The influence of disease activity on the number of blood cells of multiple sclerosis patients.

The influence of disease activity on blood cell counts was studied in over 100 multiple sclerosis patients examined at regular intervals of 4-8 weeks over an 18-month period. T-lymphocytes were assessed by the cytochemical alpha-naphthyl-acetate-esterase (ANAE) stain in addition to conventional differentials. In all patients as a group as well as in individual patients studied sequentially, an exacerbation was marked by a striking reduction in both the relative and absolute numbers of ANAE-positive cells. Simultaneously, a strong increase in granulocytes and a slight augmentation of ANAE-negative cells occurred. Similar changes related to disease activity in leucocytes and lymphocytes were also detected in conventional blood smears. Fluctuations in the number of blood cells with disease activity persisted under therapy with corticosteroids and to a lesser degree also with azathioprine.