Flowcytometric pattern of leucocyte recovery after therapy induced aplasia

33 aplastic episodes in 24 patients undergoing bone marrow ablative therapy for the treatment of haematological malignancies were monitored with automated flowcytometric counts with particular emphasis to BLAST, MONO (monocytes) and LUC (large unstained cells) determined by Technicon H1, and MFR and HFR reticulocytes determined by Sysmex R1000. We found regular pattern of appearance of flowcytometric parameters, which were predictive for leucocyte recovery. A transient increase of BLAST to > 10% and MONO+LUC to > 0.08 x 10(9)/l were predictive for leukocyte recovery after aplastic episodes following ABMT, BMT and high dose AraC therapy, but not after conventional chemotherapy. The prognostic value of MFR+HFR reticulocytes increase over 5% was limited to ABMT and BMT. This report demonstrates the capabilities of automated flowcytometric analysis in early prediction of haematological recovery.