RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Several studies about myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) have demonstrated that patients with high score of erythrocytic and total dysplasia showed a significantly lower degree of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) development. We analyzed correlation between bone marrow dysplasia and peripheral blood indices, and estimated the value of peripheral blood indices substituted for bone marrow examination to predict the progress of MDS to AML. METHODS: RBC count, MCV, RDW, WBC count, platelet count, MPV, and PDW were measured by Coulter Counter STKS (USA). We calculated the granulation score (G-score), percentage of peudo-pelger polymorphs (PPP) in the peripheral blood film, and examined the dysplasia in bone marrow aspirates. The reticulocyte survival study was performed with the venous blood collected in CPDA-1 under sterile conditions which was incubated immediately after collection at 37degrees C. RESULTS: G-score was inversly correlated with granulocytic and total dysplasia, but highly scored PPP showed a significantly lower degree granulocytic and total dysplasia. Reticulocyte survival curves showed variable pattern according to degree of erythrocytic and total dysplasia. Patients with a high degree of erythrocytic and total dysplasia showed significant difference compared with normal control group. MPV was increased in accordance with increase in megakaryocytic and total dysplasia. A lower score for erythrocytic and total dysplasia was observed in RAEB-t than in RA and RAEB. CONCLUSIONS: It is suggested that G-score, PPP, and MPV in peripheral blood as well as reticulocyte survival curve may be good markers for bone marrow dysplasia, and erythrocytic and total dysplasia in RAEB-t is lower than in RA and RAEB. Therefore, peripheral blood indices can be used to predict the progress of MDS to AML