Prolongation of the QT interval and the sudden infant death syndrome.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to E Rosenthal.
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OBJECTIVES: Since 1990, transcatheter pulmonary valvotomy has become an alternative to surgical valvotomy in the management of neonates and infants with pulmonary atresia and intact ventricular septum. We sought to determine whether right ventricular growth after transcatheter pulmonary valvotomy is commensurate with body growth. METHODS: Laser or radiofrequency-assisted balloon valvotomy was attempted in 12 neonates and infants with pulmonary atresia and intact ventricular septum. Tricuspid and mitral valve dimensions were measured retrospectively on the cross-sectional echocardiograms performed before the procedure and during follow-up. Z-values were used to standardize tricuspid valve dimensions with body size. RESULTS: The atretic pulmonary valve was successfully perforated and dilated in nine of 12 patients. Five of these nine patients required additional transcatheter or surgical procedures to augment the pulmonary blood flow. Of six survivors, five are regularly followed up with a median follow-up of 60 months (range 37 to 68 months). All five have two-ventricle circulation, two of the five patients requiring surgical enlargement of the right ventricular outflow tract with or without closure of the atrial septal defect. Echocardiographic tricuspid valve dimensions and Z-values before transcatheter valvotomy tended to be smaller in the patients who died than in the survivors. In the survivors, the absolute tricuspid valve dimensions increased after valvotomy but the Z-values tended to decrease or stayed constant. CONCLUSIONS: Transcatheter valvotomy is a good alternative to surgical valvotomy in patients with pulmonary atresia and intact ventricular septum. Two-ventricle circulation can be achieved despite subnormal right ventricular growth.
BACKGROUND: CD4+CD3- T cells have previously been shown to play a pathogenic role in the hypereosinophilic syndrome by secreting IL-5 and IL-4. OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to study the role of CD4+CD3- and other T-cell subsets in a patient with eosinophilia, dermatitis, and a high level of IgE (100,000 IU/mL) in the serum. METHODS: We isolated PBMCs and performed flow cytometry, cell cultures, and in vitro assays of Ig, lymphokine production, and cell-mediated cytotoxicity. RESULTS: Flow cytometric and immunohistochemical analysis of the PBMCs revealed a major population (consisting of approximately 85% of the CD4+ T cells) that lacked expression of CD3 and T-cell receptors on the cell surface (CD4+CD3- T cells), but did express CD3 peptides in the cytoplasm. Activation of the PBMCs in vitro resulted in a 100-fold greater than normal release of IL-4, whereas IFN-gamma production was less than normal, suggesting a predominantly type 2 helper functional phenotype of the CD4+CD3- T cells. Importantly, both CD4-CD8(low) Vdelta1+ T-cell receptor gammadelta+ and CD4+CD3- T cells were cultured from the PBMCs. The former secreted IFN-gamma exclusively, whereas the latter secreted both IL-4 and IFN-gamma. Furthermore, only the T-cell receptor gammadelta+ lymphocytes were cytotoxic to autologous B-lymphoblastoid cells and specifically inhibited IgE production in cultures of autologous polyclonally stimulated PBMCs. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that CD8(low) Vdelta1+ T-cell receptor gammadelta+ clones functionally counteract IgE-inducing effects of type 2 CD4+CD3- helper cells in this patient with hypereosinophilic syndrome.
Infection with Hepatitis C virus is a significant public health problem that has important clinical and financial consequences. Understanding of the epidemiology of HCV is needed to help define future therapeutic and preventive strategies. So far, the importance and characteristics of the epidemics have been best appreciated in specialist units dealing with liver disease. The purpose of our study was to survey the number and characteristics of hepatitis C antibody positive patients in Departments of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases. We conducted a multicentre national prospective analysis of all positive HCV-antibody patients, either inpatient or outpatient, reported over a period of one month across France. Two thousand and two cases were identified. Epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic characteristics are described. Risk factors were identified in 86%. For 10% of the patients, hepatitis C seropositivity was discovered during the period of survey. At the time of first diagnosis, 47% of patients presented with no clinical or biological abnormality. Coinfection with HIV was frequent (59%). Only 20.3% of the patients had received or were receiving a treatment with interferon. Within the limits of the methodology used, this study shows that Hepatitis C infection is a substantial clinical problem in French Departments of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases. Our findings may help the public health authorities in better appreciating the impact of hepatitis C and making policy decisions.
The myocardium is a potential target for the expression of exogenous genes to treat inherited and acquired diseases. Although adenovirus-mediated gene transfer has resulted in high-level gene transfer in vivo via direct intramyocardial injection and via a percutaneous intra-arterial route, the time-course of gene expression is limited by host immune responses. It was the aim of this study to test whether cationic liposome-mediated gene transfer, which does not suffer from the aforementioned problems, was feasible in the adult rabbit myocardium via a percutaneous transluminal approach. Doses of plasmid DNA encoding lacZ from 200-800 micrograms complexed to cationic liposomes resulted in X-gal conversion at day 3 with associated myocardial damage. We hypothesised that the damage was associated with macro-aggregates of cationic liposomes-DNA occluding the microcirculation. When such aggregates were excluded no X-gal conversion was seen in vivo. In order to show that X-gal conversion occurs in areas of infarction in the myocardium we caused closed chest infarction by deploying a platinum micro-embolisation coil in the circumflex coronary artery. At day 3 X-gal conversion was observed in the territory supplied by the occluded artery. Thus, microinfarction causes the false positive appearance of gene transfer when using a lacZ reporter gene.
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A male infant with the rare lesion of unguarded tricuspid orifice in the setting of pulmonary valve atresia, intact ventricular septum, and a hypoplastic right ventricle is described. The patient presented with cyanosis at 1 day old; transcutaneous oxygen saturations were between 20% and 30% in room air, and 60% in 100% inspired oxygen. Pre-excitation was found incidentally on the ECG and the potential for rapid antegrade conduction of atrial tachyarrhythmias, after eventual extended palliation with the Fontan procedure, was demonstrated at electrophysiological study. By 11 months old the patient was becoming increasingly cyanosed and interim palliation with a bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt was proposed. Successful radiofrequency ablation of the accessory pathway was performed before bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt, which would have prevented access to the heart via the superior vena cava. Difficulty with femoral venous access because of previous occlusion of a femoral vein was overcome by the use of 2 F pacing electrodes and a 5 F ablation catheter.
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Glanzmann thrombasthenia (GT) is caused by a defect in either glycoprotein (GP)IIb (alphaIIb) or GPIIIa (beta3) genes and therefore screening of both genes is required for mutation identification. The beta subunit of the GPIIb/IIIa complex (beta3) forms a complex with another alpha subunit (alpha(v)) yielding the alpha(v)beta3 vitronectin receptor (VnR). GT patients with mutations in the GPIIIa gene that cause diminished synthesis of GPIIIa are deficient in both GPIIb/IIIa and VnR, whereas patients with mutations in the GPIIb gene are deficient in GPIIb/IIIa, yet express normal or increased VnR in their platelets. The presence or absence of VnR in platelet membranes of GT patients has therefore been used for distinguishing between mutations in the GPIIb gene and mutations in the GPIIIa gene. However, the method of assessing VnR in platelets is cumbersome and use of fresh platelets is indispensible. In the present work we devised a procedure for detection of the VnR in B-lymphocytes transformed by Epstein-Bar virus (EBV). The transformed lymphocytes transcribed GPIIIa mRNA but not GPIIb mRNA and expressed VnR on their surface. Using flow cytometry analysis or immuno-precipitation and western blotting VnR was found in B-lymphocytes of GT patients bearing a well characterized mutation in the GPIIb gene. In contrast, in B-lymphocytes of GT patients bearing 2 different mutations in the GPIIIa gene no VnR was detectable. Thus, for determining which gene is mutated in a GT patient, EBV-transformed B-lymphocytes are useful and can as well be used for analyses of GPIIIa mRNA and genomic DNA. Ten ml of blood are sufficient for the procedure.
