Clinicopathological conference: An 11-year-old boy with recurrent infections, hypertension, skin rash, and nephritic syndrome

In this clinicopathological conference, an 11-year old boy who presented with recurrent pyogenic infections, hypertension, malar rash, various skin lesions and nephritic syndrome since five years of age is discussed. He was hospitalized for clinical investigation with skin and renal biopsies at 10 years of age. Using clinicopathological data obtained from his last admission, a clinical diagnosis was reached, and the disorders of the complement system causing patients to show these signs or symptoms are emphasized. At the end of the discussion, a clinicopathological correlation is given for making the diagnosis

Peripheral gangrene complicating hemolytic uremic syndrome in a child

A patient with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) developed peripheral gangrene involving all fingers and toes. There was no history of bloody diarrhea. Hypocomplementemia was present, with a serum C3 concentration of 41 mg/dl. Acute renal failure was treated with peritoneal dialysis for 4 months. He received daily fresh-frozen plasma infusions and plasmapheresis on alternate days for ten sessions, followed by once-weekly sessions. He was anuric for 9 weeks. All medial and distal phalanxes became necrotic and were removed surgically. The renal biopsy findings were consistent with HUS. This is the second report of peripheral gangrene during the course of HUS in childhood

Cyclooxygenase immunohistochemical staining in the human ductus arteriosus after 24 weeks of gestational age

Cyclooxygenase inhibitors (CI) which contained risks to fetal health were one of the most effective tocolytics. In order to indirectly investigate the effects of CI in human ductus arteriosus, immunohistochemical staining for cyclooxygenase-1 (COX1) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) was evaluated in post-mortem fetuses with gestational ages between 24 and 34 weeks. Neither COX1 nor COX2 staining was related to gestational age. COX1 and COX2 staining in the vessel walls were not related to each other. COX1 staining in the endothelium, inner media and outer media were positively correlated with each other (COX1 endothelium vs IM staining Spearman's rho statistic [rs] = 0.721, p = 0.001; COX1 endothelium vs OM staining [rs] = 0.634, p = 0.004; COX1 IM vs OM staining [rs] = 0.931, p = 0.001). COX2 staining of endothelium was not correlated with either IM or OM staining. In conclusion, COX2 staining in the post-mortem specimens of human ductus arteriosus between 24 and 34 weeks is weak and limited to the endothelium

Angiosarcoma of the liver with metastasis to the cervical spine cured with the treatment of thalidomide and radiotherapy

PubMed: 21997379[No abstract available