BACKGROUND: Several studies about myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) have demonstrated that patients with high score of erythrocytic and total dysplasia showed a significantly lower degree of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) development. We analyzed correlation between bone marrow dysplasia and peripheral blood indices, and estimated the value of peripheral blood indices substituted for bone marrow examination to predict the progress of MDS to AML. METHODS: RBC count, MCV, RDW, WBC count, platelet count, MPV, and PDW were measured by Coulter Counter STKS (USA). We calculated the granulation score (G-score), percentage of peudo-pelger polymorphs (PPP) in the peripheral blood film, and examined the dysplasia in bone marrow aspirates. The reticulocyte survival study was performed with the venous blood collected in CPDA-1 under sterile conditions which was incubated immediately after collection at 37degrees C. RESULTS: G-score was inversly correlated with granulocytic and total dysplasia, but highly scored PPP showed a significantly lower degree granulocytic and total dysplasia. Reticulocyte survival curves showed variable pattern according to degree of erythrocytic and total dysplasia. Patients with a high degree of erythrocytic and total dysplasia showed significant difference compared with normal control group. MPV was increased in accordance with increase in megakaryocytic and total dysplasia. A lower score for erythrocytic and total dysplasia was observed in RAEB-t than in RA and RAEB. CONCLUSIONS: It is suggested that G-score, PPP, and MPV in peripheral blood as well as reticulocyte survival curve may be good markers for bone marrow dysplasia, and erythrocytic and total dysplasia in RAEB-t is lower than in RA and RAEB. Therefore, peripheral blood indices can be used to predict the progress of MDS to AML
Anemia, Refractory, with Excess of Blasts ; Bone Marrow Examination ; Bone Marrow* ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes* ; Platelet Count ; Reticulocytes

We report a case that revealed the characteristics of acute myeloblastic leukemia with maturation (AML-M2) on the morphology of the bone marrow biopsy and 45,X,-Y in conventional cytogenetic study, but was confirmed to have a typical AML1/ETO translocation by molecular studies using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and fluorescence in situ hybridization. Insertion of ETO gene on chromosome 8 into chromosome 21 in this patient resulted in the development of the chimeric gene, AML1/ETO, on the long arm of chromosome 21. Our final report on the patient's karyotype: 45,X,-Y.ish ins(21;8)(q22;q22q22)(AML1 +,ETO +;ETO +,AML1-). In case typical morphologic features compatible with recurrent cytogenetic abnormalities are shown, molecular studies in addition to conventional cytogenetic study might be required to confirm the diagnosis.
Arm ; Biopsy ; Bone Marrow ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 21 ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 8 ; Cytogenetics ; Diagnosis ; Fluorescence ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization ; Karyotype ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute* ; Masks* ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

A 32-yr-old male diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome underwent an unmanipulated, unrelated, HLA matched, peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. The patient and donor were both blood type O, CcDEe. Twelve weeks post-transplantation, he developed acute autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA). He was transfused multiple times with washed O red cells. High-dose steroid therapy was initiated and he underwent splenectomy; however, AIHA was refractory to therapy. The patient was further treated with combined treatment modalities including immunosuppressive therapy with mycophenolate mofetil and cyclosporine and three cycles of plasma exchange, and AIHA responded to treatment. This is the third case of AIHA complicating hematopoietic stem cell transplantation reported in Korea. Since AIHA is relatively common after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, accurate and timely diagnosis of the disease and treatment strategies with multiple modalities are necessary.
Adult ; Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune/*diagnosis/drug therapy/etiology ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Cyclosporine/therapeutic use ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation/*adverse effects ; Humans ; Male ; Mycophenolic Acid/analogs & derivatives/therapeutic use ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes/complications/diagnosis/therapy ; Plasma Exchange

Neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (NAIT) occurs when maternal alloantibodies react to antigens expressed on fetal platelets, which is mainly platelet-specific alloantigen or HLA, resulting in their immune destruction. Here, we described a patient who suffered from NAIT caused by anti-HLA-A2 antibody. Sera from the mother and the newborn were screened for human platelet antigen-specific antibodies and HLA antibodies by ELISA, and HLA antibodies were detected in both of them. The antibody specificity was identified as anti-HLA-A2 by Luminex single antigen bead assay. HLA typing results showed that patient's father descended HLA-A2 antigen on the patient and the mother was HLA-A2 negative. It is most conceivable that anti-HLA-A2 alloantibody in the mother's sera crossed the placenta and subsequently caused NAIT in the case presented. The patient received platelet concentrates, oral steroid and intravenous globulin and platelet count increased to 120x10(9)/L on the 90th day of life. The Luminex single antigen bead assay used in this case is highly sensitive and specific assay to determine antibody specificity and it is faster and more convenient for routine use in clinical laboratory so that this assay could be useful to diagnose NAIT caused by HLA antibodies and treat such NAIT patients with HLA matched platelet transfusion.
Antibodies ; Antibody Specificity ; Blood Platelets ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fathers ; Histocompatibility Testing ; HLA-A2 Antigen ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Isoantibodies ; Isoantigens ; Mothers ; Placenta ; Platelet Count ; Platelet Transfusion ; Thrombocytopenia, Neonatal Alloimmune

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to organize the maximum surgical blood order schedule (MSBOS) of red blood cells (RBCs) for elective surgeries according to the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification guidelines (ICD-9-CM) and we compared the results with the previously reported MSBOSs. METHODS: From 1 March to 31 August 2007, the data of the transfused RBCs for elective surgeries in our hospital were analyzed. The MSBOS was organized as the average number of units of transfused RBCs for the type of surgery, according to the ICD-9-CM. The results were compared with the MSBOSs that were previously reportedfrom 1982 to 2004 in Korea. RESULTS: A total of 121 types of 3,375 surgeries were performed. Type & screen for 91 types (81.3%), 1 unit for 20 types (13.8%), 2 units for 7 types (3.8%), 3 units for 1 type (0.4%) and 4 units for 2 types (1.8%) were recommended. There was a minimal difference between these results and the range for the previously reported MSBOSs. CONCLUSION: It seems that the MSBOS showed minimal change since 2004. We organized the MSBOS according to the guidelines of the ICD-9-CM. Standardization of the surgery name should be considered to achieve more useful utilization of MSBOS.
Appointments and Schedules ; Erythrocytes ; International Classification of Diseases ; Korea

BACKGROUND: In vitro serum allergen-specific IgE tests have been routinely used in the clinical diagnosis of allergic diseases. We evaluated the clinical usefulness of a newly introduced multiple antigen screen test, Advansure Allergy Screen (LG Life Science, Korea) (LG-Screen) for the detection of allergen specific IgE. METHODS: A total of 180 sera (80 for inhalant and 100 for food panels) were tested by LG-Screen and RIDA Allergy Screen (R-biopharm, Germany) (RIDA-Screen) assays. According to the 58-60 specific allergens or allergen groups, the positive rates and agreement rates were analyzed using the cut off levels of class 2. For the quantitation of total IgE and specific IgE, nephelometry and ImmunoCAP test were performed in the sera showing discrepant results between the two allergy screen assays. RESULTS: The agreement rate and kappa value (k) of total IgE between the two allergy screen assays was 73.9% and 0.333. LG-Screen showed higher agreement rate with nephelometry than RIDA-Screen. The positive rates to common outdoor inhalant and food allergens were significantly higher in RIDA-Screen. Overall agreement rate of specific IgE between the two allergy screen assays for 58 allergens was 86.7% (6,086/7,020) (k, 0.293). In samples showing discrepant results between the two allergy screen assays, concordance rate of allergy screen assay with ImmunoCAP assay was 70.9% (449/633) for LG-Screen (k, 0.585) and 29.1% (184/633) for RIDA-Screen (k, -0.303). CONCLUSIONS: LG-Screen showed a favorable agreement with RIDA-Screen and ImmunoCAP assays, and it could be used for the detection of allergen specific IgE in the clinical laboratory.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Allergens/diagnostic use/*immunology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity, Immediate/diagnosis ; Immunoglobulin E/*blood ; Immunologic Tests/methods ; Infant ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reagent Kits, Diagnostic

BACKGROUND: Clinical specificity and sensitivity are essential factors in the adoption of a human papillomavirus (HPV) test as a primary screening tool and test of cure after treatment of cervical cancer and precancerous lesions (High-Risk-Lesion). Using histologically-confirmed High-Risk-Lesion-patient specimens with postoperative follow-ups, we performed clinical validation of the AdvanSure GenoBlot Assay (GenoBlot; LG Life Sciences, Korea). METHODS: The study population included 100 cases with High-Risk-Lesion, 96 with high-risk genotype positive and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 1 or better, and 39 with HR-negative and better than CIN 1. Forty-eight High-Risk-Lesion cases received follow-up HPV exams after surgery. For validation as a test of cure, 48 preoperative specimens (PreOP) and 78 postoperative specimens (PostOP) from 48 subjects were separately analyzed. The results of HPV DNA chip tests (HPVDNAChip; BioMedLab Co., Korea) and sequencing were cross-compared. RESULTS: The concordance rates for each genotype between HPVDNAChip and GenoBlot were between 96.3-100%. The accuracy of HPVDNAChip and GenoBlot was 87.9% and 96.6%, respectively. Genotype-based specificity for High-Risk-Lesion detection was higher than 87% for both assays; genotype 16 showed the highest sensitivity. In the PostOP group, the positive rates for HPVDNAChip and GenoBlot were 30.8% and 47.4%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: GenoBlot showed a higher positive rate than HPVDNAChip for each genotype, with concordance rate and accuracy being similar to previous reports. As a test of cure, GenoBlot performed better than the HPVDNAChip.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; *Blotting, Southern ; DNA, Viral/*analysis ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Papillomaviridae/*genetics ; Papillomavirus Infections/*diagnosis/pathology/therapy ; Reagent Kits, Diagnostic ; *Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Young Adult

Gelatinous transformation of the bone marrow is rarely found and characterized by accumulation of hyaluronic acid, fat atrophy and associated with bone marrow hypoplasia. This process has been reported to occur in severely malnourished patients. We report an anorexia nervosa patient showing pancytopenia and hypoplastic bone marrow associated with gelatinous transformation. Pathogenesis of this lesion remains unclear.
Anorexia Nervosa* ; Anorexia* ; Atrophy ; Bone Marrow* ; Gelatin* ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; Pancytopenia

The inv(16)(p13q22) is found in de novo AML and is closely associated with the FAB subtype M4eo. The inv(16) is rarely reported in therapy-related AML (t-AML) patients. Herein, we report a case of t-AML with inv(16) after combination chemotherapy using antimitotic agent and alkylating agent (cis-platin-paclitaxel) for ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma.
Antimitotic Agents/*adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/*adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 16/*genetics ; Cisplatin/adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; *Inversion, Chromosome ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/*chemically induced/pathology ; Middle Aged ; Taxoids/adverse effects/therapeutic use

The Landsteiner–Wiener (LW) antigen is a type of red blood cell antigen. Anti-LW appears in various situations, including alloantibodies, autoantibodies, and even transiently occurring antibodies. Anti-LW has similar characteristics to anti-D, so it can interfere with interpreting pre-transfusion tests and finding compatible blood. This paper introduces three cases in whom anti-LW was detected through antibody identification tests. All three cases were examined using the column agglutination technique with ID-DiaPanel (Bio-Rad, Hercules, CA, USA) on a LISS/Coombs card, ID-DiaPanel p (Bio-Rad) on a NaCl/Enzyme card, and ID-DiaPanel (Bio-Rad) on a LISS/Coombs card using red blood cells treated with dithiothreitol. The auto-control test, direct antiglobulin test, and umbilical cord blood test were also performed. In all three cases, the reaction with D-positive panel cells was stronger than that with the D-negative panel cells, and two of them showed a pan-agglutinated reaction in ID-DiaPanel p (Bio-Rad) with NaCl/Enzyme card. They were reported as anti-LW, and as in these cases, anti-LW can occur under a range of conditions and interfere with proper transfusion. Therefore, it is important to identify anti-LW accurately, and if anti-LW is present, the transfusion of D-negative ABO matched blood should be recommended because of the low expression of the LW-antigen. On the other hand, D-positive blood is not a contraindication when an urgent transfusion is needed.