Back to Authors

Kulasekararaj, Austin

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3180-3570

Mayo Clinic

King's College Hospital

Citations 9

Comprehensive analysis of prognostic factors in myelodysplastic syndromes with isolated deletion of chromosome 5q
Navarro, Vı́ctor , Haferlach, Claudia, Chan, Onyee , Schulz, Felicitas , Briski, Robert , Al-Ali, Najla, Xicoy, Blanca , Lopez-Cadenas, Felix, Bosch, Francesc, Aguilera, Anna, Meggendorfer, Manja , Eder, Lea Naomi, Jérez, Andrés, Betz, Beate, Kewan, Tariq, Zindel, C., Al‐Kali, Aref , Platzbecker, Uwe, Haase, Detlef Thomas, Zeidan, Amer M., Fenaux, Pierre, Garcia-Manero, Guillermo, Germing, Ulrich, Maciejewski, Jaroslaw P., Haferlach, T, Montoro, Maria Julia , Navarro, Víctor , Chan, Onyee , Kubota, Yasuo , Briski, Robert , Xicoy, Blanca , Romero, Anna Aguilera , Campagna, Alessia , Lanino, Luca , Santini, Valeria , Bernal, Teresa , Such, Esperanza , Platzbecker, Anne Sophie , Gurnari, Carmelo , Zindel, Carla , Kulasekararaj, Austin , Voso, Maria Teresa , Sekeres, Mikkael A , Venugopal, Sangeetha , Al-Kali, Aref , Diez-Campelo, Maria , Wiseman, Daniel H , Della Porta, Matteo Giovanni , Komrokji, Rami S , Solé, Francesc , Palomo, Laura , Valcárcel, David , Acha, Pamela , Haferlach, Claudia , Al‐Ali, Najla, Cadenas, Félix López , Bosch, Francesc, Jerez, Andrés , Wang, Y C , Campagna, Alessia , Lanino, Luca , Santini, Valeria , Gurnari, Carmelo , Kulasekararaj, Austin , Voso, Maria Teresa , Sekeres, Mikkael A. , Varela, Nicolas A Diaz , Platzbecker, Uwe , Haase, Detlef, Zeidan, Amer M. , Fenaux, Pierre , Díez‐Campelo, María , Garcia‐Manero, Guillermo , Wiseman, Daniel H. , Germing, Ulrich , Maciejewski, Jaroslaw P. , Komrokji, Rami S. , Solé, Françesc , Haferlach, Torsten , Valcárcel, David

Blood Advances | July 17, 2026 | Volume: No volume available | Issue: No issue available | Pages: No page available

10.1182/bloodadvances.2026020633 Get It

Myelodysplastic syndromes with isolated deletion of chromosome 5q [MDS-del(5q)] constitute a distinct biological entity traditionally associated with favorable outcomes, although up to one quarter of patients progress to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Existing prognostic models, developed in heterogeneous MDS populations, may not adequately capture risk within this subgroup. We assembled an international cohort of 682 patients with MDS-del(5q) to evaluate the performance of the IPSS-R and IPSS-M, identify prognostic variables, and develop a disease-specific prognostic tool, the IPSS-del(5q). Most patients were classified as lower-risk by IPSS-R (94.4%) and IPSS-M (85.5%), yet both systems showed limited discriminatory ability (C-indices ≈0.5). Independent adverse prognostic factors included age ≥70 years, male sex, anemia (hemoglobin ≤10 g/dL), thrombocytopenia (platelets ≤100×10⁹/L), the presence of one additional chromosomal abnormality, ≥2 gene mutations, SF3B1 mutations, and high-risk TP53 status. Six variables were included in the IPSS-del(5q), stratifying patients into standard-risk (74.3%) and high-risk (25.7%) groups with significantly different LFS (69.2 vs. 32.0 months; p<0.01). Moreover, this model reclassified 19.1% of lower-risk IPSS-R and 14.6% of lower-risk IPSS-M patients into the high-risk IPSS-del(5q) group. However, its discriminative power remained modest, with a C-index of 0.60. Overall, this study provides the most comprehensive prognostic evaluation of MDS-del(5q) to date, demonstrates the limited discriminatory capacity of existing MDS scores in this entity, and underscores the need to develop refined disease-specific prognostic approaches for this MDS subtype.
Refining the prognostic hierarchy of TP53 multihit alterations and isolated deletion of chromosome 5q in myelodysplastic syndromes
Prince-Eladnani, Raja, Schulz, Felicitas , Briski, Robert , Ali, Najla Al , López, Félix, Meggendorfer, Manja , Eder, Lea Naomi, Jerez, Andrés , Betz, Beate, Castillo, Teresa Bernal Del, Zindel, C., Al‐Kali, Aref , Pollini, Antonella, Diral, Elisa , Memoli, Mara , Haase, Detlef, Fenaux, Pierre , Garcia‐Manero, Guillermo , Germing, Ulrich, Maciejewski, Jaroslaw P. , Haferlach, Torsten , Montoro, Maria Julia , Acha, Pamela , Haferlach, Claudia , Chan, Onyee , Kubota, Yasuo, Xicoy, Blanca , Palomo, Laura , Bosch, Francesc , Wang, Yu‐Hung , Campagna, Alessia , Santini, Valeria , Castillo, Teresa Bernal Del, Such, Esperanza , Platzbecker, Anne Sophie , Kewan, Tariq Zuheir , Gurnari, Carmelo , Zindel, Carla, Kulasekararaj, Austin , Voso, Maria Teresa , Sekeres, Mikkael A. , Varela, Nicolas A Diaz , Platzbecker, Uwe , Zeidan, Amer M. , Díez‐Campelo, María , Wiseman, Daniel H. , Porta, Matteo Giovanni Della , Germing, Ulrich , Komrokji, Rami S. , Solé, Françesc , Valcárcel, David

