title: Priapism, an emerging complication in β-thalassemia intermedia patients.
abstract: The increase in survival rate of β-thalassemia (β-thal) patients allowed for the appearance and manifestation of several complications in almost every organ system. Priapism in β-thal patients is rarely reported in the literature. We herein report and investigate the occurrence of two cases of priapism in two young patients with β-thal intermedia (β-TI). The potential mechanisms are due to either a cellular mechanism involving a thrombus obstructing the efferent venules of the corpora cavernosa leading to priapism, or a recently elucidated functional mechanism that causes alteration of nitric oxide (NO) response of the penis, ultimately causing priapism. This should incite clinicians for a close follow-up and monitoring of high risk patients who are susceptible to developing priapism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut , Beirut , Lebanon .
authors.forename: Naji S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Mallat
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wehbe
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haddad
authors.forename: Maria D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Cappellini
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marcon
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koussa
authors.forename: Miguel R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Abboud
authors.forename: Amr
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Radwan
authors.forename: Ali T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Taher
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011317:Priapism / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011433:Propranolol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D054199:Pseudoephedrine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014311:Triprolidine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists; C006399:pseudoephedrine, triprolidine drug combination; D014311:Triprolidine; D054199:Pseudoephedrine; D011433:Propranolol
keywords: hypercoagulability; nitric oxide (NO); priapism; β-Thalassemia intermedia (β-TI)