What have we learned from Turkish familial hypercholesterolemia registries (A-HIT1 and A-HIT2)?

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a common genetic disease of high-level cholesterol leading to premature atherosclerosis. One of the key aspects to overcome FH burden is the generation of large-scale reliable data in terms of registries. This manuscript underlines the important results of nation-wide Turkish FH registries (A-HIT1 and A-HIT2).

METHODS

A-HIT1 is a survey of homozygous FH patients undergoing low density lipoprotein (LDL) apheresis (LA). A-HIT2 is a registry of adult FH patients (homozygous and heterozygous) admitted to outpatient clinics. Both registries used clinical diagnosis of FH.

RESULTS

A-HIT1 evaluated 88 patients (27 ± 11 years, 41 women) in 19 centers. All patients were receiving regular LA. There was a 7.37 ± 7.1-year delay between diagnosis and initiation of LA. LDL-cholesterol levels reached the target only in 5 cases. Mean frequency of apheresis sessions was 19 ± 13 days. None of the centers had a standardized approach for LA. Mean frequency of apheresis sessions was every 19 ± 13 (7-90) days. Only 2 centers were aware of the target LDL levels. A-HIT2 enrolled 1071 FH patients (53 ± 8 years, 606 women) from 31 outpatients clinics specialized in cardiology (27), internal medicine (1), and endocrinology (3); 96.4% were heterozygous. 459 patients were on statin treatment. LDL targets were attained in 23 patients (2.1% of the whole population, 5% receiving statin) on treatment. However, 66% of statin-receiving patients were on intense doses of statins. Awareness of FH was 9.5% in the whole patient population.

CONCLUSIONS

The first nationwide FH registries revealed that FH is still undertreated even in specialized centers in Turkey. Additional effective treatment regiments are urgently needed.

Adrenomedullin--A New Marker in Febrile Neutropenia: Comparison With CRP and Procalcitonin

In this study, we aimed to determine serum adrenomedullin levels and compare them with levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT). Cancer patients aged 0-18 years who experienced febrile neutropenia attacks were included in the study. Adrenomedullin, CRP, and PCT were analyzed at admission, day 3, and days 7-10 later. Fifty episodes of febrile neutropenia that developed in 37 patients were analyzed in this study. The mean age of the patients was 7.5 ± 4.7 (1-18) years. The patients had leukemia (73%), solid tumors (19%), and lymphoma (8%). The percentages of the patients in the clinically documented infection (CDI), fever of unknown origin (FUO), sepsis, and microbiological documented infection (MDI) categories were 34%, 34%, 20%, and 12%, respectively. During the study period, four patients were lost. In the MDI group, adrenomedullin levels on day 3 were significantly higher than those in the CDI and FUO groups. PCT levels were significantly higher in the sepsis group than those in the CDI group at admission, day 3, and days 7-10. In the sepsis group, PCT levels on days 7-10 days were significantly higher than those in the sepsis group. PCT values from the deceased patients on days 7-10 were significantly higher than those from patients who survived. CRP levels did not differ significantly among the febrile neutropenia groups. First, in our study, adrenomedullin was used as a biomarker in the febrile neutropenia episodes of children with cancer. Among adrenomedullin, CRP, and PCT, procalcitonin demonstrates the highest correlation with the severity of infection.

Successful treatment of multiresistant Achromobacter xylosoxidans bacteremia in a child with acute myeloid leukemia

Achromobacter xylosoxidans is an aerobic gram-negative bacillus and important cause of bacteremia in immunocompromised patients. We describe a leukemia pediatric patient with severe neutropenia who developed bacteremia with A xylosoxidans resistant to multiple antibiotics, and treated the patient with tigecycline and piperacillin-tazobactam in addition to supportive medications.

