Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines are considered to be safe. Only few cases of vaccine-induced immune thrombocytopenia or immune hemolysis have been reported so far. Evans syndrome (ES) is a very rare syndrome characterized mainly by warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia (wAIHA) and immune thrombocytopenia (ITP).
Case presentation: We present a case of a 47‐year‐old male with a history of wAIHA, diagnosed in 1995 and successfully treated with glucocorticoids, with sustained remission. ITP was diagnosed in May 2016. Due to refractoriness to glucocorticoids, intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIGs), azathioprine and vinblastine, he was splenectomised in April 2017, resulting in complete remission. In May 2021, eight days after the second dose of BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) COVID-19 vaccine, he experienced mucocutaneous bleeding. Blood tests showed platelet count (PC) of 8×109/L, while his hemoglobin (Hb) was normal (153 g/L). He was treated with prednisone and azathioprine, without response. On day 28 after vaccine administration, weakness, jaundice and dark brown urine occurred. His laboratory tests: PC 27×109/L, Hb 45 g/L, reticulocytes 10.4%, total bilirubin 106.6 μmol/L, direct bilirubin 19.8 μmol/L, lactate dehydrogenase 633 U/L, haptoglobin ˂0.08 g/L, and positive Coombs test were consistent with ES relapse. After treatment with glucocorticoids, azathioprine and IVIGs, his blood count finally improved (PC 490×109/L, Hb 109 g/L) and remained stable on day 40 of hospitalization.
Conclusions: Although it is unclear whether the relationship between COVID-19 vaccination and relapse of ES in our patient is coincidental or causal, it highlights the need for monitoring of serious outcomes following vaccination.
Background: Patients with hematological malignancies have an increased risk of arterial thrombotic events (ATEs) after diagnosis, compared to matched controls without cancer. However, data about incidence and risk factors for ATE development in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are missing. Aim: The objectives of this study were to determine the incidence of ATE in non-promyelocytic-AML patients and to define the potential risk factors for ATE development. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adult patients with newly diagnosed AML. The primary outcome was the occurrence of confirmed ATE, defined as myocardial infarction, stroke or critical limb ischemia. Results: Out of 626 eligible AML patients, 18 (2.9%) patients developed ATE in the median time of 3 (range: 0.23–6) months. Half of these patients died due to ATE complications. Five parameters were predictors of ATE: BMI > 30 (p = 0.000, odds ratio [OR] 20.488, 95% CI: 6.581–63.780), prior history of TE (p = 0.041, OR 4.233, 95% CI: 1.329–13.486), presence of comorbidities (p = 0.027, OR 5.318, 95% CI: 1.212–23.342), presence of cardiovascular comorbidities (p < 0.0001, OR 8.0168, 95% CI: 2.948–21.800) and cytogenetic risk score (p = 0.002, OR 2.113, 95% CI: 1.092–5.007). Conclusions: Our study showed that patients with AML are at increased risk of ATE. The risk was increased in patients with cardiovascular comorbidities, previous thrombosis, adverse cytogenetic risk as well as BMI > 30.
Background: Background:Arterial thrombotic events (ATE) are important cause of noncancer-related deaths among patients with cancer. It is estimated that the prevalence of ATE among those patients is between 2-5%. However, data regarding acute myeloid leukemia (AML) related ATE are scarce and far less available than those related to venous thrombotic events.
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