The relative merit of various cytochemical quantities and manual differential count in predicting remission following chemotherapy of patients with de novo acute myeloblastic leukemia.

Eighteen patients with acute myeloblastic leukemia were monitored using an automated differential analyzer (Hemalog D). Twelve patients achieved complete remission. The fraction of large unstained cells (LUC), lymphocytes (LYMPH), the ratio LUC/LYMPH, WBC, and LUC X WBC as measured on day 12 following start of induction chemotherapy differed significantly between patients who did not respond and patients who did achieve remission. The quantity LUC/LYMPH was by far the best discriminator. In patients who achieved remission, the median value was 0.047 and the range was 0.017-0.088. In patients who did not, the corresponding values were 0.163 and 0.12-0.32. Hemalog D examination of peripheral blood on day 12 after initiation of treatment thus seems to give an early prediction of remission as defined by morphologic examination of bone marrow.