Hematological adverse effects of Imetelstat in Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Abstract

Background: Imetelstat, is effective in treating myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) but is associated with hematological adverse effects.

Objective: To assess hematological adverse effects of Imetelstat and to evaluate imetelstat as an effective therapy option for individuals with MDS

Methodology: An electronic search from PubMed/Medline, Cochrane Trial register and Google scholar was conducted from their inception to 20th June 2024. OpenMeta[Analyst] software was used for all statistical analyses. Random effects models were used to calculate the pooled incidence measures and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results: Four studies, with a total of 353 participants, were selected for analysis. The incidence of thrombocytopenia in patients using Imetelstat across the 4 studies reporting on 353 patients ranged from 22.9% to 65.8%. The overall pooled incidence of thrombocytopenia was 50.4% (95% CI 37.7% - 63.2%). The incidence of neutropenia in patients using Imetelstat across the 3 studies reporting on 246 patients ranged from 15.8% to 67.8%. The overall pooled incidence of neutropenia was 51.2% (95% CI 32.8% - 69.6%). The incidence of anemia in patients using Imetelstat across the 3 studies reporting on 235 patients ranged from 22.8% to 44.1%. The overall pooled incidence of anemia was 32.3% (95% CI 24.7% - 39.9%).

Conclusion: Despite imetelstat has mild hematological side effects, it shows promise in treating myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), as the adverse effects are manageable. Imetelstat's advantages for treating MDS patients outweigh the hazards of thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, and anemia, hence enabling its usage in clinical practice.