Multiple myeloma (MM) is characterized by plasmocyte expansion in the bone marrow and the production of monoclonal immunoglobulin, causing bone destruction, renal failure, hematopoietic suppression and infections. Identification of clinical and laboratory factors in the diagnosis are important to predict survival. The Dürie/Salmon staging system, used for the disease, is based on the correlation of clinical and laboratory parameters on tumoral mass. Studies of the combination of β2 microglobulin and albumin resulted in a simple staging system, known as the International Staging System (ISS), which is currently being used. The objectives of this work were to analyze clinical and laboratory characteristics in the diagnosis of MM patients and a study of survival. A non-competitive cohort study was performed of 101 MM patients attended in the Hematology Service/Hospital das Clínicas-UFMG who were diagnosed in the period of April 1994 to October 2006.A descriptive analysis of the characteristics at diagnosis and a study of survival were made. The descriptive analysis was achieved using the Kaplan-Meier technique and the Log-Rank test utilized for a comparison of survival curves. The Cox regression test was used for multivariate analysis. The average age of the patients was 63 years, 47.5% were men and 52.5% women, with 50.6% being white, 33.3% black and 16.1% mulattos. The most common clinical manifestations were: bone pain (83.2%) and weakness (70.3%). Radiographies of the skeleton showed alterations in 83.8% of the cases. In respect to the Dürie/Salmon staging system, 63 (62.4%) patients were in stage III, 32 (31.7%) in stage II and 6 (5.9%) in stage I. Using the ISS classification, 22 (30.1%) patients were in stage III, 31 (42.5%) in stage II and 20 (27.4%) in stage I. Overall survival was 66.52 months with a follow-up of 20 months. In the univariate analysis, creatinine (p=0.006), hemoglobin (p=0.001), the Dürie/Salmon staging system (p=0.009) and ISS (p=0.014) were significant. In the multivariate analysis only hemoglobin (p=0.012) was correlated to survival. Most of the patients presented in the advanced stage at diagnosis with repercussions on survival.
Multiple myeloma; prognostic; clinical and laboratory characteristics
