Association of a decreased platelet count with poor survival in patients with adult secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

We aimed to examine the association between baseline platelet count (PLT) and the prognosis of adult secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (sHLH). Data from 292 patients with pretreatment platelet counts were retrospectively analysed from January 2016 to December 2020. We categorized platelet count into quartiles. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic splines (RCS) were used to evaluate the relationship between platelet count and mortality. During a median follow-up of 53 (interquartile ranges, 17-223) days, a total of 208 deaths occurred. After adjusting for multiple variables, a non-linear and inverse relationship was observed between platelet count and mortality in sHLH patient (P for nonlinearity=0.002). For non- lymphoma-associated haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (non-LHLH), a similar curve was also observed (P for nonlinearity =0.028). Decreased PLT (PLT Q4) was associated with an increased risk of mortality (adjusted hazard ratio: 1.97; 95% confidence interval: 1.28-3.04; Ptrend =0.005). Similar results were observed in the LHLH subgroup (adjusted hazard ratio: 1.84; 95% confidence interval: 1.05-3.24; Ptrend =0.024) but not in the non-LHLH subgroup (Ptrend =0.266). Baseline platelet count demonstrated a nonlinear and inverse association with an increased risk of mortality among adult sHLH patients. This method is used to identify sHLH patients with inferior overall survival due to its low cost and universal availability.

Prognostic Value of Blood-Based Inflammatory Biomarkers in Secondary Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis.

PURPOSE: Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare systematic immune disease manifested with excessive activation of lymphocytes and macrophages. This study was designed to explore the feasible prognostic factors of secondary HLH (sHLH). METHOD: We retrospectively analyzed 179 patients with newly diagnosed sHLH from January 2016 to May 2019 according to the HLH-2004 protocol. Baseline characteristics and laboratory results were reviewed. RESULTS: The median age of all patients was 53 years, with a male/female ratio of 1.45. The commonest cause of HLH was malignancy. Of the 179 patients, 48.6% presented with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, 92.8% with hemocytopenia (at least 2 lineages), 60.3% with hypofibrinogenemia, 43.0% with hypertriglyceridemia (≥ 3 mmol/L), 99.4% with high ferritin, 97.8% with fever, 72.1% with splenomegaly, and 72.6% with hemophagocytosis. As to their prognosis, 122 patients died; the median survival was 88 days, with a 2-year survival rate of 26.72%. Univariate analysis confirmed neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio ˃ 2.53, lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) ≤ 4.43, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio ˃ 227.27, red blood cell distribution width ˃ 14.6, red blood cell distribution width-to-platelet ratio (RPR) > 0.33, EBV infection, platelet ≤ 34 × 109 /L, fibrinogen ≤ 1.34 g/L, alkaline phosphatase ˃ 182.4 U/L, adenosine deaminase ˃ 69.2 U/L, and ferritin ˃ 2318 ng/mL were associated with an inferior survival. In a multivariate model, LMR, RPR, and ferritin were considered as three independent factors. CONCLUSION: Some blood-based inflammatory markers, which can be easily and cheaply detected, are significantly associated with the OS of HLH patients. LMR and RPR, superior to NLR, PLR, RDW, can be taken to predict the OS of patients with HLH.

The Prognosis Role of AST/ALT (De Ritis) Ratio in Patients with Adult Secondary Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis.

PURPOSE: Secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (sHLH) accompanied by liver involvement, characterized by hepatomegaly and increased liver enzymes, is usually associated with elevated mortality. However, the magnitude of these associations remains unknown. Our objective was to assess the associations of the aspartate transaminase/alanine transaminase (AST/ALT, De Ritis) ratio with overall survival among adult patients with sHLH. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 289 patients aged 18-86 years with complete serum transaminase data at diagnosis of sHLH. Multivariate Cox regression analyses and restricted cubic splines were conducted to address the association between the De Ritis ratio and the risk of mortality. RESULTS: The median De Ritis ratio for the entire study population was 1.34 (IQR: 0.84-2.29). After a median follow-up time of 60 (range 17-227.5) days, 205 deaths occurred. After fully adjusting for hepatomegaly, albumin, fibrinogen, EBV, ferritin, etiologies, and treatment strategies, the adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) with corresponding confidence intervals (CIs) of mortality for the 2 st tertile and 3 st tertile were 1.2 (0.8-1.7) and 1.6 (1.1-2.2), respectively (P < 0.01 for trends). Restricted cubic spline confirmed a linear association between the log2-transformed De Ritis ratio and the risk of mortality. Moreover, this trend persisted in subgroups with MHLH, hyperferrinaemia, sCD25 ≤ 20,000 ng/L, patients without EBV infection, and those received treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The De Ritis ratio is a strong and independent predictor for overall survival in patients with sHLH. As a readily available biomarker in routine clinical practice, it is used to identify patients with sHLH with inferior overall survival.

Inflammatory Response after Different Ablation Strategies for Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) has been gaining popularity; however, the trend of inflammatory response markers in patients treated with different catheter ablation strategies over time and their predictability of AF recurrence remain unknown. METHODS: A total of 210 patients with AF were enrolled and grouped according to surgical mode as follows: freeze group, RF group, and freeze3D group. The subjects were tested for related indexes before and after surgery. To determine AF recurrence during follow up, 24-h ambulatory electrocardiography was performed at two, three, six, and 12 months after surgery. RESULTS: The inflammation indexes of the three groups peaked between one and three days after surgery but fell at different time points (P < .05). The recurrence rate of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) was positively correlated with the increase in the percentage of white blood cells and neutrophils after surgery (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: The postoperative inflammation indices peaked and fell at different time points after different catheter ablation methods. In addition, the recurrence rate of AF in patients treated with freeze3D is lower.

Association of MDR1 single-nucleotide polymorphisms and haplotype variants with multiple myeloma in Chinese Jiangsu Han population.

Multidrug resistance 1 (MDR1) gene encodes P-glycoprotein (P-gp), which acts as an efflux pump and provides cell protection against various substances, and its single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are associated with the development of malignant hematologic diseases. The present study aimed at investigating whether the MDR1 SNPs and haplotype variants were correlated with the susceptibility to multiple myeloma (MM). A total of 115 MM patients and 153 healthy controls from Jiangsu Han population were enrolled and genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-allele-specific primer (PCR-ASP) method or DNA direct sequencing at MDR1 loci of C1236T, G2677T/A, and C3435T. No significance was found in the distribution of alleles and genotypes in MDR1 three loci. Diplotype analysis has also demonstrated no effect in susceptibility to MM. But, in haplotype analysis, the haplotype of T-G-T was significantly more common than healthy controls (12.6 % in MM group vs. 1.7 % in control group, odds ratios (ORs) = 8.7, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 3.3-22.8, Pc < 0.01). Our results pointed out that comparable allele, genotype, and diplotype frequencies among MM patients and controls in Chinese Jiangsu Han population were found; the frequency of T-G-T haplotype was significantly increased in MM group compared with the control group, which indicated that this haplotype might be associated with the susceptibility to MM.

MDR1 polymorphisms have an impact on the prognosis of Chinese diffuse large B cell lymphoma patients.

MDR1 (multidrug resistance 1) encodes an adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-dependent efflux transporter that plays a fundamental role in transportation of harmful compounds outside cells to maintain optimal health. The present study was aimed to investigate whether the MDR1 gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were associated with the prognosis of diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Three common SNPs, including C1236T, G2677T/A, and C3435T were focused on, and a total of 150 DLBCL patients from Jiangsu Han population were successively genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-allele-specific primers (PCR-ASP) method or DNA direct sequencing. At locus C1236T, patients carrying T allele (genotype CT and TT) had a prolonged overall survival (OS) when compared with patients with CC genotype (2-year OS 82.6 vs. 60.0 %, respectively; hazard ratio (HR) = 0.1, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.01-0.6, p = 0.016). At locus C3435T, complete remission/ complete remission unconfirmed (CR/CRu) rate in C allele group was significantly higher than T allele group (66.7 vs. 51.9 %, respectively; p = 0.009). The progression-free survival (PFS) curves of with T (genotype CT and TT) and without T (genotype CC) were significantly different (2-year PFS 46.4 % in with T group vs. 73.7 % in without T group, respectively; HR = 1.9, 95 % CI 1.0-3.6, p = 0.045). At locus G2677T/A, the age for genotypes AG and AT groups was significantly younger than the other genotypes (51.1 ± 12.6 vs. 57.7 ± 13.4 years, respectively; p = 0.033). In the haplotype analysis of loci 1236-3435, compared with T-C group, the C-T group displayed an inferior PFS rate (2-year PFS 23.0 vs. 50.6 %, respectively; HR = 7.8, 95 % CI 1.9-32.6, p = 0.005), while C-C and T-T groups showed an intermediate PFS rate. Our findings demonstrate that genotype CT + TT at locus C1236T, allele C, and genotype CC at locus C3435T might contribute to a relatively superior prognosis in DLBCL, as well as haplotype of T-C in loci 1236-3435. Besides, genotypes at locus G2677T/A might affect age at diagnosis, which has important prognostic value for DLBCL.

Comparison of different treatment regimens and analysis of prognostic factors in secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in adults: A single-center retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a life-threatening disease caused by immune hyperactivation. The overall survival (OS) of adults with secondary HLH remains suboptimal and new treatment strategies are needed. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to compare the efficacy of different regimens in the treatment of secondary HLH in adults and analyze the prognostic factors affecting patient survival. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The clinical data of 245 adults with secondary HLH admitted to our hospital from January 2016 to October 2021 were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were divided into 3 groups according to different treatment regimens: corticosteroids therapy + chemotherapy + supportive treatment group (JHZ group), chemotherapy + supportive treatment group (HZ group) and corticosteroids therapy + supportive treatment group (JZ group). The clinical efficacy was compared among the 3 groups after treatment, and progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated. Additionally, risk factors associated with prognosis were also analyzed with Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: The objective response rate (ORR) in the JHZ group was higher than that in the HZ group and JZ group, but there was no significant difference between the 3 groups. Also, the patients in the JHZ group had the longest OS and median PFS. Further Cox regression analysis suggested that hyperbilirubinemia was an independent risk factor for OS in secondary HLH patients. CONCLUSIONS: A combination of corticosteroids therapy, chemotherapy and supportive therapy is superior to the other 2 regimens in the clinical benefit in the treatment of secondary HLH in adults, and thus may be a preferred and feasible treatment regimen. Moreover, hyperbilirubinemia was a risk factor for prognosis that has crucial guiding significance for clinical treatment of patients with secondary HLH.

[Effect of Plasma Epstein-Barr Virus Nucleic Acid Loads on the Clinical Features and Prognosis in Adult Secondary Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of pre-treatment plasma Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA copy number on the clinical features and prognosis of patients with adult secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis(sHLH). METHODS: The clinical characteristics, survival rate, and prognostic factors of 171 patients with adult sHLH treated at Jiangsu Province Hospital from June 2017 to January 2022 were retrospectively analyzed in this study. Patients were divided into three groups, including the EBV DNA-negative group(<5.0×102 copies/ml), lower EBV-DNA loads group(5.0×102-8.51×104 copies/ml), and higher EBV-DNA loads group(＞8.51×104 copies/ml), according to pre-treatment plasma EBV-DNA copy number. Cox regression model was established for screening prognostic factors. Adult sHLH survival prediction model was constructed and realized through the nomogram based on EBV-DNA load after adjusted the factors affecting survival of etiology and treatment strategy.Concordance index (C-index) and calibration curves were calculated to verify model predictive and discriminatory capacity. RESULTS: Among 171 adult sHLH patients, 84 patients were not infected with EBV (EBV DNA-negative group), and 87 with EBV (EBV DNA-positive group, 48 lower EBV-DNA loads group and 39 higher EBV-DNA loads group). Consistent elevations in the levels of liver enzymes (ALT and AST), LDH, TG, ß 2-microglobulin and ferritin across the increasing of EBV-DNA load (all P <0.05), while the levels of fibrinogen decrease (P <0.001). The median follow-up time was 52 days (range 20-230 days), and 123 patients died. The overall survival (OS) rate of patients in EBV DNA-positive group was lower than that in EBV DNA-negative group (median OS: 40 days vs 118 days, P <0.001). Higher EBV-DNA loads had worse OS (median OS: 24 days vs 45 days vs 118 days, P <0.0001 for trend) compared to lower EBV-DNA loads and EBV DNA-negative group. Multivariate Cox analysis revealed that higher EBV-DNA loads (P =0.005), fibrinogen≤1.5 g/L (P ＝0.012), ferritin (P ＝0.041), associated lymphoma (P ＝0.002), and anti-tumor based strategy (P ＝0.001) were independent prognostic factors for OS. The C-indexes of 30 day, 90 days, 365 days survival rate were all greater than 0.8 of the nomogram model and calibration curves provided credibility to their predictive capability. Subgroup analysis showed that patients with higher EBV-DNA loads had a significantly worse prognosis in adult sHLH who were women, ferritin＞5 000 µg/L, ß2-microglobulin＞7.4 mmol/L and regardless of age, etiologies, HScore points. CONCLUSION: The EBV-DNA load is a strong and independent predictor for survival in patients with sHLH. The prognostic nomogram based on EBV-DNA loads was dependable and provides a visual tool for evaluating the survival of adult sHLH.