Central nervous system (CNS) involvement in Ki-1/CD30 lymphoma is extremely rare, in contrast to the frequent involvement in other types of pediatric non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. No mechanism has yet been proposed to explain the sparing of the blood brain barrier in Ki-1/lymphoma. We present a 2-year-old boy who was admitted to the Department of Pediatric Hemato-Oncology due to lethargy, progressive breathing difficulties, massive diffuse lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, and ichthyosis-like skin involvement with epidermolysis. A lymph node biopsy was compatible with Ki-1/CD30 anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL). Bone marrow aspirate and biopsy demonstrated reactive hyperplasia. Cytogenetic analysis displayed hyperdiploid cells with 1p(-) in most cells. Cerebrospinal fluid examination showed pleocytosis with CD30+ cells. Possible mechanisms which could enable CNS involvement in this unusual case are discussed.
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BACKGROUND/AIMS: Idiopathic (autoimmune) thrombocytopenic purpura has been previously reported as a rare complication in children following parvovirus B19 infection. In the immunocompromised host who is unable to produce neutralizing antibody, an infection with parvovirus B19 can persist and cause chronic bone marrow failure. METHODS: We describe a child who had undergone liver transplantation and who had idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, whose history and laboratory findings suggested parvovirus B19 infection. The infection disappeared without persistent viremia, and the thrombocytopenia responded completely to the administration of gamma globulin while the patient was undergoing chronic immunosuppression therapy. RESULTS/CONCLUSION: Transplant physicians need to be aware of this complication, and parvovirus B19 infection should be included in the differential diagnosis of liver recipients presenting with severe thrombocytopenia.
A patient with a severe bleeding tendency due to acquired von Willebrand disease (VWD) is presented. Although no underlying disorder has emerged during 6 years of follow-up, an immune-mediated mechanism was responsible for acquired VWD in this patient as demonstrated by detection of von Willebrand factor (VWF)/anti-VWF complexes in the patient's plasma and their removal by protein A-sepharose beads and resumption of normal haemostasis with correction of VWF antigen, VWF activity and VWF multimeric pattern after treatment of the patient with high-dose gammaglobulin. Detection of anti-VWF antibodies in the patient's plasma had a significant impact on the choice of therapeutic intervention to control bleeding.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of transcatheter closure of patent arterial ducts using controlled-release coils. DESIGN: Transcatheter closure of patent arterial ducts was attempted in 52 patients using controlled-release coils. SETTING: For the study, four tertiary paediatric cardiology units were used, two of which were in the U.K., one in Italy and one in Turkey. PATIENTS: The 52 patients ranged in age between 3-5 months and 61 years (median 3-5 years), and weighted between 4.5 kg and 62 kg. The duct diameters were 1 mm to 6.5 mm. RESULTS: In four patients the ducts were too large for safe release of the coils. In the remaining 48, one coil was inserted in 33 patients, two coils in nine, three coils in four and four coils in two patients. Immediately at the end of the procedure, the duct was completely occluded in 26/47 (55%) patients. Haemolysis occurred in one patient, in whom the coil was removed by a snare catheter and a large umbrella device was implanted with resolution of the haemolysis. Coil embolization to the pulmonary artery occurred in five (10%) patients. All were easily retrieved and replaced by larger coils. At the latest follow-up by colour Doppler echocardiography, the duct was completely occluded in 44/47 (94%) patients. CONCLUSIONS: Transcatheter closure of patent arterial ducts by controlled-release coils is effective and safe. Even when more than one coil is inserted the technique is still less cumbersome and considerably cheaper than transcatheter umbrella closure.