Adrenal hemorrhage following direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) therapy: two case reports and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Adrenal hemorrhage (AH) is a rare condition that can result in a life-threatening medical emergency. This medical condition could be caused by several underlying factors, one of which is the use of anticoagulants. As far as we are aware, direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) agents are a rare but possible cause of AH. CASE PRESENTATION: Herein, we described two cases of AH due to DOACs. The first case was a 35-year-old Iranian woman with a past medical history of Hashimoto thyroiditis who was being treated with apixaban due to the previous thrombosis. Her first symptoms of AH (November 2021) were strangely similar to symptoms of autoimmune Addison disease (AAD) which led to a confirmed diagnosis of autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 2 (APS-2). An abdominal MRI revealed an oval shape well-encapsulated cystic mass with a diameter of 20 × 14 mm with a thick and low signal intensity rim in the left adrenal gland, highly suggestive of sub-acute left-sided AH. Our second case was an 89-year-old Iranian woman who had been admitted to the hospital (August 2021) with low blood pressure and disorientation. At the beginning of her admission, the evaluation showed hyponatremia, and further evaluations confirmed adrenal insufficiency (AI). The patient reported rivaroxaban usage for deep vein thrombosis prophylaxis after femur fixation surgery. Her abdominal CT scans showed bilateral adrenal masses highly suggestive of AH. Her follow-up examination showed persistent AI after three months. CONCLUSION: Given the history of our cases, physicians should be aware of AH in patients receiving DOACs, particularly in elderly patients who are at high risk of bleeding. It is also worth noting that AH can occur in any patient with any medical history and history of DOAC use, which is why patients must be closely monitored.

Assessment of Effectiveness and Adverse Effect of New Combination Chemotherapy (irinotecan, cisplatin, and dexamethasone) in Relapse and Refractory Hodgkin Lymphoma.

Background: Chemotherapy with Adriamycin, Bleomycin, Vinblastine, and Dacarbazine (ABVD regimen) cannot cure all patients with Hodgkin lymphoma. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy and adverse effect of a new regimen consist Irinotecan, Cisplatin, and Dexamethasone (ICD) in relapsed and refractory Hodgkin lymphoma as the second to fifth line of treatment. Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective study in 26 relapsed or refractory patients with Hodgkin lymphoma receiving at least the first-line chemotherapy regimen (ABVD) and (ICD) as salvage therapy in Thaleghany Hospital from 2012 to 2018. This regimen consisted of Irinotecan 65mg/m2 D1, D8, Cisplatin 30mg/m2 D1, D8, and dexamethasone 40mg D1, 2, 8, and 9 was administered every 3 weeks for 6 cycles.  Treatment was discontinued in cases of disease progression or severe toxicity. Response to treatment was evaluated after two cycles. Patients with complete and partial remission were candidates for high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation. Twenty-four patients were enrolled in the study. The mean age of 22 patients was 31.5 (19-67) years. Seven patients (29.1%) were in the first recurrence, and 17 (70.8%) were in the second or subsequent recurrence. Results: According to this study, three patients (12.5%) had complete response, 13 (45%) had partial response, four (16.6%) had stable disease, and four (16.6%) had progressive disease. Nine patients (37.5%) received high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell support after ICD regimen. None of the cycles of chemotherapy were delayed due to treatment-related adverse event. Overall survival after six months in all patients was 91%, and mortality rate was 8.3% at the end of the study. Conclusion: The goal of salvage chemotherapy in relapsed or refractory Hodgkin Lymphoma is achieving CR or PR preparation patients for stabilization with BMT. Thus, we recommend ICD as one of the most effective protocols with overall response rate of 66% in this population.

Trends in Epidemiology and Outcome of Small Cell Lung Cancer over 10 Years at Tertiary Cancer Care Center in Iran.

Background: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death. Among different lung cancer histopathologies, small cell lung cancer (SCLC) has been known to be the most aggressive and lethal nature. This study analyzed the epidemiological characteristics, outcomes, and trends of SCLC at a tertiary cancer care center in Iran. Materials and Methods: Retrospectively collected demographic characteristics and survival outcome data on histologically proven SCLC patients during 2009-2019 at the National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (NRITLD) were reviewed. Results: In a study of 334 SCLC patients, there were more male patients than female, with a ratio of 2.5 to 1, and the mean age at diagnosis was 58.36 years. While gender distribution and smoking status among women remained consistent over the study period, there was a significant increase in male smokers (P<0.001). Female patients were diagnosed at younger age and had a significantly lower proportion of smokers compared to males (P<0.016). The mean and median overall survival were 10.9 and 8.2 months, with one-, two-, and three-year survival rates of 21%, 10%, and 3% respectively. Younger patients and females had significantly higher survival rates. In both uni/multivariate analyses, only age < 58 years and female gender were significantly associated with longer survival. Conclusion: The relatively unchanged trend of SCLC in our series suggests that further research on prevention strategies especially smoking cessation, early detection, and new treatment options is urgently required.

Survival of Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia after Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation: An Experience in Developing Country.

