Fragile X syndrome and myelodysplasia discovered during pregnancy.

We describe a female patient who presented at pregnancy with leucopenia and was found to suffer from both fragile X syndrome [Fra(X)] and myelodysplastic syndrome with cytogenetic abnormalities in bone marrow cells including 4q+ and deletion D13. To date only four cases of Fra(X) syndrome with malignant tumours (one haematological), all in male patients, have been reported. We believe that the occurrence of the myelodysplastic syndrome in this patient could be more than coincidental.

Chronic active hepatitis following splenectomy for autoimmune thrombocytopenia.

Two patients with immune thrombocytopenic purpura underwent splenectomy following the failure of steroid therapy. In neither patient was there evidence of liver disease prior to the splenectomy. Both had autoimmune parameters before the operation.

Th polyagglutination with fatal outcome in a patient with massive intravascular hemolysis and perforated tumor of colon.

Polyagglutination is a rare disorder which has been associated with intravascular hemolysis (Levene et al.: Transfus Med Rev 2:176-185, 1988). In this condition cryptantigens exposed on the red blood cell membrane agglutinate with compatible sera and with lectins.

Characterization of a neuraminidase from Corynebacterium aquaticum responsible for Th polyagglutination.

Th polyagglutinability is characterized by the agglutination of the red blood cells (RBC) by Arachis hypogaea, Medicago disciformis, Vicia cretica but, in contrast to the T phenomenon, not by Glycine max (Glycine soja). Because Th transformation of RBC has been obtained in vitro, the mechanism of Th polyagglutinability expression has been studied and reproduced experimentally. An enzyme with neuraminidase specificity has been isolated from the culture supernatant of Corynebacterium aquaticum, and further characterized (MW = 55,600 kDa, pH = 5.

Exposure of cryptantigens on erythrocytes in patients with breast cancer.

One hundred thirty-two patients with breast cancer were examined for exposure of cryptantigens on their erythrocytes (RBC) using a lectin panel consisting of Arachis hypogaea and Glycine soja. Eight had exposed cryptantigens; of the eight, five were classified with additional lectins as T-polyagglutination type and three as Th-polyagglutination. A control group of 300 healthy blood donors had no exposed cryptantigens on their RBC.

Exposure of T-cryptantigen on red blood cells in a patient with angiomyolipoma.

A case of angiomyolipoma with cryptantigen exposure on the red blood cells is described. The exposed cryptanigen was classified with lectins as T-polyagglutination. This is the first case described of T-cryptantigen exposure associated with angiomyolipoma.

Polyagglutination in hospitalized patients: a prospective study.

A hospital population at high risk for red cell polyagglutination was studied prospectively in search for cryptantigen exposure. The patients included in this study suffered from: malignancies, sepsis, direct antiglobulin test (DAT) negative anemias and various combinations of these three. 238 patients were examined, and 18 of these (7.

Tx polyagglutination in three members of one family.

A case of acute haemolytic anaemia is described in a child. Tx polyagglutination of his red cells was observed, but no direct association with the anaemia could be proved. Polyagglutination was suspected because of irregularities in the AB0 blood grouping.