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Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), namely, polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET), and primary myelofibrosis (PMF), are clonal stem cell disorders defined by an excessive production of functionally mature and terminally differentiated myeloid cells. MPNs can transform into secondary acute myeloid leukemia (sAML/blast phase MPN) and are linked to alterations in the redox balance, i.e., elevated concentrations of reactive oxygen species and markers of oxidative stress (OS), and changes in antioxidant systems. We evaluated OS in 117 chronic phase MPNs and 21 sAML cases versus controls by measuring total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxy-guanosine (8-OHdG) concentrations. TAC was higher in MPNs than controls (p = 0.03), particularly in ET (p = 0.04) and PMF (p = 0.01). MPL W515L-positive MPNs had higher TAC than controls (p = 0.002) and triple-negative MPNs (p = 0.01). PMF patients who had treatment expressed lower TAC than therapy-free subjects (p = 0.03). 8-OHdG concentrations were similar between controls and MPNs, controls and sAML, and MPNs and sAML. We noted associations between TAC and MPNs (OR = 1.82; p = 0.05), i.e., ET (OR = 2.36; p = 0.03) and PMF (OR = 2.11; p = 0.03), but not sAML. 8-OHdG concentrations were not associated with MPNs (OR = 1.73; p = 0.62) or sAML (OR = 1.89; p = 0.49). In conclusion, we detected redox imbalances in MPNs based on disease subtype, driver mutations, and treatment history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psoriasis is an inflammatory dermatosis with a complex pathogenesis, significantly impacting the quality of life of patients. The role of oxidative stress and gut microbiota in the pathogenesis of this disease is increasingly studied, appearing to underlie the comorbidities associated with this condition. We present the first prospective observational study conducted in Romania evaluating the interrelationship between gut microbiota and hematological, inflammatory, biochemical, and oxidative stress parameters in treatment-naïve psoriasis patients. Significant differences were observed in terms of microbiota composition, with lower levels of Firmicutes and Enterobacteriaceae in the psoriasis group compared to the control group. Moreover, a negative correlation was found between the serum triglyceride levels in patients with psoriasis and the Enterobacteriaceae family (p = 0.018, r = −0.722), and a positive correlation was found between the serum glucose levels and the Firmicutes/Bacteroides ratio (p = 0.03, r = 0.682). Regarding the oxidant–antioxidant status, a significant correlation was found between the FORT level and Lactobacillus (p = 0.034, r = 0.669). Lastly, the Firmicutes level negatively correlated with the DLQI level, independent of the clinical severity of the disease (p = 0.02, r = −0.685). In conclusion, even though the number of included patients is small, these results may serve as a starting point for future research into the involvement of the microbiota–inflammation–oxidative stress axis in psoriasis development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) experience a high disease-related symptom burden. A specific instrument to evaluate quality of life (QoL), i.e., the MPN Symptom Assessment Form Total Symptom Score (MPN-SAF TSS; MPN-10), was developed. We conducted the translation, cultural adaptation, and validation into Romanian of the MPN-10. Methods: We translated the MPN-10 and tested its psychometric properties. Results: We recruited 180 MPN patients: 66 polycythemia vera (36.67%), 61 essential thrombocythemia (33.89%), 51 primary and secondary myelofibrosis (SMF) (28.33%), and 2 MPN-unclassifiable (1.11%). The mean TSS was 19.51 ± 16.51 points. Fatigue, inactivity, and concentration problems were the most cumbersome symptoms. We detected scoring differences between MPN subtypes regarding weight loss (p < 0.001), fatigue (p = 0.006), early satiety (p = 0.007), night sweats (p = 0.047), pruritus (p = 0.05), and TSS (p = 0.021). There were strong positive associations between TSS and inactivity, fatigue, and concentration problems, and moderate negative correlations between QoL scores and all MPN-10 items. Cronbach's α internal consistency coefficient was 0.855. The Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin construct validity test result was 0.870 and the Bartlett Sphericity Test was significant (p < 0.001). Symptom scores were loaded into one single factor according to the exploratory factor analysis. Conclusions: The Romanian MPN-10 version displayed excellent psychometric properties and is a reliable instrument for assessing symptom burden and QoL in Romanian MPN patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Non-Hodgkin's malignant lymphomas are a heterogeneous group of hematological malignancies, characterized by a variety of clinical, morphological, histopathological, immuno-histochemical, molecular and evolutionary features. They represent a form of cancer that develops from the lymphatic tissue, as a result of the malignant transformation of B (85%) or T (15%) lymphocytes. Lymphomagenesis is described as a multi-stage process involving the mutation and proliferation of cell clones. Oxidative stress is defined as an imbalance of cellular redox status caused by the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and/or by decreasing antioxidant systems that allows their accumulation in the cell. Small quantities of ROS are involved in physiological mechanisms such as cell growth and differentiation, cell signaling, antimicrobial defense, phagocytosis. Normally, cells are capable of defending themselves against ROS damage through various scavenger systems. On the other hand, excessive ROS contribute to various diseases such as carcinogenesis, ischemia, atherosclerosis, neurodegenerative diseases. Oxidative stress exerts noxious effects on the cell structures by inducing structural changes in membranes, lipids, proteins or DNA. The present review summarizes the latest findings in understanding the ROS-linked signaling pathways in the initiation of lymphomagenesis, disease progression, metastasis, as well as in the pharmacodynamics of specific treatments for this malignancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidative stress (OS) implies an imbalance between the amount of tissue level of prooxidant and antioxidant compounds. It is involved in the pathophysiology of multiple pathological entities (neoplasms, disorders of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, cardiovascular and renal pathology etc.), as well as in the pharmacokinetics of specific treatments for these pathologies. Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a chronic myeloproliferative disease for which current standard treatment is BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). It is known that OS is involved in CML pathogenesis and response to TKIs therapy, but in reality, there are a number of additional factors (associated comorbidities, specific therapies) that modulate oxidative status, possibly affecting the evolution and prognosis of CML. In the present paper we proposed the evaluation of OS in a group of patients with CML following treatment with TKIs, depending on the presence of comorbidities and associated treatments. There were considered associated comorbidities: diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, arterial hypertension, heart failure, chronic kidney disease. The variability of the oxidative status was found depending on the type of associated comorbidity, but also according to the associated treatment, with the possibility of producing drug interactions between the standard treatment of CML and the associated specific therapies. Their impact on the prognosis of CML patients in treatment with TKIs is not negligible and may represent a future research topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hematological malignancies are severe diseases, fatal when untreated, which associate an acute stress response described as an usual response to diagnosis and treatment of the hematologic malignancy, occuring at each transitional point of illness : communication of diagnosis, beginning of treatment, relapse, treatment failure, disease progression. The emotional response is characterized by shock, denial, fear, hopelessness, anxiety, depression, disturbance in the development of personality, sleep and apetite disturbances. The factors which influence the psychosocial response are the emotional stability of the person before diagnosis and the existence of a social support. Hematological malignancies associate many social and emotional aspects which impose, beside specific treatment (chemotherapy, radiotherapy, bone marrow transplantation), a psychological treatment (psychopharmacological agents, individual or group psychotherapy) for psychosocial adaptation and a good quality of life for these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: CML is a chronic myeloproliferative neoplasm, following the oncoprotein bcr-abl; standard treatment in CML are TKIs; optimal response to the therapy involves BCR-ABL < 0.1% - major molecular response (MMR) one year after the start, while therapeutic resistance - the absence of MMR (primary resistance - PR) or its loss (secondary resistance - SR); there is evidence that OS is involved in the response to TKI therapy. The aim of the study is to determine the level of OS in patients with CML, in treatment with TKI I / II and to correlate the values with the response to the treatment - MMR, therapy failure (BCR-ABL decrease > 75% , without MMR), PR or SR. Materials and Methods: We analyzed 75 patients (35 M, 40 F, mean age 60.57 years) with CML (ELN criteria, informed consent), treated with TKI I / II / I + II, whom were obtained MMR / therapy failure / PR / SR; reactive oxigen species (ROS) were determined with a CyFlow- Space flow cytometer and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) with a FluoStar Omega microplate reader. Results and discussions: Statistically, we observed: male predominance among patients with therapy failure and TKI resistance; the minimum TAC value and the minimum ROS value were registered in the patients with therapy failure; the maximum ROS value was recorded in patients with TKI therapeutic resistance (subgroup PR) and the maximum TAC value was obtained in patients with MMR (subgroup ITK I). Conclusions: The PR predominance to TKI I therapy, as well as the unfavorable prognosis of the male were observed. A better correlation of TAC level with the response to TKI therapy was found. The minimum TAC value concomitantly with the maximum ROS value were registered in the subgroup with TKI II resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]