Platelet parameters and their role in myeloproliferative neoplasms, immune-mediated thrombocytopenia, and myelodysplastic syndrome.

Introduction: Platelet parameters are inexpensive and readily available biomarkers for platelet activation. This study investigated the differences and usefulness of platelet parameters in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), immune-mediated thrombocytopenia, and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), which are major hematologic disorders associated with platelet activation or dysfunction.

Methods: We enrolled 418 patients: 186 with MPN, 109 with immune-mediated thrombocytopenia, and 123 with MDS.

An Automated Assay for Carbapenemase Detection in Enterobacterales: a Real-World Performance.

Background: Carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative organisms pose a significant challenge to global healthcare, making the reliable detection and classification of carbapenemases essential for informed therapy and infection control. The BD Phoenix CPO detect assay offers simultaneous carbapenemase detection and Ambler classification in routine antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Accordingly, this study analyzed real-world data on the BD Phoenix CPO test to evaluate its performance in clinical settings over a period of two years.

Incidence of Cardiovascular Events and Carotid Artery USG Abnormalities in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Patients on Nilotinib Therapy: A 20-Year Single-Center Study.

Background: The incidence of cardiovascular events (CVEs) among patients receiving nilotinib is a critical concern, particularly for those on long-term use. This study aimed to evaluate the incidence of CVEs among chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients and assess the efficacy of carotid artery ultrasonography (USG) in predicting CVEs in nilotinib-treated patients.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 218 patients diagnosed with CML chronic phase who received nilotinib at the Kyungpook National University Hospital, South Korea, from January 2000 to May 2024.

Performance Evaluation of the Automated Cell Image Analyzer DI-60 for Leukocyte Differential Count.

Background: The Sysmex DI-60 system (Sysmex, Kobe, Japan) is an automated cell image analyzer that captures and analyzes cell images. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of DI-60 for leukocyte differential count in comparison with manual differential count and XN-20.

Methods: A total of 205 samples were analyzed and the agreement between DI-60 pre-classification and post-verification by medical technicians was determined.

Clinical, Immunologic, and Genetic Characteristics of T-lymphoblastic Leukemia with STIL-TAL1 Fusion.

Background: T-lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive hematologic malignancy with a less favorable prognosis. The genetic background of T-ALL is widely heterogeneous, with the co-occurrence of multiple genetic abnormalities. The STIL-TAL1 rearrangement results from a submicroscopic deletion on chromosome 1p33 and is present in 15 - 25% of T-ALL cases.

Prognostic Impact of Transfusion Dependency in Patients with Lower-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome.

Background: This study retrospectively analyzed the prognostic impact of transfusion burden in patients with lower-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (LR-MDS) and the outcomes of each treatment option.

Methods: Data on 168 patients with LR-MDS between July 2011 and April 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Non-transfusion dependent (NTD) was defined as no transfusion history in a period of 16 weeks, low transfusion burden (LTB) as receiving 3 - 7 red blood cell (RBC) units in a period of 16 weeks, and high transfusion burden (HTB) as receiving ≥ 8 RBC units in a period of 16 weeks.

Clinical effect of prophylactic pegfilgrastim in patients with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia who receive intensive chemotherapy.

Background: Using granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) after completing chemotherapy reduces the duration of neutropenia and infections. However, the efficacy and safety of prophylactic pegfilgrastim in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients have not yet been evaluated after intensive cytotoxic chemotherapy compared to the daily G-CSF. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of pegfilgrastim for ALL patients who received intensive chemotherapy compared with a short-acting G-CSF.

A Case of Acute Myeloid Leukemia with Myelodysplasia-Related Changes, SET-NUP214 Fusion, and Complex Karyotype.

Background: The SET-NUP214 fusion formed by cryptic t(9;9)(q34;q34) or del(9)(q34.11q34.13) is a rare gene rearrangement.

Bone marrow and peripheral blood involvement of relapsed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma after prior cold agglutinin disease.

The author report an interesting case of relapsed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with bone marrow (BM) and peripheral blood (PB) involvement after prior cold agglutinin disease (CAD). A minority of patients with DLBCL present with CAD, and BM or PB involvement with CAD are quite rare. Differential diagnosis of patients with CAD should include DLBCL, considering the possibility of BM or even PB involvement.

Comparing SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Responses after Various COVID-19 Vaccinations in Healthcare Workers.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination began for healthcare workers in South Korea at the end of February 2021. This study investigated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibody responses after various COVID-19 vaccinations in healthcare workers. Blood specimens of 497 vaccinated healthcare workers were collected.

Serological evaluation of patients with coronavirus disease-2019 in Daegu, South Korea.

