[ protective effect of FXIII Val34Leu polymorphism against deep vein thrombosis: a report from Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization [IBTO]]

The coagulation factor XIII is a pro-transglutaminase enzyme with tetrameric structure. An exchange of G for A in exon 2 of A subunit results in replacement of valine with leucine in amino acid 34. As a result of this substitution mutation, the clots produced are fragile and loose therefore it seems that FXIII Val34Leu polymorphism acts as a factor for individual protection against thrombosis Objectives: To determine the prevalence and role of FXIIIA Val34Leu polymorphism against deep vein thrombosis. This was a retrospective case-control study performed on 116 patients with DVT who were referred to Thrombosis and Homeostasis Laboratory affiliated to Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization. Also, 100 healthy individuals [blood donors] were recruited as control. Following DNA extraction and application of PCR and RFLP techniques in presence of restriction enzyme Cfo1, the genotypes of FXIII Val34Leu polymorphism were identified. The data were analyzed using chi square test as well as calculation of OD ratio and 95% confidence interval. The prevalence of FXIII Val34Leu polymorphism among the case and control groups was 22.4% and 37.4%, respectively. While the allele frequency of leucine in case group was 14.7% it was 20.2% in control group. No significant correlation between polymorphism and sex was established. According to our data, no association between the FXIII Val34Leu polymorphism and protection against deep vein thrombosis was demonstrated. Therefore, it seems that this polymorphism occurs as a natural phenomenon and unaffected by gender

[Evaluation of transfusion reactions in thalassemic patients referred to the Tehran adult thalssemia clinic]

Thalassemia is a hereditary hemolytic anemia requiring life-long transfusion treatment. The frequent blood transfusion has some side effects, including immunologic reaetions and nonimmunologics such as iron overload and transmission of some infections such as HBV, HCV and HIV. This cross-sectional study was aimed to investigate the transfusion effects in patients referred to the Adult Thalassemia Clinic, Tehran. For data collection, the patients were asked for the history of transfusion reactions, their files of medical records were surveyed with concern to transfusion status and reactions, and some laboratory data including serum ferritin and TTI were also collected. The results were analyzed using SPSS software. Foun hundreds and forty one patients comprises of 53% males and 47% females with mean age of 22.6 years were studied. They consisted of 362 [82.1%] thalassemia major and 79 [17.9%] thalassemia intermediate. The mean of ferritin level was 1856.4 ng/dl. From the studied subjects, 7 [1.6%] had history of delayed hemolytic disorder, 25 [6.1%] presented with allergy and 41 [9.9%] showed febrile transfusion reaction. The remaining 368 subjects [82.4%] showed no evidence of transfusion reactions. The records showed that 117 patients [28.4%] were HCV Ab positive, 369 [88.7%] were HBsAb positive and 80 [19.2%] were HBcAb positive, 3[0.7%] HBsAg positive. According to this results, 300 patients [70.3%] were vaccinal positive; 66 [15.5%] were immune to HBV from past infections; 40 [9.4%] were negative and 3 [0.7%] were carrier of HBV. Totally, 366 [85%] patients were immune to HBV. We had no case of HIV positive. Transfusion reaction and their documentation are very important for blood transfusion services and programming. Unfortunately, there is no statistic records of these reactions in the hospitals or there may be some unclassified data in the patients. files. Regular co-operation between hospitals and blood transfusion centers is required for collecting the information and finding total incidence of transfusion reactions. Hemovigilance or computerized network between blood bank centers in hospitals and Iran transfusion organization is the best way for collecting such data

Determination of HCV genotypes, in Iran by PCR-RFLP

Hepatitis C is a major cause of liver related morbidity and mortality worldwide and represents a major public health problem. Depending on genomic organization, the virus is divided into six genotypes and a number of subtypes. Different genotypes are seen in different parts of the world. Genotype one is difficult to treat, while genotypes 2 and 3 are easy to treat. Therefore, identification of HCV genotype in patients is necessary to begin and follow up the treatment. In this study, viral genomic materials of 214 patients' sera were detected by nested-RT PCR. Based on genomic differences among different genotypes, the PCR products were digested with proper enzymes and studied by RFLP. Except for one, sequencing of 14 samples, representative of all genotypes, confirmed the results of PCR-RFLP. The results of PCR-RFLP were as follows: 1a [52.88%], 1b [14.01%], 3a [27.57%], 2a [2.1%], 4 [3.44%]. This indicates that a high percentage of HCV infected patients in Iran are infected with 1a or 3a genotypes. These findings reveal that the pattern of HCV genotypes in Iran differs from those of other middle-eastern countries