Methemoglobinemia in Hemodialysis Patients due to Acute Chlorine Intoxication: A Case Series Calling Attention on an Old Problem.

INTRODUCTION: Hemodialysis uses municipal water that must be strictly purified and sterilized to be used for that procedure. Large amounts of decontaminants are often used, such as chlorine, and if these compounds are not subsequently removed they can be transferred to the blood of patients causing complications including methemoglobinemia. METHODS: In this case series study, dialysis patients in one unit were evaluated. We reviewed clinical characteristics and laboratory findings obtained on the day when the water supply was disinfected with chlorine, with the aim to quantify methemoglobin concentrations. Our objective was to characterize the clinical presentation and management of patients who presented with methemoglobinemia on a specific index day. We also reviewed reported cases in the literature regarding this underreported complication. RESULTS: Eight patients who presented with chlorine intoxication were evaluated. The methemoglobin concentrations were between 1.3% and 7.9% (reference value 0-1%). We believe this to be caused by water containing 0.78 mg/L of total chlorine. Seven patients presented with cyanosis, 4 with dizziness, 6 with dark brown blood, 4 with dyspnea, and 4 with headache and hemolytic anemia. Subjects were treated with supplemental oxygen, methylene blue, intravenous vitamin C, blood transfusions, and increased doses of erythropoietin. No patient died, and all continued with their usual hemodialysis sessions. CONCLUSION: Acute chlorine intoxication transferred by the water used during hemodialysis sessions can present with methemoglobinemia accompanied by cyanosis, oxygen desaturation, and hemolytic anemia. Chlorine levels should be carefully monitored in the water used for hemodialysis treatment.

Evaluation of the Effects of Atorvastatin and N-Acetyl Cysteine on Platelet Counts in Patients with Primary Immune Thrombocytopenia: An Exploratory Clinical Trial.

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the combination of atorvastatin and N-acetyl cysteine in increasing platelet counts in patients with immune thrombocytopenia who were resistant to steroid therapy or had a relapse after treatment. Material and Methods: The patients included in this study received oral treatment of atorvastatin at a dose of 40 mg daily and N-acetyl cysteine at a dose of 400 mg every 8 h. The desired treatment duration was 12 months, but we included patients who completed at least 1 month of treatment in the analysis. The platelet counts were measured prior to the administration of the study treatment and in the first, third, sixth, and twelfth months of treatment (if available). A p value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: We included 15 patients who met our inclusion criteria. For the total treatment duration, the global response was 60% (nine patients); eight patients (53.3%) had a complete response and one patient (6.7%) had a partial response. Six patients (40%) were considered as having undergone treatment failure. Of the responder group, five patients maintained a complete response after treatment (55.5%), three patients maintained a partial response (33.3%), and one patient (11.1%) lost their response to the treatment. All of the patients in the responder group had significant increases in their platelet counts after treatment (p < 0.05). Conclusion: This study provides evidence of a possible treatment option for patients with primary immune thrombocytopenia. However, further studies are needed.

Cytomegalovirus and disseminated histoplasmosis-related hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis syndrome in an HIV-patient late presenter with IRIS: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis syndrome (HLS) is an immune-mediated life-threatening disease considered as a medical emergency, with a potentially fatal multisystem inflammatory outcome. We present a patient that developed HLS and was able to be diagnosed efficiently with the help of an academic research institute of immunology. CASE PRESENTATION: A 21 years old male Mexican with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), late presenter; who developed cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and a disseminated histoplasmosis-related HLS, as part of an immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS). The patient required a long course of corticotherapy, intravenous immunoglobulin and massive transfusions (more than 10 units in 24 h, and a total of 83 units), besides amphotericin-B and ganciclovir treatment. An academic research institute of immunology aided in the accurate diagnosis of HLS with the implementation of tests not available within the hospital, thus improving the care provided to the patient. The patient recovered, was discharged, and continue to improve. CONCLUSION: The objective of this report is to highlight the importance of having multidisciplinary support, including basic medical sciences groups providing specific tests that are sometimes very difficult to get, which provides a benefit to patients in the well-aimed diagnosis as part of applied translational medicine.

BEAM-Modified Conditioning Therapy with Cisplatin+Dexamethasone Instead of Carmustine Prior to Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) in Patients with Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.

BACKGROUND High-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant has proven useful in relapsed or refractory cases of Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. BEAM (carmustine, etoposide, cytarabine, melphalan) is frequently used as a conditioning regimen; however, the high cost and limited availability of BCNU hinders its use in Mexico. MATERIAL AND METHODS Between January 2013 and February 2019, refractory or relapsing HL and NHL patients were treated with an autologous HSCT conditioned with cisplatin+dexamethasone as substitution for BCNU in BEAM. RESULTS Four HL patients and 6 NHL patients were included; 60% were male, the average age was 34.5±15.2 years, the median follow-up was 19.1 months, and 70% had a complete response after transplant. OS at 12 months was 63% for NHL and 100% for HL. Time to hematological recovery was 17.6±2.8 days; all patients developed grade III/IV neutropenia and thrombocytopenia, and 8 patients had transplant-related infections. CONCLUSIONS This retrospective study based on real-world data introduces the option of substituting carmustine with cisplatin+dexamethasone, with a similar response, expected lower cost, and better accessibility in developing nations.

Etiology and clinico-hematological profile of pancytopenia: experience of a Mexican Tertiary Care Center and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Pancytopenia is a frequent entity in clinical practice as a feature of a myriad of conditions, ranging from benign to malignant diseases. Since the cause of pancytopenia depends on environmental factors, it is important to know the common etiologies of pancytopenia, however, few studies address this. OBJECTIVES: To identify the etiology of pancytopenia in our population and compare them with what is reported elsewhere. METHODS: We conducted an observational study of patients with pancytopenia in a Mexican Tertiary Care Center. Clinical, hematological and bone marrow studies were performed in all patients. RESULTS: Of 109 cases included, the mean age at diagnosis was 49.4 years, with a slightly higher female incidence (53.2%). The most common causes of pancytopenia were: MDS (20.2%), megaloblastic anemia (18.3%) and AML (12.8%). DISCUSSION: We found a complex picture of pancytopenia in Mexico and compared it with what is reported elsewhere in the literature. CONCLUSION: The sociocultural context in which the patients develop helps narrowing the possible etiology of pancytopenia, and therefore hasten the diagnostic process. Of all the studies available, bone marrow aspiration seems the most useful.