[Rationale for bone marrow examination in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases].
OBJECTIVE
Inflammatory rheumatic diseases and the applied immunosuppressive treatments can lead to bone marrow depressions and promote hematologic malignancies. Our objective was to explore indications for and results of bone marrow examinations in a large cohort.


METHODS
Between 1990 and 2004 146 bone marrow examinations in 3638 patients were performed due to abnormal laboratory results. Medical history, results of bone marrow examination (morphology, histology) and cytogenetic data were investigated retrospectively.


RESULTS
Patients' (67.8% female) mean age at bone marrow examination was 53.5 years (SD 15.5), median disease duration 2.9 years. Indications for bone marrow examination were changes in peripheral blood counts in 81.7%. In 52 patients (35.6%) clinically relevant, partially neoplastic bone marrow changes (5 non-Hodgkin lymphoma, 9 myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)/acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and 3 myeloproliferative neoplasias) were evident. Medication history showed intake of hydroxy-/chloroquine (13.5%), methotrexate (17.3%), cyclosporin (7.7%), sulfasalazine (7.7%), mycophenolatmofetil, gold, leflunomide (each 1.9%), azathioprine (aza, 25.0%) or cyclophosphamide (cyc, 7.7%) prior to bone marrow examination. 7 out of 9 patients, who developed MDS/AML had been treated with either azathioprine alone or additionally with cyclophosphamide (n = 3).


CONCLUSIONS
One third of our patients showed relevant bone marrow changes that might be associated to therapy. The risk seems to be increased especially in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases who had received azathioprine alone or in combination with cyclophosphamide. Health care providers should bear in mind the risk of hematologic malignancies and monitor patients closely in this respect. Bone marrow examination should be performed in case of changes in peripheral blood counts; especially clinically relevant anemia, granulocytes < 2,500/microl, thrombocytes < 100,000/microl and relevant changes over time should lead to bone marrow examinations.
Richter
Jutta G
JG
Klinik für Endokrinologie, Diabetologie und Rheumatologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany. richter@rheumanet.org
Gossen
Pascal
P
Germing
Ulrich
U
Blum
Sabine
S
Hildebrandt
Barbara
B
Braunstein
Stefan
S
Huscher
Dörte
D
Schneider
Matthias
M
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology*; D001855:Bone Marrow Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents