In cases of contra-indication for high-dose chemotherapy for elderly patients with DLBCL, without complete remission, the Gemcitabine-based therapy protocol represents a more effective and less toxic than that of ESHAP.

Despite the availability of factor replacement to manage acute bleeding in haemophilia, haemarthrosis may occur due to delayed therapy or lack of detection, leading to joint damage. Orthopaedic surgery is one option to help improve patient quality of life. Assessment of current treatment patterns is required for physicians to optimize long-term management of patients; however, there are few studies available to determine the real-life situation in African/Middle-Eastern countries, such as Algeria. This was a multicentre, retrospective study of patients with haemophilia treated with on-demand factor replacement. Seven haematology centres in Algeria provided evaluable clinical data for 536 patients, including joint status and requirement for surgical intervention. Surgery was recommended in 326 (61%) patients (239 patients with severe haemophilia, 79 moderate and eight mild). Surgical procedures per patient age group were: 11 in patients ≤5 years, 34 in 6-10 years, 169 in 11-20 years, 183 in 21-30 years and 122 in ≥31 years. 14% of all procedures involved joint replacement, 56% other major surgeries and 30% minor surgeries (synoviorthesis). Minor surgery was most common in younger patients, while major surgeries increased proportionately with patient age. In Algeria, insufficient use of factor replacement has led to many patients with haemophilia experiencing haemarthrosis, leading to joint damage requiring surgery. This study aids assessment of the scale of the problem and identification of the surgical needs of patients. This may help plan targeted resourcing for patients most at risk of long-term disability and those likely to benefit from earlier surgical intervention.

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The effect of pesticides on nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate hydrogen (NADPH), including its level and relationship with the T helper 1 (Th1)/Th2 ratio, in patients suffering from non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) was investigated. One hundred newly diagnosed patients with aggressive NHL (53 men, 47 women) and 40 healthy age-, sex-, and body mass index-matched controls (23 men, 17 women), exposed or not to pesticides, were recruited for a cross-sectional study conducted at the Clinical Hematology Departments of Tlemcen and Sidi Bel-Abbès University Medical Centers in the northwest of Algeria. NADPH levels were significantly increased in patients compared with controls; and in exposed patients compared with those not exposed, and controls (one-way analysis of variance; P=0.000). Albumin, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, catalase activity, and oxygen radical absorbance capacity levels were significantly decreased in patients compared with in the control group. Oxygen radical absorbance capacity levels were significantly decreased in exposed patients compared with in unexposed patients; however, malondialdehyde levels were significantly increased in exposed patients when compared with controls and unexposed patients. Protein carbonyl and xanthine oxidase levels were significantly increased in exposed patients compared with controls; meanwhile, there were no significant differences between the two patient groups or between unexposed patients and controls. The Th1/Th2 ratio was significantly decreased in patients when compared with controls; the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio was significantly increased (for both comparisons, P<0.001). In addition, NADPH was strongly associated with NHL (Mantel–Haenszel common odds ratio estimate =5.55; 95% confidence interval, 2.22–13.88; P=0.000). Moreover, NADPH levels were significantly negatively related to the Th1/Th2 ratio, either in exposed patients or in unexposed patients (respectively, r=−0.498 [P=0.004] and r=−0.327 [P=0.006]). In conclusion, pesticide exposure was strongly associated with NADPH alteration in NHL. The relationship between NADPH and Th1/Th2 ratio should focus on new therapeutic strategies for the disease.

