Vitamin D Deficiency and Janus kinase 2 V617F Mutation Status in Essential Thrombocythemia and Polycythemia Vera

@#Introduction: Vitamin D, which is known for its effects on calcium and bone metabolism, has recently been associated with haematological malignancies. We aimed to investigate the relationship between disease findings and vitamin D deficiency in essential thrombocythemia (ET) and polycythemia vera (PV). Material and Methods: This retrospective cohort study conducted in Turkey included 73 patients diagnosed with PV or ET according to WHO criteria between 2012 and 2018. Vitamin D deficiency was defined as 25-OH vitamin D < 20 ng/mL. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect the Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) V617F mutation. Results: Vitamin D deficiency was found in 66.7% of PV and 74.2% of ET patients. The median follow-up time of ET and PV patients was 48 months and 47 months, respectively. Patients with the JAK2 mutation had a higher prevalence of a history of thrombosis and age older than 65 years. There was a significant relationship between JAK2 positivity and vitamin D deficiency. Conclusion: There was a remarkably higher prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in JAK2 mutation-positive ET and PV patients. These patients should be carefully evaluated for vitamin D deficiency. More studies are required to further investigate the association between JAK2 and vitamin D.

Importance of vitamin d level in early-stage chronic lymphocytic leukemia and its comparison with healthy population

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia [CLL] is a chronic lymphoproliferative hematological malignancy accompanied by a Chronic lymphocytic leukemia [CLL] is a chronic lymphoproliferative hematological malignancy accompanied by a monoclonal proliferation of mature B lymphocytes. Vitamin D is vital in calcium hemostasis in serum and skeletal system and is involved in several other cellular processes such as differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis, and angiogenesis. Vitamin D receptors were also demonstrated in normal or malignant hematopoietic cells. The correlation of low serum vitamin D levels with colorectal, breast, and other solid-organ neoplasms is well known. With regard to CLL, vitamin D inadequacy is related to bad prognosis, bad overall survival, and necessity to start treatment early. This study aimed to compare vitamin D levels of patients with early-stage CLL and controls and to examine its relationship with prognostic indicators. The study included 33 patients with early-stage CLL treated at Atatürk Training and Research Hospital Hematology Clinic between 2015 and 2017 and 34 healthy controls. Age and gender distribution in both groups was similar. Patients with <20 ng/mL vitamin D level were considered as vitamin D deficient. Vitamin D deficiency was detected in 26/33 patients with CLL and 16/34 controls. A statistically significant difference in vitamin D deficiency was found between these two groups [P = 0.003]. CLL cases were compared in terms of RAI stage, splenomegaly, hepatomegaly, and presence of B symptoms. However, no significant difference was observed. This study demonstrated that vitamin D levels of patients with early-stage CLL were significantly low in comparison with those of healthy population, in line with the literature. More comprehensive studies are required for assessing the effects of low vitamin D levels on the prognosis of patients with early-stage CLL