INTRODUCTION: Complete blood count (CBC) and cell population data (CPD) are hematologic parameters used in several clinical scenarios including infection and neoplastic processes. In the setting of COVID-19 infection, there is relative paucity of data in their use as possible prognostic markers. OBJECTIVE: We aim to evaluate the utility of the baseline CBC and CPD as prognostic markers for in-hospital mortality among COVID-19 patients admitted in Philippine General Hospital from March 2020 to January 2022. METHODOLOGY: This is a case-control study. Expired patients served as cases, and recovered patients served as controls. Data from eligible patients including age, sex, admitting COVID diagnosis with severity, final disposition, baseline CBC and CPD results were collected from the hospital medical records and hematology section of the Department of Laboratories. Statistical analyses were done to determine the prognostic value of these parameters for in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: Among the different CBC and CPD parameters, the study shows total white blood cell (WBC) count, absolute neutrophil count (ANC), absolute eosinophil count (AEC), and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were statistically significant predictors for in-hospital mortality. For total WBC count, at a cut off 9.9 x 10 9 /L, the sensitivity and specificity is 70.9% and 66.2%, respectively. For ANC, at a cut off of 7.3 x 10 9 /L, the specificity is 76.4% and the specificity is 68.2%. At a cut off of 7.62, the NLR shows a sensitivity of 76.4% and specificity of 70.1%. For AEC, at a cut off of 0.006 x 10 9 /L, the sensitivity is 53.3% and the specificity is 87.3%. AEC predicts towards the direction of survival rather than to the direction of in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSION The total WBC count, ANC, and NLR were statistically significant predictors for in-hospital mortality, while AEC predicts towards the direction of survival. The sensitivities and specificities of the cut off for these parameters were less than ideal. Correlation with clinical and other laboratory parameters is still recommended. For future studies, the authors recommend monitoring CBC and CPD parameters at different time points during the patients’ hospital course.
COVID-19 ; hematology ; blood cell count ; complete blood count ; prognosis

INTRODUCTION: Among patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), the karyotype at diagnosis is an important prognostic indicator for predicting outcomes. Several studies have been done to identify the most common cytogenetic abnormalities seen in patients in other countries, however, limited studies have been done in our setting. OBJECTIVE: The study aims to determine the most common abnormalities present among patients with AML referred for Fluorescence in situ Hybridization (FISH) at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute. METHODOLOGY: The study included 131 adult patients with a mean age o 46. Fluorescence in situ Hybridization was used to identify the following cytogenetic abnormalities: t(8;21), 11q23 (MLL), 16q22 (CBFB-MYH11), t(15;17) (PML/RARA), t(9;22) (BCR/ABL), 7q31 deletion, and Monosomy 7. RESULTS: FISH was negative in 40% (n=53) of patients. 7q31 deletion is the most frequently identified cytogenetic abnormality among patients with a single abnormality (n=17, 13%) present and is the most frequently identified abnormality among patients with multiple abnormalities (n=26). 7q31 deletion is more frequently observed among patients between the ages 51 to 60 years old and among patients with AML with monocytic differentiation. 22% (n=29) of patients have multiple abnormalities, with the most common abnormalities to occur together are 7q31 deletion and t(8;21) (n=20, 15%). Patients with negative results and patients with multiple cytogenetic abnormalities are commonly seen within the 41 to 50 age group. CONCLUSION The current study provides a single-institution view of the cytogenetic abnormalities among adult Filipino patients with AML using FISH. Further investigation on the clinical history of these patients, with correlation with other methods, as well as epidemiologic studies are needed to better understand the similarities and differences seen from previously reported incidences.
acute myeloid leukemia ; fluorescence in situ hybridization ; cytogenetics ; profiling ; hematology ; Filipino