Cardiac T2* MRI assessment in patients with thalassaemia major and its effect on the preference of chelation therapy

The aim of the study is to assess the relationship between T2* magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) values and age, serum ferritin level, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), splenectomy status, and to identify appropriate modifications to chelation therapy based on T2* MRI results of children with thalassaemia major. Sixty-four patients with thalassaemia major (37 girls/27 boys) older than 8 years of age were enrolled in the study. Based on the first T2* MRI, the patients' myocardial iron depositions were classified into three groups: T2* MRI <10 ms (high risk group), T2* MRI 10-20 ms (medium-risk group) and T2* MRI >20 ms (low-risk group). There was no significant relationship between T2* MRI value and ages, serum ferritin levels and splenectomy status of thalassaemia major patients. The mean LVEFs were 60, 75, and 72.5 % in the high-, medium-, and low-risk groups, respectively (P = 0.006). The mean cardiac iron concentrations calculated from the T2* MRI values were 4.96 ± 1.93, 1.65 ± 0.37, and 0.81 ± 0.27 mg/g in the high-, medium-, and low-risk groups, respectively. Chelation therapies were re-designed in 24 (37.5 %) patients according to cardiac risk as assessed by cardiac T2* MRI. In conclusion, until recently, T2* MRI has been employed to demonstrate cardiac siderosis without a direct relationship with the markers used in follow-up of patients with thalassaemia. However, modifications of chelation therapies could reliably be planned according to severity of iron load displayed by T2* MRI.

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the parotid gland in childhood survivor of acute lymphoblastic leukemia with need of radiotherapy for treatment and review of the literature

Diagnosis of secondary malignancies began with the increasing survival in childhood cancer. Children treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have an increased risk for developing mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) of the parotid gland. The latent period ranges from 5 to 16 years. A 2 6/12-year-old girl was treated for pro-B ALL. Treatment included multidrug chemotherapy, prophylactic intrathecal methotrexate, and cranial radiotherapy. MEC of the left parotid gland was diagnosed at the age of 8 years, 3 years after completing treatment. She was treated with multiple surgery and radiotherapy. The authors aimed to emphasize the need for concern about second cancers of the parotid gland in children treated for ALL.

Assessment of cardiac parameters in evaluation of cardiac functions in patients with thalassemia major

The aim of the study was to evaluate cardiac function and early cardiac dysfunction of patients followed as thalassemia major. In this study, the authors compared 100 patients, diagnosed as thalassemia major with mean age 11.84 ± 4.35, with 60 healthy control subjects at the same age between 2008 and 2011. Early diagnosis of iron overload that may occur after repeated transfusions is important in this patient group. To detect early iron accumulation, the authors compared ferritin with the echo findings, the 24-hour Holter, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T2* values in the patients of same age and sex, treated with chelators, without heart failure, nonsplenectomized, and do not differ in the presence of hepatitis C. Ferritin levels, left ventricular systolic functions (ejection fraction [EF], shortening fraction [SF]), left ventricular measurements, left ventricular diastolic functions, T2* image on cardiac magnetic resonance, heart rate variables in 24 hours, and Holter rhythm were evaluated to show the early failure of cardiac functions. In this study the authors confirmed that iron-related cardiac toxicity damages electrical activity earlier than myocardial contractility. Left ventricular diastolic diameter (LVDd), left ventricular mass (LVM), and LV systolic diameter (LVDs) levels were significantly higher in the patient group with ectopia. Patients with ectopia are the ones in whom LVM and LVDd are increased. In thalassemia major patients with ectopia, LF/HF ratio was markedly increased, QTc dispersion was clearly found higher in patients with ectopia rather than nonectopic patients. The standard deviation all normal RR interval series (SDNN) was found clearly lower in thalassemia major group with ectopia than control group because it is assumed that increase in cardiac sympathetic neuronal activity is related to exposure to chronic diastolic and systolic failure.

Factor VII deficiency: a single-center experience

Congenital factor VII deficiency is the most common form of rare coagulation factor deficiencies. This article presents a retrospective evaluation of 73 factor VII deficiency cases that had been followed at our center. The study consisted of 48 males and 25 females (2 months-19 years). Thirty-one (42.5%) of them were asymptomatic. Out of symptomatic patients, 17 had severe clinical symptoms, whereas 8 presented with moderate and 17 with mild symptoms. The symptoms listed in order of frequency were as follows: epistaxis, petechia or ecchymose, easy bruising, and oral cavity bleeding. The genotype was determined in 8 patients. Recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) was used to treat 49 bleeding episodes in 8 patients after 2002. In 2 patients with repeated central nervous system bleeding prophylaxis with rFVIIa was administered. No allergic and thrombotic events were observed during both treatment and prophylaxis courses. Antibody occurrence was not detected in the patients during treatment.

