THE H1 AUTOMATED DIFFERENTIAL COUNTER IN DETERMINATION OF BONE-MARROWREMISSION IN ACUTE-LEUKEMIA

One hundred eighty-one bone marrow aspirates from 63 patients with acu te leukemia were evaluated by the Technicon H1 automated differential counter and by microscopic examination for remission status after chem otherapy. Of the 163 marrows that were conclusive by microscopic exami nation, 130 were in remission (<5% blast cells). This study focused on the following H1 alarms/flags to estimate their sensitivity for deter mination of remission: blast signal (BLSI), large unstained cells alar m (LUCA), base blast alarm (BBLA), immature granulocytes (IGA) and aty pia (ATYP). Basoblast alarm and BLSI revealed to be the most sensitive alarms (P <.0000 both), with 6 and 7 false-negative cases, respective ly. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative pred ictive value and efficiency were: 79%, 92%, 70%, 94%, and 89%, respect ively for BLSI, and 82%, 90%, 68%, 95%, and 88%, respectively for BBLA . Blast signal and BBLA did not turn up in 67 hematologically normal h one marrows. In conclusion, the H1, the base channel in particular, is a sensitive and specific tool for estimation of bone marrow remission status in acute leukemia.