Abstract. Antimicrobial sensitivity tests were performed on four-hundred and ninety-seven bacterial isolates from Sudanese patients with diarrhea or urinary tract infections. Shigella dysenteriae type 1 and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli showed high resistance rates (percentage of isolates showing antibiotic resistance) against the commonlyused antimicrobial agents: ampicillin, amoxicillin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, cotrimoxazole, nalidixic acid, sulfonamide, and neomycin, and were completely sensitive to ciprofloxacin. Eighteen resistance patterns against nine antimicrobial agents tested were observed in enteric pathogens. Resistance to ampicillin, amoxicillin, tetracycline, cotrimoxazole, and sulfonamide was the most frequent pattern. The common urinary pathogens, E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Proteus mirabilis showed high rates of resistance to ampicillin, amoxicillin, cotrimoxazole, tetracycline, sulfonamide, trimethoprim, streptomycin, and carbenicillin. We recommend that physicians seek updated knowledge of the common antibiotic-sensitivity patterns when starting empirical antibiotic therapy in Sudanese patients with diarrhea or urinary tract infection.

BackgroundThe simultaneous Occurrence of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has been rarely reported. Most of these cases have been occurring more frequently as a secondary event in patients receiving chemotherapeutic agents for CLL.Case presentationWe describe a case of a 77-year-old man who presented with fatigue, pallor and lower limb pain and weakness. Initial laboratory studies showed Hb 7.7 g/dl, WBC 279.6 × 109/1, PLT 143× 109/1. The peripheral blood (PB) smear examination showed circulating blast cells (20 %) cells and 50 % lymphocytes, with smudge cells.A bone marrow examination showed infiltration by two discrete abnormal cell populations, one represents the leukemic blast cells (60 %) and the other represents small mature lymphocytes (30 %). The immunologic phenotype of blasts was characterized by the co-expression of CD13, CD33, CD14, CD4, CD15, CD64, HLA-DR, CD11c. Lymphocytes were characterized by a typical CLL immunophenotype: CD19+, CD5+, CD23+, CD20+ (dim) and negative for FMC7, CD34, CD10 and TdT. Cytogenetic studies were negative for CLL and AML panels. PCR assays for AML specific genetic abnormalities were negative. Immunoglobulin gene analysis established the clonal nature of the B-cell expansion. A final diagnosis of concomitant CLL and AML(FAB: M5) was made.ConclusionWe have reported a case in which there was simultaneous presentation of AML and CLL. Both forms of leukemia were well documented by morphology, cytometric analysis and molecular studies. Our findings support the idea that this rare concurrence of AML and untreated CLL may represent two separate disease processes.

Thrombocytopenia is a medical condition where blood platelet count drops very low. This drop in platelet count can be attributed to many causes including medication, sepsis, viral infections, and autoimmunity. Clinically, the presence of thrombocytopenia might be very dangerous and is associated with poor outcomes of patients due to excessive bleeding if not addressed quickly enough. Hence, early detection and evaluation of thrombocytopenia is essential for rapid and appropriate intervention for these patients. Since artificial intelligence is able to combine and evaluate many linear and nonlinear variables simultaneously, it has shown great potential in its application in the early diagnosis, assessing the prognosis and predicting the distribution of patients with thrombocytopenia. In this review, we conducted a search across four databases and identified a total of 13 original articles that looked at the use of many machine learning algorithms in the diagnosis, prognosis, and distribution of various types of thrombocytopenia. We summarized the methods and findings of each article in this review. The included studies showed that artificial intelligence can potentially enhance the clinical approaches used in the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of thrombocytopenia.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a relatively rare lymphoid disorder with approximately 11 cases per million persons per year in United States. It is seen more commonly in children however adults are also affected with the median age approximately 39 years. The prognosis is influenced by the age of the patient and genetic findings. Abnormal cytogenetic is present in approximately 80 % of the patients. Philadelphia chromosome t (9;22) is seen in approximately 30 % of adult patients (Ph + ALL) and imparts a poor prognosis. Allogeneic stem cell transplant remains one of the corner stones of therapy along with Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors TKIs (Imatinib or Dasatinib). Patients who are unable to go for transplant are kept on TKIs and continue consolidation and maintenance chemotherapy. In this retrospective review, we present patients with Philadelphia chromosome positive ALL seen at our institute and their outcomes. Tumor registry data base was searched for adult patients with ALL between January 1st 2010 and June 30th 2015. Forty patients were identified with B cell ALL and ten patients were diagnosed with Ph+ ALL (25 % of the cohort). The median age was 30 years (range 18 - 73 years). Male to female ratio was 4.5:1 Induction therapy was given based on UK ALL protocol. Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (Imatinib) was added when information regarding BCR-ABL translocation status was available. Interestingly 8 out of the 10 Ph+ patients also had CD 20 positive disease and were treated with rituximab in addition to standard chemotherapy and TKI. Two patients were lost from follow-up after receiving initial therapy and achieving remission. Four patients had HLA identical siblings and were able to go for allogeneic stem cell transplant. With a median follow up of 28 months (range 1 to 57 months), 3 of the 4 patients are alive and in complete molecular remission. One patient relapsed 19 months post-transplant and died of complications of a 2nd transplant. The remaining 4 patients were unable to go for allogeneic stem cell transplant. They were treated with Hyper-CVAD regimen and Dasatinib (Rituximab was used in patients with CD 20 positive clone). One patient died of colitis and relapsed ALL (36 months post diagnosis) while the other 3 patients are alive and on active therapy, all being in complete molecular remission. Discussion: This is the first report of incidence, management and outcome of Ph+ ALL from UAE. Ph + ALL contribute to 25 % of the cohort of ALL patients in our center. Majority of this cohort was also CD 20 positive. All patients achieved a complete hematologic remission after induction therapy. However, less than half of the patients were able to go for allogeneic stem cell transplantation as consolidation due to different reasons. Post transplantation use of TKI remains variable. HyperCVAD and Dasatinib appears to be a reasonable but toxic alternative for patients who are unable to go for allogeneic stem cell transplantation with a reported estimated survival of 64 % at 2 years interval. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

BACKGROUNDChronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common leukemia in adults. The chromosomal abnormality t(14;18)(q32;q21) is most commonly associated with neoplasms of a follicular center cell origin. However, t(14;18) has also been reported in rare cases of CLL.OBJECTIVEWe describe the clinicopathologic, immunophenotypic, conventional, and molecular cytogenetic features of two rare cases proven to be CLL morphologically and immunologically in which t(14;18) was found as the sole cytogenetic abnormality.METHODSMorphologic, flow cytometric analysis and molecular cytogenetic of peripheral blood and/or bone marrow samples were analyzed.RESULTSCytomorphologically, the cells were small mature lymphocytes without any findings that had characteristics of follicular lymphoma (FL) such as indented or clefted nuclei. Immunologic findings were characteristic of typical CLL without expression of CD10. A cytogenetic study revealed the two cases of CLL carrying t(14;18)(q32;q21).CONCLUSIONWe concluded that CLL with t(14;18) is rare and should be differentiated from FL as the therapy is highly diverse between both diseases. Using immunoglobulin heavy chain gene (IGH) probes are important in the workup of patients with suspected CLL and suggest that the IGH probe should be used routinely in all CLL fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) panels.

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Background: Diffuse large B cell lymphoma is the most frequent Haematological Malignancy in UAE. DLBC lymphoma treatment and outcome are well established. Most of reported outcome data is from North America or Europe. Because of lack of reported literature from Middle East, a retrospective data collection and review was performed in Tawam Hospital to evaluate the outcome of DLBC lymphoma. Methods: Retrospective chart review of all diffuse large B cell lymphoma patients treated from January 1, 2008 till December 30, 2012 at Tawam Hospital, a Tertiary Care Oncology Centre in UAE. Results: A total of 99 patients were identified with diffuse large B cell lymphoma. The median age was 48 (17 to 85). 59% of patients were male with a male to female ratio of 1.4. There were 17 (17%) stage I cases, 27 (27%) stage II cases, 23 (23%) stage III cases, and 30 (30%) stage IV cases. The stage was not documented in 2 (2%) patients. International Prognostic Index (IPI) score was documented in 80 (80%) patients. 28 (35%) of patients had low IPI score (0 or 1 risk factor), 33 (41%) patients had low intermediate IPI score (2 risk factor), 8 (10%) patients had high Intermediate IPI score (3 risk factors) and 11 (14%) patients had high IPI score (4 and 5 risk factors). 88 (89%) patients completed planned treatment: either R-CHOP or R-CHOP like chemotherapy. Involved field radiation therapy (IFRT) was given in limited stage and bulky disease. 11 (11%) patients didn't have a complete treatment. 3 patients received only R-CVP, 4 patients received only 1 cycle R-CHOP, 1 patient did not receive any treatment, 1 patient received only palliative Radiotherapy, 1 patient received Rituximab and palliative RT and 1 patient received only Dexamethasone and Rituximab. Relapse-free patients had median follow up of 31 months (1 to 67). 19 (26%) had less than 12 months follow up after completion of chemotherapy. Patients with documented relapses or primary refractory disease had relapse or progression at a median follow up of 14 month (1 to 43). There were 3 (10%) relapses in Low IPI score, 8 (24%) in low intermediate group, 4 (50%) in high intermediate group and 6 (54%) in high risk group. Discussion: Our data showed more young patients, median age 48, as compared to SEER data median age 65 and male predominance (59%), slightly higher as compared to SEER data (55%). These findings may be related to the demographics of UAE. UAE relatively have young and male predominance partly due to large number of expatriate population. Distribution of IPI score in our data is different as compared to the reported data; low risk 35% vs 52%, low intermediate 41% vs 21%, high intermediate 10% vs17%, and high risk 14% vs10%. Our data is missing reporting of IPI score in 20% of cases, may explain party the above difference. As median follow up of patient without relapse was 34 months, so comparison was made with 3 years progression free survival data reported in literature. Relapse free survival in the Low risk group 90% is comparable to reported 3 years progression free survival of 87% , low intermediate 76% as compared to reported 75%, in High intermediate and High risk group 50% and 46% are close to reported 59% (3) and 50% . The difference in high intermediate and high risk group as compared to reported survival in literature may be due to small number of patients in these groups. Conclusion: Outcome of DLBC lymphoma in our single centre retrospective review is relatively similar to reported outcome in literature. Median age is lower as compared to SEER data. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

CML is a chronic myeloproliferative disorder characterized by the presence of Philadelphia chromosome. The treatment of CML was revolutionized by the introduction of Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI). Since the introduction of TKI the response criteria has steadily matured. Initially the goal of therapy was attainment of complete cytogenetic response. Subsequently with maturation of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques and standardization of the reporting, molecular response and specifically major molecular response MMR (defined as > 3 log reduction of BCR-ABL product on the international scale) became the target of the treatment. The current thrust in CML investigation is to go beyond the achievement of MMR and to achieve a deep molecular response (DMR). This has been variously defined as > 4 or 4.5 log reduction. Patients achieving a DMR are potential candidates for treatment free remission trials. In this report we review the DMR from TKIs in CML patients under treatment at Tawam Hospital. Sixty four patients were diagnosed with CML from January 2010 till June 2015 at Tawam Hospital. Seven patients were lost from follow up soon after diagnosis and excluded from analysis. Twenty five patients (48 %) achieved a DMR (> 4 log reduction). Eleven out of the 25 had undetectable levels (MR 4.5). The median age of the whole cohort was 34 years, while in female patients the median age was 33 years (range 22-68 years). Male to female ratio was 2.5:1. Sokal score was calculated for 22 patients (Low n=9, Intermediate n= 11 and High n=2). Analysis by Sokal score showed that patients with low risk disease achieved DMR at a median of 9 months (range 6-27 months) while patients with intermediate risk disease achieved DMR at a median of 21 months (range 4-53 months) Analysis by mode of therapy showed that 7 patients were on Imatinib while 18 patients were on 2nd generation TKI therapy with either Nilotinib or Dasatinib as primary therapy. Six patients had to be switched to 2nd line therapy either due to intolerance (n=2 Dasatinib or Nilotinib) or failure to achieve optimal therapy (n=4, all Imatinib patients). Analysis of the kinetics of molecular response showed that patients on Imatinib (n=3) with optimal response as per ELN guidelines achieved a DMR at a median of 22 months (range 6-40 months) while patients failing to achieve optimal response or intolerance (n=4) were switched to 2nd line therapy and achieved a DMR in a median of 39.5 months (range 10 -53 months). Patients who were on 2nd generation TKI achieved a DMR at median of 9 months range (4-30 months). Our cohort is young (median 34 years) reflecting the age distribution in the UAE. Approximately 15 % are female with child bearing potential We observed that low risk patients achieved DMR faster than intermediate risk disease and that 2nd generation TKI utilization achieved DMR in a shorter period of time compared to Imatinib (9 months compared to 21 months). None of the patients achieving DMR has so far progressed to accelerated phase. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.