Alemtuzumab induced red cell aplasia and other immune cytopenias – not so ‘pure’

We report on the presentation and outcome of a 28-year-old female who developed red cell aplasia following alemtuzumab therapy for relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis. The patient also developed synchronous immune thrombocytopenia and immune neutropenia, but not aplastic anemia. This patient received high dose steroids, intravenous immunoglobulin (iv.Ig), rituximab, red cell transfusions, vincristine, G-CSF, cyclosporin and mycophenolate to treat the combination of cytopenias over a period of 6 months with subsequent improvement in bone marrow function. While alemtuzumab has several recognized autoimmune complications, little is known about the potential hematological side effects. The combination of red cell aplasia, immune thrombocytic purpura and autoimmune neutropenia has not previously been described in the literature following alemtuzumab immunotherapy and highlights the importance of monthly blood monitoring post alemtuzumab administration.

Dengue Infection and Its Relationship with Evans Syndrome: A Pediatric Case

Dengue is a single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the Flaviviridae family. It is an endemic virus in tropical countries. In Colombia, 4 serotypes are present, and the disease is a burden for public health, social programs, and the economic sectors. The main vector is Aedes aegypti, and most infections are asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic. The hemorrhagic appearances of severe dengue are due to plasma leakage as a result of increased vascular permeability, severe thrombopenia, and hemoconcentration. In 2020, 78,979 cases of dengue were reported in Colombia. 38,836 (49.2%) of them were warning-free signs, 39,246 (49.7%) with warning signs, and 897 (1.1%) of severe dengue. As it is well-known, viral diseases are immune system activators, triggering off a loss of tolerance in it. Dengue is not an exception, and it is able to explain different autoimmune phenomena including macrophage activation. Mechanisms have been described by which an exacerbated response of the disease is triggered through the increase of infected cells, formation of immune complexes, and complement pathway activation, which lead to a cross-reaction of viral antigens with epithelial cells with platelets with subsequent endothelial dysfunction and bleeds. The first description of Evans syndrome was made in 1951 by Robert Evans. This syndrome is characterized by the combination of autoimmune hemolytic anemia, immune thrombocytopenia, and, less common/usual, immune neutropenia. This disease’s etiology is unknown, and the dysregulation of the immune system is among its possibilities. Here, we present the case of an unusual hematological and immunological complication of a patient who developed Evans syndrome during severe dengue, taking into account the concomitantly limited literature available for these two diseases, the need for a broader diagnostic approach, multidisciplinary intervention, and a more complex therapeutic approach.

A Female with Evans Syndrome Presented with Pancytopenia

Evans syndrome is an uncommon haematological disorder characterised by autoimmune haemolytic anaemia (AIHA), immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) and/or immune neutropenia. It may occur in all ethnic groups, all ages and has no sex predilection. The direct antiglobulin test (DAT) is almost invariably positive. This condition generally runs a chronic course and is characterised by frequent exacerbations and remissions. Corticosteroids and/or intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) are the most commonly used first line therapy. Here we report a case of a female who presented with severe shortness of breath, palpitation and low grade fever and on examination she was found severely pale and mildly icteric. Her CBC and PBF showed pancytopenia. Indirect bilirubin and LDH were raised and direct Coomb’s test was positive. She was labeled as a case of Evans syndrome and responded to oral prednisolone. On subsequent follow-up her haematological profiles remained normal. J Enam Med Col 2020; 10(2): 114-117

Neonatal Immune Neutropenia due to Isoantibodies against the Granulocyte Receptor FcγRIIIb

Introduction: Neonatal neutropenia is often secondary to sepsis, low birth weight, pregnancy-induced maternal hypertension, and other conditions. Case Report: We report a case of asymptomatic isoimmune neutropenia in a pair of preterm twins. Genotyping confirmed that the mother was negative for HNA-1a, 1b, and 1c, consistent with an FcγRIIIb deficiency. The father was 1(a+b+c–) and the neonates were 1(a–b+c–). A strongly positive result was observed in the granulocyte immunofluorescence test against paternal neutrophils (IgG antibodies). IgG anti-CD16b isoantibodies were detected in the mother’s breast milk. Neutropenia resolved after 28 days without requiring any specific treatments. Discussion: Even though neonatal alloimmune neutropenia (NAN) is usually benign and self-limiting, some patients pre­sent with delayed separation of the umbilical cord, mild skin infections, omphalitis, or severe infections like pneumonia, sepsis, and meningitis. Thus, it is important to rule out NAN in case of neonatal neutropenia.

The spectrum of Evans syndrome: a literature review

Evans syndrome (ES) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by the simultaneous or sequential development of autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) and immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) and/or immune neutropenia in the absence of any underlying cause. Evans syndrome is a rare disorder although the exact frequency is unknown. No sex predilection is known and Evans syndrome has been described in all ethnic groups and at all ages. Classification of ES includes primary, with this being an exclusion diagnosis with no underlying condition, and secondary in the presence of an underlying disease. Clinical features are associated with anemia and thrombocytopenia including pallor, weakness, fatigue, jaundice, petechiae, ecchymosis, gingivorrhagia and epistaxis. First, a detailed history must be taken from the patient to determine the risk factors for developing ES then a family history of immune disorders along with a thorough physical examination. The management of Evans syndrome remains a challenge. Steroids with and without IVIG are recommended as front-line therapy. Red blood cell/platelet transfusion is indicated only in severe symptomatic patients due to the risk of exacerbations. Splenectomy may also be considered a second-line treatment.

Multicenter Study on Differential Human Neutrophil Antigen 2 Expression and Underlying Molecular Mechanisms

Background: The human neutrophil antigen 2 (HNA-2), which is expressed on CD177, is undetectable in 3–5% of the normal population. Exposure of these HNA-2null individuals to HNA-2-positive cells can cause immunization and pro­duction of HNA-2 antibodies, which can induce immune neutropenia and transfusion-related acute lung injury. In HNA-2-positive individuals, neutrophils are divided into a CD177pos. and a CD177neg. subpopulation. The molecular background of HNA-2 deficiency and the bimodal expression pattern, however, are not completely decoded. Study Design: An international collaboration was conducted on the genetic analysis of HNA-2-phenotyped blood samples, including HNA-2-deficient individuals, mothers, and the respective children with neonatal immune neutropenia and regular blood donors. Results: From a total of 54 HNA-2null individuals, 43 were homozygous for the CD177*787A>T substitution. Six carried the CD177*c.1291G>A single nucleotide polymorphism. All HNA-2-positive samples with >40% CD177pos. neutrophils carried the *787A wild-type allele, whereas a lower rate of CD177pos. neutrophils was preferentially associated with *c.787AT heterozygosity. Interestingly, only the *c.787A allele sequence was detected in complementary DNA (cDNA) sequence analysis carried out on all *c.787AT heterozygous individuals. However, cDNA analysis after sorting of CD177pos. and CD177neg. neutrophil subsets from HNA-2-positive individuals showed identical sequences, which makes regulatory elements within the promoter unlikely to affect CD177 gene transcription in different CD177 neutrophil subsets. Conclusion: This comprehensive study clearly demonstrates the impact of single nucleotide polymorphisms on the expression of HNA-2 on the neutrophil surface but challenges the hypothesis of regulatory epigenetic effects being implicated in the bimodal CD177 expression pattern.

Diverse and insidious human herpesvirus 6A/B: how to find and neutralize it?

Herpesvirus infections are one of the most common groups of human infectious diseases. Having unique mechanisms of interaction with the human immune system, they can persist in the organism for a long time and can be reactivated by immunosuppressive factors. Human herpesvirus 6A/B (HHV-6A/B) is one of the most common but still insufficiently studied viruses affecting children. There are several variants of HHV-6 infection, including acute primary infection (primarily in young children, manifesting itself with sudden exanthema and febrile convulsive seizures), latent primary infection (manifesting itself with non-immune neutropenia), reactivation of latent infection (in children of pre-school and school age, primarily developing as respiratory infection and infectious mononucleosis), and chromosomally integrated form. This article discusses the issues of epidemiology, clinical mani-festations, diagnosis, and treatment of HHV-6A/B infection in children. Key words: herpesvirus infection, human herpes virus 6, children, diagnosis, treatment

Intracranial Haemorrhage as a Fatal Complication of Evans Syndrome: A Case Report

Evans syndrome is a rare hematologic disorder characterized by the presence of simultaneous or sequential direct Coombs-positive autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA), immune-mediated thrombocytopenia and/or immune neutropenia without any known underlying etiology. Spontaneous intracranial hemorrhage is a rare and life-threatening complication in patients with Evans syndrome and very few cases have been reported to date. We report a case of a thirty-two- year-old female with intracranial haemorrhage with underlying Evans syndrome who presented with the clinical manifestations of headache, vomiting and altered sensorium and succumbed to the fatal complication despite resuscitative measures. This also emphasizes the importance of early recognition of symptoms and immediate presentation to health care facilities for aggressive management of the patient.