Clinico-hematologic features of myelodysplastic syndrome presenting as isolated thrombocytopenia: an entity with a relatively favorable prognosis.

The existence of isolated cytopenia in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) has been described, however, the exact clinico-hematologic features of such MDS patients are still obscure. The aim of this study was to provide additive clinico-hematologic information on MDS patients with isolated thrombocytopenia in comparison with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). We searched for MDS with isolated thrombocytopenia in 146 sequential patients with MDS and evaluated their clinical features at the time of MDS diagnosis.