Table 1.
Patients’ characteristics
| Characteristics | Total | EM | Non-EM | P value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of patients | 108 | 16 (14.8) | 92 (85.2) | |
| Age of ≥75 years | 19 (17.6) | 8 (50.0) | 11 (12.0) | 0.001 |
| Male | 61 (56.5) | 9 (56.3) | 52 (56.5) | 0.984 |
| Myeloma type | 0.637 | |||
| IgG | 42 (38.9) | 4 (25.0) | 38 (41.3) | |
| IgA | 41 (38.0) | 8 (50.0) | 33 (35.9) | |
| Light chain | 18 (16.7) | 3 (18.8) | 15 (16.3) | |
| Others | 7 (6.4) | 1 (6.2) | 6 (6.5) | |
| DSS | 0.69 | |||
| II | 12 (11.1) | 1 (6.2) | 11 (12.0) | |
| III | 96 (88.9) | 15 (93.8) | 81 (88.0) | |
| ISS | 0.026 | |||
| I | 5 (4.6) | 0 (0.0) | 5 (5.4) | |
| II | 55 (50.9) | 4 (25.) | 51 (55.4) | |
| III | 48 (44.5) | 12 (75.0) | 36 (39.2) | |
| WHO performance status ≥3 | 52 (48.1) | 7 (43.8) | 45 (48.9) | 0.703 |
| Charlson comorbidity index ≥5 | 46 (42.6) | 11 (68.8) | 35 (38.0) | 0.029 |
| Hemoglobin <10 g/L | 85 (78.7) | 15 (93.8) | 70 (76.1) | 0.184 |
| Albumin <3.5 g/L | 103 (95.4) | 16 (100.0) | 87 (94.6) | 1.000 |
| Lactate dehydrogenase >normal | 28 (25.7) | 11 (68.8) | 17 (18.5) | 0.000 |
| Creatinine >177 µmol/L | 40 (37.0) | 10 (62.5) | 30 (32.6) | 0.028 |
| Calcium >2.75 mmol/L | 14 (13.0) | 1 (6.2) | 13 (14.1) | 0.688 |
| Bortezomib-based regimens | 56 (51.9) | 12 (75.0) | 44 (47.8) | 0.059 |
Data are presented as n or n (%).
EM: early mortality; Ig: immunoglobulin; DSS: Durie–Salmon staging system; ISS: International Staging System; WHO: World Health Organization.