ABSTRACT
An elderly woman with angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy with dysproteinemia (AILD) presented de novo with DIC in the absence of other etiologic causes for DIC. Complete reversal of the defibrination process occurred with vincristine, methyl-prednisolone, and heparin therapy. This case illustrates that defibrination can occur de novo in the presence of a clinically, although not pathologically, malignant process. AILD should be considered in the differential diagnosis of DIC.
Subject(s)
Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation/etiology , Immunoblastic Lymphadenopathy/complications , Aged , Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation/diagnosis , Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation/therapy , Female , Humans , Immunoblastic Lymphadenopathy/diagnosis , Immunoblastic Lymphadenopathy/drug therapyABSTRACT
Two patients who presented with acute leukemia of Burkitt's cell type are discussed. Although one patient died within four months of diagnosis, the other has maintained a one year clinical complete remission. The clinical and morphologic picture of Burkitt's leukemia is nonspecific and therefore requires complementary studies including cytochemistry, transmission electron microscopy, cell surface markers and cytogenetics studies to establish diagnosis. Serial bone marrow aspirations with marker analyses may detect relapse at an earlier stage than conventional cytology, allowing therapy to be modified prior to overt clinical relapse.
