Acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APML)
APML is a specific form of acute leukaemia characterised by severe coagulopathy which can rapidly lead to death through haemorrhage. The provisional diagnosis can be made based on the appearance of the blasts on the blood film. If suspected, specific APML therapy will be given immediately, even overnight. For this reason, all patients newly presenting with suspected leukaemia in the ED require a coagulation screen and discussion with haematology urgently, in order to catch the few who have this specific form of the disease.