Haemolytic disease of the newborn

Ninty two patients were included in this study, 6 Groups -were identified. ABO HDN [Group I, n=38]. Rh HDN [Group H, n=17], HDN due to G6PD deficiency [Group Ill. n=23], HDN of undetermined aetiology [Group IV, n=10], Hereditary spherocytosis [Group V, n= 1] and [Group VI, n=5] HDN due to combined pathology. Detailed clinical, haematological and serological tests were studied and compared between different groups and with other studies

Beta-thalassaemia trait in Mosul

A prospective study was conducted in order to determine diagnostic parameters for Beta-thalassaemia trait in Mosul. Both elevated Hb-A2 and resistance to lysis using one tube osmotic fragility test at 0.36% NaCl concentration were found to discriminate accurately between the control and the obligatory Beta-thalassaemia carrier groups. Also more than three quarters of our patients were found to have an elevated Hb F level above 1% with a range of 1.7 to 3.3%. Our results compared favourably with other studies

Parameters pointing to bone marrow involvement in lymphoma

A prospective study of fifty one lymphoma patients was carried out to assess bone marrow involvement. Positive bone marrow was found in 3 out of 23 patients [13%] with Hodgkin's disease. There were two parameters pointing to bone marrow involvement; mild anaemia [Hb > 9.0 g/dl] and raised serum alkaline phosphatase to more than 100 U/l. In 28 patients with non Hodgkin's lymphoma, there were 8 patients with positive bone marrow [28%]. Two parameters which pointed to bone marrow Involvement were also identified; circulating blast cells and widening of the mediastinum on cheat X-ray

Congenital methemoglobinemia due to haemoglobinopathy-M

A rare medical case is reported for the first time in Iraq in a women of 35 years of age born with cyanosis not accompanied with dyspnea, the cause of cyanosis was found to be rare haemoglobin called methaemoglobin M. This condition is usually classified as hereditary, other ordinary causes of cyanosis was excluded by proper investigations

Failure to induce morphological changes in rats bone marrow following short-term administration of large doses of lead acetate

It is known that lead inhibits ferro-chelatase enzyme which catalyzes the transfer of iron from ferritin into erythrocytes protoporphyrins and thus causing the accumulation of the latter and iron containing granules in addition to morphological changes in bone marrow and circulating red blood cells [RBC]. Effectively, different lead-blood levels [pb-B] were produced by short-term daily administration [14 days] of 30 mg pb/kg b.w of rats through different routes [ig and ip]. The elevated pb-B caused mild decrease in hemoglobin level and related blood indices [P < 0.05] in rats intoxicated orally, while in ip, the decrease was more effective [P < 0.001]. Blood and bone marrow smears stained with Leishman's stain failed to show the characteristic iron staining granules or to produce morphological changes. This failure even in the presence of elevated pb-B was attributed to shorter duration of lead exposure

Thalassaemia presenting as Gaucher's disease: a case report with ultrastructural study

This is a case report of a young Iraqi male who presented with a pathological fracture of metatarsal bone, bilateral pingueculae and splenomegaly. The fracture was curetted and histological examination of the fragments showed massive collections of storage cells which together with the other two signs were regarded as the usual presenting features of Gaucher's disease. However further investigations including ultrastructural study of the storage cells proved them to be thalassaemia storage cells [TSC]. Conclusive evidence of Gaucher's disease [GD] was lacking. Reviewing the English literature we think this is the first case of thalassaemia mimicking Gaucher's disease