Impact of Aberrant Myeloid Antigen Expression on Outcomes of Patients with T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of myeloid antigen expression on complete remission (CR), event-free survival (EFS), and overall survival (OS) in patients with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) treated with intensive chemotherapy.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed consecutive patients diagnosed with T-ALL and treated in Sultan Qaboos University Hospital and Royal Hospital in Oman between 2004 and 2010. The diagnosis of T-ALL was established using French-American-British classification or World Health Organization criteria.

Rituximab leads to long remissions in patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenia.

Objectives: To assess the response rate and duration of response in patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) receiving rituximab.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 32 consecutive patients with chronic ITP who were treated in two tertiary centers in Oman. Response assessment was based on the American Society of Hematology criteria.

Management dilemmas in patients with mechanical heart valves and warfarin-induced major bleeding.

Management of warfarin-induced major bleeding in patients with mechanical heart valves is challenging. There is vast controversy and confusion in the type of treatment required to reverse anticoagulation and stop bleeding as well as the ideal time to restart warfarin therapy safely without recurrence of bleeding and/or thromboembolism. Presently, the treatments available to reverse warfarin-induced bleeding are vitamin K, fresh frozen plasma, prothrombin complex concentrates and recombinant activated factor VIIa.

Acquired Pure Red Cell Aplasia caused by Parvovirus B19 Infection following a Renal Transplant.

We report a young Omani male who developed severe and persistent anaemia after a kidney transplantation while being on immunosuppression therapy, standard practice to prevent rejection of the transplanted kidney. His bone marrow aspirate showed the classic morphological changes of pure red cell aplasia (PRCA), induced by parvovirus B19 infection which is the presence of giant proerythroblasts with viral inclusions. The virus was also demonstrated by polymerase chain reaction in the blood along with IgM antibodies to parvovirus B19.

Indicators of Renal Glomerular and Tubular Functions in Patients with Beta-Thalassaemia Major: A cross sectional study at the Royal Hospital, Oman.

Objectives: There are limited data concerning the assessment of renal function in beta-thalassaemia major, with no study of such involvement in Omani patients. The objective of this study was to establish the pattern of renal glomerular and tubular function using traditional and specific laboratory tests in patients with beta-thalassaemia major.

Methods: This cross-sectional study, from January-July 2008, included 30 patients of the Thalassaemia Clinic at the Royal Hospital, Oman, with transfusion-dependent homozygous beta-thalassaemia major.

Hairy Cell Leukaemia in Oman: Four cases.

Hairy cell leukaemia (HCL) is a rare, clonal, chronic lymphoproliferative disorder commonly seen in males in the middle years of life. Pancytopaenia with moderate to massive splenomegaly is the most common clinical presentation. Diagnosis is made on detecting the lymphocytes with abundant cytoplasm which spread into hair-like processes on peripheral blood and bone marrow smears, thus giving the name, "hairy cell leukaemia".

Prevalence of endocrinopathies in patients with Beta-thalassaemia major - a cross-sectional study in oman.

Background: Beta-thalassaemia major is a common medical problem worldwide. There is little data dealing with the nature and prevalence of different endocrine disorders in this disease in the Sultanate of Oman.

Objectives: To establish the prevalence and times of occurrence of endocrine disorders in patients with beta-thalassaemia major.