THE ROLE OF LEUKOCYTE AND PLATELET ANTIBODY TESTS IN MANAGEMENT OF DIVERSE CLINICAL DISORDERS

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Abstract
Simple in vitro tests now exist for the determination of antiplatelet and antileukocyte antibodies. These tests are of help in the diagnosis and management of diverse hemato-logic disorders associated with immune mechanisms. The principal diseases from which sera containing platelet auto-antibodies could be isolated were idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, hypersplenism (both primary and secondary), drug sensitivity, and neonatal purpura. Platelet antibodies were notably uncommon in acute and chronic leukemia. The principal diseases in which sera containing antileukocyte antibodies existed were hyperimmune drug sensitivity, hypersplenism (both secondary and primary), and aleukemic leukemia. The incidence of drug-mediated leukocyte antibodies was unexpectedly high. This was believed due both to inadvertent case selection in the series and the widespread use of potent new therapeutic agents. The frequency with which white cell or platelet antibodies occurred in any one of the above disorders was not determined from these data. It is believed that current improvement in methodology will lead to data on statistical frequency which may largely supplant previous reports. The principal clinical benefits of use of the platelet and leukocyte antibody tests are discussed in terms of prognosis and treatment.