Cold-induced anaphylaxis: new insights into clinical and genetic characteristics.

Introduction: The pathogenesis of cold urticaria (ColdU) and cold-induced anaphylaxis (ColdA) remains poorly understood, and ColdA is underrepresented in anaphylaxis literature. Laboratory features to guide management are largely unknown. This study evaluated basal serum tryptase (BST) and total immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels in ColdU and ColdA, their associations with clinical features, and the utility of testing for the p.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of carfilzomib-associated thrombocytopenia as an adverse event in patients with multiple myeloma.

Background: Carfilzomib is a second-generation proteasome inhibitor (PI) used for combination therapy with dexamethasone and/or lenalidomide in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. Reports indicate that PIs have a unique toxicity profile that includes thrombocytopenia as a hematologic adverse event; however, its occurrence has not yet been quantified systematically.

Objectives: The main objective of our systematic review and meta-analysis is to investigate the incidence of thrombocytopenia in patients with multiple myeloma after treatment with carfilzomib.

Changes in Nutritional Intake, Body Composition, and Handgrip Strength in Patients Undergoing Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: A Retrospective Study.

Patients who undergo autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (autoHSCT) often experience reduced oral intake and wasting. We examined their daily nutritional intake, assessed alterations in body composition and muscle strength, and explored associations between decreased nutritional intake and treatment outcomes. This retrospective study included 64 patients.

Amplification of Chromosome 1q Predicts Poor Overall Survival in Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma Patients.

Background: Chromosome 1q copy number alterations are common in newly diagnosed patients with multiple myeloma, and in most published studies, there is no distinction made between three copies or the addition of at least four copies. The impact of these copy number alterations on patient outcome and optimal treatment is not fully understood.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 136 transplant eligible patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma from our national registry, who were treated with first autologous stem cell transplantation (aHSCT) between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2021.

Autologous Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Treatment of Chronic Active Antibody-Mediated Kidney Graft Rejection: Report of the Phase I/II Clinical Trial Case Series.

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSCs) therapy has already been studied in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs), and the available data showed that it is safe and well tolerated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of autologous MSCs in combination with standard therapy in KTRs with biopsy-proven chronic active antibody-mediated rejection (AMR). Patients with biopsy-proven chronic active AMR received treatment with autologous bone marrow-derived MSCs (3 × 10 cells/kg iv) after completion of standard therapy and were followed for up to 12 months.

Wells' syndrome possibly caused by hematologic malignancy, influenza vaccination or ibrutinib: A case report.

Background: Wells' syndrome (eosinophilic cellulitis) is an uncommon eosinophilic dermatosis of uncertain pathogenesis, characterized by clinical polymorphism and suggestive but nonspecific histopathologic traits. Its course is recurrent, and response to therapy is unpredictable. In a case in which the patient has a number of potential triggers for the manifestation of Wells' syndrome skin rash, the treating physician must decide or must make an assumption in order to establish the most likely clinical scenario.

Prognostic value of a new clinically-based classification system in patients with CMML undergoing allogeneic HCT: a retrospective analysis of the EBMT-CMWP.

Recently a new three-group clinical classification was reported by an International Consortium to stratify CMML patients with regard to prognosis. The groups were defined as follows: (1) Myelodysplastic (MD)-CMML: WBC ≤ 10 × 10/l, circulating immature myeloid cells (IMC) = 0, no splenomegaly; (2) MD/MP (overlap)-CMML: WBC 10-20 × 10/l or WBC ≤ 10 × 10/l but IMC > 0 and/or splenomegaly; (3) Myeloproliferative (MP)-CMML: WBC > 20 × 10/l. By analysing EBMT Registry patients who underwent allo-HCT for CMML between 1997 and 2016, we aimed to determine the impact of this classification on transplantation outcome and to make a comparison with the conventional WHO classification (CMML-0/CMML-1/CMML-2).

Complement activation and cryoglobulinemia are common in monoclonal gammopathy of renal significance: Data from a case series.

Introduction: Monoclonal gammopathy of renal significance (MGRS) denotes kidney diseases caused by monoclonal immunoglobulins in patients who do not have an overt hematological malignancy. Treatment is primarily directed against the underlying clone. Complement activation and cryoglobulinemia are known factors that can contribute to tissue damage, however, the full extent of their involvement is not clear.

Hematopoietic progenitor cell counting can optimize peripheral blood stem cell apheresis process.

Introduction: Monitoring of stem cell concentration in transplantation settings is crucial to determine the optimal time of apheresis and is currently based on enumeration of CD34+ cells by flow cytometry. No surrogate marker has replaced CD34+ cell enumeration to date. The aim of this study was the evaluation of the hematopoietic progenitor cell (HPC) parameter of the Sysmex XN-1000 analyzer in terms of optimizing the peripheral blood stem cell apheresis process.

Bone Marrow Microenvironment Interplay and Current Clinical Practice in Multiple Myeloma: A Review of the Balkan Myeloma Study Group.

The course of multiple myeloma (MM) is influenced by a variety of factors, including the specificity of the tumour microenvironment (TME). The aim of this review is to provide insight into the interplay of treatment modalities used in the current clinical practice and TME. Bortezomib-based triplets are the standard for MM first-line treatment.

Recognition of Philadelphia chromosome-like acute lymphoblastic leukemia as part of routine diagnostic work-up.

Introduction: Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-like acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a biologically and clinically challenging subtype of B-cell ALL which has been incorporated into the 2016 revision of the World Health classification of acute leukemia. It is independently associated with poor outcome. As it can only be reliably detected by expression profiling, it is difficult to diagnose with routine methods.

Risk of infectious complications in adult patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation depending on the site of central venous catheter insertion-multicenter prospective observational study, from the IDWP EBMT and Nurses Group of EBMT.

The current guidelines for prevention of infections in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) do not specify which central venous catheter (CVC) insertion site should be preferred in allogeneic HSCT recipients-internal jugular vein (IJV) or subclavian vein (SCV). We designed a multicenter prospective observational study comparing the risk of infectious and non-infectious complications between the two most common sites of CVC insertion (IJV and SCV) in allogeneic HSCT. There were in total 232 consecutive patients (86 IJV and 146 SCV) who underwent adult allogeneic HSCT reported from 11 centers in 8 countries.

Micafungin for Candida infections in Slovenia and Romania: A multicenter, observational, prospective study.

Introduction: An echinocandin, such as micafungin, is recommended as first-line treatment for invasive Candida infections in immunocompromised patients. This multicenter, observational, prospective, non- interventional study evaluated the real-world use of micafungin in clinical practice in Slovenia and Romania, as this remains unexplored.

Methodology: The primary endpoint was evaluation of micafungin use, including rationale for prescription, treatment duration, and daily dose.

Acquired haemophilia in patients with malignant disease: A case report.

Background: Acquired haemophilia is a rare coagulation disorder characterized by autoantibodies against coagulation factor VIII leading to severe and potentially life-threatening haemorrhages. The underlying disorder causing the development of an autoimmune phenomenon is not always known, but 10%-15% could be linked to malignancies. Patients with cancer who require surgical resection represent a treatment challenge not solely due to increased risk of bleeding but also due to adverse events of immunosuppressive therapy.

The Contemporary Approach to CALR-Positive Myeloproliferative Neoplasms.

mutations are a revolutionary discovery and represent an important hallmark of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), especially essential thrombocythemia and primary myelofibrosis. To date, several mutations were identified, with only frameshift mutations linked to the diseased phenotype. It is of diagnostic and prognostic importance to properly define the type of mutation and subclassify it according to its structural similarities to the classical mutations, a 52-bp deletion (type 1 mutation) and a 5-bp insertion (type 2 mutation), using a statistical approximation algorithm (AGADIR).

Routine KIT p.D816V screening identifies clonal mast cell disease in patients with Hymenoptera allergy regularly missed using baseline tryptase levels alone.

Background: Clonal mast cell disorders and elevated basal serum tryptase (BST) levels with unknown cause(s) are associated with severe Hymenoptera venom-triggered anaphylaxis (HVA). However, some individuals with clonal disease have a normal BST level (<11.4 ng/mL).

Successful long-term treatment with azacitidine in patient with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia.

The purpose of this article was to present a case of successful long term treatment with azacitidine in patient with Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia (CMML) and discussing possible contributing factors for its long term efficacy. Data from our case were compared with similar data available in the literature. Effective treatment with azacitidine resulted in overall survival of 11 years 5 months and we showed that applying multiple cycles of treatment is feasible.

Surgery results in low relapse and progression rates in extramedullary plasmacytoma of the head and neck: A case cohort and review of the literature.

Extramedullary plasmacytoma of the head and neck is a rare indolent neoplasm. Radiotherapy is often the preferred treatment option with excellent local control and survival. The risk of local recurrence or transformation to multiple myeloma is 10-30%.

Feasibility and safety of exercise training and nutritional support prior to haematopoietic stem cell transplantation in patients with haematologic malignancies.

Background: Prehabilitation with regular exercise and nutritional care for patients undergoing surgeries for malignant disease was recently introduced to increase physiologic reserve prior to the procedure, accelerate recovery and improve outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility and safety of combined exercise training and nutritional support in patients with haematologic malignancies prior to haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).

Methods: In this single-arm pilot study, 34 HSCT candidates were enrolled at least two weeks before admission for the procedure.