CLINICAL PROFILE AND THE OUTCOME OF COVID-19 IN PATIENTS WITH HEMATOLOGICAL MALIGNANCY: A SINGLE CENTRE EXPERIENCE

Objective: In the present study, we are reporting the clinical profile; and outcomes of COVID-19 in patients with hematological malignancy at tertiary care hospitals. Methods: Data from laboratory-confirmed 40 COVID-19 patients diagnosed between January 1, 2021 and July 31, 2021, were analyzed retrospectively. All COVID-19 patients with hematological malignancy (n=40) were included in the study. Results: In the present study, a total of 40 patients were included. Of 40, 25 (62.5%) were males, and 15 (37.5%) were females. The median age in this study was 43 years (Range, 8–70). Of these 40 patients, acute myeloid leukemia was the most common malignancy 11 (27.5%), followed by acute lymphoblastic leukemia 9 (22.5%) than non-Hodgkin lymphoma 5 (12.5%), plasma cell dyscrasia 4 (10%), chronic myeloid leukemia 4 (10%), chronic lymphocytic leukemia 3 (7.5%), acute promyelocytic leukemia 2 (5%), chronic myelomonocytic leukemia 2 (5%). Mean hemoglobin was (8.04 g/dl), white blood cell count was (10.14×109/l), platelet count was (77.7×109/l) creatinine was (0.86 mg/dl), bilirubin was (1.24 mg/dl). The overall case-fatality rate was 8 (22.5%). Conclusion: Patients with hematological malignancy are immunocompromised, and our study reveals that there is an increased case fatality rate among these patients. Hence, physicians should be aggressive in the management of COVID‐19 patients with hematological malignancy

Bone marrow aspiration in haematological disorders: study at a tertiary care centre

Background: The bone marrow examination is an essential investigation for the diagnosis and management of many disorders of the blood and bone marrow. Bone marrow aspiration (BMA) alone is usually sufficient to diagnose nutritional anaemias, and most of the acute leukaemias. Aim was to study the spectrum of haematological disorders diagnosed on bone marrow aspiration.Methods: This study was conducted in the Department of Clinical Haematology in Sher e Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Kashmir for a period of 2 years from December 2015 to December 2017. Bone marrow examination of 2131 cases of suspected hematological disorders was carried out. Bone marrow was aspirated from posterior superior iliac spine under local anaesthesia. Aspirates of dry tap were excluded from the study. Aspiration smears where stained with Leishmann stain for morphological examination.Results: A total of 2131 cases were included in this study. Male to female ratio in our study was 1.9:1. The age range of cases was from 1-80 years and the mean age was 47.3 years. Anemia was the most common haematological disorder in our study accounting for 25.6% of cases followed by acute leukaemia accounting for 22.3% and multiple myeloma (13.3%). Among anemias, megaloblastic anemia was most common followed by dual deficieny anemia. Among leukaemias, acute myeloid leukaemia (13.2%) was more common than acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (9.1%).Conclusions: Bone marrow aspiration cytology is a mildly invasive technique which can diagnose many hematological and non-hematologic diseases that can be confirmed by more advanced investigations viz. serological, biochemical or molecular. It is a highly informative test procedure performed for evaluating blood and blood related diseases in our environment

Hereditary stomatocytosis: First case report from Valley of Kashmir

Stomatocytes are erythrocytes with a central slit or mouth-shaped (stoma) area of central pallor when examined on dried smears. In wet preparations, they are uniconcave rather than biconcave, giving them a bowllike appearance. In vitro, stomatocytes are produced by drugs that intercalate into the inner half of the lipid bilayer, thereby expanding the inner lipid surface area relative to that of the outer half of the bilayer. Hereditary stomatocytosis (also known as hereditary hydrocytosis, or overhydrated stomatocytosis) refers to a heterogeneous group of autosomal dominant hemolytic anemias caused by altered sodium permeability of the red cell membrane. We present the first case report of hereditary stomatocytosis in a 10-year-old male from the valley of Kashmir. Only eight families with this condition have been described worldwide

Polycythemia vera in patients of beta-thalassemia trait and stress erythropoiesis

A 70-year-old male with a known case of beta-thalassemia trait and was on yearly follow-up was found to have a hemoglobin of 14.8 g/dL, hematocrit of 47.7%, and RBC count of 6.0 × 1012/L. Total leukocyte count (TLC) was 5 × 109/L and platelet count was 4 × 109/L. Secondary causes of polycythemia were ruled out (e.g., renal or cardiac disease and smoking). He did not have symptoms of hyperviscosity syndrome. The abdominal ultrasound showed no abnormalities. On further investigation, a JAK-2 (Exon 14) mutation was detected in this patient confirming the diagnosis of polycythemia vera (PV)

Favorable subset of acute myeloid leukemia with translocation 8;21: An elusive experience

Background: Risk stratification is critical in the management of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and among the favorable subset translocations known, 8;21 seems elusive in our clinical practice as regards the response remission status. This led us to review our patients retrospectively to highlight this ambiguity. Patients and Methods: A retrospective study was carried out on a total of 20 patients positive for translocation (8;21) and negative for FLT3 and NPM gene mutation. These patients were treated with standard AML treatment protocols. Post induction day 14 and day 28 assessments were done. Four patients died during induction chemotherapy and all the remaining patients were in remission. Subsequently, these patients were subjected to consolidation chemotherapy. Results: Out of total of 16 (80%) survivors, 10 (50%) could not maintain the remission status on a mean follow-up of 6 months and were treated with a different induction protocol. After the second induction, all patients were in remission at day 28, but this remission again was short lasting (<3 months). Conclusion: One needs to be careful in treatment of AML with translocation (8;21) and this should not be taken as a single criterion for treatment of these patients. These patients should be subjected to additional somatic mutation analysis before final risk stratification

Dapsone as a cheap and safe second-line drug for chronic immune thrombocytopenia in developing countries: A prospective cohort study

Objective: The aim was to evaluate the efficacy and safety profile of dapsone as a cheap second-line treatment for chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) in developing countries. Materials and Methods: A prospective study on 100 chronic ITP patients. These patients were put on dapsone after ruling out glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency and secondary causes of ITP. Results: The basic work up for secondary causes of ITP was negative. All these patients had been treated with steroids in the past. Anti-D had been given acutely in 20 patients, and intravenous immunoglobulin G had been given in 10 patients. Vincristine had been given to 20 of these patients. Dapsone was started in these patients, and 44% patients showed a response to treatment. The mean time to onset of response was 21 days. Out of these 44 patients, 21 (47.7%) went into remission and had platelet count >100,000/μl at 2 years post tapering of the treatment. Remaining 23 patients were kept on low dose dapsone and maintained their platelet counts. Adverse drug reactions included mild skin eruptions in 5% of patients, pruritus in 10% of patients, dose-related hemolysis in 1% of patients, methemoglobinemia in 1% of patients and Stevens Johnson syndrome in 1% of patients. 56 patients were nonresponders to the available, affordable conventional medical treatment and were referred to the surgical department for splenectomy, with a cure rate of 86% postsurgery. Conclusions: Dapsone is a safe, cheap and effective treatment option for patients with chronic ITP, who cannot afford the usual costlier second-line drugs