title: Significance of thrombocytopenia in myelodysplastic syndromes: associations and prognostic implications.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the incidence and significance of thrombocytopenia in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 2517 patients with MDS referred to our institution since 1993 were analyzed, with a specific focus on the incidence and associations of thrombocytopenia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median age of the study group was 66 years. The median survival was 13 months. Platelet counts <100 × 10(9)/L were noted in 65%, and platelets counts <30 × 10(9)/L in 26%. Each platelets count drop below the range of 200 × 10(9)/L has shown a larger magnitude change in terms of worsening effect on survival. Therefore, smaller ranges of platelet counts of <200 × 10(9)/L were studied. Platelet cutoffs of 30, 50, and 200 × 10(9)/L thus were identified to have significant associations with differences in survival. Significant thrombocytopenia was associated with poor performance, other cytopenias, adverse karyotype, and advanced MDS phases. Thrombocytopenia was associated with worse prognosis; it also was predicted for worse outcome within each of the International Prognostic Scoring System risk groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prognosis in MDS is directly associated with the severity of thrombocytopenia.
authors.affiliation: Leukemia Department, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al Ameri
authors.forename: Elias
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jabbour
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Garcia-Manero
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Faderl
authors.forename: Farhad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ravandi
authors.forename: Jianqin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shan
authors.forename: Sherry
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pierce
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cortes
authors.forename: Hagop
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kantarjian
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D010976:Platelet Count; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult