Systemic herpes simplex virus infection in a child with eczema herpeticum.

Eczema herpeticum (EH) is a disseminated cutaneous infection with herpes simplex virus (HSV) that develops in patients with atopic dermatitis. The kinetics and clinical significance of HSV viremia in EH are poorly understood. Herein, we report HSV DNAemia in a child with EH 12 months after the completion of chemotherapy for Hodgkin lymphoma.

TREC/KREC Newborn Screening followed by Next-Generation Sequencing for Severe Combined Immunodeficiency in Japan.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of T cell receptor excision circle (TREC) and/or kappa-deleting recombination excision circle (KREC) measurements integrated with diagnostic next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis using a severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) newborn screening (NBS) program. METHODS: TREC and/or KREC values were measured in 137,484 newborns between April 2017 and December 2021 using EnLite TREC (n = 80,791) or TREC/KREC kits (n = 56,693). For newborns with positive screening results, diagnostic NGS analysis was performed with a 349-gene panel to detect genetic mutations associated with primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs). RESULTS: A total of 145 newborns (0.11%) had abnormal TREC and/or KREC values, and a genetic diagnosis was established in 2 patients with SCID (1 in 68,742 newborns) (IL2RG-SCID and reticular dysgenesis) and 10 with non-SCID PIDs with T and/or B cell deficiencies (1 in 13,748 newborns) using NGS analysis. Furthermore, TREC values of 2849 newborns were measured and confirmed the significant correlation between the results of both TREC and TREC/KREC kits (P < 0.001) and naïve T cell counts. CONCLUSIONS: We performed the first large-scale TREC and TREC/KREC NBS programs in Japan. Our NBS programs followed by the diagnostic NGS analysis for newborns with abnormal TREC and/or KREC values are useful for the early identification and rapid molecular evaluation of not only SCID but also different non-SCID PIDs.

Performance analysis among multiple fully automated anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody measurement reagents: A potential indicator for the correlation of protection in the antibody titer.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the performance of various reagents in automated analyzers for antibody detection against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). METHODS: Using 100 serum samples from 100 individual patients diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection, the precision, linearity, determination agreement, and correlation of five qualitative reagents (Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2, ARCHITECT SARS-CoV-2 IgG, ARCHITECT SARS-CoV-2 IgM, Access SARS-CoV-2 IgM, and SARS-CoV-2 IgM) and four quantitative reagents (Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2 S, ARCHITECT SARS-CoV-2 IgG II, Access SARS-CoV-2 IgG 1st IS, and SARS-COV-2 IgG S) were analyzed. A surrogate virus-neutralizing test (sVNT) kit was used to evaluate the measurement value of each quantitative reagent corresponding to the amount of neutralizing antibody, similar to that of patients in the late stage of infection. RESULTS: Precision and linearity were found to be sufficient for clinical use. Five discrepant samples were observed in the positive and negative judgments of the qualitative reagents for IgG, and one discrepant sample was observed in the qualitative reagent for IgM. Although the measurement values of the quantitative reagents were different, they were correlated with each reagent. The reference values inferred from the sVNT were Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2: 71.8 U/L, ARCHITECT SARS-CoV-2 IgGⅡ: 2976.3 AU/mL, Access SARS-CoV-2 IgG 1st IS: 689.6 IU/mL, and SARS-CoV-2 IgG S: 19.3 U/L. CONCLUSIONS: The performance observed for each anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody detection reagent was sufficient. The reference values based on the inhibition rate of sVNT have potential as indicators of the correlation of protection and are expected to be leveraged in automated antibody tests.

Usefulness of three-dimensional computed tomography venography differentiating calvarium subperiosteal hematoma crossing the suture lines due to hair pulling from subgaleal hematoma: case report and review of the literature.

This case showed a 13-year-old boy presented with calvarium subperiosteal hematoma crossing the suture lines caused by hair pulling, and 3D-CTV can differentiate calvarium subperiosteal hematoma crossing the suture lines from subgaleal hematoma. He was treated successfully.

Frequency of subclinical herpes zoster in pediatric hematology-oncology patients receiving chemotherapy: A retrospective cohort analysis.

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) reactivation from the enteric nervous system can cause ileus (Ogilvie's syndrome) in adult patients. Since no pediatric cases have been described, we sought to retrospectively analyze VZV reactivation in pediatric hematology-oncology patients to determine whether VZV infection including subclinical VZV reactivation can induce gastrointestinal complications such as Ogilvie's syndrome. Thirty-five patients who received chemotherapy at our institution between September 2013 and June 2018 were included. Serum samples were collected weekly during hospitalization and every 3 months during outpatient maintenance chemotherapy. A real-time polymerase chain reaction assay was used to measure VZV DNA load in serum. The clinical features of patients with VZV infection were retrospectively analyzed. Of 1165 serum samples, 7 (0.6%) were positive for VZV DNA. VZV DNA was detected in 3 of 35 patients. In patient A, VZV DNA was detected during two episodes. The first episode involved varicella-like eruptions caused by the Oka VZV vaccine strain. The second episode involved herpes zoster (HZ) caused by the same strain. Patients B and C had a clinical course that was typical for HZ caused by wild-type VZV. No gastrointestinal symptoms were observed at the time of VZV infection in these three patients. VZV DNA was not detected in any other samples. No pediatric cases with Ogilvie's syndrome caused by VZV reactivation were demonstrated in this cohort. Additionally, no subclinical VZV reactivation was found in this cohort. Further study is needed to elucidate the precise incidence of pediatric Ogilvie's syndrome caused by VZV reactivation.

An aggressive systemic mastocytosis preceded by ovarian dysgerminoma.

BACKGROUND: Aggressive systemic mastocytosis (ASM) is a rare malignant disease characterized by disordered mast cell accumulation in various organs. We here describe a female ASM patient with a previous history of ovarian dysgerminoma. METHODS: Molecular cytogenomic analyses were performed to elucidate an etiological link between the ASM and dysgerminoma of the patient. RESULTS: This patient was affected by ovarian dysgerminoma which was treated by chemotherapy and surgical resection. Having subsequently been in complete remission for 2 years, she developed symptoms of ASM. A somatic D816A mutation in the KIT gene was detected in her bone marrow, which facilitated the diagnosis of ASM. Unexpectedly, this KIT D816A variant was also detected in the prior ovarian dysgerminoma sample. Whole-exome sequencing allowed us to identify a somatic nonsense mutation of the TP53 gene in the bone marrow, but not in the dysgerminoma. Microarray analysis of the patient's bone marrow revealed a copy-number-neutral loss of heterozygosity at the TP53 locus, suggestive of the homozygous nonsense mutation in the TP53 gene. In addition, the loss of heterozygosity at the TP53 locus was also detected in the dysgerminoma. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicated that either the mast cells causing the ASM in this case had originated from the preceding ovarian dysgerminoma as a clonal evolution of a residual tumor cell, which acquired the TP53 mutation, or that both tumors developed from a common cancer stem cell carrying the KIT D816A variation.

Human herpesvirus-6B infection in pediatric allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients: Risk factors and encephalitis.

BACKGROUND: Human herpesvirus-6B (HHV-6B) infection after allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is known to be associated with post-transplant limbic encephalitis in adults. Meanwhile, the association between HHV-6B infection and central nervous system complications remains unclear in pediatric allo-HSCT patients. METHODS: In this study, HHV-6B infection was monitored for more than 50 days after HSCT using virus isolation and real-time PCR. Clinical information such as patient background and encephalitis status was collected retrospectively from medical records. Risk factors for HHV-6B infection were determined by the Cox proportional hazards model, and the clinical features of HHV-6B encephalitis in pediatric allo-HSCT patients were elucidated. RESULTS: Human herpesvirus-6B infection was observed in 74 (33.8%) of 219 patients at 3-47 days (median 18, interquartile range 13-20). Risk factors identified in multivariable analysis were hematological malignancy (hazards ratio [HR], 5.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.3/12.5; P < .0001), solid tumor (HR, 4.8; CI, 1.5/16.3; P = .0104), unrelated donor (HR, 2.1; CI, 1.0/4.6; P = .0378), and sex-mismatched donor (HR 1.8; CI, 1.1/3.0; P = .0257). HHV-6B encephalitis occurred in only one of the 219 patients (0.46%); this patient demonstrated the typical clinical course of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome. CONCLUSION: Hematological malignancy, solid tumor, unrelated donor, and sex-mismatched donor were significant risk factors for HHV-6B infection after pediatric allo-HSCT. In pediatric allo-HSCT patients, the incidence of HHV-6B encephalitis was low and the clinical features differed from those in adult patients.

Clonality investigation of clinical Escherichia coli isolates by polymerase chain reaction-based open-reading frame typing method.

Escherichia coli (E. coli) causes urinary tract infections, pneumonia, surgical site infections, and bloodstream infections and is the important pathogen for both community-acquired and healthcare-associated infections. To investigate the clonality of E. coli is important for infection control and prevention. We aimed to investigate the clonality of clinical E. coli isolates using Cica Geneus E. coli polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based open-reading frame typing (POT) KIT and clarify the clinical usefulness of this kit. About 124 E. coli isolates obtained from inpatients at Sapporo Medical University Hospital were used. The POT method was used to classify 124 clinical isolates into 87 POT numbers. In addition to the clonality, it was possible to obtain additional information that 20 of the 124 isolates were extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL) producing E. coli (5 isolates of CTX-M-1 group and 15 isolates of CTX-M-9 group) and 13 were sequence type (ST) 131 clone. Furthermore, when these ESBL-producing 20 isolates were compared with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) or multilocus sequence typing (MLST), Simpson's index of diversity was 0.968 in POT method, 0.979 in PFGE, and 0.584 in MLST. POT method had an analytical power similar to that of PFGE. In conclusion, attention should be paid to the difference in the interpretation of the results between the POT method and the PFGE, but POT method may be useful to timely monitor the spread of E. coli in medical facilities.

Late-phase human herpesvirus 6B reactivation in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND: We sought to determine whether late-phase human herpesvirus 6B (HHV-6B) infection in hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients was associated with serious outcomes and mortality. METHODS: The occurrence and course of HHV-6B infection was monitored for at least 60 days after transplant using virus isolation and real-time polymerase chain reaction. Risk factors for late-phase HHV-6B infection were examined, and the propensity score was calculated with significant risk factors. The inverse probability-weighted multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and the 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for mortality. RESULTS: Late-phase HHV-6B infection was observed in 12/89 (13.5%) of the HSCT recipients. Older age (OR: 10.3, 95% CI: 2.1/72.9, P = .0027), hematologic malignancy (OR: 10.3, 95% CI: 1.8/97.1, P = .0063), unrelated donor transplantation (OR: 5.3, 95% CI: 1.1/36.0, P = .0345), and sex-mismatched donor transplantation (OR: 6.3, 95% CI: 1.4/39.5, P = .0149) were identified as risk factors for late-phase HHV-6B infection. Fifteen subjects died (17%). Inverse probability-weighted multivariable logistic model analysis revealed that late-phase HHV-6B infection was an independent risk factor for mortality (OR: 4.2, 95% CI: 1.7/11.0, P = .0012). Among 5 of the fatal cases of late-phase HHV-6B infection, viral infection might be associated with severe clinical manifestations. CONCLUSION: Late-phase HHV-6B infection in HSCT recipients was associated with worse outcomes. The full spectrum of clinical features of the infection has not been fully elucidated, and therefore, recipients with high-risk factors for late-phase HHV-6B infection should be carefully monitored.

CDR3ß sequence motifs regulate autoreactivity of human invariant NKT cell receptors.

Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells are a subset of T lymphocytes that recognize lipid ligands presented by monomorphic CD1d. Human iNKT T cell receptor (TCR) is largely composed of invariant Vα24 (Vα24i) TCRα chain and semi-variant Vß11 TCRß chain, where complementarity-determining region (CDR)3ß is the sole variable region. One of the characteristic features of iNKT cells is that they retain autoreactivity even after the thymic selection. However, the molecular features of human iNKT TCR CDR3ß sequences that regulate autoreactivity remain unknown. Since the numbers of iNKT cells with detectable autoreactivity in peripheral blood is limited, we introduced the Vα24i gene into peripheral T cells and generated a de novo human iNKT TCR repertoire. By stimulating the transfected T cells with artificial antigen presenting cells (aAPCs) presenting self-ligands, we enriched strongly autoreactive iNKT TCRs and isolated a large panel of human iNKT TCRs with a broad range autoreactivity. From this panel of unique iNKT TCRs, we deciphered three CDR3ß sequence motifs frequently encoded by strongly-autoreactive iNKT TCRs: a VD region with 2 or more acidic amino acids, usage of the Jß2-5 allele, and a CDR3ß region of 13 amino acids in length. iNKT TCRs encoding 2 or 3 sequence motifs also exhibit higher autoreactivity than those encoding 0 or 1 motifs. These data facilitate our understanding of the molecular basis for human iNKT cell autoreactivity involved in immune responses associated with human disease.

[The Study of a New Formula for Correcting Serum Calcium Levels, Considering the Difference in Albumin Analysis Methods].

In Japan, Payne's formula [corrected Ca=total Ca+ (4-ALB)] has been used to correct serum calcium concentration levels. However, the current methods for measuring calcium and albumin differ from those that were used to establish the Payne's formula. For albumin measurement, particularly, values differ be- tween BCG and improved BCP method. In 2014, Ohba et al. reported a modified formula [corrected Ca= total Ca+0.7X (4-ALB)], which is more suitable for correcting calcium with the improved BCP method than with the Payne's method. In the same year, the recommendation for converting albumin concentration with the improved BCP method to that with the BCG method was presented by the Japanese Society of La- boratory Medicine. Thus, we conceived a new modified formula [corrected Ca=total Ca+ {4- (BCP+ 0.3) }], which is included in the contents of this recommendation, and examined the effects of this formula in comparison with the Payne and Ohba methods. The patients recruited for the calcium adjustment were as follows: (i) all patients; (ii) patients with albumin concentrations <4.0 g/dL; and (iii) patients with albumin concentrations ≤3.5 g/dL. Payne's formula overcorrected calcium with the improved BCP method. Ohba's method was suitable for (i), while the new for- mula was specifically more suitable for (iii) than the Payne and Ohba formulas. The present study showed that our new formula is more suitable for calcium adjustment in patients with albumin concentrations ≤3.5 g/dL. [Original].

Somatic mosaicism for oncogenic NRAS mutations in juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia.

Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) is a rare pediatric myeloid neoplasm characterized by excessive proliferation of myelomonocytic cells. Somatic mutations in genes involved in GM-CSF signal transduction, such as NRAS, KRAS, PTPN11, NF1, and CBL, have been identified in more than 70% of children with JMML. In the present study, we report 2 patients with somatic mosaicism for oncogenic NRAS mutations (G12D and G12S) associated with the development of JMML. The mutated allele frequencies quantified by pyrosequencing were various and ranged from 3%-50% in BM and other somatic cells (ie, buccal smear cells, hair bulbs, or nails). Both patients experienced spontaneous improvement of clinical symptoms and leukocytosis due to JMML without hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. These patients are the first reported to have somatic mosaicism for oncogenic NRAS mutations. The clinical course of these patients suggests that NRAS mosaicism may be associated with a mild disease phenotype in JMML.

IL-21 can supplement suboptimal Lck-independent MAPK activation in a STAT-3-dependent manner in human CD8(+) T cells.

