Abstract
The granulocyte chemiluminescence (CL) was examined on 22 occasions using a Monolight 401 photometer in 16 patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and paired healthy controls. The chemiluminescence index (CLI) was calculated by dividing the maximum CL value of a CML patient with that of the paired control.
Depending on the CLI, CML patients were classified into three groups; the high-index group consisting of seven patients (CLI=1.70±0.45, Mean±SD, n=9), the normal-index group of seven patients (0.99±0.12, n=10), and the low-index group of two patients (0.46±0.04, n=3).
The CLI was related to the neutrophile alkaline phosphatase (NAP) score, clinical stage, and previous busulfan therapy. The NAP score had no relation to the CLI. Two patients, so far studied, showed little changes in the CLI at different clinical stages. The mean CLI of patients with and without previous busulfan therapy was 1.27±0.45 (n=9) and 1.20±0.72 (n=9) respectively.
Our data strongly suggest the heterogeneity of the CLI in CML patients.
