Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Children and Adolescents With Cancer Infected With SARS-CoV-2 at a Tertiary Care Medical Center in Jordan.

Background: Our knowledge about severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is still evolving; its effects on children with cancer need to be studied more. The aim of this study is to present our experience with SARS-CoV-2 infection in this population and to highlight specific complications and outcomes.

Materials And Methods: This is a retrospective and prospective observational study, which involved 21 cancer patients below the age of 18 years in north Jordan.

A Proposed Kinetic Model for the Diagnostic and Prognostic Value of WT1 and p53 in Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Background: Wilms tumor (WT1) and p53 proteins were identified in the pathogenesis of several malignancies, including hematological malignancies. As a result of their interaction and diverse context-specific functions, this study aimed to emphasize the diagnostic and prognostic impacts of WT1 and p53 expression in acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Methods: Twelve bone marrow (BM) biopsies were obtained from AML patients who were diagnosed in accordance with the French-American-British diagnostic criteria.

Factors predicting the hematopoietic stem cells content of the umbilical cord blood.

Umbilical cord blood (UCB) has been demonstrated to be alternative source of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Unfortunately, the wide use of UCB Transplantation is limited due to the low number of HSCs. The aim of this study was to determine factors that affect the number of HSCs collected from UCB.

The effect of low altitude on blood count parameters.

Background And Objectives: High altitude has an effect on blood count parameters, but low altitude (especially below sea level) has not been studied.

Design And Setting: A cross-sectional study of aymptomatic subjects aged between 18 to 35 years of age who had reported to the blood bank at the King Abdullah University Hospital (KAUH)/Irbid and Ministry of Health, Jordan, during the period between January 2010 to June 2011 for blood donation.

Methods: Hematological values were compared in healthy adult blood donors living in areas 200 to 300 meters below sea level and areas 500 to 1500 meters above sea level.

Molecular characterization of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency among Jordanians.

Background/aims: In Jordan, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is a significant health problem, and the incidence was reported to be about 3.6%. The aims of this study are to investigate the most common molecular mutations of the G6PD gene among Jordanians in northern Jordan and to examine the correlation between the genotype and phenotype of this enzyme deficiency.

Genotoxicity assessment in patients with thalassemia minor.

Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder that affects both genders and results in reduced synthesis of hemoglobin, and thus causing anemia. Previous studies have shown that the severe form of this disease, thalassemia major, is associated with genotoxicity. This includes increases in the level of sister chromatid exchange (SCEs), chromosomal aberrations (CAs) and micronuclei.

Seroprevalence and genotyping of hepatitis C virus in multiple transfused Jordanian patients with β-thalassemia major.

Objective: The main objectives of this study are to investigate the prevalence of HCV among patients with β-thalassemia major and to determine the most prevalent genotype for this virus among them.

Methods: One hundred twenty-two β-thalassemia major patients who were previously diagnosed at the molecular level were included. All plasma samples were tested for the presence of antibodies by ELISA.

Comparison of plasma levels of natural anticoagulants (protein C and protein S) among Jordanian smokers and non-smokers.

Background: Protein C (PC) with its cofactor free protein S (FPS) are important anticoagulants. Any defect in the PC system is a risk factor for venous thrombosis.

Aims: To assess the effect of intensity of smoking, and the dose-response for the number of cigarettes smoked on PC and FPS plasma levels.

Predictors of severe hemolysis in patients with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency following exposure to oxidant stresses.

Background And Objectives: Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is a genetic enzymatic disorder that affects millions of people worldwide, and is a major health problem in Jordan. We studied factors that may predict severe hemolysis in children with G6PD deficiency.

Methods: We reviewed the records of patients with low G6PD activity admitted to a teaching hospital be- tween 1996 to 2007.

The prevalence of factor V Leiden (G1691A), prothrombin G20210A and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C677T mutations in Jordanian patients with beta-thalassemia major.

One hundred beta-thalassemia major (beta-TM) patients and 100 individuals as control were included. Factor V Leiden and prothrombin G20210A and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene mutations were genotyped by PCR and allele-specific restriction enzyme techniques. The prevalence of factor V Leiden G1691A, MTHFR C677T and prothrombin G20210A in patients was insignificantly higher than controls.

Characteristics of patients with TEL-AML1-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia with single or multiple fusions.

Background: The TEL-AML1 fusion in precursor-B ALL is generated by a cryptic 12;21 translocation that is detectable by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). It is generally considered a favorable prognostic indicator. Some TEL-AML1+ ALL patients present at diagnosis with extra copies of the fusion, enumerated by FISH.