Blood Count Alterations Research Articles

EFFECTS OF HYDRAZONE COMPOUND DERIVED FROM 4-AMINO ANTIPYRINE AND BUTANEDIONE AND ITS Ni (II) COMPLEX ON HAEMATOLOGICAL AND DIFFERENTIAL BLOOD COUNT OF ALLOXAN INDUCED DIABETIC RATS

In this study, the effect of Schiff base compound derived from 4-Aminoantipyrine and 1-phenylbutan-1,3-dione and its Ni(II) complex, on the haematology indices of diabetic rats was investigated. A single intraperitoneal injection of Alloxan (120 mg/kg body weight), induced diabetes. The rats were treated with 200 and 400 mg/kg of body weight of 3-[2-(1,5-Dimethyl-3-oxo-2-Phenyl-2,3-Dihydro-1H-Pyrazol-4-yl)Hydrazinylidene]-1-Phenylbutanedione (HL) and its Ni(II) complex ([Ni(HL)2]Cl2) respectively for 14 days, following which they were humanely sacrificed under chloroform. A heart puncture was used to collect blood, and some of the blood samples were analyzed to evaluate white blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC) counts, packed cell volume (PCV) and hemoglobin (Hb) concentration, and differential blood count profiles. Red blood cells, hemoglobin and packed cell volume concentrations in rats treated with HL and [Ni(HL)2]Cl2 in (low and high doses) increased when compared with untreated group B diabetic rats. The Eosinophils, Monocytes, and Lymphocytes were observed to be bad in the diabetic rats; this was significantly better in the treatment groups. HL and [Ni(HL)2]Cl2 have therapeutic promise as functional medicines against diabetes and complete blood count alterations linked to diabetes mellitus, as demonstrated by these studies. In the diabetic group, oxidative stress results in RBC dysfunction, platelet destruction, and tissue injury. These affect the functions of blood cells and the haemostatic parameters which may lead to various complications. As a result, these substances may be used as medication therapy for diabetes since they lower the glucose concentration without alterations in blood cells.

Multicenter evaluation of tofacitinib retention and safety in rheumatoid arthritis - why cardiovascular risk factors do not equate to overt risk.

This multicenter, real-world, retrospective cohort study aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of tofacitinib (TOFA) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Two hundred nine patients with active RA treated with TOFA, unresponsive to at least 2 conventional synthetic disease-modifying drugs, were recruited. Clinical characteristics were extracted from an electronic registry and supplemented with manual chart review and data linkage with ambulatory care. Drug retention and reasons for discontinuation were evaluated. Median (interquartile range) follow-up in the whole sample was 16.9 (5.93-31.7) months. Mean (standard deviation) age was 51.44 (±11.84) years, with female predominance (n = 168, 80.4%). Only 30 patients (14.4%) had no pre-existing traditional cardiovascular (CV) risk factor at TOFA initiation. Tofacitinib retention rates were high, with median survival estimated at 89.3% at 6 months, 82.4% at 12 months, and 60.4% at 24 months. Ineffectiveness was the primary cause of discontinuation (n = 50). The rate of adverse events (AEs) was relatively low, with lipid abnormalities, blood count alterations, and infectious events among the most common. No major adverse CV event was reported. The incidence rate of AEs necessitating treatment switch was 60.34 (95% CI: 37-92) per 1,000 person-years of follow-up. Presence of multiple (> 3) CV risk factors was associated with lower odds of TOFA retention and treatment effectiveness. Tofacitinib demonstrated high retention rates and a favorable safety profile in RA patients, including those with traditional CV risk factors. Tofacitinib may be a valuable treatment option for RA patients when combined with individualized CV risk management. Further studies are warranted to explore the long-term effects of TOFA and its CV impact in larger populations.

Complete Blood Count Alterations Prior to the Diagnosis of Colorectal Cancer May Help in the Detection of Synchronous Liver Metastases.

Background and Aims: Colorectal cancer (CRC) represents 10% of all cancers worldwide with the highest incidence in developed countries; its incidence is also increasing in middle- and low-income countries. Population screening programs facilitate early diagnosis of the disease. When the diagnosis is carried out in advanced stages, approximately 80% of patients with liver metastases (LM) are considered unresectable at the time of diagnosis. In our study, variations in blood counts prior to CRC diagnosis were analyzed to assess whether they could be useful in identifying smaller, more manageable metastases at earlier stages for more effective treatment. Methods: A study was carried out using complete blood counts (CBCs) from CRC patients, obtained from primary health centers and the La Ribera University Hospital within La Ribera Health Department, Valencian Community, Spain, between July 2012 and September 2020. Data from CRC patients who presented synchronous liver metastasis (CRLM) were compared with those with CRC without LM at diagnosis (CRC patients). Results: Our analysis shows that at least 15 months before CRC diagnosis, a progressive alteration was observed in CBC parameters in both groups. A higher incidence of anemia (p < 0.001) was observed among CRLM patients in the three months prior to CRC diagnosis than in CRC patients showing no LM. Conclusions: A statistically significant deterioration of CBC was observed in patients with advanced-stage CRC and synchronous or early LM (CRLM) in the three months prior to diagnosis. The primary goal of incorporating CBC variations into predictive models is to identify individuals who are at a greater risk of developing metastatic colon cancer, leading to early diagnosis. Our research improves these models by highlighting a more pronounced and rapid decline in hemoglobin levels among CRLM patients. Identification of metastases at an earlier stage when they are smaller, more manageable, and more amenable to treatment may be a valuable tool to prevent their further progression.

Dynamic NLR and PLR in Predicting COVID-19 Severity: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

The hyperinflammation phase of severe SARS-CoV-2 is characterised by complete blood count alterations. In this context, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) can be used as prognostic factors. We studied NLR and PLR trends at different timepoints and computed optimal cutoffs to predict four outcomes: use of continuous positive airways pressure (CPAP), intensive care unit (ICU) admission, invasive ventilation and death. We retrospectively included all adult patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pneumoniaadmitted from 23 January 2020 to 18 May 2021. Analyses included non-parametric tests to study the ability of NLR and PLR to distinguish the patients' outcomes at each timepoint. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were built for NLR and PLR at each timepoint (minus discharge) to identify cutoffs to distinguish severe and non-severe disease. Their statistical significance was assessed with the chi-square test. Collection of data under the SMACORE database was approved with protocol number 20200046877. We included 2169 patients. NLR and PLR were higher in severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Both ratios were able to distinguish the outcomes at each timepoint. For NLR, the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) ranged between 0.59 and 0.81, and for PLR between 0.53 and 0.67. From each ROC curve we computed an optimal cutoff value. NLR and PLR cutoffs are able to distinguish severity grades and mortality at different timepoints during the course of disease, and, as such, they allow a tailored approach. Future prospects include validating our cutoffs in a prospective cohort and comparing their performance against other COVID-19 scores.

Real-World Analysis of the Therapeutic Management and Disease Burden in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Patients with Later Lines in Italy.

Simple SummaryReal world data represent a useful tool to obtain understanding into the management of cancer disease in routine daily practice. To date, little is known on management and burden of later lines for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) treatment in Italy. Therefore, we conducted a real-world study to evaluate the characteristics, treatment pattern and drug utilization of patients with CML in 2 or ≥3 tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) lines of therapy to estimate the impact of disease burden. Findings from our study underline an increasing complex management of CML patients while moving on later lines and suggest that the availability of more therapeutic options for CML patients might be an existing need.Real world data are becoming a crucial tool to understand how cancer is treated in routine daily practice. This real-world analysis aims to describe the characteristics of patients with CML in 2nd or ≥3rd tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) lines of therapy, to evaluate their treatment sequence and utilization in settings of Italian clinical practice in Italy. A retrospective analysis was performed using an administrative databases covering around 15.3 million cases. All adult patients prescribed with TKI as 2nd or ≥3rd lines (L) of therapy for CML during January 2015–December 2018 were included. A total of 491 patients in 2nd and 144 in ≥3rd L was included. In both cohorts, hypertension was the most reported comorbidity, followed by metabolic and blood count alterations. In each calendar inclusion year, an increment of 97.6% was observed in the number of patients treated in ≥3rd L. In the 2nd L cohort, 18.7% had a switch to 3rd L, while 26.4% of ≥3rd L patients switched to a subsequent line. Around 40% in both lines discontinued their treatment after a median time of 5.5 (2nd L) and 4.3 (≥3rd L) years. The results provided insights into CML management clinical practice, indicating a heavy disease burden for patients in later lines that showed an increasing complex management, and suggest that a need for novel treatment strategies might exists.

Machine learning-based model for prediction of clinical deterioration in hospitalized patients by COVID 19

Despite the publication of great number of tools to aid decisions in COVID-19 patients, there is a lack of good instruments to predict clinical deterioration. COVID19-Osakidetza is a prospective cohort study recruiting COVID-19 patients. We collected information from baseline to discharge on: sociodemographic characteristics, comorbidities and associated medications, vital signs, treatment received and lab test results. Outcome was need for intensive ventilatory support (with at least standard high-flow oxygen face mask with a reservoir bag for at least 6 h and need for more intensive therapy afterwards or Optiflow high-flow nasal cannula or noninvasive or invasive mechanical ventilation) and/or admission to a critical care unit and/or death during hospitalization. We developed a Catboost model summarizing the findings using Shapley Additive Explanations. Performance of the model was assessed using area under the receiver operating characteristic and prediction recall curves (AUROC and AUPRC respectively) and calibrated using the Hosmer–Lemeshow test. Overall, 1568 patients were included in the derivation cohort and 956 in the (external) validation cohort. The percentages of patients who reached the composite endpoint were 23.3% vs 20% respectively. The strongest predictors of clinical deterioration were arterial blood oxygen pressure, followed by age, levels of several markers of inflammation (procalcitonin, LDH, CRP) and alterations in blood count and coagulation. Some medications, namely, ATC AO2 (antiacids) and N05 (neuroleptics) were also among the group of main predictors, together with C03 (diuretics). In the validation set, the CatBoost AUROC was 0.79, AUPRC 0.21 and Hosmer–Lemeshow test statistic 0.36. We present a machine learning-based prediction model with excellent performance properties to implement in EHRs. Our main goal was to predict progression to a score of 5 or higher on the WHO Clinical Progression Scale before patients required mechanical ventilation. Future steps are to externally validate the model in other settings and in a cohort from a different period and to apply the algorithm in clinical practice.Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04463706.

Kawasaki disease and increased cardiovascular risk: Is there a link to circulating glycocalyx biomarkers?

Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute systemic vasculitis with possible long-term impact of general cardio-vascular health. An endothelial glycocalyx disorder during the disease's acute phase might predispose to long-term vascular anomalies leading to endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis. To investigate any association between increased cardiovascular risk and endothelial glycocalyx, we assessed circulating glycocalyx components in patients with a KD history, and analysed their association with acute-phase clinical features and more importantly, with patients' current cardiovascular risk factors. This prospective observational cohort study included 51 subjects: 31 patients with a history of KD, and 20 healthy subjects matched for age and sex. We analysed serum syndecan-1 and hyaluronan via ELISA. We assessed features reported during the acute phase of KD such as blood counts, C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and coronary artery aneurysms (CAA), and their current blood pressure and lipid markers in relation to measured glycocalyx components. Our multivariate analysis revealed that hyaluronan and syndecan-1 levels were not associated with KD. However, the latter exhibited a significant association with acute-phase blood count alterations in patients with KD. Furthermore, significant interactions of hyaluronan and syndecan-1 with certain cardiovascular risk factors like blood lipids and blood pressure were only present in KD patients. Vasculitis during KD's acute phase might predispose to a long-term endothelial glycocalyx alteration, influenced by other factors having a vascular impact such as blood pressure and circulating lipids. German Clinical Trials Register on 25th February 2016, DRKS00010071 https://www.drks.de/drks_web/.

The sellar region as presenting theater for hematologic malignancies-A 17-year single-center experience.

Hematological neoplastic mass lesions of the sellar region are rare. We identified five cases of hematological malignancy with first presentation in the sellar region from our departmental database of 1,405 patients (0.36%) with sellar lesions diagnosed over the 17-year period (2005-2021). All patients were females (mean age 55.2 ± 3.4 years). One patient had multiple myeloma (MM), one patient had acute myeloid leukemia (AML), while three other patients had lymphoma (intravascular lymphoma (IVL, n = 1) or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL, n = 2). Most patients presented with ophthalmoplegia, and one patient with diabetes insipidus (DI), with short duration of symptoms (median 30 days). All patients had an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate and altered blood count, while patients with lymphoma had elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Sellar mass was demonstrated in three patients while the patient with IVL had an empty sella and in the AML patient posterior lobe T1W hyperintensity was lost. Two patients (IVL and NHL) presented with multiple anterior pituitary deficiencies and one patient (AML) had DI. All patients were treated with chemotherapy. Two patients responded well to treatment (one had reversed hypopituitarism), while three patients died. Differential diagnosis of sellar-parasellar pathology should include suspicion of hematological malignancy, particularly in patients with short duration of nonspecific symptoms, neurological signs (ophthalmoplegia), blood count alterations and LDH elevation, pituitary dysfunction and imaging features atypical for pituitary adenoma. Early diagnosis is crucial for timely initiation of hematological treatment aimed at inducing disease remission and partial or full recovery of pituitary function.

Complete Blood Count Alterations of COVID‐19 Patients in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

This study is aimed at evaluating the association between Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID‐19) and the primary complete blood count (CBC) parameters in confirmed positive patients. In a retrospective cross‐sectional study, 384 files of patients with confirmed COVID‐19 diagnosis hospitalized at King Saud Medical City, Riyadh, were chosen randomly as a study group for hematological parameters, with another 384 non‐COVID‐19 files of patients without history of any disease which could influence the hematological profile were selected as a control group. The gender, age, and nationality of the control group were matched with those of the study group. Anemia and thrombocytopenia prevalence was significantly higher in COVID‐19 positive patients compared with negative. However, the positive cases were 3.4 times more likely to be anemic and approximately 5.3 times as likely to be thrombocytopenic, while the prevalence of leukopenia showed no statistical significance between the two groups. However, the Mean Cell Volume (MCV), Total White Blood Cell (WBC) count, lymphocyte count, and basophil count median values showed a nonsignificant difference between the two groups. Anemia and thrombocytopenia may be highly developed in severe positive cases, and therefore, further studies are recommended to validate these findings.

Real-World Analysis of the Clinical and Economic Burden of Later Line in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Patients in Italy

BackgroundThe use of real-world data in oncology is gaining increasing interest, as it can provide valuable insights into treatments and related outcomes in routine daily oncology practice, thus integrating the evidence coming from clinical trials. The study aims to describe the characteristics of patients (pts) with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in 2 nd or ≥3 rd tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) lines of therapy, analyze their drug utilization and evaluate healthcare direct costs for the Italian National Health Service in order to estimate the impact of disease burden.MethodsThis retrospective observational analysis was based on administrative databases covering around 15.3 million subjects in Italy. All adult pts with prescription of the TKIs bosutinib (BOS), dasatinib (DAS), imatinib (IMA), nilotinib (NIL), ponatinib (PON) in 2 nd or ≥3 rd line of therapy during 01/2015-12/2018 were included. Specifically, those with IMA, DAS or PON prescription were enrolled if they also presented ≥1 CML hospitalization or previous prescription for NIL or BOS or ≥1 BCR-ABL1 RQ-PCR test without hospitalization for acute lymphoid leukemia. Pts enrolled in clinical trials were not captured. Index date was 1 st prescription date for a TKI in 2 nd or ≥3 rd line. Comorbidities were assessed by hospitalization diagnosis codes and/or presence of specific drugs as proxy of diagnosis. Mean annual healthcare resource costs were evaluated during follow-up (from index date to end of study) in terms of drugs other than TKI (excluded), visits, tests, hospitalizations (overall and comorbidity-related during treatment).ResultsOverall, 491 pts in 2 nd and 144 in ≥3 rd line were included. In each calendar year from 2015 to 2018, the incidence of pts who entered a 2 nd line changed from 22.6% to 28.7%, whereas the ≥3 rd line fluctuated from 37% to 46.7%. An increment of 97.6% was observed in the number of pts treated in ≥3 rd line from 2015 to 2018 (figure 1). As 2 nd line, 40.9% was represented by DAS, 28.9% NIL, 12.2% BOS, 10.2% PON and 7.8% IMA. Mean age ranged from 56.1 (PON) to 68.2 (BOS) years. At baseline, hypertension was the most reported comorbidity (from 64.1% for NIL to 91.7% for BOS), followed by metabolic (from 27.9% in DAS pts to 63.2% for IMA) and blood count (from 28.4% for DAS to 58.0% for PON) alterations. Among pts in ≥3 rd line, 26.3% received imatinib, 22.2% PON, 18.8% NIL, 16.7% BOS, 16% DAS. Mean age was 57 years for NIL, 64.8 PON and 69.5 BOS pts. Same trend of comorbidities was reported in the ≥3 rd line cohort, with hypertension detected in all pts starting BOS to a minimum of 65.2% pts in DAS group, followed by blood count alteration (34.8% for DAS to 59.4% for PON) and metabolic alterations (37.0% for NIL to 50.0% for BOS). Baseline cardiovascular comorbidities were present in 22.8% of pts starting a 2 nd line and in 35.4% of pts starting ≥3 rd line. After a median follow up of 3.0 and 2.6 years, 13% and 19% of pts died in 2 nd and ≥3 rd lines, respectively, around 40% in both lines discontinued their treatment. Median time to discontinuation was 5.5 (95%CI: 4.7-6.2) (2 nd line) and 4.3 (95%CI: 3.2-5.2) (≥3 rd line) years. Mean number of annual hospitalizations was 0.6 (from 0.4 for NIL to 1.1 for PON) in 2 nd line, and 0.5 (from 0.4 for IMA and NIL to 0.7 for PON) in ≥3 rd line. Total mean annual costs/pts (TKI excluded) were of €10,168 (PON), €6,106 (BOS), €5,086 (DAS), €4,779 (NIL) and €3,905 (IMA), with hospitalizations comorbidity-related accounting for €3,245 among PON, €2,820 BOS, €1,739 NIL, €1,573 DAS and €1,448 IMA pts. Mean annual costs per lines are shown in figure 2.ConclusionsThis real-world study provided a demographic and clinical profile of CML pts in 2 nd and ≥3 rd TKI lines and described drug utilization and resource consumption in the Italian clinical practice setting. An increase of pts treated with TKIs in ≥3 rd line was reported, reflecting the availability of multiple TKIs over the years; moreover, a highly comorbid population suggests an increasingly complex CML management. Our results underlined a heavy clinical and economic burden for pts in 2 nd or ≥3 rd lines, especially in terms of comorbidities, treatment discontinuation and hospitalizations suggesting the need of novel therapeutic options for management of later lines CML. [Display omitted] DisclosuresBreccia: Novartis: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy; BMS: Consultancy; INCYTE: Consultancy; Abbvie: Consultancy. Chiodi: Novartis: Current Employment. Valsecchi: Novartis Farma SpA: Current Employment. Rendace: Novartis Farma S.p.A.: Current Employment. Coco: Novartis Farma S.p.A.: Current Employment. Premoli: Novartis Farma SpA: Current Employment.

