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Characteristics of pericardial effusions in patients with leukemia
Author(s) -
Sampat Keeran,
Rossi Adriana,
GarciaGutierrez Valentin,
Cortes Jorge,
Pierce Sherry,
Kantarjian Hagop,
GarciaManero Guillermo
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/cncr.24946
Subject(s) - medicine , myeloid leukemia , pericardial effusion , leukemia , cohort , medical record , incidence (geometry) , myelodysplastic syndromes , surgery , gastroenterology , bone marrow , physics , optics
BACKGROUND: Little information exists regarding the prevalence and natural history of pericardial disease in patients with leukemia. Recently, it has been reported that the use of histone deacetylase inhibitors is associated with an increased incidence of pericardial effusions (PEs). To study the characteristics and treatment relationships of PEs in patients with leukemia, the authors retrospectively analyzed a cohort of patients with leukemia evaluated at a single center. METHODS: The authors reviewed 2592 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML, n = 1282, 49%), acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL, n = 336, 13%), or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS, n = 974, 38%), who were evaluated from August 2003 to July 2008. Electronic medical records were reviewed to select patients who had undergone at least 1 echocardiographic evaluation. Data regarding diagnosis, timing, effusion size, survival, and prior therapy were collected for the patients who had echocardiographic evidence of PEs. RESULTS: PEs were detected in 325 (20%) of the patients who had echocardiograms: 21% in AML, 23% in ALL, and 18% in MDS patients. Only a small portion of PEs were detected before the initiation of therapy: 26% in AML, 25% ALL, and 15% in MDS patients. Most PEs were of minimal size (70%) overall. No significant differences in effusion characteristics, including severity, were observed among different types of therapies. The presence of PEs had no impact on the survival of the patients evaluated. CONCLUSIONS: PEs are relatively common in patients with leukemia and do not appear to be related to specific types of therapy or to survival. Cancer 2010. © 2010 American Cancer Society.