OBJECTIVETo explore the clinicopathologic features, immunophenotype, differential diagnosis and gene mutation status of the Erdheim-Chester disease (ECD).

METHODSClinical and pathologic findings of 3 ECD cases were examined by gross, microscopic, immunohistochemical methods and BRAF V600E mutation. Related literatures were reviewed.

RESULTSTwo male patients and one female patient presented clinically with multiple skin nodules, bone pain and bony lesions by imaging study. Microscopically, the lesions were composed of spindle-shaped fibroblasts, foamy histiocytes and scattered Touton-type giant cells embedded in reactive fibrous tissue. Lymphocytes, plasma cells, and multinucleated giant cells were also found. Immunohistochemically, all histiocytes were positive for CD68, none of which expressed CD1a, although 2 cases focally expressed weak S-100 stain. In 2 cases,BRAF V600E mutation was detected.

CONCLUSIONSECD is a rare disease of xanthogranulomatous histiocytosis.Its diagnosis relies on pathological and immunohistochemical findings, but correlation with clinical information, especially radiographic findings should be performed.No effective treatment of the disease is currently available.

Antigens, CD ; analysis ; Antigens, CD1 ; analysis ; Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic ; analysis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Erdheim-Chester Disease ; genetics ; immunology ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mutation ; S100 Proteins ; analysis ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy of lenalidomide plus rituximab in treatment of the patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL). Methods The clinical data of the patients with relapsed/refractory B-NHL after the varieties of treatment methods in Peking Union Medical College Hospital between January 2015 and December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. All the patients were treated with R2 regimen: oral lenalidomide (25 mg/d for day 1-day 21) and rituximab (375 mg/m2 of intravenous infusion on day 1, 28-day of each cycle); the efficacy was evaluated after three cycles. After this induction phase, the patients achieving complete response (CR), partial response (PR), or stable disease (SD) were given R2 regimen until the end of 8 cycles. The major end point was overall response rate (ORR) defined as CR + PR. Secondary end point included 1-year progression free survival (PFS), 1-year overall survival (OS) and grade 3-4 adverse events. T cell and B cell subsets of 7 patients at baseline were measured, and T cell and B cell subsets of 13 patients with good efficacy were dynamically observed. Results A total of 49 patients who received 1-4 chemotherapy regimens were included. The ORR after the R2 treatment for 3 courses was 65% (32/49). Thirty-six patients (9 cases of CR, 22 cases of PR, 5 cases of SD) were enrolled in R2 maintenance treatment. The median follow-up time was 13 months, 1-year PFS rate was 61% and 1-year OS rate was 84% . The most common adverse event was bone marrow suppression, including grade 3-4 neutropenia (27% ), grade 3-4 thrombocytopenia (6% ) and grade 4 anemia (4% ), most of which could be controlled by prolonging interval cycles or reduced lenalidomide dosage. The decreased number of CD19+B cell after treatment could be seen in 13 patients who obtained good efficacy under the dynamic observation. Conclusion Lenalidomide plus rituximab is well tolerated and highly active in the treatment of relapsed/refractory B-NHL.

Renal replacement therapy and perioperative management have difficulties in hemophilia patients with end-stage renal disease. The paper summarized the diagnosis and treatment experience of six hemophilia patients complicated with end-stage renal disease from January 1, 2000 to March 31, 2023 in Peking Union Medical College Hospital. Among 6 patients treated with peritoneal dialysis, 3 were treated with hemodialysis or continuous venous-venous hemodialysis. Altogether 11 dialysis access procedures were conducted successfully, and no serious bleeding or thrombotic events. In further conjunction with literature review, the paper summarized the key points of dialysis access appliance relevant to such patients, to provide reference for renal replacement treatment paths.

Objective To explore the clinicopathologic features, immunophenotype, differential diagnosis and gene mutation status of the Erdheim-Chester disease ( ECD ) .Methods Clinical and pathologic findings of 3 ECD cases were examined by gross, microscopic, immunohistochemical methods and BRAF V600E mutation.Related literatures were reviewed.Results Two male patients and one female patient presented clinically with multiple skin nodules, bone pain and bony lesions by imaging study.Microscopically, the lesions were composed of spindle-shaped fibroblasts, foamy histiocytes and scattered Touton-type giant cells embedded in reactive fibrous tissue.Lymphocytes, plasma cells, and multinucleated giant cells were also found.Immunohistochemically, all histiocytes were positive for CD68, none of which expressed CD1a, although 2 cases focally expressed weak S-100 stain.In 2 cases, BRAF V600E mutation was detected.Conclusions ECD is a rare disease of xanthogranulomatous histiocytosis.Its diagnosis relies on pathological and immunohistochemical findings, but correlation with clinical information, especially radiographic findings should be performed.No effective treatment of the disease is currently available.

