Effects of recombinant SARS-CoV-2 spike protein variants on red blood cells parameters and red blood cell distribution width.

We planned a series of experiments to investigate the possible role of spike protein of different SARS-CoV-2 variants in influencing erythrocyte biology. The values of erythrocyte count, hemoglobin, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MHC) did not vary across all samples challenged with both concentrations of the four different SARS-CoV-2 recombinant spike proteins. A significant increase in mean corpuscular volume (MCV) was observed with the recombinant SARS-CoV-2 Alpha and Delta spike proteins at both 2 and 20 ng/mL final concentrations.

Incomplete filling of spray-dried KEDTA evacuated blood tubes: impact on measuring routine hematological parameters on Sysmex XN-10.

Objectives: Because there is little published evidence on the effects of incomplete filling of KEDTA evacuated blood tubes on routine hematological testing, this original study aimed to provide updated information on this preanalytical aspect.

Methods: The study population consisted of 17 ostensibly healthy volunteers. Blood was drawn by venipuncture with a 10 mL syringe and dispensed in varying amounts (0.

Effects of Recombinant SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Variants on Platelet Morphology and Activation.

Platelets are central elements of hemostasis and also play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of thrombosis in coronavirus disease 2019. This study was planned to investigate the effects of different severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) recombinant spike protein variants on platelet morphology and activation. Citrated whole blood collected from ostensibly healthy subjects was challenged with saline (control sample) and with 2 and 20 ng/mL final concentration of SARS-CoV-2 recombinant spike protein of Ancestral, Alpha, Delta, and Omicron variants.

Effects of Different Types of Recombinant SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein on Circulating Monocytes' Structure.

This study investigated the biological effects on circulating monocytes after challenge with SARS-CoV-2 recombinant spike protein. Whole blood collected from seven ostensibly healthy healthcare workers was incubated for 15 min with 2 and 20 ng/mL final concentration of recombinant spike protein of Ancestral, Alpha, Delta, and Omicron variants. Samples were analyzed with Sysmex XN and DI-60 analyzers.

Spur cells in liver cirrhosis are predictive of acute-on-chronic liver failure and liver-related mortality regardless of severe anaemia.

Chronic anaemia in advanced liver disease is a frequent finding. The aim was to explore the clinical impact of spur cell anaemia, a rare entity typically associated with end-stage of the disease. One-hundred and nineteen patients (73.

Multicentric evaluation of the variability of digital morphology performances also respect to the reference methods by optical microscopy.

Introduction: Despite the important diagnostic role of peripheral blood morphology, cell classification is subjective. Automated image-processing systems (AIS) provide more accurate and objective morphological evaluation. The aims of this multicenter study were the evaluation of the intra and inter-laboratory variation between different AIS in cell pre-classification and after reclassification, compared with manual optical microscopy, the reference method.

Red Blood Cell Morphologic Abnormalities in Patients Hospitalized for COVID-19.

Peripheral blood smear is a simple laboratory tool, which remains of invaluable help for diagnosing primary and secondary abnormalities of blood cells despite advances in automated and molecular techniques. Red blood cells (RBCs) abnormalities are known to occur in many viral infections, typically in the form of mild normo-microcytic anemia. While several hematological alterations at automated complete blood count (including neutrophilia, lymphopenia, and increased red cell distribution width-RDW) have been consistently associated with severity of COVID-19, there is scarce information on RBCs morphological abnormalities, mainly as case-reports or small series of patients, which are hardly comparable due to heterogeneity in sampling times and definition of illness severity.

Platelets Promote Thromboinflammation in SARS-CoV-2 Pneumonia.

Objective: Pulmonary thrombosis is observed in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pneumonia. Aim was to investigate whether subpopulations of platelets were programmed to procoagulant and inflammatory activities in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients with pneumonia, without comorbidities predisposing to thromboembolism. Approach and Results: Overall, 37 patients and 28 healthy subjects were studied.

Multicentric evaluation of analytical performances digital morphology with respect to the reference methods by manual optical microscopy.

Aims: Optical microscopic (OM) evaluation of peripheral blood (PB) cells is still a crucial step of the laboratory haematological workflow. The morphological cell analysis is time-consuming and expensive and it requires skilled operator. To address these challenges, automated image-processing systems, as digital morphology (DM), were developed in the last few years.