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the distribution and drug sensitivity of pathogenic bacteria isolated from patients in hematology department, in order to provide evidence for rational use of antibiotics in clinic. METHODS: The distribution of pathogenic bacteria and drug sensitivity data of patients in the hematology department of The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from 2015 to 2020 were retrospectively analyzed, and the pathogens isolated from different specimen types were compared. RESULTS: A total of 2 029 strains of pathogenic bacteria were isolated from 1 501 patients in the hematology department from 2015 to 2020, and 62.2% of which were Gram-negative bacilli, mainly Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and Acinetobacter baumannii. Gram-positive coccus accounted for 18.8%, mainly Coagulase-negative staphylococcus (CoNS) and Staphylococcus aureus. Fungi (17.4%) were mainly candida. The 2 029 strains were mainly isolated from respiratory tract (35.1%), blood (31.8%) and urine (19.2%) specimens. Gram-negative bacilli were the main pathogenic bacteria in different specimen types (>60%). K. pneumoniae, S. maltophilia and A. baumannii were the most common pathogens in respiratory specimens, E. coli, CoNS, K. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa were common in blood samples, and E. coli and Enterococcus were most common in urine samples. Enterobacteriaceae had the highest susceptibility to amikacin and carbapenems (>90.0%), followed by piperacillin/tazobactam. P. aeruginosa strains had high sensitivity to antibiotics except aztreonam (<50.0%). The susceptibility of A. baumannii to multiple antibiotics was less than 70.0%. The antimicrobial resistance rates of E. coli and K. pneumoniae in respiratory tract specimens were higher than those in blood specimens and urine specimens. CONCLUSION Gram-negative bacilli are the main pathogenic bacteria isolated from patients in hematology department. The distribution of pathogens is different in different types of specimens, and the sensitivity of each strain to antibiotics is different. The rational use of antibiotics should be based on different parts of infection to prevent the occurrence of drug resistance.
Humans ; Escherichia coli ; Retrospective Studies ; Bacteria ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use* ; Gram-Negative Bacteria ; Drug Resistance ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; Hematology

Hematology revised laboratory testing guidelines in order that hematologic neoplasms could be diagnosed according to the revised 4th edition of WHO classification of tumors of haematopoietic and lymphoid tissues. The new guidelines were revised based on an extensive review of international guidelines that included the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guidelines, and European LeukemiaNet recommendations that are based on the revised WHO classification. We expect that the newly revised guidelines will improve clinical decisions, standardize laboratory tests, and enhance the development of new molecular technologies that are integrated into diagnostic algorithms via ongoing consensus initiatives.]]>
Classification ; Consensus ; Diagnosis ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; Hematology ; Lymphoid Tissue

Anemia ; Blood Platelets ; Erythrocyte Indices ; Erythrocytes ; Ferritins ; Hematology ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Liver Diseases ; Mean Platelet Volume ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease ; Oxidative Stress ; Pilot Projects ; Public Health ; Quercetin

Genetic hemoglobin disorders are caused by mutations and/or deletions in the α-globin or β-globin genes. Thalassemia is caused by quantitative defects and hemoglobinopathies by structural defect of hemoglobin. The incidence of thalassemia and hemoglobinopathy is increased in Korea with rapid influx of people from endemic areas. Thus, the awareness of the disease is needed. α-thalassemias are caused by deletions in α-globin gene, while β-thalassemias are associated with decreased synthesis of β-globin due to β-globin gene mutations. Hemoglobinopathies involve structural defects in hemoglobin due to altered amino acid sequence in the α- or β-globin chains. When the patient is suspected with thalassemia/hemoglobinopathy from abnormal complete blood count findings and/or family history, the next step is detecting hemoglobin abnormality using electrophoresis methods including high performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. The development of novel molecular genetic technologies, such as massively parallel sequencing, facilitates a more precise molecular diagnosis of thalassemia/hemoglobinopathy. Moreover, prenatal diagnosis using genetic testing enables the prevention of thalassemia birth and pregnancy complications. We aimed to review the spectrum and classification of thalassemia/hemoglobinopathy diseases and the diagnostic strategies including screening tests, molecular genetic tests, and prenatal diagnosis.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Anemia ; Blood Cell Count ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Classification ; Clinical Laboratory Techniques ; Diagnosis ; Electrophoresis ; Erythrocytes ; Genetic Testing ; Hematology ; Hemoglobinopathies ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Mass Screening ; Mass Spectrometry ; Molecular Biology ; Parturition ; Pregnancy Complications ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Thalassemia

BACKGROUND: Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have potent immunomodulatory and neuroprotective properties, and have been tested in neurodegenerative diseases resulting in meaningful clinical improvements. Regulatory guidelines specify the need to perform preclinical studies prior any clinical trial, including biodistribution assays and tumourigenesis exclusion. We conducted a preclinical study of human bone marrow MSCs (hBM-MSCs) injected by intrathecal route in Non-Obese Diabetic Severe Combined Immunodeficiency mice, to explore cellular biodistribution and toxicity as a privileged administration method for cell therapy in Friedreich's Ataxia. METHODS: For this purpose, 3 × 10⁵ cells were injected by intrathecal route in 12 animals (experimental group) and the same volume of culture media in 6 animals (control group). Blood samples were collected at 24 h (n = 9) or 4 months (n = 9) to assess toxicity, and nine organs were harvested for histology and safety studies. Genomic DNA was isolated from all tissues, and mouse GAPDH and human β2M and β-actin genes were amplified by qPCR to analyze hBM-MSCs biodistribution. RESULTS: There were no deaths nor acute or chronic toxicity. Hematology, biochemistry and body weight were in the range of normal values in all groups. At 24 h hBM-MSCs were detected in 4/6 spinal cords and 1/6 hearts, and at 4 months in 3/6 hearts and 1/6 brains of transplanted mice. No tumours were found. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that intrathecal injection of hBM-MSCs is safe, non toxic and do not produce tumors. These results provide further evidence that hBM-MSCs might be used in a clinical trial in patients with FRDA.
Animals ; Biochemistry ; Body Weight ; Bone Marrow ; Brain ; Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy ; Culture Media ; DNA ; Friedreich Ataxia ; Heart ; Hematology ; Humans ; Injections, Spinal ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Methods ; Mice ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; Neuroprotection ; Reference Values ; Severe Combined Immunodeficiency ; Spinal Cord

