OBJECTIVETo analyze the clinical and laboratory features of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

METHODSRetrospective investigation of 263 patients with CLL in our hospital between Feb. 2000 and Jan. 2007.

RESULTSThe median age was 60 years with male/female ratio of 2.17 : 1. Patients who were asymptomatic at diagnosis (35.4%) had low Rai grades. Fatigue and lymphadenopathy (54.8%) were the most common features at presentation. Infections, connective tissue diseases and secondary tumors frequently occurred in CLL. WBC counts were between (10 - 100) x 10(9)/L, with lymphocytes percentages more than 0.50 in 97.1% patients. Bone marrow was normal- to hyper-cellularity with lymphocytes percentages more than 0.300 in 99.4% patients. Diffuse infiltrations in bone marrow section were found in 72.2% patients. There were lower CD5 (85.1%) and higher CD25 (78.9%) positivities in the present series as compared with that in other reports. Hypogammaglobulinemia, especially hypo-IgM, usually occurred. Chromosome abnormality were rarely found by routine chromosome examination.

CONCLUSIONSThere were some clinical and laboratory characteristics different from that of abroad data. Further exploration of new markers is required for prognosis prediction and treatment choice.