Robust, routine haematology reference ranges for healthy adults

Accurate, reliable laboratory reference ranges are essential for effective clinical evaluation and monitoring. We present robust reference ranges established for haematology, coagulation and haematinic parameters using the Sysmex XE 2100, CA 1500 and Beckman-Coulter Access analysers. Blood samples were taken from 250 healthy laboratory personnel and routine haematology, coagulation and haematinic parameter analysis performed. Our data represent findings from an extensive study to establish reference ranges in healthy adults.

Erythropoiesis and iron metabolism in Hodgkin's disease

Recently developed techniques for the investigation of iron kinetics were used to study the disturbance of iron metabolism in 19 untreated patients with Hodgkin's diseases (HD). The erythroid abnormality in newly diagnosed HD appears to be confined to those patients with systemic symptoms of weight loss, night sweats and fever, and consists of depression of marrow erythroid activity. These patients had a significnatly lower haemoglobin and serum iron concentration and a higher serum ferritin concentration, both when compared to normal subjects and to those patients with HD who lacked systemic symptoms. Ineffective erythropoiesis and red-cell destruction were not significantly increased. The present findings, confirm that HD patients with systemic symptoms have a depression of erythropoiesis, and that in these patients the marrow fails to respond to the stimulus of mild anaemia.

Systolic time interval as index of schedule--dependent doxorubicin cardiotoxicity in patients with acute myelogenous leukaemia

The ratio of the pre-ejection period to the left ventricular ejection time (PEP:LVET) was measured in two groups of patients with acute myeloblastic leukaemia (AML) receiving the anthracycline antibiotic doxorubicin (DXR). Patients receiving high doses of DXR per course (about 90 mg/m2) showed a significant increase in the PEP:LVET ratio irrespective of the total cumulative dose. At a lower dose per course (less than 50mg/m2) only patients who had a total cumulative dose of over 450 mg/m2 showed significant increases in ratio. ECG changes were seen in both groups of patients but did not correlate significantly with the dosage. These findings, which suggest that DXR cardiotoxicity is schedule dependent, are important in the design of schedules of DXR for treating cancer and in interpreting the changes in systolic time intervals (STIs) observed with different schedules. Measurement of the STI is a simple and convenient method of assessing DXR cardiotoxicity. While a total DXR dose of 550 mg/m2 should not normally be exceeded, by carefully monitoring the STI the recommended total dose may be exceeded safely in selected patients.