Retrospective evaluation of blood immunologic parameters in the course of remission of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children

: The authors investigated cellular and humoral immunity in 53 children over 3 years of age suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The children had remission lasting from 6 to 120 months and were followed up for 7-14 years after the diagnosis was made. The treatment was performed according to programs of polychemotherapy practiced in 1981-1988. In November of 1995 42 children were alive, 15 had the disease for 10 years. Lymphocytopenia (absolute number of T-cells and B-cells fell 3-5 and 2-3-fold, respectively) was reported in all the examinees both in early remission and later (6-12, 24-60, 60 and more months since the disease onset). In early remission there was a significant reduction in the serum IgG, IgA and IgM. In children with ALL lethal outcome serum IgM and absolute number of E-RFCa dropped in early remission more significantly indicating deep drug-induced depression of lymphocytopoiesis. After 5 years of treatment the pool of peripheral T-lymphocytes and T/B lymphocyte proportion changed for the best, though their absolute number was subnormal. Serum IgG, IgA and circulating immune complexes were 1.3-1.5 times higher than normal which may be explained by gastrointestinal pathology and food allergy in the majority of children treated.