title: Vesiculated erythrocytes as a determination of splenic reticuloendothelial function in pediatric patients with Hodgkin's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of low-dose total, or subtotal, nodal irradiation (TNI/sub-TNI) on splenic reticuloendothelial function in pediatric patients with Hodgkin's Disease (HD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Pediatric and adolescent patients with advanced stage HD were accrued from two Pediatric Oncology Group studies and subdivided into three groups: the first had chemotherapy (CT) only; the second received chemotherapy and low-dose (2,100 cGy) TNI or subtotal TNI (sub-TNI); the third underwent staging laparotomy with splenectomy followed by CT, with or without low-dose radiotherapy. Vesiculated erythrocyte counts (VRBC) were performed on all patients using Nomarski interference phase optics at the conclusion of therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean VRBCs were 3.2%, and 3.8% for the non-splenectomized patients who received chemotherapy only, and chemotherapy plus low-dose splenic irradiation, respectively. For those who underwent splenectomy before chemotherapy, the VRBC was 36.7%. Statistical analysis revealed no difference in vesiculated erythrocyte percentages between the CT only group and the CT + TNI/sub-TNI patients; however, there was a significant difference between both of these groups and the splenectomized patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that the addition of low-dose splenic irradiation to chemotherapy in children and adolescents with advanced-stage Hodgkin's disease does not adversely affect splenic reticuloendothial function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Hackensack Medical Center, New Jersey, USA.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Weiner
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Landmann
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: DeParedes
authors.forename: B G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Leventhal
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D004908:Erythrocyte Inclusions / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012157:Mononuclear Phagocyte System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation