Contribution of fibrinolytic tests to the differential diagnosis of veno-occlusive disease complicating pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Background: Veno-occlusive disease (VOD) is a major complication following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Its diagnosis is based on clinical criteria, which have a limited sensitivity. Increased plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) levels have been suggested as a marker of VOD.

Veno-occlusive disease in pediatric patients affected by Wilms tumor.

Background: Hepatic veno-occlusive disease (VOD) is a rare and potentially severe complication of chemotherapy. We describe five patients who developed VOD after chemotherapy for Wilms tumor (WT) and evaluate the role of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and defibrotide for diagnosis and therapy of VOD, respectively.

Patients And Methods: Thirty-five patients treated from 2002 to 2009 for WT were eligible.

Body fluids and salt metabolism - part II.

There is a high frequency of diarrhea and vomiting in childhood. As a consequence the focus of the present review is to recognize the different body fluid compartments, to clinically assess the degree of dehydration, to know how the equilibrium between extracellular fluid and intracellular fluid is maintained, to calculate the effective blood osmolality and discuss both parenteral fluid maintenance and replacement.