The relationship between seasonality and the diagnosis of acute leukaemia in central South Africa

Background: Leukaemias are haematological malignancies resulting from the abnormal clonal proliferation of haematopoietic precursors. Their incidence is influenced by various environmental and genetic factors. Aim: With this retrospective descriptive study, the authors aimed to explore the possible...

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Main Authors: Leriska Haupt, Wilhelm Burger, Nosipho Dimba, Salomina Joubert, Karina Kemp, Relebohile Makhalima, Jean Mudima, Kayla Swanepoel, Janco Viljoen, Anne-Cecilia van Marle
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AOSIS 2024-11-01
Series:South African Journal of Oncology
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Online Access:https://sajo.org.za/index.php/sajo/article/view/307
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author Leriska Haupt
Wilhelm Burger
Nosipho Dimba
Salomina Joubert
Karina Kemp
Relebohile Makhalima
Jean Mudima
Kayla Swanepoel
Janco Viljoen
Anne-Cecilia van Marle
author_facet Leriska Haupt
Wilhelm Burger
Nosipho Dimba
Salomina Joubert
Karina Kemp
Relebohile Makhalima
Jean Mudima
Kayla Swanepoel
Janco Viljoen
Anne-Cecilia van Marle
author_sort Leriska Haupt
collection DOAJ
description Background: Leukaemias are haematological malignancies resulting from the abnormal clonal proliferation of haematopoietic precursors. Their incidence is influenced by various environmental and genetic factors. Aim: With this retrospective descriptive study, the authors aimed to explore the possible influence of seasonality on the type and number of acute leukaemia (AL) diagnoses made at the Universitas Academic Hospital (UAH) National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) from 01 January 2018 to 31 December 2021. Setting: Universitas Academic Hospital, Bloemfontein, South Africa. Methods: Archived laboratory reports of all patients diagnosed with lymphoid and myeloid during the study period were included. Patients’ age, sex, ethnicity, final diagnosis and date of diagnosis were recorded. Information was pseudonymised to maintain confidentiality. A descriptive statistical analysis was performed to explore the possible influence of seasonality on the number of cases and type of leukaemia diagnosed. Results: In all, 249 patients were included. Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) was the most common AL subtype (n = 117; 47.0%). Over the 4-year study period, all AL subtypes were more frequently diagnosed in summer (n = 131; 52.6%). However, the monthly number of AL diagnoses was relatively consistent over the 4 years for all subtypes (p = 0.7603), with consistent peaks of AML cases during January and February (summer) and May (autumn). Conclusion: No statistically significant association between the different seasons and AL diagnosis was noted. Contribution: Further studies using a larger study population and a wider geographical area, conducted over a more extended period, might affect the observations made in this study
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spelling doaj-art-03441d4013a74879a70cf03a832a0b292025-08-20T02:50:34ZengAOSISSouth African Journal of Oncology2518-87042523-06462024-11-0180e1e610.4102/sajo.v8i0.307134The relationship between seasonality and the diagnosis of acute leukaemia in central South AfricaLeriska Haupt0Wilhelm Burger1Nosipho Dimba2Salomina Joubert3Karina Kemp4Relebohile Makhalima5Jean Mudima6Kayla Swanepoel7Janco Viljoen8Anne-Cecilia van Marle9Department of Haematology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein Department of Haematology and Cell Biology, National Health Laboratory Service, BloemfonteinSchool of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, BloemfonteinSchool of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, BloemfonteinSchool of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, BloemfonteinSchool of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, BloemfonteinSchool of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, BloemfonteinSchool of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, BloemfonteinSchool of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, BloemfonteinSchool of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, BloemfonteinDepartment of Haematology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, BloemfonteinBackground: Leukaemias are haematological malignancies resulting from the abnormal clonal proliferation of haematopoietic precursors. Their incidence is influenced by various environmental and genetic factors. Aim: With this retrospective descriptive study, the authors aimed to explore the possible influence of seasonality on the type and number of acute leukaemia (AL) diagnoses made at the Universitas Academic Hospital (UAH) National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) from 01 January 2018 to 31 December 2021. Setting: Universitas Academic Hospital, Bloemfontein, South Africa. Methods: Archived laboratory reports of all patients diagnosed with lymphoid and myeloid during the study period were included. Patients’ age, sex, ethnicity, final diagnosis and date of diagnosis were recorded. Information was pseudonymised to maintain confidentiality. A descriptive statistical analysis was performed to explore the possible influence of seasonality on the number of cases and type of leukaemia diagnosed. Results: In all, 249 patients were included. Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) was the most common AL subtype (n = 117; 47.0%). Over the 4-year study period, all AL subtypes were more frequently diagnosed in summer (n = 131; 52.6%). However, the monthly number of AL diagnoses was relatively consistent over the 4 years for all subtypes (p = 0.7603), with consistent peaks of AML cases during January and February (summer) and May (autumn). Conclusion: No statistically significant association between the different seasons and AL diagnosis was noted. Contribution: Further studies using a larger study population and a wider geographical area, conducted over a more extended period, might affect the observations made in this studyhttps://sajo.org.za/index.php/sajo/article/view/307acute leukaemiapathogenesisoncogenesisseasonalityepidemiologyleukaemogenesisgeographyflow cytometry
spellingShingle Leriska Haupt
Wilhelm Burger
Nosipho Dimba
Salomina Joubert
Karina Kemp
Relebohile Makhalima
Jean Mudima
Kayla Swanepoel
Janco Viljoen
Anne-Cecilia van Marle
The relationship between seasonality and the diagnosis of acute leukaemia in central South Africa
South African Journal of Oncology
acute leukaemia
pathogenesis
oncogenesis
seasonality
epidemiology
leukaemogenesis
geography
flow cytometry
title The relationship between seasonality and the diagnosis of acute leukaemia in central South Africa
title_full The relationship between seasonality and the diagnosis of acute leukaemia in central South Africa
title_fullStr The relationship between seasonality and the diagnosis of acute leukaemia in central South Africa
title_full_unstemmed The relationship between seasonality and the diagnosis of acute leukaemia in central South Africa
title_short The relationship between seasonality and the diagnosis of acute leukaemia in central South Africa
title_sort relationship between seasonality and the diagnosis of acute leukaemia in central south africa
topic acute leukaemia
pathogenesis
oncogenesis
seasonality
epidemiology
leukaemogenesis
geography
flow cytometry
url https://sajo.org.za/index.php/sajo/article/view/307
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