Prognostic value of the albumin-bilirubin score in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

Secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (sHLH) is a rare life-threatening systemic disease. This study aimed to assess the prognostic value of pretreatment albumin-bilirubin (ALBI). We retrospectively analyzed 168 non-Hodgkin lymphoma-associated secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (NHL-sHLH) patients with hepatic injuries. Multivariable logistic/Cox models and restricted cubic spline models were conducted to evaluate the relationships between the ALBI score and short- and long-term survival. Among 168 adult NHL-sHLH patients, 82 (48.8%) patients died within 30 days after admission, and 144 (85.7%) patients died during the follow-up period. Multivariable logistic/Cox regression model indicated that ALBI grade could be an independent risk factor for predicting the prognosis of patients with 30-day mortality and overall survival (odds ratios [OR]30 days 5.37, 95% confidence interval 2.41-12.64, P < 0.001; hazard ratios [HR]OS 1.52, 95% confidence interval 1.06-2.18, P = 0.023), respectively. The restricted cubic spline curve displayed a linear and positive relationship between the ALBI score and risk of mortality (P for nonlinearity =0.503). Furthermore, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that the area under the curve (AUC) for predicting mortality by integrative analysis of the ALBI score and ferritin was significantly improved compared to the ALBI score (AUC 30 days: 0.820 vs 0.693, P = 0.001; AUC1 year: 0.754 vs 0.681, P = 0.043) or ferritin (AUC30 days: 0.820 vs 0.724, P = 0.005; AUC1 year: 0.754 vs 0.658, P = 0.031) alone. The ALBI score could be a useful indicator of short and long-term survival for NHL-sHLH patients with hepatic injuries.

Clinical value of soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1) in adult secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

BACKGROUND: Secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (sHLH) is a syndrome characterized by an excessive systemic inflammatory response, manifested by multiple organ dysfunction, lacking reliable immune biomarkers for predicting their inflammatory status and prognosis. Soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1) is associated with various inflammation-related diseases, including sepsis and severe organ failure. METHODS: This study retrospectively included 32 adult sHLH patients diagnosed from January 2020 to December 2021. The expression of Flt-1 in peripheral blood CD14 + monocytes was detected by flow cytometry, and the level of plasma sFlt-1 was detected by ELISA. RESULTS: In our study, the results of flow cytometry reveal that the Flt-1 expression on CD14 + monocytes of peripheral blood from sHLH patients was higher than that in normal control. In plasma samples of sHLH patients, sFlt-1 levels were 677.8 (463.2-929.7) pg/mL, significantly higher than in normal controls 377.18 (350.4-424.6) pg/mL and sepsis group 378.3 (257.0-499.1) pg/mL. Besides, a positive correlation was found between sFlt-1 and IL-6 in sHLH patients. The analysis of univariate Cox regression indicated that sFlt-1 >681.5 pg/mL demonstrated unfavorable overall survival ( p = 0.022). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that sFlt-1 >681.5 pg/mL was an independent factor associated with OS ( p = 0.041) after adjustment for confounders. Restricted cubic spline confirmed a linear and positive association between sFlt-1 and mortality risk. CONCLUSION: Retrospective analysis showed that sFlt-1 was a promising prognostic factor.

