Comparison of the cytogenetic and molecular analyses in the assessment of imatinib response in chronic myelocytic leukemia.

We aimed to compare the cytogenetic and molecular analyses in the assessment of imatinib mesylate response in patients suffering the chronic phase of chronic myelocytic leukemia who were refractory to alpha-interferon treatment. A total of 117 patients in the chronic phase of chronic myelocytic leukemia were included. The patients were treated with 400 mg/day imatinib mesylate.

The prevalence and clinical significance of inherited thrombophilic risk factors in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome.

In this study, we evaluated common inherited thrombophilic risk factors in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), and reviewed relevant literature. Ninety-four APS patients with documented thrombosis, 40 patients with persistent antiphospholipid antibody (aPLA) positivity but without thrombosis, and healthy controls were screened. We found that inherited protein C, protein S, and antithrombin deficiencies were rare in APS patients.

The clinical and pharmacoeconomic analysis of invasive aspergillosis in adult patients with haematological diseases.

Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) poses major management problems for clinicians caring for patients with haematological diseases. The clinical courses of patients with IPA who had been hospitalised in Hematology Unit, Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit and Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Unit between 1998 and 2005, the efficacy and adverse effects and costs of antifungal drugs (conventional amphotericin B deoxycholate, liposomal amphotericin B, amphotericin B lipid complex and caspofungin) used in the therapy of these patients were analysed in this study. Ninety-three patients with IPA were reviewed retrospectively.

P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 VNTR polymorphisms and risk of thrombosis in the antiphospholipid syndrome.

Objectives: Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLA) have been shown to enhance thrombus formation by increasing the expression of adhesive receptors such as P-selectin on endothelial cells. The P-selectin counter-receptor on leucocytes is P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1). We have previously described a variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) polymorphism in the mucin-like region of PSGL-1, with three alleles: allele A, 16 repeats; allele B, 15 repeats; and allele C, 14 repeats.

A different approach to telomere analysis with ddPRINS in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Telomeric sequences, located at the very end of the chromosomes, compensate for the chromosomal shortening as it happens after each round of cell division. Telomeric sequences influence the progress of cellular senescence and cancer progression. It has been reported that telomeres are shortened in acute leukemias where the cell turnover is high.

Short-course use of recombinant factor VIIa in a haemophilia patient with inhibitor undergoing cataract surgeries.

A 36 year-old patient with severe haemophilia A and high-titre inhibitor underwent cataract surgery under topical anaesthesia. Recombinant factor VIIa was used only three times, once before and twice following surgery. Tranexamic acid was given concomitantly.

Factor XIII Val34Leu polymorphism does not contribute to the prevention of thrombotic complications in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome.

The effect of thrombophilic mutations in the development of thrombosis in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) has been extensively investigated. Factor XIII (FXIII) Val34Leu polymorphism is a newly described polymorphism which is located in the three amino acids away from the thrombin activation site of the FXIII-A subunit. It has been reported that the Leu allele decreases the risk of both arterial and venous thrombosis.

Myeloid antigen expression provides favorable outcome in patients with adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a single-center study.

Between July 1992 and July 2001, 81 patients with de novo adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treated according to the German Multicenter Study Group for Adult ALL (GMALL) 01/81 protocol were evaluated in order to analyze the effect of aberrant myeloid antigen expression on prognosis. We observed myeloid antigen aberrant expression in 21 of the adult ALL cases. We did not observe any effect of aberrant myeloid antigen expression on the time to achieve remission, relapse rate, and death rate.

A case of chronic lymphocytic leukemia with a constitutional pericentric inversion of chromosome 1.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) has been reported to be associated with various chromosomal aberrations, the most common being trisomy 12 and structural rearrangements involving 13q, 11q, and 17p. We present a case of CLL with a constitutional pericentric inversion of chromosome 1.

Antithrombin III, protein C and protein S plasma levels in patients with Behçet's disease.

The association between natural inhibitors of coagulation and thrombophilia was investigated in 35 patients with Behcet's disease. Antithrombin III and protein C levels were measured using synthetic chromogenic substrate methods, and protein S levels by quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. There were no significant differences between patients and controls in plasma antithrombin III, protein C and free protein S concentrations.

47,XYY karyotype in acute myeloid leukemia.

A case of acute myelomonocytic leukemia (AMMoL; M4) with a 47,XYY karyotype is reported. This chromosome aneuploidy was found in both bone marrow cells and mitogen-stimulated lymphocytes. The contribution of XYY chromosomal constitution in the pathogenesis of AMMoL is controversial.

Anemia and thrombocytopenia due to parvovirus B-19 infection in a pregnant woman.

Anemia and thrombocytopenia in a patient with parvovirus B-19 and hepatitis C infection is reported. A seven month-pregnant 20 year-old patient had been first found to be anemic and thrombocytopenic 40 days before admission to our hospital and she had been given methylprednisolone and red cell transfusions. She gave birth to a healthy baby after only eight months of pregnancy.