Analyzing the Correlation Between Immune Thrombocytopenia and MDS and CMML

A study assessed the association between immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML). The findings were published in Haematologica.

“MDS and CMML are associated with systemic inflammatory or autoimmune diseases in 10-20% of cases. Among them, ITP has been reported but large studies assessing this association are missing,” the researchers wrote.

This study consisted of 41 patients with MDS/CMML-associated ITP. Sixty-three percent had chronic ITP, 73% had low-risk myelodysplasia, and 59% had CMML. The study found associated autoimmune disease in 24% of patients. In comparison to patients with primary ITP, the researchers noted, those with MDS/CMML-associated ITP had a higher occurrence of severe bleeding despite similar platelet counts at diagnosis.

“Leukemia-free survival was significantly better in [patients with] MDS/CMML associated ITP than in MDS/CMML without ITP. MDS/CMML-associated ITP have a particular outcome with more severe bleeding and multirefractory profile than primary ITP, similar response profile to primary ITP therapy except for intravenous immunoglobin, and less progression toward acute myeloid leukemia than MDS/CMML without ITP,” the researchers concluded.