[Clinical and evolutive study of plasma cell leukemia. Apropos of 9 cases]. / Estudio clínico y evolutivo de la leucemia de células plasmáticas. A propósito de nueve casos.

Nine patients were diagnosed with plasma cell leukemia (PCL) from 1982-1995 at our hospital. Seven patients had primary PCL and the other two patients a secondary from. In this study the clinical and analytical features are reported, as well as the therapy and response obtained in these patients. Also, the karyotype findings in bone marrow of four of these patients are reported. At diagnosis, the most common symptom was bone pain which was associated with osteolytic lesions or diffuse bone demineralization. Analytical features were similar to those reported in other series of patients with PCL. Different therapeutical regimens were used, and VAD was the most commonly employed. Two patients underwent consolidation therapy with autologous transplantation of hemopoietic stem cells. The mean survival time was 5.5 months. Although PCL prognosis associated with chemotherapy is still poor, myeloablative therapy with hemopoietic support can increase the survival length in these patients.

[Simultaneous presentation of multiple myeloma and sarcoidosis]. / Mieloma múltiple y sarcoidosis de presentación simultánea.

The association between sarcoidosis and neoplasms has been described by different authors. Hodgkin's disease and non Hodgkin lymphoma are the neoplasms associated frequently with sarcoid reaction. However, the simultaneous appearance of multiple myeloma disease and sarcoidosis is very infrequent because only eleven cases have been described. The case of a 49 year old patient with simultaneous appearance of smoldering myeloma and sarcoidosis is presented. The smoldering myeloma had an aggressive evolution to multiple myeloma. The role that sarcoidosis may play in the genesis of multiple myeloma is discussed.

[Seroprevalence of hepatitis B virus markers in pregnant women attending a public hospital in Navarra]. / Seroprevalencia de marcadores del virus de la hepatitis B en embarazadas asistidas en un hospital público de Navarra.

OBJECTIVE: To design efficient massive immunization programs for newborns it is essential to know the prevalence of HBV infection in pregnant women. As a contribution to this knowledge the prevalence of HBV markers was studied in pregnant women attended at a public hospital in Navarra. An assessment was also made of the relationship between prevalence of HBV markers and other epidemiological factors. METHODS: The gestational history was reviewed of 2,499 pregnant women aged 14-45 years attended at the hospital during 1991. The following factors were investigated: age, profession, job, and educational level of the woman and her partner, residence, Health Area, risk factors and serological markers (HbsAG, anti-HBs, anti-HBc, and, when appropriate, HBeAg/anti-Hbe. RESULTS: The screening rate of HBsAg in the group of pregnant women was 70%; the prevalence of positive HbsAg was 0.70%. The respective prevalence rates of anti-HBs, anti-HBc, and AMP were 6%, 7.5% and 8.6%. The type of residence, social class and risk exposure had influence on the prevalence of positive markers. CONCLUSIONS: The 70% of screening rate in the group of pregnant women is still far from reaching the goal of 95% intended in the Plan de Salud Infantil in Navarra for 1993. A prevalence of 0.70 for positive HBsAg was observed. No geographical differences were observed in the distribution of HBV markers, but its prevalence was influenced by the type of residence, social class and risk exposure. A discussion follows whether a massive immunization program form newborns in Navarra is warranted.