The latest medical research on Haematology

The research magnet gathers the latest research from around the web, based on your specialty area. Below you will find a sample of some of the most recent articles from reputable medical journals about haematology gathered by our medical AI research bot.

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Analysis of Rhesus (Rh) Antigen Distributions in Donors and Multi-transfused Patients for Phenotype-Matched Transfusion.

Indian Journal Hematology Blood Transfusion

Knowledge about the frequency of Rh blood group systems in the local population help build a donor pool for multi-transfused patients and provide a...

The Utility of Quantitative D-Dimer Assay as a Biomarker in the Diagnosis and Exclusion of Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis.

Indian Journal Hematology Blood Transfusion

The utility and sensitivity of quantitative D-Dimer assay to rule out the diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis is well established. We extrapolated th...

Metformin as a Fetal Hemoglobin Inducer in Non-transfusion Dependent Thalassemia Patients.

Indian Journal Hematology Blood Transfusion

Non-transfusion dependent thalassemia (NTDT) refers to a group of thalassemic disorders who do not need regular transfusions for survival, however it may be needed in certain conditions. Metformin was reported as a potential fetal hemoglobin (HbF) inducing agent in vitro but its efficacy and safety in vivo was not fully studied. This is a prospective interventional study aimed at studying the effect of metformin on HbF change in NTDT.

Patients with established diagnosis of NTDT were enrolled. They were receiving a stable fixed dose of Hydroxyurea over the last 3 months. Patients were divided into two groups: a group that received Metformin for 6 months (Metformin group) and a control group. Complete blood picture, reticulocytic count, hemoglobin electrophoresis, liver enzymes, bilirubin, kidney functions, LDH and random blood sugar were performed at onset, 3 and 6 months of the study. All adverse events were recorded.

Forty two patients aged 12-23 years were enrolled. Metformin intake over 6 months did not show any statistically significant difference in clinical or the laboratory variables of efficacy when compared to the control group apart from reticulocytic count which was higher in Metformin group throughout the study.

Metformin intake, in addition to hydroxyurea, did not yield any extra benefit among patients with NTDT.

HIV Associated Lymphomas: A Double-Edged Sword.

Indian Journal Hematology Blood Transfusion

People with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) are at higher risk of developing Lymphomas in comparison to people without HIV. The risk of developi...

The Outcome of Pediatric Philadelphia Chromosome-Positive Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Experience from a Referral Center in South India.

Indian Journal Hematology Blood Transfusion

Although improved survival in children with Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph-ALL) has been demonstrated in trials, the outcome appears to be inferior in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Methods A file review of children aged ≤ 15 years diagnosed with Ph-ALL from 2010 to 2019 was performed. Minimal residual disease (MRD) was assessed by flow-cytometry. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to quantify the BCR::ABL1 transcripts during treatment. Results The mean age of the 20 patients in the study was 91 months. Of 19 patients in whom the BCR::ABL1 transcript was confirmed, 10(50%) had P210, 7(35%) had P190, and two showed dual expression. The mean dose of imatinib that was administered was 294 ± 41 mg/m2/day. qRT-PCR for BCR::ABL1 was < 0.01% in all patients who were in remission or had a late relapse and was ≥ 0.01% in patients who had an early relapse. Two patients underwent HSCT. The 3-year event-free survival (EFS) was 35.0 ± 10.7%. Patients with a good prednisolone response (GPR) and a negative end-of-induction MRD demonstrated a superior EFS to those who lacked either or both (80.0 ± 17.9% vs. 16.7 ± 15.2%, P = 0.034). Conclusion The 3-year EFS of 20 children with Ph-ALL treated with chemotherapy and TKI was < 50%. An unusually high proportion of patients with p210 transcript expression; sub-optimal TKI dosing and lesser intensity of chemotherapy, due to the concern of high treatment-related mortality in LMIC are possible reasons for the poor outcome. Conventional treatment response parameters such as GPR and MRD predict outcomes in Ph-ALL. qRT-PCR for BCR::ABL1 may have a role in predicting early relapse.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12288-023-01684-9.

