Reduced bone mineral density in childhood chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura treated with high-dose methylprednisolone.

PURPOSE: To evaluate whether repeated courses of high-dose methylprednisolone (HDMP) affect the lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) in children with chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 24 patients with chronic ITP and 149 healthy controls. The patients were allocated into three groups according to the number of HDMP courses (30 mg/kg per day as a single dose for 7 days); group 1 (10 patients), group 2 (9 patients), and group 3 (5 patients) had received less than 5, 6-10, and more than 10 courses, respectively. Lumbar spine BMD and body composition were measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry of lumbar spine (L2-L4), and volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) values were calculated and compared with the controls. The z score of the vBMD was also calculated and compared in the patients of each other groups. Serum markers of the bone turnover were measured to exclude other factors that could effect BMD. RESULTS: The vBMD values of the patients, corrected BMDs for age, were significantly lower than the values of controls (P = 0.018). It was significantly lower in group 3 than groups 1 and 2 (P = 0.005 and P = 0.006, respectively), but there was no statistically significant difference between groups 1 and 2 (P = 0.87). The vBMD z scores were significantly lower in group 3 than in groups 1 and 2 (P = 0.003 and P = 0.004, respectively), and also in group 2 than in group 1 (P = 0.034). There were a weak negative correlation between the cumulative dose of HDMP and vBMD (r = -0.39, P = 0.054), and strong negative correlation between the cumulative dose of HDMP and vBMD z score (r = -0.63, P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Children with chronic ITP are at risk for decreased BMD because of the repeated courses of HDMP; especially more than 2100 mg of cumulative dose. We therefore recommend that BMD should be monitored in patients with chronic ITP who received repeated courses of HDMP.

Effect of O2-enriched breathing on myocardial uptake of 99mTc-sestamibi.

Oxygen (O(2)) inhalation after acute myocardial ischaemia has long been a part of standard therapy in cardiology. It has also been demonstrated that therapeutic hyperoxia diminishes myocardial stunning. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate whether the uptake kinetics of the myocardial perfusion agent technetium-99m sestamibi (MIBI) during O(2)-enriched breathing is modified in comparison with the kinetics observed under conventional rest imaging performed after injection during inhalation of room air. Nine patients scheduled for coronary intervention (CI) with a documented significant stenosis (> or =50%) of at least one epicardial coronary vessel and one patient with slow flow on coronary angiography were investigated. First, rest MIBI electrocardiogram-gated single-photon emission tomography (G-SPET) with 740 MBq was performed. Two days later, the tracer was injected following a 5-min period of 100% O(2)-supported (nasal catheter) breathing at rest (6 l/min) and a second G-SPET acquisition (O(2)+MIBI G-SPET) was carried out. Patients' medication was not withdrawn and was matched throughout the study. The mean elevation of arterial oxygen saturation achieved was 2.95%. No significant changes in arterial blood pressure or heart rate could be detected at any time during the procedure. Compared with the results of baseline G-SPET, on O(2)+MIBI G-SPET five patients scheduled for CI and the patient with slow flow showed increased tracer uptake in initially ischaemic regions without any alterations in other myocardial regions. In three of these five patients, post-CI imaging could be performed and showed increased tracer uptake in all additional areas detected previously by O(2)+MIBI imaging. In three patients, besides improvement in ischaemic regions, a mild reduction in tracer uptake was observed in myocardium that initially appeared normal. In one of these patients, thallium-201 rest-redistribution SPET was performed and showed an uptake pattern more similar to that seen on O(2)+MIBI images than that on baseline MIBI G-SPET. In one patient, no difference in tracer uptake was observed in pre- and post-CI studies. Improvement was detected in the wall thickening images of the O(2)+MIBI study in seven of the ten patients. Four of these patients showed improvement in the same regions after CI. In this pilot study, it was demonstrated that MIBI injection during O(2)-enriched breathing can be a useful technique for enhancing the detection of viable myocardial tissue. The possible mechanisms of altered tracer kinetics are discussed.

Low-molecular-weight heparin versus unfractionated heparin in the treatment of patients with acute pulmonary thromboembolism.

BACKGROUND: Low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) appears to be as effective as unfractionated heparin (UFH) for both treatment and prophylaxis of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), but limited data are available for its use in acute pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE). OBJECTIVE: To determine whether enoxaparin, a LMWH, was clinically as efficient and safe as UFH in patients with a diagnosis of acute PTE. MATERIAL AND METHODS: After exclusion of those with massive forms, 59 patients with acute PTE were randomly assigned to either subcutaneous enoxaparin given twice daily (1 mg/kg/dose) or adjusted dose intravenous UFH. Oral anticoagulant treatment was begun on the second day and was given for at least 6 months. We compared the treatment regimens at day 8 and day 90 with respect to a combined end point of major bleeding, recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE), and death. RESULTS: In the first 8 days of treatment, 1 of 30 patients assigned to receive UFH (3.3%) reached one of the end points (recurrence), as compared with none of 29 patients assigned to enoxaparin. Statistically this difference was not significant (p = 0.508). By day 90, 3 patients assigned to UFH (10%) had symptomatic recurrent VTE, as compared with 1 patient assigned to enoxaparin (3.4%). There was neither major bleeding nor death in the study groups. There was an absolute difference of 6.4 percentage points between the two treatment groups, but the difference was statistically not significant (p = 0.318). CONCLUSION: Initial subcutaneous treatment with enoxaparin appeared to be as effective and safe as UFH in acute PTE.