations for FH. In addition to test the validity of the new equations, FH was measured in a second group of constitutionally tall children (n = 32) and compared with the predicted FH according to our models. In addition, a comparison was made with other prediction methods. Mean (SD) FH was 196.0 (4.9) cm in boys and 180.5 (3.8) cm in girls. The ultimate regression equation was FH (cm) = 216.07 + 0.75 x H + 0.25 x TH -11.09 BAGP + 0.74 x (CA x BAGP) for boys and FH = 161.42 + 0.73 x H + 0.15 x TH - 8.41 x CA -8.83 x BARUS -2.45 x M + 0.55 x (CA x BARUS) for girls. The models showed satisfying accuracy: the mean (SD) errors were -1.4(3.2) cm for boys and -0.5(3.1) cm for girls with corresponding mean (SD) absolute errors of 2.7 (2.2) cm and 2.0 (2.4) cm, respectively. Compared with the current prediction methods, the new models were quite promising. Their clinical validity has to be ascertained in larger groups of tall children.