Complete blood count alterations in COVID-19 patients: A narrative review.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic represents a scientific and social crisis. One of the main unmet needs for coronavirus disease 2019 is its unpredictable clinical course, which can rapidly change in an irreversible outcome. COVID-19 patients can be classified into mild, moderate, and severe. Several haematological parameters, such as platelets, white blood cell total count, lymphocytes, neutrophils, (together with neutrophil-lymphocyte and platelet-lymphocyte ratio), and haemoglobin were described to be associated with COVID-19 infection and severity. The purpose of these review is to describe the current state of the art about complete blood count alterations during COVID-19 infection, and to summarize the crucial role of some haematological parameters during the course of the disease. Decreased platelet, lymphocyte, haemoglobin, eosinophil, and basophil count, increased neutrophil count and neutrophil-lymphocyte and platelet-lymphocyte ratio have been associated with COVID-19 infection and a worse clinical outcome. Our study adds some novelty about the identification of effective biomarkers of progressive disease, and might be helpful for diagnosis, prevention of complications, and effective therapy.

Assessment of Oxidative Stress Markers in Hypothermic Preservation of Transplanted Kidneys

Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) after renal transplantation is a complex biochemical process. The first component is an ischemic phase during kidney storage. The second is reperfusion, the main source of oxidative stress. This study aimed to analyze the activity of enzymes and concentrations of non-enzymatic compounds involved in the antioxidant defense mechanisms: glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione transferase (GST), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), malondialdehyde (MDA), measured in preservation fluid before transplantation of human kidneys (KTx) grafted from brain dead donors. The study group (N = 66) was divided according to the method of kidney storage: Group 1—hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) in LifePort perfusion pump, n1 = 26, and Group 2—static cold storage (SCS), n2 = 40. The measurements of kidney function parameters, blood count, and adverse events were performed at constant time points during 7-day hospitalization and 3-month follow-up. Kidney perfusate in Group 2 was characterized by significantly more acidic pH (p < 0.0001), higher activity of GPX [U/mgHb] (p < 0.05) and higher concentration of MDA [μmol/L] (p < 0.05). There was a statistically significant improvement of kidney function and specific blood count alterations concerning storage method in repeated measures. There were aggregations of significant correlations (p < 0.05) between kidney function parameters after KTx and oxidative stress markers: diuresis & CAT, Na+ & CAT, K+ & GPX, urea & GR. There were aggregations of significant correlations (p < 0.05) between recipient blood count and oxidative stress markers: CAT & MON, SOD & WBC, SOD & MON. Study groups demonstrated differences concerning the method of kidney storage. A significant role of recipient’s gender, gender matching, preservation solution, and perfusate pH was not confirmed, however, basing on analyzed data, the well-established long-term beneficial impact of HMP on the outcome of transplanted kidneys might partially depend on the intensity of IRI ischemic phase and oxidative stress, reflected by the examined biomarkers.

After the First Wave of COVID-19: Reflections From Italy.

After the First Wave of COVID-19: Reflections From Italy.

Prognostic Factors and Analytical Abnormalities in Patients Admitted With the Diagnosis of Influenza in a Third Level Hospital During the 2015–2016 Season

IntroductionInfluenza is an acute respiratory illness due to influenza A or B viruses, which is associated with an increased morbidity and mortality in certain high-risk populations, like children, elderly patients and those with multiple comorbidities. MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional retrospective analysis including all patients identified with the following ICD 10 codes: J10.0, J10.1, J10.8–11.0, J11.1, J11.8. 258 patients were included. ResultsThe most frequent strain was influenza A H1N1 (81.8%). We found alterations in blood count in 163 (63.2%) patients and they were more frequent in men. In the case of liver enzymes, we found alterations in 155 (60.1%) patients, being more frequent in men, smokers or former smokers and non-A cases. 22 patients were admitted to the ICU and 20 died during hospital stay. We performed a multivariable logistic regression analysis that showed an association between ICU admission and the presence of infiltrates in chest radiography (OR=4.1, IC 95% 1.55–10.87; P=0.004), previous antibiotic treatment (OR=5.84, IC 95% 1.32–25.69; P=0.020), anemia (OR=7.29, IC 95% 1.38–38.41; P=0.019) and no initial suspicion of influenza (OR=8.07, IC 95% 1.48–43.89; P=0.016). We also found an association between mortality and age (OR=1.04, IC 95% 1.01–1.09; P=0.026), the presence of infiltrates in chest radiography (OR=2.19, IC 95% 1.26–3.81; P=0.005) and no initial suspicion of influenza (OR=5.43, IC 95% 1.60–18.47; P=0.007). Finally, our analysis showed that the variables linked to a length of hospital-stay >5 days were concomitant antibiotic treatment during admission (OR=14.36, IC 95% 2.23–92.35; P=0.005) and liver enzymes alterations (OR=3.01, IC 95% 1.26–7.12; P=0.013).

