Enzymes that hydrolyze adenine nucleotides in platelets and polymorphisms in the alpha2 gene of integrin alpha2beta1 in patients with von Willebrand disease.

Von Willebrand disease (VWD) is one of the most common inherited bleeding diseases caused by a qualitative or quantitative deficiency of the von Willebrand factor (FvW). FvW is a multimeric glycoprotein synthesized by megakaryocytes and endothelial cells and it is present in the subendothelial matrix, blood plasma, platelets, and endothelium. This glycoprotein plays an important role in thrombus formation by initiating platelet adhesion to sites of injury as well as platelet aggregation.

External auditory canal and middle ear relapse of acute promyelocytic leukemia treated with arsenic trioxide: case report and review of the literature.

Extramedullary involvement occurs infrequently in acute promyelocytic leukemia and is said to be more common after treatment with all-trans retinoic acid. We describe a 9-year-old girl who had an isolated external auditory canal and middle ear relapse after treatment with all-trans retinoic acid and chemotherapy. A patient with cytogenetically and molecularly confirmed acute promyelocytic leukemia developed isolated extramedullary relapse in the auditory canal and middle ear 4 years and 9 months after initial diagnosis, while in hematologic and molecular remission, successfully treated with arsenic trioxide alone.

Measurement of oxidative stress and antioxidant status in acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients.

Objectives: To evaluate the oxidative status and antioxidant defense in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

Design And Methods: We measured concentrations of plasmatic thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), serum protein carbonylation, whole blood catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, as well as the plasmatic and erythrocyte thiol levels and serum vitamin E concentration. This study was performed on 80 children with ALL divided into 4 groups: just diagnosed, remission induction, remission maintenance and out-of-treatment.