Primary myelofibrosis (PMF) is easily confused with cirrhosis, due to its main clinical manifestations of splenomegaly and the blood cytopenia. This review focuses on clinical studies to identify primary myelofibrosis and cirrhosis related portal hypertension, to analyze the differences between the two diseases, in order to distinguish PMF and cirrhosis from the pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, laboratory examinations and treatment principles, and simultaneously improve clinicians' understanding of PMF, which is a reference for exploring the early screening or diagnostic indicators of PMF, also provides a clinical basis for the application of new targeted drugs such as ruxolitinib.
Humans ; Primary Myelofibrosis/drug therapy* ; Hypertension, Portal/complications* ; Liver Cirrhosis/pathology* ; Splenomegaly/pathology* ; Anemia

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of multiple myeloma patients with myelofibrosis. METHODS: The clinical data of 263 patients with multiple myeloma (including 92 patients with myelofibrosis) treated in the department of hematology of our hospital from January 1, 2016 to June 31, 2020 were collected and retrospectively analyzed, the patients were divided into combined group and uncombined group. The MM stage, MM type, genetic characteristics and therapeutic effect of the patients in combined group and uncombined group were observed, and the relationship between the curative effect and the degree of myelofibrosis change of the patients in combined group was analyzed. RESULTS: There was no statistically difference in the MM staging and classification between multiple myeloma patients with or without myelofibrosis (P>0.05). The positive rate of FISH results of the patients in combined group was significantly higher than those in uncombined group, and was significantly correlated to 1q21 amplification, D13S319 deletion, and IgH breakage (P<0.05). After treatment, the effective rate of the patients in uncombined group was significantly higher than those in combined group, and the degree of fibrosis in the effective patients in combined group was significantly reduced. CONCLUSION The survival rate of the patients with multiple myeloma complicated with myelofibrosis is shorter than that of the patients without myelofibrosis, and the overall prognosis is poor.
Chromosome Aberrations ; Humans ; Multiple Myeloma/complications* ; Primary Myelofibrosis/complications* ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies

A 52-year-old man was referred to our department with a 2-year history of polyarthritis. He was diagnosed as gout due to acute arthritis of bilateral feet dorsum 2 years ago,but he didn't receive any standard treatment. 1 year ago,there were more and more joints evolved during the gout attack, and many subcutaneous nodules occurred. When he presented to our clinic 1 month ago,the urate acid level was as high as 715 μmol/L. Moreover, we could find bone erosion in the X rays of his hand and foot,as well as synovitis,double contour sign and tophus on the ultrasound examination. The diagnosis of gout was clearly and definitely. However, he had leukocytosis and thrombocytosis for 4 years in the past history, and the urate acid level was only 400 μmol/L at that time. He also had well-controlled hypertension. The family history was unremarkable. Furthermore, we found megalosplenia on his physical examination. The bone marrow examination showed myelofibrosis and JAK2 V617F gene was positive. He was diagnosed as primary myelofibrosis and treated with interferon-α, together with urate acid-lowing therapy (febuxostat 60 mg once daily). Following-up for 1 year,the dosage of febuxostat decreased to 40 mg once daily, and the patient didn't have gout attack again, some of the tophus diminished, and the urate acid level ranged from 400 to 500 μmol/L. Gout is a common disease in clinical practice,usually combined with metabolic syndrome,chronic renal failure and specific drugs using (diuretic and calcineurin inhibitors). However,it is relatively rare to see gout associated with myeloproliferative diseases, including polycythemia vera, primary thrombocythemia, primary myelofibrosis and chronic myelocytic leukemia. In these diseases, the turnover of nucleic acids is greatly augmented, and an excess of purine metabolites, including uric acid, is released. In the natural course of gout, the appearance of tophus from the first onset of arthritis usually takes several years. This patient only had one traditional risk factor, but his urate acid level was remarkably high and he developed tophus in a short term. After treatment of primary myelofibrosis, the symptom of gout partially alleviated. Careful physical examination and medical history taking lead to the diagnosis of secondary gout, which should be reminded in the daily practice.
Arthritis, Gouty/etiology* ; Febuxostat/therapeutic use* ; Gout/etiology* ; Gout Suppressants/therapeutic use* ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Primary Myelofibrosis/complications* ; Uric Acid

Humans ; Hyperkalemia ; etiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; Primary Myelofibrosis ; etiology ; Splenectomy ; adverse effects

OBJECTIVETo investigate the value of myeloproliferative neoplasms Symptom Assessment Form total symptom score (MPN-SAF-TSS)in assessing constitutional symptoms among Ph/BCR- ABL negative myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN)patients.

METHODSA cohort of 628 MPN patients were evaluated by MPN- SAF- TSS.

RESULTSFatigue was the most common symptom (76.0%, 76.2%vs 89.9%)and the highest average severity of all the symptoms (3.46±2.97, 3.47±2.99vs 4.74±3.04 scores)among polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET)and primary myelofibrosis (PMF)patients. Using the MPN- SAF- TSS analysis, PMF patients showed highest burden of symptoms (28.9 ± 19.1), followed by PV patients (19.2 ± 16.8), and finally ET patients (17.1 ± 15.3). Instinct differences were observed between PMF and PV patients (χ(2)=6.371,P=0.021), PMF and ET patients (χ(2)= 14.020,P<0.001). No significant difference was found between PV and ET patients (χ(2)=2.281,P=0.191).

CONCLUSIONMPN- SAF- TSS was effective in evaluating the symptomatic burden among Ph/BCRABL negative MPN patients and could be used for serial assessment in this clinical setting.

Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Chronic, Atypical, BCR-ABL Negative ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Polycythemia Vera ; complications ; Primary Myelofibrosis ; complications ; Thrombocythemia, Essential ; complications

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical effects of low-dose thalidomide (THAL) and prednisone (PRED) with or without danazol (DANA) in patients with primary myelofibrosis (PMF) associated anemia.

METHODSA cohort of 58 PMF patients with anemia (Hb<100 g/L) were retrospectively studied. Of them, 28 patients were treated with THAL and PRED (THAL-PRED group), and the rest with THAL, PRED and DANA (THAL-PRED-DANA group). The hematological response was assessed according to the modified criteria of the International Working Group in 2006, and the myelofibrosis degree was evaluated at 3 and 12 month after treatment.

RESULTSThe total response rate was 56.9%(33/58) including 1.7% (1/58) partial remission (PR) and 55.2% (32/58) clinical improvement (CI). There was no statistical difference in the response rate between THAL-PRED and THAL-PREDDANA groups (50.0% vs 63.3%, P=0.306). However, the median response duration of clinical improvement, erythroid response (CI-E) and total response prolonged in THAL-PRED-DANA than THALPRED group (61.5w vs 22w, P=0.015; 75w vs 30w, P=0.007, respectively). Myelofibrosis degree at 3 and 12 months after treatment decreased significantly than before treatment (P=0.000 and 0.005, respectively). Side-effects in both groups were only grade 1-2.

CONCLUSIONLow-dose THAL together with PRED appeared to be effective in the treatment of PMF-associated anemia, and the response duration would prolong significantly if combined with DANA.

Adult ; Aged ; Anemia ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Danazol ; therapeutic use ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prednisone ; therapeutic use ; Primary Myelofibrosis ; complications ; Retrospective Studies ; Thalidomide ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Extramedullary pulmonary hematopoiesis is a rare entity with a limited number of case reports in the available literature only. We report the case of a 66-year-old man with known primary myelofibrosis, in whom a Technetium-99m sulfur colloid bone marrow scan with single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT revealed a pulmonary hematopoiesis as the cause of pulmonary hypertension and severe tricuspid regurgitation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first description of Technetium-99m sulfur colloid SPECT/CT imaging in this rare condition.
Aged ; Bone Marrow/*radionuclide imaging ; *Hematopoiesis, Extramedullary ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary/*etiology/radionuclide imaging ; Lung/*radionuclide imaging ; Male ; Primary Myelofibrosis/complications ; Technetium Tc 99m Sulfur Colloid/diagnostic use ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon/methods ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency/*etiology/radionuclide imaging

The objective of this study was to investigate the pathological characteristics of leukemia patients with secondary myelofibrosis and their relationship with prognosis. The pathological characteristics of 29 leukemia patients with secondary myelofibrosis were observed, the degree of hyperplasia between bone marrow smear and biopsy, as well as the changes of myelofibrosis after treatment were compared, and their relationship with the prognosis was analysed. The results indicated that the myelofibrosis may cause the decrease of pseudoepitheliomatous in bone marrow smear, and the increase of reticulin could be observed except the primary pathological characteristics in the biopsy with Gomori staining ++ - +++, and the secondary myelofibrosis could be alleviated after treatment. The overall prognosis of these patients was poor. It is concluded that the bone marrow biopsy has the important diagnostic value for the leukemia patients with secondary myelofibrosis, and the myelofibrosis can be alleviated after treatment, but the overall prognosis of leukemia patients with secondary myelofibrosis is poor.
Adult ; Aged ; Bone Marrow ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive ; complications ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Primary Myelofibrosis ; etiology ; pathology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo analyze the clinical features and prognosis of the primary myelodysplastic syndrome with myelofibrosis (MDS-MF) patients and to improve the cognition of MDS-MF.

METHODSFour hundred and sixty-six primary MDS patients with bone marrow (BM) biopsy were divided into two groups according to whether BM associated with fibrosis, the clinical features and prognosis of the two groups were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTS167 (35.8%) MDS cases revealed myelofibrosis, of which MF-1 123 cases (26.4%), MF-2 40 cases (8.6%), MF-3 4 cases (0.9%). The proportion of hepatosplenomegaly in MDS-MF group was significantly higher than in MDS without MF group, the difference had statistical significance (P = 0.031). The proliferation of BM biopsy in MDS-MF group was significantly more active than in MDS without MF group. The number of blasts, megakaryocytes and abnormal megakaryocytes in MDS-MF group were significantly higher than in MDS without MF group, the differences had statistical significance (P < 0.05). Among the 345 patients who had available results of cytogenetic analysis, 121 cases were MDS-MF patients, the proportion of middle and high-risk prognostic group according to IPSS karyotype prognosis groups in MDS-MF group were significantly higher than in MDS without MF group, the differences had statistical significance (P = 0.047). The median survival was 17 (1 - 60) months in MDS-MF group, and was 32 (1 - 62) months in MDS without MF group. The difference had statistical significance (P = 0.001). Myelofibrosis had independent prognostic significance by multi-variable analysis (P = 0.019).

CONCLUSIONThe myelofibrosis in MDS is main the proliferation of reticular fiber. The proliferation of reticular fiber is closely related with the number of blast cells, the proliferation and developmental abnormalities of megakaryocytes and the karyotype. The prognosis of MDS-MF patients is poor.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Karyotyping ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; complications ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Primary Myelofibrosis ; complications ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

We report a case of bilateral peripheral retinal neovascularization and chronic idiopathic myelofibrosis in a 69-year-old man. Ophthalmic examination revealed peripheral retinal nonperfusion with retinal neovascularization in both eyes and vitreous hemorrhage in the right eye. Fluorescein angiography of both eyes showed a marked midperipheral and peripheral avascular retina temporally with arteriovenous anastomosis and sea-fan neovascularizations. Blood tests showed pancytopenia and teardrop-shaped red blood cells, and bone marrow examination showed hypocellular marrow with severe fibrosis. The neovascularization was regressed following pars plana vitrectomy in the right eye and scatter laser photocoagulation in the left. The results suggest that peripheral retinal vessel occlusion and neovascularization may be associated with idiopathic myelofibrosis.
Aged ; Chronic Disease ; Fluorescein Angiography ; Humans ; Light Coagulation ; Male ; Primary Myelofibrosis/*complications ; Retinal Neovascularization/*complications/therapy ; Visual Acuity ; Vitrectomy ; Vitreous Hemorrhage/*complications/therapy