Abstract / Summary
Abstract: Myelofibrosis (MF) is a rare myeloproliferative disease. Almost all patients with MF develop anemia over the course of the disease and may subsequently require red blood cell transfusions, which can affect survival and quality of life. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of anemia, drug use patterns, and survival outcomes among patients with MF in Argentina using electronic medical records from Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires from 2010 to 2022. This retrospective longitudinal study included adults (aged ≥18 years) diagnosed with MF. Data on demographics, clinical characteristics, anemia prevalence, transfusion status, treatment patterns, and overall survival (OS) were extracted and analyzed descriptively. OS was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Of 228 patients with MF included in this study (mean age, 68 years; 53.1%, n = 121 female), 52.6% (n = 120) developed anemia. A diagnosis of anemia preceded a diagnosis of MF in 73.3% (n = 88) of patients. Transfusion dependence was observed in 21.1% (n = 48) of all patients with MF. Among 148 patients with MF who received treatments, hydroxyurea (73.0%, n = 108), epoetin alfa (45.9%, n = 68), and ruxolitinib (13.5%, n = 20) were the most frequently used therapies. Among patients with anemia, the mortality rate was 52.5% (n = 63), and median survival was 31.1 months, compared with 3.7% (n = 4) and 44.9 months, respectively, among those without anemia. These results show that anemia is highly prevalent among patients with MF in Argentina and is associated with increased mortality. Hydroxyurea, epoetin alfa, and ruxolitinib are key treatments, although transfusion dependence remains a common complication. Improved management of anemia is critical for enhancing survival outcomes in MF.