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Copyright of Turkish Journal of Hematology is the property of Galenos Yayinevi Tic. LTD. STI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Hematology is the property of Galenos Yayinevi Tic. LTD. STI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Hematology is the property of Galenos Yayinevi Tic. LTD. STI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: To retrospectively evaluate the clinical findings, laboratory data, management, and outcome in a group of Turkish children diagnosed with rare coagulation deficiencies (RCDs) between January 1999 and June 2009. Material and Methods: The Turkish Society of Pediatric Hematology-Hemophilia-Thrombosis-Hemostasis subcommittee designed a Microsoft Excel-based questionnaire for standardized data collection and sent it to participating institutions. Results: In total, 156 patients from 12 pediatric referral centers were included in the study. The cost common RCDs were as follows: FVII (n = 53 [34%]), FV (n = 24 [15.4%]), and FX (n = 23 [14.7%]) deficiency. The most common initial finding in the patients was epistaxis, followed by ecchymosis, and gingival bleeding. Conclusion: Initial symptoms were mucosal bleeding, and fresh frozen plasma (FFP) and tranexamic acid were the most commonly used treatments. We think that prophylactic treatment used for hemophilia patients should be considered as an initial therapeutic option for patients with rare factor deficiencies and a severe clinical course, and for those with a factor deficiency that can lead to severe bleeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study analyzes the clinical and laboratory findings of children with primary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) followed in various referral centers of Turkey. Materials and Methods: A simple three-page questionnaire prepared by the Turkish Histiocyte Study Group was used for documentation of patient data. Results: Age at diagnosis varied from 0.6 to 78 months (median±SD, 16.5±26.1). Sex distribution was almost equal (F/M=10/12). The frequencies of parental consanguinity and sibling death in the family history were 100% and 81.1%, respectively. The most common clinical findings were hepatomegaly (100%) and fever (95%). The most common laboratory findings were anemia (100%), hyperferritinemia (100%) and thrombocytopenia (90.9%). Triglyceride and total bilirubin levels in the deceased versus surviving group appear to be high (triglyceride: 394±183 mg/dl, 289±7 mg/dl; total bilirubin: 2.7±6.9 mg/dl, 0.5±1.2 mg/ dl, respectively). Conclusion: We concluded that fever, hepatosplenomegaly, anemia, thrombocytopenia, and hyperferritinemia are the most common clinical and laboratory findings in primary HLH. Increased triglyceride and total bilirubin level at the time of diagnosis might be an indicator of poor prognosis in HLH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is an acute tick-borne viral disease transmitted to humans by Hyalomma ticks or by direct contact with the blood of infected humans or domestic animals. In certain areas of the world, including Africa, Asia, South East Europe and Middle East, sporadic cases or outbreaks of CCHF have been reported. During the last sixyear period from 2003 to 2009, CCHF has also occurred endemically in Turkey, particularly during spring and summer, with a case-fatality rate of approximately 5%. The disease is characterized by acute fever, nausea, vomiting, headache, myalgia, elevated liver enzymes and hemorrhagic manifestations ranging from mucocutaneous bleeding to life-threatening massive hemorrhage with disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and hemophagocytosis. As with other viral hemorrhagic diseases, activation of lymphocytes, monocytes, macrophages and oversecretion of cytokines play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis and prognosis of CCHF. Recently an increasing number of publications on CCHF have been emerging in the literature, majority of which have been written by infection specialists. In this article, recent literature on CCHF has been reviewed, with particular emphasis on hematological manifestations, pathogenesis and therapeutic approaches in CCHF from the hematologist's point of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Hematology is the property of Galenos Yayinevi Tic. LTD. STI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article discusses the case of a 16 year old girl admitted with complaints of headache, vomiting and confusion. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a mass in the right temporal lobe shifting the midline structure from right to left and surgery was performed immediately. She was diagnosed with transverse sinus thrombosis and anticoagulated with low-molecular-weight heparin for which iron supplementation was administered for 6 months.

Objective: Objective: Steroid-resistant acute graft-versus-host disease (srAGVHD) is the most important cause of morbidity and mortality after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. There are several treatment methods available, including mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) application. The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of MSC therapy performed in children with srAGVHD. Materials and Methods: MSC therapy was used in our center between November 2014 and December 2017 for 22 patients who developed srAGVHD. The patients were retrospectively evaluated in terms of treatment response and survival. Results: After application of MSCs, complete response was obtained in 45.5% of the subjects, partial response was obtained in 13.6%, and no response was obtained in 40.9%. We found that 45.5% of the patients were alive and 54.5% had died and our treatment results were similar to those in the literature. Response to MSC treatment was found to be the only prognostic marker affecting mortality. Conclusion: MSC application is a treatment method that can be used safely together with other treatment methods in srAGVHD, a condition that has a high mortality rate. There are almost no acute side effects. There are also no serious long-term side effects in the literature. Prospective randomized studies are required to obtain high-quality data.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is a promising curative therapy for many combined primary immunodeficiencies and phagocytic disorders. We retrospectively reviewed pediatric cases of patients diagnosed with primary immunodeficiencies and scheduled for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. We identified 22 patients (median age, 6 months; age range, 1 month to 10 years) with various diagnoses who received hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The patient diagnoses included severe combined immunodeficiency (n=11), Chediak-Higashi syndrome (n=2), leukocyte adhesion deficiency (n=2), MHC class 2 deficiency (n=2), chronic granulomatous syndrome (n=2), hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (n=1), Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (n=1), and Omenn syndrome (n=1). Of the 22 patients, 7 received human leukocyte antigen-matched related hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, 12 received haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and 2 received matched unrelated hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The results showed that 5 patients had graft failure. Fourteen patients survived, yielding an overall survival rate of 67%. Screening newborn infants for primary immunodeficiency diseases may result in timely administration of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Objective: Improvement in long-term survival in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in childhood has led to the need for monitorization of treatment-related morbidity and mortality. In the current study, we aimed to evaluate endocrine side effects of treatment in ALL survivors who were in remission for at least 2 years. Materials and Methods: Sixty patients diagnosed with ALL, who were in remission for at least 2 years, were cross-sectionally evaluated for long-term endocrine complications. Results: The median age of the patients at the time of diagnosis, at the time of chemotherapy completion, and at the time of the study was 5 years (minimum-maximum: 1.7-13), 8 years (minimummaximum: 4.25-16), and 11.7 years (minimum-maximum: 7-22), respectively, and median follow-up time was 4 years (minimummaximum: 2-10.1). At least one complication was observed in 81.6% of patients. Vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency (46.6%), overweight/ obesity (33.3%), and dyslipidemia (23.3%) were the three most frequent endocrine complications. Other complications seen in our patients were hyperparathyroidism secondary to vitamin D deficiency (15%), insulin resistance (11.7%), hypertension (8.3%), short stature (6.7%), thyroid function abnormality (5%), precocious puberty (3.3%), and decreased bone mineral density (1.7%). There were no statistically significant correlations between endocrine complications and age, sex, and radiotherapy, except vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency, which was significantly more frequent in pubertal ALL survivors compared to prepubertal ALL survivors (57.5% and 25%, respectively, p=0.011). Conclusion: A high frequency of endocrine complications was observed in the current study. The high frequency of late effects necessitates long-term surveillance of this population to better understand the incidence of late-occurring events and the defining of high-risk features that can facilitate developing intervention strategies for early detection and prevention.

INTRODUCTION: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) in children who undergo hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has high morbidity. The aim of this study is to assess the incidence of VTE in allogeneic pediatric HSCT recipients and the contribution of pretransplant prothrombotic risk factors to thrombosis. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 92 patients between April 2010 and November 2012 undergoing allogeneic HSCT who had completed 100 days post-HSCT. Before HSCT, coagulation profiles; acquired and inherited prothrombotic risk factors including factor V Leiden, prothrombin G20210A, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T, and MTHFR A1298C mutations; and serum homocysteine and lipoprotein(a), plasma antithrombin III, protein C, and protein S levels were obtained from all patients. RESULTS: In the screening of thrombophilia, 8 patients (9%) were heterozygous for factor V Leiden, 5 (6%) were homozygous for MTHFR 677TT, 12 (14%) were homozygous for MTHFR 1298CC, and 2 (2%) were heterozygous for prothrombin G20210A mutation. We observed VTE in 5 patients (5.4%); a prothrombotic risk factor was found in 3 out of these 5 patients, while 4 out of 5 patients had central venous catheters. It was determined there was no significant relationship between VTE and inherited prothrombotic risk factors. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: VTE after HSCT seems to be a low-frequency event that may be due to low-dose, low-molecular-weight heparin prophylaxis, and the role of inherited prothrombotic risk factors cannot be entirely excluded without a prospective study.

Invasive fungal infections have turned out to be a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in pediatric patients with malignant disorders. Massive hemoptysis, a rare complication of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, may threaten the lives of patients, usually during the resolution of neutropenia. In this report, we describe a patient with massive hemoptysis due to invasive pulmonary aspergillosis whose bleeding was controlled successfully with off-label use of recombinant factor VIIa and subsequent coil embolization of the right pulmonary artery.

Congenital amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia (CAMT) generally begins at birth with severe thrombocytopenia and progresses to pancytopenia. It is caused by mutations in the thrombopoietin receptor gene, the myeloproliferative leukemia virus oncogene (c-MPL). The association between CAMT and c-MPL mutation type has been reported in the literature. Patients with CAMT have been categorized according to their clinical symptoms caused by different mutations. Missense mutations of c-MPL have been classified as type II and these patients have delayed onset of bone marrow failure compared to type I patients. Here we present a girl with severe clinical course of CAMT II having a missense mutation in exon 4 of the c-MPL gene who was admitted to our hospital with intracranial hemorrhage during the newborn period.

Objective: This study analyzes the clinical and laboratory findings of children with primary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) followed in various referral centers of Turkey.Materials and Methods: A simple three-page questionnaire prepared by the Turkish Histiocyte Study Group was used for documentation of patient data.Results: Age at diagnosis varied from 0.6 to 78 months (median±SD, 16.5±26.1). Sex distribution was almost equal (F/M=10/12). The frequencies of parental consanguinity and sibling death in the family history were 100% and 81.1%, respectively. The most common clinical findings were hepatomegaly (100%) and fever (95%). The most common laboratory findings were anemia (100%), hyperferritinemia (100%) and thrombocytopenia (90.9%). Triglyceride and total bilirubin levels in the deceased versus surviving group appear to be high (triglyceride: 394±183 mg/dl, 289±7 mg/dl; total bilirubin: 2.7±6.9 mg/dl, 0.5±1.2 mg/dl, respectively).Conclusion: We concluded that fever, hepatosplenomegaly, anemia, thrombocytopenia, and hyperferritinemia are the most common clinical and laboratory findings in primary HLH. Increased triglyceride and total bilirubin level at the time of diagnosis might be an indicator of poor prognosis in HLH.

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is an acute tick-borne viral disease transmitted to humans by Hyalomma ticks or by direct contact with the blood of infected humans or domestic animals. In certain areas of the world, including Africa, Asia, South East Europe and Middle East, sporadic cases or outbreaks of CCHF have been reported. During the last six-year period from 2003 to 2009, CCHF has also occurred endemically in Turkey, particularly during spring and summer, with a case-fatality rate of approximately 5%. The disease is characterized by acute fever, nausea, vomiting, headache, myalgia, elevated liver enzymes and hemorrhagic manifestations ranging from mucocutaneous bleeding to life-threatening massive hemorrhage with disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and hemophagocytosis. As with other viral hemorrhagic diseases, activation of lymphocytes, monocytes, macrophages and oversecretion of cytokines play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis and prognosis of CCHF. Recently an increasing number of publications on CCHF have been emerging in the literature, majority of which have been written by infection specialists. In this article, recent literature on CCHF has been reviewed, with particular emphasis on hematological manifestations, pathogenesis and therapeutic approaches in CCHF from the hematologist’s point of view.

Objective: Hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) is a generally self-limited complication of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). It may occur in the early or late posttransplant period and can promote sometimes severe morbidity. We analyzed our data regarding HC in allogeneic HSCT patients in order to establish the efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy in severe HC and to document the main problems during its use. Material and Methods: Between March 1993 and August 2006, 161 patients received allogeneic HSCT. Mesna, hyperhydration and forced diuresis were used as early HC prophylaxis of cyclophosphamide-induced HC. However, HC was diagnosed in 49 of the 161 recipients and 17 of them were considered as severe HC. We analyzed their data retrospectively.Results: Forced diuresis with hyperhydration (up to 8 L/day) and transfusion support to maintain a platelet count above 30x109/L were sufficient in 10 of the 17 patients with severe HC. Alternative therapies used included intravesical irrigation with formalin and prostaglandin (PG)F2 alpha and HBO, and HBO appeared to be the most useful among them. Conclusion: We conclude that HBO offers a noninvasive therapeutic alternative in the management of intractable HC in the HSCT setting.