Hemophilia is an inherited condition that is caused by the deficiency of clotting factors in the blood. The most common presentations of hemophilia are hemarthrosis and muscle hemorrhage. The severity of the bleeding episodes can vary from mild to severe resulting in pain and swelling of the joints and the muscles. Repeated musculoskeletal bleeding can result in hemophilic arthropathies with subsequent joint degeneration and deformity. Our study aims to clinically assess the quality of life in hemophilic patients in terms of disease severity and morbidity in our community using the Functional Independence Score for Hemophilia (FISH).

Results

Our cross-sectional study which involved 64 hemophilia patients revealed that the most affected joints were the weight-bearing large joints (knees, elbows, ankles) and this was associated with a lower FISH score. While the total FISH score showed a significant …

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have improved the prognosis of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) by inhibiting the BCR-ABL kinase. There are concerns regarding the effect of TKI on hemostasis by inhibiting platelet aggregation; the possible reason for this is yet unclear.

Objectives

To study platelet aggregation response to different agonists [(adenosine diphosphate (ADP), collagen, and arachidonic acid (AA)] using platelet aggregometry in 75 CML-chronic phase (CML-CP) patients on TKI therapy, in complete hematologic response (CHR).

Objectives: We compared the percentages of memory T cells in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) to healthy controls and tried to detect any association of these cells to treatment outcome.

Methods: The study involved 34 adult patients with AML and 24 healthy controls. Following the diagnosis of AML, blood samples were collected from patients and controls for flow cytometric detection of CD8+ T, CD4+ T, TN, TEM, TCM, TEMRA, and TSCM subsets of both CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells.

Results: No significant differences in the mean percentages of CD4+ T-cell types between AML patients and controls, with the exception of the total percentage of CD4+ T-cells which accumulated in controls, furthermore, significant accumulations of CD8+ TEMRA, CD8+ CD45+ RO, and CD8+ TEM were detected in patients compared with controls, while CD8+, CD8+ TNs, CD8+ TSCM, and CD8+ TCM accumulated in controls compared to patients, moreover, significant elevations of total CD8+ T-cells, CD8+ TEMRA, CD8+ TSCM, CD8+ TCM, and CD8+ TEM in patients with remission compared to those without remission, on the contrary, CD4+ T memory cells did not show any significant differences.

Conclusion: Our results showed that accumulation of CD8+ T memory cells in AML patients, especially those who achieved remission, could enhance the immune response, particularly in those at high risk of relapse after bone marrow transplantation.

56 patients had AST/ALT ratio greater than 2, while 59 patients had AST/ALT ratio less than 2. STEMI patients with AST/ALT ratio greater than 2 had a significantly higher prevalence of total vessel occlusion (TIMI thrombus grade 5), and there is a significant association between high AST/ALT ratio and TIMI thrombus grade 5 on both univariate and multivariate analysis. However, there is no statistically significant difference between both groups as regarding the coronary artery complexity as assessed by SYNTAX and Genseni scores.

Conclusion

Patients with AST/ALT ratio greater than 2 are strongly associated with high thrombus burden (thrombus burden of 5) on TIMI thrombus grade before primary PCI.

Objectives: Hepcidin, a major regulator of iron metabolism and homeostasis. Studies on hepcidin in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are still inconsistent. Aim to identify if hepcidin could add to diagnosis of RA associated complications, especially atherosclerosis.

Methods: A case-control study involved measurement of serum hepcidin levels in patients and control by Enzymelinked immunosorbent assay, and assessment of Carotid intima Media thickness (CIMT) by Doppler ultrasonography. Patients’ clinical manifestations, comorbidities, and treatment were recorded. The disease activity score-28 (DAS28) was used to evaluate RA activity.

Results: This study enrolled 50 RA patients and 25 control subjects, with predominantly female participants (98%). Hepcidin is significantly increased in RA patients when compared to control (p< 0.001). Right and Left Carotid intima media thickness showed significant difference between patients and control (p= 0.016 & p= 0.006). In multivariate linear regression models hepcidin showed significant positive correlation with BMI, CRP, CIMT (p< 0.001). Hepcidin level≥ 298.5 showed significant AUC that could discriminate between patients.

Conclusion: Increased hepcidin level in RA patients was correlated with CIMT (r= 0.676). Patient Age, RA duration, cholesterol level and hepcidin level were linked to an increase in CIMT in RA patients. Therefore, serum hepcidin level could be a predictor of atherosclerosis in RA patients.

Objectives: Platelet indices, such as platelet distribution width (PDW), mean platelet volume (MPV), and plateletcrit (PCT), can provide insights into platelet activation. Large platelets are more active and have higher thrombotic potential than small platelets, suggesting that larger platelets play a role in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). To assess PDW, MPV, and PCT and their relation to severity and validity for prediction of primary, secondary outcomes, and MACE in acute STEMI patients who underwent PPCI.

Methods: This prospective study included 115 consecutive STEMI patients who underwent PPCI. Admission blood samples were measured for MPV, PDW, and PCT. The SYNTAX and Gensini (GS) scores were used to quantify the severity of CAD. Patients were followed up for a period of 3 to 6 months with regard to primary and secondary clinical outcomes.

Results: PDW had a moderate positive correlation with SYNTAX score (r= 0.321, p< 0.001) and GS (r= 0.270, p= 0.002), and a negative correlation with TIMI Risk (r=-0.199, p= 0.017) and ejection fraction (r=-0.170, p= 0.034). Also, MPV had a significant positive correlation with SYNTAX score (r= 0.235, p= 0.006). PDW had the highest diagnostic accuracy for the prediction of the primary outcome and MACE.

Conclusion: PDW, a low-cost and easily measured laboratory test, could be used as a predictor of re-infarction and adverse outcomes in STEMI patients.