• Diverse patient groups with GATA2 mutation develop mononuclear cytopenia and elevated Flt3 ligand. • Progressive cytopenias, risingFlt3 ligand, and terminal differentiation of lymphoid cells accompany clinical progression.Constitutive heterozygous GATA2 mutation is associated with deafness, lymphedema, mononuclear cytopenias, infection, myelodysplasia (MDS), and acute myeloid leukemia. In this study, we describe a cross-sectional analysis of 24 patients and 6 relatives with 14 different frameshift or substitution mutations of GATA2. A pattern of dendritic cell, monocyte, B, and natural killer (NK) lymphoid deficiency (DCML deficiency) with elevated Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand (Flt3L) was observed in all 20 patients phenotyped, including patients with Emberger syndrome, monocytopenia with Mycobacterium avium complex (MonoMAC), and MDS. Four unaffected relatives had a normal phenotype indicating that cellular deficiency may evolve over time or is incompletely penetrant, while 2 developed subclinical cytopenias or elevated Flt3L. Patients with GATA2 mutation maintained higher hemoglobin, neutrophils, and platelets and were younger than controls with acquired MDS and wild-type GATA2. Frameshift mutations were associated with earlier age of clinical presentation than substitution mutations. Elevated Flt3L, loss of bone marrow progenitors, and clonal myelopoiesis were early signs of disease evolution. Clinical progression was associated with increasingly elevated Flt3L, depletion of transitional B cells, CD56 bright NK cells, naïve T cells, and accumulation of terminally differentiated NK and CD8 1 memory T cells. These studies provide a framework for clinical and laboratory monitoring of patients with GATA2 mutation and may inform therapeutic decision-making. (Blood. 2014;123(6):863-874)

Summary Coagulation dysfunction and thrombosis are major complications in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). Patients on oral anticoagulants (OAC) prior to diagnosis of COVID‐19 may therefore have better outcomes. In this multicentre observational study of 5 883 patients (≥18 years) admitted to 26 UK hospitals between 1 April 2020 and 31 July 2020, overall mortality was 29·2%. Incidences of thrombosis, major bleeding (MB) and multiorgan failure (MOF) were 5·4%, 1·7% and 3·3% respectively. The presence of thrombosis, MB, or MOF was associated with a 1·8, 4·5 or 5·9‐fold increased risk of dying, respectively. Of the 5 883 patients studied, 83·6% (n = 4 920) were not on OAC and 16·4% (n = 963) were taking OAC at the time of admission. There was no difference in mortality between patients on OAC vs no OAC prior to admission when compared in an adjusted multivariate analysis [hazard ratio (HR) 1·05, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0·93–1·19; P = 0·15] or in an adjusted propensity score analysis (HR 0·92 95% CI 0·58–1·450; P = 0·18). In multivariate and adjusted propensity score analyses, the only significant association of no anticoagulation prior to diagnosis of COVID‐19 was admission to the Intensive‐Care Unit (ICU) (HR 1·98, 95% CI 1·37–2·85). Thrombosis, MB, and MOF were associated with higher mortality. Our results indicate that patients may have benefit from prior OAC use, especially reduced admission to ICU, without any increase in bleeding.

The impact of COVID-19 infection on pregnant women remains relatively unknown but the physiological changes of pregnancy and hypercoagulability of COVID-19 may further increase thrombotic risk. In this retrospective multicentre observational study, we report clinical characteristics and outcomes in 36 pregnant women requiring hospitalisation for COVID-19 compared to a propensity-matched cohort of non-pregnant women. Pregnant women had a lower haemoglobin and higher lymphocyte counts but no differences in other haematological or biochemical parameters on admission compared to non-pregnant women. There was no significant difference in the duration of hospitalisation; median two days (1-77) for pregnant versus eight days (1-49) for non-pregnant women. A higher proportion of nonpregnant women required mechanical ventilation [11/36 (31%) vs 3/36 (8%), P = 0Á03] and received thromboprophylaxis with low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) within 24 h of admission [25/36 (69%) vs 15 /36(42%), P = 0Á03] compared to pregnant women. One pregnant woman required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. The rate of thrombosis was similar in both groups (one in each group). No women developed major bleeding or died. Data suggest that although non-pregnant women had a severe clinical course, overall outcomes were not different between women with or without pregnancy. The use of thromboprophylaxis was inconsistent, demonstrating a need for establishing evidence-based guidance for COVID-19 during pregnancy.

Background: Ibrutinib has transformed the clinical approach to relapsed mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) with those receiving ibrutinib at first relapse obtaining the greatest benefit encouraging use earlier in the treatment algorithm (Rule et al, 2019). However, the general applicability of clinical trial findings is not established and concerns regarding ibrutinib tolerability persist, especially in non-trial populations enriched for frailer patients with multiple co-morbidities. In the United Kingdom, ibrutinib is funded as standard of care at first relapse. This study has analysed the clinical effectiveness and tolerability of this approach in a non-clinical trial real world population. Method: 23 centres across the United Kingdom contributed data from consecutive patients treated with ibrutinib for MCL at first relapse. Patients received standard dose 560 mg OD, unless documented, and commenced treatment between August 2014 and April 2019. Response to therapy was defined as per Lugano classification (Cheson et al, 2014), although CR assessment by bone marrow biopsy was not always undertaken. Data was collected on baseline characteristics, including response to prior therapy, and MIPI at time of relapse. The study primary outcome was PFS. Predictors of progression were determined using univariate Cox regression. Results: 169 patients were included in the study. Median age at start of ibrutinib was 72 years (range 33 to 97) and 122 (72.2%) were male. At diagnosis 13.5% had blastoid histology; 59.3% Ki67 ≥30%; 32.0% received cytarabine based induction and 27.8% HSCT consolidation; 11.2% received low intensity frontline therapy (i.e. not fit for R-CHOP) due to frailty. Median PFS following frontline therapy was 21.4 months (95% CI 14.6 to 28.3) and 52.1% progressed within 2 years. At start of ibrutinib 52.2% were MIPI high risk; 23.9% were ECOG 2 or higher and 2.4% had CNS involvement. Overall response rate (ORR) to ibrutinib was 71.6% with 30.4% achieving CR/CRu. Estimated median PFS from start of ibrutinib was 16.5 months (95% CI 11.5 to 21.5) and estimated OS 23.9 months (95% CI 13.0 to 34.8), with median follow up 26 months. Median PFS for patients with early relapse to frontline therapy (progression of disease <2 years) was significantly shorter than those with more durable response (PFS 10.6 months vs. 20.6 months, HR 2.1, p=<0.001). Age ≥75 yrs and ECOG >1 were also negative predictors of PFS (see table 1 for univariate analysis). 10 patients (5.9%) received attenuated dose from start of therapy due to frailty and 20 patients (11.8%) underwent dose reductions while on therapy due to drug toxicity. Of 109 patients to discontinue ibrutinib 72 (66.1%) were due to progressive disease, 15 for consolidation alloHSCT (13.8%), 13 due to medical co-morbidities and unrelated death (11.9%), and 9 due to drug toxicity (8.3%), including 1 bleed. Only 5.3% of all patients stopped therapy due to drug toxicity. Patients ≥80 yrs were more likely to stop therapy early for reasons other than progressive disease or alloHSCT (OR 2.92, p=0.02), but frailer patients who received low intensity frontline therapy also showed a trend for more durable response with second-line ibrutinib (PFS 10.0 months versus 4.0 months, p=0.36) justifying use in this patient group. Conclusion: This study population is enriched for several recognised adverse prognostic markers, including older age and poor performance status, which is likely to explain differences in PFS relative to clinical trial data. Despite these features response rates were similar, and it is notable that 46.7% of evaluable pts achieved longer PFS with ibrutinib than preceding front-line therapy. It is reassuring that the proportion of patients stopping ibrutinib due to toxicity was similar to trial data and bleeding events that required alterations to therapy were rare (3 cases, 1.8%). Although ibrutinib represents a significant breakthrough with clear benefit to most patients the results also highlight that outcome for many remains poor. 40% of patients progressed within 1 year of starting ibrutinib and median OS post ibrutinib was only 3.6 months. 35.2% of patients died within 1 month of documented relapse suggesting many, predominantly older patients, were not fit for further therapy. Of the 53 pts surviving beyond 1 month median OS was 7.5 months and 21.9% lived beyond 1 year. Improved treatment strategies in the post-ibrutinib setting remains a priority. Disclosures Rule: Pharmacyclics: Consultancy, Honoraria; Gilead: Consultancy, Honoraria; Sunesis: Consultancy, Honoraria; TG Therapeutics: Consultancy, Honoraria; Napp: Consultancy; Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Astra-Zeneca: Consultancy, Honoraria; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria; Kite: Consultancy. Eyre:Gilead: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: commercial research support; Abbvie: Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria; Roche: Honoraria. Furtado:Abbvie: Honoraria. Shah:ABBVIE: Consultancy. Campbell:Novartis: Consultancy, Other: Educational support; Takeda: Consultancy, Other: Educational support; Bristol Myers-Squibb: Other: Educational support; Roche: Other: Educational support; Celgene: Other: Educational support. McCarthy:Janssen: Honoraria, Other: Educational grant to attend meetings . Lambert:Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Other: Funding to attend a scientific conference in 2018. McKay:Epizyme: Consultancy, Honoraria. Osborne:Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel, Speakers Bureau; Gilead: Consultancy; MSD: Consultancy; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Other: Travel; Pfizer: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Servier: Consultancy. Bishton:Takeda: Other: Travel support, Research Funding; AbbVie: Research Funding; Celltrion: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: travel support; Janssen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Research Funding; Roche: Other: Travel support, Research Funding. Crosbie:Janssen: Honoraria.

A 78-year-old man, with a 6-year history of stable chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia (CMML), presented with general deterioration and worsening pancytopenia. Bone marrow biopsy showed that his disease had transformed into acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). He was started on a supportive transfusion regimen and did not receive any chemotherapy or corticosteroids. Several weeks later, he developed acute renal failure and was admitted to a medical admissions ward. Spontaneous tumour lysis syndrome (sTLS, grade 1) was diagnosed, as per the Cairo and Bishop criteria. He was treated with intravenous fluids, rasburicase and allopurinol. His renal function improved and he recovered from the sTLS. The authors believe that this is the first published case of sTLS occurring as a result of CMML transforming into AML; it highlights the importance of recognising sTLS as a cause of renal failure and electrolyte disturbance before cancer treatment begins.