Blood | December 4, 2025 | Volume: 146 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 2068-2068

10.1182/blood-2025-2068 Get It

Abstract Background & aim: Myelodysplastic syndromes with isolated deletion of chromosome 5q (MDS-del(5q)) are associated with low-risk features and favorable prognosis. In contrast, TP53 multihit alterations, typically reflecting biallelic inactivation, are associated with high-risk features and adverse outcomes across MDS subtypes. Although current classification systems exclude MDS-del(5q) cases with TP53 multihit from low-risk categories, the prognostic significance of these alterations in this specific context remains unclear. Methods: We conducted an international, multicenter, retrospective study comparing MDS-del(5q) per 2017 WHO criteria with TP53 multihit alterations (MDS-del(5q) TP53 multihit) from 21 international institutions, to MDS with low blast counts with TP53 multihit alterations without isolated del(5q) (MDS-LB TP53 multihit) from the public data from the study of Bernard et al., Nat Med 2020. Clinical and biological data were collected at diagnosis. Genetic profiling included G-banding and NGS of myeloid genes. TP53 multihit was defined as >1 TP53 mutation or a single mutation with 17p deletion, copy-neutral loss of heterozygosity (LOH), or variant allele frequency (VAF) ≥50%. Patients were stratified as lower- or higher-risk based on IPSS-R and IPSS-M scores. Lower-risk included those with IPSS-R ≤3.5 points or very-low, low, or moderate-low IPSS-M, while higher-risk included those with IPSS-R >3.5 points or moderate-high, high, or very-high IPSS-M. Clinical, molecular features, overall survival (OS), and AML progression were compared between MDS-del(5q) TP53 multihit and MDS-LB TP53 multihit groups. Finally, outcomes between patients with likely biallelic TP53 multihit status, defined as harboring a single TP53 mutation accompanied by a co-occurring deletion/LOH of 17p or a TP53 VAF ≥50%, versus those considered less likely to be biallelic, thus still classified as multihit, defined as having >1 TP53 mutation but a combined VAF <50%, were compared in both MDS-del(5q) and MDS-LB groups. Statistical analysis was performed using R (version 4.2.2). Results: We included 113 patients with a median follow-up of 81.1 months (95% CI 74.9–NR). A total of 45 (39.8%) were MDS-del(5q) TP53 multihit, and 68 (60.2%) MDS-LB TP53 multihit. Compared to MDS-LB TP53 multihit, patients with MDS-del(5q) TP53 multihit had significantly higher platelet counts (209 ×10⁹/L vs. 77 ×10⁹/L) and were more frequently classified as lower-risk by both IPSS-R (75.4% vs. 9.8%) and IPSS-M (90.2% vs. 24.6%). The median number of mutations per patient, excluding TP53, was 1 in both groups, and only SF3B1 mutations were significantly more frequent in the MDS-del(5q) TP53 multihit group compared to MDS-LB TP53 multihit (20.5% vs. 2.9%; p<0.01). Regarding survival, MDS-del(5q) TP53 multihit patients showed an improved OS compared to MDS-LB TP53 multihit (median OS of 57.0 months (95%CI, 43.0–112.0) vs 14.0 months (95%CI, 8.6–19.0); p<0.01). Moreover, while the risk of progression to AML at 48 months were comparable between groups (34.9% for MDS-del(5q) TP53 multihit and 33.0% for MDS-LB TP53 multihit; p=0.8), a significant difference was observed in the timing of AML progression: median time to AML evolution of 31.7 months (IQR 23.4–55.3) in the MDS-del(5q) TP53 multihit group and 7.2 months (IQR 4.1–12.9) in the MDS-LB TP53 multihit group (p<0.01). Notably, no significant differences in outcomes were found between TP53 multihit and most likely biallelic cases in both MDS-del(5q) and MDS-LB cohorts. The impact of complex karyotype (CK) in MDS-LB TP53 multihit was also explored. MDS-LB TP53 multihitwith CK showed a significantly worse OS compared to MDS-LB TP53 multihitwithout CK (median OS of 10.0 months (95% CI 7.5–17.0) vs 40.0 months (95% CI 14.0–NA); respectively; p<0.001. However, the incidence of AML and median time to AML evolution were comparable between both groups. Finally, OS between MDS-LB TP53 multihit patients without CK and the MDS-del(5q) TP53 multihit cohort was compared. Median OS was significantly shorter in the former group (median of 40 months) compared to the latter (median of 61 months) (p <0.01) Conclusions: These findings underscore that, in contrast to other TP53-multihit MDS subtypes, MDS-del(5q) with TP53 multihit alterations constitute a clinically distinct entity with better outcomes, thereby warranting reconsideration of its place in current classification systems.
17p loss in TP53-non-mutated myeloid neoplasms confers survival comparable to TP53-mutated disease
Singhal, Gunin, Versino, Franceso, Gandhi, Shreyans , Mendoza, Cinthya, Gnanamanickam, Emmanuel , Aldridge, Frances, Gangat, Naseema , Ladon, Dariusz, Potter, Victoria , Betz, Beate, Krishnamurthy, Pramila , Shah, Mili, Kong, Kar Lok, Haferlach, Torsten , Tefferi, Ayalew, Germing, Ulrich , Singhal, Gunin, Hung, Kevin , Wood, Henry, Anani, Hosein, Tefferi, Ayalew , Shah, Meera , Kulasekararaj, Austin , Hiwase, Devendra