Two trials were conducted with proficiency tests for complete blood cell count (CBC) and blood cell morphology as part of the 2018 Routine Hematology Program of the Korean Association of External Quality Assessment Service. Three different control samples were sent for CBC testing and two blood cell morphology pictures were posted on the laboratory website during each trial. The mean response rates of the 1,719 participating laboratories were 97.4% and 37.2% for CBC and blood cell morphology, respectively. The distribution of equipment for CBC testing was comparable to that of the previous year. The coefficient of variation (CV) ranges were determined as 3.5%–4.1%, 1.9%–2.7%, 1.4%–2.8%, 4.5%–5.3%, and 5.4%–6.9% for white blood cell counts, red blood cell counts, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelet counts, respectively. The concordance rate ranged from 83.0% to 97.5% in blood cell morphology tests. We observed a continuous increase in the number of participating laboratories and a trend towards a decrease in the CVs of platelet counts compared to those in 2016. Values of the other assessed parameters were similar to those of the previous year.
Blood Cell Count ; Blood Cells ; Erythrocyte Count ; Hematocrit ; Hematology ; Laboratory Proficiency Testing ; Leukocyte Count ; Platelet Count

Incidentally, hemoglobin (Hb) variants can be detected using HbA1c tests in clinical laboratories. We found 38 patients with Hb variants after reviewing a total of 29,398 HbA1c test results from January 2017 to December 2017. While reviewing the complete blood count results of the patients (N=36) using the Sysmex XN-9000 analyzer (Sysmex, Japan), 35 patients were flagged as unremarkable with respect to differential white blood cell (WBC) counts. However, 1 patient with a normal WBC count did not obtain a differential WBC count while being flagged for an abnormal WBC scattergram in the white blood cell differential (WDF) channel. The WBC histogram showed an abnormally low fluorescent signal in the WDF channel; however, the differential WBC count was normal upon microscopic examination. After testing the patient's buffy coat suspended in normal saline and removing red blood cells (RBCs), the WBC scattergram and differential WBC count returned to normal. This finding suggests that the presence of a patient's RBCs may affect WBC scattergrams and Hb variants may interfere with the fluorescent dye in the differential WBC count. Therefore, when an abnormal WBC scattergram with an abnormally low fluorescent signal is encountered on the Sysmex XN-9000 analyzer, the presence of an Hb variant can be suspected.
Blood Cell Count ; Erythrocytes ; Hematology ; Humans ; Leukocytes

BACKGROUND: Here we investigated the clinical utilities of blast suspect, large unstained cell (LUC), delta neutrophil index ll (DN ll), and delta neutrophil index l (DN l), analyzed in peripheral blood samples with automated hematology analyzers to predict the relapse of acute leukemia. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 112 patients, including 56 patients with acute leukemia relapse and 56 controls. Blast suspect, LUC, DN ll, and DN l were compared between the control and leukemia relapse groups. RESULTS: Significant differences in blast suspect (P<0.001), LUC (P<0.001), DN ll (P<0.001), and DN l (P=0.002) were observed between the leukemia relapse and control groups. The areas under the curve (AUC) value was 0.927 for blast suspect (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.8750.978, P<0.001), 0.868 for LUC (95% CI: 0.794–0.941, P<0.001), and 0.900 for DN ll (95% CI: 0.841–0.960, P<0.001). Logistic regression analysis for the prediction of leukemia relapse revealed odds ratio values of 1.52 (95% CI: 1.26–1.96, P=0.0002) for blast suspect, 1.66 (95% CI: 1.27–2.42, P=0.0019) for LUC, 1.16 (95% CI: 1.08–1.29, P=0.0014) for DN ll, and 1.05 (95% CI: 1.01–1.13, P=0.0845) for DN l. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple parameters provided by automated blood cell analyzers may serve as powerful ancillary tools for the prediction and diagnosis of leukemia relapse.
Blood Cells ; Diagnosis ; Hematology ; Humans ; Leukemia ; Logistic Models ; Medical Records ; Neutrophils ; Odds Ratio ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies