title: [Epidemiologic, clinical and cytohematologic characteristics of adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Tunisia].
abstract: Through a national retrospective study, the authors report the clinical and hematological characteristics of 124 acute lymphoblastic leukemia of the adult diagnosed during 5 years (1993-1997). The national prevalence is of 0.28/100.000 inhabitants/year. The sex-ratio is of 1.3. Sixty six per cent of patients were 16-35 years of age, and only 10% of them were more than 60 years of age. A tumoral syndrome was present at 71% of the cases with peripheral adenopathies in 55%, splenomegaly in 40%, hepatomegaly in 19% and a mediastinal tumor in 18% of the cases. The bone pain were rarely signaled (10%) and neuro-meningeal affection was found in only 3% of cases. There was no testicular lesions. The white blood cells count was less than 30.000/mm3 in 60% whereas an important hyperleucocytosis superior than 100.103/mm3 was observed in 20% of the cases. Anemia and thrombopenia were noted in 94% and 90% of the cases respectively. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia typing by cytological study of Bone marrow according to the Fransh-American-Britain criteria (FAB) had found 43%, 48% and 4% for type 1,2 and 3 respectively. In 5% of the cases the type of the acute lymphoblastic leukemia was not precised (diagnosis based on the Bone biopsy).
authors.affiliation: Service d'hématologie, Hôpital Hédi Chaker, Sfax.
authors.forename: Moez
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elloumi
authors.forename: Raouf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hafsia
authors.forename: Halima
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: el Omri
authors.forename: Taoufik
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Souissi
authors.forename: Aicha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hafsia
authors.forename: Souad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ennabli
authors.forename: Abdeladhim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ben Abdeladhim
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000740:Anemia / Q000209:etiology; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D006529:Hepatomegaly / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D015995:Prevalence; D013163:Splenomegaly / Q000209:etiology; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000209:etiology; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology