Stratification of multiple myeloma according to serum beta 2-microglobulin and serum albumin levels.
Lykilorð
Útdráttur
In 71 patients with multiple myeloma the authors evaluated the clinical significance and the prognostic relevance of Bataille's stratification system based on serum beta 2-microglobulin and serum albumin levels. This staging system, which classified the patients to low, intermediate and poor risk groups (stages 1-3) showed a rather small prognostic significance, and it stratified our myeloma patients unsatisfactorily. On the basis of the results of our own analyses, we have developed our own modification of a pilot stratification system. We have verified its good clinical applicability and its powerful prognostic prediction. In this study, the good prognostic significance of serum beta 2-microglobulin and albumin levels (with the best cut-off levels of 4.0 mg/l and 35.0 g/l) and a good correlation between both analysed markers were confirmed.