title: [Vitamin K2 therapy for myelodysplastic syndrome].
abstract: Vitamin K2 is reported to induce apoptosis or differentiation of leukemic cell lines in vitro. We administered a vitamin K2 analog, menatetrenone, at 45 mg daily to 23 patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS): 13 patients with RA, 2 with RARS, 6 with RAEB and 2 with RAEB-T. Good response (GR) and partial response (PR) were defined as an increase of hemoglobin concentration exceeding 2 g/dl and 1-2 g/dl without transfusion, respectively. Six of the RA patients showed improvement of anemia (GR, 3 patients; PR, 3 patients). RA patients who did not have a hypocellular bone marrow and were transfusion-independent tended to be responsive to vitamin K2 therapy in combination with vitamin D3 or anabolic steroids. No adverse effect of vitamin K2 was observed, and the time required to obtain the hematological response was short, being 3 months on average. We believe that vitamin K2 therapy has potential as a treatment for patients with MDS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Bioregulatory Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University.
authors.forename: Yasunobu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Koichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Muta
authors.forename: Nobuhisa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hirase
authors.forename: Ilseung
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Takamitsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsushima
authors.forename: Keiichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hara
authors.forename: Fumihiro
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Taguchi
authors.forename: Eiichi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Suematsu
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shibata
authors.forename: Naokuni
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Uike
authors.forename: Junji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nawata
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000188:drug therapy*; D024482:Vitamin K 2 / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D024482:Vitamin K 2