Clinical features and course of refractory anemia with ring sideroblasts associated with marked thrombocytosis.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Refractory anemia with ring sideroblasts associated with marked thrombocytosis was proposed as a provisional entity in the 2001 World Health Organization classification of myeloid neoplasms and also in the 2008 version, but its existence as a single entity is contested. We wish to define the clinical features of this rare myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasm and to compare its clinical outcome with that of refractory anemia with ring sideroblasts and essential thrombocythemia.

DESIGN AND METHODS:

We conducted a collaborative retrospective study across Europe. Our database included 200 patients diagnosed with refractory anemia with ring sideroblasts and marked thrombocytosis. For each of these patients, each patient diagnosed with refractory anemia with ring sideroblasts was matched for age and sex. At the same time, a cohort of 454 patients with essential thrombocythemia was used to compare outcomes of the two diseases.

RESULTS:

In patients with refractory anemia with ring sideroblasts and marked thrombocytosis, depending on the Janus Kinase 2 V617F mutational status (positive or negative) or platelet threshold (over or below 600 × 10(9)/L), no difference in survival was noted. However, these patients had shorter overall survival and leukemia-free survival with a lower risk of thrombotic complications than did patients with essential thrombocythemia (P<0.001) but better survival (P<0.001) and a higher risk of thrombosis (P=0.039) than patients with refractory anemia with ring sideroblasts.

CONCLUSIONS:

The clinical course of refractory anemia with ring sideroblasts and marked thrombocytosis is better than that of refractory anemia with ring sideroblasts and worse than that of essential thrombocythemia. The higher risk of thrombotic events in this disorder suggests that anti-platelet therapy might be considered in this subset of patients. From a clinical point of view, it appears to be important to consider refractory anemia with ring sideroblasts and marked thrombocytosis as a distinct entity.

• Authors: Julien Broseus, Lourdes Florensa, Esther Zipperer, Susanne Schnittger, Luca Malcovati, Steven Richebourg, Eric Lippert, Jaroslav Cermak, Jyoti Evans, Morgane Mounier, José Maria Raya, François Bailly, Norbert Gattermann, Torsten Haferlach, Richard Garand, Kaoutar Allou, Carlos Besses, Ulrich Germing, Claudia Haferlach, Erica Travaglino, Elisa Luno, Maria Angeles Pinan, Leonor Arenillas, Maria Rozman, Maria Luz Perez Sirvent, Bernardine Favre, Julien Guy, Esther Alonso, Nuhri Ahwij, Andrés Jerez, Sylvie Hermouet, Marc Maynadié, Mario Cazzola, François Girodon
• Journal: Haematologica (Haematologica) Vol. 97 Issue 7 Pg. 1036-41 (Jul 2012) ISSN: 1592-8721 [Electronic] Italy
• PMID: 22532522 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Multicenter Study, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• JAK2 protein, human
• Janus Kinase 2

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Anemia, Refractory (complications, mortality, pathology)
• Anemia, Sideroblastic (complications, mortality, pathology)
• Blood Platelets (pathology)
• Europe
• Female
• Humans
• Janus Kinase 2 (genetics)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Mutation
• Platelet Count
• Retrospective Studies
• Risk Factors
• Survival Analysis
• Thrombocythemia, Essential (complications, mortality, pathology)
• Thrombocytosis (complications, mortality, pathology)