title: Leukocytosis as an important risk factor for arterial thrombosis in WHO-defined early/prefibrotic myelofibrosis: an international study of 264 patients.
abstract: We aimed to determine risk factors for thrombotic events in early/prefibrotic myelofibrosis diagnosed according to the World Health Organization criteria. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was calculated on a total number of 264 patients derived from an international database. After a median follow-up of 6.28 years, 42 (15.9%) patients experienced arterial (n = 31) or venous thrombosis (n = 11). A higher leukocyte count correlated with an increased risk for total thrombosis and in particular, with an increased risk for arterial thrombosis (P = 0.005, HR 1.15 and P = 0.047, HR 1.12, respectively). A platelet count above 870 × 10⁹/L was associated with a lower risk for total thrombosis and also for venous thrombosis (P = 0.022, HR 0.44 and P = 0.027, HR 0.19). Moreover, a lower hemoglobin level was associated with an increased risk for venous thrombosis (P = 0.007, HR 0.59). Our data indicate that leukocytosis is a prominent risk factor for thrombosis in early/prefibrotic MF.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology and Blood Coagulation, Department of Internal Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Veronika
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Buxhofer-Ausch
authors.forename: Heinz
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gisslinger
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thiele
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gisslinger
authors.forename: Hans-Michael
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Kvasnicka
authors.forename: Leonhard
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Müllauer
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Frantal
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carobbio
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Passamonti
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rumi
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ruggeri
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rodeghiero
authors.forename: Maria L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Randi
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bertozzi
authors.forename: Alessandro M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Vannucchi
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Antonioli
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Finazzi
authors.forename: Naseema
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gangat
authors.forename: Ayalew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tefferi
authors.forename: Tiziano
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Barbui
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000740:Anemia / Q000209:etiology; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007964:Leukocytosis / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055728:Primary Myelofibrosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013922:Thrombocytosis / Q000209:etiology; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D014944:World Health Organization