Darbepoetin alpha for the treatment of anaemia in low-intermediate risk myelodysplastic syndromes.
Thirty-seven anaemic subjects with low-to-intermediate risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) received the highly glycosylated, long-acting erythropoiesis-stimulating molecule darbepoetin-alpha (DPO) at the single, weekly dose of 150 microg s.c. for at least 12 weeks. Fifteen patients (40.5%) achieved an erythroid response (13 major and two minor improvements, respectively, according to International Working Group criteria). Such results are currently maintained after 7-22 months in 13 of the responders, one of whom required iron substitutive therapy during the treatment. One patient relapsed after 4 months. Another responder died after 5 months because of causes unrelated to the treatment. No relevant side-effects were recorded. At multivariate analysis, significant predictive factors of response were baseline serum levels of endogenous erythropoietin <100 IU/l, absent or limited transfusional needs, no excess of blasts and hypoplastic bone marrow. This study suggests that DPO, at the dose and schedule used, can be safely given in low-intermediate risk MDS and may be effective in a significant proportion of these patients.
Musto
Pellegrino
P
Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation Unit, IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza Hospital, S. Giovanni Rotondo, Italy. p.musto@tin.it
Lanza
Francesco
F
Balleari
Enrico
E
Grossi
Alberto
A
Falcone
Antonietta
A
Sanpaolo
Grazia
G
Bodenizza
Carlo
C
Scalzulli
Potito Rosario
PR
La Sala
Antonio
A
Campioni
Diana
D
Ghio
Riccardo
R
Cascavilla
Nicola
N
Carella
Angelo Michele
AM
D000368:Aged; D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D000068256:Darbepoetin alfa; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010865:Pilot Projects
D004921:Erythropoietin; D000068256:Darbepoetin alfa