Immunological Responsiveness in Idiopathic and Drug‐induced Panmyelopathy: Discrepancy between Sensitization with DNCB and Haemocyanin

Abstract

Summary. Immunological responsiveness to two primary antigens, haemocyanin and dinitrochlorobenzene, was tested in seven patients with idiopathic or drug‐induced panmyelopathy. Humoral immunity was quite normal, but cell‐mediated immunity was partially deficient. Six patients showed in vitro lymphocyte reactivity to haemocyanin and positive intracutaneous tests with haemocyanin after immunization. The one patient in whom sensitization to haemocyanin did not develop had received prednisone during immunization because of overt bleeding tendency. In contrast to the successful immunization with haemocyanin, sensitization with DNCB did not succeed in any of the seven patients. PHA reactivity of the lymphocytes was not significantly lowered.

Acquired Aplastic Anaemia in Adults

“…After discontinuation of the drug and under prolonged immune-suppressive therapy, the anti-nuclear factor and direct anti-globulin titre gradually disappeared in parallel with a com plete recovering of haematopoiesis. It should be noted that carbamazepine has also been reported in association with a relapse of systemic lupus erythematosus [26], A few authors have stated that an immunological incompetence is part of the aplastic anaemia syndrome [31,37], The only relevant parameter that could be evaluated in most of the patients in our series was the serum concentration of total gammaglobulin. In contrast to M orley and F orbes [31], we did not find a significant hypogammaglobulinaemia.…”