Objectives:To cross-sectionally analyze the clinical characteristics of primary antiphospholipid syndrome (PAPS) patients with thrombocytopenia, risk factors associated with thrombocytopenia, and risk of symptom recurrence in these patients.Methods:The inpatients with PAPS were retrospectively analyzed in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from 2009 to 2019. Using the collected clinical and laboratory data, the clinical characteristics and risk of symptom recurrence in the PAPS patients with thrombocytopenia were compared with those in the PAPS patients with normal platelet counts. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to screen the risk factors for thrombocytopenia.Results:In this study, 127 patients with PAPS were enrolled, of which 36 (28.3% ) had thrombocytopenia, with a median age of 38 years, and 63.9% were female. In the thrombocytopenia group, the average platelet count was (58.9±27.0) ×10 9/L, and the prevalence of thrombosis and morbid pregnancy was not significantly different from that in the normal platelet group. However, the thrombocytopenia group had higher incidence rate of autoimmune hemolytic anemia (19.4% vs 3.3% ) , livedo reticularis (16.7% vs 3.3% ) , chronic kidney disease (25% vs 8.8% ) and antiphospholipid antibodies triple positiveness (61.1% vs 37.4% ) , lower complement levels (C3 of 0.87 g/L vs 1.07 g/L, C4 of 0.12 g/L vs 0.18 g/L, P<0.05) , and higher adjusted Global APS Score (median score of 13 vs 9, P=0.037) than the normal platelet group. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, hypocomplementemia ( OR value 5.032, 95% CI 3.118-22.095) is an independent risk factor for thrombocytopenia. Conclusions:In patients with PAPS, thrombocytopenia is mostly mild to moderate. Hypocomplementemia may be the independent risk factor for thrombocytopenia in PAPS patients. The PAPS patients with thrombocytopenia may have a higher risk of symptom recurrence.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical characteristics, MYD88^L265P mutation, CXCR4^WHIM mutation and prognosis in patients with Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM). Methods: The clinical characteristics, International Prognostic Scoring System for symptomatic WM (WPSS) , and overall survival (OS) were retrospectively assayed in 93 patients with newly diagnosed WM at Peking Union Medical College Hospital during January 2000 to August 2016. The MYD88^L265P mutation and CXCR4^WHIM mutation were tested among 34 patients. Results: The median age of the 93 patients was 64 years (range, 33-85 years) with a male-to-female ratio of 2.44. According to WPSS, we included 16 (17.2%) low-risk, 44 (47.3%) intermediate-risk and 33 (35.5%) high-risk patients. Eight patients had secondary amyloidosis. With a median follow-up of 44 (1-201) months, the median OS was 84 months. Cox regression multifactor analysis showed WPSS risk group (HR=2.342, 95% CI 1.111-4.950, P=0.025) , whether patients had secondary amyloidosis (HR=5.538, 95% CI 1.958-15.662, P=0.001) and whether patients received new drugs (HR=3.392, 95% CI 1.531-7.513, P=0.003) were independent factors associated with OS. We have investigated the presence of the MYD88^L265P and CXCR4^WHIM mutation in 34 patients and found that MYD88^L265P mutation was occurred in 32 patients (94.1%) and CXCR4^WHIM mutation was occurred in 8 patients (23.5%). Seven of 8 patients who harbored CXCR4^WHIM-mutated also exhibited the MYD88^L265P mutation. Patients with MYD88^L265PCXCR4^WHIM vs MYD88^L265PCXCR4^WT presented with more severe anemia, lower platelet level, higher M protein level and more hyper-viscosity syndrome. Conclusion WPSS risk group, whether patients had secondary amyloidosis or received new drugs are independent factors for OS in WM. MYD88^L265P and CXCR4^WHIM mutation, the most common somatic variants in WM, often occur together and impact the clinical presentation.

