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      Drugs & Diseases > Hematology

      Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) Clinical Presentation

      Updated: Dec 06, 2022
      • Author: Karen Seiter, MD; Chief Editor: Emmanuel C Besa, MD  more...
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      Presentation

      History

      Patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) present with signs and symptoms resulting from bone marrow failure, organ infiltration with leukemic cells, or both. The time course is variable. Some patients, particularly younger ones, present with acute symptoms that develop over a few days to 1-2 weeks. Others have a longer course, with fatigue or other symptoms lasting from weeks to months. A longer course may suggest an antecedent hematologic disorder, such as myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).

      Symptoms of bone marrow failure

      Symptoms of bone marrow failure are related to anemia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia. The most common symptom of anemia is fatigue. Patients often retrospectively note a decreased energy level over past weeks. Other symptoms of anemia include dyspnea on exertion; dizziness; and, in patients with coronary artery disease, anginal chest pain. In fact, myocardial infarction may be the first presenting symptom of acute leukemia in an older patient.

      Patients with AML often have decreased neutrophil levels despite an increased total white blood cell (WBC) count. Patients generally present with fever, which may occur with or without specific documentation of an infection. Patients with the lowest absolute neutrophil counts (ANCs) (ie, < 500 cells/µL, especially < 100 cells/µL) have the highest risk of infection. See the Absolute Neutrophil Count calculator.

      Patients often have a history of upper respiratory infection symptoms that have not improved despite empiric treatment with oral antibiotics.

      Patients may present with bleeding gums and multiple ecchymoses. Bleeding may be caused by thrombocytopenia, coagulopathy that results from disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), or both. Potentially life-threatening sites of bleeding include the lungs, gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and central nervous system.

      Symptoms of organ infiltration with leukemic cells

      Alternatively, disease manifestations may be the result of organ infiltration with leukemic cells. The most common sites of infiltration include the spleen, liver, gums, and skin. Infiltration occurs most commonly in patients with the monocytic subtypes of AML. Patients with splenomegaly note fullness in the left upper quadrant and early satiety. Patients with gum infiltration often present to their dentist first. Gingivitis due to neutropenia can cause swollen gums, and thrombocytopenia can cause the gums to bleed.

      Patients with markedly elevated WBC counts (>100,000 cells/µL) can present with symptoms of leukostasis (ie, respiratory distress and altered mental status). Leukostasis is a medical emergency that calls for immediate intervention. Patients with a high leukemic cell burden may present with bone pain caused by increased pressure in the bone marrow.

      Next:

      Physical Examination

      Physical signs of anemia, including pallor and a cardiac flow murmur, are frequently present in AML patients. Fever and other signs of infection can occur, including lung findings of pneumonia.

      Patients with thrombocytopenia usually demonstrate petechiae, particularly on the lower extremities. The petechiae are small, often punctate, hemorrhagic rashes that are not palpable. Areas of dermal bleeding or bruises (ie, ecchymoses) that are large or present in several areas may indicate a coexistent coagulation disorder (eg, DIC). Purpura is characterized by flat bruises that are larger than petechiae but smaller than ecchymoses.

      Signs relating to organ infiltration with leukemic cells include hepatosplenomegaly and, to a lesser degree, lymphadenopathy. Occasionally, patients have skin rashes due to infiltration of the skin with leukemic cells (leukemia cutis). Chloromata are extramedullary deposits of leukemia. Rarely, a bony or soft-tissue chloroma may precede the development of marrow infiltration by AML (granulocytic sarcoma).

      Signs relating to leukostasis include respiratory distress and altered mental status.

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