[Indications and contraindications for platelet transfusions in patients with thrombocytopenia].

For more than 40 years now, platelet transfusion has provided life-saving supportive therapy to hematological patients with impaired hematopoiesis, bone marrow aplasia induced by chemotherapy, surgical patients and patients with a variety of disorders of platelet count and function. More than 2.9 million platelet components are transfused each year in Europe and 57000 in Croatia.

The importance of antenatal prevention of RhD immunisation in the first pregnancy.

Background: The aim of this study was to examine which pregnancies are associated with RhD immunisation and haemolytic disease of foetus and newborn (HDFN) when postnatal RhD prophylaxis is applied.

Material And Methods: This retrospective cohort study included pregnancies with RhD immunisation; each of the pregnant women received anti-D immunoglobulin after delivery, miscarriage or invasive antenatal diagnostic procedures. For each pregnancy we analysed the order of pregnancy that caused immunisation as well as the order of the monitored pregnancy and whether the anti-D antibodies caused HDFN.

Alloimmune neonatal neutropenia in Croatia during the 1998-2008 period.

Problem: The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence of the disease and to analyze laboratory data of 23 newborns undergoing serologic testing for alloimmune neonatal neutropenia (ANN) during the 1998-2008 period in Croatia.

Method Of Study: Laboratory data on 23 newborns undergoing serologic testing for ANN during the 1998-2008 period and epidemiologic data on the number of live births in Croatia were analyzed. Laboratory testing for ANN included serologic screening of maternal and neonatal sera and granulocytes (neutrophils) by immunofluorescence (IF) method.

[Hyperhaemolytic siyndrome in patient without haemoglobinopathies].

Hyperhemolysis syndrome usually occurs in patients with sickle cell disease and possibly thalassemia who receive multiple transfusions. There are only few clinical reports on patients without hemoglobinopathies as in this report. Our patient was diagnosed with hyperhemolytic reaction and was infused with IVIG and methylprednisolone for several days.

A Case of Neonatal Neutropenia Due to Anti-Fc Gamma Receptor IIIb Isoantibodies Treated with Recombinant Human Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Factor.

Alloimmunization to granulocyte-specific antigens can occur during pregnancy. Maternal antibodies of IgG class can cross the placenta to result in alloimmune neonatal neutropenia. Antibodies to human neutrophil antigens anti-HNA-1a, HNA-1b, and HNA-2a have been most commonly reported to cause alloimmune neonatal neutropenia.

[Neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia in Croatia in 1997-2007].

Neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (NATP) is caused by maternal sensitization to paternal alloantigens on fetal platelets during pregnancy. Although the disease is rare, the severity of clinical picture and its sequels associated with central nervous system hemorrhage impose the need of an early diagnosis, and timely and specific treatment of the disease. Based on these and literature data on the prevalence of NATP in Caucasians of 1-2 cases per 1000-5000 live births, it is estimated that 10 to 50 serologically verified cases of NATP and approximately a twofold number of requests for serologic testing for suspected NATP could be expected in Croatia per year.

Correlation between synovial fluid and serum IL-1beta levels after ACL surgery-preliminary report.

The possibility of controlling the harmful intra-articular influence of elevated interleukin (IL)-1beta synovial fluid concentration after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery could be useful. We investigated the correlation between serum and synovial fluid IL-1beta levels following ACL reconstruction. We measured IL-1beta concentration periodically in three synovial fluid and four serum samples in each of 20 patients receiving either autologous conditioned serum (ACS) containing endogenous anti-inflammatory cytokines including IL-1Ra and several growth factors (group A) or placebo (group B).

Alloimmune neonatal neutropenia due to anti-HNA-2a alloimmunization with severe and prolonged neutropenia but mild clinical course: two case reports.

Alloimmunization to granulocyte-specific antigens can occur during pregnancy. Maternal IgG can cross the placenta and result in neonatal neutropenia. The clinical course of alloimmune neonatal neutropenia is usually self-limiting with only mild infection.

Plasma cytokines as markers of aseptic prosthesis loosening.

The proinflammatory cytokines IL-1beta, IL-8, and TNF-alpha play a major role in the process of bone resorption during aseptic loosening of large joint prostheses. These cytokines secreted locally during bone resorption in aseptic loosening may enter peripheral circulation. Increased concentration of IL-1gamma, IL-8, and TNF-alpha in peripheral circulation may indicate aseptic loosening.

Frequency of HPA-15a and HPA-15b (Gov a/b) human platelet alloantigens in the Croatian population.

Background: Human platelet antigen (HPA) genotyping is important for epidemiological studies because the prevalence of particular HPA allotypes differs among various populations and plays a major role in the occurrence of HPA alloimmunization. In Caucasians, antibodies to HPA-1a are the most important causes of neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (NATP). Recent studies suggest that anti-HPA 15a/15b (Gov b, Gov a) might be the most likely candidate antibodies following anti-HPA-1a in inducing NATP.

Anti-Diego a red blood cell alloantibody as a possible cause of anemia in a 3-week-old infant.

Our aim in this case report was to describe anemia caused by anti-Diego(a) red blood cell (RBC) antibody in a 3-week-old infant derived during pregnancy to low-frequency Diego(a) RBC antigen. Pre- and postnatal maternal serum screening for unexpected RBC antibodies and determination of RBC antibody specificity in the sera of the mother and child and in the elute of the child were performed by use of microcards (Diamed, Basel, Switzerland; BioVue, Ortho Clinical Diagnosis, Raritan, NJ, USA) with commercially prepared test RBCs (Diamed, Ortho Clinical Diagnosis, and Gamma Biologicals, Houston, TX, USA) at 37 degrees C and indirect antiglobulin test (IAT) according to manufacturer instructions. Direct antiglobulin test (DAT) was performed by use of microcards (Diamed, Ortho Clinical Diagnosis) with both polyspecific and monospecific IgG anti-human globulin.

[Overview and methods for determination of antiplatelet antibodies and thrombocyte antigens].

The last twenty years have been characterized by great interest in the study of the role of antiplatelet antibodies and platelet antigens in the mechanism of thrombocytopenia. The use of numerous serologic methods for the determination of antiplatelet antibodies has contributed to the better understanding and differential diagnosis of immunologically induced thrombocytopenias. Development of the methods of molecular biology has allowed for a more accurate determination of platelet antigens and assessment of the prevalence of particular antigens in the population.