Treatment and response to therapy of autoimmune cytopenia in patients with CLL
| Treatment . | AIHA DAT+ (n = 43)* . | AIHA DAT− (n = 7) . | ITP (n = 20) . | All (n = 70) . |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corticosteroid-based therapy (n = 58) | ||||
| Steroids alone | 16 | 5 | 9 | 30 |
| Steroids + other† | 20 | 1 | 7 | 28 |
| Chemotherapy‡ | 6 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| Other§ | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Unknown | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Outcome | ||||
| Single resolved episode | 19 | 2 | 10 | 31 |
| > 1 episode | 8 | 1 | 8 | 17 |
| Steroid dependent | 5 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| Died with active immune disease‖ | 4 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| Unknown | 7 | 3 | 0 | 10 |
| Treatment . | AIHA DAT+ (n = 43)* . | AIHA DAT− (n = 7) . | ITP (n = 20) . | All (n = 70) . |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corticosteroid-based therapy (n = 58) | ||||
| Steroids alone | 16 | 5 | 9 | 30 |
| Steroids + other† | 20 | 1 | 7 | 28 |
| Chemotherapy‡ | 6 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| Other§ | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Unknown | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Outcome | ||||
| Single resolved episode | 19 | 2 | 10 | 31 |
| > 1 episode | 8 | 1 | 8 | 17 |
| Steroid dependent | 5 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| Died with active immune disease‖ | 4 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| Unknown | 7 | 3 | 0 | 10 |
CLL indicates chronic lymphocytic leukemia; AIHA, autoimmune hemolytic anemia; DAT, direct antiglobulin test; and ITP, immune thrombocytopenic purpura.
One patient presented with both AIHA DAT+ and ITP.
Refers to patients who in addition to steroids received other treatments: cyclophosphamide (n = 19), splenectomy (n = 6), rituximab (n = 3), intravenous immunoglobulin (n = 3), vincristine (n = 3), azathioprine (n = 1).
Chemotherapy regimens were chlorambucil (n = 4); cyclophosphamide, hydroxydaunorubicin, Oncovin, prednisone (CHOP; n = 2); CHOP + BCNU (bis-chloroethyl-nitroso-urea), etoposide, cytosine arabinoside, melphalan + autologous stem cell transplantation (n = 1).
Spontaneous resolution (n = 2), Helicobacter pylori eradication (n = 1).
In no case could death be attributed to autoimmune cytopenia solely.