[Idiopathic myelofibrosis]

The authors make a review of recent data in the literature and compare them to their own cases between 1983 and 1988. They analyzed eight patients with idiopathic myelofibrosis confirmed with bone marrow biopsy of the posterior iliac wrist with Jamshidi's needle. Most patients were between 55 and 60 years old (5 male and 3 female). Major symptoms were weakness and bleeding (6/8 cases), weight loss and bone distress (4/8 cases). In general, physical signs were splenomegaly and anemia (7/8 cases), hepatomegaly (5/8 cases), and jaundice (2/8 cases). Laboratory features were variable. Most cases were diagnosed in an advanced stage of the disease. Therapy with busulfan, prednisone, oxymetholone and radiotherapy of the spleen was used alone or in combination to relieve compressive abdominal symptoms. This review shows that idiopathic myelofibrosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of patients with hepatosplenomegaly and anemia.