Red cell profile in normal and sickle cell diseased children

The red cell distribution width index [RDW] and other cell indices [HCT, MCV, MCH] were determined in 171 normal infants and children, 37 patients with sickle cell disease [SCD] and 44 patients with sickle cell trait [SCT]. The red blood cell indices including RDW in normal children showed a significant difference between different age groups, while in different sex groups they did not differ significantly. SCD group showed a significant increase in RDW and a significant decrease in the hematocrit [HCT] value when compared either with the control or the SCT groups. Patients with SCD showed a significant increase in their RDW and a significant decrease in their hematocrit values during hemolytic crises as compared with those during vaso-occlusive crises. A positive linear correlation between RDW and the reticulocyte count in SCD and SCT patients was also found. In this context, it was concluded that RDW values do reflect the reticulocytes magnitude which would provide clinical and pathological information about SCD and its crises

Changes in the fibrinolytic activity of blood after surgical treatment of malignant diseases

In this study we examined one hundred patients for the effect of malignant disease on the blood fibrinolytic activity [FA]. We also looked for differences in fibrionlytic and coagulation parameters before and after surgical removal of the malignant tumors. Fifty eight males and forty two females were divided into two groups; malignant and control groups. The patients were examined clinically and laboratory before and after surgery and we excluded those with any physiological condition that may directly alter our parameters. The FA was examined by the fibrin plate method. We have found a highly significant lowering of FA in the malignant group in comparison with the control group. The most striking result of this study was the increase in FA in malignant patients after surgical removal of their tumors. A highly significant difference has been detected. The control group of patients who underwent a variety of operations for benign lesions did not show significant changes in FA after surgery. We suggest that the lowered FA in the course of malignant disease is due to increased levels of circulating specific fast-acting plasminogen activator-inhibitor [PAI] and that this PAI is produced not only within the tumor mass but also systemically from the liver, vascular endothelium and platelets. *FDP assay showed also important results. Most of cancer patients have abnormally high FDP levels in their serum. The concomitant lowered FA in cancer patients raises the possibility that the high FDP levels in cancer patients results from extra vascular breakdown of fibrin by malignant cells and/or from a subclinical process of intravascular coagulation and fibrinolysis. After surgical removal of malignant- tumors, the FDP levels increased and we ascribe this is to the improved FA after surgery in those patients. *PT, *TT and *PTT did not show a significant change after surgery