Clinical Characteristics and Evaluation of Prognostic Factors in Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndromes Treated in 2008-2012

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a heterogeneous group of clonal hematopoietic disorders characterized by one, two or three systems peripheral cytopenia and a tendency to transform to acute myeloid leukemia. Myelodysplastic syndromes are the most common hematological malignancies in adults. The present study is one of the few retrospective analyses carried out in Poland for patients with myelodysplastic syndromes. Our study involved 178 patients hospitalized from January 2008 to the end of April 2012 in the Department of Clinical Haematology and Haematological Malignancies Diseases, University Hospital No. 2 in Bydgoszcz. The data were collected retrospectively on the basis of detailed surveys taking into account a number of demographic, clinical and prognostic factors. The analysis showed a significantly positive correlation between MDS and male sex, older age as well as the place of residence in the city. The classification of clinical data, laboratory parameters and prognostic factors showed that the majority of MDS patients represented a low-risk group; about 6% of patients experienced a transformation in acute myeloid leukemia, and the leading causes of death were infectious complications and septic shock. The data collected indicate the need for cytogenetic testing in all patients with MDS to determine the prognosis and indications for treatment.