[Analysis of 300 cases of secondary pancytopenia]. / Analiza 300 przypadków pancytopenii wtórnych.

Clinical analysis of 300 cases of secondary pancytopenia treated in a period of 10 years is reported. The disease was more frequent in women than in men. The most frequent single cause were drugs, among them chloramphenicol. Most patients had pancytopenia and hypoplastic bone marrow. The mortality was 37%. Death occurred most frequently in the first 6 months of the disease due to infection or thrombocytopenic heamorrhagic diathesis. The results of treatment with corticosteroids and androgenic steroids were unsatisfactory.

Lymphocyte response in in vitro cultures to some mitogens, and serum immunoglobulin levels in aged subjects.

Capacity of lympocytes for blastic transformation in in vitro cultures under the influence of PHA and PWM was studied in 40 subjects aged 20--60 years and in 43 aged 60--100 years. In the higher age group, in about 25% of cases, low percentages of blasts in cultures stimulated with PHA and PWM were observed. In 101 subjects aged 65--100 years, the mean level of IgA in serum was significantly higher compared with the 20--40-year age group. In some cases, levels of two or three immunoglobulin classes were raised. The unexplained changes in the reaction of lymphocytes to PHA and PWM and in levels of serum IgG were attributed to the old age of the subjects.

In vitro response of lymphocytes to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and serum levels of immunoglobulins during remission of acute leukemia.

The study group consisted of 13 patients, including 5 in complete remission and 8 in incomplete hematologic remission. Six patients had a pause in therapy, and the remaining ones were continuing maintenance therapy. In all cases production of IgG, IgA and IgM immunoglobulins was maintained. Response of lymphocytes to PHA in vitro was normal in 7 patients, mainly in those who had a pause in treatment. The test results were uncorrelated with hematologic status. Both tests showed preserved humoral immunity and delyed hypersensitivity in the early period of remission and had no prognositc value.

[Comparative evaluation of the quality of leukocytes stored at -196 centigrades C in glycerol and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)]. / Ocena porównawcza jakosci leukocytów przechowywanych w temperaturze --196 degrees C w srodowisku glicerolu i polivinylpyrrolidonu (PVP)

The authors assessed the phagocytic ability of granulocytes, the ability of blastic transformation of lymphocytes after phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) stimulation in vitro culture, and the viability and number of these cells before freezing and after thawing. No significant differences were found in the quality of granulocytes stored in cryoprotective medium containing 13% of glycerol or 15% of PVP. On the other hand, much worse results were obtained in both cases in comparison with previous investigations in which DMSO was used as the protective agent. It was observed also that lympocytes stored in a cryoprotective medium containing 15% of PVP were not significantly depressed and retained their ability of blastic transformation in vitro under PHA stimulation. Similar results were obtained using in previous investigations a cryoprotective medium with DMSO.

[Role of human spleen in the release and sequestration of white blood cells]. / Rola sledziony czlowieka w uwalnianiu i zatrzymywaniu krwinek bialych

In 21 patients during operation blood samples were obtained from splenic vein and artery immediately before splenectomy for determination of qualitative and quantitative composition of white blood cells to establish the role of the spleen in their release and sequestration. It was found that the spleen released into circulation mononuclear cells whose number, size of nucleus and glycogen content of the cytoplasm varied individually in various cases. Besides that the spleen releases and sequestrates granulocytes, most probably as a result of intravascular shifts in the marginal and circulating cell pools induced, among others, by contractions of the spleen.