title: [Association of CD34 cell surface antigen expression with cytomorphological characteristics of acute promyelocytic leukemia blasts and clinical characteristics of patients: one center experience].
abstract: The aims of the study were to investigate the association between cytomorphology and immunophenotypic expression of CD34 cell surface antigen of blasts and their relationship with clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Sixteen consecutive patients (male 69% and female 31%) diagnosed with APL at Department of Hematology, Merkur University Hospital between August 1998 and December 2010 were included in the study. The mean age of patients was 43.9 (range: 18-78, SD 14.9). The patients' clinical and laboratory features, cytomorphological characteristics of APL-blasts and their immunophenotype determined by flow cytometry were analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups, CD34- and CD34+, and were then compared according to clinical and laboratory characteristics. There was no difference according to age, sex or white blood cell count between two groups. The mean value of hypogranular/agranular APL-blasts was markedly higher in CD34+ group than CD34- group (34%, range 9-60, SD 24.4 vs. 11.5%, range 0-38, SD 13.7), with borderline statistical significance (P=0.055). CD34- patients had significantly better overall survival than CD34+ ones (P=0.02). Patients without Auer rods detected in APL-blasts had higher CD34 expression (69.4% +/- 33.8) compared to patients with detected Auer rods (7.3% +/- 24.8), but statistical significance was not reached (p=0.053). Our results are consistent with the results of other published studies and point to the fact that higher CD34 expression and lower cytoplasmic granularity of APL-blasts are factors that seem to define a specific subgroup of APL patients. Together with other diagnostic tools currently available, they could be of value in planning treatment of APL patients.
authors.affiliation: Merkur University Hospital, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology, Zagreb, Croatia. alen.ostojic@zg.t-com.hr
authors.forename: Alen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ostojić
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pazur
authors.forename: Zoran
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Siftar
authors.forename: Mirjana Mariana Kardum
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Paro
authors.forename: Biljana
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jelić-Puskarić
authors.forename: Njetocka
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gredelj-Simec
authors.forename: Delfa
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Radić-Kristo
authors.forename: Ika
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kardum-Skelin
authors.forename: Radovan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vrhovac
authors.forename: Branimir
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jaksić
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000378:metabolism*; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000378:metabolism; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015473:Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018952:Antigens, CD34; D000954:Antigens, Surface