BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The prognostic value of myeloid antigen expression in adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is controversial. The objective of this study was to evaluate the frequency and prognostic significance of myeloid antigen expression in adults with high risk ALL. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Between June 1993 and July 2002, 222 adults patients with high-risk ALL were treated according to the PETHEMA LAL 93 protocol. The frequency of myeloid antigen expression, its association with other clinical and biologic variables and the prognostic significance in terms of complete remission (CR) rate, event free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed. RESULTS: Myeloid antigen expression was present in 96 out of 222 patients (43%). No association was observed between myeloid antigen expression and the main clinical and biologic characteristics of ALL. Response to treatment was slower in patients expressing myeloid antigens, but no differences were found in CR achievement, EFS or OS. The probability of EFS at 10 years for ALL patients without and with myeloid antigen expression was 35% and 34%, respectively, while the probability of OS at 10 years was 30% and 33%, respectively. This absence of differences in EFS and OS probabilities was also observed when only slow responding patients were analyzed. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, myeloid antigen expression did not have prognostic influence in adult patients with high risk ALL.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Identification of novel cytogenetic markers with prognostic significance in a series of 968 patients with primary myelodysplastic syndromes.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The main prognostic factors in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are chromosomal abnormalities, the proportion of blasts in bone marrow and number and degree of cytopenias. A consensus-defined International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) for predicting outcome and planning therapy in MDS has been developed, but its prognostic value in a large and independent series remains unproven. Furthermore, the intermediate-risk cytogenetic subgroup defined by the IPSS includes a miscellaneous number of different single abnormalities of uncertain prognostic significance at present. The main aim of the present study was to identify chromosomal abnormalities with a previously unrecognized good or poor prognosis in order to find new cytogenetic markers with predictive value. DESIGN AND METHODS: We report the cytogenetic findings in a series of 968 patients with primary MDS from the Spanish Cytogenetics Working Group, Grupo Cooperativo Español de Citogenética Hematológica (GCECGH). RESULTS: In this series of 968 MDS patients, we found various cytogenetic aberrations with a new prognostic impact. Complex karyotype, -7/7q- and i(17q) had a poor prognosis; normal karyotype, loss of Y chromosome, deletion 11q, deletion 12p and deletion 20q as single alterations had a good prognosis. Intermediate prognosis aberrations were rearrangements of 3q21q26, trisomy 8, trisomy 9, translocations of 11q and del(17p). Finally, a new group of single or double cytogenetic abnormalities, most of which are considered rare cytogenetic events and are usually included in the intermediate category of the IPSS, showed a trend to poor prognosis. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that some specific chromosomal abnormalities could be segregated from the IPSS intermediate-risk cytogenetic prognostic subgroup and included in the low risk or in the poor risk groups.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

[Effect of statistical review on manuscript quality in Medicina Clínica (Barcelona): a randomized study].

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The statistical review of biomedical articles should result in an improved quality. The objective of this study was to compare the effects of clinical review and joint clinical and statistical review on manuscript quality, in articles submitted to Medicina Clínica (Barcelona), a Spanish weekly journal of internal medicine. METHOD: Original papers arriving between May 2000 and February 2001 were randomized either to a clinical review group or a clinical and statistical review group. Two evaluators, blinded to the paper's group, assessed the quality improvement in both groups, from submission to publication using a modified version ot the Goodman et al. scale. The protocol required that final versions arrived before the end of May 2001. RESULTS: Final sample size was 43 manuscripts, evaluated before and after peer review. On the intention to treat analysis, the estimated effect of statistical review was 1.35 (95% CI: -0.45 to 3.16) positive, but not statistically significant. The analysis of the reviewers' comments revealed some protocol deviations. Taking into account the spontaneous inclusion of statistical experts in the clinical group, the estimated effect was statistically significant, with a confidence interval of 0.3 to 3.7. CONCLUSION: The inclusion of a statistical expert in the peer review process improves manuscript quality, although in the intention to treat analysis the improvement was not statistically significant.

Humans↗

PubMed2002

[Promotion of the blood donation in a hospital: comparison of two approaches].

BACKGROUND: Our purpose was to evaluate the results of the promotion of blood donation in patients undergoing stem cell transplantation (SCT) and to compare it with this promotion in remaining in-patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The hematologist and the blood bank staff informed the patient undergoing SCT about the need for transfusions. Donors were selected for blood or platelet donation. In remaining in-patients, promotion was performed by the blood bank staff by interviewing patients. RESULTS: Between January 2000 and May 2001, 48 SCT patients were included: 41 (85%) yielded 453 possible donors. Of them, 306 donated blood, 77 platelets and 82 were excluded. The number of donations was 484 (389 whole blood and 105 platelets), and 25% (n = 98) of patients donated blood subsequently. Among in-patients 1,950 interviews were carried out: 533 (27.3%) yielded 901 donors (p < 0.001). Overall, 1,146 blood donations were obtained and 15% (135) of these donors donated blood subsequently (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Collaboration of the hematologist in the promotion of blood donation leads to an increase in the rate and frequency of donations.

Blood Banks↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Lymphomas in patients with HIV infection. A change for the better].

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Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active↗