Abstract
The purpose of this study was to improve erythropoiesis in patients with anemia due to myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). We treated 13 patients first with recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rhGM-CSF) for 6 weeks, then with recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEpo) and rhGM-CSF for the next 12 weeks. Five patients had refractory anemia (RA), 3 refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts (RAS), and 5 refractory anemia with excess of blasts (RAEB). Ten patients were transfusion-dependent at the time of inclusion. Eleven patients completed this phase II study. Five responded with an increase in hemoglobin level (3 patients) or a reduction in transfusion requirement (2 patients). We registered no response in the remaining 6 patients during treatment. Patients responding to combined treatment had relatively low concentrations of plasma Epo and plasma ferritin before treatment with rhEpo and a normal karyotype throughout the study. Long-term bone marrow cultures did not predict the response. Still, responders seemed to have a higher number of colony-forming progenitors than nonresponders. In conclusion, combined therapy with rhGM-CSF and rhEpo may stimulate hematopoiesis and correct or improve anemia in some patients with MDS.
Original language | English |
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Journal | American Journal of Hematology |
Volume | 44 |
Issue number | 4 |
Pages (from-to) | 229-36 |
Number of pages | 8 |
ISSN | 0361-8609 |
Publication status | Published - Dec 1993 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Aged
- Aged, 80 and over
- Anemia
- Bone Marrow
- Cells, Cultured
- Drug Therapy, Combination
- Erythropoietin
- Female
- Ferritins
- Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor
- Hematopoietic Stem Cells
- Hemoglobins
- Humans
- Karyotyping
- Leukocyte Count
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Myelodysplastic Syndromes
- Neutrophils
- Platelet Count
- Recombinant Proteins