Elevated serum concentrations of hepatocyte growth factor in acute myelocytic leukaemia

Serum concentrations of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) were measured in 60 patients suffering from acute myelocytic leukaemia (AML). At the time of di agnosis elevated HGF concentrations (>1.25 ng/ml) were found in 28% of the patients. HGF levels correlated with the presence of disseminated intravasc ular coagulation (DIC), levels of lysozyme, creatinine, peripheral blood bl ast counts and lactic dehydrogenase. In the group of patients with high HGF (>1.25 ng/ml) we found a tendency towards an increased early mortality; 41 % of them died within 15 d from diagnosis, as opposed to 5% of the patients with normal HGF (log rank test p = 0.07). DIG-related bleeding or thrombos is contributed to this early mortality. In responders, HGF levels normalize d after treatment. HGF levels are low in neutropenia and neutropenic infect ions.