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Quality of life, physical function and MRI T2*in elderly low-risk MDS patients treated to a haemoglobin level of >= 120 g/L with darbepoetin alfa +/- filgrastim or erythrocyte transfusions

Nilsson-Ehle, H ; Birgegård, G ; Samuelsson Johannesson, Jannica LU ; Antunovic, P ; Astermark, Jan LU ; Garelius, H ; Engström, L ; Kjeldsen, L ; Nilsson, Lars and Olsson, A , et al. (2011) In European Journal of Haematology 87(3). p.244-252
Abstract
Objective: Anaemia in low-risk MDS is associated with reduced quality of life (QoL). Response to treatment with erythropoietin (EPO) + G-CSF is associated with improved QoL, but whether transfusion therapy with higher haemoglobin (Hb) target levels has similar effects is unknown. The objective for this prospective phase II Nordic multicentre trial was to assess QoL, response rate and physical function in elderly anaemic MDS patients treated to a target Hb level of >120 g/l. Methods: Thirty-six elderly low- and intermediate-1 risk MDS patients received darbepoetin (DA) 300μg/week, with the addition of G-CSF if no response. If the Hb target was reached at 16 weeks, treatment was maintained until week 26. Remaining patients were... (More)
Objective: Anaemia in low-risk MDS is associated with reduced quality of life (QoL). Response to treatment with erythropoietin (EPO) + G-CSF is associated with improved QoL, but whether transfusion therapy with higher haemoglobin (Hb) target levels has similar effects is unknown. The objective for this prospective phase II Nordic multicentre trial was to assess QoL, response rate and physical function in elderly anaemic MDS patients treated to a target Hb level of >120 g/l. Methods: Thirty-six elderly low- and intermediate-1 risk MDS patients received darbepoetin (DA) 300μg/week, with the addition of G-CSF if no response. If the Hb target was reached at 16 weeks, treatment was maintained until week 26. Remaining patients were transfused to reach the target level for at least 8 weeks. Results: Twenty-seven patients completed the study. Response rate to DA±G-CSF was 67% in evaluable patients and 56% according to intention-to-treat. Eighteen patients reached the target Hb level according to protocol. QoL scores for fatigue, dyspnoea, constipation, and physical, role and social functioning improved significantly during study, with similar results for transfused and untransfused patients. Maintaining Hb > 120 g/L did not confer a higher transfusion rate, once the target was reached. In two of fourteen patients MRI T2* indicated cardiac iron overload, however without association with ferritin levels. Conclusions: In elderly anemic MDS patients an increment in haemoglobin is associated with improved QoL, whether induced by growth factor treatment or transfusion therapy. (Less)
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
European Journal of Haematology
volume
87
issue
3
pages
244 - 252
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • wos:000294022000006
  • pmid:21623919
  • scopus:84860405224
  • pmid:21623919
ISSN
1600-0609
DOI
10.1111/j.1600-0609.2011.01654.x
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
97fafa58-96f4-49b4-9f2f-036421854d02 (old id 2008709)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21623919?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:16:09
date last changed
2022-02-25 17:50:57
@article{97fafa58-96f4-49b4-9f2f-036421854d02,
  abstract     = {{Objective: Anaemia in low-risk MDS is associated with reduced quality of life (QoL). Response to treatment with erythropoietin (EPO) + G-CSF is associated with improved QoL, but whether transfusion therapy with higher haemoglobin (Hb) target levels has similar effects is unknown. The objective for this prospective phase II Nordic multicentre trial was to assess QoL, response rate and physical function in elderly anaemic MDS patients treated to a target Hb level of >120 g/l. Methods: Thirty-six elderly low- and intermediate-1 risk MDS patients received darbepoetin (DA) 300μg/week, with the addition of G-CSF if no response. If the Hb target was reached at 16 weeks, treatment was maintained until week 26. Remaining patients were transfused to reach the target level for at least 8 weeks. Results: Twenty-seven patients completed the study. Response rate to DA±G-CSF was 67% in evaluable patients and 56% according to intention-to-treat. Eighteen patients reached the target Hb level according to protocol. QoL scores for fatigue, dyspnoea, constipation, and physical, role and social functioning improved significantly during study, with similar results for transfused and untransfused patients. Maintaining Hb > 120 g/L did not confer a higher transfusion rate, once the target was reached. In two of fourteen patients MRI T2* indicated cardiac iron overload, however without association with ferritin levels. Conclusions: In elderly anemic MDS patients an increment in haemoglobin is associated with improved QoL, whether induced by growth factor treatment or transfusion therapy.}},
  author       = {{Nilsson-Ehle, H and Birgegård, G and Samuelsson Johannesson, Jannica and Antunovic, P and Astermark, Jan and Garelius, H and Engström, L and Kjeldsen, L and Nilsson, Lars and Olsson, A and Skov-Holm, M and Wallvik, J and Gulbrandsen, N and Hellström-Lindberg, E}},
  issn         = {{1600-0609}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{244--252}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{European Journal of Haematology}},
  title        = {{Quality of life, physical function and MRI T2*in elderly low-risk MDS patients treated to a haemoglobin level of >= 120 g/L with darbepoetin alfa +/- filgrastim or erythrocyte transfusions}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0609.2011.01654.x}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/j.1600-0609.2011.01654.x}},
  volume       = {{87}},
  year         = {{2011}},
}