Background: Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) is the highest potential treatment for long-term survival as post-remission therapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The aim of this study was to estimate the overall survival (OS) of patients with AML after allo-SCT and to identify the factors affecting them as a prognostic factor for the survival of patients. Material and Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, data of patients with AML who underwent allo-SCT at Taleghani bone marrow transplantation and cell therapy center in Tehran, Iran, from May 2009 to September 2016 were used. A total of 101 patients were enrolled and death time was considered as a failure event for them. Kaplan-Meier method, log-Rank tests, and Cox proportional hazard model were used to evaluate OS and to identify the risk factors of patient's survival. The SPSS software version 21 was used for the analysis of data and P<0.05 was considered as a significant level. Results: Of 101 patients with AML, 49 (48.5%) were males. The median age at allo-SCT was 32.76 years and 42 patients (41.6%) died. The 5-year OS and disease-free survival (DFS) was 56% (95%CI: 51-61%) and 52% (95%CI: 57-47%), respectively. Multivariate analysis by Cox regression indicated that OS has a significant relationship with primary WBC count and relapse (P=0.001). Conclusion: Our results showed that allo-SCT has nearly the same outcome in developing countries and the WBC count and relapse are effective factors on the chance of survival in AML patients after allo-SCT.

Adding Oral Pioglitazone to Standard Induction Chemotherapy of Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: The hypothesis of an effect by thiazolidinedione on leukemia cells was proposed 2 decades ago, but there is little clinical evidence regarding its efficacy. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of adding pioglitazone to standard induction chemotherapy in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this randomized clinical trial, newly diagnosed AML patients were randomized to 1 of 2 groups. Patients in both groups received cytarabine (100 mg/m2 per day for 7 days) and daunorubicin (60 mg/m2 per day for 3 days). Patients in the pioglitazone group additionally received oral pioglitazone (45 mg per day). The 2 groups were compared according to remission rate, laboratory findings, and adverse events during treatment. RESULTS: Forty patients were evaluated, 20 patients in each group. The complete remission rate was 20% more in the pioglitazone group compared to the control group (P = .202). Complications due to pioglitazone discontinuation were observed in 2 cases. The mean serum alanine aminotransferase in the fourth treatment week was significantly more in pioglitazone group compared to the control group (65.5 vs. 33.6 mg/dL, P = .039). The mean serum creatinine in all treatment phases was significantly higher in the pioglitazone group compared to the control group (P < .05). There were no significant differences between the 2 groups regarding other laboratory findings (P > .05). CONCLUSION: Adding pioglitazone to cytarabine and daunorubicin increased the remission rate in AML patients compared to control subjects. Although this difference in remission rate between the 2 groups was not statistically significant, it could be important in the clinical setting. Pioglitazone may provide benefits as an adjuvant therapy for AML patients without causing serious adverse events.

Oral Ciprofloxacin Prophylaxis in Patients Undergoing High DoseTherapy and Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Antibiotic prophylaxis is usually used in allogeneic stem cell transplantation, but its use in Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation (ASCT) is controversial. We evaluated the efficacy of ciprofloxacin prophylaxis in ASCT. To identify the efficacy of ciprofloxacin on the incidence of neutropenic fever and its complications, 72 patients that had been admitted to Taleghani Hospital for ASCT between 2010 and 2012 were evaluated in our study. Oral ciprofloxacin 500 mg every 12 h was administered to 30 patients on the same day of high dose chemotherapy until the first febrile episode or until the recovery of neutropenia and the results were analyzed and compared with the historical control group 42 other transplanted patients who had not previously received ciprofloxacin. The incidence of neutropenic fever was 80% with no difference between the two groups. But in ciprofloxacin group, duration of fever (1.7 days VS 3.5 days P=0.017), hospitalization due to stem cell transfusion (18.2 days VS 12.2 days p=0.03), incidence of bacteremia 3.3 % VS 33.3%, p=0.002) and platelet recovery (13.9 VS 17.7 days= 0.035) and platelet transfusions (P=0.04) were significantly lower than the control group no side effects and no delay in. Based on this study oral ciprofloxacin prophylaxis is rational, efficacious and economic in ASCT.

Plerixafor in the treatment of stem cell mobilization failure; first experience in iran.

High-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation (SCT) have become an effective care for many patients with hematological malignancies. Harvesting the stem cells is one the most important parts of SCT. The two most commonly used mobilization regimens are the use of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) or G-CSF plus chemotherapy. However, about 10-30% of patients are unable to collect enough cells to support HSCT due to previous chemotherapies, radiation, marrow involvement or fibrosis. In multiple myeloma patients, it is hard to collect enough stem cells when the bone marrow is extensively involved. Plerixafor has emerged as a novel mobilizing agent and its efficacy has been shown in two phase III studies. Considering the importance of autologous SCT in patients with multiple myeloma, we report the first successful Iranian experience at Tehran Taleghani bone marrow transplantation center using plerixafor to mobilize stem cells in a patient with refractory multiple myeloma with extensive bone marrow involvement who failed mobilization with G-CSF.