Blood component-associated acute transfusion reactions in pediatric patients: experience of a tertiary care hospital.

Background/aim: The transfusion of blood products is a life-saving clinical practice in patients with bleeding, hemoglobinopathy, and cancer. It was aimed herein to analyze the frequency and types of blood component-related acute transfusion reactions (ATRs) in pediatric patients.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary care academic pediatric hospital.

COVID-19 disease in children and adolescents following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: A report from the Turkish pediatric bone marrow transplantation study group.

Background: Data on the risk factors and outcomes for pediatric patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19) following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) are limited.

Objectives: The study aimed to analyze the clinical signs, risk factors, and outcomes for ICU admission and mortality in a large pediatric cohort who underwent allogeneic HSCT prior to COVID-19 infection.

Method: In this nationwide study, we retrospectively reviewed the data of 184 pediatric HSCT recipients who had COVID-19 between March 2020 and August 2022.

Monitoring of adenoviremia in pediatric patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: Is it alone sufficient to predict adenoviral disease?

Background: We aimed to evaluate our pediatric HSCT recipients routinely monitored for adenoviremia and to determine the adequacy of this monitoring in predicting adenoviral disease (AD).

Methods: A retrospective cohort of patients who underwent allogeneic HSCT between January 2021 and August 2022, and routinely monitored for adenoviremia by real-time PCR was included in our survey. Demographic and clinical data of the patients were recorded.

Characteristics and management of hypersensitivity reactions with rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin in pediatric patients.

Anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) has been successfully used for decades to prevent graft versus host disease before hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) as a part of conditioning regimen. However, sometimes hypersensitivity reactions may limit its use. To evaluate hypersensitivity reactions experienced during rabbit-ATG infusion among children and present successful desensitization protocol.

The Effects of Vitamin D on Myocardial Function Demonstrated by Speckle-Tracking Echocardiography in Children with Beta Thalassemia.

Objective: Beta thalassemia major is an inherited hemoglobin disorder resulting in chronic hemolytic anemia. Cardiac involvement is the main cause of death in patients. Speckle-tracking echocardiography is a feasible method for the evaluation of cardiac function via an assessment of the longitudinal deformation of the myocardium through the cardiac cycle.

Bone Marrow Grafts From Pediatric Donors May Contain A Considerable Number of Hematogones.

During CD34 + stem cell count to determine the number of stem cells in the allografts from pediatric donors, we noticed a considerable amount of early hematogones (eHGs) within the stem cell gate in flow cytometry. Since the number of hematogones causes a decrease in the total number of stem cells counted within the graft, we planned a retrospective study to analyze the effect of eHGs on transplant outcomes. We also wanted to show how allografts containing high amounts of early HGs affect transplant outcomes.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation activities and HRQOL of refugee or asylum seeker children in Turkey: A multicenter study.

Background: Refugee or asylum seekers (RAS) children are at increased risk of physical, developmental, and behavioral health issues. The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical and psychosocial outcomes of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in RAS children and compare health-related quality of life (HRQOL) to those of Turkish peers.

Methods: This retrospective study included patients who underwent HSCT aged 0-18 years and completed 100-day post-transplant.

Thalassemia-free and graft-versus-host-free survival: outcomes of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for thalassemia major, Turkish experience.

We report the national data on the outcomes of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for thalassemia major (TM) patients in Turkey on behalf of the Turkish Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation Group. We retrospectively enrolled 1469 patients with TM who underwent their first HSCT between 1988 and 2020 in 25 pediatric centers in Turkey. The median follow-up duration and transplant ages were 62 months and 7 years, respectively; 113 patients had chronic graft versus host disease (cGVHD) and the cGVHD rate was 8.

Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis: A rare complication after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Background: Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis (PCI) is a disorder in which widespread air sacs are present in mucosa, submucosa, subserosa, and intraabdominal area of the intestinal wall. It has a heterogeneous clinical presentation as a rare complication of intestinal graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Computed tomography is the preferred imaging method for the diagnosis.

