The Dynamic Change of WBC and the Incidence of DS
Combining statistics from NHR and HR patients, the overall dynamic
trends of WBC in the ATO and RIF groups during the induction therapy
were nearly consistent. Mixed linear model analysis showed that there
was no statistical difference between the two groups, p=0.539 (Fig. 1).
Next, we separated NHR and HR patients to analyze. As shown in Fig. 2A,
NHR patients in the RIF group had significantly higher WBC at admission
and during induction treatment than in the ATO group. However, when the
WBC normalized value was used to evaluate the trends of WBC, there was
no significant deference between the two groups (Fig. 2C). The WBC of
NHR patients from both groups increased in the first week of induction
treatment and then decreased, probably due to the administration of MA
on day 3. In HR patients, both the trends of WBC and the normalized
values were not statistically different between the ATO and RIF groups
(Fig. 2B and 2D). The WBC dropped rapidly after induction therapy, which
may be related to the use of hydroxyurea at the beginning of induction
therapy and the early use of mitoxantrone on the second day of induction
therapy.
Moreover, there was no statistical difference in the incidences of
moderate and severe DS between the two groups, which was 3.0% and 5.7%
in the ATO and RIF group respectively (p = 0.590).