Autoimmunity in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.
The prevalence of autoantibodies in B cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B-CLL) was investigated. A lower prevalence of autoimmune haemolytic anaemia than that found in other series was found: large numbers of non-progressive stage A disease cases were included, in which the prevalence of autoimmune haemolytic anaemia is low. Non-haematological autoantibodies were no commoner than in age matched controls. Whatever explanation is offered for autoimmune phenomena in B-CLL it must take account of the fact that those phenomena are virtually confined to autoantibodies against the formed elements of the blood.
D000368:Aged; D000744:Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune / Q000150:complications; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D003298:Coombs Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000150:complications
D001323:Autoantibodies