Chronic natural killer cell lymphocytosis.
Chronic proliferations of natural killer (NK) cells (CD3- CD16+) are identified initially by detecting large granular lymphocyte (LGL) excess in a peripheral blood smear and subsequent lymphocyte immunophenotyping by flow cytometry. A related disease, T-LGL leukemia, has an indolent clinical course with chronic neutropenia and a close association with rheumatoid arthritis. Herein are described the clinical presentation and long-term clinical course of patients with chronic NK cell lymphocytosis (CNKL). The majority of the 14 patients followed up for a median of 4 years presented with severe cytopenias or vasculitic syndromes that were responsive to immunosuppressive therapy. Other manifestations included fever and arthralgias. In general, the disease was nonprogressive and had a course similar to that of T-LGL leukemia.
Tefferi
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Division of Hematology and Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000473:pathology*; D008218:Lymphocytosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged