Hypercalcemia and multiple osteolytic lesions in an adult patient with relapsed pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Hypercalcemia and severe osteolytic lesions are rare complications of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in childhood, and those cases share similar clinical features. Similarly, hypercalcemia is a rare feature in adult ALL. Here, we report an uncommon case of an adult patient with relapsed precursor B ALL (pre-B ALL) who developed multiple osteolytic lesions and hypercalcemia. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 24-year-old male patient, diagnosed with pre-B ALL, was admitted in our hospital due to severe lumbar pain. After reviewing laboratory, radiological and clinical findings, the patient was diagnosed as having relapse of a mixed phenotype acute leukemia, according to bone marrow aspiration (9% blasts) and cytogenetic analysis, with multiple osteolytic lesions in all lumbar vertebrae, sacrum and ilium and severe hypercalcemia (13.3 mg/dL). Thus, FLAG-IDA rescue therapy and hydration plus furosemide, corticoids and bisphosphonates were administered. Despite initial amelioration, his hematological condition deteriorated and he died due to severe sepsis as a result of severe immunosuppression. CONCLUSION: Two possible mechanisms have been suggested for hypercalcemia in hematological malignancy, either the leukemic infiltration or the paraneoplastic production of a variety of humoral factors and proinflammatory cytokines. However, hypercalcemia and severe osteolytic lesions are rare features in ALL adult patients and their combination may be indicator of poor prognosis. Hippokratia 2015, 19 (1): 78-81.

Evaluation of fragmented red cell (FRC) counting using Sysmex XE-5000 - does hypochromia play a role?

INTRODUCTION: Schistocytes are major signs of micro- and macroangiopathic haemolytic anaemia. The aim was to evaluate automated fragmented red cell (FRC) count compared to visual microscopy, and to assess FRCs in the presence of microcytosis and hypochromia using Sysmex automated counters. METHODS: Schistocytes were determined with visual microscopy after the observation of 1000 erythrocytes, and the automated counting with Sysmex XE-5000. Indices of microcytosis (%MicroR) and hypochromia (%Hypo-He) were also analysed in the XE-5000 analyser. RESULTS: Linear regression analysis showed a good correlation between automated and manual FRC% count (r = 0.824, P < 0.0001), but Bland-Altman's plot revealed an overestimation of FRC of 0.82%. There is a global correlation between %MicroR and FRCs. In subgroup analysis of %MicroR (reference value: 0.3-3%, mild microcytosis: 3.1-7.2% and severe microcytosis: 7.3-56.7%), no correlations with automated %FRC were noticed (P > 0.05). Based on %Hypo-He subgroups (mild hypochromia: 1.2-5.2%, and severe hypochromia: 5.3-35.4%), a significant correlation of automated %FRC with mild hypochromia was found (r = 0.621, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Despite the agreement between FRC count and the manual method, the overvaluation of FRC was high, leading to false-positive results. Microcytosis appeared to have no impact on FRC count, whereas mild hypochromia seemed to be related with FRC count. Particular attention is required to assess automated FRCs in samples with mild hypochromia.