Abstract Background: The FIP1L1-PDGFRA fusion, an imatinib-sensitive molecular target, is detected in a subset of cases with moderate-to-severe eosinophilia (eosinophil count ≥1500/μL). Using 2 FISH strategies to detect loss of the CHIC2 locus as a surrogate marker of the FIP1L1-PDGFRA fusion, we previously found 14% of cases to be CHIC2-deleted when studying bone marrow smears from 81 adult patients with moderate-to-severe, non-reactive eosinophilia at our institution (Blood 2004, 104:3038–3045). Since then, the FISH test has been made available for routine clinical use both within our institution, and to external physicians as a mail-in test, for the workup of patients with eosinophilic disorders, including systemic mast cell disease (SMCD). Study design: FISH data, subsequent to the test’s introduction into routine clinical practice (from Nov. 2003), were retrospectively analyzed for CHIC2-deletion. Data from the initial pilot study of 81 patients was not used in this analysis (Table). The imatinib treatment analysis, however, included all CHIC2-deleted patients treated at our institution, including those from the pilot study (Table). Results: A total of 741 patients were studied in the post-pilot phase. Of these, 20 cases were found to be CHIC2-deleted, with an overall prevalence of 2.7% (Table). Of the 219 patients seen at our institution, 13 (all male) were found to be CHIC2-deleted (Table) (prevalence=5.9%), and of these, 10 have been treated with imatinib (100 mg/day starting dose) to date. Nine patients are evaluable for response - all achieved a complete clinical and histological remission (7 patients were tested by FISH post-treatment - all achieved cytogenetic remission). One patient received concomitant corticosteroids for co-morbidities and could not be evaluated for response. After a median follow-up of 24 months (range 17 to 39 months), all 9 patients continue to be in remission, with a normal eosinophil count. At last follow-up, one patient had discontinued imatinib and the others were on maintenance therapy at the following dose: 100mg/wk (n=1), 100mg BIW (n=1), 100mg TIW (n=2), 50mg QOD (n=1), and 100 mg/day (n=3). Conclusions: FIP1L1-PDGFRA prevalence in non-selected patients with eosinophilia is lower than anticipated from prior studies. Patients with FIP1L1-PDGFRA exhibit durable responses to imatinib therapy. It may be feasible to maintain some patients in remission on an empirically derived, intermittent schedule of low-dose imatinib. Pilot Data Post-pilot Data (n=741) Total Mayo samples Mayo samples Mail-in samples Number of Patients 81 138 603 822 Number CHIC2-deleted 11 2 18 31 Prevalence 14% 1.4% 3.0% 3.8% Number Imatinib treated 8 2 n/a 10
Risk Factors for Survival and Thrombosis in Patients with Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH): A Single Institution Study of 68 Patients.
Abstract Background: Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH) is a clonal stem cell disorder characterized by intravascular hemolysis, thrombosis, bone marrow failure and reduced survival. In this current single institution study of patients with PNH, we investigate the risk factors predictive of survival and thrombosis. Methods: Data were abstracted from medical records of a consecutive cohort of patients with PNH seen at the Mayo Clinic. Diagnosis was confirmed by the presence of intravascular Hemolysis and either a positive Ham’s test, and/or by the presence of a GPI-deficient hematopoietic clone. Follow-up data were obtained by contacting the patients and by reviewing the social security death index. Results: i. Patients and treatment: The study cohort included 68 patients with PNH (median age 32 years, range 10–77; 33 females) with a median follow up of 84.5 months (range, 1–538 months). Presenting features included infection (n=9), thrombosis (n=9), neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count (ANC) < 1000) (n=32) severe intravascular hemolysis (n=16) and splenomegaly (n=11). Prior to the diagnosis of PNH, 6 patients (8.8%) carried a diagnosis of aplastic anemia (AA) and 2 (2.9%) myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Complications documented after diagnosis included major thrombosis (n=11), major hemorrhage (n=4), and development of AA (n=7), MDS (n=4), and non-hematologic cancer (n=4) but none experienced leukemic transformation. Treatment included prednisone (n=30), other immunosuppressive agents (n=6), androgens (n=10), and bone marrow transplantation (n=4). Review of treatment with systemic anticoagulation disclosed only 2 patients that were receiving prophylactic warfarin therapy and both patients remain free of thrombosis after 1 and 2 years of therapy. ii. Thrombotic events and risk factors: Overall, 20 patients (29.4 %) experienced one or more episodes of major thrombosis. Among several clinical and laboratory parameters evaluated at presentation, only the detection of urine hemoglobin and infection were found to be significantly associated with the occurrence of thrombosis (p=0.05) iii. Risk factors for survival To date, 18 patients (27%) have died and median survival for the study cohort is projected at 21.1 years. Multivariate analysis identified thrombosis (p=0.003) and an ANC of > 1000 (p= 0.05) at presentation as independent risk factors for inferior survival. In addition, the occurrence of major hemorrhage was significantly associated with poor survival (p= 0.04). Conclusion The current study provides natural history information in a relatively large cohort of patients with PNH and identifies certain disease features that could be further explored for their potential as risk factors for both thrombosis and survival.
Leukocytosis at Diagnosis and the Risk of Subsequent Thrombosis in Low-Risk Essential Thrombocythemia and Polycythemia Vera.
Abstract Background: Leukocytosis has recently been implicated as an adverse prognostic feature for thrombosis in both ET and PV. Such an association would be therapeutically most relevant in the context of “low-risk” disease. In the current study, we sought to clarify the relationship between leukocytosis at diagnosis and the subsequent occurrence of either arterial or venous thrombosis, in “low-risk” patients with ET or PV. Methods: Data was abstracted from the medical records of a consecutive cohort of patients with WHO-defined ET or PV seen at the Mayo Clinic. Low-risk disease was defined by the absence of both thrombosis history and age 3 60 years. Cox proportional hazards model was utilized to determine the impact of clinical and laboratory variables on thrombosis-free survival (TFS). Arterial- or venous-specific TFS curves were constructed by Kaplan-Meier method. Results: i) Patient characteristics and outcome A total of 407 “low-risk” patients were studied; 153 had PV (median age 48 years; females 43%) and 254 ET (median age 42 years; females 71%). A total of 46 thrombotic events (22 arterial and 24 venous) were recorded in 41 (27%) patients with PV during a median follow up of 130 months (range 2–562 months). The corresponding figures in ET were 54 total thrombotic events (41 arterial and 14 venous) in 47 (19%) patients at a median follow up of 104 months (range 0.25–424 months). Cytoreductive therapy was avoided in the presence of < 1000 x 109/L platelet count but, at the discretion of the treating physician, some patients with higher platelet counts received prophylactic cytoreductive therapy. ii) Correlation between leukocytosis and thrombosis A leukocyte count of 3 15 x 109/L at diagnosis was documented in 42 (27%) patients with PV and 21 (8%) patients with ET; 102 patients (40%) with ET had > 9.4 x 109/L leukocyte count. Leukocyte count considered as either a continuous or categorical variable (using cutoff levels of 15 x 109/L for PV and either 15 x 109/L or 9.4 x 109/L for ET) was not significantly associated with either arterial or venous thrombosis (Figure 1). iii) Correlation between other risk factors and thrombosis In univariate analysis, presence of the JAK2V617F was significantly associated with arterial thrombosis in ET (p=0.049) but significance was lost during multivariable analysis that included age as a covariate. Only advanced age was found to be significantly associated with arterial thrombosis in PV (p=0.04) and higher hemoglobin level with venous thrombosis in ET (p<0.0001). Conclusion: The current study does not identify leukocyte count at diagnosis as a marker of increased thrombosis risk in low-risk patients with either ET or PV. Instead, the study found an association between arterial thrombosis and advanced age in PV and venous thrombosis and higher hemoglobin level in ET. Figure Figure
Predictors of Pregnancy Outcome in Essential Thrombocythemia: A Single Institution Study of 63 Pregnancies.
Abstract Background: Essential thrombocythemia (ET) frequently occurs in women of childbearing age. Recently, an increased risk of pregnancy complications was reported in patients with ET carrying the JAK2V617F mutation (Passamonti et al. Blood. 2007;110:485). In the current study, we sought to validate this observation as well as identify other predictors of pregnancy loss in ET. Methods: Data was abstracted from the medical records of a consecutive cohort of patients with WHO-defined ET seen at the Mayo Clinic. Patient characteristics and pregnancy outcome are summarized using descriptive statistics. The analysis of risk factors associated with pregnancy complications was carried out by both univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: i) Patient characteristics at ET diagnosis A total of 63 pregnancies were recorded in 36 women at or after their diagnosis of ET. At diagnosis of ET, median (range) values were: age 26 years (15–36), platelet count 1350 x 109/L (683–3300), hemoglobin level 13.3 g/dL (10.5–16) and leukocyte count 9.3 x109/L (5–26.9). JAK2V617F mutation analysis was performed in 20 patients; half were positive. Only 5 patients had a history of thrombosis at diagnosis. Follow-up after ET diagnosis was for a median of 82.9 months (range, 6.5–340.8 months). ii) Outcome of first pregnancy at or after diagnosis of ET A total of 36 first pregnancies were documented at or after the diagnosis of ET. At the time, median (range) values were: time from diagnosis 25.5 months (0–155), age 28 years (20–36), platelet count 840 x 109/L (255–1998), hemoglobin 12.9 g/dl (9–16.6) and leukocyte count 8.4 x109/L (6.6–19.8). Seven of the 36 (19%) women were receiving cytoreductive therapy at time of conception: anagrelide (n=4), interferon (n=1), hydroxyurea (n=1) and radiophosphorus (n=1). Aspirin therapy was documented in 53% of the women at time of conception and in 69% during the first trimester of their pregnancy. Among the 36 first pregnancies, 61% (n=22) resulted in live birth and 39% (n=14) in fetal loss. Twelve of the 14 pregnancy losses occurred during the first trimester (10 spontaneous miscarriages, 1 ectopic pregnancy and 1 therapeutic abortion) and the remaining two during the second trimester. Maternal complications occurred in 11% (n=4) of pregnancies and included pre-eclampsia (n=1), hematoma after Cesarean-section (n=2) and post-partum hemorrhage (n=1). iii) Predictors of first pregnancy outcome in ET Pregnancy outcome, in terms of live birth versus miscarriage did not correlate with age (p=0.27), presence of cardiovascular risk factor (p=0.76), platelet count (p=0.49), leukocyte count (p=0.67) or hemoglobin level (p=0.31). Similarly, pregnancy loss was similar between JAK2V617F-positive (4 of 10 pregnancies) and JAK2V617F-negative (4 of 10 pregnancies) patients (p>0.9). Furthermore, among 5 cases of 3 consecutive miscarriages, 4 were JAK2V617F-negative. Interestingly, the rate of pregnancy loss was only 21% among 24 patients receiving aspirin therapy during the first trimester as compared to 75% among the 12 patients in whom no such treatment was documented (p=0.002). iv) Second and subsequent pregnancy outcome Seventeen second pregnancies were recorded; 71% (n=12) resulted in live birth that included 8 of 9 patients with successful and 4 of 8 with unsuccessful first pregnancies (p=0.07). The trend was similar among 7 third pregnancies, which resulted in only one live birth; 5 of the 6 fetal losses occurred in women with history of first pregnancy loss (p=0.09). Conclusion: The current study does not support the recently communicated association between the presence of JAK2V617F and increased risk of pregnancy loss in ET. Instead, two parameters of potential importance for predicting pregnancy outcome in ET were identified; the occurrence of a miscarriage might be a marker for a similar event during subsequent pregnancies whereas aspirin therapy during the first trimester might be beneficial.
Effect of obesity on overall survival in patients diagnosed with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML).
7064 Background: Obesity is a growing medical challenge that has strong association with many comorbid diseases. Body mass index (BMI) is used as one indicator for obesity. A few papers have linked hematological cancers with a worse prognosis if obesity was present. Aim: to study the influence of obesity clinical outcome in patients (pts) with CMML. Methods: A retrospective chart review of pts with CMML at Mayo Clinic Rochester between 1994–2011 was done. BMI was calculated at diagnosis or first time visit. Overweight was defined as BMI ≥25, while obesity as BMI >30. IRB approval was obtained. Comparison between medians was done using Wilcoxon test, while survival estimates were calculated using Kaplan-Meier estimates via JMP software v.9. Results: We found227 pts with a median follow-up of 311 days, 68% of which weremales. Median age was 71 years, hemoglobin 11 gm/dL, white blood cells (WBC) 12x 109/L, and platelets 90x 109/L. Obese pts had a median age of 68 (p=0.0058), hemoglobin 11 gm/dL (p=0.0018), WBC 13.5 x 109/L, platelets 115x109/L (p=0.012), PB blasts 0, bone marrow (BM) blasts 3.5% compared to non-obese pts (73, 10, 11, 78, 0, 3%, respectively). Diploid cytogenetics were similar in both groups (68% vs 64%, respectively, p=0.54). Leukemic transformation into acute myeloid leukemia (LT) was found in 13% vs 10% (p=0.83). Overall response (OR) was 24% and 23%, respectively (p=0.2), when limited to hypomethylating agents OR was 33% vs 27%, respectively (p=0.62). Median OS was found to be similar (571 day vs 569 days, respectively, p=0.56). When compared, overweight pts had similar outcome to non-overweight. Median LT was 11% vs 15% respectively, OR was 21% vs 28% respectively (p=0.5), and OS was 571 days vs 549 days respectively (p=0.21). On a multivariate analysis age, hemoglobin, platelets, BM blasts%, gender, and obesity (p=0.048) were of a significant value for OS. Conclusions: When compared, both obesity and overweight did not affect demographic characteristics, overall response, or transformation into AML. When comparing median overall survival, obesity was not a significant factor, possibly due to short follow-up. However, on multivariate analysis obesity did have a negative impact on overall survival.
CDKN2A-deletion to predict relapse in adult B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL).
6614 Background: CDKN2A locus on chromosome 9p21 is implicated in altered molecular pathways leading to leukemogenesis as a tumor suppressor by inhibiting the proliferative kinases CDK4/CDK6 and blocking the cell-cycle division during G1/S phase. Deletion of CDKN2A locus is frequently seen in ALL, although prognostic significance remains unclear. Methods: Retrospective chart review at Mayo Clinic between 8/2005-11/2011 was performed on adult B-ALL patients (pts) who underwent fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) studies at diagnosis. Survival estimate was calculated using Kaplan-Meier statistics. Event-free survival (EFS) was defined as time between diagnosis and induction failure, relapse, or death, while overall survival (OS) as time between diagnosis and death Results: Out of 27 pts who had FISH studies for CDKN2A, 15 (56%) pts had CDKN2A deletions (8 homozygous/7 hemizygous), while 12 (44%) pts had diploid cytogenetics (none had abnormalities of MLL, bcr/abl fusion or CDKN2A deletion on FISH). There was no significant difference in median age, gender, WBC, hemoglobin, platelet count, LDH or complete remission (CR) rate (p=0.924) between the two groups. CDKN2A-deleted pts had higher circulating blasts (34% vs 16%, p=0.017). Of 13 CDKN2A-deleted pts, chromosome 9p was intact in 9 (69%) pts using routine cytogenetics. In the CDKN2A-deleted group, allogeneic stem cell transplant (ASCT) was performed in 7 (47%) pts at first CR and 1 at second CR. Four of 15 (27%) CDKN2A-deleted pts also had bcr/abl fusion. Five-year EFS was poorer in CDKN2A-deleted pts compared to normal FISH group (22% vs 60%, p=0.042), while 5-year OS was 72% vs 60% (p=0.308), respectively. Excluding the 4 bcr/abl fusion pts, 5-year EFS was still statistically significant (p=0.008). In the CDKN2A deleted group, both 5-yr EFS (80% vs 0%, p=0.006) and OS (100% vs 42%, p=0.016) were significantly superior in pts who received ASCT. Conclusions: CDKN2A deletions predict earlier relapse in pts with B-ALL. Majority of 9p abnormalities were only found by FISH testing and missed by conventional cytogenetics. In CDKN2A deleted pts, ASCT gave overall survival advantage. Further investigation through larger cohorts of pts is needed to validate these findings.
Clinical correlates of JAK2V617F allele burden in essential thrombocythemia
7030 Background: JAK2V617F occurs in approximately 50% of patients with essential thrombocythemia. Qualitative studies of mutation analysis have previously reported an association between JAK2V617F and advanced age, higher hemoglobin level, higher leukocyte count, and lower platelet count. A possible association with thrombotic complication has also been considered. Methods: Allele-specific, quantitative PCR analysis for JAK2V617F was performed on 176 patients with ET, using genomic DNA from archived bone marrow, which was collected within one year (n=72), between 1 and 5 years (n=64), or after 5 years (n=40) of diagnosis. Results: JAK2V617F was detected in 96 patients (55%), in whom mutant allele burden ranged from 1% to 100% (median 6.3%). Neither mutational frequency (p=0.37) nor mutant allele burden (p=0.62) was affected by the timing of bone marrow sample collection. Presence of JAK2V617F was significantly associated with higher hemoglobin level (p<0.0001), lower platelet count (p=0.001), higher leukocyte count (p=0.008), increased incidence of venous thrombosis occurring after diagnosis (p=0.02), and older age at diagnosis (p=0.03). All but age retained significance in multivariable analysis. In mutation-positive patients (n=96), JAK2V617F allele burden clustered between 1% and 22% in 94 cases, in whom it correlated directly and significantly with platelet and leukocyte counts, palpable splenomegaly at diagnosis, and venous thrombosis occurring after diagnosis. Conclusions: JAK2V617F allele burden imparts additional phenotypic effects in ET. No significant financial relationships to disclose.
Bi-Institutional Study of Etiology, Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Adult Patients with Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis
Abstract Background: Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a severe clinical syndrome characterized by the activation of mononuclear phagocytic system. Patients (pts) typically present with fever, cytopenias, splenomegaly, hyperferritinemia and hemophagocytosis. There are two categories of HLH: primary (familial) and secondary (acquired). Primary HLH (FHL) is caused by genetic defects in proteins involved in cytotoxic function in T and NK cells, and occurs most commonly in children; though hypomorphic mutations in the same genes may cause adult-onset FHL. In contrast, secondary HLH typically occurs in adults, and is due to underlying infectious, autoimmune, and malignant disorders. The limited knowledge about secondary adult HLH is derived from case reports or case series involving few pts. The current study is the first collaborative effort to describe the etiology, clinical characteristics and outcomes in a large cohort of adult HLH pts. Methods: All adult (≥18 years) pts with a diagnosis of HLH according to the HLH-04 criteria seen at Barnes Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, MO (from October 2003 through June 2014) and at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN (from January 1996 through May 2014) were identified. Five of the following eight criteria are considered diagnostic of HLH according to the HLH-04 criteria: 1) fever ≥38.50C; 2) splenomegaly; 3) cytopenia of two or three lines: ANC <1 × 109/L, hemoglobin <9 g/dL, platelet count <100 × 109/L; 4) serum triglycerides ≥265 mg/dL or serum fibrinogen ≤150 mg/dL; 5) serum ferritin ≥500 mcg/L; 6) soluble IL-2 receptor ≥2400 U/mL; 7) low/absent NK cell activity; and 8) biopsy-proven hemophagocytosis. Pts who were treated as HLH but did not fulfill the diagnostic criteria were excluded. The most likely etiology of HLH (malignancy, infection, autoimmune, and idiopathic) was assigned for each patient based on standard diagnostic criteria. Clinical characteristics were compared using Chi-square, student’s t-test and Mann-Whitney test, as appropriate. Overall survival (OS), defined as time from HLH diagnosis to death from any cause, was assessed using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and log-rank tests. The Institutional Review Boards of both institutions approved this study. Results: One hundred and sixteen adult pts with HLH were identified. Their median age at diagnosis was 50 years (range, 18-82); 69 (58%) pts were male. The clinical and laboratory findings of pts according to HLH-04 criteria are summarized in Table 1. At diagnosis, the median serum ferritin was 18510 mcg/L (range, 561-684,000), median serum fibrinogen was 169 mg/dL (range, 50-766), and median serum triglycerides was 307 mg/dL (range, 68-1475). Ninety-one (78%) pts had transaminitis; 97/106 (92%) pts had hypoalbuminemia; 86/114 (75%) pts had elevated PT and/or aPTT; and 51 (44%) pts had renal insufficiency. The causes of HLH were as follows: 43 (37%) malignancies, 42 (36%) infections, 15 (13%) attributed to autoimmune disorders and primary immunodeficiencies, and 16 (14%) were idiopathic. After a median follow-up of 1.5 months, 70 (60.3%) pts have died. The median OS of the entire cohort was 2.8 months (range, 0.1-73.1 months), with a 5-year overall survival of 20%. Pts with malignancy-associated HLH had a markedly worse survival (median=1.2 months) compared to pts with non-malignancy-associated HLH (median=13.8 months, p < 0.0001, Figure 1). In a multivariable analysis, malignancy-associated HLH (hazard ratio [HR] = 4.4; 95% CI: 1.7-11.3; p = 0.002) and male gender (HR = 2.8, 95% CI: 1.2-6.5; p = 0.02) were independently associated with shorter survival. Conclusions: The triad of fever, cytopenias and elevated ferritin (present in >80% of pts in this series) should alert physicians to a possible diagnosis of adult HLH. Survival after a diagnosis of HLH is dismal, especially among those with malignancy-associated HLH. The development of a national registry for adults with HLH will be beneficial to further our understanding of this condition and develop effective treatment strategies. Table 1: Clinical and laboratory findings according to the HLH-04 criteria Characteristic No. (%) of patients Fever 112/116 (97) Splenomegaly 75/116 (65) Bicytopenia or pancytopenia 95/116 (82) Hypertriglyceridemia 71/107 (66) Hypofibrinogenemia 50/107 (47) Hemophagocytosis 95/111 (86) Hyperferritinemia 115/115 (100) Elevated soluble IL-2 33/40 (82) Absent or decreased NK cell function 12/22 (54) Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
A Study of Bedside Visual Art To Decrease Anxiety and Improve Pain and Mood in Cancer Patients: The Mayo Clinic Experience.
