ABSTRACT Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is characterized by clonal proliferation and progressive accumulation of B-cell lymphocytes that typically express CD19+, CD5+ and CD23+. The lymphocytes usually infiltrate the bone marrow, peripheral blood, lymph nodes, and spleen. The diagnosis is established by immunophenotyping circulating B-lymphocytes, and prognosis is defined by two staging systems (Rai and Binet) established by physical examination and blood counts, as well as by several biological and genetic markers. In this update, we present the recommendations from the Brazilian Group of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The following recommendations are based on an extensive literature review with the aim of contributing to more uniform patient care in Brazil and possibly in other countries with a similar social-economic profile.

Hemoglobinúria paroxística noturna (HPN) é uma anemia hemolítica crônica adquirida rara, de curso clínico extremamente variável. Apresenta-se frequentemente com infecções recorrentes, neutropenia e trombocitopenia, e surge em associação com outras doenças hematológicas, especialmente com síndromes de falência medular, como anemia aplásica e síndrome mielodisplásica. É considerada ainda um tipo de trombofilia adquirida, apresentando-se com tromboses venosas variadas, com especial predileção por trombose de veias hepáticas e intra-abdominais, sua maior causa de mortalidade. A tríade anemia hemolítica, pancitopenia e trombose faz da HPN uma síndrome clínica única, que deixou de ser encarada como simples anemia hemolítica adquirida para ser considerada um defeito mutacional clonal da célula-tronco hematopoética (CTH). A mutação ocorre no gene da fosfaditilinositolglicana classe-A, e resulta no bloqueio precoce da síntese de âncoras de glicosilfosfaditilinositol (GPI), responsáveis por manter aderidas à membrana plasmática dezenas de proteínas com funções específicas. A falência em sintetizar GPI madura gera redução de todas as proteínas de superfície normalmente ancoradas por ela. Dentre elas estão o CD55 e o CD59, que controlam a ativação da cascata do complemento. Assim, na HPN há aumento da susceptibilidade de eritrócitos ao complemento, gerando hemólise. Revisa-se aqui sua fisiopatologia, curso clínico, os tratamentos disponíveis com ênfase para o transplante de células-tronco hematopoéticas alogênicas e para o eculizumab, um anticorpo monoclonal humanizado que bloqueia a ativação do complemento terminal no nível C5 e previne a formação do complexo de ataque à membrana, a primeira droga a demonstrar eficácia no tratamento da HPN.

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is a rare disorder, an acquired chronic hemolytic anemia, often associated with recurrent nocturnal exacerbations, recurrent infections, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and episodes of venous thrombosis. Its clinical course is highly variable. It frequently arises in association with bone marrow failure, particularly aplastic anemia and myelodysplastic syndrome. It is also an acquired thrombophilia, presenting with a variety of venous thrombosis, mainly manifested with intra-abdominal thrombosis, here the major cause of mortality. The triad of hemolytic anemia, pancytopenia, and thrombosis makes a truly unique clinical syndrome of PNH, which was reclassified from a purely acquired hemolytic anemia to a hematopoietic stem cell mutation defect of the phosphatidyl inositol glycanclass-A gene. This mutation results in an early block in the synthesis of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchors, responsible for binding membrane functional proteins. Among these proteins are the complement inhibitors, especially CD55 and CD59, that play a key role in protecting blood cells from complement cascade attack. Therefore, in PNH occurs an increased susceptibility of red cells to complement, and consequently, hemolysis. We here review PNH physiopathology, clinical course, and treatment options, especially eculizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody that blocks the activation of terminal complement at C5 and prevents formation of the terminal complement complex, the first effective drug therapy for PNH.

