[Accompanying hemolysis in lymphoproliferative diseases]

149 patients with non Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) were observed at the III. Medical Department of the Hanusch Hospital during 1972--1978. 15 out of 106 patients with low malignant NHL had autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AHA). None of the patients with high malignant NHL showed evidence of hemolysis. In 10 cases AHA was diagnosed together with the lymphoproliferative disease. In 4 cases diagnosis of AHA and NHL was established at the same time and in only 1 patient diagnosis of AHA preceded the lymphatic disease. All patients had distinct signs of hemolysis with moderate to severe anemia. 4 patients with immunocytic lymphomas had IgM paraproteins and an elevation of gamma-globulins, all other patients had mild to severe hypogammaglobulinemia. Therapy in all cases consisted of corticosteroids and cytostatics (Chlorambucil, Cyclophosphamide). In none of our cases splenectomy was performed. AHA seems to be a bad prognostic factor in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Survival time in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and AHA was 18 months shorter than in all other patients suffering from chronic lymphocytic leukemia.