RETROSPECTIVE EVALUATION OF BLOOD IMMUNOL OGY IN THE COURSE OF REMISSION OF ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC-LEUKEMIA IN CHILDREN

The authors investigated cellular and humoral immunity in 53 children over 3 years of age suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The c hildren had remission lasting from 6 to 120 months and were followed u p for 7-14 years after the diagnosis was made. The treatment was perfo rmed according to programs of polychemotherapy practiced in 1981-1988. In November of 1995 42 children were alive, 15 had the disease for 10 years. Lymphocytopenia (absolute number of T-cells and B-cells fell 3 -5 and 2-3-fold, respectively) was reported in all the examinees both in early remission and rater (6-12, 24-60, 60 and more months since th e disease onset). In early remission there was a significant reduction in the serum IgG, IgA and IgM. In children with ALL lethal outcome se rum IgM and absolute number of E-RFCa dropped in early remission more significantly indicating deep drug-induced depression of lymphocytopoi esis. After 5 years of treatment the pool of peripheral T-lymphocytes and T/B lymphocyte proportion changed for the best, though their absol ute number was subnormal. Serum IgG, IgA and circulating immune comple xes were 1.3-1.5 times higher than normal which may be explained by ga strointestinal pathology and food allergy in the majority of children treated.