The value of echocardiography versus cardiac troponin I levels in the early detection of anthracycline cardiotoxicity in childhood acute leukemia: prospective evaluation of a 7-year-long clinical follow-up

The present study was designed to evaluate the significance of echocardiography versus cardiac troponin I levels in early detection of anthracycline dependent cardiotoxicity in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients. A total of 276 pediatric ALL patients were included in the study prospectively along 3 phases of data collection lasted from 2002 to 2009; including phase I (March 2002 to February 2003; n = 25; 53.3% females), phase II (September 2003 to April 2004; n = 35; 57.1% females), and phase III (January 2005 to June 2009; n = 216; 52.7% females) with respect to cumulative anthracycline doses applied. Anthracycline was administered in accordance with berlin-Franfurt-Munich (BFM)-2000 protocol in doses of 30 to 350 mg/m(2) (in the first phase) and 30 to 240 mg/m(2) (in the following phases). Evaluation of cardiotoxicity was performed via echocardiography and measurement of cardiac troponin I levels. Patients in each phase were homogenous in terms of gender and age. Diastolic dysfunction determined via reduction E/A ratio below the cutoff value was demonstrated to deteriorate earlier than systolic functions and alteration in cardiac enzymes. Being similar between dose groups, cTnI levels were shown to rise in the presence of congestive heart failure. In conclusion, anthracycline cardiotoxicity appears to be detected in an earlier stage by using diastolic parameters compared to systolic parameters and cardiac enzymes.

Prognostic significance of NOTCH1 and FBXW7 mutations in pediatric T-ALL

The NOTCH signaling pathway plays important role in the development of multicellular organisms, as it regulates cell proliferation, survival, and differentiation. In adults, it is essential for the T- or B-lymphocyte lineage commitment. NOTCH1 and FBXW7 mutations both lead the activation of the NOTCH1 pathway and are found in the majority of T-ALL patients. In this study, the mutation analysis of NOTCH1 and FBXW7 genes was performed in 87 pediatric T-ALLs who were treated on the ALL-BFM protocols. In 19 patients (22%), activating NOTCH1 mutations were observed either in the heterodimerization domain or in the PEST domain and 7 cases (10%) demonstrated FBXW7 mutations (2 cases had both NOTCH1 and FBXW7 mutations). We also analyzed the relationship of the mutation data between the clinical and biological data of the patients. NOTCH1 and FBXW7, NOTCH1 alone were found correlated with lower initial leucocyte counts which was independent from the sex and T- cell immunophenotype. However, NOTCH1 and FBXW7 mutations were not predictive of outcome in the overall cohort of pediatric T-ALLs.

Real-Time PCR analysis of af4 and dek genes expression in acute promyelocytic leukemia t (15;17) patients

Among several newly identified oncogenes, dek and af4 are attractive targets for researchers interested with leukemia. In this study quantitative Real-Time RT-PCR technique was used to define alterations in expression of dek and af4 genes associated with acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL) t (15; 17). RNA samples obtained from bone marrow aspirates of fourteen APL patients, cDNA portions were labelled with Syber Green 1 dye and LightCycler analysis have been performed. Expression changes in patients were found not significant in comparison to healthy donors for af4 (P = 0.192) and dek (P = 0.0895). We suggest that af4 gene may have a role in leukomogenesis restricted to lymphoblastic lineage; also further studies must carry on with a larger series of patients in order to understand the relationship between the dek gene and APL. Our study was the first attempt for analysing dek and af4 genes in APL t (15; 17) patients by quantitative Real-Time RT-PCR. This rapid and sensitive method could be used to screen these genes in different types of leukaemia.