Itraconazole is particularly attractive in fungal prophylaxis for cancer patients due to its broad spectrum, including Candida and Aspergillus. It is generally well tolerated. However, its efficacy in preventing invasive aspergillosis could not be demonstrated. A 3-year-old boy diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia received induction chemotherapy. On day 14, itraconazole solution at a dose of 5 mg/kg was begun. Ten days after itraconazole was started, he developed paralytic ileus, neurogenic bladder, mild left ptosis, and absence of deep reflexes, with severe paralysis of the lower extremities and mild weakness of the upper extremities. Itraconazole withdrawal was followed by rapid improvement, with neurologic examination returning to normal within 6 weeks. Nineteen cases of unusual enhanced vincristine neurotoxicity related to itraconazole have been reported in children. Although the manifestations are the same as those usually associated with the use of vincristine, in these cases the severity appears remarkable. The authors suggest that in the absence of any proven benefit of itraconazole prophylaxis, and given the interaction of this drug with vincristine leading to severe and even potentially fatal toxicities, the combination use of these drugs should be avoided.

The registry provides data about the prevalence of hemoglobinopathies in Spain and will permit future cohort studies and the possibility of comparison with other registries.

The formation of an epidural hematoma from an eosinophilic granuloma of the skull is an exceptional occurrence. A 9-year-old boy presented with severe headache, somnolence and vomiting following a minor head injury. Cranial computerized tomography scan showed a seemingly depressed skull fracture together with an epidural hematoma in evolution. A neoplasm and an epidural hematoma were removed at operation. Histopathological study of the excised mass confirmed the diagnosis of eosinophilic granuloma.

TH and DCX mRNAs levels in PB and BM assessed by RT-qPCR should be considered in new pre-treatment risk stratification strategies to reliable estimate outcome differences in metastatic NB patients. In those high-risk metastatic NB, TH and DCX mRNA quantification could be used for the assessment of response to treatment and for early detection of progressive disease or relapses.

No abstract