Immature reticulocyte fraction is an early predictor of bone marrow recovery post chemotherapy in patients with acute leukemia

Authors

• RajaZahratul A. Raja-Sabudin, Department of Pathology, University Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center, Jalan Yaacob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak 56000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel. +603 (9) 1455555 Ext. 5780/5356. Fax. +603 (9) 1737340. E-mail: zahratul{at}ppukm.ukm.edu.my
• Ainoon Othman, Department of Pathology, University Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center, Jalan Yaacob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak 56000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel. +603 (9) 1455555 Ext. 5780/5356. Fax. +603 (9) 1737340. E-mail: zahratul{at}ppukm.ukm.edu.my
• KhalidAwad E. Ahmed-Mohamed, Department of Pathology, University Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center, Jalan Yaacob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak 56000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel. +603 (9) 1455555 Ext. 5780/5356. Fax. +603 (9) 1737340. E-mail: zahratul{at}ppukm.ukm.edu.my
• Azlin Ithnin, Department of Pathology, University Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center, Jalan Yaacob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak 56000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel. +603 (9) 1455555 Ext. 5780/5356. Fax. +603 (9) 1737340. E-mail: zahratul{at}ppukm.ukm.edu.my
• Hafiza Alauddin, Department of Pathology, University Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center, Jalan Yaacob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak 56000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel. +603 (9) 1455555 Ext. 5780/5356. Fax. +603 (9) 1737340. E-mail: zahratul{at}ppukm.ukm.edu.my
• Hamidah Alias, Department of Pathology, University Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center, Jalan Yaacob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak 56000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel. +603 (9) 1455555 Ext. 5780/5356. Fax. +603 (9) 1737340. E-mail: zahratul{at}ppukm.ukm.edu.my
• Zarina Abdul-Latif, Department of Pathology, University Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center, Jalan Yaacob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak 56000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel. +603 (9) 1455555 Ext. 5780/5356. Fax. +603 (9) 1737340. E-mail: zahratul{at}ppukm.ukm.edu.my
• Srijit Das, Department of Pathology, University Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center, Jalan Yaacob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak 56000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel. +603 (9) 1455555 Ext. 5780/5356. Fax. +603 (9) 1737340. E-mail: zahratul{at}ppukm.ukm.edu.my
• Fadilah S. Abdul-Wahid, Department of Pathology, University Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center, Jalan Yaacob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak 56000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel. +603 (9) 1455555 Ext. 5780/5356. Fax. +603 (9) 1737340. E-mail: zahratul{at}ppukm.ukm.edu.my
• Noor H. Hussin, Department of Pathology, University Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center, Jalan Yaacob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak 56000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel. +603 (9) 1455555 Ext. 5780/5356. Fax. +603 (9) 1737340. E-mail: zahratul{at}ppukm.ukm.edu.my

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To establish the benefits of immature reticulocyte fraction (IRF) measurement using an automated hematology cells analyzer over absolute neutrophil count (ANC) in predicting bone marrow recovery post induction chemotherapy. METHODS: A prospective observational study was carried out in the Departments of Pathology, Medicine, and Pediatrics, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Medical Center (UKMMC), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia during a period of 19 months from April 2009 to December 2010 to assess the bone marrow recovery in patients with acute leukemia. A total of 22 patients in remission induction phases were enrolled in this study. The blood specimens were collected from day zero after chemotherapy, and every 3 days until patients recovered hematologically. All blood samples were measured for ANC and IRF using an automated hematology analyzer (Beckman-Coulter LH750). RESULTS: The percentage of patients showing IRF recovery earlier than ANC recovery was 63.6% (14 out of 22 patients). There was a significant difference in the mean number of days for IRF recovery as compared with ANC recovery (14.05 and 17.18 days), p=0.005. CONCLUSION: This study proved that IRF was more useful in predicting bone marrow recovery in a patient with acute leukemia post induction chemotherapy compared with ANC. The IRF is not affected by infection, is easily measured, and inexpensive; thus, it is a reliable parameter to evaluate bone marrow reconstitution.

Article Type

Research Article

First Page

346

Last Page

349

Recommended Citation

Raja-Sabudin, RajaZahratul A.; Othman, Ainoon; Ahmed-Mohamed, KhalidAwad E.; Ithnin, Azlin; Alauddin, Hafiza; Alias, Hamidah; Abdul-Latif, Zarina; Das, Srijit; Abdul-Wahid, Fadilah S.; and Hussin, Noor H. (2014) "Immature reticulocyte fraction is an early predictor of bone marrow recovery post chemotherapy in patients with acute leukemia," Saudi Medical Journal: Vol. 35: Iss. 4, Article 3.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15537/1658-3175.5928