Long-term psychological distress, and styles of coping, in parents of children and adolescents who underwent invasive treatment for congenital cardiac disease

OBJECTIVE: To assess the level of psychological distress and styles of coping in both mothers and fathers of children who underwent invasive treatment for congenital cardiac disease at least 7 years and 6 months ago. METHODS: The General Health Questionnaire and the Utrecht Coping List were completed by parents of children with 4 different cardiac diagnoses. RESULTS: Overall, in comparison with reference groups, parents of children treated for congenital heart disease showed lower levels of distress, manifested as lower levels of somatic symptoms, anxiety and sleeplessness and serious depression. Mothers of children with congenital heart disease reported significantly more somatic symptoms than fathers.Further, compared to reference groups more favourable outcomes on coping were found; parents in our sample showed a weaker tendency to use styles of coping such as reassuring thoughts and less often expressed negative emotions (anger, annoyance). Mothers in our sample appeared to seek social support more often compared to fathers. CONCLUSION: Overall, lower levels of psychological distress and few differences in styles of coping compared to reference groups were found in parents of children treated for congenital heart disease. We need to remain alert however, for individual parents at risk of adjusting poorly.     

Surviving meningococcal septic shock in childhood: long-term overall outcome and the effect on health-related quality of life

Introduction  

The purpose of this study was to evaluate associations between long-term physical and psychological outcome variables in patients who survived meningococcal septic shock (MSS) in childhood.     

Cutaneous adverse reaction to 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine with histological flame figures in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

INTRODUCTION: 2-Chlorodeoxyadenosine (cladribine or 2-CdA) is a purine analogue that has been used successfully in hairy cell leukaemia (HCL). Moreover, it has been increasingly used to treat chronic lymphoproliferative syndromes and paediatric acute myeloid leukaemia. Cutaneous side-effects associated with this drug have seldom been described in cases of HCL. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We describe three patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia that presented generalized skin eruptions after treatment with 2-CdA. RESULTS: All patients had advanced disease, receiving 2-CdA as a second or third line chemotherapy. Skin lesions were severe and chemotherapy had to be discontinued. Histological examination of skin biopsies showed an eosinophil-rich infiltrate with flame figures, similar to what is observed in Wells' syndrome (eosinophilic cellulitis). Corticosteroids were effective to control the eruptions. CONCLUSIONS: Cutaneous adverse reactions associated with 2-CdA have seldom been observed in the treatment of HCL. However, as this purine analogue has been used in more advanced cases these may be more frequent and severe. The pathophysiology of these lesions is unclear, but it is probably related to drug-induced change in T-cell imbalance in severely immunosuppressed patients.