NBME 23 Answers : Block 2 : #24 = A 46-year-old woman has a 1-day history of ...

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nbme23/Block 2/Question#24

A 46-year-old woman has a 1-day history of ...

Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase activity greater than 250 U/L

+4 upvote downvote
submitted by vshummy(58),

This question is word for word in First Aid 2019 page 424 under CML. -- I did't realize it was there until I got it wrong.

vshummy "Very low leukocyte alkaline phosphatase (LAP) as a result of low activity in malignant neutrophils vs benign neutrophilia (leukemoid reaction) in which LAP is increased due to increased leukocyte count with neutrophilia in response to stressors (eg, infections, medications, severe hemorrhage)." +

+1 upvote downvote
submitted by nlkrueger(8),

why isn't, "0% blasts on the peripheral smear" right? is this the distinguishing future for acute leukemia?

lispectedwumbologist Because you'll see some blast cells in a leukemoid reaction. It won't be 0%. +1

paulkarr Also, don't get confused with 0% Basophils. Basophils are seen in CML but not in Leukemoid reactions. I just went with LAP because they pointed it out in the lab values. Had that not been there, I would have chosen "0% basophils" +

+0 upvote downvote
submitted by imnotarobotbut(40),

Pathoma says there are 3 things that differentiate leukemoid from CML: + Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase (only in leukemoid) + Basophils (only in CML) + t(9;22) translocation (only in CML)

nor16 yeah but pathoma doesnt help here... +1

+0 upvote downvote
submitted by paulkarr(2),

Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia vs Leukemoid Reaction has a few differentiating features:

Basophilia can be seen in Myeloproliferative diseases such as CML. However, they are not seen in Leukemoid Reactions.
Leukocyte Alkaline Phosphatase (LAP) is often elevated in Leukemoid Reactions. But it will be decreased in CML because Abnormal cells don't make the normal enzyme.
Dohle Bodies are characteristic of Leukemoid Reactions. Not seen in CML.

As vshummy pointed out FA-2019 pg 424 has all this information as well as UWorld problem...I just can't seem to find the Q.ID. Maybe someone else can tag-team in.