Use of myeloperoxidase index as a suitable tool to monitor response to therapy in patients with megaloblastic anemia

Abstract

Repeated bone marrow examination was found to be of value in assessing response to treatment in megaloblastic anemia. The objective of this study was monitoring the response of megaloblastics to treatment, concerning the location of neutrophilic myeloperoxidase and myeloperoxidase index (MPXI) and their variation in megaloblastic erythroid progeny. It is possible to follow up megaloblastic cases using a Technicon H1 (Bayer) automated cell counter. Complete blood counts (CBC) of 50 patients whose bone marrow aspirations revealed megaloblastic state and subsequently responded to treatment with B12 and folate were studied through pre- and post-treatment measurements. MPXI level in 41 patients was above normal range (normal: -10 to +10). Nine patients had normal MPXI, though mean cell volume (MCV) was higher than 100 fL. The highest value of MPXI was 41.5. The mean values of MPXI were 18.3 and 2.05 in pre- and post-treatment measurements respectively. MPXIs were decreased after treatment in 92% of patients (p=0.008). According to this investigation, the MPXI measurement is a suitable test in monitoring the response for treatment.