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Research Article - Journal of Clinical Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (2023) Volume 5, Issue 6
Reticulocyte count, a surrogate marker of hematopoietic remission in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL).
Introduction: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) is one of the commonest hematological disorders in pediatric age group and more than 50% of all the ALL cases occur in children below 20 years of age. Generally, Absolute Neutrophil Count (ANC) is regarded as one of the sensitive marker of marrow response to chemotherapy. However, seeing the higher frequency of infections in local settings, adversely affecting the ANC, reticulocyte count may be considered as an alternative marker.
Aims and objectives: To determine the correlation of reticulocyte count with bone marrow cytology after induction therapy in ALL patients.
Methodology: This cross sectional analytical study was conducted on ALL patients, Pakistani or Afghani origin, registered at hematology unit of Hayatabad medical complex Peshawar from 25th July 2012 to 25th Jan 2013, after taking informed consent. After completion of induction chemotherapy, reticulocyte count and bone marrow cytology were performed for each patient. The study findings were analyzed using SPSS version 15.
Findings: A sample size of 119 ALL patients, including 88 males and 31 female patients, were enrolled into the study. In 99 (83.19%) cases bone marrow findings correctly correlated with reticulocyte count in apprehending remission or non-remission. The number of blasts is non-significantly correlated at the end of induction chemotherapy (r=0.158, -0.158, p=0.085). However, reticulocyte count is negatively significantly correlated with the number of blasts. (r=-.275, p=0.003).
Conclusion and significance: Reticulocyte count can be used as a surrogate marker of bone marrow response to chemotherapy in a limited resource setting.
Author(s): Rashid Azeem, Fazle Raziq, Sarwar Ali, Tariq Masood, Saba Khan, Fareeha Azeem*