[Acute-phase reaction in children with leukemia at the time of diagnosis]

Using clinical criteria 29 children with acute leukemia were divided into two groups, one with and the other without evidence of infections. As part of the initial laboratory work up acute-phase reactants alpha 1-glycoprotein (alpha 1GP ), ceruloplasmin (CP), C-reactive protein (CRP) and haptoglobin (HP) were determined by single radial immunodiffusion. In children without infections moderately elevated levels of alpha 1 GP and CP were observed while CRP and HP were almost normal. The levels in children with infections, however, for CRP and HP were markedly elevated. We conclude that determinations of acute phase reactants are of considerable importance for evaluation of infections in leukemic children. Clinical signs of infections associated with markedly elevated CRP and HP-levels require - in analogy to the infected newborn - immediate proper antibiotic treatment.