SUSTAINED IMPROVEMENT IN ANEMIA WITH LOW-DOSE RECOMBINANT-HUMAN-ERYTHROPOIETIN THERAPY IN A PATIENT WITH HYPOPLASTIC MYELODYSPLASTIC SYNDROME AND CHROMOSOMAL-ABNORMALITIES

We present a case report of a 55-year-old male patient with hypoplasti c myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS, refractory anemia) in which a good re sponse to recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) has been maintained for more than 60 months. There is with no evidence of progression to high risk MDS or acute leukemia, although he was predicted to be a low -responder to rhEPO therapy because of very high serum EPO levels (5,2 60 mU/ml), a history of multiple transfusions, chromosomal abnormaliti es (47,XY,+8) and severe thrombocytopenia, Since he received rhEPO wit h no adverse effects, it may be valuable to try rhEPO treatment at lea st one time for low-risk MDS patients, depending on red cell transfusi on requirements.