Dermoscopic findings of umbilical granuloma.

Dermoscopic findings in umbilical granuloma are vascular polymorphism comprised of linear irregular and arborizing vessels with structureless areas distributed over a milky-red background. The increase of angiogenesis and neovascularization is represented by the linear irregular and arborizing vessels. Structureless areas over an irregularly milky-red background are originated by the proliferation of vascular endothelial cells and fibroblasts, with capillary and granulation tissue formation.

Genetic and molecular aspects of androgenetic alopecia.

Androgenetic alopecia is the most common form of progressive hair loss in humans. A genetic predisposition and hormonal status are considered as major risk factors for this condition. Several recent advances in molecular biology and genetics have increased our understanding of the mechanisms of hair loss in androgenetic alopecia. We review these advances and examine the trends in the genetic and molecular aspects of androgenetic alopecia.

Prevalence and Clinical Significance of FLT3 Mutation Status in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patients: A Multicenter Study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: FLT3-ITD mutations in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are associated with a poor prognosis. In Latin America, little epidemiological data exist about these mutations and their influence on clinical evolution and prognosis. Standardization and well-established clinical correlation make FLT3 mutational analysis by molecular methods an invaluable tool to decide among treatment options and to determine AML prognosis. METHODS: We assessed the prevalence of FLT3-ITD mutations in 138 patients with AML at four hematology referral centers from Mexico and Colombia. Molecular methods based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were employed for determining FLT3-ITD status. RESULTS: Mutations were present in 28 patients indicating a prevalence of 20.28%. Median age was 47 years (5-96). The FLT3 mutation positive group was older, had higher WBC and hemoglobin values and lower platelet counts but without statistical significance. A not previously described mutation in the FLT3 gene was found in one patient involving a nucleotide exchange of timine for cytosine at the 66608 position. A high mortality was found in the FLT3-mutated group, 67.8 vs. 42.72% in the non-mutated group and median survival was 4.9 months vs. 20.4 months, p = 0.009. A mutated FLT3 did not confer poor prognosis to those with M3 AML. The mutated FLT3 population had poor overall survival (OS) despite hematoprogenitor stem cell transplantation (HSCT). CONCLUSION: Prevalence of FLT3-ITD mutation in AML was present in a proportion comparable to other populations and, when present, was associated with a very poor prognosis.

Assessment of immune reconstitution status in recipients of a successful hematopoietic stem cell transplant from peripheral blood after reduced intensity conditioning.

OBJECTIVE: To document immune reconstitution status after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for malignant hematologic diseases. METHODS: Hematology patients who received a reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) were followed after successful allogeneic or autologous HSCT. Patients had at least 100days post-transplant. T, B and NK cells in peripheral blood (PB), and CD34+, CD133+ progenitor cells in bone marrow (BM) and peripheral blood (PB) were determined by flow cytometry. RESULTS: Twenty-seven HSCT recipients, 19 allogeneic and 8 autologous, were studied at a median 155 (100-721) days post-transplant. In the whole group the median value of CD34+ cells was 1.03% in the bone marrow and 0.04% in PB, whereas values for CD133+ cells were 0.39% and 0.13%, respectively, without statistical differences between autologous and allogeneic recipients. Significantly more B cells (CD3-/CD56-/CD19+) were found in the autologous compared to the allogeneic group, 12.6 vs. 5.01, p=0.04. An increased number of CD8+ lymphocytes with a 0.63 CD4:CD8 relationship was documented in PB. CONCLUSION: In clinically recovered autologous and allogeneic HSCT recipients BM and PB CD34+/CD133+ hematoprogenitor homeostasis is maintained within normal ranges, with better B-cell reconstitution in the autologous group.

Flow cytometry data analysis of CD34+/CD133+ stem cells in bone marrow and peripheral blood and T, B, and NK cells after hematopoietic grafting.

This article provides flow cytometry information regarding levels of expression for hematopoietic stem cell markers CD34 and CD133 obtained simultaneously of the bone marrow and peripheral blood from recipients of allogeneic and autologous transplants of PB hematoprogenitors for treating hematological malignancies and who were clinically healthy after ≥100 days following the procedure. CD34 and CD133 expression is compared regarding type of transplant (autologous vs. allogeneic) and sample cell source (bone marrow vs. peripheral blood). Patients were conditioned with a reduced-intensity conditioning regimen. Also shown is the flow cytometry analysis of mononuclear cell and lymphocyte populations in the peripheral blood of both types of recipients, as well as the characterization of immune cells, including T lymphocyte antigenic make up markers CD3, CD4 and CD8, B lymphocytes and NK cells, including total NK, bright and dim subtypes in the peripheral blood of both types of recipients. For further information and discussion regarding interpretation and meaning of post-transplant flow cytometry analysis, please refer to the article "Assessment of immune reconstitution status in recipients of a successful hematopoietic stem cell transplant from peripheral blood after reduced intensity conditioning" [1].

Increased bacterial infections after transfusion of leukoreduced non-irradiated blood products in recipients of allogeneic stem cell transplants after reduced-intensity conditioning.

Blood components transfused to hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients are irradiated to prevent transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease (TA-GVHD). The effect of transfusing non-irradiated blood products in HSCT outcome, including incidence of transplant complications, bacterial infections, acute and chronic GVHD presentation, and characteristics, has not been documented. Clinical records as well as blood bank and electronic databases of HSCT patients grafted after reduced-intensity conditioning who received irradiated versus non-irradiated blood products, after blood irradiation became unavailable at our center, were scrutinized for transplant outcome, clinical evolution, engraftment characteristics including days to neutrophil and platelet recovery, acute and chronic GVHD, rate and type of infections, and additional transplant-related comorbidities. All transfused blood products were leukoreduced. A total of 156 HSCT recipients was studied, 73 received irradiated and 83 non-irradiated blood components. Bacterial infections were significantly more frequent in patients transfused with non-irradiated blood products, P = .04. Clinically relevant increased rates of fever and neutropenia and mucositis were also documented in these patients. No cases of TA-GVHD occurred. Classical GVHD developed in 37 patients (50.7%) who received irradiated blood products and 36 (43.9%) who received non-irradiated blood products, P = .42. Acute GVHD developed in 28 patients (38.4%) in the blood-irradiated and 33 patients (39.8%) in the non-irradiation group, P = .87. The 2-year GVHD-free survival rate was 40% in the irradiated versus 40.6% in the non-irradiation group, P = .071. Increased bacterial infections were found in HSCT recipients transfused with non-irradiated blood products, which ideally must always be irradiated.