title: Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS): prognostic factors and scoring systems.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the score systems of Cassano and Sanz and suggest a new one.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  Teaching hospitals: EPM UNIFESP and Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu.
  
  
  METHODS
  59 patients diagnosed from 1979 to 1992.
  
  
  METHODS
  Evaluation of clinical-laboratorial data.
  
  
  METHODS
  Statistical comparison, uni and multivariate analysis and actuarial survival curves.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cassano's system divided the patients into high and low risk (p = 0.0966) while Sanz's gave high, intermediate and low risk (p = 0.0108). The univariate analysis showed hemoglobin, WBC count, E/M ratio, liver size and blast percentage in BM as statistically significant. The multivariate analysis showed blast percentage in BM (p = 0.004) and Hb (p = 0.050) as significant. Our system, considering the multivariate analysis data, divided the patients into high, intermediate and low risk (p = 0.0038).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sanz's system was more functional than Cassano's, while ours showed predictive survival value and ease of use in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu, Escola Paulista de Medicina/UNIFESP, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: E X
authors.initials: EX
authors.lastname: Souto
authors.forename: M de L
authors.initials: Mde L
authors.lastname: Chauffaile
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Moncau
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Niero-Melo
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Braga
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kerbauy
mesh_terms: D000206:Actuarial Analysis; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016019:Survival Analysis