Abstract
Levels of immunoglobulins G, A and M were studied in 120 cases of acute leukemia between 7 months and 16 years of age. Eighty-three cases had acute stem cell leukemia (ALL) and 37 had acute myelogenous, monocytic or atypical leukemia. (Estimations during radial immunodiffusion were done at diagnosis, after induction of remission and after 6 weeks of maintenance therapy.) In ALL the initial levels of all 3 immunoglobulins at diagnosis and before starting therapy, tended to be low in spite of the prevalence of infection. Further decreases occurred after induction, but thereafter the levels increased to reach pre-therapy levels despite maintenance therapy. Levels of IgG below the 350-380 mg% had a bad prognostic significance. In patients receiving periodic central nervous system (CNS) irradiation, the IgA levels were significantly lower than in patients not so treated, but the incidence of intercurrent infections was not significantly altered. In the group of myelogenous or atypical leukemia, high or normal initial levels of immunoglobulins were found in all but two at diagnosis. The trend during induction and maintenance followed the same pattern as in ALL.
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