Does glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency worsen the clinical features of sickle cell disease? A multi-hospital-based cross-sectional study.

Background: The impact of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency(G-6-PD) on the clinical course of sickle cell disease(SCD) is still controversial. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of G-6-PD deficiency in patients with SCD and its effect on their clinical course.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of 122 SCD patients and 211 healthy blood donors was conducted in Kisangani city.

Evaluation of Cardiac Function in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease with Left Ventricular Global Longitudinal Strain.

Background And Objectives: The importance of myocardial dysfunction in sickle cell disease (SCD) is currently debated. It is difficult to find a reliable index of function in patients with chronic overload as in SCD. Speckle tracking echocardiography, a new mean of evaluating cardiac function, might be a useful tool in SCD.

Anti-ADAMTS13 Autoantibodies against Cryptic Epitopes in Immune-Mediated Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura.

Immune-mediated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (iTTP) is characterized by severe ADAMTS13 (a disintegrin and metalloprotease with thrombospondin type 1 repeats, member 13) deficiency, the presence of anti-ADAMTS13 autoantibodies and an open ADAMTS13 conformation with a cryptic epitope in the spacer domain exposed. A detailed knowledge of anti-ADAMTS13 autoantibodies will help identifying pathogenic antibodies and elucidating the cause of ADAMTS13 deficiency. We aimed at cloning anti-ADAMTS13 autoantibodies from iTTP patients to study their epitopes and inhibitory characteristics.

Transfusion support of autoimmune hemolytic anemia: how could the blood group genotyping help?

Conventional pretransfusion testing based on hemagglutination assays can be challenging for patients with autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) because of the presence of auto-antibodies. It has been suggested that deoxyribonucleic acid-based methods could be more efficient in the selection of antigen-matched red blood cell units in those settings. Because of the high risk of alloimmunization of these patients and the labor-intensive nature of adsorption techniques, we decided to evaluate the feasibility of selecting antigen-matched units on the basis of RBC genotyping.

Evaluation of the procoagulant activity in the plasma of cancer patients using a thrombin generation assay.

Introduction: Circulating microparticles are reported to play a role in cancer hypercoagulability. The procoagulant properties of microparticles derive from the amount of tissue factor and/or phosphatidylserine that they can expose. The aim of our study is to assess the procoagulant activity, including microparticles' activity, in the plasma of newly diagnosed cancer patients with a simple assay, easy to implement in the laboratory.

Fulvestrant (Faslodex) in advanced breast cancer: clinical experience from a Belgian cooperative study.

Fulvestrant (Faslodex) is a new estrogen receptor (ER) antagonist with no agonist effects that is licensed for the treatment of postmenopausal women with hormone-sensitive advanced breast cancer (ABC) who have progressed/recurred on prior antiestrogen therapy. The Faslodex Compassionate Use Program (CUP) provides expanded access to fulvestrant in countries where it is not yet available for patients who are not eligible to enter clinical trials. This analysis pools data from 402 patients who received fulvestrant as part of the CUP in Belgium, predominantly as 3rd- to 5th-line endocrine therapy for ABC.