Table 1.

Baseline demographic characteristics of study patients

Variable	Arm A: SC, % (n = 57)	Arm B: EPO, % (n = 53)	Total, % (n = 110)
Age ≥ 65 y	88	81	85
Male sex	63	62	63
MDS subtype
RA	39	38	38
RARS	30	38	34
RAEB	30	23	26
CMML	2	1	2
Platelets < 100 000/cmm	30	25	27
Ferritin > 500 ng/mL	58	53	56
EPO < 200 mU/mL	67	72	69
Cytogenetics*
Good	70	71	71
Intermediate	16	15	15
Poor	14	14	14
IPSS category
Low/intermediate-1	84	83	83
Intermediate-2/high	16	17	17
Prior transfusion support	61	60	61

^*International Prognostic Scoring System risk category.²