Background: Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a chronic disorder that has an impact on a patient’s quality of life. A structured education booklet has the potential to affect self-efficacy, self-care practices and subsequently better quality of life. Aim: To investigate the effect of structured education booklet on self-efficacy, self-care practices and health related quality of life in adult patients with sickle cell disease.Design: Pre experimental one group (pretest-posttest) design. Top of FormBottom of FormSetting: Inpatient and outpatient clinic, Clinical Hematology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine Assiut University Hospital. Study subjects: Purposive sample of forty adult patients with sickle cell disease of both sexes were included in the study and followed up for 3 months. Data collection tools: (I) structured interviewing questionnaire, (II)Sickle Cell Self-Efficacy Scale, (III) Self-care practices assessment sheet (a-Jeanerette Self-care Assessment Tool, b-The 24-item Appraisal of Self-care Agency Scale) and (IV)Adult Sickle Cell Quality of Life Measurement Information System. Results: The mean score of self-efficacy (14.25±2.78Vs.30.22±3.37), self-care practices measured as self-care actions (20.2±1.4Vs. 27.55±1.65), perceived self-care ability (65.9±4.1 Vs. 97.25±11.3), and health-related quality of life improved significantly when compared to the pre-structured education (p < 0.001**). Conclusion: Structured education booklet improved patient’s self-efficacy, self-care practices, hence improving QOL in SCD patients. Recommendation: The study findings underscore the significance of implementing structured education booklet as an integral component of management of individuals with sickle cell disease as a means of enhancing self-efficacy, care practices and health-related quality of life.

In the published article, Zahran AM, Nafady-Hego H, Moeen SM, Eltyb HA, Wahman MM, Nafady A. Higher proportion of non-classical and intermediate monocytes in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients in Egypt: A possible prognostic marker. Afr J Lab Med. 2021; 10 (1), a1296. https://doi. org/10.4102/ajlm. v10i1. 1296, there was an error on page 3 under the'Results' section. The mean age of the MM patients should be 63.5 as per Table 1 instead of 6.35. The first paragraph under the'Results' section is updated to:

Background

Understanding the prognostic markers of multiple myeloma (MM) helps in optimizing therapeutic approaches. CD56 is frequently expressed by malignant plasma cells and its use as a prognostic marker in MM is promising.

Aim

To evaluate prognostic value of CD56 expression in patients with MM.

Methods

This study included 50 newly diagnosed patients with MM. Bone marrow samples were analyzed for CD56 expression by flow cytometry. All patients received bortezomib-based therapy for at least 3-4 months.

Results

The median age of patients was 52 years (range 32-75) and 54% of them were males. The stage according to the International Staging System was I in 15 (30%) patients, II in 18 (36%) and III in 17 (34%). CD56 positivity was detected in 84% of enrolled patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that the lack of CD56 expression was an independent predictor of worse overall survival (HR = 4.31 [95% Confidence Interval: 1.23 – 15.13], p = 0.002).

Conclusion

The present study suggests that CD56 negativity is associated with poor prognosis in patients with MM and that its incorporation in the risk panel of MM may be considered. Further studies with larger sample size to validate its prognostic value are needed.

Introduction Thromboembolism is a frequent complication in thalassemia. Platelet microparticles (PMPs) may have a role in the hypercoagulability in thalassemia. Objective To determine the levels of PMPs in β-thalassemia intermedia (β-TI) patients and whether increased levels of PMPs in these patients are correlated with coagulation parameters or not. Patients and methods Sixty-three β-TI patients, classified into 46 nonsplenectomized (NS) patients, 17 splenectomized (S) patients, and 20 age-matched and sex-matched volunteers as controls. For all, full medical history, through clinical examination, and laboratory investigations: complete blood count, prothrombin time, prothrombin concentration, activated partial thromboplastin time, FVIII, FXI, fibrinogen, D-dimer, and PMPs were detected by using flow-cytometry approach. Results PMPs were significantly higher in S and NS β-TI patients than controls (P< 0.001 …

Objective

This study was done to assess the efficacy of vincristine in the treatment of patients with splenectomized chronic ITP who failed TPO-RA therapy as well as their 8-month follow-up following vincristine discontinuation.