THE HAEMOLYTIC FACTOR IN THE ANAEMIA OF LYMPHATIC LEUKAEMIA 1

Abstract

The survival of transfused erythrocytes was studied in 4 cases of lymphatic leukemia by a modification of the original method of differential transfusion of Ashby. In 3 of the cases the avg. life of the transfused erythrocytes was less than was found in normal subjects. The 4th case was at the time of study in a remission induced by urethane. In these expts. when the number of surviving red cells is plotted against time, some of the results show considerable curvature. This has been taken to indicate the presence not only of an increased rate of hemol-ysis but also an abnormal method of hemolysis. Transfused erythrocytes have, in some cases, a shortened survival time in the absence of reticulocytosis, increase of plasma bilirubin, and increase of fecal urobilinogen. Hemolysis may play a greater part than has often been admitted in the pathogenesis of the anemia of leukemia.