Altered membrane sodium transport and the presence of a plasma ouabain-like inhibitory factor in acute myeloid leukaemia

1. Sodium transport studies were performed in erythrocytes from normal subjects and from patients with acute myeloid leukaemia. Sodium influx and efflux rates were increased in erythrocytes from leukaemic patients. 2. The ouabain-sensitive component of sodium efflux was increased in leukaemic erythrocytes. 3. The high sodium efflux from leukaemic erythrocytes was decreased when the incubation media contained leukaemic plasma, suggesting the presence of an ouabain-like factor in the plasma. Paired experiments failed to show the presence of a similar factor in normal plasma. 4. Leukaemic erythrocytes showed a significantly greater ouabain uptake than the normal cells. 5. The results are discussed in relation to the wide-spread electrolyte disturbances in acute myeloid leukaemia.

A new translocation associated with the Ph1 chromosome and an acute course of chronic granulocytic leukaemia

Images

Hypouricaemia and proximal renal tubular dysfunction in acute myeloid leukaemia

Two patients with acute myeloid leukaemia developed hypouricaemia during the period of their illness. Renal clearance studies showed that the hypouricaemia was associated with an increased urate clearance, renal aminoaciduria, and an episodic increase in phosphate clearance. These findings together with an inadequate suppression of urinary urate exceretion after the administration of pyrazinamide suggest proximal tubular dysfunction affecting reabsorption of a wide variety of substances. Ten more patients with acute leukaemia were studied and the results indicate that this lesion develops in a large proportion of patients with acute myeloid leukaemia.

Hyponatraemia syndrome in acute myeloid leukaemia

Hyponatraemia was observed in 11 out of 14 consecutive patients with acute myeloid leukaemia and its variants. Metabolic studies on these patients revealed an early increase in the urinary sodium excretion, negative free water clearance, and urine osmolality inappropriately higher than that of the serum. It is postulated that this syndrome is caused by a substance released from the primitive cells of the abnormal myeloid series.

Phytobezoar after vagotomy with drainage or resection

Two cases of bezoar formation after vagotomy and drainage are reported. A review of the literature reveals the stomach to be the most common site of bezoar formation after operations involving vagotomy, whereas most bezoars occurring after gastrectomy are found in the small intestine. The reasons for this difference are discussed, as well as the clinical features and treatment of bezoar.