Periodic chronic myelogenous leukaemia: spectral analysis of blood cell counts and aetiological implications

Of 24 published clinical reports of periodic chronic myelogenous leukaemia (PCML), 21 had sufficient data to analyse for periodicity, and 12 showed si gnificant periodicity (p less than or equal to 0.05) using the Lomb periodo gram. Leucocyte oscillations had periods T ranging from 37 to 83 d. When da ta were also reported fur platelets and reticulocytes there was no signific ant difference between their periods and those of the leucocytes. These dat a and their analysis provide strong circumstantial evidence for a haemopoie tic stem cell origin of PCML. Namely the known chromosomal changes in CML p atients may, on occasion. also be accompanied by a destabilization resultin g in an oscillatory efflux into the leucocyte, platelet and erythrocytic pa thways.