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Gender’s Impact on MPN Features and Symptoms

Haematologica; 2017 Jan; Geyer, et al

Publish date:: January 15, 2017

Gender contributes to the diverse nature of myeloproliferative neoplasms, according to a study involving more than 2,000 individuals.

Participants had either polycythemia vera (PV; n=711), essential thrombocythemia (n=830), or myelofibrosis (n=460). They completed the Myeloproliferative Neoplasm-Symptom Assessment Form and Brief Fatigue Inventory Patient Reported Outcome. Among the results:

Nearly half of female patients had essential thrombocythemia, vs ~one-third of males.
4 in every 10 males were more likely to have PV, vs 3 in every 10 females.
~14% of males had thrombocytopenia, vs ~8% of females.
Females had more severe and more frequent symptoms than males, including more abdominal pain/discomfort, headache, fatigue, insomnia, concentration difficulties, and dizziness.
Despite these symptoms, females reported the same quality of life scores as males.

Citation:

Geyer H, Kosiorek H, Dueck A, et al. Associations between gender, disease features and symptom burden in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms: An analysis by the MPN QOL International Working Group. Haematologica. 2017;102(1):85-93. doi:10.3324/haematol.2016.149559.

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