Pelger-Huet anomaly

There is a possible relationship between thalassemia (abnormal hemoglobins) and exposure to benzene. Aksoy (1989) presented a series of 44 pancytopenic patients, 4 of which had P-thalassemia heterozygotes. Two of these four patients had high levels of fetal hemoglobin, while a third patient had pseudo-Pelger-Huet anomaly. Thus, some forms of P-thalassemia may increase the deleterious effects of benzene on the hematopoietic system. 

Kennedy G A, Kay TD, Johnson DW, Hawley CM, Campbell SB, Isbel NM, Marlton P, Cob-croft R, Gill D, Cull G. Neutrophil dysplasia characterised by a pseudo-Pelger-Huet anomaly occurring with the use of mycophenolate mofetil and ganciclovir following renal transplantation a report of five cases. Pathology (2002) 34, 263-6. 

Gondo H, Okamura C, Osaki K, Shimoda K, Asano Y, Okamura T. Acquired Pelger-Huet anomaly in association with conccxn itant tacrolimus and flucona le ther y foUowii allogenic bone marrow tran lantatioa Bene Marrow Transplant (200G) 26,1255-7. 

A less frequent but more serious indication of benzene toxicity is the finding in the peripheral blood of the so-called pseudo (or acquired) Pelger-Huet anomaly. In this anomaly many, or sometimes the majority, of the neutrophilic granulocytes possess two round nuclear segments — less often one or three round segments —rather than three normally elongated segments. When this anomaly is not hereditary, it is often but not invariably predictive of... 

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