Prognostic factors in dysmyelopoietic syndromes

Dysmyelopoietic syndromes are characterized by cytopenia in peripheral blood and marrow maturation abnormalities. The condition has been studied in 33 patients with regard to the initial haematologic picture. A certain number of variables of prognostic value was observed: excess of marrow blasts, pancytopenia, and decreased growth of bone marrow cells in agar culture. The length of survival and the percentage of leukaemic transformation were different in patients with refractory anaemia and refractory anaemia with an excess of blasts.