Characteristics and prognostic value of pleural effusion in secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

The clinical features of patients with secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (sHLH) complicated with pleural effusion have rarely been evaluated. We retrospectively analyzed 203 patients newly diagnosed with sHLH from July 2015 to July 2019 according to the HLH-2004 protocol. Baseline characteristics, laboratory results, and imaging were reviewed. Pleural effusion was found in 58.6% of the studied sHLH population, and characteristic imaging findings were minimal volume and bilaterality. Patients with pleural effusion had lower PLT counts, HB levels and ALB levels as well as higher sCD25 levels than those without pleural effusion (all p values < 0.05). Multivariate analyses showed that lg(sCD25) and PLT ≤ 65 × 109/L were significant risk factors for developing pleural effusion in sHLH. Regarding prognostic value, survival analysis showed a lower survival probability for patients with pleural effusion than for those without pleural effusion (median OS, 90 vs. 164 days, p = 0.028). In multivariate analysis, pleural effusion was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (OS) (HR 2.68; 95% CI 1.18-6.11, p = 0.019). Pleural effusion is frequently found in patients with sHLH and is associated with greater inflammation and worse outcomes.

The prevalence and prognosis of hyponatraemia in non-Hodgkin lymphoma-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (NHL-HLH) in adult secondary HLH is a common and universally highly lethal critical disorder. Hyponatraemia is the most common electrolyte disorder in the critical illness setting and acts as a negative prognostic factor. The aim of our study was to evaluate the prognostic role of hyponatraemia among patients with NHL-HLH. The results showed that 81 (52.9%) patients had hyponatraemia. After a median follow up 47 (range 14-180) days, there were 72 (88.9%) cumulative deaths in hyponatraemia group while 50 (69.4%) in normonatremia group. After adjustment for confounders, multivariate analysis revealed that hyponatraemia was an independent prognostic factor for OS (HR:1.51, 95% CI: 1.03-2.20; p = 0.033). Restricted cubic spline confirmed a linear and positive association between serum sodium and the risk of mortality. Hyponatraemia is relatively frequent in NHL-HLH. As a readily available biomarker in clinical routine, it was a promising prognostic predictor for NHL-HLH.

Association of acrylamide and glycidamide haemoglobin adduct levels with diabetes mellitus in the general population.

The frequency and duration of exposure to acrylamide (AA) from the environment and diet are associated with a range of adverse health effects. However, whether long-term AA exposure is related to diabetes mellitus (DM) remains unknown. Data from 3577 adults in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005-2006 and 2013-2016 aged ≥ 20 years was analysed. The main analyses applied multivariate logistic regression and restricted cubic spline models to investigate the associations between DM and AA haemoglobin biomarkers, including haemoglobin adducts of acrylamide and glycidamide (HbAA and HbGA), the sum of HbAA and HbGA (HbAA + HbGA), and the ratio of HbGA to HbAA (HbGA/HbAA) levels. After multivariable adjustment, the odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for DM comparing the highest with the lowest AA haemoglobin biomarker quartiles were 0.71 (0.55, 0.93), 0.92 (0.71, 1.18), 0.80 (0.62, 1.03) and 1.95 (1.51, 2.51) for HbAA, HbGA, HbAA + HbGA and HbGA/HbAA, respectively. The restricted cubic spline model demonstrated that HbAA was linearly and inversely associated with risk of DM (P for trend = 0.013), while HbGA/HbAA was nonlinearly and positively associated with the prevalence of DM (P for trend <0.001). These results support for epidemiological evidence that the HbAA and HbGA/HbAA are significantly associated with DM. Further studies are warranted to infer the causal role of AA exposure in the prevalence of DM.

Clinical features of 47 secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis patients complicated with capillary leak syndrome.

The clinical features of patients with secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (sHLH) complicated with capillary leak syndrome (CLS) remain controversial. The data of 259 sHLH patients were retrospectively analyzed. The clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, treatment, and prognosis of the CLS-sHLH group and non-CLS-sHLH group were compared. The levels of fibrinogen, albumin, and serum calcium in the CLS-sHLH group were lower than in the non-CLS-sHLH group, and serum triglycerides in the CLS-sHLH group were higher than in the non-CLS-sHLH group (P < 0.05). Univariate analysis showed that fibrinogen level was an independent prognostic factor in sHLH patients complicated with CLS. The median survival time was significantly shorter in patients with fibrinogen ≤ 1.3 g/L than in patients with fibrinogen > 1.3 g/L (P < 0.05). Patients with improved CLS conditions in the CLS-sHLH group had significantly increased albumin and serum calcium after treatment (P < 0.05); patients without improved conditions in the CLS-sHLH group also had significantly increased albumin after treatment (P < 0.05), but the serum calcium did not change significantly (P > 0.05). sHLH patients complicated with CLS had significantly worse prognosis than without CLS. Significant reduction in fibrinogen may be an independent prognostic factor for poor prognosis in sHLH patients complicated with CLS.

Profiling and bioinformatics analyses reveal differential circular RNA expression in NK/T-cell lymphoma-associated hemophagocytic syndrome.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) may be potential biomarkers or therapeutic targets of hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS) due to their high stability, covalently closed structure and implicated roles in gene regulation. The aim of the present study was to determine and characterize the circRNAs from natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma-associated hemophagocytic syndrome (NK/T-LAHS). CircRNA in NK/T-LAHS and healthy control patient serum were assessed using next-generation sequencing (NGS). One hundred and forty-three differentially expressed circRNAs of which 114 were up-regulated and 29 were down-regulated in NK/T-LAHS patients were identified. Next, Gene Ontology (GO) function and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses to explore the roles of these circRNAs were utilized, and a microRNA (miRNA) target gene prediction software to predict the interaction of circRNAs and miRNAs was used. Moreover, five circRNAs were then selected as NK/T-LAHS candidate circRNAs which were related to tumors and contained NK/T-LAHS-related miRNA-binding sites. Using real-time PCR, the significant up-regulation of these five circRNAs in NK/T-LAHS patient serum were verified. Together these results show that circRNAs may serve as valuable diagnostic biomarkers of early NK/T-LAHS, with potential therapeutic targets in disease progression.

Low T3 syndrome is a prognostic marker of poor outcomes in secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

This study aimed to examine the association between low T3 syndrome and overall survival (OS) in patients with secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (sHLH). The study consisted of 111 consecutive patients hospitalized due to newly diagnosed sHLH with detailed thyroid hormone profiles on admission. Low T3 syndrome was found in 75.7% of the studied sHLH population. After a median follow-up of 83 (interquartile range 25-365) days, there were 60 (71.4%) cumulative deaths in the low T3 syndrome group and 13 (48.1%) in the euthyroid group. Survival analysis showed a lower survival probability for patients with low FT3 than for those with normal FT3 (median OS, 60 vs. 365 days, p = .011). In the multivariate analysis, low T3 syndrome was an independent prognostic factor for OS (HR = 2.474; 95% CI 1.351-4.532, p = .003). Low T3 syndrome is frequently found and associated with worse outcomes in patients with sHLH.

The prognostic role of plasma fibrinogen in adult secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

BACKGROUND: In adult patients with secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (sHLH), no valid immune biomarker has been available for predicting the prognosis of untreated sHLH patients. METHODS: Circulating plasma levels of fibrinogen (FIB) were measured at diagnosis in 293 cases of adult sHLH. We categorized FIB levels into tertiles. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate the relationship between FIB and survival. Restricted cubic spline models and two-piecewise Cox proportional hazards models were used to address the nonlinear association between FIB and mortality. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 52 (interquartile ranges, 18-221) days, 208 deaths occurred, with 137 deaths in malignancy-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (MHLH) and 71 deaths in non-malignancy-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (non-MHLH). After multivariable adjustment, compared with the highest tertile of FIB, the hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of survival for tertile 2 and tertile 1 were 1.06 (0.90-1.24) and 0.84 (0.71-0.98), respectively. The restricted cubic spline curve displayed a nonlinear and inverse relationship between FIB and mortality. Furthermore, the threshold effect analysis demonstrated that the inflection point for the curve was at an FIB level of 1.76 g/L. The HRs (95% CIs) for survival were 0.68 (0.55-0.83) and 1.08 (0.96-1.21) on the left and right side of the inflection point, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that plasma fibrinogen is nonlinearly and inversely associated with the risk of mortality in adult secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