Although both MHC class II/CD8α double-knockout and CD8ß null mice show a defect in the development of MHC class I-restricted CD8(+) T cells in the thymus, they possess low numbers of high-avidity peripheral CTL with limited clonality and are able to contain acute and chronic infections. These in vivo data suggest that the CD8 coreceptor is not absolutely necessary for the generation of Ag-specific CTL. Lack of CD8 association causes partial TCR signaling because of the absence of CD8/Lck recruitment to the proximity of the MHC/TCR complex, resulting in suboptimal MAPK activation. Therefore, there should exist a signaling mechanism that can supplement partial TCR activation caused by the lack of CD8 association. In this human study, we have shown that CD8-independent stimulation of Ag-specific CTL previously primed in the presence of CD8 coligation, either in vivo or in vitro, induced severely impaired in vitro proliferation. When naive CD8(+) T cells were primed in the absence of CD8 binding and subsequently restimulated in the presence of CD8 coligation, the proliferation of Ag-specific CTL was also severely hampered. However, when CD8-independent T cell priming and restimulation were supplemented with IL-21, Ag-specific CD8(+) CTL expanded in two of six individuals tested. We found that IL-21 rescued partial MAPK activation in a STAT3- but not STAT1-dependent manner. These results suggest that CD8 coligation is critical for the expansion of postthymic peripheral Ag-specific CTL in humans. However, STAT3-mediated IL-21 signaling can supplement partial TCR signaling caused by the lack of CD8 association.

Clinical features of immature leukemias in children.

Early T-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ETP-ALL), mixed phenotypic acute leukemia (MPAL), and acute myeloid leukemia with minimal differentiation (AML-M0) all originate from immature hematopoietic progenitor cells and have a poor prognosis. We investigated the clinical characteristics of these immature leukemias in 17 children (ETP-ALL: 8, MPAL: 5, AML-M0: 4) at seven institutions. Clinical and laboratory findings were comparable across disease types. Eleven and six patients received ALL- and AML-oriented induction chemotherapy, with six and four achieving complete remission (CR), respectively. Five additional patients achieved CR after salvage with the other type of chemotherapy. Eight patients received hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) in first CR, and six survived without relapse. However, six of seven patients who did not receive HCT during first CR relapsed; all underwent HCT later, and only three survived. The 5-year event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) rate were 37% and 69%, respectively. Patients who achieved CR after induction chemotherapy and received HCT in first CR had favorable EFS and OS. Notably, all patients who received HCT in first CR survived 5 years after diagnosis. Appropriate induction chemotherapy and HCT in first CR could improve the outcome of immature leukemias.

Validation of Estimated Small Dense Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Concentration in a Japanese General Population.

AIM: A high level of directly measured small dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (sdLDL-C) is a strong risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. A method for estimating sdLDL-C by using Sampson's equation that includes levels of total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), non-HDL-C and triglycerides (TG) has recently been proposed. We investigated the validation and exploration of estimated sdLDL-C level. METHODS: The associations between measured and estimated sdLDL-C levels were investigated in 605 Japanese subjects (men/women: 280/325; mean age: 65±15 years) who received annual health check-ups in the Tanno-Sobetsu Study, a population-based cohort. RESULTS: Estimated sdLDL-C level was highly correlated with measured sdLDL-C level in all subjects (R2=0.701), nondiabetic subjects without any medication (n=254, R2=0.686) and subjects with diabetes mellitus (n=128, R2=0.721). Multivariable regression analysis showed that levels of non-HDL-C, TG and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (γGTP) were independent predictors of measured sdLDL-C level. In a stratification of the LDL window, all of the subjects with a combination of high non-HDL-C (≥ 170 mg/dL) and high TG (≥ 150 mg/dL) had high levels of measured and estimated sdLDL-C (≥ 35 mg/dL). Furthermore, machine learning-based estimation of sdLDL-C level by artificial intelligence software, Prediction One, was substantially improved by using components of Sampson's equation (R2=0.803) and by using those components with the addition of γGTP and deletion of TC (R2=0.929). CONCLUSIONS: sdLDL-C level estimated by Sampson's equation can be used instead of measured sdLDL-C level in general practice. By building multiple machine learning models of artificial intelligence, a more accurate and practical estimation of sdLDL-C level might be possible.

Rituximab-combined anthracycline-free chemotherapy in newly diagnosed paediatric and adolescent patients with non-high-risk aggressive mature B cell lymphoma: protocol for a single-arm, open-label, multicentre, phase II study (the Japan Children's Cancer Group Multicentre Trial, JPLSG B-NHL-20).

INTRODUCTION: Children and adolescents with mature B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL) are treated with short-intensive chemotherapy. The burden of short-term and long-term toxicity is highly relative to its high cure rate in good-risk patients. Although the addition of rituximab to standard lymphome Malin B (LMB) chemotherapy markedly prolongs event-free survival and overall survival in high-risk patients, the benefit of rituximab in good-risk patients remains to be elucidated. This clinical trial will examine whether the addition of rituximab eliminates anthracyclines in good-risk patients without compromising treatment outcomes. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will perform a single-arm, open-label, multicentre phase II study. Low-risk (stage I - completely resected, stage II abdominal) and intermediate-risk (stages I and II - incompletely resected; stage II - resected, other than abdominal; stage III with LDH <2× upper limit of normal) patients with newly diagnosed B-NHL are eligible. Low-risk patients receive two courses of R-COM1P (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, methotrexate, prednisolone and intrathecal methotrexate with hydrocortisone), and intermediate-risk patients receive COP (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisolone and intrathecal methotrexate with hydrocortisone) followed by two courses each of R-COM3P and R-CYM (rituximab, cytarabine, methotrexate and intrathecal methotrexate with hydrocortisone). The primary endpoint is a 3-year event-free survival rate in paediatric patients (<18 years) with intermediate-risk disease. 100 patients (10 low-risk and 90 intermediate-risk) will enrol within a 4-year enrolment period and the follow-up period will be 3 years. 108 institutions are participating as of 1 January 2024 (64 university hospitals, 29 general hospitals, 12 children's hospitals and three cancer centres). ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This research was approved by the Certified Review Board at NHO Nagoya Medical Center (Nagoya, Japan) on 21 September 2021. Written informed consent is obtained from all patients and/or their guardians. The results of this study will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. STUDY REGISTRATION: Japan Registry of Clinical Trials, jRCTs041210104.

Correlation of CYP2C19 phenotype with voriconazole plasma concentration in children.

BACKGROUND: Voriconazole is a triazole antifungal agent with potent activity against a broad spectrum of pathogens, including Aspergillus and Candida species. In human adults, allelic polymorphisms of CYP2C19 are known to correlate with significant variation in voriconazole plasma concentration. Here, we report an analysis of CYP2C19 phenotype and voriconazole plasma concentrations in children. METHODS: This retrospective study included 37 children who had voriconazole plasma concentrations measured from May 2006 to June 2011. All had single-nucleotide polymorphisms that define the 3 major CYP2C19 alleles. Patients were classified as follows: normal metabolizers, intermediate metabolizers, poor metabolizers, or hypermetabolizers. RESULTS: The frequencies of the 3 CYP2C19 genetic polymorphisms were similar to those previously reported for Japanese adults. Trough plasma concentrations of voriconazole were significantly higher in the poor metabolizer and intermediate metabolizer groups compared with the normal metabolizer and hypermetabolizer groups (P=0.004). Two patients with high plasma concentrations experienced voriconazole-related severe adverse events (syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion and cardiac toxicities). CONCLUSIONS: The current study suggests that a significant association exists in children between the voriconazole plasma concentration and the CYP2C19 phenotype. Dose adjustment based on CYP2C19 phenotype may be useful during voriconazole therapy, especially for Japanese children, who as a group have a higher incidence of the poor metabolizer and intermediate metabolizer phenotypes.

Effect of albumin measurement methods on the albumin-bilirubin grade.

BACKGROUND: Albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade is an index of liver function based on total bilirubin (T-BIL) and albumin levels, and its usefulness has been widely reported. This study aimed to investigate the effect of different methods of measuring T-BIL and albumin levels on the ALBI grade in patients with liver disease. METHODS: In total, 170 patients from our hospital were included in this study. Correlations between T-BIL levels measured using the vanadate oxidation and enzymatic methods were analysed. Similarly, a correlation analysis of albumin levels between the bromocresol green (BCG) and modified bromocresol purple (BCP) methods was performed. Additionally, the ALBI grade was calculated for patients with liver disease, and the differences between each method of albumin measurement were compared. RESULTS: No differences were observed in the measured T-BIL values between the two methods. Contrastingly, the albumin levels of 100 random samples and 70 liver disease patients obtained using the modified BCP method were significantly lower than those measured using the BCG method. The rate of change in the modified ALBI grade between the BCG and BCP methods was 25.7%. CONCLUSIONS: Caution should be taken when comparing ALBI grades with those measured by other facilities because the method of albumin measurement can affect the ALBI grade. Standardization of albumin measurement is needed worldwide.

Future Perspective for ALK-Positive Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma with Initial Central Nervous System (CNS) Involvement: Could Next-Generation ALK Inhibitors Replace Brain Radiotherapy for the Prevention of Further CNS Relapse?

Central nervous system (CNS) involvement in anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) at diagnosis is rare and leads to poor prognosis with the use of the standard ALCL99 protocol alone. CNS-directed intensive chemotherapy, such as an increased dose of intravenous MTX, increased dose of dexamethasone, intensified intrathecal therapy, and high-dose cytarabine, followed by cranial irradiation, has been shown to improve survival in this population. In this paper, the authors describe a 14-year-old male with an intracranial ALCL mass at onset who received CNS-directed chemotherapy followed by 23.4 Gy of whole-brain irradiation. After the first systemic relapse, the CNS-penetrating ALK inhibitor, alectinib, was applied; it has successfully maintained remission for 18 months without any adverse events. CNS-penetrating ALK inhibitor therapy might prevent CNS relapse in pediatric ALK-positive ALCL. Next-generation ALK inhibitors could be introduced as a promising treatment option, even for primary ALCL with CNS involvement, which could lead to the omission of cranial irradiation and avoid radiation-induced sequalae. Further evidence of CNS-penetrating ALK inhibitor combined therapy for primary ALK-positive ALCL is warranted to reduce radiation-induced sequalae in future treatments.

De novo childhood myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative disease with unique molecular characteristics.

Myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative uclassifiable (MDS/MPN-U) is a rare myeloid neoplasm characterized by myelodysplasia and myeloproliferation at the time of initial presentation, which is usually a diagnosis of exclusion. The molecular pathogenesis of MDS/MPN-U patients remains to be elucidated. Among five patients diagnosed with MDS/MPN-U, three patients harboured RUNX1 (AML1) mutations; one carried somatic mosaicism of RUNX1 mutation with JAK2(V617F) mutation and one had dual RUNX1 and FLT3-internal tandem duplication mutations with progression to acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Germline mutation of TP53 was detected as a sole genetic lesion in one patient. JAK2(V617F) and somatic mosaicism of KRAS and TET2 mutations co-existed in one patient. Otherwise, no alterations were detected in PTPN11, NRAS, CBL and ASXL1 genes. ETV6-PDGFRB fusion transcript was not detected in all patients. Four patients recieved haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT); three patients relapsed and one achieved complete remission after three donor lymphocyte infusions. Our findings suggest that the mutational spectrum observed in childhood MDS/MPN-U is quite different from that seen in juvenile myelomonocytic leukaemia and, to some extent, resemble chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia. Moreover, two patients had constitutional alterations of genes frequently found in AML. Further investigations are required to define the roles of these genetic alterations in the pathogenesis of childhood MDS/MPN-U.