[Predictive value of certain clinical parameters in the myelodysplastic syndromes]

Myelodysplasic Syndromes (MDS) are a group of hematological entities whose feature is their evolution, in a variable percentage, to acute non-lymphoid leukemia (ANLL) with a very poor prognosis despite the new therapeutical advances. Our purpose was to study the predictive value of certain clinical parameters at the time of the diagnosis, in order to identify the patients with the worst prognosis and, thus, the ones in which the adoption of more aggressive therapeutical measures than a simple support therapy would be justified. This is why we conducted a predictive analysis of 22 hematological variables (13 quantitative and 9 qualitative in 41 patients diagnosed of MDS). Based on the results of such study, we conclude that the average survival of the patients with MDS ranges between 11 and 33 months, 17% evolving to ANLL. The predictive parameters of poor prognosis are younger ages, leukocytary count, neutrophil and platelet count, as well as the degree of medullary blastosis. The following variables did not have any predictive value: sec, multinuclearity, macroblastic maturity, karyorrhexis, increase of immature forms, hypoglanularity in the white series and megakaryocytic count.