Haemoglobinopathies and other rare anemias in Spain: ten years of a nationwide registry (REHem-AR).

REHem-AR was created in 2013. The progressive implementation of neonatal screening for haemoglobinopathies in Spanish autonomous communities where the registry had not been implemented, as well as the addition of new centres during this period, has considerably increased the sample of patients covered. In this study, we update our previous publication in this area, after a follow-up of more than 5 years. An observational, descriptive, multicentre and ambispective study of adult and paediatric patients with haemoglobinopathies and rare anaemias registered in REHem was performed. The data are from a cross-sectional analysis performed on 1 June, 2023. The study population comprised 1,756 patients, of whom 1,317 had SCD, 214 had thalassaemia and 224 were diagnosed with another condition. Slightly more than one third of SCD patients (37%) were diagnosed based on neonatal bloodspot screening, and the mean age at diagnosis was 2.5 years; 71% of thalassaemia patients were diagnosed based on the presence of anaemia. Vaso-occlusive crisis and acute chest syndrome continue to be the most frequent complications in SCD. HSCT was performed in 83 patients with SCD and in 50 patients with thalassaemia. Since the previous publication, REHem-AR has grown in size by more than 500 cases. SCD and TM are less frequent in Spain than in other European countries, although the data show that rare anaemias are frequent within rare diseases. REHem-AR constitutes an important structure for following the natural history of rare anaemias and enables us to calculate investment needs for current and future treatments.

Tapering of the thrombopoietin receptor agonist in paediatric patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenia: Is it possible?

It is not clear if platelet responses are sustained after thrombopoietin receptor agonist (ar-TPO) withdrawal in paediatric patients. A multicentre retrospective observational study was performed in children with chronic immune thrombopenia (cITP) to describe ar-TPO tapering and withdrawal in patients who had achieved a sustained complete response to ar-TPOs. Ten patients (eltrombopag n = 6, romiplostim n = 4) were included. Treatment withdrawal was performed after a mean tapering time of 7.6 months. Two patients relapsed (median follow-up time of 24 months). Slow tapering and withdrawal of ar-TPOs can be safely performed in cITP paediatric patients after achieving a sustained complete response.

Update of the Spanish registry of haemoglobinopathies in children and adults. / Actualización del registro español de hemoglobinopatías de niños y adultos.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Patients with thalassaemia major (TM) and sickle cell disease (SCD) in Spain have been counted since the creation of the Spanish registry of haemoglobinopathies (REHem). The objective of this paper is to update the published data after the increase in cases due to the inclusion of adults and introduction of new-born screening in almost the whole country. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An observational, descriptive, multicentre and ambispective study that included patients with haemoglobinopathies registered in the REHem, started in January 2014 and followed up annually. The data presented correspond until December 31, 2017. RESULTS: Nine hundred and fifty-nine patients were collected. There were 75 cases of thalassaemia (62 TM), 826 of ECF and 58 of other types of haemoglobinopathies. The main diagnostic reason in the TM cohort was anaemia symptoms (70.6%), with a mean age at diagnosis of .7 years; in the SCD cohort it was neonatal screening (33.1%), with a mean age at diagnosis of 2.7 years; 26 patients with TM (41.9%) and 30 with SCD (3.6%) underwent a transplant. There were 2 deaths (3.2%) with TM and 19 (2.3%) with SCD. Overall survival was 96.7% in the TM and 97.5% in the SCD cases at 15 years. CONCLUSIONS: Since the previous publication and after the diffusion of new-born screening, the most frequent diagnostic method, to the majority of autonomous regions, and the inclusion of adult patients to the registry, the REHem has increased by more than 240 cases, reaching a total of 959 records.

Autoimmune haemolytic anaemias: A retrospective study of 93 patients. / Anemias hemolíticas autoinmunes: estudio retrospectivo de 93 pacientes.

INTRODUCTION: Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia (AIHA) is an infrequent and heterogeneous disease in its pathophysiology and clinical behaviour, therefore it is generally managed empirically. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted an observational, retrospective and multicentre study of 93 patients diagnosed with AHAI in 9 Spanish hospitals between 1987 and 2017, with a median follow-up of 28 months. RESULTS: Median age of 67 years; 85% AHAI for hot antibodies and 64% primary AHAI. The lowest haemoglobin values at diagnosis related to patients under 45 years of age and serological type IgG+C. Of the patients, 92% received first line treatment, 54% second line, and 27% third line. The warm AHAI were treated in first line with steroids, with overall responses of 83% and complete of 58%. Rituximab in monotherapy or in association with steroids was administered to 34 patients with overall responses close to 100% (complete responses 40-60%), relegating splenectomy to the third line. The immunosuppressive treatment was administered in patients with autoimmune diseases or in corticoid-dependent patients. DISCUSSION: We found high rates of response to steroids, with very prolonged treatments that cause side effects and corticoid dependence in a third of patients. The combination of steroids with rituximab in the first line, could be indicated in patients with low levels of haemoglobin and serological type IgG+C. The high relapse rates make necessary the development of randomised studies with new drugs or the combination with existing ones, which allow longer response times and with fewer side effects.

[Protocol for the study and treatment of primary immune thrombocytopenia: PTI-2018]. / Protocolo de estudio y tratamiento de la trombocitopenia inmune primaria: PTI-2018.

Primary immune thrombocytopenia, formerly known as immune thrombocytopenic purpura, is a disease for which the clinical and therapeutic management has always been controversial. The ITP working group of the Spanish Society of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology has updated its guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of primary immune thrombocytopenia in children, based on current guidelines, bibliographic review, clinical assays, and member consensus. The main objective is to reduce clinical variability in diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, in order to obtain best clinical results with minimal adverse events and good quality of life.

National registry of hemoglobinopathies in Spain (REPHem).

BACKGROUND: Although highly prevalent throughout the world, the accurate prevalence of hemoglobinopathies in Spain is unknown. PROCEDURE: This study presents data on the national registry of hemoglobinopathies of patients with thalassemia major (TM), thalassemia intermedia (TI), and sickle cell disease (SCD) in Spain created in 2014. Fifty centers reported cases retrospectively. Data were registered from neonatal screening or from the first contact at diagnosis until last follow-up or death. RESULTS: Data of the 715 eligible patients were collected: 615 SCD (497 SS, 64 SC, 54 SBeta phenotypes), 73 thalassemia, 9 CC phenotype, and 18 other variants. Most of the SCD patients were born in Spain (65%), and 51% of these were diagnosed at newborn screening. Median age at the first diagnosis was 0.4 years for thalassemia and 1.0 years for SCD. The estimated incidence was 0.002 thalassemia cases and 0.03 SCD cases/1,000 live births. Median age was 8.9 years (0.2-33.7) for thalassemia and 8.1 years (0.2-32.8) for SCD patients. Stroke was registered in 16 SCD cases. Transplantation was performed in 43 TM and 23 SCD patients at a median age of 5.2 and 7.8 years, respectively. Twenty-one patients died (3 TM, 17 SCD, 1 CC) and 200 were lost to follow-up. Causes of death were related to transplantation in three patients with TM and three patients with SCD. Death did not seem to be associated with SCD in six patients, but nine patients died secondary to disease complications. Overall survival was 95% at 15 years of age. CONCLUSIONS: The registry provides data about the prevalence of hemoglobinopathies in Spain and will permit future cohort studies and the possibility of comparison with other registries.

Hb Cervantes, Hb Marañón, Hb La Mancha and Hb Goya: Description of 4 new haemoglobinopathies.

OBJECTIVES: α-thalassemias are caused by a deficiency in or absence of synthesis of the α-chain of haemoglobin (Hb). In contrast, structural haemoglobinopathies are due to mutations that change the amino acid sequence of the protein chain. We report 4 newly identified α-chain Hb variants. Two variants were hyper-unstable, whereas the other 2 were structural variants with an altered electrophoretic mobility. DESIGN AND METHODS: The first 2 families were identified because of microcytosis and hypochromia with a normal Hb A2 and Hb F but without iron deficiency. The other 2 families came to scrutiny because of a peak of abnormal Hb during routine analytical assays. These Hb variants were characterized by specific sequencing. RESULTS: The hyper-instability of Hb Cervantes is probably due to its lower affinity for the alpha chain haemoglobin-stabilizing protein (AHSP). Hb Marañón is another unstable Hb variant that produces an α-thalassemia phenotype. For the identification of Hb La Mancha, a molecular characterization by sequencing was required. Finally, Hb Goya was found to have the same electrophoretic mobility as Hb J. A lower percentage of the variant was obtained due to a possible component of instability, though the patient did not show evidence of anaemia. CONCLUSION: These variants of Hb add to the variety and complexity of disorders of the genes that encode Hb.

Association in cis of the mutations +20 (C>T) in the 5' untranslated region and IVS-II-745 (C>G) on the ß-globin gene.

In the 5' untranslated region (5'UTR), which is transcribed but not translated and is involved in posttranscriptional regulation of the gene promoting and stabilizing the mRNA translation, several mutations associated with mild ß-thalassemia (ß-thal) have been described. One of these, the +20 (C>T) mutation, is described in the HbVar database as a mutation responsible for ß(+)-thal. In heterozygote cases, it gives rise to a phenotype of ß-thal minor and ß-thal intermediate (ß-TI) when the mutation is associated with ß(+) IVS-II-745 (C>G). To clarify if this mutation is responsible for ß(+)-thal, we studied nine cases where we found an association of the +20 and IVS-II-745 mutations. All patients were carriers of four α genes. Three patients carried ß-thal major (ß-TM), two were compound heterozygotes for IVS-II-745 and codon 8 (-AA) or codon 39 (C>T), and the third was homozygous for IVS-II-745; all had the +20 mutation in the 5'UTR. The remaining patients showed the mutation IVS-II-745 associated with a replacement of C>T at nucleotide (nt) +20 of the 5'UTR. Contrary to reports in the HbVar database, the +20 mutation should be considered as an innocuous single nt polymorphism associated with the IVS-II-745 mutation in cis.

Imported malaria in children: a comparative study between recent immigrants and immigrant travelers (VFRs).

BACKGROUND: In Europe, imported malarial cases occur in returning travelers and immigrants mostly from African countries. There have been an increasing number of cases in the past years in Spain. METHODS: An analysis of all cases of malaria who attended at the Hospital of Mostoles in the Southwest of Madrid from 1995 to 2007 was performed. Clinical, epidemiological, laboratory, and parasitological findings were analyzed and compared between immigrants coming from endemic countries (recent immigrants) and children who traveled to endemic areas to visit friends and relatives (VFRs). RESULTS: Sixty cases of imported malaria were detected. Most of the cases (59 of 60) were acquired in sub-Saharan Africa. The most common species was Plasmodium falciparum (43 of 60). Microscopic examination was positive in 95%, and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for Plasmodium achieved additional diagnosis in seven cases. Fourteen cases were VFRs; none of them used appropriate malaria chemoprophylaxis. Fever and thrombocytopenia were significantly more common among VFRs. They also had significantly higher parasite density. Twelve cases were asymptomatic at the time of diagnosis; all of them were recent immigrants. CONCLUSIONS: VFRs account for a significant number of childhood malarial cases. These patients had not taken malaria chemoprophylaxis and malarial cases were more severe. VFR children are a high-risk group, and pretravel advice should underline the risk for malaria. Recent immigrants can be asymptomatic and parasitemias are lower. Therefore, a high index of suspicion is necessary, and PCR for Plasmodium should be performed in case of negative thick smears.

Flow cytometric assessment of hematopoietic cell subsets in cryopreserved preterm and term cord blood, influence of obstetrical parameters, and availability for transplantation.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to characterize the lymphocyte and the hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HPC) subsets of cryopreserved premature cord blood (PCB) compared to term cord blood (TCB) by flow cytometry, to study the influence of birth conditions, and to assess its availability for transplantation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four-color flow cytometric analysis was performed on 43 PCB and 40 TCB cryopreserved samples using a panel of 24 different mAbs, directed against lymphoid and HPC surface markers. The CB volume was estimated by the weight of the newborn to determine the absolute MNC and CD34(+) cell content/CB sample. Clinical and obstetrical data were recovered. Statistical comparisons and a multiple regression analysis were performed. RESULTS: No consistent differences were found in the mononuclear cell (MNC) or CD34(+) cell concentration (x10(6)/L) between PCB and TCB. The percentage of primitive HPC (CD34(+)CD38(-), CD34(+)CD38(-)CD90(-)HLA-DR(-), CD34(+)CD38(-)CD90(-)HLA-DR(+)) and primitive lymphoid progenitors (CD34(+)CD7(+), CD34(+)CD7(+)CD19(-)CD117(-)) were higher in PCB than in TCB. Correspondingly, TCB had an increased percentage of committed HPC. No sample of PCB contained >2 x 10(7) MNC/kg (and only 48% had >1 x 10(5) CD34(+) cells) for a recipient of 20 kg body wt, as the minimum threshold recommended for CB transplantation. Obstetrical factors modulated mainly lymphocyte subsets and fewer HPC subpopulations. Acute fetal distress increased CD34(+) cells, especially the immature subsets. Maternal treatment with dexamethasone and intrauterine growth retardation decreased CD3(+) cells. No other obstetrical factors played a detrimental effect on CB cells if used for transplantation. CONCLUSION: PCB is richer in immature cells both in lymphocyte and HPC populations, and its use for transplantation, at least in special cases, should be reconsidered.