Study of serum hepcidin and reticulocyte hemoglobin content in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis patients

Objective: Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis [JRA] is frequently associated with different types of anemia. The effect of anemia and disease activity, on two iron status parameters; serum hepcidin and reticulocyte hemoglobin content [CHr], was investigated in JRA patients

Methods: Blood samples were obtained from 43 JRA patients and 20 ages and sex matched healthy children as control. Laboratory parameters of anemia and disease activity as well as serum hepcidin and CHr were compared between patients and control Possible correlations of hepcidin and CHr with anemia and disease activity parameters were studied

Results: All studied parameters except TIBC, serum ferritin and hepcidin showed significant differences between patients and control. Significant correlations were found between CHr and all anemia parameters except TIBC and serum ferritin while hepcidin was only correlated to serum ferritin. Both hepcidin and CHr were significantly correlated to CRP, white blood cell and neutrophil counts. Moreover, hepcidin was significantly correlated to tender joint count while CHr was significantly correlated to platelet count and swollen joint count

Conclusion: In JRA patients, serum hepcidin was primarily affected by the acute phase state rather than anemia while CHr was affected by them both with a slight predominance of anemia over inflammation

Diagnostic and clinical significance of Argyrophilic proteins in patients with acute leukemia

The number [amount] of Argyrophilic proteins [AgNORs] were estimated in bone marrow smears of thirty-six patients with acute leukemia at initial diagnosis: 24 children [10 males 14 females] and 12 adults [6 males and 6 females] as well as 12 matched controls. The purpose of the present work was to study the possible relation of AgNORS to immunophenotypic markers and clinical outcome. Silver staining of AgNORS was applied to bone marrow smears, and immunophenotyping was done by FACS flow cytometry. Statistically significant difference in mean AgNORS count/nucleus was observed in patients versus control [p<0.05], and a different staining pattern was observed in acute lymphoblastic leukemia [ALL] [fine dots] versus acute myeloid leukemia [AML] patients [coarse dots]. Positive correlation was found between AgNORS and bone marrow blast percent, while negative correlation was found with age, hemoglobin concentration and platelet count. Strong AgNORS staining was associated with immaturity markers and poor response to treatment. Eighty percent [80%] of AML and 70% of ALL patients with mean AgNORS<2.5 achieved complete remission. Determination of AgNORS has a major predictive value and adds an additional tool to differentiate ALL from AML smear Hence, it should be included in the diagnostic and prognostic workup of patients with acute leukemia

Study of the oxidative stress in thalassemia

The objective of this study was, to evaluate the total antioxidants in thalassemic patients compared to normal controls and the correlation between this and various parameters especially splenectomy and chelation therapy. This study included 26 thalassemic patients from Alexandria University children's hospital. Their age ranged from 4-24 years. Hemoglobin electrophoresis on cellulose acetate and total antioxidant assays using a colorimetric method [Randox Laboratories UK] and serum ferritin levels were done at least three weeks from the last blood transfusion. The mean serum level of total antioxidants in thalassemic patients was significantly lower than the control group. However, there was no correlation detected between the level of antioxidants and regularity of chelation therapy. Also there was no difference between values for different thalassemic types. This work has been presented, in part, at the XXII International Congress of Pediatrics in Amsterdam 9-14 August 1998

Red blood cells superoxide dismutase activity in Iron deficiency anemia

In order to study the activity of superoxide dismutase [SOD] in red blood cells in children with iron deficiency anemia [IDA], thirty children suffering from IDA were studied. Ten matching normal healthy children served as controls. Complete blood count, iron profile, occult blood in stools and estimation of SOD activity were done. The results of this study showed that the SOD activity in anemic children was significantly higher than that of the control group [P<0.0005]. However, no significant correlation was found between SOD activity and other parameters including reticulocyte count, serum ferritin, serum iron and total iron binding capacity [TIBC]. The potential benefit of higher SOD activity in red cells from iron deficient children is to counteract the effect of oxidative stress. This work has been presented, in part, at the 25[th] Congress of the Union of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Pediatric Societies and 2[nd] Congress of the Lebanese Pediatric Society in Beyrout-Lebanon 14-17 April 1999