Flow cytometric characterisation of acute leukaemia in adolescent and adult Ethiopians

• DOI: 10.4102/ajlm.v14i1.2394
• Publication Date: 2025-01-23T14:05:42Z
• Authors: Jemal Alemu; Balako Gumi; Aster Tsegaye; Abdulaziz Sherif; Fisihatsion Tadesse; Amha Gebremedhin; Rawleigh Howe
• Keywords: Myeloid leukaemia; Immunophenotyping; Acute lymphocytic leukemia

Background: Flow cytometric characterisation of acute leukaemia is a key diagnostic approach for clinical management patients, but minimally practised in resource-constrained settings like Ethiopia.Objective: This study aimed to determine the immunophenotypes by flow cytometry at Tikur Anbessa Specialised Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.Methods: A cross-sectional was conducted on adolescent and adult inpatients consecutively admitted from April 2019 June 2021. Peripheral blood samples were stained surface cytoplasmic markers, analysed four-colour cytometry.Results: Of 140 cases aged 13 years 76 years, 74 (53%) men 66 (47%) women, 68 (49%) had lymphocytic (ALL), 65 (46 %) myelogenous (AML), 7 (5.0%) non-otherwise specified. Acute more common among male cases; AML female cases. Among ALL subtypes, B-cell (73.5%) than T-cell (26.5%). subset leukaemia, CD19+/CD56+ identified 3 (6% AML). cases, 21 (42%) CD34+/CD10+/CD66c+, 10% CD34+/CD10+/CD66c–, 32% CD34-/CD10+, 6% CD34+/CD10–. An unexpectedly high number that lacked CD3 observed have significantly higher levels aberrantly expressed myeloid markers.Conclusion: We multiple phenotypes identifying subtypes extending our previous studies Ethiopia.What this adds: extends describing phenotypically defined subsets which, addition diagnosis, may useful prognostic value clinicians.