INFECTIONS IN HAIRY-CELL LEUKEMIA

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 51  (5) , 851-859
Abstract
To determine the nature of infectious complications in hairy cell leukemia, 20 patients were studied and the available literature was analyzed. The incidence of serious infection in this series was 40%, and pneumonia and septicemia due to Pseudomonas and Escherichia coli were the leading types of infections. Fungal infections with Cryptococcus and histoplasma were documented, and a single case of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia was observed. Noninfectious fever occurred in 30% of patients. There was a clear relationship between fungal disease and corticosteroid therapy, and the overall incidence of infection was correlated with the degree of neutropenia and corticosteroid treatment. No relationship was found between age, duration of disease or use of cytotoxic chemotherapy and infectious complications. Of the 13 infectious episodes, 11 occurred in patients prior to splenectomy. Only 2 episodes were seen in splenectomized patients, both occurring in the immediate postoperative period. Splenectomy has a beneficial effect in reducing the incidence of infections in hairy cell leukemia; corticosteroids should be used cautiously, since they predispose to opportunistic infection in this disease.