Thalassemia is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder that affects the beta or alpha subunits of the hemoglobin structure. Thalassemia is classified as a hypochromic microcytic anemia and a definitive diagnosis of thalassemia is made by genetic testing of the alpha and beta genes. Thalassemia carries similar features to the other diseases that lead to microcytic hypochromic anemia, particularly iron deficiency anemia (IDA). Therefore, distinguishing between thalassemia and other causes of microcytic anemia is important to help in the treatment of the patients. Different indices and algorithms are used based on the complete blood count (CBC) parameters to diagnose thalassemia. In this article, we review how effective artificial intelligence is in aiding in the diagnosis and classification of thalassemia.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a B cell neoplasm characterized by the accumulation of aberrant monoclonal B lymphocytes. CLL is the predominant type of leukemia in Western countries, accounting for 25% of cases. Although many patients remain asymptomatic, a subset may exhibit typical lymphoma symptoms, acquired immunodeficiency disorders, or autoimmune complications. Diagnosis involves blood tests showing increased lymphocytes and further examination using peripheral blood smear and flow cytometry to confirm the disease. With the significant advancements in machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) in recent years, numerous models and algorithms have been proposed to support the diagnosis and classification of CLL. In this review, we discuss the benefits and drawbacks of recent applications of ML algorithms in the diagnosis and evaluation of patients diagnosed with CLL.

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is composed of diverse hematological malignancies caused by dysfunctional stem cells, leading to abnormal hematopoiesis and cytopenia. Approximately 30% of MDS cases progress to acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a more aggressive disease. Early detection is crucial to intervene before MDS progresses to AML. The current diagnostic process for MDS involves analyzing peripheral blood smear (PBS), bone marrow sample (BMS), and flow cytometry (FC) data, along with clinical patient information, which is labor-intensive and time-consuming. Recent advancements in machine learning offer an opportunity for faster, automated, and accurate diagnosis of MDS. In this review, we aim to provide an overview of the current applications of AI in the diagnosis of MDS and highlight their advantages, disadvantages, and performance metrics.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a myeloproliferative neoplasm characterized by dysregulated growth and the proliferation of myeloid cells in the bone marrow caused by the BCR-ABL1 fusion gene. Clinically, CML demonstrates an increased production of mature and maturing granulocytes, mainly neutrophils. When a patient is suspected to have CML, peripheral blood smears and bone marrow biopsies may be manually examined by a hematologist. However, confirmatory testing for the BCR-ABL1 gene is still needed to confirm the diagnosis. Despite tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) being the mainstay of treatment for patients with CML, different agents should be used in different patients given their stage of disease and comorbidities. Moreover, some patients do not respond well to certain agents and some need more aggressive courses of therapy. Given the innovations and development that machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) have undergone over the years, multiple models and algorithms have been put forward to help in the assessment and treatment of CML. In this review, we summarize the recent studies utilizing ML algorithms in patients with CML. The search was conducted on the PubMed/Medline and Embase databases and yielded 66 full-text articles and abstracts, out of which 11 studies were included after screening against the inclusion criteria. The studies included show potential for the clinical implementation of ML models in the diagnosis, risk assessment, and treatment processes of patients with CML.

Propofol and sevoflurane are two of the most commonly used anaesthetics for paediatric surgery. Data from some clinical trials suggest that postoperative pain incidence is lower when propofol is used for maintenance of anaesthesia compared with sevoflurane, although this is not clear. This meta-analysis compared postoperative pain following maintenance of anaesthesia with propofol or sevoflurane in paediatric surgeries. PubMed Medline, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science and Cochrane Library were searched for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared postoperative pain between sevoflurane and propofol anaesthesia in children. After quality assessment, a meta-analysis was carried out using bias-adjusted inverse heterogeneity methods, heterogeneity using I² and publication bias using Doi plots. In total, 13 RCTs with 1174 children were included. The overall synthesis suggested nearly two-fold higher odds of overall postoperative pain in the sevoflurane group compared with the propofol group (odds ratio [OR] 1.88, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.12-3.15, I²=58.2%). Further, children in the sevoflurane group had higher odds of having higher pain scores (OR 3.18, 95% CI 1.83-5.53, I²=20.9%), and a 60% increase in the odds of requiring postoperative rescue analgesia compared with propofol (OR 1.60, 95% CI 0.89-2.88, I²=58.2%). Children maintained on inhalational sevoflurane had higher odds of postoperative pain compared with those maintained on propofol. The results also suggest that sevoflurane is associated with higher odds of needing postoperative rescue analgesia compared with propofol. The protocol for this systematic review and meta-analysis was registered on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) with registration ID CRD42023445913.

The accurate diagnosis of small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is crucial, as treatment strategies differ from those of other lung cancers. This systematic review aims to identify proteins differentially expressed in SCLC compared to normal lung tissue, evaluating their potential utility in diagnosing and prognosing the disease. Additionally, the study identifies proteins differentially expressed between SCLC and large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC), aiming to discover biomarkers distinguishing between these two subtypes of neuroendocrine lung cancers. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a comprehensive search was conducted across PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science databases. Studies reporting proteomics information and confirming SCLC and/or LCNEC through histopathological and/or cytopathological examination were included, while review articles, non-original articles, and studies based on animal samples or cell lines were excluded. The initial search yielded 1705 articles, and after deduplication and screening, 16 articles were deemed eligible. These studies revealed 117 unique proteins significantly differentially expressed in SCLC compared to normal lung tissue, along with 37 unique proteins differentially expressed between SCLC and LCNEC. In conclusion, this review highlights the potential of proteomics technology in identifying novel biomarkers for diagnosing SCLC, predicting its prognosis, and distinguishing it from LCNEC.