Comparison Pharmacokinetic Dosing Tools in Hemophilia A Children.

Indian Journal Hematology Blood Transfusion

Prophylaxis is the gold standard for the management of hemophilia A patients. It has been shown that prophylaxis regulated with pharmacokinetic (PK) data reduces frequency of bleeding and cost of treatment. To determine the best prophylaxis regimen, PK dosing tools using the Bayesian method have been developed. We aimed to compare two PK dosing tools. Blood samples were drawn before, 4, 24, and 48 h after FVIII infusions from patients with severe hemophilia A and inhibitor negative. FVIII levels were measured by PTT-based one-stage assay method. PK parameters obtained using WAPPS and myPKFiT, which are web-accessible PK dosing tools using Bayesian algorithm, and daily prophylaxis dose estimated by the programs were compared. Forty-two hemophilia A patients [median age 13 years (IQR 8.9-16.4)] included in the study. There was no difference between the daily dose of FVIII given for prophylaxis and the dose recommended by the myPKFiT for the 1% trough level; whereas, a significant difference was found with the WAPPS. The half-lives of FVIII did not differ between the two dosing tools; however, significant differences were found in the estimated dose, clearances, and times to 1% trough level. There was no significant difference between PK data of patients who received Advate® and those who received non-Advate® factor concentrates. Choice of PK dosing tool can affect recommended FVIII dose. However, target trough levels should be individualized according to bleeding phenotype and daily activity of patient.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12288-023-01671-0.

B12 Deficiency is the Commonest Cause of Anaemia During Pregnancy in Northern India: Study from a Tertiary Care Institute.

Indian Journal Hematology Blood Transfusion

Iron deficiency anemia is considered the leading cause of anemia during pregnancy; however, there is a lack of comprehensive studies on the etiological factors of anemia in pregnant women. The objective of this study was to systematically investigate the causes of anemia in pregnancy. Five hundred women with hemoglobin levels < 11 g/dl between 6 and 40 weeks of pregnancy underwent a complete hemogram, iron studies, serum folate, serum B12, serum copper, and serum zinc level assessments using standard methods. The median age of the patients was 26 years (range 24-29 years). The majority of patients were in the third trimester (449/500, 89.8%). Among the patients, 325 (65%) had vitamin B12 deficiency, with 159 (31.8%) having isolated B12 deficiency and 142 (28.4%) having combined B12 and iron deficiency. Isolated iron deficiency anemia was present in 74 patients (14.8%). Additionally, 28 patients (5.6%) had beta-thalassemia minor, and anemia of chronic disease was found in 17.2% (86) of the patients. Vitamin B12 deficiency was the most common cause of anemia, followed by combined B12 and iron deficiency. Further studies in diverse populations are warranted as they have broader implications for nutrient supplementation during pregnancy.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12288-023-01682-x.

Analytical Appraisal of Hematogones in B-ALL MRD Assessment Using Multidimensional Dot-Plots by Multiparametric Flow Cytometry: A Critical Review and Update.

Indian Journal Hematology Blood Transfusion

The spectrum of benign B-cell precursors, known as hematogones (HGs), shows a significant morphological and immunophenotypic overlap with their malignant counterpart i.e. B-lymphoid blasts (BLBs). This results in a diagnostic dilemma in assessment of cases wherein there is a physiological preponderance of HGs and also poses a significant challenge in measurable residual disease assessment in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Consequently, expression patterns of various immunophenotypic markers are considered the most important tool in identification and delineation of HGs from BLBs. However, certain aspects of B-cell compartment evaluation by flow cytometric immunophenotyping and its relevance in clinical scenarios is yet to be defined precisely. This review summarizes current flowcytometric data on HGs and its discrimination from BLBs based on thorough review of literature and evaluation of in-house data. Furthermore, it focuses on the utility of an additional analytical tool i.e., radar plot for a comprehensive representation of various subsets of the B-cell compartment and their differentiation from BLBs.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12288-023-01696-5.

Minimal Residual Disease in the Management of B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: A Systematic Review of Studies from Indian Settings.

Indian Journal Hematology Blood Transfusion

Minimal residual disease (MRD) has become an essential tool in the management of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) and aids in tailoring ...

Planning and designing of an inpatient isolation facility for hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients.

Indian Journal Hematology Blood Transfusion

During the last two decades the world has seen an increase in the use of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT) which has led to its worldwide e...

Evaluation of Diagnostic Efficacy of Novel Red Blood Cell Parameters as Potential Screening Test for Detecting Latent Iron Deficiency in Blood Donors.

Indian Journal Hematology Blood Transfusion

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) forms a major share of global burden of anemia. Frequent blood donation is a common iatrogenic cause of iron insufficiency in healthy adults. Serum iron and hemoglobin levels are normal despite low serum ferritin levels, referred to as latent iron deficiency (LID). Aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of novel RBC parameters-percentage of hypochromic RBCs (%HPO), percentage of microcytic RBCs (%MIC), and haemoglobin content of reticulocytes (MCHr) of Abbott Alinity autoanalyzer as indicators of latent iron deficiency in blood donors. 260 consenting and eligible blood donors were included in the study. Complete blood counts including new RBC parameters on Abbott Alinity autoanalyzer and serum iron profile were measured for all donors. Donors were categorized into LID and No LID based on Ferritin and Transferrin saturation (TSAT). Serum transferrin receptors (sTfR) were studied in a subset of samples [LID (n = 46), No LID (n = 18) and IDA (n = 27)]. Statistical analyses was done on IBM SPSS version 22. Among 260 donors, 56 (21.5%) were found to have LID. The difference in mean values for % HPO, % MIC, and MCHr were not found to be statistically significant in LID and No LID groups. sTfR results between LID, No LID and IDA sub-groups revealed significant difference. This study does not support the role of % HPO, % MIC and MCHr measured on Abott Alinity analyzer, as potential screening parameters for LID amongst blood donors. STfr was more informative in this regard. Further research on much larger sample size is required to confirm these findings.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12288-023-01683-w.

To Evaluate Platelet Indices, Platelet to Lymphocyte Ratio and Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio as Prognostic and Risk Factors in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease.

Indian Journal Hematology Blood Transfusion

To evaluate platelet indices, platelet to lymphocyte ratio and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio as prognostic and risk factors in patients with coronary artery disease Introduction: cardiovascular diseases have 12 million deaths annually which is one of the commonest causes of death globally. Platelet parameters like Mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW) and WBC parameters like Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet to lymphocyte ratio(PLR) have recently been emerging as a new prognostic marker in number of coronary artery disease (CAD) with limited studies to explore their utility.

this study aimed to evaluate MPV, P-LCR, PDW, PLR, NLR and GRACE risk score in CAD patients.

this descriptive cross-sectional study was done in 330 cases of CAD and 200 healthy controls were studied.MPV, platelet-large cell ratio (P-LCR), PLR, NLR and PDW of patients were analyzed.

In our study, 245 were males and 85 were females. Mean PDW, MPV, Mean PLCR, Mean NLR was significantly higher in CAD cases as compared to controls (p value < 0.05). Mean PLR was not significantly different in CAD cases and controls. MPV was more associated risk predictor of CAD (8.98 times) followed by NLR (2.79 times), PDW (1.53 times) and PLCR (1.02 times).

platelet indices, NLR and PLR are simple cost effective parameters and in future these might be useful adjuvant tests in conjunction with conventional biochemical cardiac markers in early prediction of risk of CAD in patients admitted to hospital and can guide clinicians in assessing the prognosis on short and long term follow up of these patients in terms of morbidity and mortality.