Eosinophil Subtypes in Adults with Asthma and Adults with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Rationale: There is a differential response to eosinophilic modulation between patients with asthma and those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). There is also evidence of different subtypes of eosinophils in murine models. However, no study has compared eosinophil subtypes in individuals with COPD and in those with asthma. Objectives: Study the differences in eosinophils subtypes based in the surface protein expression in COPD patients and asthmatic patients. Methods: We studied 10 stable subjects in each of four groups: subjects with COPD, subjects with asthma, smokers without COPD, and healthy volunteers. Subjects with COPD and those with asthma were matched by age, sex, and FEV1% predicted. The following variables were determined: anthropometrics, smoking, exacerbation history, medication use, lung function, and comorbidities. Using flow cytometry and confocal microscopy from blood samples, we determined differences in eosinophil surface proteins and classified them as 1) resident eosinophils (Siglec-8+CD62L+IL-3Rlo) or 2) inflammatory eosinophils (iEos; Siglec-8+CD62LloIL-3Rhi). IL-5 receptor was also determined. Findings were validated in 59 patients with COPD and in 17 patients with asthma. Measurements and Main Results: Patients with asthma had a higher proportion of iEos (25 ± 15%) compared with those with COPD (0.5 ± 1%), smokers without COPD (0.14 ± 0.24%), and healthy volunteers (0.67 ± 1.72%). In patients with asthma, the proportion of iEos was independent of total eosinophil number. iEos had more IL-5 receptors than resident eosinophils (777.02 ± 124.55 vs. 598.35 ± 318.69; P < 0.01). In patients with COPD, there was no relation between iEos number and inhaled corticosteroid use, disease severity, or exacerbations rate. The findings in patients with COPD and those with asthma were confirmed in validation cohorts. Conclusions: There are differences in the subtypes of circulating eosinophils between patients with asthma and those with COPD. This could have clinical implications in the interpretation of eosinophil significance and the approach to therapy in these patients.

Cardiac Relapse of Acute Myeloid Leukemia after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Secondary or metastatic cardiac tumors are much more common than primary benign or malignant cardiac tumors. Any tumor can cause myocardial or pericardial metastasis, although isolated or combined tumor invasion of the pericardium is more common. Types of neoplasia with the highest rates of cardiac or pericardial involvement are melanoma, lung cancer, and breast and mediastinal carcinomas. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the most common type of acute leukemia in adults. Initial treatment involves chemotherapy followed by consolidation treatment to reduce the risk of relapse. In high-risk patients, the treatment of choice for consolidation is hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Relapse of AML is the most common cause of HSCT failure. Extramedullary relapse is rare. The organs most frequently affected, called "sanctuaries," are the testes, ovaries, and central nervous system. We present a case with extramedullary relapse in the form of a solid cardiac mass.

Late relapse of progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy postallogenic transplant in a young patient with CLL.

We describe a case of progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy (PML) in a 39-year-old patient diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) who underwent two allogenic matched-sibling stem cell transplantations. PML was confirmed just after the first transplantation with cerebral MRI and by PCR in the cerebrospinal fluid. After immunosuppression withdrawal and cidofovir treatment, he achieved a reversal of clinical symptoms, John Cunningham (JC) virus positivity and MRI lesions regression. He remained asymptomatic for 5 years with no signs of infection activity, even though he received three new chemotherapy regimens due to a CLL relapse. However, after the second stem cell transplantation, new neurological symptoms began and a reactivation of the JC virus infection was detected. This time, treatment with mefloquine was started, but he experienced a progressive neurological deterioration and died 1 month after the symptoms began.

Severe ifosfamide-induced neurotoxicity: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Ifosfamide is an alkylating agent used in the treatment of several neoplasias. Ifosfamide metabolites accumulation can produce neurotoxicity, which sometimes manifests as a severe clinical picture. CASE DESCRIPTION: We describe the case of a male with a mixed cellularity subtype classical Hodgkin's lymphoma, treated with ifosfamide after other chemotherapy drugs failure. After the first Ifosfamide cycle, the patient showed severe neurological toxicity that resolved 3 weeks later with supportive therapy. DISCUSSION: Among the risk factors described in the literature, our patient had previously received cisplatin chemotherapy, had low albumin serum levels, and had received ifosfamide as a rapid intravenous infusion. The management of the neurotoxicity is symptomatic although some drugs, like methylene blue and albumin, have also been used. CONCLUSION: This case highlights that clinicians should be aware of the possibility of severe neurological toxicity after the administration of ifosfamide and may control the risk factors associated.