CONTEXTO E OBJETIVO: As células tumorais da doença de Hodgkin (HD) são positivas para marcadores de proliferação celular que são analisados por seus genes e respectivas proteínas. A correlação entre a expressão destas proteínas e os parâmetros clínico-laboratoriais são, no momento, de importância para o prognóstico da doença. TIPO DE ESTUDO E LOCAL: Estudo retrospectivo da expressão do antígeno de proliferação celular (PCNA) e da p53 e MDM2 em tecidos obtidos ao diagnóstico, fixados por formol, embebidos em parafina de 51 pacientes com HD. O trabalho foi realizado na Divisão de Hematologia e Transfusão, Hospital São Paulo, Universidade Federal de São Paulo. MÉTODOS: As expressões antigênicas foram analisadas através da proporção de células de Hodgkin e células de Reed Sternberg (HRS) e linfócitos reacionais (L) positivos. A intensidade de expressão de cada proteína foi comparada entre L e HRS através do coeficiente de Spearman. A comparação da PCNA, p53 e MDM2 em L e HRS se fez pelo teste de Fiedman. As correlações entre variáveis clínico-laboratoriais, comprometimento da medula óssea, taxas de sobrevida geral e remissão clínica com as proteínas em HRS se fizeram pelo coeficiente de Pearson. RESULTADOS: Houve superexpressão das três proteínas em células HRS comparadas aos L (p < 0,001). Nas células HRS, a MDM2 foi maior que a p53 e a PCNA (p < 0,003), que foram equivalentes. Nos L, a p53 foi menor que a MDM2 e a PCNA (p < 0,001), que foram equivalentes Não houve relação entre as expressões das proteínas com as variáveis clínico-laboratoriais e sobrevida. CONCLUSÕES: PCNA, p53 e MDM2 são marcadores tumorais na HD, porém não mostraram significado clínico-prognóstico em nossa análise.

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Tumor cells in Hodgkin’s disease (HD) express cell proliferation markers that are evaluated according to the oncogenes involved or the expression of their proteins. Correlations between the protein expression grade and clinical data are now important for disease prognosis. DESIGN AND SETTING: This was a retrospective analysis on proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), p53 and MDM2 (murine double minute-2) expression using immunohistochemistry, on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues from diagnostic biopsies on 51 patients with HD. The study was conducted at the Division of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine, Hospital São Paulo, Universidade Federal de São Paulo. METHODS: Antigen expression was evaluated as the proportions of positive Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg (HRS) cells and reactive lymphocytes (L), which were compared using Spearman correlation coefficients. The Friedman test was used for comparisons between the markers. The Pearson test was used to investigate associations between marker expression and clinical and laboratory parameters, marrow involvement, complete remission (CR) and overall survival (OS) rates. RESULTS: There was overexpression of antigen proteins in HRS, in relation to L (p < 0.001). In HRS, MDM2 was higher than p53 and PCNA (p < 0.003), while the latter two were equivalent. In L, p53 was lower than MDM2 and PCNA (p < 0.001), while the latter two were equivalent. There was no relationship between protein expression and clinical and laboratory variables or outcome. CONCLUSIONS: PCNA, p53 and MDM2 are tumor markers for HD, but showed no clinical or prognostic significance in our analysis.

Dentre as várias causas infecciosas de trombose venosa cerebral (TVC), a hepatite viral tem sido reconhecida como causa rara de TVC. Relatamos sobre um homem de 56 anos com TVC associada a coinfecção pelos vírus B e C da hepatite, ressaltando possíveis mecanismos patogênicos. Sugerimos que sorologia para vírus da hepatite B e C deveria ser solicitado em todos os casos de TVC de origem indeterminada.

Among the many infective causes of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT), viral hepatitis is been regarded as a rare associated condition. We report on a 56-years-old man presenting CVT associated with hepatitis B and C coinfections outlining probable pathogenic mechanisms. We suggest that virus B and C serology should be performed in the cases of cerebral venous thrombosis with unknown etiology.

The Philadelphia chromosome is observed in 5% of pediatric acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) and in 25% to 50% of adult ALL cases, and is associated with poor prognosis. Double Ph in a hyperdiploid karyotype is common in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), but rarely found in ALL. We report here the case of a girl diagnosed with ALL at 7 years of age. After treatment with the pediatric protocol BFM 83 for ALL, she stayed in continuous complete remission for nine years. At age 19, she was re-admitted with a white blood cell count of 6.8 x 10(9)/L with 3% blasts, and a platelet count of 65 x 109/L. Bone marrow aspirate showed 92.6% lymphoid blast cells, and chromosome analysis after G-banding revealed the karyotype 51,XX,+?5,t(9;22)(q34.1;q11.2),+16,+20,+21,+der(22)t(9;22)(q34.1;q11.2) [10]/46,XX[1]. FISH analysis for the BCR/ABL fusion showed 56% of interphase cells with two fusion signals, 30% with one, and 6% with three. Double Ph is rare in relapsed leukemia, and the possibility of secondary leukemia cannot be ruled out.