Evidence of a Hypercoagulable State in Patients with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Treated with Low Dose of E.coli L-Asparaginase: A GIMEMA Study^[*]

Summary

Blood coagulation abnormalities induced by administration of E. coli L-asparaginase were investigated in 25 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated according to the GIMEMA ALL 0288 trial. Dosage of L-asparaginase was relatively low (6,000 U/m²/day for 7 days total dose 42,000 U/m²) as compared to the conventional dosages (120,000-140,000 U/m² over 10–14 days). A significant decrease in fibronogen, plasminogen, alpha₂-antiplasmin and antithrombin III was observed from day IV of L-asparaginase and it was maximum on day VIII, with return to the baseline levels on day XV. Protein C levels had only a borderline reduction, while no modification of protein S or factor VII was observed. Two of the patients investigated developed thrombosis. The presence of a prothrombotic state induced even by this low dosage of E. coli L-asparaginase was suggested by a significant increase of sensitive markers of hypercoagulability such as fibrinopeptide A, thrombin-antithrombin complexes, and prothrombin fragment F1 + 2.

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