Selenium in the Prevention of Anthracycline-Induced Cardiac Toxicity in Children with Cancer

High cumulative doses of anthracyclines (300–500 mg/m2) used in the treatment of children with cancer may result in cardiotoxicity, a major long-term adverse effect that limits clinical usefulness of this class of chemotherapeutic agents. We assessed anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity by measuring Pro-BNP levels and echocardiographic (ECHO) findings and investigated potential protective effect of selenium (Se) supplementation in a group of pediatric cancer patients. Plasma level of Pro-BNP was measured, and ECHO was performed in 67 patients (45 boys, 22 girls; ages 2–18 years; median age 12 years) after they completed anthracycline-containing chemotherapy. Serum Se level was measured in 37 patients. Eleven patients had high Pro-BNP levels and/or cardiac failure with Pro-BNP levels of 10–8,022 pg/mL (median 226.3 pg/mL; laboratory normal level is less than 120 pg/mL). Serum Se levels were low (20–129 mcg/L, median 62 mcg/L) in ten of these eleven patients. Eight of 10 patients with low Se and high Pro-BNP levels were supplemented with Se 100 mcg/day for a period of 4–33 months (median 6 months) which resulted in improvement in Pro-BNP and/or ECHO findings. These results suggest that Se supplementation may have a role in protection against anthracycline-induced cardiac toxicity

Pseudocoarctation of the Aorta

In this report 5 patients between the ages of 5-14 years admitted to the Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Hacettepe University, and diagnosed as having pseudocoarctation of the aorta arc presented. The clinical and angiographic findings of this rare abnormality of childhood are discussed, the importance of differential diagnosis of this entity from coarctation of the aorta is emphasized, and the literature reviewed. © 1990, International Heart Journal Association. All rights reserved.Scopu

(E)-N-{3-[(m-Tolylimino)methyl]pyridin-2-yl}pivalamide

In the title compound, C18H21N3O, the dihedral angle between the pyridine and benzene rings is 30.53 (7)° and the C—C=N—C torsion angle is −170.6 (2)°. An intramolecular N—H...N hydrogen bond generates an S(6) ring. In the crystal, very weak C—H...O hydrogen bonds link the molecules into C(8) [101] chains. The tert-butyl methyl groups are disordered over two sets of sites in a 0.783 (4):0.217 (4) ratio

N-(3-{[(Z)-(3-Hydroxy-4-methylphenyl)imino]methyl}pyridin-2-yl)pivalamide

The molecular structure of the title compound, C18H21N3O2, contains pivalamide, pyridin and hydroxy-methylphenyl moieties. The whole molecule is not planar, the dihedral angle between the benzene rings being 34.84 (7)°. The molecular conformation is stabilized by an intramolecular N—H...N hydrogen bond. In the crystal, molecules are linked by O—H...O, O—H...N and C—H...O hydrogen bonds. The C and H atoms of the tert-butyl group disordered over two sets of sites with an occupancy ratio of 0.692 (5):0.308 (5)

2-{(E)-[(3-Chloro-4-methylphenyl)imino]methyl}-4-(trifluoromethoxy)phenol

In the title compound, C15H11ClF3NO2, the dihedral angle between the planes of the benzene rings is 8.3 (2)° and an intramolecular O—H...N hydrogen bond closes an S(6) ring. In the crystal, weak C—H...O links connect the molecules into [-110] chains. The F atoms of the CF3 group are disordered over two sets of sites with refined occupancies of 0.626 (11):0.374 (11)

Evaluation of Cardiac Involvement by Echocardiography in Children with Acute Meningococcemia

Myocarditis in acute meningococcemia is rare in children. Impaired cardiac contractile function may contribute to cardiovascular collapse in endotoxemia. We evaluated prospectively the clinical and echocardiographic findings in 25 consecutive children with acute meningococcemia. All of the patients had good prognostic indicators. Eleven (44%) of the 25 children bad echocardiographic evidence of myocardial dysfunction. The mean LVFS in these eleven children was 0.23 ± 6.00, as compared with the mean LVFS of0.34±8.87 in the remaining children. LVFS returned to normal within 7 days in all patients. We observed minimal pericardia/effusion in 4 patients (16%) that resolved within 3 days. We demonstrated that acute meningococcemia is frequently associated with myocardial dysfunction. We could not though, find the relation between myocardial dysfunction and mortality

2-Amino-3-((E)-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]imino}methyl)-4H-chromen-4-one

In the title compound, C17H11F3N2O2, the dihedral angle between the chromene ring system and the benzene ring is 19.19 (6)°, and an intramolecular N—H...N hydrogen bond closes an S(6) ring. In the crystal, molecules are linked into [100] C(6) chains by N—H...O hydrogen bonds