Blood | December 4, 2025 | Volume: 146 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 3858-3858

10.1182/blood-2025-3858 Get It

Abstract Introduction: The 5th edition of the World Health Organization (WHO-5) and the International Consensus Classification (ICC) recognize TP53-mutated myeloid neoplasms (MN) as a distinct disease category, reflecting their uniformly dismal outcomes and the urgent need for novel therapeutic strategies. However, both classifications do not include TP53-non-mutatedcases with 17p (TP53 locus) loss, despite emerging evidence that such lesions may confer biologic and clinical behaviour similar to TP53-mutated disease. Our preliminary work demonstrated that 17p loss without TP53 mutation in therapy-related MN (t-MN) is associated with poor survival, approximating that of TP53-mutated cases (Hiwase et al., Blood 2023). Yet, the true frequency and prognostic impact of 17p loss in TP53-non-mutatedMN remains largely undefined, representing a critical gap in current disease classification and risk stratification. To address this critical knowledge gap, we aim to define the frequency and prognostic impact of 17p loss across the TP53 locus in TP53-non-mutatedMN, including both myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Finally, we compared the survival outcomes of this cohort with those of TP53-mutated MN. Method This international collaborative study was designed to evaluate the frequency and prognostic significance of 17p loss in TP53-non-mutatedMN. We included MDS and AML patients who had conventional cytogenetic analysis and did not have TP53-mutation(TP53-non-mutated)by next-generation sequencing (NGS) with sensitivity of ≥2% variant allele frequency (VAF). These cases were systematically reviewed for 17p loss using karyotype data, and where available, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and SNP array were used to confirm the 17p/TP53 locus deletion. To assess the clinical impact, we compared the overall survival (OS) of TP53-non-mutatedcases with 17p loss against a reference cohort of TP53-mutated MNs with VAF ≥2% (n=603) (South Australian Myeloid Neoplasm Registry (SA-MN) and Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA). Results We screened 8876 cases of TP53-non-mutatedMN cases across an international cohort comprising the SA-MN (Australia; n=1046), the Düsseldorf MDS Registry (Germany; n=545), Munich Leukaemia Laboratory (Germany; n=5785), and King's College Hospital, (United Kingdom; n=1500). We identified 85 (1%) cases with 17p loss across the TP53 locus, representing the largest international cohort to define the frequency of 17p loss in TP53-non-mutatedMN. Complex karyotype was present in 40% (n=34) of cases, frequently co-occurring with del(5q) and del(7q). Clinically, most cases were MDS (n=69; 81.2%), including MDS-IB1 (n=19), MDS-IB2 (n=15), MDS-LB (n=16), t-MDS (n=8), MDS/MPN overlap (n=3), CCUS (n=1), or unspecified MDS (n=7), while AML accounted for 16 cases (18.8%). Among evaluable cases, the majority were male (78.6%) and had a median age of 66.5 years at diagnosis. The most frequent cytogenetic abnormality causing 17p loss across the TP53 locus was monosomy 17 (39%), followed by i(17q) (29%), add (17p) (14%), derivative chromosome 17 from unbalanced translocations (11%), and del(17p) (7%). The majority represented de-novo MN (60%), with t-MN in 40% of cases. Median OS of evaluable 17p loss in TP53-non-mutatedcases (n=28; 10.2 months) was poor and comparable to TP53-mutated MN (n=603, 8.7 months; P=0.42). Similarly, survival censored for a stem cell transplant was also equally poor (10.4 vs. 8.7 months; P=0.34) in both groups. Complex vs. non-complex karyotype (7.7 vs. 10.7 months; P=0.68) did not significantly influence the OS of 17p loss. Median OS of MDS cases tended to be longer compared to AML (16.7 vs. 9.1 months; P=0.11), although not statistically significant. Conclusion: In this largest international study, 1% of TP53-non-mutatedMNs harbor 17p loss across the TP53 locus, displaying poor survival equivalent to TP53-mutated disease. Exclusive reliance on NGS to identify TP53 mutations misses these high-risk structural TP53 abnormalities, which are readily detectable by conventional karyotyping. These findings provide compelling evidence to include TP53-non-mutatedcases with 17p loss in the next revision of the classifications, enabling accurate prognostication and equitable access to curative and clinical trials of novel therapies.
American College of Rheumatology Guidance Statement for Diagnosis and Management of VEXAS Developed by the International VEXAS Working Group Expert Panel
Mékinian, A. , Georgin‐Lavaille, Sophie, Savic, Sinisa , Koster, Matthew J. , Comont, Thibault , Heilblig, Mael, Aróstegui, Juan I. , Bosco, Annmarie , Cargo, Catherine , Cattaneo, Chiara , Chasset, François , Coelho, Henrique , Ducharme‐Bénard, Stéphanie , Frassi, Micol, Hakobyan, Yervand , Jurcuț, Ciprian , Kirino, Yohei , Kunimoto, Hiroyoshi , Madigan, Lauren M. , Moráis, Sara , Sockel, Katja , Patnaik, Mrinal M. , Regadas, Luísa, Robin, Marie , Rutgers, Abraham , Salvarani, Carlo , Sammel, Anthony M. , Sujobert, Pierre , Tomelleri, Alessandro , Vandergheynst, Frédéric , Vieira, Romana, Viswanatha, David S., Diral, Elisa , Terrier, Benjamin , Fenaux, Pierre, Grayson, Peter C. , Beck, David B. , Diseases, the International VEXAS working group, and with endorsement of EuroBloodNet, the European Reference Network in Rare Hematological, Mékinian, Arsène , Koster, Matthew J , Bourguiba, Rim , Campochiaro, Corrado , Crisafulli, Francesca , Gurnari, Carmelo , Jamilloux, Yvan , Kirino, Yohei , Marvisi, Chiara , Milchert, Marcin , Rutgers, Abraham , Salvarani, Carlo , Tomelleri, Alessandro , Urbanski, Geoffrey , Terrier, Benjamin , Grayson, Peter C , Beck, David B , Robin, Marie , Savic, Sinisa , Georgin‐Lavialle, Sophie , Ferrada, Marcela A. , Kosmider, Olivier , Calvo, Katherine R. , Campochiaro, Corrado , Faria, Raquel , Franceschini, Franco , Groarke, Emma M , Gurnari, Carmelo , Kulasekararaj, Austin , Mann, H. , Marvisi, Chiara , Milchert, Marcin , Muratore, Francesco , Nakajima, Hideaki , Seebach, Jörg Dieter , Więsik–Szewczyk, Ewa , Patel, Bhavisha A. , Fenaux, Pierre , Diseases, the International VEXAS working group, and with endorsement of EuroBloodNet, the European Reference Network in Rare Hematological

Arthritis & Rheumatology | August 11, 2025 | Volume: 78 | Issue: 3 | Pages: 509-522

10.1002/art.43287 Get It

Objective Vacuoles E1 enzyme X‐linked autoinflammatory somatic syndrome (VEXAS) is a recently identified rare genetic disorder associated with somatic mutations in the UBA1 gene. VEXAS presents with a combination of inflammatory and hematologic manifestations, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Methods Given the variability in disease presentation and the limited number of studies to date, no clinical documents currently exist to provide guidance to health care providers about the management of VEXAS. To address this gap, we formed an international multidisciplinary panel of VEXAS experts. Results Through formalized meetings and a voting process, the group developed consensus clinical guidance considerations for the management of VEXAS. These considerations offer practical advice on several key topics: (1) clinical features of VEXAS, (2) UBA1 screening methods, (3) the diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDSs) in patients with VEXAS, and (4) prognosis and management. The aim is to provide expert guidance on which patients to test, how to test for VEXAS, how to approach MDS in the context of VEXAS, and considerations for management. Conclusion This work marks the first formal international consensus guidance for VEXAS and is intended to be used as a resource for clinicians seeking to understand the disease and its management.
Anchored Indirect Treatment Comparison Finds Comparable Effects of Pegcetacoplan and Iptacopan in Paroxysmal Nocturnal Haemoglobinuria
Kulasekararaj, Austin , Dingli, David , Wilson, Koo , Wojciechowski, Piotr , Hakimi, Zalmaï , Nazir, Jameel , Czech, Barbara, Hillmen, Peter, Kulasekararaj, Austin , Dingli, David , Latour, Régis Peffault de , Szer, Jeff

European Journal of Haematology | April 26, 2025 | Volume: 115 | Issue: 2 | Pages: 125-133

10.1111/ejh.14422 Get It

ABSTRACT Background Paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) is an ultra‐rare, acquired non‐malignant haematological disorder characterised by thrombosis risk, serious complications and debilitating symptoms in untreated patients. Objective This anchored indirect treatment comparison (ITC) evaluated efficacy data between proximal complement 3 inhibitor (C3i) pegcetacoplan and factor B inhibitor, iptacopan, in patients with PNH previously treated with complement 5 inhibitors (C5i; eculizumab, ravulizumab). Methods Respective pivotal studies provided patient‐level trial data for pegcetacoplan (16‐week PEGASUS [NCT03500549]) and published data for iptacopan (24‐week APPLY PNH [NCT04558918]). Differences in study design, duration and statistical methods between PEGASUS and APPLY PNH necessitated the comparative analyses to be conducted on secondary measures based on haemoglobin (Hb) levels, absolute reticulocyte count (ARC), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, and patient‐reported outcomes on the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy–Fatigue (FACIT‐Fatigue) scale scores. The availability of a common reference C5i treatment group in both PEGASUS and APPLY PNH studies allowed anchored ITC (Bucher method). Simulated treatment comparison (STC) assessed the robustness of the main analysis. Results Overall, baseline characteristics of the populations in the PEGASUS and APPLY PNH studies were broadly comparable. Anchored ITC showed comparable outcomes (mean difference, [95% CI]) on change‐from‐baseline to end of study for pegcetacoplan versus C5i, and iptacopan versus C5i, respectively, across endpoints: Hb level ( − 0.49 g/dL [ − 1.78, 0.80]); ARC ( – 34.41 × 10 9 /L [ − 90.02, 21.21]); LDH level ( − 115.16 U/L [ − 244.40, 14.01]); FACIT‐Fatigue score (3.57 [ − 5.60, 12.73]). Finally, the STC produced results consistent with the main Bucher analyses across all clinical endpoints and patient‐reported fatigue, providing similar point estimates and confidence intervals. Conclusion This anchored ITC, based on data from pivotal trials, did not indicate significant differences in clinical or patient‐reported outcomes between pegcetacoplan and iptacopan in PNH treatment. The findings suggest that PNH treatment decisions should also consider individualised disease‐ and patient‐related factors. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03500549.
Expert consensus on the management of pharmacodynamic breakthrough-hemolysis in treated paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria
Dingli, David , Koprivnikar, Jamie, Maciejewski, Jaroslaw P. , Mulherin, Brian , Panse, Jens , Pullarkat, Vinod , Shammo, Jamile M. , Weitz, Ilene C. , Yermilov, Irina , Gibbs, Sarah N. , Broder, Michael S. , Beenhouwer, David O. , Kuter, David J. , Yermilov, Irina , Gibbs, Sarah , Broder, Michael , Dingli, David , III, Carlos De Castro, Kulasekararaj, Austin , Röth, Alexander , Terriou, Louis

Hematology | March 21, 2024 | Volume: 29 | Issue: 1 | Pages: No page available

10.1080/16078454.2024.2329030 Get It

Data-Driven Harmonization of 2022 Who and ICC Classifications of Myelodysplastic Syndromes/Neoplasms (MDS): A Study By the International Consortium for MDS (icMDS)
Ball, Somedeb , Travaglino, Erica , Ali, Najla H. Al, Fenaux, Pierre , Tinsley-Vance, Sara M., Schwabkey, Zaker , Brunner, Andrew M. , Bennett, John M. , Buckstein, Rena , Hasserjian, Robert P. , Odenike, Olatoyosi , Padron, Eric , Patnaik, Mrinal M. , Stahl, Maximilian , Xu, Mina L. , Sweet, Kendra , Sallman, David A. , Nimer, Stephen D. , Borate, Uma , Gore, Steven D. , Garcia‐Manero, Guillermo , Wang, Sa A. , Foucar, M K, Germing, Ulrich , Haferlach, Torsten , Miyazaki, Yasushi, Iastrebner, Marcelo , Cluzeau, Thomas , Loosdrecht, Arjan A. van de , Lanino, Luca , Bewersdorf, Jan Philipp , Marchetti, Monia , Maggioni, Giulia , Platzbecker, Uwe , Santini, Valeria , Díez‐Campelo, María , Singh, Avani , Jain, Akriti Gupta , Aguirre, Luis E. E. , Tinsley-Vance, Sara M., Chan, Onyee , Xie, Zhuoer , Kuykendall, Andrew , Bejar, Rafael , Carraway, Hetty E. , Dezern, Amy Elizabeth , Griffiths, Elizabeth A. , Halene, Stephanie , Lancet, Jeffrey E. , List, Alan F. , Loghavi, Sanam , Roboz, Gail J. , Sekeres, Mikkael A. , Steensma, David P. , Savona, Michael R. , Taylor, Justin , Hourigan, Christopher S. , Wei, Andrew H. , Sauta, Elisabetta , D'Amico, Saverio , Asti, Gianluca , Castellani, Gastone , Sanz, Guillermo , Efficace, Fabio , Kim, Tae Kon , Daver, Naval , Rozman, Marı́a , Órfão, Alberto , Scheinberg, Phillip , Miyazaki, Yasushi , Kulasekararaj, Austin , Kordasti, Shahram , Adès, Lionel , Zeidan, Amer M. , Komrokji, Rami S. , Della Porta, Matteo Giovanni

Blood | December 1, 2023 | Volume: 142 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 998-998

10.1182/blood-2023-186580 Get It

Background. The inclusion of gene mutations and chromosomal abnormalities in the 2022 WHO and ICC Classifications of MDS has enhanced diagnostic precision and is expected to improve clinical decision-making process. Although these two systems share similarities, clinically relevant discrepancies still exist and potentially cause inconsistency in their adoption in a clinical setting. In this study on behalf of the International Consortium for MDS (icMDS), we adopted a data-driven approach to provide a harmonization roadmap between the 2022 WHO and ICC classification for MDS. A modified Delphi Process consensus approach is currently ongoing among icMDS experts to finalize a harmonized MDS classification scheme. Methods. We analyzed retrospective international cohorts of patients with a diagnosis of MDS (n=7017) and AML (n=1002) according to WHO 2016 criteria. Hierarchical Dirichlet Processes were applied to define clusters capturing broad dependencies among all gene mutations and cytogenetic abnormalities. To investigate the features of importance and their impact on the clustering process, we employed the SHapley Additive exPlanations approach (SHAP). This allowed to define harmonized labels for each clinical entity. The clinical relevance of the unsupervised clustering was assessed through the analysis of phenotypic features and outcomes among each group. ( Blood 2022;140: 