Abstract Background: The treatment of cancer-related symptoms continues to represent a major challenge for health care providers. Traditional approaches often require pharmacologic interventions which have potential side effects. A wide variety of approaches using complementary and alternative medicine (including music therapy) have demonstrated some early benefit. The role of a visual art intervention on pain, anxiety and mood has not been studied to date. Patients and Methods: Our patient population consisted of 21 Hematology inpatients at the Mayo Clinic (19 women, 2 men with a median age of 53.4 years, [range19 to 73]), with the following hematological disorders: Acute Leukemia (n = 6); Lymphoma (n = 5); Multiple Myeloma (n = 5); and a variety of other malignant conditions (n =5). Patients and their families were invited to participate actively or passively (i.e. observe) in a 1 to1 visual art intervention, conducted by a trained artist educator using different forms of art media. Baseline assessments of pain, anxiety and mood were conducted just prior to the intervention using Visual Analog scales (VAS), the Spielberger State Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) respectively. The same scales were administered immediately following completion of the art intervention. Results: Twenty of 21 patients completed the intervention, and all 20 patients actively participated. A significant improvement in positive mood scores (4.6 [95%CI: (1.7, 7.5)] or 14.6% change, p=0.003), decrease in negative mood scores (−3.4 [95%CI: (−0.7, −6.1)] or 18% change, p=0.016) and in anxiety scores (−9.2 [95%CI: (−14.2, −4.1)] or 21.6% change, p=0.001) were observed. Among the 14 patients who reported some pain (VAS>0) prior to the intervention, the mean VAS pain score improved significantly (−1.4 [95%CI: (−2.4, −0.3)] or 35.1% change, p=0.017). Universally all patients commented that they would participate in art-based interventions in the future Conclusions Bedside visual art interventions can decrease pain and anxiety, and improve mood in hospitalized hematological patients with cancer diagnoses. These intriguing findings warrant future placebo-controlled studies, and suggest that these alternative measures should be considered as an adjunct to conventional therapies in patients with cancer-related pain, and symptoms of anxiety and decreased mood.
Desideromastica: Tactile Chew Cravings in Iron Deficiency Anemia
Introduction: The compulsive craving and consumption of non-food substances, known as pica, is a well-documented symptom associated with iron deficiency anemia (IDA). Olfactory cravings associated with IDA are a recently described phenomenon known as desiderosmia. In our practice we observed a subset of patients with IDA who report specific tactile cravings associated with mastication. Methods: This study included patients from the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN) and Ankara Training and Research Hospital (Ankara, Turkey) Hematology practices who self-reported tactile mastication cravings during initial evaluation for IDA between 1/1/18 and 6/30/19. Information including sociodemographics, substance craved, values of hemoglobin (Hgb), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and ferritin before and after iron replacement therapy, and symptom resolution after treatment were recorded. Results: We observed 12 patients with IDA who self-reported chew cravings during initial evaluation. All patients were female and the median age was 41.5 years (33-59). Of these 12 patients, median baseline Hgb, MCV, and ferritin were 9.4 g/dL (6.6-12.9), 73.7 fL (59.1-95.1), and 6 µg/L (2-21), respectively. Tactile cravings included chewing gum (3), mastic gum (2), ginseng (1), dry oats (1), crackers (1), pickles (1), chips (1), sawdust (1), and knitting rope (1). Many patients reported the frequency and satisfaction of these cravings resulted in jaw pain as well as the persistence of cravings despite this discomfort. Only 16.7% (2/12) reported concurrent ice pica. In total, 9 patients proceeded with observed treatment of their IDA with clinical follow-up and laboratory confirmation of iron repletion. Oral (ferrous glyconate or ferrous fumarate) and intravenous (ferric carboxymaltose, iron sucrose, or low molecular weight iron dextran) iron replacement were used in 33.3% (3/9) and 66.7% (6/9) patients, respectively. Post-treatment median laboratory values include: Hgb 12.7 g/dL (10.8-14.7), MCV 80.1 fL (76.1-91.7), and ferritin 98 µg/L (24-398). Overall, 88.9% (8/9) reported resolution of chew cravings after iron repletion. The lone patient with persistent symptoms had a baseline ferritin of 10 µg/L, improved to 398 µg/L after replacement, and settled back at 42 µg/L three months later. Discussion: Our patient experience provides suggestive evidence that oral tactile craving symptoms, distinct from ice pica, exists in a subset of patients suffering from IDA. For this, we propose the term "desideromastica" derived from the Latin words "desiderare" for desire and "mastica" for chew. "Desidero" can also be indicative of a reduction in iron, which relates to iron deficiency. Our hope in naming this relatively unexplored symptom associated with IDA will encourage additional clinicians to share their experience and guide future investigation. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.