[Quality control of red blood cell pockets produced at Centre National de Transfusion Sanguine de Lomé]. / Evaluation de la qualité des concentrés de globules rouges produits au Centre National de Transfusion Sanguine de Lomé.

INTRODUCTION: at the National Center for Blood Transfusion (NCBT) in Lomé, whole blood is systematically separated into its various labile blood products. This study aims to assess the quality of the red blood cell concentrates (RBCC) produced. METHODS: we conducted a cross-sectional study on 260 RBCCs (204 adult units and 56 paediatric units) from January to March 2018. The bags were weighed to determine the volume of their content. Hemoglobin and hematocrit levels were determined using the Horiba Medical Pentra XLR device. We evaluated the fidelity and precision of the device in order to ensure the accuracy of the measurements of the variables analyzed. Statistical analyses were performed using the R software. RESULTS: adult units assessment showed that 79.90%; 81.86% and 43.13% bags were consistent with respect to the volume and haemoglobin and haematocrit levels. Paediatric units assessment showed that 98.21%; 69.64% and 37.50% bags were consistent with respect to the volume and haemoglobin and haematocrit levels. Simultaneous analysis of the three parameters showed a compliance rate of 42.16% for RBCCs in adults against 35.71% for pediatric RBCCs. CONCLUSION: we recommend to expand the interval between two blood donations and to perform hemoglobin test before blood donation in compliance with the eligibility criteria for giving blood at the National Center for Blood Transfusion in Lomé.

[Characteristics of chronic lymphocytic leukemia in Togo]. / Caractéristiques de la leucémie lymphoïde chronique au Togo.

The epidemiological, clinical and biological characteristics of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) are little studied in Togo. The purpose of this study was to describe these characteristics at the time of diagnosis. We conducted a retrospective and descriptive study of patients diagnosed at the University Hospital Campus from January 1999 to December 2018. Over the past two decades, 87 patients were seen for CLL (20% of patients with hematological malignancies) with an annual prevalence of 4.35 new cases. The average age of patients was 61 +/- 12,48 years (ranging from 17-85 years); 55 women and 32 men (sex ratio M/F 0.58) were enrolled. Clinically, 16 patients (18%) had no tumor syndrome, 33 patients (38%) had lymphadenopathy, 62 patients (71%) splenomegaly and 23 patients (26%) hepatomegaly. Biologically, the mean blood and medullary lymphocyte count was 87188/mm3 (ranging from 7000-481780/mm3) and 75.75% +/- 12,88 (ranging from 44,5-96,5%) respectively; 65 patients (75%) had haemoglobin less than 10g/dl and 20 patients (23%) had platelet count below 100000/mm3. At the time of diagnosis, 67 patients (77%) had Binet stage C, 7 patients (8%) stage B and 13 patients (15%) stage A. The study of biological prognostics factors showed that 66% of cases had ß2-microglobulin level higher than normal and 95% of cases had LDH higher than normal. CLL is a reality in Togo with a predominance of women and an average age of 61 years. Most patients are seen at Binet stage C and their assessment has revealed huge tumor mass with increased LDH and ß2-microglobulin. The current follow-up of these patients will enable us to assess their overall survival.

[Types of bcr-abl and their correlations with the blood count in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in Togo]. / Les transcrits bcr-abl et leurs corrélations avec l'hémogramme au cours de la leucémie myéloïde chronique (LMC) au Togo.

This study aims to describe the different bcr-abl gene transcript variants in order to determine their frequency and to study their influence on CBC diagnostic test. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 34 patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in Togo. The search for fusion transcripts was performed in the laboratory of biological haematology at the Henri Mondor Hospital, Créteil (France). The average age of patients was 42,32±14,87 years ranging between 9 and 65 years. Most patients were male, with a sex- ratio of 1.61 (21 men and 13 women). Molecular examination showed b3-a2 transcript and b2-a2 transcript. Nineteen patients (55.88%) expressed b3-a2 transcript, 13 patients (38.24%) b2-a2 transcript (32.10%) and two patients expressed both b3-a2 and b2-a2 transcripts (5.88%). At diagnosis, mean hemoglobin level, the average number of white blood cells and the average number of platelets in patients expressing b3-a2 transcript were 99,2g/L; 207,63g/l and 451,28g/l respectively. In patients expressing b2-a2 transcript values were 104,6g/l, 114,32g/l and 486,11g/l. In patients with both transcripts, values were 67g/L, 867g/l and 780g/l respectively. CBC parameters are more significantly altered in patients with both transcripts b3-a2 and b2-a2.

Blood typing profile of a school-aged population of a North Togo township.

The aim of this study was the determination of hemoglobin (Hb) variants and ABO blood groups in a school population aged 6 to 9 years in the township of Agbandé-Yaka in North Togo. A cross-sectional study was carried out on 570 children of four primary schools at Agbande-Yaka, between March and July 2010. Hemoglobin characterization was done by alkaline buffer electrophoresis and the blood types ABO-Rhesus (Rh) D by immuno-hematological methods. A Hb variant was detected in 37.0% of the schoolchildren. Among them, the AS trait accounted for 11.9% and the AC trait for 20.2%. Homozygous Hb S (HBB: c.20A>T) was not found but Hb C (HBB: c.19G>A) appeared at a frequency of 3.3%, while compound heterozygotes carrying Hb SC were seen at a frequency of 1.6%. The O, B and A blood groups accounted for 49.0, 26.8 and 21.9%, respectively. The Hb anomalies reached a high prevalence in this school population. These results are remarkable by the absence of homozygous Hb S individuals compared to homozygous Hb C individuals, which were as numerous as expected. The frequencies of the ABO blood groups are similar to what has been found in other West African populations.