[Expression and Clinical Significance of Soluble B7-H3 in Patient with Secondary Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression and clinical significance of soluble B7-H3 (sB7-H3) in patients with secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (sHLH). METHODS: The plasma samples of 85 newly diagnosed sHLH patients from December 2012 to April 2018 were collected. The patients were divided into lymphoma-related HLH（LHLH）group and infection-related HLH（IHLH）group. The expression of sB7-H3 in plasma was detected by ELISA, and the clinical data were collected for analysis. Fifteen healthy people were chosen as control group. RESULTS: The expression level of sB7-H3 in lymphoma-related HLH and infection-related HLH group significant increased as compared with the control group, (P＜0.05), and the expression level of sB7-H3 in lymphoma-related HLH group was significant higher than that in infection-related HLH group [(35.75± 9.90) vs (28.70±8.95) ng/ml)] (P＜0.001). There were no significant statistical difference in the expression of some clinical factors (including age, fever, splenomegaly, ANC, Plt, FIB, calcium ion, serum albumin, LDH, serum ferritin, sCD25) in lymphoma-related HLH and infection-related HLH group (P＞0.05). The evaluation of expression and significance of sB7-H3 in sHLH by using ROC curve, showed that the area under ROC curve comparison of patients in lymphoma-related HLH group and infection-related HLH group was 0.718 (95% CI 0.610-0.810) (P=0.0002), and predicting the sensitivity and specificity of the lymphoma-related HLH patients were 77.36% and 59.38%, respectively. The best cut-off value of patients in sB7-H3 was 29.81 ng/ml, the overall survival time of sB7-H3 high-expression group (≥29.81 ng/ml) was significant shorter than that in low-expression group (＜29.81 ng/ml) (24 vs 440 d) (P＜0.001). The clinical factors affecting the survival status of sHLH patients were neutrophils, albumin, serum ferritin, serum calcium ions and sB7-H3 levels. CONCLUSION: sB7-H3 associates with poor prognosis of sHLH patients, and may be involved in disease progression.

Correlation between HCN4 gene polymorphisms and lone atrial fibrillation risk.

Background and objective: Atrial electrical remodelling (AER) was significantly associated with atrial fibrillation (AF) development. Polymorphisms in hyperpolarization activated cyclic nucleotide gated potassium channel 4 (HCN4) gene might be correlated with AER. In the present study, we explored the association of HCN4 polymorphisms (rs498005 and rs7164883) with lone AF risk in a Chinese Han population. Methods: In this case-control study, the Sanger sequencing method was utilized to genotype the HCN4 polymorphisms. Relative risk of AF was assessed by the χ2 test, and presented by odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Logistic regression analysis was performed for multivariate analysis. The effects of HCN4 polymorphisms on AF clinical features were analyzed by the Mann-Whitney U test and adjusted by the Bonferroni method. Results: C allele of rs498005 was significantly correlated with increased risk of AF (OR = 1.412, 95%CI = 1.012-1.970), and the association still exited after adjustment by age, gender, the status of smoking and drinking, histories of diabetes, hyperlipidaemia and myocardial infarction (adjusted OR = 1.473, 95%CI = 1.043-2.081). G allele of rs7164883 SNP was marginally associated with enhanced AF risk after adjustment by the above clinical parameters (adjusted OR = 1.742, 95%CI = 1.019-2.980). Atrial late potential (ALP), including TP (P wave duration after filtering) and LP20 (the amplitude of superimposed potential in the final 20 ms of P wave) were significantly associated with rs498005 genotype (p < .001). Conclusion: HCN4 rs498005 and rs7164883 polymorphisms are significantly associated with AF risk.

Effects of different ablation strategies on long-term left atrial function in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: a single-blind randomized controlled trial.

Restoration of sinus rhythm in atrial fibrillation (AF) by radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) is associated with a transient stunning of left atrial (LA) function. However, the long-term effects of different ablation strategies on LA function remain undetermined. We performed randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effects of RFCA, cryoablation, and 3D mapping-guided cryoablation on LA function of proximal AF patients within 1 year. The 3D mapping-guided cryoablation was defined as a maximum of two cryoablation procedures for each pulmonary vein accompanied by RFCA for additional points until complete pulmonary vein isolation was achieved. Conventional and speckle tracking echocardiographic analyses were performed to evaluate LA function. Among the 210 patients (70 in each group) included, a trend of decreasing LA systolic and diastolic function was observed in all groups, as evidenced by decreases in peak A-wave velocity, the global LA peak systolic strain, the peak strain rate, the peak early diastolic strain rate, and the peak late diastolic strain rate within 7 days to 3 months after ablation followed by gradual recovery thereafter. However, the temporal changes in the above four strain parameters among the three groups did not differ significantly within 1 year after ablation (all p > 0.05). Parameters of the LA emptying fraction and LA dimensions were not significantly affected. These results suggested that stunning of LA function occurred within 7 days to 3 months after ablation, and different strategies of AF ablation did not differentially affect the temporal changes in LA function up to 1 year after ablation.