MyMedR

Fulltext Acquired Factor VIII Inhibitors: Three Cases

Kyaw TZ, Jayaranee S, Bee PC, Chin EF

Turk J Haematol, 2013 Mar;30(1):76-80.

PMID: 24385759 DOI: 10.4274/tjh.2012.0009

Acquired hemophilia A is a rare, but devastating bleeding disorder caused by spontaneous development of autoantibodies directed against coagulation factor VIII. In 40%-50% of patients it is associated with such conditions as the postpartum period, malignancy, use of medications, and autoimmune diseases; however, its cause is unknown in most cases. Acquired hemophilia A should be suspected in patients that present with a coagulation abnormality, and a negative personal and family history of bleeding. Herein we report 3 patients with acquired hemophilia A that had different underlying pathologies, clinical presentations, and therapeutic responses. Factor VIII inhibitor formation in case 1 occurred 6 months after giving birth; underlying disorders were not identified in cases 2 or 3. The bleeding phenotype in these patients' ranged from no bleeding tendency with isolated prolongation of APTT (activated partial thromboplastin time) to severe intramuscular hematoma and hemarthrosis necessitating recombinant activated factor VII infusion and blood components transfusion. Variable responses to immunosuppressive treatment were also observed.

Influence of genetic polymorphisms of cytokine genes in the outcome of HLA-matched allogeneic stem cell transplantation in a South East Asian population

Gan GG, Leong YC, Bee PC, Chin EF, Abdul Halim H, Nadarajan VS, et al.

Cytokine, 2016 Feb;78:55-61.

PMID: 26638029 DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2015.11.022

Non-HLA gene polymorphisms have been shown to be associated with the risk of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and outcome of allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT). This study aims to investigate the role of IL6, TNFα, IL10, IL2 and IL12 gene polymorphisms in the outcome of AHSCT in a South East Asian population. A total of 67 patients and 59 donors who underwent HLA-identical matched sibling AHSCT were available for analysis. There was no significant association between the different cytokine genotypes of patients with the incidence and severity of acute GVHD. Patients with IL2 166∗T allele and patients who received donor stem cells who had IL2 166∗G allele appeared to have reduced incidence of cGVHD. Patients who received donor stem cells with IL12 1188∗C allele are found to be associated with better disease free survival. These results suggest a possible role of IL2 and IL12 gene polymorphisms in the outcome of AHSCT in a South East Asian population.

Impact of inadequate doses of rituximab in the treatment of diffuse large B cell lymphoma in Malaysian patients

Gan GG, Subramaniam R, Bee PC, Chin EF, Abdul-Halim H, Tai MC

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2014;15(4):1703-6.

PMID: 24641394

BACKGROUND: The current standard treatment for patients with newly diagnosed diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is rituximab combined with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisolone (CHOP). A significant number of patients were not treated with recommended dose of rituximab due to limited financial resources in Malaysia. This study evaluates the efficacy of R-CHOP like chemotherapy in Malaysian patients with DLBCL.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study comprised a retrospective analysis of patients with DLBCL treated at a single centre. The outcome was compared with patients who were treated with R-CHOP like and CHOP like chemotherapy. Patients who were treated with lower dose of rituximab was subanalysed for outcome.

RESULTS: A total of 86 patients who had CHOP-like chemotherapy were included. Only 39 (45%) patients had rituximab and only 12 (29%) patients had the recommended dose. The overall response (OR) and complete response (CR) rates were 88% and 81% respectively. There was no significant difference in OR and CR in patients who had rituximab and those without rituxmab. Those with International Prognostic Index (IPI) score of ≤ 2 had significant higher CR rate, progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: The lack of significant improvement in CR and DFS in our patients may be due to an inadequate dose of rituximab.

Fulltext Helicobacter pylori infection in chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura patients in Malaysia

Gan GG, Norfaizal AL, Bee PC, Chin EF, Habibah AH, Goh KL

Med J Malaysia, 2013 Jun;68(3):231-3.

PMID: 23749012 MyJurnal

Helicobacter Pylori has been implicated with a possible link to immune thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP) and studies have shown contradicting results in platelet recovery after eradication of H pylori infection.

Fulltext Enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma: An extremely rare cause of chronic diarrhoea

Liong CC, Ravindran S, Gnana Kumar G, Chin EF, Koh PS, Chan WK

Med J Malaysia, 2016 04;71(2):88-90.

PMID: 27326953 MyJurnal

Chronic diarrhoea in tropical countries may be due to a myriad of causes from infective to non-infective. This case report illustrates the challenges faced in the investigation of a middle-age Chinese gentleman who presented with chronic diarrhoea and weight loss. The diagnosis of type II enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma (EATL) was finally made. The diagnosis of EATL was least suspected as the condition is almost unheard of in this part of the world. The epidemiology, presentation, diagnosis, management and prognosis of this rare condition are discussed.

Fulltext Myeloid sarcoma: an unusual presentation of acute promyelocytic leukemia causing spinal cord compression

Kyaw TZ, Maniam JA, Bee PC, Chin EF, Nadarajan VS, Shanmugam H, et al.

Turk J Haematol, 2012 Sep;29(3):278-82.

PMID: 24744674 DOI: 10.5505/tjh.2012.94809

Acute promyelocytic leukemia with concurrent myeloid sarcoma is a rare clinical event. Herein we describe a patient that presented with back pain and bilateral leg weakness caused by spinal cord compression due to extramedullary deposition of leukemic cells. Acute promyelocytic leukemia was suspected based on immunophenotypic findings of malignant cells in bone marrow aspirate. The diagnosis was confirmed by the presence of PML-RARα fusion copies. MRI showed multiple hyperintense changes on the vertebral bodies, together with intraspinal masses causing spinal cord compression. The patient immediately underwent radiotherapy, and was treated with all-trans retinoic acid and idarubicin. Reassessment MRI showed complete resolution of all intraspinal masses and the disappearance of most of the bony lesions. Post-treatment bone marrow aspirate showed complete hematological and molecular remission. The motor power of his legs fully recovered from 0/5 to 5/5; however, sensory loss below the T4 level persisted.

Fulltext SNP variants associated with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) correlate with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II expression

Ten LC, Chin YM, Tai MC, Chin EF, Lim YY, Suthandiram S, et al.

Sci Rep, 2017 01 31;7:41400.

PMID: 28139690 DOI: 10.1038/srep41400

Large consortia efforts and genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have linked a number of genetic variants within the 6p21 chromosomal region to non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Complementing these efforts, we genotyped previously reported SNPs in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I (rs6457327) and class II (rs9271100, rs2647012 and rs10484561) regions in a total of 1,145 subjects (567 NHL cases and 578 healthy controls) from two major ethnic groups in Malaysia, the Malays and the Chinese. We identified a NHL-associated (PNHL_add = 0.0008; ORNHL_add = 0.54; 95% CI = 0.37-0.77) and B-cell associated (PBcell_add = 0.0007; ORBcell_add = 0.51; 95% CI = 0.35-0.76) SNP rs2647012 in the Malaysian Malays. In silico cis-eQTL analysis of rs2647012 suggests potential regulatory function of nearby HLA class II molecules. Minor allele rs2647012-T is linked to higher expression of HLA-DQB1, rendering a protective effect to NHL risk. Our findings suggest that the HLA class II region plays an important role in NHL etiology.

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