Traumatic injury is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, despite significant advances in treatments. Most deaths occur either very early, through massive head trauma/CNS injury or exsanguination (despite advances in transfusion medicine), or later after injury often through multiple organ failure and secondary infection. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are known to increase in the circulation after trauma and have been used to limited extent as diagnostic and prognostic markers. More intriguingly, EVs are now being investigated as both causes of pathologies post trauma, such as trauma‐induced coagulopathy, and as potential treatments. In this review, we highlight what is currently known about the role and effects of EVs in various aspects of trauma, as well as exploring current literature from investigators who have begun to use EVs therapeutically to alter the physiology and pathology of traumatic insults. The potential effectiveness of using EVs therapeutically in trauma is supported by a large number of experimental studies, but there is still some way to go before we understand the complex effects of EVs in what is already a complex disease process.
There will probably be more of these cases in the next several years. Unlike primary meningiomas, these neoplasms have a tendency to be more diffuse, multiple, and may undergo malignant degeneration.
An atypical presentation of fibrous dysplasia with a very large cystic component is described. The MR pattern was not diagnostic.
A healthy 2-year-old male with a history of mild persistent asthma visited the outpatient hematology clinic to evaluate intermittent epistaxis. There was no history of recent illness. His exam was notable for left upper extremity bruising secondary to recent venipuncture, but no lymphadenopathy or hepatosplenomegaly. Complete blood count (CBC) revealed hemoglobin 9.3 g/dL, leukocyte count 20.7 10 9 /L, and platelet count 33 k 10 9 /L. Peripheral blood smear exhibited polychromasia, numerous large platelets, and a few reactive lymphocytes.The differential diagnosis for both thrombocytopenia and anemia include processes leading to impaired hematopoiesis, increased cell destruction, or abnormal cell pooling. Impaired hematopoiesis could stem from infectious suppression, infiltrative processes (leukemia, metabolic disorders, etc.), or inherited and acquired bone marrow failure syndromes. Possible destructive or consumptive processes included microangiopathy, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), or immune destruction. Sequestration within the liver or spleen was considered, but he was without hepatosplenomegaly to suggest a site of abnormal pooling. We approached his work-up with a stepwise approach. Screening tests were normal for common infectious diseases implicated in marrow suppression (Table 1). Since the patient appeared well and did not exhibit any findings that would prompt an immediate evaluation for malignancy or sepsis, we decided to repeat a short interval CBC to see if his cytopenias self-resolved. When they did not, further evaluation of the bone marrow was warranted. Bone marrow biopsy and aspirate did not demonstrate marrow infiltration or failure (Table 1). Lab work was sent to investigate consumptive processes. Lactate dehydrogenase levels and reticulocyte counts were elevated (Table 1), suggesting a hemolytic process. A hemoglobinopathy screen and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase testing were normal, though active hemolysis can skew results. In an ill-appearing child, the presence of hemolysis and thrombocytopenia should prompt an investigation for DIC or microangiopathy, but in this well appearing-child, an immune process was thought likelier. We, therefore, pursued an immunologic work-up, including screening for autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS) (Table 1). The results were unrevealing except for a low IgG level at 228 (505-1280 mg/dL) with normal lymphocyte subsets.Low IgG is often associated with systemic autoimmune disorders, vasculitides, atopy, and asthma. We attributed the low IgG and eosinophilia to the patient's known history of asthma. A consumptive autoimmune process was high on the differential, and the involvement of two cell lines would be classified as Evans syndrome. Evans syndrome, though never a primary diagnosis, is treated upfront with
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