[Immunological aspects in the L-asparaginase treatment of children with lymphoproliferative diseases].

A group of 20 children, including 14 with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and 6 with lymphosarcoma, was studied. 24 cures of l-asparaginase therapy were carried out. The increase of serum immunoglobulin (IgG, IgA, IgM) levels was found in children treated with smaller (from 300 to 500 I.U./kg b. w.) doses of asparaginase. In the group treated with higher doses (from 501 to 760 I.U./kg b. w.) the maximal increase of immunoglobulins was observed in the second half of the cure with l-asparaginase, followed by a decrease of the immunoglobulins levels at the end of treatment. The presence of anti-asparaginase antibodies in two children with anaphylactic shocks after l-asparaginase has been shown. In these two children and 6 others the lymphocyte count significantly dropped down on the day of shock before l-asparaginase injection.