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BACKGROUND: Venous thromboembolism (VTE), encompassing both deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. METHODS: GARFIELD-VTE is a prospective, non-interventional observational study of real-world treatment practices. We aimed to capture the 36-month clinical outcomes of 10,679 patients with objectively confirmed VTE enrolled between May 2014 and January 2017 from 415 sites in 28 countries. FINDINGS: A total of 6582 (61.6 %) patients had DVT alone, 4097 (38.4 %) had PE ± DVT. At baseline, 98.1 % of patients received anticoagulation (AC) with or without other modalities of therapy. The proportion of patients on AC therapy decreased over time: 87.6 % at 3 months, 73.0 % at 6 months, 54.2 % at 12 months and 42.0 % at 36 months. At 12-months follow-up, the incidences (95 % confidence interval [CI]) of all-cause mortality, recurrent VTE and major bleeding were 6.5 (7.0-8.1), 5.4 (4.9-5.9) and 2.7 (2.4-3.0) per 100 person-years, respectively. At 36-months, these decreased to 4.4 (4.2-4.7), 3.5 (3.2-2.7) and 1.4 (1.3-1.6) per 100 person-years, respectively. Over 36-months, the rate of all-cause mortality and major bleeds were highest in patients treated with parenteral therapy (PAR) versus oral anti-coagulants (OAC) and no OAC, and the rate of recurrent VTE was highest in patients on no OAC versus those on PAR and OAC. The most frequent cause of death after 36-month follow-up was cancer (n = 565, 48.6 %), followed by cardiac (n = 94, 8.1 %), and VTE (n = 38, 3.2 %). Most recurrent VTE events were DVT alone (n = 564, 63.3 %), with the remainder PE, (n = 236, 27.3 %), or PE in combination with DVT (n = 63, 7.3 %). INTERPRETATION: GARFIELD-VTE provides a global perspective of anticoagulation patterns and highlights the accumulation of events within the first 12 months after diagnosis. These findings may help identify treatment gaps for subsequent interventions to improve patient outcomes in this patient population. ispartof: THROMBOSIS RESEARCH vol:222 pages:31-39 ispartof: location:United States status: published

Ruxolitinib is an established treatment for myelofibrosis (MF) that has demonstrated clinical benefit by reducing spleen size and debilitating MF-related symptoms. However, despite the efficacy of ruxolitinib, anemia remains a major adverse event that causes dose modification or discontinuation in real-world practice. Additionally, dependence on red blood cell (RBC) transfusion (TF) is common during treatment; therefore, we explored the outcome of ruxolitinib therapy with a primary focus on RBC TF.We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 123 MF patients treated with ruxolitinib between January 2012 and April 2020 at eight academic centers in Korea.At ruxolitinib initiation, 38 patients (30.9%) underwent ≥ 2 units of RBC TF over 8 weeks. The most common reason for permanent discontinuation was intolerant anemia (10/63, 15.9%). The most common reasons for temporary interruption were nonhematologic toxicity (26/55, 21.1%), anemia (23/55, 18.7%) and thrombocytopenia (13/55, 10.6%). Among the 123 patients in the study, 57 (46.3%), 42 (34.1%), and 40 patients (32.5%) who were receiving or stopped ruxolitinib therapy had a status of RBC TF dependence, long-term RBC TF dependence, or severe RBC TF dependence, respectively. The presence of ≥ 2 units of RBC transfusion over 8 weeks at ruxolitinib initiation was an independent risk factor for persistent RBC TF dependence.The requirement for RBC TF is commonly encountered during treatment of MF with ruxolitinib, particularly among those with pre-existing ≥ 2 units of RBC TF over 8 weeks. For those patients, overcoming the barrier of maintenance TF is demanding.

The effectiveness of early treatment for biochemical relapse of multiple myeloma (MM) is unclear. To clarify this issue, this retrospective study was performed to evaluate the survival outcomes of 315 patients with relapsed MM after upfront autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Over a median follow-up of 66.6 months (range, 15.1-195.5 months), 48.2% of patients showed biochemical relapse, 41.3% showed clinical relapse, and 10.5% showed significant biochemical relapse. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were inferior for patients with clinical relapse compared to the other patients. Multivariate analysis showed that clinical relapse was an independent prognostic factor for OS. In patients with biochemical relapse, there was no significant difference in survival between patients treated while asymptomatic and those treated once clinical symptoms had appeared. Relapse type after upfront ASCT was a significant prognostic factor in patients with MM. In addition, no survival benefit of early treatment at biochemical relapse was observed, but a triplet regimen may be beneficial for MM patients with biochemical relapse.

Objectives This study investigated the treatment pattern and the rate of bleeding complications in real-world practice in cancer-associated venous thromboembolism (CT) patients. Methods We used the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service database (2014–2018). Among patients with venous thromboembolism, patients with concomitant malignancy diagnostic codes were categorized as CT, while all others were categorized as non-CT. Treatments were categorized as direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC), parenteral anticoagulant (PAC), warfarin, and mixed anticoagulants. Results We identified 27,205 CT and 57,711 non-CT patients. DOACs were the most frequently used anticoagulants. The proportion of patients treated with PAC was higher in CT than in non-CT patients (35.7 vs. 19.5%; p Conclusion Five years after their introduction into clinical practice, DOACs have become the most prescribed anticoagulant in Korea. In our patient population, bleeding complications occurred more frequently in CT than in non-CT, especially in patients treated with DOACs.

Due to several issues, standard treatments are not recommended for asymptomatic patients with moderate immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). Since platelet responses are reported in some patients with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-positive ITP after eradication, we conducted a multicenter, phase 3 study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of recently established sequential eradication for these patients having moderate thrombocytopenia. Persistent or chronic ITP patients with platelet count (30 × 10

Thrombopoietin receptor agonists (TPO-RAs) are a reliable second-line immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) treatment. Despite an increase in use of TPO-RAs, the treatment pattern among adults with ITP is not well understood.From January 2015 to December 2018, ITP patients were identified using the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service database.Of the total 3885 adult patients with ITP, 1745 (44.9%) required treatment, with a median follow-up duration of 31.4 months (range, 0.1-59.8 months). Of these, 46.5% and 36.6% continued treatment for more than 6 months and more than 12 months, respectively. Corticosteroids were the most common first-line therapy. Of the treated patients, 83 (4.8%) received TPO-RAs (eltrombopag, 86.7%; romiplostim, 13.3%). The median age of the group treated with TPO-RAs was 62 years, 62.6% were female, and the median time from first diagnosis to initial TPO-RA treatment was 12.5 months (range, 0.4-48.0 months). A total of 52 (62.7%) patients received TPO-RAs as a second-line treatment for ITP. Splenectomy was performed in 19 patients (22.9%) before initiation of TPO-RAs. When clinical efficacy was analyzed before and during TPO-RA use, there was a significant decrease in platelet transfusion and a tendency toward reduced bleeding events.This population-based study is the first to describe the treatment pattern of TPO-RAs for ITP among patients in Korea.

Plasmacytoma has been reported to be associated with a poor prognosis in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). In this study, we evaluated the incidence of relapse with plasmacytoma and survival outcomes after upfront autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). This study retrospectively analyzed the data of 303 patients with MM who underwent upfront ASCT between April 2000 and April 2018 at eight institutes in the Republic of Korea. In total, 52 patients (17.1%) had plasmacytoma at MM relapse after upfront ASCT, of whom, 27 had paramedullary plasmacytoma (PMD) and 25 had extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMD). Patients with initial plasmacytoma were more likely to have plasmacytoma at MM relapse than those without initial plasmacytoma (37.1% vs. 11.2%). Over a median follow-up of 66.0 months, patients with plasmacytoma at relapse had significantly inferior overall survival (OS) than those without plasmacytoma (43.9 vs. 100.7 months, P 0.001), but the OS did not significantly differ between patients with EMD and those with PMD (42.2 vs. 56.6 months, P = 0.464). After MM relapse, all patients received salvage therapy, and progression-free survival after relapse was significantly shorter in patients with plasmacytoma than in those without (6.4 vs. 12.4 months, P = 0.007). This study showed that plasmacytoma frequently developed at MM relapse after upfront ASCT in patients with plasmacytoma at the time of diagnosis. Plasmacytoma at relapse was significantly associated with a poor prognosis.

