Aim. To study the quality of life in patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) in the process of romiplostim therapy and to assess the efficacy and safety of this drug in real-world setting. Materials & Methods. The study enrolled adult patients with the confirmed chronic ITP diagnosis and indications for romiplostim therapy. Clinical parameters, RAND SF-36 and FACT-Th6 quality of life as well as FACIT-Fatigue scores were evaluated prior to romiplostim administration vs. 3, 6, and 12 months after the treatment onset. Patient satisfaction checklist was also administered at all study points after the start of therapy. The clinical efficacy of romiplostim was analyzed along with assessing response and time to response. To study the quality of life and fatigue changes, the Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) method was used during the observation period. Significant fatigue changes were determined and compared in terms of the perception differences from patient’s and physician’s perspective. Results. The study enrolled 60 chronic ITP patients treated with romiplostim in the real-world setting (mean age 51.9 years, 70 % women). The median thrombocyte count prior to romiplostim therapy was 18.5 × 109/L (interquartile range 10.8–22.3 × 109/л). On the enrollment date, 90 % of patients showed hemorrhagic syndrome. Overall response to romiplostim therapy was 98.3 % (complete response was achieved in 93.3 % of patients). After 6 months of therapy, 89.5 % of patients preserved response. After 3 months of therapy, hemorrhagic syndrome was eliminated in 81 % of patients, after 6 months the same was achieved in 93 % of patients. The median time to response was 4.4 weeks (95% confidence interval 3.6–5.3 weeks). Adverse events of grades 1/2 associated with romiplostim were reported in 6.7 % of patients. On romiplostim therapy, pronounced positive changes in quality of life were shown by all scales of the general questionnaire SF-36 and the targeted questionnaire FACT-Th6 (p < 0.001). The clearest improvements were observed in role-physical and role-emotional functioning. Already after 3 months of therapy, a considerable fatigue reduction was observed and sustained for the next 6 and 12 months of romiplostim administration (p < 0.001). During the therapy, the proportion of patients with fatigue impacting various aspects of functioning became considerably smaller. The vast majority of patients (85 %) were satisfied with the treatment. Discrepancies between patients’ and physicians’ evaluations of fatigue were also identified during the treatment. Conclusion. The results of the present multi-center observational study demonstrate high efficacy and safety of romiplostim for chronic ITP patients in the real-world setting. Romiplostim therapy yields considerable quality of life improvement and fatigue reduction. To optimize the patient monitoring system and patient-centered ITP treatment in the real-world setting, it is advisable to use the standardized questionnaires assessing quality of life and fatigue.

Introduction. Optimal therapy for elderly patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the subject of intensive research. Aim – to study the safety of obinutuzumab, as well as the selection of the optimal scheme of its use in patients with CLL, complicated by diabetes mellitus, renal insuffi ciency, cardiac comorbidity. Materials and methods. The study included primary patients with CLL having indications requiring therapy. The inclusion criteria were: Cumulative Illness Rating Scale, CIRS) (CIRS) > 6 and or glomerular fi ltration rate (GFR) < 70 mL/min, the lower limit of GFR was not restricted. The study focused on patients with diabetes mellitus, renal failure and signifi cant cardiac pathology. Patients with Richter’s syndrome, CNS involvement, HBs-antigen, and 17p deletion