Acute tumour lysis syndrome following a single-dose corticosteroid in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
Acute tumour lysis syndrome (ATLS) is a well recognised complication of treatment of a variety of malignant disorders. It commonly occurs in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) with the administration of combined cytotoxic chemotherapy. It is rarely reported after single-agent corticosteroid therapy. We present two children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia of T-cell lineage who developed acute tumour lysis syndrome after a single dose of prednisolone, and methylprednisolone at the beginning of the induction chemotherapy. In the first case (an 11-yr-old) ATLS had occurred after an oral dose of prednisolone as small as 12 mg and within 18 h. The second case was a 14-yr-old boy with ALL who developed ATLS following a single dose of methylprednisolone. A few similar cases in the English literature are summarised in the report. These cases indicate that acute tumour lysis syndrome may occur after a single dose of corticosteroids. One should be aware of this potentially life-threatening complication especially while prescribing corticosteroids to patients with NHL and leukaemia.
Duzova
A
A
Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Nephrology and Rheumatology Unit, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. aduzova@hun.edu.tr
Cetin
M
M
Gümrük
F
F
Yetgin
S
S
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D015459:Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D015275:Tumor Lysis Syndrome / Q000209:etiology*
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones