Spectrum of diseases associated with increased proportions or absolute numbers of peripheral blood natural killer cells

In a retrospective review of 1501 lymphoid fiow cytometric studies of peripheral blood, we identified an increased proportion of natural killer cells in 125 cases (8%), 49 (3%) of which had a concomitant increase in absolute number of natural killer cells. Of the latter, the most frequent associated disorder was chronic natural killer cell lymphocytosis. Substantial quantitative increases in natural killer cells were also observed in some patients with lymphoma, leukaemia, immune thrombocytopenic purpura, or myelodysplastic syndrome. Our study provides incidence figures and clinical associations of an increased number of natural killer cells in the peripheral blood.