Long-term results of prednisone treatment for the anemia of myelofibrosis

Abstract

This study has retrospectively analyzed the efficacy of single-agent prednisone, usually given after failure of other therapies, in 30 patients with myelofibrosis (MF) and severe anemia. Initial dose was 0.5–1 mg/kg daily, with tapering to the minimum effective dose in responders. Twelve patients (40%) achieved anemia response according to the revised International Working Group for Myelofibrosis Research and Treatment criteria, after a median time of 1.1 months on treatment. Median response duration was 12.3 months. Patients with constitutional symptoms or > 2% circulating blasts had a trend for a lower response rate. A platelet increase > 50 × 10⁹/L was observed in three out of 11 patients with baseline counts < 100 × 10⁹/L. Median survival from prednisone start was significantly longer in anemia responders (5.0 years, 95% CI = 3.5–6.5, vs 1.5 years, 95% CI = 0.2–2.8; p = 0.002). Prednisone can improve the anemia and thrombocytopenia in selected MF patients after failure to standard therapies.

Keywords::

• Myelofibrosis
• treatment
• anemia
• corticosteroids
• prednisone

Potential conflict of interest

Disclosure forms provided by the authors are available with the full text of this article at www.informahealthcare.com/lal

This work was supported by the grant RD12/0036/0010 from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spanish Ministry of Health.