The prognostic significance of auer rods in myelodysplasia

Abstract

Summary. The category of refractory anaemia with excess blasts in transformation (RAEBt) of the French‐American‐British (FAB) classification system comprises a heterogeneous group of patients: those with any combination of 5% or more blood blast cells, more than 20% but no more than 30% marrow blast cells, or the presence of auer rods and 30% or less marrow blast cells. To determine the prognostic significance of auer rods in RAEBt, we classified the 208 patients with RAEBt seen between 1973 and 1992 as (1) those having RAEBt solely on the basis of auer rods (RAEBta, n = 29). (2) those meeting blood or marrow blast criteria for RAEBt and also having auer rods (RAEBtpos. n = 40) or (3) those ..