Haemoglobin and prognosis in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Issue 9 (September 1981)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hann, I M; Scarffe, J H; Palmer, M K; Evans, D I; Jones, P H
• Is Part Of: Archives of disease in childhood. Volume 56:Issue 9(1981)
• Page Start: 684
• Page End: 686
• Publication Date: 1981-09
• Subjects: Children -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Infants -- Diseases -- Periodicals; 618.920005
• DOI: 10.1136/adc.56.9.684
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0003-9888

Abstract

Abstract : Two hundred and nine children presenting consecutively with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia to a regional paediatric oncology unit were investigated to determine the prognostic significance of various factors at diagnosis. There was a strong positive correlation between the pretreatment haemoglobin level and the percentage of bone marrow blast cells in S phase of the cell cycle as assessed by flow cytometry. Patients with T- and B-cell leukaemia had significantly higher haemoglobin levels than non-B non-T patients. In patients with total white cell counts less than 20 X 10(9)/l, aged less than 13 years, and no mediastinal mass, there was no association of haemoglobin with length of first remission. However, among those with white blood counts greater than 20 +/- 10(9)/l there was a strong positive trend towards shorter remission with higher haemoglobin levels. Children with high white blood counts at diagnosis and low haemoglobin levels may have a better prognosis than predicted by the white blood count alone.