Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndrome can be difficult especially in cases with a low blast count and a normal karyotype. Flow cytometry has been used to distinguish myelodysplastic syndrome from non-clonal cytopenias. No one single simple flow cytometric parameter has been proposed to be diagnostic of myelodysplastic syndrome. We have studied samples from 100 myelodysplastic syndrome patients and as control samples; 70 non-clonal cytopenias, 5 subjects with normal hematology, 31 patients with acute myeloid leukemia and 11 with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia or myeloproliferative disorder. We show that reduced relative mean fluorescence of CD38 below a threshold value on CD34(+) cells diagnosed low-grade myelodysplastic syndrome with 95% sensitivity (95% confidence interval, 87-99%) and 92% specificity (95% confidence interval, 82-97%). This simple flow cytometric test may be of value in the routine clinical diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndrome, especially in cases with a low blast count and normal karyotype.

Original publication

DOI

10.3324/haematol.2008.004085

Type

Journal article

Journal

Haematologica

Publication Date

08/2009

Volume

94

Pages

1160 - 1163

Keywords

ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1, Adult, Antigens, CD34, Bone Marrow Cells, Flow Cytometry, Humans, Myelodysplastic Syndromes, Reproducibility of Results, Sensitivity and Specificity