were not included. In the fi rst cycle obinutuzumab was administered at a dose of 100 or 25 mg on the fi rst day and 900 or 975 mg on the second day, then at a dose of 1000 mg on days 8 and 15. For all subsequent cycles, obinutuzumab was given at a dose of 1000 mg on day 1. The dosage of chlorambucil was 10 mg/m2 from days 1 to 7. Treatment cycles in totals of 6 were repeated every 28 days. Results. The study included 90 patients. Median age was 73.5 years, range – 60–89 years, there were 49 men (54 %) and 41 women (46 %). Twenty-four patients (27 %) had stage C, IGHV unmutated status was detected in 76 % of patients. The median creatinine clearance was 48.6 mL/min (25–110). The median CIRS score was 3 (range – 1–14). Thirty-one patients (34 %) had signifi cant cardiovascular comorbidity (previous myocardial infarction, coronary artery stenting or bypass, HF ≥ II NYHA, peripheral artery disease) as well as hemodynamically signifi cant valvular disease. Fifteen patients (17 %) had diabetes mellitus and 71 patients (79 %) had creatinine clearance < 70 ml/min. Infusion reactions to obinutuzumab grade ≥ II were reported in 29 patients (32 %). Hospitalization on the day of administration or the next day after the fi rst administration was required in 5 cases (5.5 %). Twenty-seven (30 %) patients could not complete 6 cycles. The largest number of patients (14 people, 15.5 %) stopped treatment after 1 course. The causes were the development of persistent cytopenia (n = 4), grade IV reaction to obinutuzumab (n = 3), patient’s refusal (n = 2), infectious complications (n = 2), severe tumor lysis syndrome (n = 1), acute pancreatitis (n = 1) and toxicodermia (n = 1). The leading cause of premature discontinuation on subsequent cycles was persistent neutropenia. Progression during treatment occurred in 3 patients only. Overall survival was signifi cantly predicted by CIRS (maximum discriminatory value of 3, p = 0.013) as well as GFR < 50 mL/min (p = 0.03). No other associations were identifi ed. At least 1 episode of grade III–IV neutropenia occurred in 41 % of patients. Grade IV neutropenia was associated with creatinine clearance < 60 mL/min (p = 0.05), baseline neutrophil level < 2 × 109/L (p = 0.0001), baseline monocyte level < 0.3 × 109/L (p = 0.007) and age > 70 years (p = 0.01). The effectiveness of treatment was evaluated in patients who completed at least 3 cycles of therapy. Complete remission was achieved in 26 patients (35 %), partial remission – in 41 (54 %), stabilization – in 4 (5 %), progression was noted in 3 (4 %). Sixteen patients (18 %) were not available to respond to the assessment. Minimal residual disease < 0.01 % in the bone marrow after completion of treatment was found in 17 patients (19 %), within 0.01–0.9 % – in 25 (28 %) patients. The median follow-up from the date of therapy initiation was 39.7 months (range – 0.6–72 months). The median relapse-free survival was not reached, and 2- and 3-year survival rates were 81 and 62 %, respectively. Poor relapse-free survival signifi cantly correlated with unmutated IGHV genes (HR = 2.4, 95 % CI: 1.12–5.0, p = 0.02) and partial response as opposed to complete response (HR = 3.35; 95 % CI: 1.45–7.7, p = 0.03). Conclusion. The results of our study have practical implications as obinutuzumab is actively integrated into modern treatment regimens. Infusion reactions pose a high risk of complications in elderly patients. The dose of obinutuzumab on day 1 of administration in elderly patients, should not exceed 25 mg. The G-Clb regimen may not be optimal in patients over 75 years of age due to the unpredictable risk of complications. In patients at high risk of neutropenia, it may be appropriate to consider primary prophylaxis. ClbG is an effective regimen that resulted in high rate of MRD-negative responses and prolonged relapse-free survival.

Aim. To study quality of life (QoL) indicators and symptom profile as well as treatment satisfaction of patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (r/r MM) on triplet therapy based on ixazomib combined with lenalidomide and dexamethasone (IxaRd); to assess efficacy and safety of IxaRd protocol in real-world clinical practice. Materials & Methods. The study enrolled 40 patients with confirmed r/r MM diagnosis, aged > 18 years, at 18 Russian health care institutions. They received at least one line of prior therapy and were IxaRd-eligible. Clinical and QoL indicators were assessed according to the RAND SF-36, and symptoms were evaluated using the ESAS-R questionnaire prior to IxaRd therapy and in 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18 months after its start. Besides, patients filled out checklists for assessment of treatment satisfaction at all time-points after therapy onset. The analysis of clinical IxaRd efficacy included assessment of treatment response by IMWG 2011 criteria, as well as response duration, overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS). The analysis of IxaRd safety was based on reporting adverse events (AEs), including severe ones (SAEs). To analyze patient-reported QoL and symptom changes during follow-up, GEE was used. To determine clinically meaningful changes, an effect size was calculated. Results. The study included 40 r/r MM patients (mean age 63 ± 9 years, 65 % women). Median disease duration before IxaRd therapy onset was 55 months (range 2-99 months). 60 % of patients had IIIA/IIIB Durie-Salmon stage. With the median IxaRd duration of 7.5 months, clinical benefit rate was 71.8 %. Complete response was reported in 7.7 % of patients, stringent complete response in 2.6 % of patients, very good partial response in 5.1 % of patients, partial response in 30.8 % of patients, and minor response was achieved in 25.6 % of patients. Stable disease was reported in 15.4 % of patients, and disease progression was identified in 10.3 % patients, including immunochemical relapse in 1 patient. The median response duration was 16.3 months (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 15.4-17.3 months), the median PFS was 10.6 months (95% CI 6.3-16.3 months). The median OS was not reached; the 1-year OS after IxaRd therapy onset was 85.2 % (95% CI 71-99 %). AEs on IxaRd therapy were reported in 55 % of patients, SAEs were reported in 3 (7.5 %) patients. Positive QoL changes were observed on IxaRd therapy. QoL improvement was meaningful in terms of physical functioning, role-physical functioning, general health, vitality, and mental health, compared to baseline. Moreover, a considerable decrease of pain, fatigue, and nausea was revealed. On the whole, 87.5 % of patients were satisfied with the triplet IxaRd therapy. Conclusion. The results of the present pilot study demonstrate efficacy and safety of the triplet IxaRd therapy (all per os) in real-world clinical practice from r/r MM patients’ and physicians’ perspective. Our data testify to the importance of patients’ feedback in the evaluation of therapy efficacy.

Цель. Изучить показатели качества жизни (КЖ) и спектр симптомов, а также удовлетворенность лечением у пациентов с рецидивами/рефрактерной множественной миеломой (р/р ММ) на фоне трехкомпонентного режима терапии иксазомибом в комбинации с леналидомидом и дексаметазоном (IxaRd). Оценить эффективность и безопасность терапии по схеме IxaRd в условиях реальной клинической практики. Материалы и методы. В исследование включено 40 пациентов старше 18 лет из 18 ЛПУ РФ с подтвержденным диагнозом р/р ММ, которые получили как минимум одну линию предшествующей терапии и которым показано лечение по схеме IxaRd. Оценку клинических показателей, КЖ по опроснику RAND SF-36 и симптомов по опроснику ESAS-R проводили до начала терапии IxaRd и через 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 и 18 мес. после ее начала. Кроме того, заполнялась анкета удовлетворенности пациента лечением во всех точках исследования после начала терапии. Анализ клинической эффективности IxaRd включал оценку ответа на лечение согласно IMWG-2011, а также длительности ответа, общей выживаемости (ОВ) и выживаемости без прогрессирования (ВБП). Анализ безопасности режима IxaRd включал регистрацию нежелательных явлений (НЯ), в т. ч. серьезных (СНЯ). Для анализа изменений КЖ и симптомов в процессе наблюдения применяли метод обобщенных уравнений оценки (GEE). Для определения клинически значимых изменений рассчитывали величину эффекта (ES). Результаты. В исследование включено 40 пациентов с р/р ММ (средний возраст 63 ± 9 года, 65 % женщин). Медиана длительности заболевания до начала терапии IxaRd составила 55 мес. (диапазон 2–99 мес.). У 60 % больных была IIIA–IIIB стадия р/р ММ по Durie—Salmon. При медиане длительности терапии IxaRd 7,5 мес. ответ на лечение получен у 71,8 % пациентов. Полный ответ составил 7,7 %, строгий полный ответ — 2,6 %, очень хороший частичный ответ — 5,1 %, частичный ответ — 30,8 %, малый ответ — 25,6 %. Стабилизация заболевания зарегистрирована у 15,4 % больных, прогрессирование болезни — у 10,3 %, включая иммунохимический рецидив у 1 пациента. Медиана длительности ответа составила 16,3 мес. (95%-й доверительный интервал [95% ДИ] 15,4–17,3 мес.), медиана ВБП — 10,6 мес. (95% ДИ 6,3–16,3 мес.). Медиана ОВ не достигнута; 1-летняя ОВ при расчете длительности жизни от начала терапии IxaRd составила 85,2 % (95% ДИ 71–99 %). НЯ на фоне терапии IxaRd зарегистрированы у 55 % пациентов, СНЯ — у 3 (7,5 %). Констатирована положительная динамика КЖ в процессе терапии IxaRd. Улучшение КЖ было значимым по шкалам физического функционирования, ролевого физического функционирования, общего здоровья, жизнеспособности и психического здоровья по сравнению с исходными показателями. Кроме того, выявлено существенное уменьшение выраженности боли, усталости и тошноты. В целом 87,5 % пациентов удовлетворены трехкомпонентным режимом терапии IxaRd. Заключение. Результаты настоящего пилотного исследования позволили продемонстрировать эффективность и безопасность трехкомпонентного режима терапии IxaRd (все препараты для приема внутрь) в реальной клинической практике при р/р ММ с точки зрения пациентов и врачей. Наши данные свидетельствуют о важности учета мнения пациента при оценке эффективности проводимого лечения.

Background. Infections are a common complication of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The lack of recommendations for infection prevention in CLL patients treated with ibrutinib can be attributed by an insufficiency of data in the literature. Aim. To assess the incidence and nature of infections in CLL patients treated with ibrutinib and to analyze predisposing factors. Materials & Methods. The paper provides data on bacterial, viral, and fungal infections in CLL patients treated with ibrutinib for 4.2 years (November 2014 to December 2018) in a single center. Severity grade was determined according to CTCAE criteria (version 4). Results. The trial included 240 CLL patients. Median age was 65 years (range 32-91), 86 (36 %) patients were female, and 117 (48 %) patients had Binet stage C. Ibrutinib as monotherapy was administered to 204 (85 %) patients, 36 (15 %) patients received it in combination with monoclonal anti-CD20 antibodies. Median follow-up was 14.8 months (range 1-54). Most patients (n = 224, 93 %) received ibrutinib for relapsed CLL. Median number of prior therapy lines was 3 (range 1-12). Neutropenia (specified as neutrophil level < 1000 cells/μL) before ibrutinib treatment was identified in 20 (8 %) patients. Glucocorticoid hormones (GCs) together with ibrutinib were administered to 20 patients. A total of 525 infectious episodes were registered in 183 patients. Out of them 381 (72.5 %) were bacterial/mixed, 115 (22 %) were viral, and 29 (5.5 %) were fungal infections. Among bacterial/mixed infections 121 (32 %) episodes were qualified as infection of grade 3 and 43 (11 %) episodes were qualified as grade 4. In 7 (1.8 %) patients infections were fatal. Within 12 months overall cumulative incidence of bacterial infections of grade 3/4 was 37 % (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 31-43 %), as for viral infections it was 28 % (95% CI 2234 %), and as for fungal infections it was 8 % (95% CI 4-12 %). Higher cumulative incidence of bacterial infections of grade 3/4 was identified in patients with > 3 lines of therapy before ibrutinib