Myeloid neoplasms and autoimmune diseases: markers of association.

Objectives: To investigate the prognostic significance of concomitant autoimmune diseases (ADs) in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs).

Methods: 435 subjects with a diagnosis of MPNs were included in this observational single institution longitudinal study. Of them, 34 patients presented an overt AD at diagnosis of MPN. Clinical presenting features, progression-free and overall survival were compared between MPN subgroups in relation to co-existence of AD at diagnosis of MPN.

Results: Compared to cases without ADs, the subjects with ADs were significantly younger, had lower haemoglobin and haematocrit levels and more frequently presented with splenomegaly. The clinical and biological features associated to progression-free and overall survival were: age, presence of splenomegaly, histotype (MF vs. PV vs. ET), anaemia, high platelet count and presence of any AD at diagnosis of MPN. The age-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of progression for the presence of AD at diagnosis of MPN was 2.76. Overall survival was not significantly associated to AD at diagnosis, but the HR of progression for the presence of AD at diagnosis of MPN was 2.18.

Conclusions: A possible common genetic predisposition, the inflammatory bone marrow microenvironment and the activation of theJAK/STAT pathway could be considered as responsible for the observed association between MPNs and ADs.