Background and Objectives: Systemic inflammatory indices have been largely investigated for their potential predictive value in multiple inflammatory, infectious, and oncological diseases; however, their value in colorectal cancer is still a subject of research. This study investigates the dynamics of pre- and postoperative values of NLR, PLR, SII, and MLR in patients with colorectal cancer and their predictive value for early postoperative outcomes. Materials and Methods: A 2-year retrospective cohort study was performed on 200 patients operated for colorectal adenocarcinoma. Systemic inflammatory indices were calculated based on complete blood count preoperatively and on the first and sixth postoperative days. The patients were divided into two groups based on their emergency or elective presentation. The pre- and postoperative values of serum inflammatory biomarkers and their correlations with postoperative outcomes were separately analyzed for the two study subgroups. Results: There were no significant differences in sex distribution, addressability, associated comorbidities, or types of surgery between the two groups. Patients in the emergency group presented higher preoperative and postoperative values of WBC, neutrophils, NLR, and SII compared to elective patients. The postsurgery hospital stays correlated well with pre- and postoperative day one and day six values of NLR (p = 0.001; 0.02; and <0.001), PLR (p < 0.001), SII (p = 0.037; <0.001; <0.001), and MLR (p = 0.002; p = 0.002; <0.001). In a multivariate analysis, reintervention risk was higher for emergency presentation and anemia, and lower in right colon cancer. In the emergency group, a multivariate model including age, MLR PO1, and pTNM stage was predictive for severe postoperative complications (AUC ROC 0.818). First-day postoperative inflammatory indices correlated well with sepsis, with the best predictive value being observed for the first postoperative day NLR (AUC 0.836; sensibility 88.8%; specificity 66.7%) and SII (AUC 0.796; sensitivity 66.6%; specificity 90%). For elective patients, the first postoperative day PLR and anemia were included in a multivariate model to predict Clavien–Dindo complications graded 3 or more (AUC ROC 0.818) and reintervention (AUC ROC 0.796). Conclusions: Easy-to-calculate and inexpensive systemic inflammatory biomarkers could be useful in predicting early postoperative outcomes in colorectal cancer for both elective and emergency surgery.

INTRODUCTION:Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers occurring globally. Surgery for CRC often extends hospital stays due to complications, as patients must meet nutritional needs and regain mobility before discharge. Longer hospital stays, required for extended monitoring and care, can increase the risk of further complications, creating a cycle where extended stays lead to more issues. Predicting a patient's length of stay (LOS) is crucial for optimal resource management, financial control, and patient care. METHODS:This study aimed to create a scoring system to predict postoperative complications and prolonged hospitalization in colorectal cancer surgery patients. Over 60 variables, including age, BMI, and tumor location, were analyzed for their correlation with complications. RESULTS:A complication score was developed based on six factors linked to postoperative complications: hemoglobin (Hb), serum albumin, tumor localization, EC (epidural catheter), opioid use, and NPO (nil per os) days. Patients with three or more identified risk factors had a 6.17-fold higher complication rate, with a highly significant p-value of 0.0008, demonstrating the score's strong potential for identifying high-risk patients. The factors significantly associated with length of stay (LOS) include admission hemoglobin levels, tumor localization (right versus left colon), intraoperative fluid intake, the presence or absence of regional anesthesia and analgesia (RAA), the number of drainage tubes, and postoperative hematocrit levels. The analysis shows that patients with at least three of the six identified risk factors are 5.17 times more likely to experience prolonged hospitalization (over eight days) compared to those with fewer than three points, with a statistically significant correlation (p-value of 0.003). Our findings indicate that patients with three or more risk factors are significantly more likely to experience complications and extended hospital stays. CONCLUSIONS:This scoring system can serve as an essential tool for healthcare providers to identify at-risk patients, optimize resource allocation, and ultimately enhance patient recovery and outcomes. Moreover, the integration of the complication and LOS scores into routine preoperative assessments can facilitate a more personalized care plan, enabling healthcare providers to identify patients who may benefit from closer monitoring and additional support during their recovery. Further validation in diverse populations and settings is needed to confirm the scoring system's generalizability and utility.

Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) is a rare T-cell lymphoproliferative disease associated with human T-cell leukemia virus type 1. There are four subtypes of ATLL: smoldering, chronic, lymphoma and acute. All subtypes can exhibit extranodal involvement. Hepatic infiltration occurs in the chronic, lymphoma and acute types of ATLL, but symptoms are rare. We report the case of a 32-year-old patient with acute-type ATLL and atypical severe hepatic dysfunction at diagnosis. At first, the patient presented with non-specific signs and symptoms, including severe abdominal pain, jaundice, hepatosplenomegaly, ascites and small lymphadenopathies, as well as leukocytosis, which was initially considered reactive. After excluding acute abdomen, the patient was referred to the hematologist. The diagnosis of acute-type ATLL was unexpectedly suggested by peripheral blood smear and confirmed by immunophenotyping by flow cytometry. Multiple causes of liver dysfunction, including hepatic infiltration, paraneoplastic syndrome, infectious diseases, extrahepatic compression, hemophagocytic syndrome, alcoholic liver disease and drug- induced hepatotoxicity, were taken into account. Considering the concurrence of ATLL diagnosis with liver dysfunction, the favorable clinical and biological evolution after specific hematological treatment, and the absence of imaging supporting other possibilities, we concluded that diffuse hepatic infiltration was the most probable cause. When evaluating hepatic dysfunction, considering a broad differential diagnosis is crucial. While it is uncommon, lymphoma should be included in the list of potential causes.

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) represents evidence-based transformation in perioperative care, which has been demonstrated to reduce both recovery times and postoperative complication rates. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical significance of the ERAS program in comparison with conventional postoperative care. This longitudinal cohort observational study enrolled 120 consecutive patients diagnosed with intestinal obstruction caused by colorectal cancers, with 40 patients in the ERAS group and 80 patients receiving conventional postoperative care forming the non-ERAS group. Our study compares the effectiveness of ERAS protocols to non-ERAS methods, focusing on the time to first flatus, defecation, the resumption of normal diet, and early mobilization. The main endpoints are morbidity and hospitalization length. The results showed that despite a longer admission-to-surgery interval in the ERAS group, median hospitalization was significantly shorter compared to the non-ERAS group (p = 0.0002). The ERAS group showed a tendency towards a lower incidence of overall postoperative complications, indicating that implementing the ERAS protocol does not increase the risk of postoperative complications, ensuring the safety of enhanced recovery strategies for patients. Also, ERAS patients had notably fewer stomas than those in the non-ERAS group, indicating the potential effectiveness of reducing stoma necessity. This study shows that ERAS surpasses conventional care for colonic or rectal surgery patients, reducing hospital stays and costs while enhancing recovery. This highlights the comprehensive advantages of adopting ERAS in surgical settings.

Background and Objectives: Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) is a highly aggressive T-cell lymphoproliferative disease associated with the human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-1). ATLL is a rare disease, found more frequently in HTLV-1-endemic areas, Romania being one of them. Despite treatment advances, the prognosis remains dismal. We aimed to describe the clinical, biological, and survival outcome features of Romanian patients with aggressive-type ATLL. Materials and Methods: We report the data of a prospective, observational, and unicentric study of all 20 patients diagnosed with lymphoma and acute types of ATLL at our center over the past 12 years. Data were collected from the patients’ medical records. Results: Lymphoma-type ATLL (60%) was more common than acute-type ATLL (40%). Median age at diagnosis was 40.5 years, and most patients were female. Laboratory data revealed significant differences between acute and lymphoma-type ATLL, namely, higher leukocyte (p = 0.02) and lymphocyte counts (p = 0.02) and higher levels of corrected calcium (p = 0.001) in acute-type ATLL. All patients received chemotherapy, and only two underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Only six patients obtained a complete or partial response to chemotherapy, mostly the lymphoma-type ones. The median survival for all patients was 6.37 months, with higher survival in the lymphoma-type ATLL (8.16 months) than in the acute-type (3.60 months). Normal calcium levels (p = 0.011), uric acid (p = 0.005), BUN score (p = 0.000), JCOG-PI moderate risk (p = 0.038), and obtaining complete or partial response (p = 0.037) were associated with higher survival. Conclusion: Aggressive-type ATLL among Romanian patients presents distinct characteristics, including younger age at diagnosis, female predominance, and higher incidence of lymphoma-type ATLL compared to currently reported data. Survival remains very low, with all subtypes experiencing a median survival of less than one year.

Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an acquired auto­im­mune bleeding disorder characterized by antibody me­dia­ted platelet destruction and impaired platelet pro­duc­tion. Adult patients often present with a chronic di­sease, displaying a stable platelet count and a low risk for bleeding. However, there is a small category of ITP patients who have instable platelet count, are at high risk for bleeding and are refractory to all forms of treat­ment. Immune thrombocytopenia is a diagnosis of ex­clu­sion; extensive diagnostic work is needed in order to classify a patient as having refractory ITP. Refractory pa­tients do not respond to steroids, i.v. immunoglobulins, throm­bo­poietin receptor agonists (TPO-RA) or rituximab, or to any other form of treatment. Combination therapy has been evaluated in small cases, with varying results. Newer treat­ments – fostamatinib, FcRn or Bruton kinase (BTK) in­hi­bitors – appear to be more effective. Exploring the bio­lo­gy of refractoriness is essential for understanding the complex pathology of this disease and for finding ways to stop its natural evolution. In summary, refractory im­mune thrombocytopenia is a complex condition that re­quires precise diagnosis and the initiation of an effective com­bi­na­tion treatment from onset.

Abstract The occurrence of acute leukemia during pregnancy is a rare pathologic situation and requires a multidisciplinary approach that includes at least a hematologist, gynecologist, neurologist, or psychotherapist and sometimes even intensive care unit care. The difficulties in caring for such a patient are many, from determining the risk associated with continuing the pregnancy, to choosing diagnostic tools and therapy appropriate for such a situation, to considering the patient's wishes and preferences. Below, we present the approach for cases of acute leukemia in pregnancy diagnosed and treated at the Emergency University Hospital of Bucharest (SUUB), Hematology Department, between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2022, during a 6-year period.

Objectives To assess the frequency of multiple thrombophilia-associated mutations and polymorphisms in a selected population of high-risk pregnancies. Methods Thrombophilia screening was performed for 1,500 pregnant women with prior pregnancy complications or thrombotic events. Nine thrombophilia-associated mutations or polymorphisms were screened: factor V Leiden, factor V H1299R, prothrombin G20210A, MTHFR C677T, MTHFR A1298C, factor XIII V34L, PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphisms, EPCR G4600A, EPCR C4678G. Results Out of the 1,500 patients, 1,291 fulfilled the criteria for data interpretation. All patients had low-risk thrombophilia-associated genetic variants. Only 1.24 % of cases presented high-risk abnormalities (homozygous factor V Leiden/prothrombin G20210A, or both mutations in heterozygous form). Heterozygous factor V Leiden occurred in 10.38 % of cases, while only 5.81 % carried heterozygous prothrombin G20210A mutation. The frequency of prothrombin G20210A mutation was higher (10.37 %) in the subgroup associating factor V Leiden, than in the subgroup lacking it (5.36 %). Low-risk genetic variants occurred with a higher frequency: 23.78 % factor V H1299R, 57.32 % MTHFR C677T, 55.54 % MTHFR A1298C, 44.07 % factor XIII V34L, 73.20 % PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphisms, 69.64 % EPCR G4600A, and 69.63 % EPCR C4678G. Conclusions All patients had at least one prothrombotic genetic mutation or variant. Our data highlight the need for thrombophilia screening, including low-risk genetic variants, in a high-risk population of pregnant women with a history of pregnancy complications or thrombotic events.