Antifungal Therapy in Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: A Single-center Experience.

Introduction: Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) are significant causes of morbidity and mortality in leukemia patients. This study investigated antifungal treatment and prophylaxis features according to leukemia risk groups and treatment phases in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients who received Berlin-Frankfurt-Munster-based protocols.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively examined ALL patients' data between the ages of 1 and 18 and treated them with Berlin-Frankfurt-Munster-ALL protocols between June 2013 and December 2016.

The impact of pretreatment serum cobalamin and folate levels on complications and peripheral blood recovery during induction chemotherapy of leukemia: a cross-sectional study.

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the impact of pretreatment folate and vitamin B deficiencies on the frequency of complications and peripheral blood recovery, in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

Methods: Pre-induction serum folate and vitamin B levels of 88 newly diagnosed ALL patients were evaluated retrospectively. Folate < 3 ng/mL and vitamin B < 200 pg/mL were accepted as deficiency.

Children With Behçet Disease-associated Thrombosis: A Single-Center Experience.

Behçet disease (BD) is a systemic vasculitis that can be complicated with thrombosis, which is an important cause of mortality and morbidity. The course of BD is more severe, and the diagnosis is usually delayed. In children, thrombosis associated with BD is very rare.

Renal function and the oxidative status among children with thalassemia major and healthy controls: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Renal dysfunction is an underestimated complication of thalassemia major.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to compare the glomerular and tubular functions in children with β- Thalassemia major (β- TM) with healthy controls and assess the oxidative stress caused by high ferritin levels.

Design And Setting: This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted in tertiary care hospital.

Abatacept as a Long-Term Targeted Therapy for LRBA Deficiency.

Background: LPS-responsive beige-like anchor (LRBA) deficiency presents with susceptibility to infections, autoimmunity, and lymphoproliferation. The long-term efficacy of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4-immunoglobulin (abatacept) as targeted therapy for its immune dysregulatory features remains to be established.

Objective: To determine the clinical and immunologic features of LRBA deficiency and long-term efficacy of abatacept treatment in controlling the different disease manifestations.

Bone Marrow Necrosis in a Patient Following Blinatumomab Therapy.

Bone marrow necrosis (BMN) is an extremely rare condition characterized by necrosis of the myeloid tissue and medullary stroma leaving an amorphous eosinophilic background and ill-defined necrotic cells in the hematopoietic bone marrow. Several conditions are associated with BMN, including sickle cell disease, metastatic carcinoma, and hematologic malignancies. It is also associated with the use of antineoplastic drugs, such as fludarabine, interferon alpha, and imatinib.

Management of acquired aplastic anemia in children : A single center experience.

Acquired aplastic anemia (AAA) is a rare and potentially life threatening disorder. We retrospectively compared the outcomes of 29 children with AAA who received immunosuppressive therapy (IST) or underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Median age at diagnosis was 9.

Retrospective evaluation of children with immune thrombocytopenic purpura and factors contributing to chronicity.

Objective: Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is the most common cause of acquired thrombocytopenia children. The aim of this retrospective study is to describe presenting features and clinical characteristics of ITP and evaluate clinical course, treatment modalities, and complications and determine the effects of preceding infection history, age, gender, treatment modality, and admission platelet count on chronicity.

Method: Two hundred and eleven patients who were diagnosed ITP and followed-up in Department of Pediatric Hematology, Ankara Children Hematology Oncology Education and Research Hospital between January 2008 and September 2012 were included.

Clinical features and treatment of primary autoimmune hemolytic anemia in childhood.

Background And Aim: Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) is characterized by autoimmune destruction of erythrocytes. In this retrospective study, the clinical, laboratory features and treatment responses of patients with primary AIHA were evaluated.

Material And Methods: 21 consecutive patients diagnosed with primary AIHA in a children's hospital from 2008 to 2016 were included.