9828-9830) Results. Patients' characteristics are summarized in Table 1. We identified 9 clusters, defined by specific genomic features. The cluster of highest hierarchical importance was characterized by biallelic inactivation of TP53 (biTP53). According to SHAP analysis, bi TP53 was defined as 2 or more TP53 mutations, or 1 mutation with copy number loss or cnLOH. Most patients assigned to bi TP53 cluster had TP53 VAF>10% (77.9%) and complex karyotype (70.1%). Assignment to bi TP53 cluster was irrespective of blast count. Patients with monoallelic TP53 mutation segregated into other clusters. Hierarchically, the second cluster included patients with del(5q). SHAP analysis highlighted 5q deletion alone, or with one other chromosomal abnormality other than -7, and absence of bi TP53, as the most relevant features. Most of these patients had blast counts <5% (88.1%). The third distinct cluster included patients with SF3B1 mutations (in the absence of concurrent del(7q), abn3q26.2, complex karyotype or RUNX1 mutation). Most patients with MDS and SF3B1 mutation had <5% blasts (94.2%). Common co-mutated variants in the SF3B1 cluster included mutant DNMT3A (25.2%) and TET2 (38.3%). Morphologically defined MDS cases (i.e., not meeting criteria for bi TP53, del(5q) or SF3B1) were preferentially assigned to the following additional clusters: SF3B1 and concurrent higher-risk mutations (e.g., RUNX1 and ASXL1); SRSF2 and concomitant TET2 mutations; U2AF1 mutations with del(20q), del(7q) or -7; SRSF2 with TET2 mutations and co-mutational patterns including RUNX1 and ASXL1; and AML-like genomic signatures. Our analyses suggest that morphologically defined MDS is characterized by a large heterogeneity in terms of mutation profiles, not entirely captured by the presence of unilineage versus multilineage dysplasia, percentage of bone marrow blasts, and presence of hypocellularity and fibrosis. To better investigate the continuum between high risk MDS (i.e., patients with ≥10% blasts) and AML, an exploratory comparison was made using a cohort of AML (defined according to WHO 2016) patients analyzed using the same statistical methods. Only a partial overlap in genetic signatures was observed between MDS with ≥10% blasts and AML. However, similarities were observed between the AML-like MDS clusters (characterized by mutant NPM1, bZIP CEBPA, and Core Binding Factor abnormalities) and AML clusters defined by the same genetic signature, thus supporting the classification of these entities as AML, irrespective of blast count. Conclusion. Our study demonstrated the utility of a data-driven approach based on advanced statistical methods to generate a harmonized classification for MDS. Table 2 shows a provisional, hierarchical classification algorithm. Further refinement of entity labels and classification criteria is the subject of the ongoing modified Delphi Process consensus approach among icMDS experts.
Prognostic Value of Clone Size in Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH) for Thrombotic Events in Untreated Patients in the International PNH Registry
Maciejewski, Jaroslaw P. , Larratt, Loree, Wilson, Amanda, Gustovic, Philippe, Kulagin, Alexander , Latour, Régis Peffault de , Kulasekararaj, Austin , Go, Ronald S. , Dingli, David

