Patterns of transfusion burden in an unselected population of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes: A population-based study

10-year nationwide trends in incidence, treatment patterns, and mortality of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes in Denmark

Further temporal data on incidence, treatment patterns, and prognosis for patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are needed. This study examined 10-year trends in incidence, treatment patterns, and all-cause mortality in a population-based cohort of 2309 MDS patients using Danish nationwide registries (2010-2019). We computed annual incidence rates overall and according to sex and age-groups. We examined temporal changes in the cumulative incidence of MDS specific treatments initiated within one year from diagnosis and temporal changes in the absolute risk of death and five-year adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) for death, adjusting for age, sex and comorbidity. The age-standardized incidence rate of MDS per 100,000 person-years increased slightly from 5.3 in 2010 to 6.4 in 2019. Between 2010-2012 to 2016-2017, the use of azacitidine increased overall (8% to 22%), in patients with intermediate risk MDS (12% to 34%), and in patients with high-risk MDS (22% to 50%), while it remained stable (around 5%) for patients with low-risk MDS. The five-year aHR for death in the most recent calendar period compared to the earliest calendar period remained unchanged in patients with low-risk MDS, aHR = 0.90 (95% CI, 0.72-1.12) and in patients with high-risk MDS, aHR = 1.19 (95% CI, 0.89-1.61), while survival improved over time among patients with intermediate risk MDS, aHR = 0.67 (95% CI, 0.48-0.92). In conclusion the incidence of MDS slightly increased during a 10-year period in Denmark. The use of azacitidine increased markedly but five-year overall survival remained unchanged.

Clinical view versus guideline adherence in ferritin monitoring and initiating iron chelation therapy in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes

OBJECTIVES

In patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) with >20 transfusions and ferritin levels >1000 μg/L, international guidelines recommend iron chelation therapy (ICT). The study's objective was to determine guideline adherence and the intensity of ferritin monitoring in clinical practice.

METHODS

We performed an observational population-based study using the HemoBase Registry, which contains data of all MDS patients diagnosed since 2005 in Friesland, the Netherlands. Clinical information on transfusions, ferritin measurements, ICT, and clinical performance as defined by age ≤ 80 years, Charlson Comorbidity Index <2 and lower-risk MDS was collected from health records.

RESULTS

Two hundred and thirty seven of 292 patients (81.1%) received ≥1 transfusion, and 121 (41.4%) received >20 transfusions. In 57 of these 121 patients (47.1%), ferritin measurements were performed at least once. Clinical performance was significantly associated with monitoring ferritin around the 20th transfusion (RR: 2.49, p = .016). Clinical performance was also associated with initiating ICT (RR: 5.99, p < .001). ICT was offered to 22.3% (n = 25) of eligible patients.

CONCLUSIONS

In this population-based study, ferritin levels were measured in <50% of MDS patients who received >20 transfusions, and clinical performance was significantly associated with measuring ferritin. Our study suggests that in heavily transfused MDS patients, ferritin monitoring is primarily based on patients' clinical performance rather than guideline recommendations.

Increased prescription rate of anti‐infective agents after diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndromes

The a priori risk for infections in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) is unknown. This study examines prescription rates of anti‐infective agents in MDS patients before and after diagnosis, in both in‐ and outpatient settings, to provide information on infection management in clinical practice.

We performed a population‐based study using the HemoBase registry, containing data of all MDS patients diagnosed since 2005 in Friesland, the Netherlands. Community and hospital pharmacies provided prescription data from 1995 to 2020.

Data were obtained for 203 of 292 patients (70%). Patients received significantly more anti‐infective agents, predominantly antibacterials (70%), after diagnosis compared to before: 148.7 defined daily dose/1000 days (DID) (95% CI: 146.9–150.5) and 55.1 DID (95% CI: 54.5–55.8, p < 0.01), respectively, corresponding to median 23.5 and 7.6 treatment days/year. Higher‐risk (449.9 DID) and lower‐risk patients (129.1 DID) both received significantly more anti‐infective agents after diagnosis; comorbidities, neutropenia, and age did not show significant differences relative to prescription rates. Before diagnosis, 10% of patients had infection‐related hospital admissions versus 38% after diagnosis.

In conclusion, MDS patients received significantly more anti‐infective agents compared to before diagnosis. This is the first study that has quantified the prescription rate of anti‐infective agents within and beyond the clinical setting in MDS.