ESSENTIAL THROMBOCYTHAEMIA:PROGNOSTIC FACTORS IN THE ITALIANSERIES OF TWO THOUSAND PATIENTS

A series of 2139 patients with diagnosis of Essential Thrombocythaemia (ET), done between 1976 and 1996 in 60 Haematological Centers of GIMMC and verified according to PVSG criteria, have been retrospectively evaluated mainly to define the prognostic factors. The patients, 1315 females and 824 males, with median age 59 years (21% under 40 and 23% over 70 years), at diagnosis had a median platelet count of 910x109/ L (25% 1200), splenomegaly (21%), hepatomegaly (25%), peripheral granulocyte precursors (8%), functional symptoms (35%), thrombotic risk factors (40%), haemorrhage (5%) and thrombosis(15%). The follow-up was 5.2 ±3.1 years (median 4.4). The treatment was: antiplatelet drugs 78% (ASA 49%), cytostatic drugs 82%, (alkylating molecules 38%, HU 48%, IFN a 22%, Anagrelide 2%).During the follow-up the platelet count (109/L was 70 years RR 25.2), the thrombosis at onset (RR 1.5), the peripheral granulocyte precursors (RR 1.8), the platelet count during the follow up >1000x109/L (RR 2.1). The role of antiplatelet and cytostaticdrugs (type, dose, duration) will be furtherly described