Association of -174G/C interleukin/6 gene polymorphism with the risk of chronic lymphocytic, chronic myelogenous and acute myelogenous leukemias in Turkish patients.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between -174G/C interleukin-6 (IL-6) gene promoter polymorphism and susceptibility to chronic lymphocytic (CLL), chronic myelogenous (CML) and acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) in Turkish patients.

Methods: The frequencies of -174G/C polymorphism were studied in 23 unrelated CLL, 25 CML and 17 AML patients and 30 healthy individuals. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped by the PCR-RFLP method.

The -137G/C Polymorphism in Interleukin-18 Gene Promoter Contributes to Chronic Lymphocytic and Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Risk in Turkish Patients.

Objective: Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is a cytokine that belongs to the IL-1 superfamily and is secreted by various immune and nonimmune cells. Evidence has shown that IL-18 has both anticancer and procancer effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between IL-18 gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to chronic lymphocytic leukemias (CLL) and chronic myelogenous leukemias (CML) in Turkish patients.

Plasmapheresis in a patient with "refractory" urticarial vasculitis.

Immune complexes are found in the circulation of 30%-75% of patients with urticarial vasculitis and much evidence supports the role of these immune complexes in the pathogenesis of urticarial vasculitis. Plasmapheresis is effective for removing these immune complexes; however, there are few reports on the use of plasmapheresis in the treatment of urticarial vasculitis. We describe a case of "refractory" urticarial vasculitis in which the symptoms improved after plasmapheresis treatment.

The clinical significance of tumor cells in bone marrow or apheresis product and the efficacy of CD34+ selection and high-dose chemotherapy in patients with Stage III breast cancer.

The purpose of this study is to determine the presence of disseminated tumor cells in bone marrow or apheresis product, and also to evaluate the clinical significance of contaminated products and the efficacy of CD34(+) selection and high-dose chemotherapy in patients with Stage III breast cancer. Fifty-five patients were enrolled in this prospective cohort study. Whereas CD34(+) positive selection was not carried out in the first group (unselected group, n:31), CD34(+) positive selection was performed in the second group (CD34 selected group, n:24).

Reduced dose of lenograstim is as efficacious as standard dose of filgrastim for peripheral blood stem cell mobilization and transplantation: a randomized study in patients undergoing autologous peripheral stem cell transplantation.

In vitro studies have demonstrated a 27% increased efficacy of lenograstim over filgrastim. However, equal doses of 10 microg/kg/day of filgrastim and lenograstim have been recommended for mobilization of CD34+ cells without associated chemotherapy. In this study, we investigated whether a 25% reduced dose of lenograstim at 7.

D-dimer levels in the prediction of the degree of intestinal necrosis of etrangulated hernias in rats.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the time-dependent relation between plasma D-dimer levels and the degree of intestinal necrosis and to compare these parameters with leukocyte counts in an experimental etrangulated hernia model in rats.

Results: When the duration of intestinal ischemia was prolonged, serum D-dimer levels increased relative to the control group, with the difference being statistically significant at hour 2 (P = 0.027).

Effects of bortezomib on platelet aggregation and ATP release in human platelets, in vitro.

Introduction: Proteasome inhibitor bortezomib (PS-341) has been the first proteasome inhibitor that has entered clinical trials with its antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects in patients with multiple myeloma. Recent studies indicate that proteasome inhibitors can be useful in prevention of experimental arterial thrombosis in renovascular hypertensive rat models. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of bortezomib on in vitro platelet aggregation and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) release of human platelets.

The altered autonomic nervous system activity in iron deficiency anemia.

Autonomic function is impaired in anemic patients with various etiologies such as vitamin B12 deficiency, sickle cell trait, and thalassemia major. However, there are insufficient data about autonomic functions in patients with iron deficiency anemia, the leading cause for anemia in the general population. In the present study we aimed to investigate the autonomic status in iron deficiency anemia by analyzing the heart rate variability (HRV).

Cardiac autonomic functions are altered in patients with acute leukemia, assessed by heart rate variability.

Acute leukemia is one of the leading malignancies worldwide. Although neuropathy was reported as one of the complications of leukemia, there is a little data about the autonomic involvement. This study was designed to investigate the cardiac autonomic disturbances in acute leukemias by using time-domain indices of heart rate variability (HRV).

Cognitive dysfunction in beta-thalassemia minor.

Beta-thalassemia minor is a common, hereditary, and mostly symptomless disease. Previous studies have shown that lower hemoglobin values are associated with poorer cognitive functions. We aimed to evaluate the cognitive function in patients with beta-thalassemia minor.

Donor cell leukemia in a patient developing 11 months after an allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for chronic myeloid leukemia.

A 38-year-old female with chronic myeloid leukemia underwent an allogeneic bone marrow transplantation from her full-matched brother. Eleven months later, she readmitted with an acute leukemia that was shown to be of donor origin. The patient never achieved a remission even after chemotherapies with cytarabine and mitoxantrone, donor lymphocyte infusion, and second allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation.

Lipid profile and anticardiolipin antibodies in Behcet's disease.

Background: Behcet's disease (BD) is a multisystem disorder characterized by a relapsing inflammatory process of unknown etiology. It is well known that atherothrombosis in systemic inflammatory disorders is closely related to coagulation and lipid metabolism abnormalities. The purpose of this study was to investigate some parameters of lipid metabolism, lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] and anticardiolipin antibody (ACA) levels and the relationship of these parameters with the clinical activity of BD.

Leucopenia and thrombocytopenia possibly associated with lamotrigine use in a patient.

Haematological side effects are rather exceptional with lamotrigine. We report the case of a 25-year-old woman with epilepsy who developed combined leucopenia and thrombocytopenia eight weeks after starting lamotrigine. Within weeks after lamotrigine was discontinued, all of the haematopoietic abnormalities had disappeared.

The excessive numbers of total nucleated cells does not affect the performance of the CliniMACS.

This prospective study was carried out in healthy donors and patients. The performance of the CliniMACS was evaluated with the comparison of the numbers of total nucleated cell (TNC) within and over the capacity of the normal scale column. In addition, large vs.

Outer hair cell activity of the cochlea in patients with iron deficiency anemia.

Objective: Iron deficiency anemia is a common disorder, which has been reported to affect the auditory system. However, there are some conflicting points related with the pattern of hearing impairment. The aim of this study is to analyze the outer hair cell activity of the cochlea in patients with iron deficiency anemia.

Renal tubular dysfunction in beta-thalassemia minor.

Background: Persons with beta-thalassemia minor usually are symptomless. However, we previously reported renal tubular dysfunction in a patient with beta-thalassemia minor. The aim of this study is to investigate renal function in patients with beta-thalassemia minor.

Stem cell mobilization by G-CSF in solid and hematological malignancies: single daily dose is better than split dose in obese patients.

In the past, variable results were reported for single daily and two divided daily doses of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) in stem cell collection where no study exists investigating the effect of body mass index (BMI) on mobilization. The numbers of CD34(+) cells collected were compared in 86 patients with solid or hematological malignancies receiving either single daily (14 mug/kg/day) G-CSF (filgrastim) as group I (n=36) or two divided doses of G-CSF daily (2 x 7 mug/kg/day) as group II (n = 50). Both groups were divided into subgroups according to their BMI as group a (BMI 25 kg/m(2)).

Effect of plateletpheresis on complete blood count values using three different cell separator systems in healthy donors.

The aim of this study is to investigate changes of CBC values after plateletpheresis in healthy and volunteer donors by using three different cell separator systems. The platelets were collected from 95 donors using the COBE Spectra, from 87 donors using the Fenwal CS-3000 Plus, and from 83 donors using the Fresenius AS-204. After plateletpheresis, white blood cells (WBC), hemoglobin (HGB), hematocrit (HCT), and platelets (PLT) were decreased significantly.

Severe hyperglycemia as a complication of big ICE chemotherapy in a patient with acute myeloblastic leukemia.

Background: Big ICE chemotherapy (consisting of Idarubicin, high dose Cytosine arabinoside and Etoposide), has proven its efficacy in the treatment of patients with relapse/refractory acute myeloblastic leukemia. In this case report, we present a patient developing the complication of severe hyperglycemia following administration of big ICE because of a relapse of acute myeloblastic leukemia.

Case Report: When a 41-year-old woman with acute myeloblastic leukemia in relapse was treated using the big ICE protocol, because of lack of efficacy of other chemotherapy regimens.

Itraconazole is not effective for the prophylaxis of fungal infections in patients with neutropenia.

Fungal infections are a major problem among patients with hematological malignancies. To evaluate the efficacy of itraconazole (200 mg twice daily) in the prophylaxis of fungal infections in neutropenic patients, we conducted a prospective trial. A total of 61 patients with acute leukemia (113 cytotoxic chemotherapy episodes) were enrolled in the study.

Facial paresis after fludarabine treatment for advanced chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

This case report discusses a case with advanced-stage chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) that presented with facial paresis after fludarabine treatment. A 68-year old patient with CLL (Rai classification, stage IV) was admitted to Gülhane Military Medical Academy for treatment. Fludarabine, 30 mg/m2 daily for 5 days, was given.

Total parenteral nutrition delays platelet engraftment in patients who undergo autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Objectives: One of the major challenges in the post-transplant period is nutrition. In this prospective, non-randomized study, total parenteral nutrition (TPN) was given to 31 patients and partial parenteral nutrition (PPN) was given to 30 patients undergoing autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for solid tumors or hematologic malignancies to compare the effects of these parenteral nutrition modalities on post-transplant hematological engraftment, blood chemistry, and supportive therapy requirements.

Methods: All patients in the TPN group and 17 patients in the PPN group received growth factor in the post-transplant period.