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Infectious complications in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma: A complication from the past?

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Pages 258-268 | Received 25 May 2015, Accepted 24 Aug 2015, Published online: 16 Nov 2015
 

Abstract

Infectious complications are an important risk factor for early mortality in patients with multiple myeloma. However, data about the impact and severity of infections in these patients in the era of new therapies have not been properly analyzed. This review has reviewed the incidence and severity of infections complications and infection-related mortality during induction treatment in patients with newly diagnosed myeloma receiving regimens with new drugs within randomized trials. The results show that infections are still a major cause of morbidity, especially among elderly patients receiving immunomodulatory drugs seen in up to 28% of patients in some trials vs less than 10% among transplant-eligible patients. Overall infection-related mortality ranged from 0–7% in transplant-ineligible patients, with no infection-related deaths in the majority of the trials including younger patients. Strategies directed to further reduce these complications and a better knowledge of their impact in patients treated outside clinical trials are needed.

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the “Instituto de Salud Carlos III” (PI 09/01882 and PI 12/01569 to J.dl. R.).

Potential conflict of interest

Disclosure forms provided by the authors are available with the full text of this article at http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/10428194.2015.1088647

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