[G-CSF and all-trans retinoic acid-induced leukocytosis].

During the treatment with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) for acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), leukocytosis occured in 33%-75% of the treated cases. ELISA method was used in detecting levels of serum granulocyle colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) in 47 cases of APL during treatment with ATRA. It was found that the peak of increased serum G-CSF level occurred on the 9th day, and WBC number was highest on the 11th day. After ATRA treatment, both serum G-CSF level and WBC number increased in 68.1% of the cases. In 19.2% of the cases treated, serum G-CSF level was increased but without obvious change in WBC number, and the reverse was true in 12.7% of the cases. Serum G-CSF level was statistically correlated to the number of WBC, promyelocytes and its late stage by Spearman rank correlation analysis.