title: Successful interferon therapy in a neonate with life-threatening Kasabach-Merritt syndrome.
abstract: We report a neonatal case of severe, life-threatening Kasabach-Merritt syndrome that was successfully treated with interferon-alpha: This patient had a huge hemangioma of the right leg and a general bleeding tendency. Although the condition initially responded to steroid and radiation therapy, after a relapse, no therapy including steroids, radiation, aspirin, and dipyridamole was effective. Because of severe thrombocytopenia and extension of the hemangioma to the pelvic region, surgical intervention was not indicated. Interferon-alpha therapy was started on day 61 of life. During the therapy the platelet counts increased by more than tenfold and reached the normal level in a month. The size of the hemangioma dramatically decreased. The administration of interferon-alpha might be indicated as a therapy for severe, life-threatening Kasabach-Merritt syndrome, especially when there is resistance to steroid or radiation therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Gunma University School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nako
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fukushima
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Igarashi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hoshino
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tomomasa
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morikawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004211:Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000097:blood / Q000151:congenital* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007866:Leg; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D013577:Syndrome; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000151:congenital* / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D016898:Interferon-alpha