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To evaluate the efficacy and safety of tacrolimus (TAC) for the treatment of primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) with refractory immune thrombocytopenia (RITP).Twenty-three pSS patients with RITP treated with TAC from June 2018 to June 2021 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University were enrolled in this retrospective cohort study. Platelet response, clinical and immunological parameters, toxicity and safety were compared and analysed at baseline and different points after TAC treatment.At 4 weeks after treatment, 2 patients (8.7%) attained a complete response (CR, platelet count ≥100×109/L and no bleeding), 15 patients (65.2%) achieved a partial response (PR, platelet count ≥ 30×109/L but100×109/L and no bleeding or a platelet count at least twice that before treatment), and the other 6 patients (26.1%) did not respond to TAC treatment. At 8 weeks after treatment, a CR was seen in 4 patients (17.4%), and the percentage of patients with a PR increased to 78.3% (18 patients). The percentage of patients with a CR increased to 47.8% (11 patients), and 9 patients (39.1%) achieved a PR without relapse at 12 weeks after treatment. At 24 weeks after treatment, 14 patients (60.9%) achieved a CR, and 8 patients (34.8%) achieved a PR. Compared to before treatment, the level of IgG was decreased significantly at 24 weeks after treatment, whereas there was no significant difference in the levels of IgM or IgA between baseline and 24 weeks after treatment. Additionally, the absolute CD3+ T cell count, European SS Disease Activity Index (ESSDAI) score, and levels of IL-2 and INF-γ were significantly decreased at 24 weeks after treatment.TAC is effective and well tolerated by pSS patients with RITP, and the mechanism underlying the effect of TAC in these patients may be related to reduced Th1 cytokine expression.

Thymic epithelial tumors are rare malignancies of thymic origin and include thymoma, thymic carcinoma, and thymic neuroendocrine tumors.

A monosomal karyotype (MK), defined as ≥2 autosomal monosomies or a single monosomy in the presence of additional structural abnormalities, was recently identified as an independent prognostic factor conveying an extremely poor prognosis in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In the present study, after excluding patients with t(15;17), t(8;21), inv(16) and normal karyotypes, 324 AML patients with cytogenetic abnormalities were the main subject of analysis. The incidences of MK were 13% in patients aged 15 to 60 years and 18% in those between 15 and 88 years old. MK was much more prevalent among elderly patients (p0.001) and was significantly associated with the presence of -7, -5, del(5q), abn12p, abn17p, -18 or 18q-, -20 or 20q- and CK (for all p0.001 except for abn12p p=0.009), and +8 or +8q was less frequent in MK+ AML(p=0.007). No correlation was noted between monosomal karyotype and FAB subtype (p0.05); MK remained significantly associated with worse overall survival among patients with complex karyotype (p=0.032); A single autosomal monosomy contributed an additional negative effect in OS of patients with structural cytogenetic abnormalities (P=0.008). This report presents the prevalence, feature and prognostic impact of MK among a large series of Chinese AML patients from a single center for the first time.

This study was purposed to explore the correlation of regenerating Islet-derived 3-alpha(Reg3α) protein level in plasma with the diagnosis and prognosis of the gastrointestinal acute graft-versus-host disease (GI-aGVHD) after all-HSCT, 103 patients who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) were observed in our hospital from December 2011 to December 2012. Peripheral blood samples were routinely collected at 9 d before allo-HSCT, 0 d, 14 d, 28 d after allo-HSCT as well as in aGVHD and at the 1 and 4 weeks after aGVHD therapy. The plasma concentrations of Reg3α were measured by using ELISA kit. The results indicated that among the 103 patients, 17 cases never developed aGVHD symptoms (no-aGVHD), 27 cases presented with non-aGVHD associated diarrhea, 10 cases presented with isolated skin aGVHD, 17 cases developed grades I-II GI-aGVHD, 32 cases with grades III-IV GI-aGVHD. The plasma concentrations of Reg3α in group of patients with GI-aGVHD and group of non-aGVHD diarrhea were 111.5 (54.7-180.2) and 23.9 (14.5-89.5) ng/ml respectively with significant difference (P0.001). The plasma concentrations of Reg3α in 17 patients of grades III-IV GI-aGVHD who experienced a complete or partial response and 7 patients who had no response to therapy at 4 weeks were 137.2(51.7-205.4) and 679.4(122.3-896.8) ng/ml respectively with the significant difference (P = 0.028). All of the patients who had no response to therapy died of aGVHD associated multiple organ failure. The area under the ROC curve was 0.902 when plasma concentration of Reg3α was set at 87.73 ng/ml. The sensitivity was 81.48% and the specificity was 82.86% when the critical value was used in diagnosis of grades III-IV GI-aGVHD. The probability of grades III-IV GI-aGVHD had statistical difference above and below 87.73 ng/ml after allo-HSCT (P0.001). It is concluded that the increase of plasma Reg3α level after transplantation suggests the incidence of grades III-IV GI-aGVHD. The high level of plasma Reg3α protein in patients with grades III-IV GI-aGVHD after the immunosuppressive treatment for four weeks indicates a poor prognosis. The plasma concentrations of Reg3α can be used as a specific biomarker of GI-aGVHD.

Objective To explore the feasibility of applying plasma Reg3α protein level for the diagnosis and prognosis of the lower gastrointestinal acute graft-versus-host disease(LGI-aGVHD). Method One hundred and three patients who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) in our hospital from December 2011 to December 2012 were included in this prospective study. Peripheral blood samples were collected from allo-HSCT recipients at -9d, 0d, +14d, +28d, at the time when they developed aGVHD, and at the one and four weeks after aGVHD therapy. The plasma concentrations of Reg3α protein were measured by ELISA assay. Results Of the 103 patients, 17 subjects never developed aGVHD symptoms (no-aGVHD), 27 subjects presented with non-aGVHD associated diarrhea, 10 subjects presented with isolated skin aGVHD, 17 subjects developed grades ±-II LGI-aGVHD, 32 subjects developed grades III-‡W LGI-aGVHD. The plasma concentrations of Reg3α in patients with LGI-aGVHD vs non-aGVHD diarrhea were 111.5(54.7-180.2) vs 23.9 (14.5-89.5) ng/ml respectively, with the difference being statistically significant (P Conclusion The high level of plasma Reg3α protein after transplantation predicts grades III-‡W LGI-aGVHD. In grades III-‡W LGI-aGVHD patients receivingimmunosuppressive treatment at four weeks, the high level of plasma Reg3α protein correlates withs a poor prognosis. The plasma concentrations of Reg3α can be used as a specific biomarker of LGI-aGVHD. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.