The Frequency and Mechanism of Haemolysis in the Leukaemias, Reticuloses and Myeloproliferative Diseases

Haemolysis in Malignant Blood Diseases

“…diseases for haemolysis with red-cell survival tests. Reduced red-cell survival was shown in eight patients (53%), a considerably higher proportion than in a previous series (Pengelly and Wilkinson, 1962). However, in the present series, there was no attempt to exclude patients who showed evidence of haemolysis without red-cell survival testing.…”

“…Reduced red-cell survival was found in 8 eases (53%), a higher percentage than in a previous series (Pengelly and Wilkinson, 1962), but there was no attempt to have an unbiased selection of cases in this series. The effects of adrenocorticosteroid combined with antimitotic therapy on red-cell survival are discussed.…”

“…Reduced survival of transfused cells may not respond to steroids even when the patient's own red-cells are surviving normally (Pengelly, 1964). Some possible reasons for the haemolysis in the absence of antibodies were discussed in 1962 (Pengelly and Wilkinson, 1962). In addition splenic pooling has been shown to play a part in the process of red-cell destruction (Prankerd, 1963), and it seems possible that donor red-cells being antigenically slightly different from the patient's own, even though compatible in vitro, may be pooled by an enlarged spleen and there destroyed.…”

“…Red-cell survival was estimated with radioactive chromium (5'Cr) by the method of Mollison and Veall (1955) applied as described by Pengelly and Wilkinson (1962). The terminal red-cell volume was estimated with a further small dose of radioactive chromium (5Cr) and the graph adjusted as if any change had been a linear one.…”

“…A PREVIOUS paper (Pengelly & Wilkinson, 1962) described a study of haemolysis in 22 patients with leukaemias, reticuloses and myeloproliferative diseases. The present paper records the results of red-cell survival tests carried out in a further fifteen patients with malignant blood diseases, with some observations on the effects of therapy, in particular the adminstration of adrenocorticosteroids.…”