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AIM: To characterize the genotype and genotype-phenotype correlations in patients with Gaucher disease (GD) in the Russian Federation. Materials and methods. One hundred adult patients with GD type 1 were examined. Their clinical study encompassed the evaluation of the severity of osteoarticular lesions from instrumental findings. An allele-specific real-time polymerase chain reaction assay was used to screen four most common acid Β-glucoside gene (GBA) mutations (N370S, 84GG, L444P, IVS2+1)/RESULTS: The N370S mutation and the N370S/? genotype where the second allele was presented with the mutation outside the 4 most common GBA gene mutations were found in the Russian patients with GD. Analysis of the clinical manifestations of the disease revealed no association between the genotype under examination and the severity of osteoarticular lesions and supported the unfavorable role of splenectomy (SE) in the development of severe bony disease/CONCLUSION: SE should be carried out in patients with unclear cytopenia and splenomegaly after the diagnosis of GD is excluded. The GD patients undergoing SE should receive emergency enzyme replacement therapy to prevent severe osteoarticular lesions and an irreversible orthopedic defect.

Aim. To ascertain informative value of immunological diagnosis of B19 parvovirus in combination with polymerase chain reaction (PCR); to analyse frequency of development of secondary autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) in immunodeficient patients as a result of virus persistence - persistent infection eliminated only by treatment causing suppression of erythropoiesis. Material and methods. B19 parvovirus detection was performed in blood serum of 207 subjects: 144 patients with anemia (Hb < 100 g/1) and 500 blood donors. DNA of parvovirus B19 was detected in the sera by PCR, antibodies to this virus - by enzyme immunoassay (EIA). IgG, IgM, IgA and components of compliment Clq, C3 on the surface of erythrocytes were detected by EIA in anemic patients. Results. Parvovirus infection was registered in 30% patients, in 70% the infection was persistent. The latter were diagnosed to have secondary AIHA. Conclusion. Combined application of PCR and EIA extends potentialities of diagnosis of infection caused by B19 parvovirus. Persistence of the parvovirus provokes onset of symptomatic hemolytic anemia in immunodeficient patients.

Aim. To specify trends in clinical and laboratory manifestations of virus hepatitis B and C (HBV and HCV) in patients with blood diseases from the moment of the first positive specific tests for HBV and HCV markers; to assess effects of HBV and HCV infection on efficacy of treatment of blood disease treatment, i.e. lifespan of patients with hematological diseases. Material and methods. The study enrolled 257 patients: 205 with acute leukemia - AL, 40 with lymphoproliferative diseases, 4 - with CML and 8 - others; 8 healthy bone marrow donors. The patients were admitted to Russian Hematological Research Center in 2004-2006. Follow-up median was 253 days. A total of 7800 biological samples were studied, among them about 4000 tests for HBV DNA and HCV RNA. Results. Positive tests for specific markers of HBV and HCV were absent only in 78 (29.4%) patients. Positive markers of coinfection were detected in 57 (32.8%) of 174 patients with HBV infection and in 81.4% of 70 patients with HCV infection. Probability of detection of HCV markers after positive tests for HBV markers and vice versa is about 3 times higher than probability of their isolated detection. Among patients infected with HBV symptoms of hepatitis B are likely to appear in 56% patients to day 500 of follow-up from the date of the first positive specific test. Median of the interval between the first positive test for HBV markers and probable clinical signs of hepatitis was 30 days. Among patients with HCV infection, 85% develop hepatitis to follow-up day 300 since the date of the first specific positive test. Almost 100% patients infected with two viruses develop hepatitis to follow-up day 600. Median of the interval between the first positive test for HBV and HCV markers and probable hepatitis picture was 47 days. Overall 3-year survival of AL patients was 40%, of patients with lymphoproliferative diseases - 58%. Overall 7-month survival was 75% in AA patients. HBV infection in patients with blood disease is associated with high risk of death, especially in AA and AL. Association between HCV infection and survival is not proved. Conclusion. A high rate of clinical realization of viral hepatitis B and C, especially in coinfection, calls for virological and clinical monitoring of patients with any positive test for HBV and HCV markers.

Aim. to reveal the determinants of the development of iron overload in patients with acute leukemias (AL) and aplastic anemia (AA). Subjects and methods. The investigation included 104 patients, including 64 with various types of AL, 31 with AA, and 9 with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). A group affiliation and an erythrocyte phenotype were determined from rhesus system antigens in all the patients and the HFE gene was studied to identify mutations. For control of siderosis, the authors determined serum iron (SI) by a colorimetric technique, by applying the kits of the AGAT firm (Russia), serum ferritin (SF) by an immunoradiometric method, by using the kits of Immunotech (Czechia). The volume of transfusion was estimated in the period of June 2007 to November 2009. Results. There is evidence for a relationship between the higher level of SF and the number of transfusions. SF was 1046.1 μg/l in patients, H63D heterozygous carriers who had received less than 10 packed red blood cell transfusions and 2856 μg/l in those who had 20 transfusions (p < 0.005). HFE gene mutation carriage accelerates iron accumulation and is an additional risk factor for siderosis. In patients with transfusion chimeras and a rare phenotype in terms of rhesus antigens, packed red blood cell transfusion results in a much more increase in iron stores. Conclusion. The most important factor of iron overload acceleration is no specific choice of packed red blood cells for patients with rare combinations of red blood cell antigens and for those with artificially induced chimeras.

Objective was to study genetic markers of thrombophilia in patients with hemophilia, which can affect the course of the disease and contribute to thrombotic complications. Material and methods. The study included 96 patients with severe hemophilia: 75 (78.1 %) – hemophilia A, 16 (16.7 %) – hemophilia B, 5 (5.2 %) – hemophilia with inhibitor form. All patients were with severe hemophilic arthropathyand and underwent knee or hip replacement. The average age of patients was 39.6 years. All patients were examined for markers of thrombophilia. Results. Ninety three patients had either a heterozygous or homozygous form of thrombophilia marker polymorphism. One of thrombophilia markers was present in 15 (15.6 %) patients and in 78 (81.3 %) there was a combination of several markers. In patients with hemophilia B homozygous mutations in the MTHFR gene (A1298C and C677T) were more than 2 times more frequent than in patients with hemophilia A. Conclusion. The frequency of occurrence of polymorphism of FV (G1691A), MTHFR (C677T) and PAI-1 in the studied group of patients with hemophilia is higher than in the general Russian population.