Table 1.
Characteristics of the Patients at Diagnosis Rapid Early Response Regimens
| Characteristic* | Continuous Dexamethasone # (%), N = 652 |
Alternate-Week Dexamethasone # (%), N = 649 |
P, t |
|---|---|---|---|
|
| |||
| Age, y | 0·55 | ||
| 1 to 9 | 249 (38·2) | 229 (35·3) | — |
| 10 to 15 | 324 (49·7) | 336 (51·8) | — |
| 16+ | 79 (12·1) | 84 (12·9) | |
|
| |||
| White cells, × 109/L | 0·37 | ||
| Less than 50 | 324 (49·7) | 341 (52·5) | — |
| 50 to 199 | 254 (39·0) | 248 (38·2) | — |
| 200+ | 74 (11·3) | 60 (9·3) | |
|
| |||
| Sex | 0·58 | ||
| Male | 376 (57·7) | 384 (59·2) | — |
| Female | 276 (42·3) | 265 (40·8) | |
|
| |||
| Race | 0·32 | ||
| White | 454 (70·5) | 441 (69·2) | — |
| Black | 29 (4·5) | 41 (6·4) | — |
| Other | 161 (25·0) | 155 (24·4) | |
|
| |||
| Liver | 0·86 | ||
| Normal | 204 (46·4) | 207 (48·0) | — |
| Moderately enlarged | 204 (46·4) | 192 (44·5) | — |
| Markedly enlarged | 32 (7·2) | 32 (7·5) | |
|
| |||
| Spleen | 0·85 | ||
| Normal | 266 (41·1) | 271 (42·0) | — |
| Moderately enlarged | 311 (48·1) | 301 (46·6) | — |
| Markedly enlarged | 70 (10·8) | 74 (11·4) | |
|
| |||
| Lymph nodes | 0·16 | ||
| Normal | 310 (47·9) | 299 (46·3) | — |
| Moderately enlarged | 275 (42·4) | 300 (46·4) | — |
| Significantly enlarged | 63 (9·7) | 47 (7·3) | |
|
| |||
| Mediastinal mass | 0·74 | ||
| Absent | 547 (84·5) | 541 (83·9) | — |
| Present | 100 (15·5) | 104 (16·1) | |
|
| |||
| Hemoglobin, g/L | 0·72 | ||
| 10 to 79 | 286 (45·4) | 291 (46·6) | — |
| 80 to 110 | 198 (31·4) | 201 (32·1) | — |
| More than 110 | 146 (23·2) | 133 (21·3) | |
|
| |||
| Platelets, × 109/L | 0·03 | ||
| 1 to 49 | 325 (50·4) | 357 (55·4) | — |
| 50 to 149 | 212 (32·9) | 211 (32·8) | — |
| 150+ | 108 (16·7) | 76 (11·8) | |
|
| |||
| Immunophenotyping | 0·39 | ||
| B-cell lineage | 439 (77·8) | 442 (79·9) | — |
| T-cell lineage | 125 (22·2) | 111 (20·1) | |
|
| |||
| Karyotypic features† | |||
| No. | 0·06 | ||
| Diploid (46) | 111 (31·9) | 110 (32·2) | — |
| Pseudodiploid (46) | 112 (32·2) | 118 (34·5) | — |
| Hypodiploid (less than 46) | 25 (7·2) | 42 (12·3) | — |
| Hyperdiploid (47 to 50) | 48 (13·8) | 32 (9·4) | — |
| Hyperdiploid (more than 50) | 52 (14·9) | 40 (11·7) | |
|
| |||
| Translocations | 0·59 | ||
| t(4;11) present | 7 (2·0) | 9 (2·6) | — |
| t(4;11) absent | 341 (98·0) | 333 (97·4) | — |
| t(1;19) present | 14 (4·0) | 21 (6·1) | 0·21 |
| t(1;19) absent | 334 (96·0) | 321 (93·9) | — |
The global χ 2 test for homogeneity was used
— indicates not applicable
*
Because of rounding, not all percentages total 100; percentages were based on the number of patients for whom there were data on the various characteristics
†
The centrally reviewed and accepted cytogenetic data were available for a subgroup of patients