Blood | October 14, 2019 | Volume: 132 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 1038-1038

10.1182/blood-2018-99-111324 Get It

Abstract Background/Objective: The association between paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) granulocyte clone size at disease onset and outcomes in patients with PNH remains unclear. Most but not all reports examining the relationship have shown a positive correlation between clone size and thrombotic events [TEs] in patients with PNH, but without a clear temporal association showing the prognostic value of clone size on the risk of TEs. The ongoing International PNH Registry (NCT01374360) is the largest prospective, observational study of patients with PNH conducted to date. The objective of this analysis was to examine the relationship between PNH granulocyte clone size at disease onset and risk of thrombosis after disease onset while untreated with a complement inhibitor in patients enrolled in the Registry. Methods: The current analysis included patients enrolled in the Registry as of April 2018 who had known demographics, were untreated with complement inhibitor therapy at enrollment, and had ≥12 months of untreated follow-up after disease onset. Baseline was defined as disease onset (earliest of a reported PNH clone, date of PNH diagnosis, or reported PNH symptom), and patients were stratified into 5 cohorts based on clone size at baseline (using the earliest reported clone prior to enrollment): cohort 1, clone size: 0.01-1%; cohort 2, clone size: >1-5%; cohort 3, clone size: >5-10%; cohort 4, clone size: >10-50%; cohort 5, clone size: >50%. Event rates for TEs and all major adverse vascular events (MAVEs; including TEs) were calculated for the time period from baseline to last follow-up. Other outcomes of interest included LDH ratio (LDH/LDH upper limit of normal [ULN]), hemoglobin levels, platelet counts, absolute neutrophil counts, and absolute reticulocyte counts at last follow-up. Results: A total of 2489 patients were eligible for the analysis. The majority of patients in the overall study population were female (54.0% [1343/2489]) and white (79.2% [1967/2484]). Mean (standard deviation [SD]) age at PNH start ranged from 36.4 (16.53) in cohort 5 to 44.2 (20.70) in cohort 1. Median time from baseline to last follow-up was 3.7 years in cohort 1, 4.3 years in cohort 2, 4.7 years in cohort 3, 5.6 years in cohort 4, and 6.8 years in cohort 5. Results for the outcomes of interest are summarized in the Table. All cohorts showed a risk of MAVE and TE during follow-up. Although estimated rates of MAVE and TE were highest in the >50% clone size cohort, there was no difference in the rate of MAVE or TE during follow-up across the 4 cohorts with clone size <50% at disease onset. Mean LDH ratio (LDH/LDH ULN) at last follow-up showed a statistically significant difference by clone size at baseline among the cohorts, ranging from a mean (SD) of 1.1 (1.34) in the patients with clone size <1% and increasing to 5.1 (3.81) in the patients with clone size >50% (P<0.0001). No difference in hemoglobin level at last follow-up was observed in the smaller clone size cohorts, although mean hemoglobin level was lower in patients with clone size >50% (P<0.0001). Similar trends were seen in mean platelet and absolute neutrophil counts across the smaller clone size cohorts, while patients with clone size >50% showed higher values (P<0.0001). Mean absolute reticulocyte count at last follow-up was lowest in patients with clone size 0.01-1%, and were incrementally higher in each successive clone-size cohort (P<0.0001). Conclusions: In this study, all patients with a PNH clone at disease onset were at risk for TEs and other MAVEs. Patients in the highest baseline PNH clone size strata (clone size >50%) had an approximately 2-times higher risk of TEs than patients with smaller clone sizes; Patients with small clone sizes (0.01-1%) were older and showed a higher prevalence of BMD. There was no difference in the prognostic value of clone size at disease onset on the risk of TEs and other MAVEs in patients with small (0.01-1% and 1-5%) versus medium-sized (5-10% or 10-50%) clones. Table Table. Disclosures Peffault De Latour: Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Pfizer Inc.: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Amgen Inc.: Research Funding. Maciejewski:Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Apellis Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Apellis Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Ra Pharmaceuticals, Inc: Consultancy; Ra Pharmaceuticals, Inc: Consultancy. Kulasekararaj:Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel Support . Larratt:Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Honoraria, Research Funding. Dingli:Millennium Takeda: Research Funding; Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Other: Participates in the International PNH Registry (for Mayo Clinic, Rochester) for Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Millennium Takeda: Research Funding; Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Other: Participates in the International PNH Registry (for Mayo Clinic, Rochester) for Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.. Wilson:Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Gustovic:Alexion Pharma GmbH: Employment, Equity Ownership. Kulagin:Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Consultancy, Honoraria.
S865 CHANGE IN CLONE SIZE DOES NOT PREDICT RISK OF MAJOR ADVERSE VASCULAR EVENTS: RESULTS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL PNH REGISTRY
Larratt, Loree, Go, RS, David, Daniel, Höchsmann, Britta , Gustovic, Philippe, Latour, Régis Peffault de , Kulasekararaj, Austin , Wilson, A., Kulagin, Alexander

