Factors Other Than Sheer Numbers Of Blood Cells In Circulation May Be Responsible For Clinical Presentations In Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia.

e19527 Background: CML commonly presents with abdominal pain and swelling, and in up to about 50% of cases it is discovered incidentally due to abnormally elevated white blood cell (wbc) counts in circulation. Some present with bleeding tendency, others nusual presentations including hearing and visual loss whose pathogenesis is poorly understood also occur. Priapism presents rarely, attributed to hyperviscosity complicating wbc counts ≥ 250x109/litre. Nonspecific symptoms also present. We wanted to interrogate the link between baseline myeloid elements in circulation, bone marrow blasts, and BCR-ABL values with clinical manifestations. Methods: Patients attending the Glivec International Patient Assistance Clinic at the Nairobi Hospital had records prospectively collected, and analyzed. These included demographic profiles, physical examination, and laboratory values. Absolute, range, median and mean counts for wbcs, absolute neutrophil counts (ANC), platelets, haemoglobin and BCR-ABL values, were tested against each of the clinical presentations. Results: There were 583 patients, males 322 (55.2%) and females 261 (44.8); mean age 39.8 years. Commonest symptom was abdominal swelling in 235 cases (40.3%); 70 (12%) experienced abdominal pain. Priapism occurred in 4 males (1.2%), blindness and deafness in 8 patients (1.4%). Splenomegaly was more common among males than females; [Pearson Chi2 (1) = 5.9545, ( Pr = 0.015)]. Patients aged ≤ 20 years were more likely to be in heart failure, [Pearson Chi2 (3) = 8.8255,( Pr = 0.032)], leg swelling more in those with high platelet counts; [Ranksum test, (p = 0.023)]. Unclear presentation was more common in those with high wbc counts; [Ranksum test, (p = 0.015)]. Total wbc counts and BCR-ABL levels were higher among younger patients; [Kruskal-Wallis test (p = 0.036, and 0.025 respectively)]. Patients with leg swelling had lower BCR-ABL levels; [Ranksum test (p = 0.005)], those in heart failure had significantly higher BCR-ABL levels at baseline compared with the rest; [Ranksum test (p = 0.037)]. Patients with lymphadenopathy were more likely to have lower ANCs; [Ranksum test (p = 0.035)]. Conclusions: Clinical manifestations of CML cannot be explained merely by haematologic values. Complex biologic factors should be interrogated further.