Cell Blood Count Alterations and Patterns of Anaemia in Autoimmune Atrophic Gastritis at Diagnosis: A Multicentre Study.

Background: Autoimmune atrophic gastritis (AAG) leads to iron and/or vitamin B12 malabsorption, with subsequent haematological alterations which could represent the sole clinical manifestation. We aimed to assess patterns of anaemia and micronutrient deficiencies in patients with AAG at the time of diagnosis. Methods: Observational, multicentre, cross-sectional study including consecutive adult patients diagnosed with AAG within the last ten years. Cell blood count, red cell distribution width, serum vitamin B12, and ferritin were collected. Multivariate analysis for predictive factors of anaemia was computed. Results: 654 AAG patients (mean age 59.2 ± 13.8 years, female (F): male (M) ratio = 2.3:1) were included. Anaemia was present in 316 patients (48.3%; mean age 60.1 ± 15.8 years, F:M ratio = 2.3:1). Pernicious anaemia (132/316 cases, 41.7%) was more common in males (27.1% versus 12.4%; p = 0.001) and in older patients (63.0 ± 14.6 versus 58.9 ± 14.9 years; p = 0.014), while iron deficiency anaemia (112/316 cases, 35.4%) was more common in females (16.9% versus 10.0%; p = 0.039) and in younger patients (56.8 ± 16.6 versus 60.2 ± 14.6 years; p = 0.043). The prevalence of iron deficiency was equally distributed between anaemic and non-anaemic patients (p = 0.9). Anisocytosis (odds ratio: 10.65, 95% confidence interval: 6.13–18.50, p < 0.0001) was independently associated with anaemia. Conclusions: Anaemia is a common manifestation in AAG patients, mostly due to micronutrient deficiencies. Scant haematologic alterations and micronutrient deficiencies may precede overt anaemia.

Complete blood count alterations due to the opioid use: what about the lymphocyte-related ratios, especially in monocyte to lymphocyte ratio and platelet to lymphocyte ratio?

ABSTRACTThis study was designed to compare the complete blood count values of opioid users (N = 61) and healthy subjects (N = 61), particularly monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR). PLR, MLR, and percentage of monocyte (MONO%) were significantly lower in opioid use disorder (OUD) group (P = 0.012, P = 0.005, P = 0.000). The area under the ROC curve of MLR and PLR levels for OUD was 0.349 and 0.368. MONO% correlated with substance use duration. Measurements like lymphocyte-related ratios and MONO% in opioid use can be important in substance monitoring, detection, and differentiation of acute and chronic conditions.

Complete blood count alterations in disseminated histoplasmosis.

Classical histoplasmosis is a cosmopolitan fungal infection caused by Histoplasma capsulatum variety capsulatum.1 H. capsulatum is a dimorphic fungus found in nature in its filamentous form, consisting of branched hyphae, which produce tuberculate macroconidia, the infective form of the fungus. When cultivated at 37 ◦C and in the tissues of infected people, it presents as budding yeast cells.1 Histoplasmosis is a systemic mycosis that may affect previously healthy individuals. This disease may also be a disseminated opportunistic mycosis in patients receiving immunosuppressive drugs, those with hematologic malignancies, and in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients.1 In immunocompromised patients, disseminated histoplasmosis usually affects the lymphatic tissues, liver, spleen, kidneys, meninges, and heart. H. capsulatum

Complete blood count alterations after six months of continuous positive airway pressure treatment in patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea.

The cardiovascular complications caused by obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) decrease after continuous positive airway pressure treatment (CPAP). Mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), and red cell distribution width (RDW) are newly recognized tools for assessing cardiovascular risk. From a selection of patients with symptoms of nocturnal snoring and/or excessive daytime sleepiness, 36 males with an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) > 30/h and 22 age-matched normal male controls with AHI < 5/h were included. Patients with OSA underwent another night of CPAP titration, and 11 patients were excluded at the 6-month evaluation due to poor compliance with the home CPAP therapy. Complete blood count parameters of compliant patients and the control group were evaluated. Compared to controls, MPV values were significantly higher (p = 0.025) in OSA patients, but no significant differences in PDW or RDW were found (p > 0.05). Six months of CPAP therapy resulted in significantly lower MPV values but increased values of PDW and RDW in patients with severe OSA (p = 0.001, p = 0.007, p = 0.001, respectively). Our data suggest that complete blood count parameters in OSA patients such as MPV, PDW and RDW change significantly after CPAP therapy.

Imatinib-induced liver cirrhosis in a patient with advanced gastrointestinal stroma tumor (GIST)

BackgroundThe use of imatinib mesylate is associated with a progression free survival of 41 months in first line treatment of metastatic or locally advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) and other studies approved that adjuvant imatinib treatment improves the recurrence-free survival in patients with GIST. Current recommendations include 1 year adjuvant treatment in GIST patients at risk but active studies explore different durations of treatment with an interval of up to 5 years. While the most frequent adverse events (AEs) are blood count alterations, abdominal discomfort and edema, the occurrence of grade 3 or 4 increase of AST or ALT is specified with 2.1% and 2.7% respectively.Case presentationWe report a 49-year old male with a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) of the small bowel who developed liver cirrhosis under adjuvant imatinib treatment.ConclusionsOur report supports the notion that imatinib-induced hepatotoxicity may lead to acute liver damage with subsequent cirrhotic remodelling. Patients developing grade 3 or 4 hepatotoxicity during imatinib treatment should therefore be carefully evaluated for chronic liver disease.

Incidence of sideropenia and effects of iron repletion treatment in women with subclinical hypothyroidism.

Sideropenia affects ca. 20% of the world population, and iron dependent anemia is the most frequent type of anemia worldwide. The aim of the study was to investigate the incidence of sideropenia and dependent anemia in patients with subtle changes of the thyroid function, such as subclinical hypothyroidism (SH). 57 women with SH and 61 euthyroid controls (CG) were studied. Serum concentrations of T4, T3, TSH, anti-TPO, anti-Tg, ferrum (Fe), ferritin (Frt) total iron binding capacity (TIBC) and blood count were determined. In SH 17 patients (29.8%) presented low Fe levels (<50 microg/dl). 9 (15.7%) also had decreased Frt, confirming iron deficiency, whereas 8 patients presented additionally diminished hematocrit and hemoglobin levels, suggesting manifested sideropenic anemia. In CG, 10 persons (16%) had sideropenia, 6 (9.8%) had low Fe and Frt and only 3 (4.9%) had blood count alterations suggesting manifested sideropenic anemia. In SH, anti-TPO were positive in 39 patients (68%), whereas, in CG only 2 (3.2%) were positive. 8 patients with SH and manifested sideropenic anemia were treated with ironproteinsuccinylate (I-PSL), (80 mg Fe /day, for three months), a new iron compound. The repletion treatment safely led to the clinical and laboratory correction of sideropenia and showed a good tolerability. Furthermore, iron treatment provoked a minor increase of T4 and a mild decline of TSH, but the levels were not significant. These results suggest that sideropenia is a common finding in patients with slightly decreased thyroid activity, and that determination of Frt should be routinely advised. Finally, in the assessment of sideropenia and dependent anemia, evaluation of the thyroid function must be taken into account.