Introduction: Microparticles are membrane bound vesicles, measuring less than 1.0 um, which are released during cellular activation or during apoptosis. Studies have shown that these circulating microparticles play a role in coagulation, cell signaling and cellular interactions. Increased levels of circulating microparticles have been observed in a number of conditions where there is vascular dysfunction, thrombosis and inflammation. The objective of this study was to determine the various plasma-derived microparticles in patients with polycythaemia vera (PV) in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre and to compare them with normal control. Methods: A total of 15 patients with PV and 15 healthy volunteers were included in this cross-sectional descriptive study. Plasma samples from both patients and healthy volunteers were prepared and further processed for isolation of microparticles. Flow cytometry analyses were then carried out in all samples to determine the cellular origin of the microparticles. Full blood count parameters for both groups were also collected. Data collected were analyzed using SPSS version 12.0. Results: Patients with PV had a significantly higher percentage of platelet derived microparticles compared to healthy controls (P <0.05). The control group had a higher level of endothelial derived microparticles but the differences were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The median percentage of positive events for platelet derived microparticles was higher in patients with PV compared to normal healthy controls.

Discordant lymphoma (DL) is the coexistence of two or more distinct subtypes in separate anatomic sites. There are limited reports on DL cases especially involving more than two subtypes in more than two sites. We report a 76-year-old man who presented with constitutional symptoms, flank mass and painless lymphadenopathies for six months. Laboratory tests revealed moderate anaemia, markedly elevated serum IgM (13400 mg/dL), IgM Lambda paraproteinemia and Lambda light chain paraproteinuria with unmeasurable serum lactate dehydrogenase due to hyperviscous sample. CT scan showed multiple subcutaneous masses over chest wall and retroperitoneum, with lytic bone lesions, and hepatosplenomegaly. Further biopsy findings with morphological, immunohistochemical and molecular analysis of the tissue sections revealed diffuse large B-Cell lymphoma in the chest wall mass, follicular lymphoma in the inguinal lymph node and lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma in the bone marrow. This case highlights the rare DL. The importance of histopathological evaluation of lymphoma despite the availability of PET-CT scans for disease staging is undeniable.