title: Immune-mediated complications in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes--clinical and cytogenetic features.
abstract: It has been recognized in recent years that some patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) develop immune-mediated complications (IMC), but little is known about the correlations to MDS-specific disease features. In a retrospective study of 82 MDS patients, we identified 10 (12%) with IMC (group A) and compared them to the remaining 72 cases (group B). Group A consisted of 5 patients with biopsy-verified skin vasculitis and 1 case each with temporal arteritis/polymyalgia rheumatica, necrotising panniculitis, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, autoimmune thrombocytopenia, and Sweet's syndrome. Survival times, sex ratio and distribution of MDS subtypes were similar in the two groups. The patients in group A were younger than those in group B (median 66 vs. 76 years, p < 0.01). Four patients (40%) in group A had a history of previous genotoxic therapy for malignant disorders. The bone marrow karyotype was evaluated in 62 patients. Clonal chromosomal abnormalities were found more frequently in Group A than in group B (8/9 vs. 26/53, p = 0.03), and complex karyotypes, i.e., three or more aberrations, were also observed to be more common in group A (3/9 vs. 8/53). The results indicate that IMC preferentially develop in patients with secondary MDS, in younger MDS cases, and in patients with cytogenetic abnormalities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Helsingborg Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Billström
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mitelman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D025063:Chromosome Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007154:Immune System Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality; D007621:Karyotyping; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis