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Acute promyelocytic leukemia is a subtype of acute myeloid leukemia, characterized by the presence of neoplastic promyelocytes, due to the reciprocal balanced translocation between chromosomes 15 and 17. Currently, with the use of agents that act directly on this molecular change, such as all-trans retinoic acid and arsenic trioxide, APL has shifted from a highly mortal to a curable disease. However, some cases are still at high risk of death, especially early death, and acquiring a better understanding of the clinical and biological factors involving APL is needed to correctly identify and treat such cases. The early suspected diagnosis and prompt initiation of the target therapy are important for better response rates. The follow-up and outcomes, using real-life data from 44 consecutive APL patients, were studied between 2001 and 2013. The overall survival rate was 82.7% and early death was 16%. Almost all patient deaths were due to severe bleeding, which was confirmed by multivariate analysis, as the most important prognostic factor leading to death. A better understanding the pathogenesis of the hemorrhagic complications in APL is needed, as well as the risk factors associated with early death in APL patients, as this has become synonymous with overall mortality.

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of blood donors and the serological profile of the blood donations at the blood bank of the University Hospital Polydoro Ernani de São Thiago of the Federal University of Santa Catarina from January 2011 to December 2016. Methods: The characteristics of donors and the serological results of the donated blood were compiled from databases. Only donations with a negative serology or a positive serology confirmed by second-sample testing were included in the study. Results: A total of 14,368 donations were included in the study, of which 118 (0.8%) had a confirmed positive serology. Of the total donations, 94.3% were from spontaneous donations and 5.7% from replacement donation. Donations were predominantly from men (54.1%), individuals aged 18 to 29 years (69.1%), and repeat donors (47.7%). Detection rates were higher for HBV (0.63%), followed by syphilis (0.13%), HIV (0.05%), HCV (0.02%), and Chagas disease (0.01%). With the exception of HIV, positive results were more frequent in the older age groups. Positive results for HBV, HCV, and HIV were more frequent among first-time donors. Replacement donations were more likely to have HBV (OR 7.7; 95% CI 4.9–12.1, p