title: Successful treatment of neutropenia in T-LGL leukemia (T gamma-lymphocytosis) with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor.
abstract: Severe neutropenia is a common feature in patients with T-large granular lymphocytic (LGL) leukemia. Neutropenia often causes severe infections and septicemia, thus representing a major cause of morbidity and mortality in this disease. We have treated two outpatients with T-LGL leukemia who had severe neutropenia (neutrophils < 0.2 x 10(9)/l) successfully with G-CSF (5 micrograms/kg daily, s.c.). After 10 days of treatment the neutrophil count was within the normal range and a severe oral infection healed rapidly. We conclude that G-CSF therapy is able to normalize the neutrophil count in T-LGL leukemia within a few days and that it can be used to treat severe infections in these patients even on an outpatient basis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Philipps University, Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Weide
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heymanns
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Köppler
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tiemann
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Huss
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Pflüger
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Havemann
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D015461:Leukemia, Prolymphocytic, T-Cell / Q000150:complications*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D009504:Neutrophils
chemical_list: D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor