Dysregulation of microRNA (miRNA) expression contributes to the pathogenesis of several clinical conditions. The aim of this study is to evaluate the associations between miRNAs and childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) to discover their role in the course of the disease. Forty-three children with ALL and 14 age-matched healthy controls were included in the study. MicroRNA microarray expression profiling was used for peripheral blood and bone marrow samples. Aberrant miRNA expressions associated with the diagnosis and outcome were prospectively evaluated. Confirmation analysis was performed by real time RT-PCR. miR-128, miR-146a, miR-155, miR-181a, and miR-195 were significantly dysregulated in ALL patients at day 0. Following a six-month treatment period, the change in miRNA levels was determined by real time RT-PCR and expression of miR-146a, miR-155, miR-181a, and miR-195 significantly decreased. To conclude, these miRNAs not only may be used as biomarkers in diagnosis of ALL and monitoring the disease but also provide new insights into the potential roles of them in leukemogenesis.

Pandemic H1N1 influenza virus caused mortality in patients with ARDS or HLH; an unexpected finding for pandemic H1N1 (2009) influenza virus. Thus, for children with leukemia and infected with H1N1 virus, short- and long-term complications should be kept in mind during evaluation.

Brucellosis is a zoonotic infectious disease that can be transmitted to humans through infected milk and dairy products. There are limited cases with Brucella infection acquired via breastfeeding in infants in the literature. Also, Coombs-positive autoimmune hemolytic anemia as a result of the disease is comparatively rare when considering the other frequent hematologic complications. We report a mother who acquired the infection as a result of consuming infected milk and dairy products after delivery and of her 5-month-old baby, who had acquired the disease via breastfeeding and presented with Coombs-positive autoimmune hemolytic anemia.

The HFE polymorphisms had no effect on cardiac iron overload. However, pulmonary vein atrial reversal flow velocity measurements can provide important information for detecting diastolic dysfunction during cardiac follow-up of patients with HFE polymorphisms. Studies with more patients are needed to provide more information regarding this matter.

Aim: There are limited studies on renal involvement in beta-thalassemia patients. The aim of the present study was to investigate renal dysfunctions in pediatric patients with transfusion dependent beta thalassemia major (TD-βTM), using both conventional and early markers of glomerular and tubular dysfunctions and corralate findings to iron chelation therapy, deferasirox. Neutrofil-gelatinase associated lipocalin (NGAL) is an emerging biomarker in early diagnosis of acute kidney injury and also elevated urine NGAL is a good predictor of chronic kidney disease. We aimed to evaluate urine NGAL/creatinin ratio in thalassemia patients and corralate findings with normal controls. Methods: Fifty-three TD-βTM patients (aged 5-19 years) and 47 healthy controls (aged 3.5-18 years) were enrolled in this study. All patients were regularly transfused and all of them were using oral chelator; deferasirox. In addition to conventional renal biochemistries, serum cystatin C were measured with immunoturbodimetric technique. Fresh second morning urine samples collected and analysed for sodium, potassium, calcium, protein, creatinine, glucose, phosphate, uric acid, β2-microglobulin and NGAL. NGAL was measured with immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We calculated glomerular filtration rate by Schwartz formula, fractional excretion of sodium, tubular phosphorus reabsorption and uric acid excretion. Serum ferritin concentration was also measured to asses iron overload. Results: The mean age of our patients were 145±45 month, and controls were 158±140 month. A considerable number of patients demonstrated impaired renal functions. Glomerular hyperfiltration was detected in 9.5%, proteinuria in 40% , hypercalciuria in 60% increased urinary excretion of β-2 mikroglobulin in 62%, increased uric acid excretion in 58% of thalassemia patients. We detected renal tubular and glomerular dysfunctions is associated with especially pretransfusional low hemoglobine levels. We detected no relationship with deferasirox treatment doses and period with renal patologies. Mean levels of plasma cystatin C were elevated in the patient cohort compared to controls ( 0.9+0.2 and 0.78 + 0.06 mg/L, respectively, p<0.05) , Specificially ; 26/53 thalassemia patients (%49) presented with abnormally elevated serum cystatin C. Mean levels of urine NGAL/creatinin ratio was found to be elevated in patients compared to controls (85 + 88 and 31 + 38 ng/mg kreatinin, respectively, p<0.001). In thalassemia group negative significant correlation between ürine NGAL/creatinin ratio and pretransfusional hemoglobine levels was found (r=-0.35, p<0.01). And also we detected urine NGAL/creatinin ratio was corralate with other renal parametries; such as serum cystatin c/creatinin, urine β-2MG/creatinin, urine Ca/creatinin values. Conclusions: Our data confirm high frequency of glomerular and tubular dysfunctions in TD-βTM pediatric patients, and renal patologies was associated especially pretransfusional low hemoglobine levels. Therefore routine use of early markers of renal dysfunction such as urine NGAL is recommended for all patients. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.