Comparison of 24-month outcomes in chelated and non-chelated lower-risk patients with myelodysplastic syndromes in a prospective registry.

This 5-year, prospective registry enrolled 600 lower-risk MDS patients (pts) with transfusional iron overload. Clinical outcomes were compared between chelated and nonchelated pts. At baseline, cardiovascular comorbidities were more common in non-chelated pts, and MDS therapy was more common in chelated pts. At 24 months, chelation was associated with longer median overall survival (52.2 months vs. 104.4 months; p<.0001) and a trend toward longer leukemia-free survival and fewer cardiac events. No differences in safety were apparent between groups. Limitations of this analysis included, varying time from diagnosis and duration of chelation, and the fact that the decision to chelate may have been influenced by pt clinical status.