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JL Liesveld, JM Rowe and MA Lichtman
One hundred-nine cases of autoimmune hemolysis were reviewed to determine
the frequency of reticulocytopenia, the state of the erythroid marrow in
reticulocytopenic cases, and the course of reticulocyte production indices
with time and glucocorticoid treatment. The mean hematocrit at presentation
was 24 mL/dL, but 30% of cases had an initial hematocrit less than 20
mL/dL. Median reticulocyte percentage at diagnosis was 9%, and median
reticulocyte production index was 2.8 times basal. Twenty percent of cases
had an initial reticulocyte count less than 4%, and 37% had an initial
reticulocyte production index less than 2.0 times basal. These
reticulocytopenic patients were nearly evenly distributed between warm and
cold antibody- mediated cases and between primary and secondary cases.
Fifty-four percent of reticulocytopenic cases had a bone marrow examination
during hospitalization. Three-fourths of these marrows showed erythroid
hyperplasia, and erythroid hypoplasia was seen in only one case. Eighty-
eight cases had serial reticulocyte measurements, and in only 15% of
patients did the reticulocyte production index remain less than 2.0 times
basal. Thus, in most cases, the initially low reticulocyte production index
may represent a lag in marrow responsiveness to hemolytic stress. In cases
with persistent reticulocytopenia, ineffective erythropoiesis is suggested
by the frequency of marrow erythroid hyperplasia. In the cases that were
initially reticulocytopenic and demonstrated an increase in reticulocyte
production index, the magnitude of this increase was significantly greater
in glucocorticoid-treated patients than in those not so treated, indicating
that a glucocorticoid sensitive component exists in the marrow
erythropoietic response to hemolysis. Awareness of the frequency of an
initial reticulocytopenia in cases of autoimmune hemolysis may be important
in initial diagnosis and treatment.
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| Copyright © 1987 by American Society of Hematology Online ISSN: 1528-0020 | |||||||||