Objective: To Evaluate the efficacy and safety of posaconazole as primary prevention of invasive fungal disease (IFD) in patients with severe aplastic anemia (SAA) treated with anti-thymus/lymphocyte immunoglobulin (ATG/ALG) combined with cyclosporine intensive immunosuppressive therapy (IST). Methods: A retrospective analysis of clinical data of 58 SAA patients who received IST of anti-thymocyte immunoglobulin combining cyclosporine and antifungal prophylaxis during April 2013 to May 2017 in Peking Union Medical College Hospital was performed. The patients were divided into posaconazole prophylaxis group and the control group (itraconazole or fluconazole). The disease characteristics, IFD prevention effect and adverse drug reaction, curative effect and prognosis of the two groups were compared. Results: Posaconazole was used to prevent fungal infection in 20 patients. The other 38 patients were used as the control group. Retrospective analysis showed comparable characteristics (gender, age, disease severity, etiology, interval between the onset of disease to treatment, ATG/ALG type) of both groups. The incidence of IFD were 0 and 15.8% in posaconazole prophylaxis group and the control group, respectively (P=0.084). In the control group, there were 6 cases diagnosed as IFD. Of them, 2 were confirmed, 2 suspected and 2 not identified. Five of the 6 cases were pulmonary infection, 1 bloodstream infections. Of the 6 IFD cases, 5 were very severe aplastic anemia (VSAA). There was no obvious adverse reaction in posaconazole prophylaxis group. Conclusion Posaconazole is safe and effective for primary prevention of fungal infection of SAA patients receiving IST, especially for the VSAA.

Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy of Hyper-CVAD intensive chemotherapy regimen in patients with newly diagnosed aggressive T-cell lymphoma. Methods The efficacy, side effects and survival status were retrospectively analyzed in 34 patients with newly diagnosed aggressive T-cell lymphoma who received Hyper-CVAD regimen as induction therapy in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from September 2009 to December 2010. Results Of 34 patients, 28 cases (82.4 ％) showed treatment response, including 10 cases (29.4 ％) of complete response (CR). Eleven patients underwent stem cell transplantation, including 1 case of human leukocyte antigen-identical siblings allogeneic stem cell transplantation. The median follow-up was 16 months (1-82 months), and the overall survival (OS) rate of 1 or 3-year was 70.2 ％ and 41.1 ％ respectively, and progression-free survival (PFS) rate of 1 or 3-year was 49.3 ％ and 31.6 ％ respectively. The major adverse reaction was myelosuppresion, including 18 cases (52.9％) of myelosuppresion with grade Ⅳ. Three patients died of serious infection. Cox regression multifactor analysis showed CR was the only influencing factor for PFS (HR=6.118, 95％CI 1.327-28.206, P=0.020). Marrow involvement (HR= 0.270, 95 ％CI 0.101-0.722, P= 0.009) and CR (HR= 6.669, 95 ％CI 1.754-25.354, P= 0.005) were independent influencing factors for OS. Conclusions Hyper-CVAD regimen has a high response rate for aggressive T-cell lymphoma, but the lasting effectiveness and the short-term efficacy show unfavorable performances. Meanwhile, myelosuppression is serious and infection incidence is high. Autologous hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation after remission may improve the outcome.

A 43-year-old female patient was admitted with recurrent thrombosis for more than 2 years and thrombocytopenia for more than 1 year. Both arterial and venous thromboses developed especially at rare sites even during anticoagulation therapy such as cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. Antinuclear antibody, anti-ENA antibody and antiphospholipid antibody were all negative. Platelet count elevated to normal after high dose glucocorticoid and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). Immune thrombocytopenia was suspected. When 4 grade thrombocytopenia recurred, intravenous heparin, rituximab 600 mg, IVIG and eltrombopag were administrated. After 3 weeks, thrombocytopenia did not improve, and new thrombosis developed instead. Screening of thrombophilia related genes revealed PROS1 gene heterozygous mutation and MTHFR TT genotype. Low amount of serum IgG κ monoclonal protein was detected. Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia was differentiated and excluded. Finally, serum negative antiphospholipid syndrome was considered the most likely diagnosis. Dexamethasone 20 mg/day × 4 days combined with sirolimus 2 mg/day was prescribed. The patient was discharged with low molecular weight heparin. At one month, her headache was greatly relieved. The platelet count raised to 20-30×10 9/L, and no new thrombosis or bleeding was reported.