Eosinophilia and basophilia in essential thrombocythemia and polycythemia vera: Clinical, genetic, and prognostic correlates.

Abstract

e18600 Background: Recent studies have suggested that basophilia in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), in general, and in primary myelofibrosis (PMF), in particular, might be associated with poor prognosis. In the current study, we examined for clinical and genotype correlates as well as the prognostic impact of absolute eosinophil (AEC) and basophil (ABC) counts in essential thrombocythemia (ET) and polycythemia vera (PV). Methods: Diagnostic criteria were according to the International Consensus Classification. Study patients were selected based on the availability of information on AEC and ABC. Institutional reference range for AEC was 0.03 to 0.48 x 10 9 /L and for ABC 0.01 to 0.08 x 10 9 /L. "Eosinophilia" was defined as an AEC of ≥0.5 x 10 9 /L. "Basophilia" was evaluated both at an ABC of ≥0.1 x 10 9 /L and ABC of ≥0.3 x 10 9 /L, the latter representing 3 x the upper limit of the normal reference range. Results: Essential thrombocythemia 660 patients were considered. Median (range) values for AEC and ABC were 0.2 x 10 9 /L (0-2.8) and 0.07 x 10 9 /L (0-1.7), respectively. On univariate analysis, AEC and ABC, as continuous variables, were predictive of inferior overall (OS; p<0.01 for both) but not leukemia-free (LFS), myelofibrosis-free (MFFS), venous thrombosis-free (VTFS), or arterial thrombosis-free (ATFS) survival. In univariable analysis, AEC ≥0.5 x 10⁹/L and ABC ≥0.1 x 10⁹/L negatively impacted OS (p<0.01 for both); significance was sustained during multivariate analysis that included IPSET risk variables: AEC ≥0.5 x 10⁹/L (p<0.01; HR 1.9) and ABC ≥0.1 x 10 9 /L (p<0.01; HR 1.7). Polycythemia vera 478 patients were considered. Median (range) values for AEC and ABC were 0.27 x 10 9 /L (0-6.5) and 0.12 x 10 9 /L (0-3.2), respectively. In univariable analysis, neither AEC nor ABC, as continuous variables were predictive of OS, LFS, MFFS, VTFS, or ATFS. AEC ≥0.5 x 10⁹/L also did not have any impact on disease progression or thromboses. However, ABC ≥0.1 x 10 9 /L was associated with a lower risk of post-diagnosis arterial thrombosis (p=0.03; HR 0.6), and ABC ≥0.3 x 10 9 /L was predictive of inferior LFS (p<0.01; HR 6.5) and MFFS (p<0.01; HR 2.5). ABC ≥0.3 x 10 9 /L sustained prognostic relevance in LFS (p<0.01; HR 7.6) during multivariable analysis that included leukocytosis, platelet count, basophil percentage, age, and palpable splenomegaly. Similar findings were noted with regards to MFFS for ABC ≥0.3 x 10 9 /L (p=0.01; HR 2.3) when compared against palpable splenomegaly and age. Conclusions: The current study suggests that AEC ≥0.5 x 10 9 /L and ABC ≥0.1 x 10 9 /L in ET are independently associated with shortened overall survival, while basophilia (ABC ≥0.3 x 10 9 /L) in PV is an independent predictor of leukemic and myelofibrotic disease progression.