Altered Expression Levels of CD59, but Not CD55, on Red Blood Cells in Stored Blood.

Objective: Red blood cells (RBCs) in storage undergo structural and biochemical changes that may cause functional effects. Studies exploring structural changes affecting the expression levels of CD55 and CD59 on RBCs are limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the pattern of CD55 and CD59 expression on RBCs in stored blood from Arab donors.

Altered Expression Pattern of CD55 and CD59 on Red Blood Cells in Anemia of Chronic Kidney Disease.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the expression pattern of CD55 and CD59 on red blood cells (RBCs) in anemic chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, and factors that might influence their expression.

Subjects And Methods: Nighty-one adult anemic CKD patients and 80 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled. Anemic CKD patients were divided into 3 subgroups based on receiving erythropoietin and renal replacement therapies.

Expression pattern of CD55 and CD59 on red blood cells in sickle cell disease.

Objectives: To investigate the pattern of CD55 and CD59 expression on RBCs of SCD patients, and its association with anemia, biochemical parameters of hemolysis, level of erythropoietin, and pro-inflammatory markers.

Methods: Flow cytometric analysis was performed on RBCs from 71 adult SCD patients and 53 healthy controls, using the commercial REDQUANT kit.

Results: CD59 deficiency was significantly higher among SCD patients than among healthy controls.

Circulating cell-free DNA in sickle cell disease: is it a potentially useful biomarker?

Context: Vascular occlusion in sickle cell disease causes increased levels of plasma cell-free DNA as a result of cell death and tissue damage.

Objectives: This study investigates plasma cell-free DNA concentrations in sickle cell disease patients, and aims at exploring the significance of plasma cell-free DNA as a potential biomarker in predicting its complications.

Design: Plasma cell-free DNA levels were measured using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction to quantitatively measure β-globin gene in blood samples from 57 sickle cell disease patients with acute vaso-occlusive crisis, 42 patients in steady state, 16 individuals with sickle cell trait, and 40 healthy controls.

Blood transfusion practice in critically ill patients: a single institutional experience.

Objectives: To assess the transfusion practice in the intensive care unit (ICU) in a general hospital in Kuwait relative to indications, pretransfusion hemoglobin, red blood cell (RBC) use and outcome.

Subjects And Methods: 475 patients were admitted to the ICU during the study period (January 2009 to February 2010). Ninety-nine received RBC transfusion.

Genotypic and phenotypic differences between nodal and extranodal diffuse large B-Cell lymphomas.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a heterogeneous group of diseases that have diverse clinical, pathological, and biological features. Here, it is shown that primary nodal and extranodal DLBCLs differ genomically and phenotypically. Using conventional comparative genomic hybridization (CGH), the authors assessed the chromosomal aberrations in 18 nodal, 13 extranodal, and 5 mixed DLBCLs.

Hypercoagulable state and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T mutation in patients with beta-thalassemia major in Kuwait.

Introduction: Patients with thalassemia major often present with a hypercoagulable state, the pathogenesis of which is still not understood.

Materials And Methods: This study evaluates the risk factors for hypercoagulability in 50 beta-thalassemia major patients and 50 healthy controls. Fasting total homocysteine, protein C (PC), protein S (PS), antithrombin (AT), activated protein C resistance (APCR) and lupus anticoagulant (LA) were assessed.

Global Risk Profile Verification in Patients with Venous Thromboembolism (GRIP VTE) in 5 Gulf countries.

Background: The Global Risk Profile Verification in Patients with Venous Thromboembolism was the first prospective multicenter registry conducted in Arabian Gulf countries to explore the epidemiology of venous thromboembolic (VTE) disorders and to provide data on diagnosis and disease management.

Methods: Data on 242 patients with confirmed VTE were submitted between September 2003 and November 2003 from 28 contributing hospitals in the Arabian Gulf region. Differences between groups were assessed by the chi(2) test or Fisher exact test for categorical variables.

Determinants and associations of homocysteine and prothrombotic risk factors in Kuwaiti patients with cerebrovascular accident.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the determinants and associations of some prothrombotic risk factors in patients with cerebrovascular accidents (CVAs).

Subjects And Methods: In this case-control study, plasma total homocysteine (tHcy), lupus anticoagulant, protein C, protein S, activated protein C resistance (APC-R) and antithrombin were measured in 102 patients (60 males and 42 females) and 167 controls (87 males, 80 females). Serum vitamin B(12), folate, red cell folate, creatinine, lipid profile and glucose were also determined.

Plasma homocysteine and hematological factors in patients with venous thromboembolic diseases in Kuwait.

Background: Venous thromboembolic disease (VTE) is a common cause of morbidity in Kuwait, but the risk factors have not been studied. Hyperhomocysteinemia has been suggested as one of the risk factors. We postulate that hyperhomocysteinemia acts synergistically with hematological variables to increase VTE risk.

Determinants of plasma homocysteine in relation to hematological and biochemical variables in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Background: Elevated plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) is a risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD), but the mechanism is not known. This study evaluates the determinants and associations of tHcy in patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods: Plasma concentration of tHcy, protein C, protein S, and antithrombin were measured in 210 (177 males and 33 females) patients with first AMI and 167 (87 males and 80 females) controls.

Hodgkin's disease: Kuwait experience.

Objective: To describe histologic subtypes, clinical presentation and treatment outcome of Hodgkin's lymphoma in Kuwait.

Subjects And Method: Patients older than 15 years, diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma between 1980 and 1998, were included in this retrospective analysis. Data were collected using a standardized form that included demographics, histologic subtypes, clinical presentation, stage, extranodal involvement, treatment modality and follow-up.

Familial Diamond-Blackfan anemia. Case reports and a review of the related literature.

We present the case of three sisters with Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA) from a consanguineous marriage. These sisters presented within the first 2 months of age with anemia without hepatosplenomegaly together with complete blood count and bone marrow pictures compatible with the diagnosis of DBA syndrome. They were given blood transfusions and then started on prednisolone 2 mg/kg/day in divided doses, tapering the dose to a minimum to keep Hb around 90 g/l.

RBC alloimmunization and autoimmunization among transfusion-dependent Arab thalassemia patients.

Background: Thalassemia major is a common hemoglobinopathy in the Arabian Gulf region. However, limited data are available on the frequency of RBC alloimmunization and autoimmunization in transfusion-dependent Arab thalassemia patients.

Study Design And Methods: A total of 190 thalassemia major patients were classified as Kuwaiti Arab and non-Kuwaiti Arab.

Radiotherapy for early stage of Hodgkin's disease at Kuwait Cancer Control Center, Kuwait.

Objective: To evaluate the outcome of using radiotherapy (RT) alone to treat patients with early-stage Hodgkin's disease (HD).

Method: The records of 28 patients with HD treated with RT alone at Kuwait Cancer Control Center between 1980 and 1998 were reviewed.

Results: Twenty-three patients had stage I HD and 5 stage II.