Chen, Dong

AbstractVon Willebrand factor (VWF) is a multimeric glycoprotein with essential roles in primary hemostasis. Patients with von Willebrand disease (VWD), due to quantitative and/or qualitative defects of VWF usually experience mucocutaneous bleeding. Based on the laboratory results of VWF antigen, various VWF activities, factor VIII activity, and VWF multimer patterns, VWD can be categorized as type 1, 2, and 3 VWD. VWF multimer analysis by either manual or semi-automated electrophoresis and immunoblotting is a critical part of the laboratory testing to differentiate type 1, type 2 VWD, and subtypes of type 1 or 2 VWD. The multimer distribution patterns can also help to understand the underlying molecular mechanism of VWF synthesis, multimerization, and clearance defects in VWD. This review will cover VWF synthesis, multimerization, secretion, VWF multimer analysis, and VWF multimer interpretation of various types and subtypes of VWD.

AbstractVon Willebrand factor (VWF) level and/or function is altered in von Willebrand disease (VWD), the most common heritable bleeding disorder worldwide. Laboratory assessment of VWF is continually evolving. Historically, the primary method for the assessment of VWF platelet-binding activity was the ristocetin cofactor assay (VWF:RCo). Contemporary alternative measures of VWF platelet-binding activity include VWF:GPIbR (recombinant; using ristocetin), VWF:GPIbM (recombinant; gain-of-function mutant), and monoclonal antibody. Recently, the American Society of Hematology, International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis, National Hemophilia Foundation, and World Federation of Hemophilia collaboration issued guidelines recommending the use of newer assays of VWF platelet-binding activity (VWF: GPIbM, VWF: GPIbR) over VWF:RCo, given known limitations of the VWF:RCo assay. Despite this recommendation, the newer VWF:GPIbM and VWF:GPIbR assays are not United States Food and Drug Administration cleared, limiting their availability in the United States. We sought to assess assay utilization trends, agreement of VWF testing methods, and imprecision of VWF testing (based on assigned sample type) from the College of American Pathologists Proficiency Testing Surveys. The analysis confirms that, while VWF antigen testing has low imprecision, the various VWF activity assays have significant interassay variability, with VWF:RCo showing greater imprecision than the newer GPIb-binding assays. The overall trends in assay utilization reflect the barriers to complete compliance with modern VWD diagnostic guidelines in North America.

AbstractVon Willebrand factor (VWF) level and/or function is altered in von Willebrand disease (VWD), the most common heritable bleeding disorder worldwide. Laboratory assessment of VWF is continually evolving. Historically, the primary method for the assessment of VWF platelet-binding activity was the ristocetin cofactor assay (VWF:RCo). Contemporary alternative measures of VWF platelet-binding activity include VWF:GPIbR (recombinant; using ristocetin), VWF:GPIbM (recombinant; gain-of-function mutant), and monoclonal antibody. Recently, the American Society of Hematology, International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis, National Hemophilia Foundation, and World Federation of Hemophilia collaboration issued guidelines recommending the use of newer assays of VWF platelet-binding activity (VWF: GPIbM, VWF: GPIbR) over VWF:RCo, given known limitations of the VWF:RCo assay. Despite this recommendation, the newer VWF:GPIbM and VWF:GPIbR assays are not United States Food and Drug Administration cleared, limiting their availability in the United States. We sought to assess assay utilization trends, agreement of VWF testing methods, and imprecision of VWF testing (based on assigned sample type) from the College of American Pathologists Proficiency Testing Surveys. The analysis confirms that, while VWF antigen testing has low imprecision, the various VWF activity assays have significant interassay variability, with VWF:RCo showing greater imprecision than the newer GPIb-binding assays. The overall trends in assay utilization reflect the barriers to complete compliance with modern VWD diagnostic guidelines in North America.

AbstractHeparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is suspected much more often than it is confirmed. Technically simple platelet factor 4 (PF4)-polyanion enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) are sensitive but nonspecific. In contrast, accurate functional tests such as the serotonin release assay, heparin-induced platelet activation assay, and PF4-dependent P-selectin expression assay require fresh platelets and have complex assay end points, limiting their availability to specialized reference laboratories. To enable broad deployment of functional testing, we sought to extend platelet viability significantly by optimizing storage conditions and developed a simple functional assay end point by measuring the release of a platelet α-granule protein, thrombospondin-1 (TSP1), in an ELISA format. Platelet cryopreservation conditions were optimized by freezing platelets at controlled cooling rates that preserve activatability. Several-month-old cryopreserved platelets were treated with PF4 or heparin and were evaluated for their ability to be activated by HIT and vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) antibodies in the TSP1 release assay (TRA). HIT and spontaneous HIT patient samples induced significantly higher TSP1 release using both PF4-treated (PF4-TRA) and heparin-treated cryopreserved platelets relative to samples from patients suspected of HIT who lacked platelet-activating antibodies. This latter group included several patients that tested strongly positive in PF4-polyanion ELISA but were not platelet-activating. Four VITT patient samples tested in the TRA activated PF4-treated, but not heparin-treated, cryopreserved platelets, consistent with recent data suggesting the requirement for PF4-treated platelets for VITT antibody detection. These findings have the potential to transform the testing paradigm in HIT and VITT, making decentralized, technically simple functional testing available for rapid and accurate in-hospital diagnosis.

AbstractThe current study was approached with the assumption that response to induction chemotherapy, in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), overshadows pre‐treatment risk variables in predicting survival and therefore be used as an anchor for a simplified risk model. We considered 759 intensively‐treated patients with AML, not promyelocytic: median age 60 years; primary 66%, secondary 25%, and therapy‐related 9%; European LeukemiaNet cytogenetic risk category favorable 8%, intermediate 61%, and adverse 31%. Complete remission with (CR) or without (CRi) count recovery was achieved in 608 (80%) patients. After a median follow‐up of 22 months, 503 deaths, 272 relapses, and 257 allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplants (AHSCTs) were recorded. Multivariable analysis identified failure to achieve CR/CRi (HR 3.8, 95% CI 3.1–4.8), adverse karyotype (2.2, 1.8–2.8), and age >55 years (2.1, 1.6–2.7) as main risk factors for survival. HR‐weighted scoring resulted in four‐tiered risk stratification: low (0 points; N = 183), intermediate‐1 (1 point; N = 331), intermediate‐2 (2 points; N = 117), and high (≥3 points; N = 128), with respective median survival (5‐year rate) not reached (68%), 34 (37%), 13 (20%), and 5 (5%) months (p < .001). FLT3‐ITD mutation was associated with inferior survival in intermediate‐1 (p = .004) and TP53 in intermediate‐2 (p = .06) and high (p = .02) risk disease; the latter was fully accounted for by the close association between TP53 mutation and complex/monosomal karyotype while the observations regarding FLT3‐ITD were not affected by treatment with midostaurin. AHSCT had a favorable impact on survival, most apparent in intermediate‐1 (p < .001), intermediate‐2 (p = .03), and high (p = .01) risk disease. The proposed 3‐factor survival model offers a novel prototype that is amenable to further enhancement by molecular information and was validated in an external cohort of 1032 intensively‐treated AML patients.

AbstractHospitalized patients with COVID‐19 infection frequently have coagulopathy resembling disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). An elevation of D‐dimer level is associated with a poor prognosis; however, the role of other fibrin degradation products, such as soluble fibrin monomers (SFMC), is not known.The objective of the study was to investigate the frequency and prognostic role of elevated SFMC in patients with COVID‐19. In this retrospective cohort study, patients hospitalized between April 1, 2020 and December 14, 2020 at Mayo Clinic with COVID‐19 infection who underwent DIC panel testing were identified. Results of laboratory tests and outcomes (thrombosis and death) within 40 days of testing were obtained via medical record review.Of 108 patients, D‐dimer was elevated in 82 (75.9%) patients. Of those with elevated D‐dimer, SFMC was elevated in 19/82 (23%) patients. There were 16 thrombotic events and 16 deaths during the 40‐day follow‐up. The incidence of overt‐DIC was 4.6%. In univariate analysis, D‐dimer ≥5 x highest upper limit normal (ULN) and elevated SFMC were each associated with higher 40‐day mortality. However, when used in combination with D‐dimer ≥5 x highest ULN, an elevated SFMC provided no further mortality predictive value.Compared to 75.9% of patients with elevated D‐dimers, of those tested, only 23% had elevated SFMC. These results support the hypothesis that elevated D‐dimer in COVID‐19 infection is a direct consequence of endothelial damage and not overt‐DIC.

Abstract Introduction: Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a potentially life-threatening condition that could occur following exposure to heparin. Accurate and timely diagnosis is critical for appropriate clinical management. Laboratory testing for suspected cases is based on screening for the presence of serum anti-PF4/heparin antibodies using solid-phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELSIA) which is known to be sensitive but less specific. A positive ELISA test is followed by functional testing to demonstrate the platelet activating properties and heparin dependence of the pathogenic antibodies. Serotonin release assay (SRA) is considered the gold standard functional test for the diagnosis of HIT. In most anti-PF4/heparin ELISA assays, a high-dose heparin buffer (100U/mL) confirmation step is recommended to demonstrate heparin dependence of detected antibodies and increase the specificity of the assay. The necessity of this confirmation step is controversial with some reports suggesting it could lead to misinterpreting positive ELISA results as negative or indeterminate, especially in cases of very strong and high titer HIT activating antibodies. We hence aimed to investigate the utility of applying this confirmation step as part of an inhouse validation study of a mass spectrometry-coupled SRA (Mayo-SRA). Materials: Three hundred archived serum samples were tested using anti-PF4/heparin IgG antibody ELISA (Immucor Diagnostics, GA, USA). High-dose heparin (100U/mL) confirmation step was performed on all samples with OD units ≥0.4 as recommended by the manufacturer. Samples with OD ≥ 0.4 and ≥50% OD inhibition in the high dose heparin confirmation step are interpreted positive. Mayo-SRA results were compared to a reference 14C SRA method. The 4T clinical score was retrospectively calculated for all patient (range 0-8 points). Results: Of the 300 tested samples, 57 samples were interpreted positive by the anti-PF4/heparin screening ELISA. 33 of the 57 samples were positive using the reference 14C SRA method, whereas 43 samples were positive by Mayo-SRA assay (≥20% serotonin release). Three additional samples were positive by Mayo-SRA, but negative by both screening ELISA and the reference 14C SRA method. All samples with OD units ≥0.4 displayed &gt;50% inhibition in the high-dose heparin regardless of the intensity of the initial OD value or the HIT 4T score, with the exception of one that was negative by both SRA methods and of 1.35 OD value and 6 4T HIT score (Fig-1A). Importantly, thirteen samples were anti-PF4/heparin positive, but SRA negative (by Mayo-SRA and reference method). These samples also displayed positive %heparin inhibition (≥50% OD inhibition) (Fig-1B). Lastly, there were no differences in the degree of %inhibition in samples positive by both reference and Mayo-SRA or Mayo-SRA only (Fig-1B). Conclusion: In our patient cohort, addition of the high dose heparin inhibition confirmation step to the screening anti-PF4/heparin ELISA assay was of no additional diagnostic utility. We hence propose eliminating the heparin inhibition step which would improve laboratory turnaround time, reduce costs, and importantly speed up urgent clinical management decisions. Figure Legend: Fig-1A. No correlation between initial OD values and %OD inhibition using high dose heparin. Scatter plot of all ELISA positive samples (OD ≥0.4) grouped according to OD values. Samples include all SRA-positive and thirteen SRA-negative ELISA-positive samples. Fig-1B. Scatter plot of %OD inhibition comparing samples positive by Mayo-SRA and reference SRA method, positive by Mayo-SRA only, and ELISA-positive SRA-negative by both methods. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Pruthi: Bayer Healthcare AG: Honoraria; CSL Behring: Honoraria; Merck: Honoraria; Genentech: Honoraria; HEMA Biologics: Honoraria; Instrumentation Laboratory: Honoraria. Padmanabhan: Veralox Therapeutics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees.

Abstract Background: Therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a well-described entity and known to carry a worse prognosis, compared to de novo AML. In the current study, we sought to describe the presenting features and outcome of patients with AML, in the setting of previous history of cancer with or without exposure to chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Methods: A Mayo Clinic database of patients with AML was queried to identify patients with a previous history of cancer, both hematologic and solid tumors. A comparative analysis of presenting features, treatment details and survival were performed between patients with therapy-related AML (Group A) and those with AML and a history of cancer that had been managed with surgery alone (Group B). Results: A total of 250 patients (median age 68 years, range 19-90; 60% males) with AML and a previous history of cancer (both hematologic and solid) were identified; 182 (73%) cases were determined to be therapy-related AML (Group A) while the remaining 68 (27%) did not receive chemotherapy or radiotherapy for their antecedent cancer (Group B) (Table). Among group A patients 106 (58%) were exposed to chemotherapy, 37 (20%) to radiotherapy and 39 (22%) to combination chemotherapy and radiotherapy for their cancer. At the time of AML diagnosis, adverse karyotype was noted in 91 (51%) group A and 12 (19%) group B patients (p&lt;0.0001); the incidence of adverse karyotype in patients exposed to chemotherapy vs radiotherapy alone vs combined chemoradiotherapy was 54% (57/106), 30% (11/37), and 59% (23/39) respectively (p=0.04). Group A patients, compared to those in group B, included more females (46% vs 24%; p=0.001), and more preceding hematologic malignancies (p=&lt;0.0001). Next generation sequencing was performed in 74 patients and the results showed no significant difference between groups A and B (Table). Treatment and outcome in Groups A and B: Intensive and less intensive AML-directed chemotherapy were given to 100 (55%) and 44 (24%) patients in group A and 38 (56%) and 14 (21%) patients in group B (P=0.8). 79 (65%) remissions (complete remission (CR) 42 (29%) and CR with incomplete count recovery (CRi) 37 (26%) were documented in Group A and 37 (71%) remissions (CR: 21 (40%) and CRi=16 (31%) in Group B (P=0.2). After a median follow-up of 8.4 months (range: 0.9-217), 184 deaths were documented: 132 (72.5%) in Group A and 52 (76.5%) in Group B (P=0.5). 52 (36%) patients from Group A and 25 (48%) from Group B relapsed (P=0.1). The median (range) overall survival (OS) rates of patients from Group A was 13 (9-17) months and that of Group B was 14 (10-35) months (P=0.6). The 1-, 3- and 5-year OS rates were 52%, 28%, and 24% in Group A; and 62%, 33%, and 24% in Group B patients (Fig 1). Multivariable analysis identified relapse (HR 2.8, 95% CI 1.7-4.7) and failure to achieve CR/CRi (HR 2.8 95% CI 1.9-4.7) as risk factors for inferior survival (Fig 2a and 2b). The median (range) relapse free survival of patients in Group A was 28 (17 -81) and that of Group B was 27 (14 - 76) months (P=0.9) (Fig 2c). 28 patients underwent allogenic stem-cell transplant (25 in CR1 and 3 in CR2), 23 in Group A and 5 in Group B; the 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS of patients who underwent allogenic stem cell transplant were 88%, 72%, and 72% regardless of the group (Fig 2d). Conclusion: The current study did not find significant differences between AML patients with previous history of cancer with or without exposure to chemo/radiotherapy, in terms of either response to AML-directed therapy or overall or relapse-free survival, despite a higher prevalence of adverse karyotype in therapy-related AML. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Patnaik: Kura Oncology: Research Funding; Stemline Therapeutics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Stemline Therapeutics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Al-Kali: Astex: Other: Research support to institution; Novartis: Research Funding. Litzow: Pluristem: Research Funding; Actinium: Research Funding; AbbVie: Research Funding; Astellas: Research Funding; Amgen: Research Funding; Jazz: Other: Advisory Board; Omeros: Other: Advisory Board; Biosight: Other: Data monitoring committee.