Fetal Hemoglobin, Serum Total Cholesterol, Plasma Phosphate and Serum Calcium Levels in Patients with Leukemia and Lymphoma

In this study, fetal hemoglobin (HbF), blood total cholesterol, phosphate and calcium levels of leukemia and lymphoma cases in Mandalay were determined. It was a cross-sectional, comparative study. Thirty adult cases of leukemia and lymphoma and equal number of control subjects of comparable age (14 to 80 yrs) and sex were studied. Mean HbF of leukemia group (n=9), acute myeloid leukemia (AML) subgroup (n=6) and controls (n=30) were 2.72±0.47%, 3.17±0.69% and 1.39±0.25% of total Hb, respectively. The HbF levels of leukemia group and AML were significantly higher than that of controls (p<0.02). Mean serum total cholesterol levels of leukemia group, AML subgroup and controls were found to be 126.5±17.38 mg%, 137.96±24.66 mg% and 177.18±7.68 mg%, respectively. Cholesterol levels of leukemia group and AML were lower than that of controls. Mean plasma phosphate levels of leukemia and lymphoma cases (n=30), leukemia group (n=9) and lymphoma group (n=21) were 1.21±0.07 mmol/l, 1.33±0.17 mmol/l and 1.15±0.06 mmol/l, respectively. Mean phosphate level of controls was 0.94 mmol/l. Plasma phosphate levels of the whole cases and individual case groups were significantly higher than that of controls (p<0.001). Mean serum calcium levels of the whole cases, leukemia group and lymphoma group were 10.16±0.36 mg%, 10.03±0.75 mg% and 10.21±0.45 mg%, respectively. Mean serum calcium level of controls was 8.55±0.14 mg%. Serum calcium levels of the whole cases and individual case groups were found to be significantly higher than that of controls (p<0.01). The study showed that not only raised HbF but also hypocholesterolaemia might be the diagnostic clues in leukemia cases. Recognition of blood phosphate and calcium changes leads to appropriate therapy and a reduction of morbidity.