title: [Hemostasis and fibrinolysis in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in childhood--analysis of life-threatening bleeding].
abstract: 66 children with ALL, who were admitted to the University Children's Hospital at Münster for treatment according to the BFM protocol 79/81, presented initially with the following abnormal hemostatic parameters: Prolongation of bleeding time (89%), thrombocytopenia (83%), pathological prothrombin time (69%), increased FDP (32%, reduced F XIII (33%), abnormal short PTT (34%). There was a significant discrepancy between immunologically and functionally measured fibrinogen, which is only partially explained by the presence of FDP. Patients with T-cell leukemia (n = 11) had significantly higher WBC, longer prothrombin times, and lower fibrinogen levels than patients with Non-T/non-B ALL. The initial coagulation parameters did not discriminate the 6 patients who presented life threatening bleeding episodes. The two patients with high blast count (350 000 and 548 000/mm3) and T-ALL had intracranial bleeding before therapy started; in one of them vascular infiltration of blast cells was demonstrated at autopsy. Two other patients had bacterial infections, which in one case led to local bleeding into the lungs and in the other case to DIC. Two further children presented intracranial bleeding episodes which could be associated with asparaginase therapy. 5 of the 6 patients with life threatening episodes had a platelet count of more than 35 000/mm3.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001780:Blood Coagulation Tests; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005342:Fibrinolysis; D006487:Hemostasis; D006801:Humans; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D013601:T-Lymphocytes
vernacular_title: Hämostase und Fibrinolyse bei der akuten lymphoblastischen Leukämie (ALL) im Kindesalter--Analyse von lebensbedrohlichen Blutungen.