Background: Early and accurate detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is critical to prevent spread of the infection. Understanding of the antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is insufficient, particularly in relation to those whose responses persist for more than 1 month after the onset of symptoms. We conducted a SARS-CoV-2 antibody test to identify factors affecting the serological response and to evaluate its diagnostic utility in patients with COVID-19.

Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Antibody in 2,935 Healthcare Workers at 6 Major Hospitals, Daegu, Korea.

Background: In Korea, the first community outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) occurred in Daegu on February 18, 2020. This study was performed to investigate the prevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies in healthcare workers (HCWs) at 6 major hospitals in Daegu.

Methods: Blood specimens of 2,935 HCWs at 6 major hospitals in Daegu from January 2021 to February 2021 were collected.

Inflammatory Markers and Cytokines in Moderate and Critical Cases of COVID-19.

Background: Inflammatory responses have been suggested to be associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study investigated the inflammatory markers and cytokines in COVID-19 according to its severity.

Methods: We enrolled 49 patients with COVID-19, who were classified as either moderate or critical cases.

Comprehensive Laboratory Data Analysis to Predict the Clinical Severity of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in 1,952 Patients in Daegu, Korea.

Background: Laboratory parameter abnormalities are commonly observed in COVID-19 patients; however, their clinical significance remains controversial. We assessed the prevalence, characteristics, and clinical impact of laboratory parameters in COVID-19 patients hospitalized in Daegu, Korea.

Methods: We investigated the clinical and laboratory parameters of 1,952 COVID-19 patients on admission in nine hospitals in Daegu, Korea.

Comparison of Low Volume and Conventional Sodium Citrate Tubes for Routine Coagulation Testing.

Background: Low-volume sample tubes reduce unnecessary blood loss due to repeated blood collection and are more convenient to collect blood from patients with difficult veins. However, different sample tubes may be sources of preanalytical bias, and the corresponding test results may reflect clinically important differences. We compared the new low-volume sodium citrate tube to the conventional sodium citrate tube to determine any significant differences between the two types of tubes for routine coagulation testing.

Clinical usefulness of extraction-free PCR assay to detect SARS-CoV-2.

Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, the demand for an easily accessible high-throughput screening test is increasing. We aimed to evaluate the usefulness of the extrac-tion-free polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as a screening test to detect severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Real-time reverse transcription PCR was performed in 300 samples (260 SARS-CoV-2 positives and 40 negatives), using both the conventional nucleic acid extraction method (standard method) and the direct method without nucleic acid extraction (direct method).

Clinical impact of cell-free serum Epstein-Barr virus status in patients with newly diagnosed malignant lymphoma.

Background: We analyzed cell-free serum Epstein‒Barr virus (EBV) DNA to identify its prognostic role in patients with newly diagnosed lymphoma.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients diagnosed with lymphoma between January 2014 and July 2020. Patients were enrolled according to the following criteria: i) pathologically confirmed lymphomas according to the World Health Organization criteria, ii) age over 18 years, iii) serum EBV DNA measurement using polymerase chain reaction prior to first-line therapy, and iv) receipt of curative standard chemotherapy.

Characterization of the novel DQA1*01:01:09 allele by next-generation sequencing.

HLA-DQA1*01:01:09 differs from HLA-DQA1*01:01:01:01 by one nucleotide substitution in codon-12 in exon 1.

[Two cases of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia diagnosed by particle gel immunoassay.].

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a serious complication of heparin therapy. It represents initially as thrombocytopenia and is associated with venous or arterial thrombosis. It has been reported that platelet factor 4/heparin complex antibody plays an important role in the pathogenesis of HIT.

[FLT3 Gene Mutations as a Prognostic Factor for Acute Myeloid Leukemia.].

Background: Two distinct types of fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) gene mutations have been identified in acute myeloid leukemia (AML): D835 and internal tandem duplication (ITD) mutations. These mutations are known to cause the proliferation of leukemic cells and inhibit the apoptosis of leukemic cells due to ligand-independent activation of their receptors. Therefore, the current study attempted to investigate the frequency of FLT3 gene mutations and their prognostic implications for AML in terms of treatment response, survival, and relapse.

Identification of a novel mutation in the EYA1 gene in a Korean family with branchio-oto-renal (BOR) syndrome.

The branchio-oto-renal (BOR) syndrome is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by the association of branchial cysts or fistulae, external ear malformation and/or preauricular pits, hearing loss, and renal anomalies. Mutations in the EYA1 gene on the chromosome band 8q13.3, the human homologue of the Drosophila eyes absent (eya) gene, have been identified to be the underlying genetic defects of the syndrome.