Ultrastructural findings in acute and chronic graft-vs-hos reaction of the skin.

Two cases of graft-vs-host reaction (GVHR) after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation were studied by transmission electron microscopy. One was observed only in the acute phase and the other, after a mild acute reaction, showed a chronic lichen planus-like pattern. All types of skin damage described in experimental GVHR have been confirmed in both cases.

[Syndrome of aplastic anemia-paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria. Comparative study of the clinical and biological features with the disease paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria].

Aplastic anemia was followed by the development of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria. Comparative study of the clinical and biological features with the disease paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria.

Low-dose vincristine in the treatment of corticosteroid-refractory idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) in non-splenectomized patients.

Eight non-splenectomized patients with corticosteroid-refractory idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) were treated with low-dose vincristine (1 mg/week up to a total dose of 4 mg). Complete remission was achieved in 2 cases and partial remission in 3. Bleeding stopped in one patient who failed to remit.

[Massive pulmonary embolism due to hydatid vesicles. Report of a case (author's transl)].

A patient with hepatic and peritoneal hydatidosis suffered acute episodes of restrictive bronchial disease for the last 2 years. The patient was admitted during the course of one of this acute episodes with clinical symptoms of pulmonary embolism. Supportive therapeutic measures were prescribed, but the patient died 12 hours latter.

Acute and chronic graft-vs-host reaction in skin: report of two cases.

The cutaneous changes of the acute form of graft-vs-host reaction are described in two patients who underwent bone marrow transplantation for treatment of severe aplastic anaemia. One patient went on to develop a chronic reaction of the lichenoid type. Histopathology confirmed the presence of 'satellite cell necrosis' from the acute stage of the disease onwards.

Lymphocyte size and survival of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B-type).

In 57 cases of B-type chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B-CLL), the size of peripheral blood lymphocytes was estimated by means of transmission electron microscopy. The mean lymphocyte diameter (MLD) of 50 cells was correlated with the clinical staging as well as the survival. 30 out of 38 patients found in stages 0, I, and II displayed a normal or increased MLD.

Thrombocytosis in quiescent chronic granulocytic leukaemia after vincristine and 6-mercaptopurine therapy.

In an attempt to retard the appearance of blastic transformation 11 patients recently diagnosed with chronic granulocytic leukaemia were given courses of vincristine and 6-mercaptopurine after stabilization of the disease by busulfan. In 4 of the patients a marked thrombocytosis developed shortly after the administration of such courses. When we compared the clinical and biological features at the moment of diagnosis, the patients in whom thrombocytosis developed after vincristine and 6-mercaptopurine courses showed higher platelet counts and a smaller spleen size than the other ones, although no statistical significance was reached.

[Value of hemophagocytosis in the morphological examination of the bone marrow (author's transl)].

The hemophagocytosis or the process of ingestion of blood cells by phagocytes and macrophages of the mononuclear phagocytic system (MFS), is a phenomenon that rarely could be observed in the morphological examination of the bone marrow aspirate. Occasionally it is present in certain pathologic conditions such as, malignant histiocitosis, autimmune hemolytic anemia, or some chronic inflammatory diseases. The capacity of ingestion is not an exlusive property of the phagocytes and macrophages of the MFS, so that different neoplastic cells can show it too.

[Endocarditis by Coxiella burnetti. A chronic form of Q fever. Report of one case (author's transl)].

The authors describe a case of chronic endocarditis by Q fever, in a patient who had been operated for coarctation of the aorta twelve years previously and at the same time was carrier of a congenital bivalve aorta. The clinical picture was suggestive of subacute endocarditis, but the blood culture was negative repeatedly. There was also a prolonged and relapsing febrile syndrome over a period of one-year-and-a-half.

[Results of bone marrow transplantation in severe aplastic anemia. Bibliographic review].

A review of the present results of bone-marrow transplantation (B.M.T.

[Chronic lymphoid leukemia. Survival in relation to clinical stages. Statistical analysis of 95 cases (author's transl)].

The prognosis of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia is very difficult to evaluate. The classification system by stages, which at the present time is the most simple and useful method for the prognosis of this disease, recognizes five degrees of involvement: stage 0 (medullary and peripheral lymphocytosis); stage I (lymphocytosis + enlarged lymph nodes); stage II (lymphocyosis + hepato-and/or splenomegaly); stage III (lymphocytosis + anemia), and stage IV (lymphocytosis + thrombocytopenia). In the present report 95 controlled patients at the Farreras Valentí School of Hematology are analyzed using the classification by stages; there were 19 cases in stage 0; 16 in stage I; 30 in stage II; 21 in stage III, and 9 in stage IV.