E-ISSN: 1308-5263
Turkish Journal of Hematology - Turk J Hematol: 20 (1)
Volume: 20  Issue: 1 - 2003
REVIEW
1. Therapeutic Plasma Exchange and the Clinical Applications
Önder Arslan, Mutlu Arat, Savaş Göktürk, Erol Ayyıldız, Osman İlhan
Pages 7 - 17
Abstract |Full Text PDF

RESEARCH ARTICLE
2. An Education Programme on Sickle Cell Anemia and ß-Thalassemia for the 8th Grade Students
Abdullah Arpacı, Necdet Aytaç, Güneş T. Yüregir, Abdullah Tuli, Kıymet Aksoy
Pages 19 - 24
ß-thalassemia and sickle cell anemia (SCA) are major health problems in Çukurova. Screening studies have been carried on in this region for many years. The government started premarital screening programme and prenatal diagnosis has been done in Çukurova University Medical Faculty since 1992. In spite of all these, the prevention programme has not been successful. The purpose of this study was to start an education programme to increase the awareness of the people for these severe hereditary diseases. The target population was the 8th grade students. A visual presentation was given to students on Thalassemia and SCA after examining the curriculum in the Biology and/or the Science books. A total of 1221 students in seven Elementary Schools were informed. A questionnaire was given to five schools before the presentation and to two after the presentation. The comparison of the two group’s result showed that the information given was well received. Thus, an extensive education programme encompassing doctors, health personel, civil and religious leaders and the support of the government will result in nil SCA and Thalassemia births.

3. Refractory Thrombocytopenia with Multilineage Dysplasia: A Rare Type of Myelodysplastic Syndrome
Fatih Demırkan, G. Hayri Özsan, Mehmet Ali Özcan, Filiz Vural, İlhan Öztop, Erdinç Yüksel, Bülent Ündar
Pages 25 - 30
Thrombocytopenia may be the presenting cytopenia of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and is named as refractory thrombocytopenia (RT) and categorized in the refractory cytopenia with multilineage dysplasia (RCMD) group according to the recent World Health Organization (WHO) classification of the acute leukemias and MDS. Abnormal cytogenetics can be found in 60% to 80% of patients with MDS. Most common cytogenetic abnormalities include monosomy 5, 5q-, monosomy 7, trisomy 8, deletion 20q and loss of X or Y chromosome. Here we report clinical features and outcomes of nine patients with RT. Cytogenetic abnormalities were detected in seven. Among two patients who have a normal karyotype at diagnosis, one of them transformed to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). During a median follow-up of 29 months, two patients died of hemorrhagia and one of AML. The features and prognosis of patients with RT needs to be determined by larger series.

4. Coexistence of Two Prothrombotic Mutations, Factor V 1691 G-A and Prothrombin 20210 G-A, and the Risk of Thrombosis in Turkish Population
Nejat Akar, Erkan Yılmaz, Ece Akar
Pages 31 - 33
This report summarizes the coexistence of two mutations; Factor V 1691 G-A and prothrombin 20210 G-A in Turkish population and emphasises on the point that, this coexistence increases the risk of thrombosis in such patients. In thrombophilia screening programs, these two variants should be included, particularly in Turkish population.

5. Effect of α-Tocopherol on Lipid Peroxidation Caused by Cisplatin in Rat Kidney
Zahit Bolaman, Mehmet H. Köseoğlu, Süleyman Demir, Gürhan Kadıköylü, Sabri Barutca, Habip Atalay, Diler Aslan
Pages 35 - 38
Cisplatin (CDDP) is one of the most commonly used antineoplastic agents in current clinical practice. The major toxicities of CDDP are nonhaematological as nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity. Free oxygen radicals are known to play major role in CDDP-induced acute renal failure in rats. α-tocopherol is one of the well-known antioxidant agents. This study was designed to investigate the role of α-tocopherol pretreatment against CDDP-induced lipid peroxidation in rat kidney. Male Wistar rats were divided into three groups and treated as follows: control (saline intraperitoneally), CDDP (10 kg/kg, intraperitoneally), α-tocopherol (200 kg/kg, plus CDDP, intraperitoneally). Rats were sacrificed on third day of the treatment, and kidney tissues were obtained and analyzed. CDDP-treated rats showed high malondialdehyde (MDA) levels (p< 0.05). In the CDDP plus α-tocopherol group, renal MDA levels were not significantly different from the controls. These data suggest that α-tocopherol may be used to prevent CDDP-induced lipid peroxidation.

CASE REPORT
6. Acute Monoblastic Leukemia as a Second Malignancy After Doxorubicin and Cisplatin Treatment for Osteosarcoma
Sinan Mahir Kayıran, Namık Özbek
Pages 39 - 42
Secondary or therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia (t-AML) occurs as a complication of various chemotherapy regimens. In pediatric age group, leukemia as a second malignancy after osteosarcoma treatment with doxorubicin and cisplatin is relatively rare. A 15-year-old girl was admitted to our hospital with signs and symptoms of leukemia. She had been treated one-year earlier with doxorubicin and cisplatin for osteosarcoma of the left femur. The patient was diagnosed with acute monoblastic leukemia on the basis of bone marrow examination and immunophenotype analysis. There were no cytogenetic abnormalities. The patient’s father had been diagnosed with pelvic chondrosarcoma, which suggested a familial susceptibility to cancer. We interpreted this as a rare case of t- AML with normal cytogenetic analysis, and believe the disease was induced by the addition of platinum compounds to a regimen including topoisomerase II inhibitors.

7. A Case of Brucellosis Presenting with Severe Thrombocytopenia
Esragül Akıncı, Hürrem Bodur, Çiğdem Erbay, Mustafa Aydın Çevik, Ayşe Erbay, Aylin Çolpan
Pages 43 - 45
Thrombocytopenia is one of the rare hematologic complication of brucellosis. Herein a case of brucellosis with severe thrombocytopenia was reported. The patient was admitted to hematology service with epistaxis, ecchymoses, fever, thrombocytopenia (0.6 x 103/μL) and anemia. His initial diagnosis was idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. Corticosteroid treatment was started and erythrocyte and platelet suspensions were transfused. Despite this treatment clinical symptoms and laboratory disorders were not improved. No significant pathology was detected in the examination of bone marrow aspiration. On the seventh day, Brucella abortus was yielded from his blood cultures. Steroid was stopped and rifampicin plus doxycycline started. His clinical symptoms were disappeared and laboratory findings improved (thrombocyte count: 205 x 103/μL) at the second week of the antibiotic treatment. This case was interesting showing us that thrombocyte count might decrease to very low levels in brucellosis. So that, especially in the endemic areas, brucellosis should be kept in mind for the etiology of fever and thrombocytopenia.

8. Iatrogenic Kaposi ’s Sarcoma
Salim Başol Tekin, Fuat Erdem, Nesrin Gürsan
Pages 47 - 49
The development of Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) has been associated with either iatrogenic or underlying disease related immunodeficiency. We report a case with iatrogenic Kaposi’s sarcoma developed after treatment of non- Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) who was achieved partial clinical remission with systemic chemotherapy.

IMAGES IN HEMATOLOGY
9. Images in Hematology
Turgay Fen, Kadri Yamaç, Mohammed Ali Bekir
Page 51
Abstract |Full Text PDF

LETTER TO EDITOR
10. Infantile Malignant Osteopetrosis: Delay in Diagnosis Eliminates Chance of Cure
Şinasi Özsoylu, Nazan Sarper
Pages 53 - 54
Abstract |Full Text PDF

11. High Factor VIII Antigen Levels are not Associated with Factor VIII Gene Polymorphisms
Şinasi Özsoylu
Page 55
Abstract |Full Text PDF