Thrombophilia and pregnancy outcomes

Pregnancy complications are still a challenge for physicians, because knowledge of pathomechanisms and prophylactic measures is still limited. In recent years thrombophilia as a risk factor for pregnancy complications has gained much attention in the scientific community. To study the rate of thrombophillia gene in cases with recurrent abortion. In the period between January 2006 and May 2007, 40 consecutive patients with a history of recurrent failed IVF and abortion, defined as fetal loss before 16 weeks' gestational age, were screened by the following tests: Molecular diagnosis of 11 thromobophilia gene mutation, ACL IgG and IgM. PtC, PtS. ATIII and Lupus anticoagulants. 40 patients were included in this study and the following data was recorded: All cases were negative to protein C, S and anti T Ill. One case showed positive anti cardiolipin Ig M-3 cases positive for Lupus anticoagulant, all the cases were positive for multiple thrombophillia genes. The observed rate of successful pregnancies of women treated with aspirin, who had mild thrombophilia and a history of a single abortion, is much lower than it would haye been expected from patient treated with combined therapy

Role of leptin in acute leukemia

Acute leukemia is a neoplastic proliferation of the hematopoietic progenitor cells, characterized by appearance of immature cells [blasts] in the bone marrow replacing the bone marrow cells resulting in anemia, thrombocytopenia and an outpouring of the neoplastic blasts into the peripheral blood. As leptin acts as a feedback signal from the adipose tissue, it also acts synergistically with stem cell factor [SCF] in promoting proliferation of primitive hematopoietic progenitors in vitro. Leptin has a stimulatory effect on myeloid, lymphoid and erythroid colony formation. And also has proliferative and antiapoptotic activities in leukemic cells, which express the long and short forms of OB-R. The present study selected the patients with acute leukemia to assess and clarify the possible role of leptin in acute leukemia, and also to reveal the relationship between leptin and acute leukemia. This study involved 60 individuals grouped into patient groups [24 ALL cases and 17 AML case] and normal control groups [8 healthy controls for ALL cases and 11 healthy controls for AML cases]. All groups were subjected to estimation of serum leptin level by ELISA. In addition, 9 patients from ALL group, 8 patients from AML group and 9 healthy controls were subjected to B.M. leptin estimation level by ELISA. There was a highly statistical significant decrease in serum leptin level in both ALL and AML patients when compared with normal controls and also, there was a highly statistical significant decrease in B.M. leptin level in ANIL patients when compared with normal controls. As regards to all patients, serum leptin level was positively correlated with B.M. leptin level and height, also B.M. leptin level was positively correlated with hemoglobin and platelet count but negatively correlated with BMI and weight. As regards to all patients, serum leptin level was positively correlated with B.M. leptin level and bone marrow blasts but negatively correlated with hemoglobin, also B.M. leptin level was positively correlated with BMI but negatively correlated with TLC. Leptin alone and in combination with other cytokines has stimulative effects on proliferation of leukemia cells as well as antiapoptotic effects. These findings suggest the possibility that leptin plays roles in the pathophysiology of leukemia