Low- and intermediate-risk myelodysplastic syndrome with pure red cell aplasia.

Objectives: Our aim is to investigate the clinical characteristics of low- and intermediate-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) with pure red cell aplasia (PRCA).
Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the patients of low- and intermediate-risk MDS patients who had been diagnosed with PRCA in our hospital between January 2010 and December 2019.
Results: There were 6 low- and intermediate-risk MDS patients with PRCA in our study, 1 male and 5 females, with a median age of 63.5 (50-75) years. It accounted for 7.7% (6/78) of all diagnosed PRCA cases and 1.67% (6/359) of diagnosed MDS cases during the same period. All patients were treated with multiple drugs, including recombinant human erythropoietin, cyclosporine, glucocorticoids, androgen, sirolimus, intravenous immunoglobulin and decitabine. Two patients achieved complete remission, two patients achieved partial remission and became blood transfusion independent. Two patients had no response and one patient died.
Conclusion: Low- and intermediate-risk MDS with PRCA was difficult to treat, but the prognosis was good.