Annals of hematology
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Annals of hematology · May 2012
Prognostic value of red blood cell parameters and ferritin in predicting deferral due to low hemoglobin in whole blood donors.
Risk factors for deferral from red blood cell (RBC) donation due to low hemoglobin are not well defined. We analyzed in a large cohort of returning donors the prognostic value of RBC parameters and serum ferritin regarding low hemoglobin levels at the subsequent visit. Between 2004 and 2009, RBC indices and serum ferritin were recorded in 45,533 visits by 7,994 donors. ⋯ A pre-donation hemoglobin within 5 g/l from the deferral threshold (<128 g/l for female, <138 g/l for male donors) predicted below-threshold hemoglobin levels at the subsequent visit with a sensitivity of 52% and a specificity of 94%. In conclusion, pre-donation hemoglobin is a useful marker identifying donors at risk of developing low hemoglobin levels. Diagnostic and therapeutic interventions should be aimed at donors presenting with hemoglobin levels near the threshold of donor deferral.
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Annals of hematology · Apr 2012
Evaluation of circulating soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1) to predict risk profile, response to antimicrobial therapy, and development of complications in patients with chemotherapy-associated febrile neutropenia: a pilot study.
The soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1 (sTREM-1) is a useful marker of infection in patients with sepsis, but has not been adequately evaluated in patients with chemotherapy-associated febrile neutropenia (FN). The value of sTREM-1 in this setting has been tested in a retrospective, pilot study using stored serum from 48 cancer patients with documented FN. On presentation, patients were categorized according to the Talcott risk-index clinical score. ⋯ Circulating concentrations of both sTREM-1 and PCT were significantly (P < 0.05) elevated in patients at high risk for complications or death, as predicted by the Talcott score and were significantly lower in patients who responded to empiric antimicrobial agents. Neither IL-6 nor IL-8 accurately predicted serious complications in patients with FN. These observations, albeit from a pilot study, demonstrate that sTREM-1 is indeed elevated in high-risk patients with FN and is potentially useful to predict their clinical course, either together with, or as an alternative to PCT.
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Annals of hematology · Apr 2012
Treatment of B cell lymphoma with chemotherapy plus rituximab: a survival benefit can be demonstrated in the routine data of a regional cancer registry.
Combination of standard chemotherapy with rituximab led to improved disease control in patients with B cell lymphoma in clinical trials. We wanted to know if a similar benefit could be demonstrated in the routine data of a regional population-based cancer registry. We searched the registry of the Regensburg Tumor Center for B cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas diagnosed between 1998 and 2006 and compared overall survival of patients receiving any first-line chemotherapy with or without rituximab. ⋯ First-line chemotherapy with rituximab in 81 patients with indolent lymphoma also led to improved 5-year survival compared to 134 patients without rituximab (69.7% vs. 51.8%), primarily observed among patients with follicular lymphoma (84.7% vs. 52.0%). These data confirm the standard use of rituximab as first-line therapy in diffuse large B cell lymphomas as well as in indolent lymphoma. Furthermore, they support the collection of treatment data including detailed information on systemic therapy in cancer registries to be used for outcomes research.
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Annals of hematology · Apr 2012
The role of human leukocyte antigens as predisposing and/or protective factors in patients with idiopathic thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.
Fifty-four adult German patients suffering from idiopathic thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) have been examined for HLA class II. All patients presented autoantibodies against ADAMTS13 and ADAMTS13 activity levels <5%. Blood samples have been analyzed for HLA-DRB1 and DQB1 alleles using sequence-specific primer PCR and sequence-specific oligonucleotide PCR. ⋯ An association between the HLA antigens DQB1*02:02 and DRB1*11 and disease susceptibility for idiopathic TTP has been found. A higher risk for disease outbreak within persons carrying the mentioned alleles can be assumed. The reduced occurrence of HLA-DRB1*04 in TTP patients indicates a possible protective effect of this HLA allele in disease development.