The effect of 2-h infusion of 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine (cladribine) with prednisone in previously untreated B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

2-Chlorodeoxyadenosine (2-CdA) is a new antimetabolite chemotherapeutic agent active in indolent lymphoid malignancies. In this retrospective study, 69 previously untreated patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B-CLL) were treated with 2-CdA administered at a dose of 0.12 mg/kg daily in 2-h intravenous infusion for 5 consecutive days.

2-Chlorodeoxyadenosine (cladribine)-related eosinophilia in patients with lymphoproliferative diseases.

Eosinophilia and allergic skin reactions are uncommon events after 2-chlorodoxyadenosine (2-CdA, cladribine) administration. A multicentre retrospective analysis of eosinophilia in 360 patients treated with 2-CdA for lymphoid malignancies has been made. B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B-CLL) was diagnosed in 153, hairy cell leukaemia (HCL) in 68, low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (LGNHL) in 119, high-grade NHL in 2 and Waldenstrom's macroglobulinaemia (WM) in 18 patients.

The effect of isolated leukaemic blasts on platelet aggregation.

The effect of blastic cells isolated by Böyum's method from the blood of 20 nontreated patients with acute myelogenous leukaemia on normal platelet aggregation has been studied. The isolated blasts in concentration of 2,000/microliter and higher, inhibit normal platelet aggregation induced by ADP or collagen, but have no influence on aggregation initiated by epinephrine. This effect is unaffected by the presence of metabolic poisons or by the disruption of the blastic cell membrane.