IntroductionIn a developing country like Algeria, such expensive therapy is not available. Alternative approaches are needed to help these adult. In Algeria ‘imatib’ (CIPLA-India) was introduced in 2006; but no study has been published yet in the North Africa region regarding response and outcome of this copy in CML patients. The goal of this multicenter study is to characterize newly adult CML in the western region of Algeria and to assess the effectiveness and safety of imatib (IM, copy) as frontline therapy for patients with CML.Patients and MethodsThe study was carried out in 7 hematology centers in the western Algeria. Patients, who were diagnosed to be suffering from CML between January 1st, 2007 and December 31st, 2014 were selected for data analysis. All patients received a copy preparation, consisting of the alpha crystal form of imatinib, (IM, copy) at an oral dose of 400 mg daily and monitored for tolerance and side effects while on therapy.ResultsBetween January 2007 and December 2014, 355 patients with CML were treated with imatib (Copy). The median follow- up of the study was 46 months (range: 13–107 months). Complete hematological response (CHR) was seen in 83% of patients within 3 months. According to the Sokal score, 72% patients with low, 78% with intermediate and 69% with high risk disease achieved a CHR in 3 months (p=0.26) and according to the EUTOS score, 81% of patients with low and 70% with high risk disease achieved a CHR in 3 months (p=0.08). The major molecular response (MMR) at six months (M6), M9, M12, M18 and M24 was 21%, 38%, 35%, 51% and 67% respectively and 34% of patients achieved a complete molecular response (CMR). The projected 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 83%. Side effects of imatib (copy) in this study were similar to those reported previously for the entire imatinib mesylate treatment study and only 8% of patients were intolerant to imatib (copy) and treated with a second generation of BCR-ABL inhibitor.ConclusionThis study reflects real world experience treating patients with CML in a developing country and thus sheds light on differences in this population compared to Western countries. In conclusion, imatib (copy) is effective and safe in treating patients with CML in chronic phase and proves to have a durable outcome. To our knowledge this is the first study reporting the response to imatib (copy) in an Algerian population.

Introduction: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most frequent leukemia of the adult in Europe and North Africa. It is rare on the Asian and African continents. It affects mainly elderly people over 60 years. The main objective is determining the rate of average annual incidence, and secondly establishing the distribution of this complaint according to the different health regions of the country and precise the epidemiological characteristics. Patients and Methods: It is a national, descriptive, retrospective epidemiological study carried out for a period of 05 years : from January 2009 to December 2013. Information collection is done thanks to the setting up of a technical data sheet sent out to the appropriate services. This technical data sheet is about the geographic data of the patient (place of birth, place of residence, place of taking charge of the disease and the date of the diagnosis), anthropologic data (age at the diagnosis, sex), as well as the clinico-biological data. The working of the responses was done on SPSS 19 .0. In our study, the diagnosis is carried before an hyperlymphocytosis > 5000/ mm3, a cytological examination of the blood smear and an immunophenotyping operation by cytometer operation in flow. Results: 17 hematology departments have participated in this study with 1210 cases listed, of which 68,1% (824 pts) are men. The average annual recruitment is of 242 cases. The average annual incidence rate, calculated according to the data of the national statistics office is estimated at 0,66 / 100.000 inhabitants.This incidence does not increase over the years and stays relatively stable (2009 = 0,67; 2010 = 0,57; 2011 = 0,63; 2012 = 0,67; 2013 = 0,74/100.000 inhts). The geographic distribution of the pts according to their places of residence, shows that the majority among them are from the north of the country particularly the center (0,80/100.000 inhts). Incidence increases over age, going among men from 0,06 for 100.000 inhts between 30 - 39 years to 11,94 / 100.000 inhts at 80 years and over and among women from 0,04 for 100.000 inhts to 6,08 for 100.000 inhts. The average incidence rate is of 0,85/100.000 inhts among men and of 0,42/100.000 inhts among women. The average age at the diagnosis is of 67,5 years (33 - 98 years). 30,1% (365 pts) incident cases are observed among the patients over 75 years and 14,1% (171 pts) among the patients below the age of 55 years. The profession that is most found is farming 12.2% (78/635 precised). The diagnosis is late in Algeria, the first symptome which brings the patient to consultation is the tumoral syndrome (44% (363 / 825 precised)) in an average diagnosis period of time of 07 months (01 - 96 months). The stage C (classification of Binet) is equally predominant, found in 41,1% (492 / 1172 precised). In terms of biology : the average rate of lymphocytes is of 92500/mm3 (5000-900 000/mm3). The morphological study on blood smear finds 88,2% (1066 / 1208 precised) of typical CLL and 50% of Gambrest cells. The cytometer operation in flow done in 746 cases (61,6%) shows a score of matutes > 4 in 92,3% and in 7,7% is equal to 3. the cytogenetic operation (Caryotype and Fish) done in only one hematology department (CAC of Blida) among 102 patients (8.4%). Comments: The rate of incidence in Algeria is weak compared to that of other countries. The rate of incidence standardized to the world population is of 0,52 cases/100.000 inhts and to the European population is of 0,68 cases p 100.000 inhts. The young age of the population may explain this incidence and that some patients at the stage A are not diagnosed. The CLL affects more frequently men. The average age at the diagnosis is of 67,5 year. However, 30,1% of the incident cases are observed among the patients over 75 years in Algeria versus 45 à 50% of incident cases in Europe and this may be explained by the young age of our population. The CLL are placed 5th among the malignant hemopathies: the rate of incidence for the year 2009 : LNH = 1.96; LH = 1.2; MM = 0.96; AML = 0.85; CLL = 0.67; CML = 0.44; ALL = 0.32. Conclusion: the CLL can be diagnosed and differentiated from the other lymphoproliferative syndromes thanks to the morphological examination of the lymphocytes at the blood smear completed by an immunophenotyping operation of the peripheral blood . This study represents only an epidemiological approach of the CLL in Algeria. The incidence is still weak in our country; it affects as in the other countries the elderly people with a masculin predominance. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

An overall increase in the number of AML patients diagnosed nationwide over the last five years indicates a need for additional health care resources including curative and therapy-intense strategies, such as stem cell transplant facilities to optimize outcome. The relatively younger age of patients compared to the Western countries may be due to the demographic composition of our population.

Introduction : Among genetic diseases in hematology, β Thalassemia ranks second after sickle cell disorders in Algeria. Given the seriousness and cost of the care that arises, a national action plan is needed. As a starting point, a national survey is essential to know the epidemiological situation of this disease. Objective : To determine the soci-demographic, diagnosis and evolution characteristics of major and intermediate thalassemia in Algeria. Materiels and Methods : This is a multicenter, retrospective, analytical study of 775 patients with thalassemia major (TM: 598 cases) and intermediate (TI: 177 cases). This national survey is representative of 21 services (Hematology: 19, Pediatrics: 03). The data was collected from medical records on a survey card distributed to all relevant services. Results : As of January 1, 2017, the prevalence of β Thalassemia estimated from this study is of the order of 3.47 cases per 100 000 inhabitants. The current average age of major thalassemia (MT) is 17.90 years, with extremes of [1-44 years], that of intermediate form (IT) is 23 years old with extremes of [1-61 years], the sex ratio is 1.15. The concept of consanguinity is specified in 499 patients and is present in 49.30% of cases, the geographical origin of patients is variable, 53% are from the center of the country and 43% from the east. The circumstances of the diagnosis are known in 87.25% of subjects, these are clinical symptoms in 93.91% of patients, with an average age at diagnosis of 16.31 months for MT and 5.5 years for IT. The diagnosis is neonatal in only 5.68% of cases. Blood cells transfusion needs are known in 80% of our cohort, 86% receive a systematic and regular diet; 554 patients are on chelation therapy, the main modality being deferoxamine or Deferasirox type monotherapy. 40 MT patients received Hematopoetic Stem Cell Transplantation. The monitoring of iron overload was based mainly on the determination of ferritinemia, only 8.8% of patients received cardiac and hepatic MRI. Various complications associated with iron overload have been reported, the most common being: Hepatic injury (48%), heart disease (36%), diabetes (30%), hypothyroidism (29.17). %), with average ages of onset of 26.67, 18, 19, and 14.50 years, respectively. In addition, viral serology was performed in 536 patients, 64 (11.9%) of whom were carriers of anti-HCV Ab. Conclusion : The quality and life expectancy of thalassemic patients has improved significantly in recent years; complications related to iron overload remain the leading cause of death, the means of evaluation remain insufficient in our country. In addition, the care of our patients must be standardized on the national territory. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.