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PANCYTOPENIA OF UNKNOWN PATHOGENESIS

 74-year-old female evaluated for pancytopenia of unknown etiology, which required blood transfusions. Bone marrow aspirate and biopsy showed a hypocellular bone marrow with trilineage maturation. The treatment include immunosuppressive agents and erythropoietin.

 

PANCYTOPENIA OF UNKNOWN ETIOLOGY

74-year-old female evaluated for pancytopenia of unknown etiology, which required blood transfusions. Bone marrow aspirate and biopsy showed a hypocellular bone marrow with trilineage maturation. The treatment include immunosuppressive agents and erythropoietin.

Peripheral T-cell lymphoma

51-year-old male with past medical history that is remarkable for Sino-nasal adenocarcinoma which was resected 13 years ago, and a recurrent local tumor which was re-operated. Since late 2007, the patient has been noticed to have mild macrocytic anemia and leucopenia, and the hematologist thought it might represent a myelodysplastic syndrome.

Pancytopenia of uncertain pathogenesis

74-year-old female evaluated for pancytopenia of unknown etiology, which required blood transfusions. Bone marrow aspirate and biopsy showed a hypocellular bone marrow with trilineage maturation. The treatment include immunosuppressive agents and erythropoietin.

Portosystemic Encephalopathy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Adult male with a history of hepatitis C, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) and hepatocellular carcinoma. Patient treated for NHL with CHOP-R 4 years ago. However, post-treatment, he had continued presumed bone marrow suppression. He was diagnosed 2 years later with HCC and underwent TACE with good effect. Since the TACE, the patient has had persistent and worsening hepatic dysfunction with portal hypertension and ascites. Recently, the patient developed encephalopathy and was treated, as described below, with fast return to consciousness.

Chronic relapsing, non progressing eruption of purpuric papulovesicular lesions

A 57 year old female complained about appearance of red to dark red pruritic bullous lesions . These lesions were, and still are, located on the legs from the knee to the ankles, and on the back of the feet. These manifestations appeared in variable phases during the next 4 years, with episodes of more numerous pustules appearing in some periods, and more isolated in other periods.

Motor Neuropathy

52-year-old male with a one year history of lower motor neuropathy affecting the limbs, left upper and lower limbs clinically and all 4 limbs electrically. The neurologic examination showed left lower and left upper limb hyposthenia with mainly distal motor clumsiness, appearance of left upper limb hypotrophy and diffuse fasciculations. The patient was diagnosed with “suspect motor neuron disease" and was treated with IVIG cycles with slight initial improvement, but later lack of response and worsening of the clinical condition.

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) secondary to Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)

15 years old patient presented with clinical syndrome of fever, fatigue, and diarrhea. Laboratory findings showed severe anemia with findings of microangiopathic hemolysis (schistocytes, hyperbilirubinemia, elevated LDH) and severe thrombocytopenia. He was later documented to have fluctuating ADAMTS13 activity that appeared to correlate with the hematologic abnormalities. He also had urinary findings of hematuria, moderate proteinuria, and creatinine as high as 1.4 mg/dL.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

41 year-old male was recently diagnosed as having multiple sclerosis (MS) after episodes of leg and shoulder weakness and parasthesis. Lately he experiences dizziness. His MRI showed several demyelinating lesions, other ancillary tests showed demyelinating damage to the auditory and visual pathway. Currently he has no functional or sensorial deficiencies. He was offered several immunomodulatory treatment options: Rebif, Betaferon and Copaxone, and asks about their pros, cons and complications, and about the differential diagnosis.

MDS – Myelodysplastic Syndrome

74-year-old male with gradual pan-cytopenia with predominant thrombocytopenia underwent a bone marrow biopsy that confirmed the diagnosis of Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). He is currently in good general health except for slowly progressive weakness and being constantly tired. In the expert's opinion, there is no indication for therapy at this time, since the counts are satisfactory for every-day living. Nevertheless, the treating options are erythopoietin injections, lenalidomide, Vidaza or Dacogen therapy, or stem cell transplantation.

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), with kariotype del(11)q(11)

A 74 year-old male, that was diagnosed as suffering from myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) with kariotype del(11)q(11) by a bone marrow biopsy, following a gradual pancytopenia. The patient complains about slowly progressive weakness and being constantly tired.He was offered chemotherapy, but he declined this treatment because of fear that it would worsen his already severe weakness.

Erectile Dysfunction in Diabetes

50-year-old male complaining of gradual appearance of erectile dysfunction up to absolute impossibility of even just a single erectile event. His medical history is significant for Type II Diabetes Mellitus and prostatitis. He started taking Cialis, Levitra, and then Viagra without obtaining any benefit. He underwent EMG of the inferior limbs and hematochemical examinations, that revieled signs of diabetic polyneuropathy, and possible superimposed lumbosacral radiculopathy. The possibility to give intracavernous penile injections has been proposed.