RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

Individuals with myeloproliferative neoplasia (MPN) have blood cell parameters representing abnormal proliferation of the cell line/lines affected. Considering the implication of symptom burden scores to treatment response and disease progression, with the same implication among changes in blood cell parameters, a question of correlation between the two variables becomes inevitable. This study aims to determine the correlation of controlled blood counts, severity of symptoms and quality of life of individuals with MPN.

This is a cross-sectional analytical study and a sub-study from the Filipino myeloproliferative neoplasia quality of life (MPN-QOL) multicenter study. Secondary data obtained from the parent study will be used as primary data of this sub-study. Comparative analyses were conducted using Chi-Square Test of Homogeneity or Fisher’s Exact Test. Association analysis used Cramer’s V coefficient.

Data in this study has shown 52.65 years old as the average age of participants. Most participants had mild symptom burden at 60.53% with the most common symptom being fatigue. Comparative analysis showed the absence of identified statistical difference in the overall symptom burden severity among the three types of MPN.

In this study, there was no statistically significant correlation between the severity of symptom burden or quality of life, and the degree of blood count control among the three types of MPN. In practice, controlling hematologic parameters has been a goal to achieve among patients with MPN. This study suggests symptom control and quality of life is not necessarily affected by blood count control.

Introduction: Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma, a renal cortical tumor characterized by malignant epithelial cells with clear cytoplasm and compact alveolar or acinar growth pattern interspersed with intricate arborizing vasculature.1 This is rare in people less than 45 years old. Though it has varied clinical manifestations, its classical triad: abdominal mass, hematuria, and groin pain only present in four to 17% of cases.2 We therefore present a case of renal cell carcinoma occurring in an unusual age group who presented with vague gastrointestinal symptoms and polycythemia which accounts only less than 5% of cases.3 Case Presentation: This is a case of a 28-year-old Filipino male who presented with epigastric pain with abdominal fullness and anorexia who later complained of frequent vomiting after solid and liquid intake. CBC revealed polycythemia. Gastroscopy with biopsy showed esophagitis Los Angeles classification Grade A and duodenal mass obstructing 95% of the lumen. Computed tomographic scan of whole abdomen revealed large renal mass, right of 15.9x9.35x11.34cm extending superiorly at the antropyloric region causing gastric luminal narrowing down to first and second segments of duodenum with a 4.2cm enlarged lymph node in aortocaval area. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a huge complex right renal mass of 12x12x10cm in size extending beyond Gerota’s fascia with 8x5.2x6.2cm lymph node compressing the vena cava. Right radical nephrectomy was done for both supportive management to relieve the obstruction and for histologic diagnosis which revealed clear cell renal cell carcinoma. JAK2 gene mutation test was done to determine the cause of polycythemia and phlebotomy was performed to address the problem. Conclusion This case presents with vague gastrointestinal symptoms which is atypical of renal cell carcinoma, hence highlights the importance of properly investigating its cause. Furthermore, a multidisciplinary approach involving different subspecialties plays a significant role in the diagnosis and management in this patient.
Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; Polycythemia

OBJECTIVE: To understand the biological characteristics of polycythemia vera (PV) patients with myeloid fibroplasia, and further analyze the risk factors affecting myeloid fibroplasia in PV patients, so as to provide ideas for predicting the occurrence of myeloid fibroplasia in PV patients. METHODS: Forty patients with PV in the Department of Hematology, Xiyuan Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences were collected and divided into two groups, with (hyperplasia group) and without (Non-proliferative group) hyperplasia of bone marrow fibers. The differences of basic clinical characteristics, blood routine, biochemistry, bone marrow cells, coagulation function and other indicators between the two groups were compared, and the independent risk factors affecting the proliferation of bone marrow fibrous tissue in PV patients were further analyzed by multivariate regression. RESULTS: Compared with Non-proliferative group, the JAK2 mutation rate (95% vs 70%，P=0.037), eosinophilic cell count (0.19 vs 0.11, P=0.047) and eosinophilic percentage (1.84 vs 1.27, P=0.001) in PV patients with hyperplasia were significantly increased, triglycerides (1.55 vs 1.91, P=0.038) and low-density lipoprotein (1.50 vs 3.08, P=0.000) were significantly reduced, bone marrow hematopoietic volume (0.85 vs 0.6, P=0.001), granulocyte/erythrocyte ratio (3.40 vs 1.89, P=0.033), lymphocyte/erythrocyte ratio (0.60 vs 0.42, P=0.033), and granulocyte+lymphocyte/erythrocyte ratio (3.72 vs 2.37, P=0.026) were significantly increased, thrombin time (18.84 vs 18.12, P=0.043) was significantly prolonged. Multivariate regression analysis results showed that peripheral blood eosinophil ≥2% and low-density lipoprotein ≤2 mmol/L were independent risk factors for bone marrow fibrous tissue hyperplasia in PV patients (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Increased proportion of peripheral blood eosinophils and decreased low density lipoprotein are risk factors for bone marrow fibrous tissue hyperplasia in PV patients.
Humans ; Bone Marrow/pathology* ; Polycythemia Vera ; Hyperplasia/pathology* ; Granulocytes/pathology* ; Janus Kinase 2/genetics* ; Risk Factors ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; Polycythemia/pathology*

Humans ; Paraproteinemias ; Polycythemia

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between high altitude polycythemia (HAPC) and peptic ulcer bleeding, in order to provide the evidence for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of peptic ulcer disease in Tibet of China. METHODS: A retrospective case-control study was conducted. Patients who hospitalized in the Department of Gastroenterology with the diagnosis of peptic ulcer bleeding from January 1, 2015 to April 30, 2021 in Tibet Autonomous Region People's Hospital were enrolled in the case group, and patients who hospitalized in the Department of Urology without tumor and without the history of peptic ulcer and gastrointestinal bleeding during the same period were selected as the control group. In the study, 1 ∶ 1 case matching was conducted between the two groups according to the gender, age (±2 years), ethnic group (Tibetan, Han), and the residence altitude level (grouped by < 4 000 m or ≥4 000 m), and 393 cases were included in the case group and the control group respectively. All the patients had lived in Tibet with the altitude >2 500 m for more than 1 year, and with age ≥ 18 years. The risk factors of peptic ulcer bleeding (place of residence, smoking, alcohol, the use of NSAIDs/anticoagulants, and combined with chronic diseases, such as HAPC, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, heart disease, hyperlipidemia, cerebrovascular disease, chronic lung disease, joint disease) were analyzed and compared between the two groups. RESULTS: There were 28 (7.1%) patients with HAPC in the case group, and 5 (1.3%) in the control group. The incidence of HAPC in the case group was significantly higher than those in the control group, P < 0.001, and the OR value was 5.953. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that HAPC (OR=5.270, 95%CI: 1.806-15.380), living in cities and towns (OR=2.369, 95%CI: 1.559-3.602), alcohol (OR=3.238, 95%CI: 1.973-5.317) and the use of NSAIDs/anticoagulants (OR=20.584, 95%CI: 2.639-160.545) were the independent risk factors for peptic ulcer bleeding in Tibet. After adjusting for the possible confounding factors, such as living in cities and towns, alcohol, and the use of NSAIDs/anticoagulants, HAPC was associated with an increased risk of peptic ulcer bleeding in Tibet, and the OR value was 5.270. CONCLUSION HAPC was associated with a significantly increased risk of peptic ulcer bleeding in Tibet. Patients with HAPC and peptic ulcer should be diagnosed and treated actively, in order to avoid gastrointestinal bleeding and other serious complications.
Adolescent ; Altitude ; Case-Control Studies ; Humans ; Peptic Ulcer/epidemiology* ; Polycythemia/epidemiology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

Objective: To compare clinical and laboratory features between JAK2 exon12 and JAK2 V617F mutated polycythemia vera (PV) . Method: We collected data from 570 consecutive newly-diagnosed subjects with PV and JAK2 mutation, and compared clinical and laboratory features between patients with JAK2 exon12 and JAK2 V617F mutation. Results: 543 (95.3%) subjects harboured JAK2 V617F mutation (JAK2 V617F cohort) , 24 (4.2%) harboured JAK2 exon12 mutations (JAK2 exon12 cohort) , and 3 (0.5%) harboured JAK2 exon12 and JAK2 V617F mutations. The mutations in JAK2 exon12 including deletion (n=10, 37.0%) , deletion accompanied insertion (n=10, 37.0%) , and missense mutations (n=7, 25.9%) . Comparing with JAK2 V617F cohort, subjects in JAK2 exon12 cohort were younger [median age 50 (20-73) years versus 59 (25-91) years, P=0.040], had higher RBC counts [8.19 (5.88-10.94) ×10(12)/L versus 7.14 (4.11-10.64) ×10(12)/L, P<0.001] and hematocrit [64.1% (53.7-79.0%) versus 59.6% (47.2%-77.1%) , P=0.001], but lower WBC counts [8.29 (3.2-18.99) ×10(9)/L versus 12.91 (3.24-38.3) ×10(9)/L, P<0.001], platelet counts [313 (83-1433) ×10(9)/L versus 470 (61-2169) ×10(9)/L, P<0.001] and epoetin [0.70 (0.06-3.27) versus 1.14 (0.01-10.16) IU/L, P=0.002] levels. We reviewed bone marrow histology at diagnosis in 20 subjects with each type of mutation matched for age and sex. Subjects with JAK2 exon12 mutations had fewer loose megakaryocyte cluster (40% versus 80%, P=0.022) compared with subjects with JAK2 V617F. The median follow-ups were 30 months (range 4-83) and 37 months (range 1-84) for cohorts with JAK2 V617F and JAK2 exon12, respectively. There was no difference in overall survival (P=0.422) and thrombosis-free survival (P=0.900) . Conclusions: Compared with patients with JAK2 V617F mutation, patients with JAK2 exon12 mutation were younger, and had more obvious erythrocytosis and less loose cluster of megakaryocytes.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bone Marrow/pathology* ; Exons ; Humans ; Janus Kinase 2/genetics* ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Mutation, Missense ; Polycythemia Vera/genetics* ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between clinical features, peripheral blood cell count, coagulation function, gene mutation and hemorrhagic events and thrombotic events in essential thrombocythemia (ET), polycythemia vera (PV), and primary myelofibrosis(PMF) patients. METHODS: Clinical data of 78 patients with ET, PV, and PMF who were admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University between September 2019 and August 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Information about sex, age, gene mutation, peripheral blood cell count, coagulation function, and hemorrhagic and thrombotic events was included, and the influence of these data on the occurrence of hemorrhagic and thrombotic events was estimated. RESULTS: Among the 78 patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms, there were 47 cases of ET, 15 cases of PV, and 16 cases of PMF.A total of 10 patients (12.82%) experienced hemorrhagic events and 27 (34.62%) experienced thrombotic events. Male,patients aged ≥ 60 years, and patients with a JAK2V617F mutation were more likely to experience thrombotic events (P<0.05). Patients with thrombotic events had higher platelet (PLT) counts and fibrinogen (FIB) levels than patients without hemorrhagic-thrombotic events (P<0.05).White blood cell (WBC) count, red blood cell (RBC) count, hemoglobin (HGB) level, prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), thrombin time (TT) and international normalized ratio (INR) showed no statistical difference between patients with thrombotic events and patients without hemorrhagic-thrombotic events (P>0.05). There was also no significant difference in the above-mentioned indexes between patients with hemorrhagic events and patients without hemorrhagic-thrombotic events (P>0.05). Among JAK2V617F positive myeloproliferative neoplasm patients, male patients were more likely to have thrombotic events (P<0.05), and patients with thrombotic events had higher platelet counts than those without hemorrhagic-thrombotic events (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in age, white blood cell count, red blood cell count, hemoglobin level, PT, APTT, FIB, TT or INR between patients with thrombotic events and patients without hemorrhagic-thrombotic events (P>0.05). CONCLUSION Sex, age, JAK2V617F mutation and platelet count have a certain value for predicting thrombosis in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms.
Hemoglobins/genetics* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Janus Kinase 2/genetics* ; Male ; Mutation ; Myeloproliferative Disorders/genetics* ; Polycythemia Vera/genetics* ; Retrospective Studies ; Thrombocythemia, Essential ; Thrombosis

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ruxolitinib in patients with polycythemia vera (PV). METHODS: The clinical data of patients with PV treated with ruxolitinib in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The starting dose of oral ruxolitinib was 10 mg twice daily and could be increased after 3 months of treatment if hematocrit (HCT) control was not achieved. HCT control was defined as HCT<45% in the absence of phlebotomy. RESULTS: Thirty-three patients (17 males and 16 females) were treated with ruxolitinib at a median age of 50 (21-72) years. JAK2V617F and JAK2exon12 alleles were detected in 31 and 2 patients, respectively. Before treatment, median hemoglobin level was 187 (166-208) g/L, median white blood cell and platelet level was 10.4 (5.0-15.8)×10⁹/L and 457(237-677)×10⁹/L, respectively. Totally 17 patients (51.5%) who were resistant to or intolerant of hydroxyurea were treated with ruxolitinib as second-line therapy, and 16 patients (48.5%) were treated with ruxolitinib as first-line therapy voluntarily. The median time since PV diagnosis to treatment of ruxolitinib was 47 (3-188) months. By December 31, 2019, all the patients continued to receive ruxolitinib. The median duration of ruxolitinib exposure was 19 (2-91) months. Both in the first-line therapy group and second-line therapy group, 15 cases (accounting for 93.8% and 88.2%, respecitvely) achieved HCT control. The median time from start of therapy to HCT control was 2.2 (0.8-11.6) months. One patient (3.0%) had disease progression after HCT control. The most common hematologic adverse events included anemia and thrombocytopenia, according to CTCAE classification, including 1 case of grade 1 anemia (3.0%) and 1 case of grade 2 thrombocytopenia (3.0%). There was no thromboembolic event occurred during the therapy of ruxolitinib. CONCLUSION The remission rate of HCT in PV patients treated with ruxolitinib is high, and adverse reactions are rare. Ruxolitinib is effective in HCT control and generally well tolerated in patients with PV.
Adult ; Aged ; Anemia ; Female ; Hemoglobins/therapeutic use* ; Humans ; Hydroxyurea/therapeutic use* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nitriles ; Polycythemia Vera/drug therapy* ; Pyrazoles ; Pyrimidines ; Retrospective Studies ; Thrombocytopenia ; Young Adult

Calreticulin/genetics* ; DNA Methylation ; Female ; Humans ; Janus Kinase 2/genetics* ; Mutation ; Myeloproliferative Disorders/genetics* ; Polycythemia Vera/genetics*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between JAK2 gene mutation and clinical indicators in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN). METHODS: 122 MPN patients in the Department of Hematology, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences from September 2017 to January 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The relationship between JAK2 gene mutation and sex, age, peripheral blood cell count, splenomegaly, and thrombosis and bleeding events were analyzed. RESULTS: In 122 patients with MPN, the patients with polycythemia vera (PV) accounted for 36 (29.5%), the patients with essential thrombocythemia (ET) accounted for 56 (45.9%), the patients with myelofibrosis (MF) accounted for 30 (24.6%). The JAK2 gene mutation rate in MPN patients was 64.6% (79/122), and the JAK2 gene mutation rate in PV, ET and MF groups were 77.7% (28/36), 60.7% (34/56) and 56.7% (17/30), the JAK2 gene mutation rate of the patients in PV group was statistically significant as compared with those in the ET group (P＜0.05). The hemoglobin (Hb) count of the patients in JAK2 gene mutation group was higher than those in wild-type group ［(150.0±39.6)g/L vs (129.4±38.9)g/L, P＜0.05］; the white blood cell (WBC) count of the patients in JAK2 gene mutation group was higher than those in the wild type group ［(9.5±4.7)×10 CONCLUSION The mutation rate of JAK2 gene in MPN patients is higher, and the mutation rate of JAK2 gene in PV patients is higher than that in ET and MF patients; JAK2 gene mutations in MPN patients are related to hemogram index; the incidence of splenomegaly is the highest in MF patients, and splenomegaly is related to the occurrence of JAK2 gene mutations in MF patients.
Humans ; Janus Kinase 2/genetics* ; Mutation Rate ; Myeloproliferative Disorders/genetics* ; Polycythemia Vera ; Retrospective Studies