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J Pediatr Infect Dis 2010; 05(02): 171-176
DOI: 10.3233/JPI-2010-0228
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart – New York

NOx as new targets of treatment in influenza-associated encephalopathy

Hisashi Kawashima
a   Department of Pediatrics, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
,
Gaku Yamanaka
a   Department of Pediatrics, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
,
Chiako Ishii
a   Department of Pediatrics, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
,
Yasuyo Kashiwagi
a   Department of Pediatrics, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
,
Kouji Takekuma
a   Department of Pediatrics, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
,
Yasuo Watanabe
b   Department of Pharmacology/Pharmacotherapy, Nihon Pharmaceutical University, Tokyo, Japan
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Publication History

07 September 2008

14 May 2009

Publication Date:
28 July 2015 (online)

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Abstract

The number of children with a new type of influenza-associated encephalopathy is increasing in Japan on a nationwide scale. It is associated with a high mortality rate of approximately 30% and there are no efficient treatments. Approximately half of the patients have sequelae despite anti-cytokine therapies. Severe cases showed high levels of free radicals in serum and cerebrospinal fluid, and previous studies suggest that free-radical scavengers may be effective to reduce sequelae. We presented two cases where a new radical scavenger, edaravone, was administered in addition to anti-cytokine therapies and reviewed our findings in the context of previously published papers.

Keywords

Nitrite - nitrate - encephalopathy - edaravone - free radical scavengers - influenza