Table 1.
Characteristics of 155 patients with multiple myeloma according to their viral hepatitis carrier status.
| No. of patients (%) | p-value* | ||||
| Non-carriers(n = 125) | Carriers(n = 30) | ||||
| Age ≥65 years | 74 | (59.2) | 17 | (56.7) | 0.800 |
| Male sex | 90 | (72.0) | 23 | (76.7) | 0.606 |
| Serum M-protein | 0.382 | ||||
| IgG | 64 | (51.2) | 12 | (40.0) | |
| IgA | 38 | (30.4) | 13 | (43.3) | |
| Light chain disease | 19 | (15.2) | 3 | (10.0) | |
| Others† | 4 | (3.2) | 2 | (6.7) | |
| Presence of plasmacytoma | 15 | (12.0) | 5 | (16.7) | 0.494 |
| Bone lesion(s) | 0.642 | ||||
| None | 40 | (32.0) | 7 | (23.3) | |
| 1 | 16 | (12.8) | 4 | (13.3) | |
| ≥2 | 69 | (55.2) | 19 | (63.3) | |
| ISS stage | 0.805 | ||||
| 1 | 35 | (28.0) | 9 | (30.0) | |
| 2 | 23 | (18.4) | 4 | (13.3) | |
| 3 | 67 | (53.6) | 17 | (56.7) | |
| Baseline laboratory parameters | |||||
| β2m ≥3.5 mg/L | 94 | (75.2) | 22 | (73.3) | 0.832 |
| Albumin <3.5 g/L | 56 | (44.8) | 13 | (43.3) | 0.885 |
| Hemoglobin <10 g/dL | 75 | (60.0) | 18 | (60.0) | 1.00 |
| Platelets <100×109/L | 23 | (18.4) | 6 | (20.0) | 0.840 |
| Serum calcium ≥12.0 mg/dL | 11 | (8.8) | 5 | (16.7) | 0.203 |
| Serum creatinine ≥2.0 mg/dL | 36 | (28.8) | 13 | (43.3) | 0.124 |
| Serum ALT >upper normal limit | 16 | (12.9) | 4 | (13.3) | 0.950 |
| Number of therapies | 0.428 | ||||
| 0-1 | 56 | (44.8) | 17 | (56.7) | |
| 2 | 33 | (26.4) | 5 | (16.7) | |
| ≥3 | 36 | (28.8) | 8 | (26.7) | |
| Use of thalidomide | 69 | (55.2) | 11 | (36.7) | 0.068 |
| Use of bortezomib | 19 | (15.2) | 5 | (16.7) | 0.842 |
| Stem cell transplantation | 30 | (24.0) | 5 | (16.7) | 0.388 |
*
Fisher's exact test or χ2 test as appropriate.
†
Including IgM, IgD, IgE, and non-secretory myeloma.
ALT, alanine transaminase; β2m, beta-2-microglobulin; ISS, International Staging System.