Background and objectives: In acute myeloid leukemia (AML), extensive bleeding is one of the most frequent causes of death. Impaired activation and aggregation processes were identified in previous studies on platelet behaviour associated with this disease. This study’s aim was to examine platelet function in correlation with other haemorrhage risk factors (fever, sepsis, recent bleeding, uraemia, leucocytosis, haematocrit value, treatment). Design and methods: The analysis of platelet surface proteins (Glycoprotein Ib-IX (CD42b, CD42a), Glycoprotein IIb-IIIa (CD41, CD61), p-selectin (CD62P), granulophysin (CD63)) was conducted by flowcytometry from samples of whole blood in patients with acute myeloid leukaemia in different stages of diagnosis and therapy (n = 22) in comparison with healthy human controls (n = 10). Results and interpretations: Our results show a significant decrease in fluorescence level associated with platelet activation markers (CD63 (14.11% vs. 40.78 % p < 0.05); CD62P (15.26% vs. 28.23% p < 0.05)); adhesion markers (CD42b (69.08% vs. 84.41% p < 0.05)) and aggregation markers (CD61 (83.79% vs. 98.62% p < 0.001)) in patients compared to controls. The levels of CD41 (80.62% vs. 86.31%, p = 0.290) and CD42a (77.98% vs. 94.15%, p = 0.99) demonstrate no significant differences in the two groups. Conclusion: The AML patients present changes in adhesion receptors and activation markers, suggesting a functional defect or denatured intracellular signalling in platelets. The exposed data indicate that flow cytometry can effectively identify multiple functional platelet impairments in AML pathogenesis.

Taurine is a semi-essential, the most abundant free amino acid in the human body, with a six times higher concentration in platelets than any other amino acid. It is highly beneficial for the organism, has many therapeutic actions, and is currently approved for heart failure treatment in Japan. Taurine has been repeatedly reported to elicit an inhibitory action on platelet activation and aggregation, sustained by in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro animal and human studies. Taurine showed effectiveness in several pathologies involving thrombotic diathesis, such as diabetes, traumatic brain injury, acute ischemic stroke, and others. As human prospective studies on thrombosis outcome are very difficult to carry out, there is an obvious need to validate existing findings, and bring new compelling data about the mechanisms underlying taurine and derivatives antiplatelet action and their antithrombotic potential. Chloramine derivatives of taurine proved a higher stability and pronounced selectivity for platelet receptors, raising the assumption that they could represent future potential antithrombotic agents. Considering that taurine and its analogues display permissible side effects, along with the need of finding new, alternative antithrombotic drugs with minimal side effects and long-term action, the potential clinical relevance of this fascinating nutrient and its derivatives requires further consideration.

ATL is a rare but a highly aggressive T-cell neoplasm associated with human T-cell leukemia virus-1 (HTLV-1) infection. Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type-1 (HTLV-1) is a oncogenic retrovirus responsible for the development of adult T-cell leukemia (ATL), but also for other non-malignant diseases, such as HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). HTLV-1 has a higher prevalence in Japan, the Caribbean, South America, intertropical Africa, Romania, and northern Iran. ATL patients can have an extensive spectrum of neurological manifestations. Numerous factors can be implicated, such as central nervous system infiltrates, neurolymphomatosis, complications to medication or allogeneic stem cell transplantation, HAM/TSP, infections, metabolic disturbances. The neurological complications are not always easy to recognize and treat. Thus, this review underlines the necessity of a multidisciplinary approach in ATL patients with neurological symptomatology.

Primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is characterized by isolated low platelet count and it is a diagnosis of exclusion, contrasting to secondary ITP. Therefore, a positive diagnosis is difficult and requires extensive investigation. Some of the underlying conditions that are associated with ITP are lymphoproliferative disorders and infections, especially viral ones. In the present study, the case of a patient diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, who received chemotherapy and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is presented. After a complete remission of four years, the patient presented with sudden intense hemorrhagic syndrome and severely decreased platelet count. The most frequent causes of secondary ITP were excluded, including lymphoma relapse, and intravenous corticosteroids were started. However, shortly after hospital admission, the patient developed neuro-psychiatric anomalies, fever and pancytopenia, and West-Nile encephalitis was diagnosed. Although the initial development was favorable, he started to complain of progressive severe muscle weakness and eventually succumbed to infectious complications in the setting of prolonged hospitalization, corticotherapy, and immobilization.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare, life-threatening syndrome developed due to uncontrolled hyper­in­flam­ma­tion and tissue destruction. In most cases, it is a pediatric disorder, but it can also occur in adults. The cli­ni­cal presentation and the laboratory findings are often non­spe­ci­fic, therefore it is difficult to diagnose. Yet, an early diagnosis and treatment can significantly improve sur­vival. Hence, the treatment should be initiated as soon as possible if one has a high suspicion of HLH, even though the patient does not meet yet all the criteria. We pre­sent the case of a patient admitted with nonspecific symp­to­ma­to­lo­gy, namely jaundice, fatigue and significant non-intentional weight loss. The initial laboratory data sug­gested cirrhosis. The attempt of discovering the cause of hepatic dysfunction was initially unsuccessful. We sus­pi­cioned HLH only based on the myelogram. At that point, the patient met the criteria for the diagnosis of HLH, and we star­ted the specific treatment. However, the results were not sa­tis­fac­to­ry, and the patient died three months after the ini­tial presentation.

We present the images of peripheral blood smears of a patient diagnosed with plasma cell leukemia. Plasma cell leukemia is a rare and aggressive disease, characterized by more than 20% plasma cells in the peripheral blood or/and an absolute count of more than 2000/mm3.

Cirrhosis is the late stage of several hepatic disorders. The patients with cirrhosis show profound anomalies in their hemostatic system, every phase being affected. These chan­ges result in an increased risk for both bleeding and throm­bo­sis. The hemostatic anomalies include alteration of primary and secondary hemostasis and of fibrinolysis, namely: thrombocytopenia and platelet dysfunction, de­fi­cien­cy of synthesis or clearance of coagulation factors, re­duced synthesis of natural anticoagulants, hyper- and hypo­fi­bri­no­lysis. The laboratory findings do not accurately as­sess the risk and are often misleading. Therefore, it is dif­fi­cult to appreciate the risk of bleeding or thrombosis in cirrhotic patients. Bleeding is often variceal, but can also occur from peptic ulcers, Mallory-Weis syndrome or mucosal bleeding. The most frequent thrombotic com­pli­ca­tions are portal vein thrombosis, deep vein thrombosis and thromboembolism. The management of bleeding and thrombosis, and also the prophylaxis in the setting of in­vasive procedures are particularly challenging in cirrhotic pa­tients. We present a review of hemostatic changes, their cli­ni­cal outcome and the management in patients with cir­rho­sis.

Background: Emerging evidence suggests that patients with metabolic (dysfunction) associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) are prone to severe forms of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), especially those with underlying liver fibrosis. The aim of our study is to assess the association of an increased FIB-4 score with COVID-19 disease prognosis. Methods: We performed a prospective study on hospitalized patients with known type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and confirmed COVID-19, with imaging evidence of liver steatosis within the last year or known diagnosis of MAFLD. All individuals were screened for liver fibrosis with a FIB-4 index. We evaluated the link between FIB-4 and disease prognosis. Results: Of 138 participants, 91.3% had MAFLD and 21.5% patients had a high risk of fibrosis. In the latter group of patients, the number of severe forms of disease, the hospital stay length, the rate of ICU admissions and the number of deaths reported registered a statistically significant increase. The independent predictors for developing severe forms of COVID-19 were obesity (odds ratio (OR), 3.24; 95% confidence interval (CI), p = 0.003), higher values of ferritin (OR-1.9; 95% CI, 1.17–8.29, p = 0.031) and of FIB-4 ≥ 3.25 (OR-4.89; 95% CI, 1.34–12.3, p = 0.02). Conclusions: Patients with high scores of FIB-4 have poor clinical outcomes and liver fibrosis may have a relevant prognostic role. Although the link between liver fibrosis and the prognosis of COVD-19 needs to be evaluated in further studies, screening for liver fibrosis with FIB-4 index, particularly in patients at risk, such as those with T2DM, will make a huge contribution to patient risk stratification.