Table 1 Distribution of clinical signs and symptoms and clinical characteristics at hydroxyurea start.

From: Impact of ELN clinical signs and symptoms on the thrombotic risk in polycythemia vera patients treated with front-line hydroxyurea

 

LR (n. 137)

HR (n. 602)

p value (LR vs. HR)

HR-AGE (n. 424)

HR-THRO (n. 178)

Clinical signs and symptoms

 Presence of at least one clinical sign and symptom, n. (%)

95 (69.3%)

348 (57.8%)

0.02

239 (56.4%)

109 (61.2%)

 Persistent/progressive leukocytosis, n. (%)

26 (19.0%)

63 (10.5%)

0.006

46 (10.9%)

17 (9.6%)

 Extreme thrombocytosis, n. (%)

4 (2.9%)

8 (1.3%)

0.18

8 (1.9%)

0

 Progressive splenomegaly, n. (%)

9 (6.6%)

12 (2.0%)

0.004

7 (1.7%)

5 (2.8%)

 Inadequate hematocrit control, n. (%)

57 (41.6%)

224 (37.2%)

0.34

156 (36.8%)

68 (38.2%)

 Relevant cardiovascular risk factorsa, n. (%)

4 (2.9%)

37 (6.2%)

0.14

25 (5.9%)

12 (6.7%)

 Severe itching, n. (%)

58 (46.0%)

188 (31.6%)

0.002

125 (29.7%)

63 (36.2%)

Clinical characteristics

 Age, mean (±SD), years

50.9 (±6.5)

69.5 (±9.3)

<0.001

71.1 (±7.1)

65.6 (±12.3)

 Hemoglobin, mean (±SD), g/dL

15.7 (±2.1)

15.9 (±1.9)

0.28

15.9 (±1.9)

16.0 (±2.0)

 Hematocrit, mean (±SD), %

50.4 (±4.8)

50.3 (±5.4)

0.98

50.3 (±5.4)

50.3 (±5.5)

 Leukocytes count, mean (±SD), ×109/L

13.1 (±10.6)

10.8 (±5.6)

0.004

10.8 (0.33–77.7)

10.7 (0.31–38.3)

 Platelets count, mean (±SD), ×109/L

622.8 (±299.1)

519.8 (±249.9)

<0.001

528.2 (±250.8)

499.8 (±247.2)

 Spleen length, mean (±SD), cm BCM

1.48 (±2.51)

0.76 (±1.96)

<0.001

0.66 (±1.91)

0.98 (±2.07)

 Smoke, n. (%)

30 (21.9%)

139 (23.1%)

0.76

86 (20.3%)

53 (29.8%)

 Hypertension, n. (%)

41 (29.9%)

359 (59.6%)

<0.001

258 (60.9%)

101 (56.7%)

 Dyslipidemia, n. (%)

22 (16.1%)

151 (25.1%)

0.02

105 (24.8%)

46 (25.8%)

 Diabetes, n. (%)

7 (5.1%)

69 (11.5%)

0.02

50 (11.8%)

19 (10.7%)

 Overweight, n. (%)

40 (29.2%)

184 (30.6%)

0.75

126 (29.7%)

58 (32.6%)

 Treated with antiplatelet/anticoagulants, n. (%)

131 (95.6%)

567 (94.2%)

0.51

396 (93.4%)

171 (96.1%)

 HU starting dose, mean (±SD), mg

739.2 (±348.7)

692.4 (±314.7)

0.18

709.9 (±313.0)

650.5 (±315.8)

 Maximum HU dose ≥1 g/day, n. (%)

96 (70.1%)

280 (46.5%)

0.006

206 (48.6%)

74 (41.6%)

  1. LR low-risk (age <60 years and no previous thrombosis), HR High-risk (age ≥60 years and/or a history of thromboembolism), HR-AGE (age ≥60 years), HR-THRO (previous thrombosis, regardless of age).
  2. aRelevant cardiovascular risk factors were defined as co-occurrence of active smoking, hypertension and overweight (with or without the presence of diabetes and/or dyslipidemia).
  3. Bold values represent significant p-value
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