HemaSphere | June 17, 2019 | Volume: 3 | Issue: S1 | Pages: 387

10.1097/01.hs9.0000561740.44478.b8 Get It

Background:In paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), the granulocyte clone size is often used as an indicator of disease severity. However, the prognostic value of changing clone size on clinical outcomes in PNH is not well understood.Aims:To assess the prognostic value of change in PNH granulocyte clone size on the risk of developing major adverse vascular events (MAVE) or high disease activity (HDA: elevated hemolysis [lactate dehydrogenase {LDH} ≥1.5 x upper limit of normal] and one or more PNH‐related symptom[s]) in patients with PNH.Methods:The International PNH Registry is the largest worldwide observational study of patients with a diagnosis of PNH or a detected PNH clone as low as 0.01%. This study assessed patients with a baseline value for PNH clone size (defined as the closest value to disease onset) and at least one additional clone size value, who were untreated with complement inhibitor therapy at enrollment, and had ≥12 months of untreated follow‐up. Patients were stratified by clone size at baseline and change in clone size was estimated using regression models of clone size vs duration from disease start, adjusted for baseline clone size. Patients were categorized as having stable, increasing, or decreasing clone size depending on the slope, where a change in clone size >10% per year was considered increasing/decreasing. Prognostic value of change in clone size was assessed using Poisson regression to estimate rate ratios of MAVE and logistic regression to estimate odds ratios of HDA during follow‐up, with stable clone size as the reference. Adjusted models included baseline LDH ratio category, history of bone marrow disease at baseline, baseline clone size, and duration.Results:As of April 3, 2018, a total of 1894 patients were available for analysis: cohort (COH) 1 (clone size >0.01% to ≤1%, n = 381); COH 2 (clone size >1% to ≤5%, n = 318); COH 3 (clone size >5% to ≤10%, n = 159); COH 4 (clone size >10% to ≤50%, n = 480); COH 5 (clone size >50% to ≤100%, n = 556). Median duration was 3.5 years. Clone size was stable in only 16.2% of patients, as compared with 45.3% increasing and 38.5% decreasing; stable clone size was primarily seen in patients with a clone size ≤1% at baseline (58% of patients in COH 1 with a stable clone), with less than 10% of patients with a stable clone in the other cohorts. Clone size change over time was highly prognostic of HDA; patients with increasing and decreasing clone size had an increased risk of HDA, compared to patients with stable clone size, although this may be due to patients with a stable clone largely in COH 1 with a low risk of HDA; after adjusting, we see no increased risk of HDA in patients with decreasing clone size, but the increased risk of HDA in patients with increasing clone size is maintained (Table). Due to limited data on covariates at baseline, only 156 patients were available for this adjusted analysis. There was no difference in the MAVE rate in patients with increasing or decreasing clone size as compared with those with a stable clone size. The lack of effect was maintained even after adjusting for covariates (Table).Summary/Conclusion:This is the first analysis of the prognostic value of PNH clone size changes on clinical outcomes over time in patients with PNH. Increasing clone size over time was predictive of patients experiencing HDA during their disease course. Interestingly, no difference in the MAVE rate was seen in patients with increasing or decreasing clone size, suggesting that change in clone size does not change the increased risk of MAVE in patients with PNH.image