Hemorrhagic cystitis associated with BKV in patients with refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia

✍ Scribed by Alberta Azzl; Simona Ciappi; Riccardo De Santis; Rosa Fanci; Franco Leoni; Stefania Ciolli; Pier Luigi Rossi-Ferrini

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1996
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 236 KB
• Volume: 52
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0361-8609
• DOI: 10.1002/1096-8652(199606)52:2<121::aid-ajh2830520203>3.0.co;2-i

✦ Synopsis

To prevent heat illnesses, a high index of suspicion should be maintained during a heat wave or while using unacclimatized workers in heavy labor. Employers should measure wet bulb globe temperature index (which correlates with deep body temperature) and plan work schedules within permissible threshold limit values [ 3 ] . In this respect, the workers' compensation insurer can provide critical technical know-how to its insureds; this will reduce heat-related injuries and claim expense.

We hypothesize that the observed thrombocytopenia and leukopenia were caused by thermolysis since they were noted on the first day of heat exhaustion and progressively improved. Circulating platelets and neutrophils have a relatively short life span of 10 days and 10 hours, respectively [4]; this may explain their prompt replenishment from bone marrow. Although thrombocytopenia (with disseminated intravascular coagulation) is often observed in heat stroke [1,5], this is the first report of this potentially serious complication in a mild heat illness.