Journal of Applied Hematology (Jan 2018)
Myelodysplastic syndrome among elderly patients with anemia: A Single institutional experience
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Many geriatric patients with different cytopenias are symptomatically treated and miss the diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). The study was done to estimate the prevalence of elderly presenting with cytopenias in hospital population and to assess karyotyping profile and gene expression in mTOR pathway and correlate with clinical course. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Blood samples of patients (> 60 years) who visited outpatient department and who were in - patients being evaluated for anemias, were included. 15 patients were diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome. Karyotype profile and gene expression studies for S6K1 and 4E-BP1 and IPSS –R scoring were done. RESULTS: Among 521 patients, normocytic normochromic anemias was most common (48.3%).15 MDS patients were classified (WHO classification) as - Single lineage dysplasia -6, multilineage dysplasia-5 multilineage dysplasia with excess blasts 1- and three with hypo plastic marrow. There was no significant correlation between the karyotype and subgroups of MDS and age. IPSS scoring showed patients, with very low score – n-1 (ARR-1.3) low score n-6 (ARR- 1.6-2.8) intermediate score n-4 (ARR 3.1-3.7). During follow up for two years one death was reported in the intermediate category. Quantification of mRNA expression of S6K1 and 4EBP1 showed absence or reduction in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: An incidence of 2.8% MDS was observed. The median age reported is consistent with Asian literature. IPSS-R scoring with inclusion of cytogenetic analysis helped in effective risk stratification of patients for management. Though no definite conclusions can be drawn on expression of S6K1 and 4EBP1 of mTOR pathway due to limited sample size, their role in the cytopenia cannot be ruled out.
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