title: Clinical significance of beta 2-microglobulin in serum of adult T cell leukemia.
abstract: To clarify the clinical and biological significance of beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2-M) in serum of adult T cell leukemia (ATL) associated with human lymphotropic virus type-I (HTLV-I), beta 2-M was measured in 52 patients with ATL (acute ATL, 35 patients; lymphoma ATL, two patients; chronic ATL, 12 patients; smoldering ATL, three patients), and it was compared with serum lactic dehydrogenase (LDH). Statistical analysis disclosed a correlation between beta 2-M level and the percentage of abnormal lymphocytes (P < 0.05) and platelet count (P < 0.01). There was a correlation between LDH and platelet count (P < 0.01), and a tendency of correlation between LDH and the percentage of abnormal lymphocytes (P < 0.15). Significant difference was present in beta 2-M as well as LDH between acute ATL and chronic ATL (P < 0.01), and between acute ATL and smoldering ATL (P < 0.01). We also investigated a significant inverse correlation between beta 2-M level as well as LDH level and the length of survival after the initial diagnosis (P < 0.01). Thus, the beta 2-M level may indicate the aggressiveness of ATL cells and predict the length of survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sadamori
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mine
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hakariya
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ichiba
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawachi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Itoyama
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tomonaga
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hayashi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood; D015458:Leukemia, T-Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010976:Platelet Count; D016019:Survival Analysis; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase