Pseudomembranous and neutropenic enterocolitis in pediatric oncology patients (original) (raw)

Abstract

Neutropenic enterocolitis in oncological patients represents a wide spectrum of clinicopathological pictures each with its own entity. Early diagnosis of enterocolitis can lead to improved supportive care and therefore better outcome. We present two cases—patient A, a child with pseudomembranous colitis caused by Clostridium difficile, and patient B, a child with neutropenic enterocolitis, where no organism was found. By allowing an insight into the pathology, immunology and culture results, we demonstrated that early diagnosis leads to improved management and therefore improved outcome.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to our pediatric gastroenterology department for performing the rectoscopies and mucosal biopsies and to our pathology department for doing the microscopy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Academic Medical Center, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
    M. D. van de Wetering, T. W. Kuijpers, J. A. J. M. Taminiau, F. J. W. ten Kate & H. N. Caron
  2. Pediatric Oncology Unit F8North, Academic Medical Center, Emma Children's Hospital, Meibergdreef 9, 1100 DD, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
    M. D. van de Wetering

Authors

  1. M. D. van de Wetering
  2. T. W. Kuijpers
  3. J. A. J. M. Taminiau
  4. F. J. W. ten Kate
  5. H. N. Caron

Corresponding author

Correspondence toM. D. van de Wetering.

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van de Wetering, M.D., Kuijpers, T.W., Taminiau, J.A.J.M. et al. Pseudomembranous and neutropenic enterocolitis in pediatric oncology patients.Support Care Cancer 11, 581–586 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-003-0483-3

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