Subacute demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy complicating Epstein-Barr virus infection in GATA2 haploinsufficiency

Early Complications after Prepectoral Tissue Expander Placement in Breast Reconstruction with and without Acellular Dermal Matrix

BACKGROUND

Prepectoral breast reconstruction has become popularized with the concurrent use of acellular dermal matrix (ADM). The authors sought to compare 3-month postoperative complication rates and explantation rates for first-stage, tissue-expander-based, prepectoral breast reconstruction with and without the use of ADM.

METHODS

A single-institution retrospective chart review was performed to identify consecutive patients undergoing prepectoral tissue-expander-based breast reconstruction from August of 2020 to January of 2022. Chi-square tests were used to compare demographic categorical variables, and multiple variable regression models were used to identify variables associated with 3-month postoperative outcomes.

RESULTS

The authors enrolled 124 consecutive patients. Fifty-five patients (98 breasts) were included in the no-ADM cohort and 69 patients (98 breasts) were included in the ADM cohort. There were no statistically significant differences between the ADM and no-ADM cohorts with regard to 90-day postoperative outcomes. On multivariable analysis, there were no independent associations between seroma, hematoma, wound dehiscence, mastectomy skin flap necrosis, infection, unplanned return to the operating room, or explantation in the ADM and no-ADM groups after controlling for age, body mass index, history of diabetes, tobacco use, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and postoperative radiotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

The authors' results reveal no significant differences in odds of postoperative complications, unplanned return to the operating room, or explantation between the ADM and no-ADM cohorts. More studies are needed to evaluate the safety of prepectoral, tissue expander placement without ADM.

CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic, III.

GATA2 Deficiency: Predisposition to Myeloid Malignancy and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

GATA2 deficiency is a haploinsufficiency syndrome associated with a wide spectrum of disease, including severe monocytopenia and B and NK lymphopenia, predisposition to myeloid malignancies, human papillomavirus infections, and infections with opportunistic organisms, particularly nontuberculous mycobacteria, herpes virus, and certain fungi. GATA2 mutations have variable penetrance and expressivity with imperfect genotype-phenotype correlations. However, approximately 75% of patients will develop a myeloid neoplasm at some point. Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is the only currently available curative therapy. Here, we review the clinical manifestations of GATA2 deficiency, characterization of the hematologic abnormalities and progression to myeloid malignancy, and current HCT practices and outcomes.

RECENT FINDINGS

Cytogenetic abnormalities are common with high rates of trisomy 8, monosomy 7, and unbalanced translocation der(1;7) and may suggest an underlying GATA2 deficiency in patients presenting with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Mutations in ASXL1 and STAG2 are the most frequently encountered somatic mutations and are associated with lower survival probability. A recent report of 59 patients with GATA2 deficiency who underwent allogenic HCT with myeloablative, busulfan-based conditioning and post-transplant cyclophosphamide reported excellent overall and event-free survival of 85% and 82% with reversal of disease phenotype and low rates of graft versus host disease. Allogeneic HCT with myeloablative conditioning results in disease correction and should be considered for patients with a history of recurrent, disfiguring and/or severe infections, organ dysfunction, MDS with cytogenetic abnormalities, high-risk somatic mutations or transfusion dependence, or myeloid progression. Improved genotype/phenotype correlations are needed to allow for greater predictive capabilities.

[Epstein-Barr virus-associated subacute sensorimotor neuropathy with multiple cerebellar microbleeding: a case report]

We report the case of an 82-year-old male with subacute sensorimotor neuropathy associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, who presented with diplopia followed by gait disturbance due to limb weakness. Pathological findings of a biopsied cervical lymph node showed a high frequency of EBV-positive cells. EBV-DNA was detected in blood. A nerve conduction study suggested a mixture of axonal damage and demyelination. Brain MRI showed multiple microbleeds in cerebellar cortices, but cerebrospinal fluid EBV-PCR was negative, suggesting bleeding due to EBV-related vasculitis. Corticosteroid therapy improved the neurological symptoms and the patient was able to walk independently four months later. The main pathogenesis of the neuropathy in this case is likely to be a mixture of vasculitic neuropathy and immune-mediated demyelinating neuropathy, which are considered to be due to EBV reactivation.

Bacille Calmette-Guerin Complications in Newly Described Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases: 2010-2017

Bacille Calmette–Guerin (BCG) vaccine is widely used as a prevention strategy against tuberculosis. BCG is a live vaccine, usually given early in life in most countries. While safe to most recipients, it poses a risk to immunocompromised patients. Several primary immunodeficiency diseases (PIDD) have been classically associated with complications related to BCG vaccine. However, a number of new inborn errors of immunity have been described lately in which little is known about adverse reactions following BCG vaccination. The aim of this review is to summarize the existing data on BCG-related complications in patients diagnosed with PIDD described since 2010. When BCG vaccination status or complications were not specifically addressed in those manuscripts, we directly contacted the corresponding authors for further clarification. We also analyzed data on other mycobacterial infections in these patients. Based on our analysis, around 8% of patients with gain-of-function mutations in STAT1 had mycobacterial infections, including localized complications in 3 and disseminated disease in 4 out of 19 BCG-vaccinated patients. Localized BCG reactions were also frequent in activated PI3Kδ syndrome type 1 (3/10) and type 2 (2/18) vaccinated children. Also, of note, no BCG-related complications have been described in either CTLA4 or LRBA protein-deficient patients; and not enough information on BCG-vaccinated NFKB1 or NFKB2-deficient patients was available to drive any conclusions about these diseases. Despite the high prevalence of environmental mycobacterial infections in GATA2-deficient patients, only one case of BCG reaction has been reported in a patient who developed disseminated disease. In conclusion, BCG complications could be expected in some particular, recently described PIDD and it remains a preventable risk factor for pediatric PIDD patients.

Germline GATA2 Mutation and Bone Marrow Failure

GATA2 deficiency is an immunodeficiency and bone marrow failure disorder caused by pathogenic variants in GATA2. It is inherited in an autosomal-dominant pattern or can be due to de novo sporadic germline mutation. Patients commonly have B-cell, dendritic cell, natural killer cell, and monocytopenias, and are predisposed to myelodysplastic syndrome, acute myeloid leukemia, and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia. Patients may suffer from disseminated human papilloma virus and mycobacterial infections, pulmonary alveolar proteinosis, and lymphedema. The bone marrow eventually takes on a characteristic hypocellular myelodysplasia with loss of monocytes and hematogones, megakaryocytes with separated nuclear lobes, micromegakaryocytes, and megakaryocytes with hypolobated nuclei.

GATA2 Deficiency and Epstein-Barr Virus Disease

GATA2 is a transcription factor that binds to the promoter of hematopoietic genes. Mutations in one copy of the gene are associated with haploinsufficiency and reduced levels of protein. This results in reduced numbers of several cell types important for immune surveillance including dendritic cells, monocytes, CD4, and NK cells, as well as impaired NK cell function. Recently, GATA2 has been associated with several different presentations of severe Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) disease including primary infection requiring repeated hospitalizations, chronic active EBV disease, EBV-associated hydroa vacciniforme with hemophagocytosis, and EBV-positive smooth muscle tumors. EBV was found predominantly in B cells in each of the cases in which it was studied, unlike most cases of chronic active EBV disease in which the virus is usually present in T or NK cells. The variety of EBV-associated diseases seen in patients with GATA2 deficiency suggest that additional forms of severe EBV disease may be found in patients with GATA2 deficiency in the future.