Coombs' [the antiglobulin] test in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia

47 Iraqi patiens with chronic lymphocytic leukemia were investigated for evidence of a complicating auto-immune hemolytic process by the anti-globulin [Coombs'] test, at presentation and prior to the initiation of treatment.The results show 27.6% of the CLL cases had a positive Coombs' test indicating a complicating auto-immune hemolytic process against their red cells. No equal A significant correlation was found to exist between the frequency of the presence of a positive coornbs' test in cll cases and the disease satging. Advanced stages showed more frequent association-all cases having a positive test were of young age group than the remaining cases.-There was a significant association between the lymphocytes percentage and the development of auto-immune hemolytic anemia in CLL patients. While there was no association between this disorder and thrombocytopenia

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia: Clinical presentation and bone marrow histological patterns in the Iraqi patients

The clinical presentation and the findings of the bone marrow histological patterns were studied in 51 Iraqi CLL patients at presentation and prior to the initiation of treatment. It was found that signs and symptoms of anemia were the most common presenting feature of CLL in Iraqi patients. Clinically. lymphoadenopathy was the commonest clinical finding in these patients and the bone marrow pattern was diffused in 50%, mixed in 27%, nodular in 3.8% and interstitial in 17% of the cases

Trilineage myelodysplasia in denovo acute myeloid leukaemia: a study on 99 Iraqi patients

Ninety nine Iraqi patients with denovo Acute Myeloid Lekaemia [AML] were reevaluated for the presence of Trilineage Myelodysplasia [TMDS]. and its associated morphological and haematologica1 features. TMDS was found in 19.2% of the above patients, and was most frequently encountered among cases of the M4 morphological subtype [44.4%], followed respectively by the M6 [33.3%], M2 [28%], MS [8.3% and Ml [5%] subtypes. These findings are rather different from those reported from the west. the presence of TMLS in our patients was significantly associated with older age [p<0.05], lower median haemoglobin [p<0.05], and lower median blast cell proportions in the peripheral blood p<0.01] and marrow [p<0.01]. More detailed analysis of data revealed that features includingM4 morphology, peripheral blasts of <20%, and marrow blasts of <40% were highly correlated with the presence of TMDS. while an age of <15 years, M3 morphology. peripheral blasts of >70%, and marrow blasts of >80% were correlated with its absence. The latter findings are consistent with those reported from the west