International MDS risk analysis workshop (IMRAW)/IPSS reanalyzed: impact of cytopenias on clinical outcomes in myelodysplastic syndromes.

The International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) was created for evaluating clinical outcomes of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). We evaluated the depth of cytopenias to determine whether this parameter could further refine the prognostic ability of the IPSS. Correlation was determined between the depth of cytopenias in 816 patients from the International MDS Risk Analysis Workshop database and patients' clinical features. Univariate analyses of hemoglobin (Hb), absolute neutrophil count, and platelet depth levels were assessed relative to the IPSS risk groups, refined French-American-British categories, cytogenetic groups, bone marrow blast percentage (%), age groups, overall survival (OS), and time to evolution of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Multivariate analysis of different cytopenic levels was performed to determine whether depth of cytopenias was prognostically additive to the IPSS. All cytopenic categories had statistically significant rank correlations with IPSS, bone marrow blast %, and refined French-American-British categories. In multivariate analysis, Hb levels had additive prognostic value to the IPSS for evaluation of OS, but not time to AML, with greatest prognostic value in Intermediate-1 and Intermediate-2 categories. In contrast, platelet or absolute neutrophil count levels alone or in combination lacked additive prognostic value to the IPSS regarding OS or time to AML evolution. The depth of Hb level per se at the time of diagnosis has additive predictive value to the IPSS for OS in the intermediate-risk groups. This information should prove useful for aiding therapeutic decision-making, prognostic classification, and designing clinical trials for patients with MDS.

Acute postoperative thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura following hysterectomy and lymphadenectomy for endometrial cancer.

BACKGROUND: Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) in the acute postoperative setting is a recently recognized syndrome that, similar to classic or idiopathic TTP, presents variably with microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, fever, renal failure, and mental status changes. Though most reports of postoperative TTP are in conjunction with cardiac or vascular surgery, it has also been reported following orthopedic and abdominal surgeries. CASE: We present a case of a 53 year-old female diagnosed with metastatic poorly differentiated endometrial cancer who developed TTP the day following her cytoreductive cancer surgery. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this represents the first reported case of postoperative TTP following gynecologic cancer surgery. Because the presentation can be confused with other early postoperative complications, awareness of this syndrome is essential as initiation of plasmapheresis can be life-saving.