Long-Term Efficacy of High-Dose Imatinib in Hispanic Patients Without Access to Second-Generation Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors Treated in LATAM Centers.

BACKGROUND: While second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) revolutionized treatment for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) who developed a suboptimal response to imatinib, many patients in developing countries are fixed to the latter due to socioeconomic barriers. Despite this scenario, scarce information is available to evaluate the clinical prognosis of these patients. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis to compare the overall mortality of patients with CML who developed a suboptimal response to a standard dose of imatinib and were treated with either high-dose imatinib or a second-generation TKI. We created a marginal structural model with inverse probability weighting and stabilized weights. Our primary outcome was overall survival (OS) at 150 months. Our secondary outcomes were disease-free survival (DFS) at 150 months and adverse events. RESULTS: The cohort included 148 patients, of which 32 received high-dose imatinib and 116 a second-generation TKI. No difference was found in the 150-month overall survival risk (RR: 95% CI 0.91, 0.55-1.95, P-value = .77; RD: -0.04, -0.3 to 0.21, P-value = .78) and disease-free survival (RR: 1.02, 95% CI 0.53-2.71, P-value = .96; RD: 0.01, -0.26 to 0.22, P-value = .96). There was also no difference in the incidence of adverse events in either group. CONCLUSION: Ideally, patients who develop a suboptimal response to imatinib should be switched to a second-generation TKI. If impossible, however, our findings suggest that patients treated with high-dose imatinib have a similar overall survival and disease-free survival prognosis to patients receiving a second-generation TKI.

A Multi-Institutional Validation of the Prognostic Value of the Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Patients With Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma: A Study From The Latin American Group of Lymphoproliferative Disorders (GELL).

INTRODUCTION: We aimed at investigating the prognostic role of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in 2 independent cohorts of Latin American patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) treated with chemoimmunotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The learning cohort was composed of 274 patients and the validation cohort of 323 patients, for a total of 597 patients. An optimal NLR cutoff ≥ 4 was determined using receiver operating characteristic analysis. RESULTS: In multivariate models, NLR ≥ 4 was independently associated with lower odds for complete response to chemoimmunotherapy in the learning (odds ratio, 0.46; P = .006) and the validation cohort (odds ratio, 0.49; P = .01), and independently associated with worse survival in the learning (hazard ratio, 1.55; P = .04) and the validation cohort (hazard ratio, 1.80; P = .003). CONCLUSIONS: The adverse prognostic value of NLR ≥ 4 was independent of the International Prognostic Index and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network-International Prognostic Index score. Based on the results of this multi-institutional study, NLR ≥ 4 emerges as an adverse prognostic factor in Latin American patients with DLBCL treated with chemoimmunotherapy.

Iron deficiency anemia referral to the hematologist. Real-world data from Mexico: the need for targeted teaching in primary care.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the referral patterns and etiology of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) at an academic hematology center in northeast Mexico. METHODS: We included all consecutive outpatients older than 16 years, non-pregnant, with IDA diagnosed in the Hematology Service of the Dr. José E. González University Hospital between January 2012 and May 2017. Appropriate data were collected retrospectively from the electronic medical record. Data regarding first medical contact (primary care physician or hematologist) were compared. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-three patients were included in this study. The median age was 43 years (interquartile range, 35-51) and 85.6% were female; 128 (83.7%) patients were seen by a primary care physician before our evaluation. Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) was the cause of IDA in 76 patients (49.6%), gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) in 31 (20.2%), H. pylori infection in 12 (7.8%), urinary tract bleeding in three (1.9%) and malabsorption-syndrome in two (1.3%). The etiology remained unknown in 29 (18.9%). The p value was <0.05 between groups according to the first medical contact, including frequency of at least one sign or symptom of IDA, previous use of iron supplementation and blood transfusion, comorbidities, complete blood count at diagnosis, and resolution rates of anemia. CONCLUSION: The majority of our IDA patients were referred by another physician. Nearly half of the patients with IDA had AUB. IDA remains a diagnostic challenge for first contact physicians requiring a targeted educational intervention to improve IDA awareness and diagnostic skills.

Comparative analysis of iron status and other hematological parameters in preeclampsia.

OBJECTIVE: To compare serum ferritin (SF) concentrations and other hematological parameters between patients with preeclampsia (PE) and normal pregnant women of the same gestational period who received supplemental iron during pregnancy. METHODS: Prospective, comparative, observational pilot study that included 31 women with PE and 30 healthy pregnant women, at 20 weeks' of gestation. Ferritin, iron and complete blood cell count were compared between groups. RESULTS: In comparison with controls, preeclamptic patients had a higher weight, body mass index, and arterial pressure. Serum ferritin and serum iron were higher in patients with PE (median: 36.5 µg/l vs. 20.9 µg/l and 103.9 µg/dl vs. 90.8 µg/dl) with a significant difference (P = 0.019 and P = 0.345). SF values >40 µg/l correlated with PE (r = 0.281; P = 0.032). A platelet count less than 100 × 109/l was higher in the PE group than in the control group (13% vs. 3%, P = 0.354). CONCLUSION: Higher SF levels, despite being within normal range, were associated with PE. The incidence of thrombocytopenia was higher in preeclamptic women, however, the remaining hematological parameters were similar in both groups.

Importance of Nutrition in the Treatment of Leukemia in Children and Adolescents.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Malnutrition has been identified as a prognostic factor in children and adolescents with leukemia. METHODS: A review of the data available on this topic has been carried out. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: In children and adolescents (0-19 years of age), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the commonest form of cancer worldwide and malnutrition is prevalent in this age group, especially in low- and middle-income countries where most of these young people live. Obesity, measured by body mass index, is associated with poorer survival rates in children and adolescents with ALL and acute myelogenous leukemia in high-income countries. In contrast, undernutrition is linked to poorer survival rates among young people with leukemia in low- and middle-income countries.

Matched sibling donors versus alternative donors in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for pediatric severe aplastic anemia in México.

Objectives Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) from a matched sibling donor (MSD) is the preferred initial treatment for children with severe aplastic anemia (SAA). Unfortunately, only about 30% of patients have a suitable human leukocyte antigen-matched sibling. Methods We have analyzed the outcome of 42 patients who received HSCT (22 MSD and 20 alternative donors (AD)) for SAA at the seven major pediatric HSCT centers in Mexico between 2001 and 2013. Results With a median follow-up of 30 months (range, 0.4-144), the 5-year overall survival in children transplanted from MSD was 86.4 + 7.3 vs. 49.5 + 11% for children after AD-HSCT (P = 0.013). The cumulative incidence of treatment-related mortality (TRM) was in the MSD-HSCT 9.1 + 3.9% vs. 47.6 + 9.1% in the AD-HSCT context (P = 0.007). Infectious complications contributed to death (91%) of most patients who received AD-HSCT. Discussion Even when the results of patients given MSD-HSCT are adequate, there is still much room for improvement particularly in children allografted with AD and in the supportive care. The development of an economicwise designed prospective project with MSD or matched unrelated donor HSCTs as a first line of treatment of children with SAA as a unified national trial could address these issues.

Use of complementary and alternative medicine by patients with hematological diseases experience at a university hospital in northeast Mexico.

BACKGROUND: Complementary and alternative medicine includes a diverse group of medical and healthcare systems, practices and products not considered part of conventional medicine. Although there is information on unconventional practices in oncological diseases, specific data regarding the use of complementary and alternative medicine by hematology patients is scarce. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to document the prevalence of this modality of unconventional therapy in patients with malignant and benign hematological diseases, particularly children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. METHODS: An observational study of adult patients and guardians of children with malignant or benign hematological diseases was carried out by applying a structured questionnaire detailing the use and results of the most prevalent complementary and alternative medicine practices. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty patients were included; 104 had malignant and 16 had benign hematological diseases. The use of complementary and alternative medicine was greater in benign diseases but the difference was not statistically significant (64.7% versus 41.7%; p-value = 0.08). Patients and guardians with high school or college educations used these alternative practices more than patients with less schooling (60.7% versus 54.7%; p-value = 0.032). The use of folk remedies was most prevalent followed by herbal preparations and spiritual healing. Sixty-four percent of patients that used these unconventional practices reported improvement in their symptoms and increased capacity to perform daily activities. CONCLUSION: No significant difference was documented between patients with malignant or benign hematological diseases using these alternative practices. The majority of complementary and alternative medicine users reported improvement of the disease or chemotherapy-related symptoms.

Use of complementary and alternative medicine by patients with hematological diseases: experience at a university hospital in northeast Mexico

BACKGROUND: Complementary and alternative medicine includes a diverse group of medical and healthcare systems, practices and products not considered part of conventional medicine. Although there is information on unconventional practices in oncological diseases, specific data regarding the use of complementary and alternative medicine by hematology patients is scarce. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to document the prevalence of this modality of unconventional therapy in patients with malignant and benign hematological diseases, particularly children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. METHODS: An observational study of adult patients and guardians of children with malignant or benign hematological diseases was carried out by applying a structured questionnaire detailing the use and results of the most prevalent complementary and alternative medicine practices. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty patients were included; 104 had malignant and 16 had benign hematological diseases. The use of complementary and alternative medicine was greater in benign diseases but the difference was not statistically significant (64.7% versus 41.7%; p-value = 0.08). Patients and guardians with high school or college educations used these alternative practices more than patients with less schooling (60.7% versus 54.7%; p-value = 0.032). The use of folk remedies was most prevalent followed by herbal preparations and spiritual healing. Sixty-four percent of patients that used these unconventional practices reported improvement in their symptoms and increased capacity to perform daily activities. CONCLUSION: No significant difference was documented between patients with malignant or benign hematological diseases using these alternative practices. The majority of complementary and alternative medicine users reported improvement of the disease or chemotherapy-related symptoms.

Sub-optimal fetal iron acquisition under a maternal environment.

Iron deficiency acquired at an early age can lead to significant developmental alterations. To evaluate the need for an interventional trial, we determined the iron reserves of neonates born to a group of women from an urban disadvantaged group. The influence of maternal iron on newborn hemoglobin, birth weight, and height was also analyzed. Hemoglobin and serum ferritin (SF) concentrations were measured at delivery on 201 neonates and their mothers. Neonatal iron stores were considered deficient when the cord SF concentration was <12.0 microg/L, reduced if > or =12.0 but <30 microg/L, and replenished when > or =30 microg/L. The same cut-offs applied to maternal SF values. Cord SF in the study group was 81.2 +/- 63 microg/L. Following the criteria adopted for this study, three groups of neonates were identified. I: 13 (6.5%) were born with deficient iron stores, II: 15 (7.5%) had reduced iron stores, and III: 173 (86%) had normal levels of storage iron. Cord SF concentrations were 7.1 +/- 3.5, 19.9 +/- 4.4 and 92 +/- 60 microg/L, respectively. Cord hemoglobin did not differ among groups. Iron stores at birth were reduced when maternal stores were deficient, reflecting a limited fetal iron-acquisition capacity and the restrictive effect of gestational iron deficiency on the constitution of adequate fetal iron reserves. These findings support the need for an interventional trial on the study population. Hemoglobin, birth weight, and height did not correlate with fetal or maternal iron stores.

Iron stores in low-income pregnant Mexican women at term.

BACKGROUND: Iron stores can be depleted during pregnancy. Serum ferritin is the most useful non-invasive test to assess iron stores in women of reproductive age. Iron status of pregnant Mexican women at term from a low-income group was investigated through serum ferritin determinations. METHODS: Hemoglobin and serum ferritin were measured in 201 low-income urban women with at-term pregnancy receiving attention at a public university hospital. Hemoglobin cut-off value was 110.0 g/L. Depending on their serum ferritin concentration, women were divided into three groups: group I, iron deficiency, serum ferritin <12 microg/L; group II, borderline iron stores, serum ferritin >or=12 microg/L and <30 microg/L, and group III, normal iron stores, serum ferritin >or=30 microg/L. RESULTS: Mean SF value in the entire group was 7.0 +/- 6.4 microg/L, with a mean Hb of 110.1 +/- 15.8 g/L. One hundred seventy-two women (85.6%) had empty iron stores. Ninety-two women (46%) in the entire group had iron deficiency anemia, as did 79 (46%) of the 172 iron-deficient women. During their pregnancy, 165 women (82%) did not ingest any supplemental iron and 131 (65%) did not receive any prenatal care. CONCLUSIONS: We documented a high prevalence of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia, together with practically no prenatal care utilization and no supplemental iron ingestion in this low-income group. A serum ferritin concentration >or=12 microg/L was always accompanied by a normal hemoglobin concentration. These data suggest that prenatal care and iron supplementation may be considered as major determinants of maternal iron stores to prevent iron deficiency anemia.

Relationship Between Gestational Iron Deficiency and Iron Deficiency in the Newborn; Erythrocytes.

Objective: To investigate the iron status of women at term and its impact in their neonates. Study design: Serum ferritin (SF) was measured in 201 women at term and in their newborns. The relationship between maternal and infant SF and hemoglobin (Hb) and the effects of partial prenatal care and iron supplementation were analyzed. Results: 86% of the women had iron deficiency (ID) at term and 46% were anemic. 13 (7.5%) of the babies born to the 172 iron deficient mothers were also iron deficient, but none of the babies born to the 29 mothers with SF levels > 12 &mgr;g/L. The mean cord ferritin level (103.6 +/- 75 &mgr;g/L) and Hb (164 +/- 20 g/L) were significantly higher in babies born to mothers who had SF > 12 &mgr;g/L, compared to babies born to iron deficient mothers (73.5 +/- 49 &mgr;g/L and 156 +/- 16 g/L). The respective values in iron deficient babies were 7.1 +/- 3.5 &mgr;g/L and 157 +/- 9.0 g/L, compared to 82.8 +/- 52.8 &mgr;g/L and 162 +/- 17.5 g/L in the iron sufficient babies. Conclusion: ID was diagnosed in 86% of women at term and in 7.5% of their neonates. A placental iron threshold, limiting iron acquiscition by the fetuses of women with severe ID, is suggested.