Pathogenesis of immune thrombocytopenia in common variable immunodeficiency.

Immune Thrombocitopenic Purpura (ITP) is an autoimmune disease characterized by antibody-mediated platelet destruction and variable reduced platelet production. Besides antibody-mediated platelet destruction, new pathogenic mechanisms have been reported to be involved in reducing platelet count. Among these, desialylation is one of the most recent and innovative mechanisms that has been found to be implied, at least in part, in non-antibody mediated platelet clearance.

Multicenter evaluation of analytical performances of platelet counts and platelet parameters: Carryover, precision, and stability.

Introduction: The correctness of the results of automated platelet analysis is still highly debated. The aim of this multicenter study, conducted according to international guidelines, was to verify the analytical performance of nine different types of hematology analyzers (HAs) in the automated platelet analysis.

Methods: Four hundred eighty-six peripheral blood samples (PB), collected in K EDTA tubes, were analyzed by ABX Pentra, ADVIA2120i, BC-6800, BC-6800 Plus, Cell-DYN Sapphire, DxH800, XE-2100, XE-5000, XN-20 with PLT-F App.

An unusual case of sodium citrate-dependent artifactual platelet count.

Background: Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)-dependent pseudothrombocytopenia is a rare phenomenon. Spurious pseudothrombocytopenia has also been described in other circumstances, while artifactual platelet count in whole blood samples anticoagulated with sodium citrate is an exceptional occurrence.

Case Report: In this study, we describe the case of a 44-year-old ostensibly healthy woman who attended the local outpatient clinic for routine laboratory testing, including platelet count in EDTA and sodium citrate, for suspected artifactual pseudothrombocytopenia previously identified in another center.

Stability of refrigerated whole blood samples for osmotic fragility test.

Background: The osmotic fragility test (OFT), conventionally used for assisting the diagnosis of many erythrocyte disorders, is a manual and time-consuming analysis not daily performed in many medical laboratories. This study was aimed at defining the stability of whole blood samples used for assessing erythrocyte osmotic resistance.

Methods: Twenty-one consecutive routine whole blood samples collected into 5.

Assessment of haematopoietic progenitor cell counting with the Sysmex XN-1000 to guide timing of apheresis of peripheral blood stem cells.

Background: Successful peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) collection depends on optimal timing of apheresis, as usually determined by flow cytometry CD34-positive () cell count in peripheral blood (PB). Since this method is costly and labour-intensive, we evaluated the use of the Hematopoietic Progenitor Cell count programme on a Sysmex XN haematologic analyser (XN-HPC) as a rapid and inexpensive alternative for predicting CD34 cell count in PB samples.

Materials And Methods: Haematopoietic progenitor cell and CD34 cell counts were compared using 273 PB samples collected from 78 healthy donors and 72 patients who underwent PBSC transplantation.

Processing of diagnostic blood specimens: is it really necessary to mix primary blood tubes after collection with evacuated tube system?

Background: The preanalytical phase is considered the most vulnerable phase in biopreservation, biobanking, and laboratory diagnostics. Accurate mixing after blood collection is claimed to be important and recommended by the manufacturers.

Objective: To evaluate whether it is really necessary to mix the primary blood tubes immediately after blood collection by means of evacuated tube systems.

CUORE project: implementation of the 10-year risk score.

Purpose: The Italian national prevention plan 2005-2008 included 10-year cardiovascular risk (10-CR) assessment of the general population aged 35-69 years using the CUORE project risk score. General practitioners (GPs) were encouraged to collect data on risk factors and 10-CR and to contribute to the Cardiovascular Risk Observatory (CRO). The aim is to demonstrate feasibility and effectiveness of 10-CR assessment as a first step to implement primary preventive actions at the individual level.

Hospital discharge data for assessing myocardial infarction events and trends, and effects of diagnosis validation according to MONICA and AHA criteria.

Background: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI; ICD9-CM 410*) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality all over the world, and its community surveillance is essential to monitor variation in the occurrence of the disease. Between the late 1990s and the early 2000s more sensitive and specific biomarkers of myocardial necrosis (ie, troponins) were introduced and new diagnostic criteria, emphasising the role of biomarkers, have been developed for clinical and epidemiological purposes.

Methods: Tosc-AMI is a population-based registry based on the record linkage between hospital and mortality databases; it provides trends of coronary events in Tuscany, Italy.