treatment (hazard ratio [HR] 2.0; 95% CI 1.36-2.97), with Binet stage C (HR 1.4; 95% CI 0.95-2.08), with ECOG status > 2 (HR 2.4; 95% CI 1.6-3.6), baseline neutropenia (HR 1.25; 95% CI 0.73-2.13), as well as in men (HR 1.8; 95% CI 1.16-2.8; p = 0.004). Multivariate analysis showed that male sex (HR 1.89; 95% CI 0.5-3.0; p = 0.006), ECOG status > 2 (HR 1.97; 95% CI 0.5-3.0), and baseline neutropenia (HR 1.76; 95% CI 0.99-3.1) were significant and independent risk factors. Cumulative incidence of any fungal infection was associated with simultaneous use of GCs (HR 6.0; 95% CI 5.85-14.7) and baseline neutropenia (HR 2.36; 95% CI 0.95-5.85). The only parameter significantly associated with viral infections was the number of prior therapy lines > 3 (HR 1.74; 95% CI 1.06-2.86; p = 0.029). Conclusion. Patients with baseline neutropenia and ECOG status > 2 face the highest risk of severe bacterial infections. We believe that antibacterial prophylaxis should be considered in such patients till ECOG status becomes < 2 and neutropenia resolves. Patients receiving GCs together with ibrutinib face the risk of fungal infections at any stage of treatment. In these patients the simultaneous antifungal prophylaxis should be considered.

Background & Aims. This paper presents the results of the observational study of ibrutinib in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), conducted in SP Botkin Municipal Clinical Hospital. The main objective was the analysis of complications of ibrutinib and identification of factors, influencing the dosage regimen; the secondary objective was the estimation of the total response to treatment, event-free and overall survival. Materials & Methods. The study included 96 patients with CLL with indications for ibrutinib therapy. The median age was 64,9 years (range 32-91 years), the study population consisted of 69 (72 %) men and 27 (28 %) women. The condition of 25 (26 %) patients according to the ECOG scale was of > 3 points. The disease of stage C were diagnosed in 36 (37 %) patients. Deletion of 17p/TP53 mutations were detected in 29 (33 %) of 87 patients. Seventy patients had refractory CLL. The median of the number of the lines of the previous therapy was 3 (range 1-9). Adverse events were assessed in accordance with the CTCAE criteria, version 4.0; the bleeding severity was evaluated using ITP-specific bleeding score; hematological complications were classified according to the recommendations of IWCLL-2008. Results. Ibrutinib was administered at a dosage of 420 mg per day daily until progression or intolerable toxicity. The median duration of ibrutinib therapy was 10.3 months. brutinib was shown to have moderate toxicity, mostly of grade I or II. The bleeding was the most frequent complication. Of the hematological complications, thrombocytopenia was the most common (35 %); neutropenia < 1 x 109/L was observed in 4 patients. GIT complications were identified in 51 (53 %) patients. Atrial fibrillation was registered in 5 patients, who initially had sinus rhythm. The total of 144 infections were diagnosed in 64 (66 %) patients. Severe infections (> grade III) developed in 26 % of patients. The treatment response was assessed in 92 patients. The overall response to treatment was 89 %. Complete remission, partial remission and partial remission with lymphocytosis were achieved in 4 (4 %), 57 (62 %), and 21 (23 %) patients, respectively. The event-free survival and overall survival by the month 10 was 90 % and 91 %, respectively. For this observation period, ECOG status and the number of the lines of therapy prior to ibrutinib had the prognostic value. Conclusion. Ibrutinib was shown to have high efficiency in relapsed/refractory forms of CLL. The nature of the ibrutinib toxicity is fundamentally different from that of the conventional chemotherapy. The frequency of ibrutinib therapy complications and patients' non-compliance depends on the intensity of the previous treatment of CLL. Despite a short observation period, it can be concluded that ibrutinib had the greatest impact on the patient's quality of life when administered for the first relapse. The low toxicity of ibrutinib is likely to allow the combination with other antitumor agents.