title: [Acute leukemia associated with Down syndrome: clinical analysis of 21 cases].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To summarize the clinical characteristics, laboratory findings and prognosis of patients with Down syndrome-related acute leukemia (DS-AL).
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical data, laboratory findings, chemotherapy and prognosis of 21 children with DS-AL were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most of the children had disease onset of leukemia at 1 to 5 years of age (85.7%), and acute myeloid leukemia accounted for 57.1% of these cases; 61.9% of the patients had increased lactate dehydrogenase level by 2 folds or more. Of the 13 cases undergoing echocardiaography, 10 (67.9%) showed abnormal findings, and complex congenital heart disease was common (38.5%). Six of the children received chemotherapy and complete remission was achieved in 4 cases; 2 patients died of infection, and the treatment-related mortality was 33.3%. The 2 patients receiving reduced intensive chemotherapy have so far had event-free survival for 21 and 43 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acute myeloid leukemia is the most common subtype of DS-AL. Patients with DS-AL are sensitive to chemotherapy and the prognosis was favorable with reduced intensive chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital of Chongqing, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014 China.E-mail: ran.rainy@qq.com.
authors.forename: Yun-Ni
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Ran
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xian
authors.forename: Xian-Hao
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Yu-Xia
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Xian-Min
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: Jian-Wen
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Xiao
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D012074:Remission Induction