Abstract

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) has a variable clinical course and there is a great need of new prognostic laboratory parameters in this disease. 24 CLL patients were subjected to routine haematological and clinical investigation. The leukaemic cells were analyzed for surface immunoglobulins, complement and sheep red blood cell receptors, Concanavalin A-induced agglutination, cytoplasmic glucocorticoid receptor and for proliferative activity by measurement of tritiated thymidine incorporation. The surface markers studied indicated that all cases were of B-cell origin. Only 5 of 23 patients studied had normal serum immunoglobulin levels. These cases showed a nonprogressive disease. 8 patients had increased infection tendency, all of whom had subnormal IgG levels; 4 of them also had subnormal IgA and IgM and 2 had subnormal IgA levels. 5 out of 6 patients with progressive disease and 3 of 11 with nonprogressive disease had an increased proliferative index, indicating a correlation between this parameter and disease progression. ConA agglutinability was not correlated to disease activity. Cells from 17 of 22 patients showed measurable amounts of glucocorticoid receptor. The 5 patients lacking this receptor had inactive disease.

Full Text
Paper version not known

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.