title: Utility of peripheral blood flow cytometry in differentiating low grade versus high grade myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and in the evaluation of cytopenias.
abstract: The diagnostic utility of flow cytometry in the evaluation of cytopenias and in the differential diagnosis of low-grade versus high-grade myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is not widely appreciated. In this report, we measured granulocyte CD10/control fluorescence ratio in 29 patients with MDS & chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) using peripheral blood (PB) flow cytometry (FC). We found a lower ratio in high-grade MDS and CMML (mean ratio of 2.2 ± 0.7) vs. low-grade MDS (3.65 ± 0.9) and 16 cytopenic controls without MDS (3.67 ± 0.65; p<0.001). The sensitivity and specificity of CD10 ratio <3 for the group that included the high risk MDS and CMML patients were 87.5% and 100%, respectively. Our data suggests that FC of PB may be helpful in the work-up of patients with cytopenias and in the differential diagnosis of low-grade vs. high-grade MDS.
authors.affiliation: University of California San Diego School of Medicine & VA Medical Center San Diego, USA.
authors.forename: Hooman H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Rashidi
authors.forename: Xiangdong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Huan-You
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Nelofar Q
authors.initials: NQ
authors.lastname: Shafi
authors.forename: Karuna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rameshkumar
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Messer
authors.forename: Brian R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Michal G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Rose
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D015477:Leukemia, Myelomonocytic, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D007970:Leukopenia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D015260:Neprilysin / Q000097:blood*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015260:Neprilysin