Red Blood Cell Transfusion Independence Following the Initiation of Iron Chelation Therapy in Myelodysplastic Syndrome

Table 1

Clinical characteristics of 10 MDS patients achieving red blood cell transfusion independence with iron chelation therapy.

Clinical Feature (units)	𝑛
Age at MDS diagnosis (years)	Median 58 (range 18–74)
Gender M∶F	5∶5
MDS subtype (FAB or WHO)
RA	5
RARS	2
RCMD	1
RAEB	2
IPSS score
Low	1
Intermediate-1	5
Intermediate-1 or 2	1
High	1
Not available	2
Iron chelation agent
Deferoxamine	7
Deferasirox	3
Time to RBC transfusion independence (months)	Median 17.5 (range 1–24)
Duration of RBC transfusion independence (months)	Median 13 (range 3–40)

Abbreviations: F: female; FAB: French-American-British; IPSS: International Prognostic Scoring
System; M: male; 𝑛: number; RA: refractory anemia; RARS: refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts,
RAEB: refractory anemia with excess blasts; RBC: red blood cell; RCMD: refractory cytopenia with multilineage dysplasia; and WHO: World Health Organization.