Background Pregnancy is a transient risk factor for venous thromboembolism (VTE). This second nationwide study aimed to inspect trend changes in the incidence rate of pregnancy-associated VTE (PA-VTE) during the study period (2014–2018) compared with that reported in a previous study (2006–2010). Methods Using the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service database, we retrospectively identified all PA-VTE events using both diagnostic and medication codes. Results Of the 124,228 VTE events, 510 (0.4%) cases of PA-VTE were identified in 499 women (median age: 34 years; range: 20–49 years). The incidence rate of PA-VTE/10,000 deliveries (PA-VTE/104D) in this second study (2.62) was 3.2 times higher than that in the first study (0.82). In the second study, the PA-VTE/104D ratio of women in their 40s (5.46) was three times higher than that of women in their 20s (1.80) (relative risk: 3.03; 95% confidence interval: 2.04–4.51; p Conclusion Advanced maternal age, cesarean section, multiparity, and multifetal pregnancies increased the risk of PA-VTE. Obstetricians need to be cautious of VTE, particularly during the postpartum period, in high-risk pregnant patients.

BackgroundHigh-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem-cell transplantation (HDC–ASCT) as a consolidation treatment is a promising approach in eligible patients with newly diagnosed primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL). This study sought to assess the safety and efficacy of initial methotrexate-based chemotherapy followed by consolidation HDC-ASCT with a thiotepa-based conditioning regimen in patients with newly diagnosed PCNSL. MethodsIn this retrospective analysis, 22 patients with newly diagnosed PCNSL received chemotherapy with rituximab, methotrexate, procarbazine, and vincristine (R-MPV). Those who showed a complete or partial response subsequently received consolidation HDC-ASCT with a thiotepa-based conditioning regimen and no radiotherapy. ResultsCharacteristics of the PCNSL patients included a median age of 57 years (range: 49–67 years), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of grade 2 or more in 9.1%, elevated lactate dehydrogenase level in 26.3%, and involvement of multiple lesions in 72.1%. About 82% of patients received six cycles of induction chemotherapy, which was well-tolerated with excellent disease control. The rate of confirmed/or unconfirmed complete response increased from 45.5% in the interim to 81.8% before HDC-ASCT. With a median follow-up of 19.6 months (range: 7.5–56.5 months), the 2-year progression-free survival and overall survival estimates were 84% and 88%, respectively. There were no treatment-related deaths. Grade 3 toxicity was recorded in 90.9% after HDC-ASCT, and the most common grade 3 adverse event was febrile neutropenia without sepsis. ConclusionsThe discussed treatment approach appears feasible in patients with newly diagnosed PCNSL, yielding encouraging results.

Myeloproliferative neoplasms are rare at a young age, and few reports have described the disease characteristics and outcomes in this group. This study aimed to elucidate the clinical course of essential thrombocythemia (ET) and polycythemia vera (PV) in children and young adults aged

Extramedullary multiple myeloma (EMD) is an aggressive subentity of multiple myeloma (MM) with poor prognosis. As more innovative therapeutic approaches are needed for the treatment of MM with EMD, we conducted this multicenter, non-randomized phase II trial of daratumumab in combination with dexamethasone, cyclophosphamide, etoposide and cisplatin (DARA-DCEP). A total of 32 patients (median age 59, range 35–73) were treated with DARA-DCEP. Based on the best response during the study, the complete remission (CR) rate was 35.5% and overall response rate (ORR) 67.7%. During the median follow-up of 11 months, the median progression-free survival (PFS) was 5 months and median overall survival (OS) 10 months. There were 7 long-term responders whose median PFS was not reached. The most common grade ≥ 3 hematologic AE was thrombocytopenia. The most common non-hematologic AE was nausea (22.6%), followed by dyspepsia, diarrhea and stomatitis (all 12.9%). Grade ≥ 3 daratumumab infusion-related reaction was noted in 9.7% of the patients. Except for the planned 30% dose adjustment in cycle 1, only 2 patients required DCEP dose reduction. This is one of the very few prospective trials focusing on EMD and we successfully laid grounds for implementing immunochemotherapy in MM treatment.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE), which includes pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis, is a condition characterized by abnormal blood clot formation in the pulmonary arteries and the deep venous vasculature. It is often serious and sometimes even fatal if not promptly and appropriately treated. Moreover, the later consequences of VTE may result in reduced quality of life. The treatment of VTE depends on various factors, including the type, cause, and patient comorbidities. Furthermore, bleeding may occur as a side effect of VTE treatment. Thus, it is necessary to carefully weigh the benefits versus the risks of VTE treatment and to actively monitor patients undergoing treatment. Asian populations are known to have lower VTE incidences than Western populations, but recent studies have shown an increase in the incidence of VTE in Asia. A variety of treatment options are currently available owing to the introduction of direct oral anticoagulants. The current VTE treatment recommendation is based on evidence from previous studies, but it should be applied with careful consideration of the racial, genetic, and social characteristics in the Korean population.

Introduction Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have the potential to increase bleeding due to drug-drug interactions (DDIs). In the present study, the risk of bleeding was evaluated when drugs with potential DDIs were simultaneously prescribed with DOACs. Materials and methods The present study included patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) and venous thromboembolism (VTE) who were newly prescribed DOACs between January 2014 and December 2016. Results The study included 115,362 patients with AF or VTE who were newly administered DOACs (median age, 73 years, range, 19–108 years; males, 53.0%; AF, 81.9%). A total of 7001 any bleeding (6.1%) and 2283 major bleeding (2.0%) events occurred with DOAC prescriptions. Based on multiple logistic regression analysis, the number of DDIs was significantly associated with bleeding events independent of CHA2DS2-VASc score and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). The rates of exposure to DDI drugs associated with any bleeding and major bleeding were 56.7% and 66.1%, respectively. The most common DDI drugs showed similar distributions in any or major bleeding; non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), antiplatelet agents, diltiazem, and amiodarone were frequently prescribed. Conclusions Physicians prescribing DOACs for AF or VTE should be aware of the increasing risk of bleeding associated with drugs having potential DDIs regardless of comorbidities.

Background Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) patients usually experience mucositis, musculoskeletal pain associated with high-dose chemotherapy, radiation, post-HSCT infection, or graft-versus-host disease. Pain management is important for the patients' quality of life. We evaluated appropriate opioid analgesic use in HSCT patients to propose effective pain management strategies. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted using electronic medical records of adult patients with HSCT treated with opioids for moderate to severe pain at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital. The numeric rating scale (NRS) was used in pain management. NRS scores of 4‒10 correspond to moderate to severe pain. Appropriate opioid analgesic use was evaluated following published cancer pain management guidelines. Results In total, 119 cases were evaluated, including 369 episodes of moderate to severe pain. Mucositis-related, musculoskeletal, and headache pain occurred in 62.6%, 25.8%, and 6.0% of episodes, respectively. Frequently used opioids were intravenous tramadol (84.9%), fentanyl patch (73.9%), and intravenous morphine sulfate (68.9%). Intravenous and topical administrations were used for mucosal pain. In total, 95.0% of patients received appropriate short-acting opioids for initial pain management, 80.5% received appropriate doses of short-acting opioids, appropriate opioids dose adjustment was done after first assessment in 95.5% of patients, and 85.6% were converted to appropriate long-acting opioids. Conclusion Short-acting opioid analgesic use for initial pain management and dose adjustment after assessment were appropriate. However, initial and conversion dosages recommended by guidelines may be difficult to implement considering the severity of HSCT patients. Pain management guidelines specific for HSCT patients should be developed in the future.

We compared efficacy and safety, according to frailty, of elderly patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) treated with lenalidomide and dexamethasone (Rd), for whom bortezomib treatment had failed. Patients, 164 (52.9%) and 146 (47.1%), were classified as non-frail and frail using a simplified frailty scale. The overall response rates (ORR) and survival outcomes were lower in frail than in non-frail patients (ORR: 56.2% vs. 67.7%, P = 0.069; median progression free survival: 13.17 vs. 17.80 months, P = 0.033; median overall survival: 23.00 vs. 36.27 months, P = 0.002, respectively). The number of treatment emergent adverse events in grade 3 or worse was higher in frail than in non-frail patients (41.8% vs. 24.4%, P = 0.002, respectively). In frail patients, independent poor prognostic factors for survival were two or more Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) score, prior to exposure to both bortezomib and thalidomide, and achieved less than partial response In conclusion, frailty could predict clinical outcomes of Rd treatment in elderly patients with RRMM who had failed prior bortezomib. In frail patients, lower CCI in addition to less previous treatment exposure and deep response were associated with better survival.

Background Although T-cell-replete hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) from haploidentical donors (HIDs) using anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) has shown promising outcomes, previous studies often adopted heterogenous graft sources and conditioning. Methods We retrospectively compared HCT outcomes from 62 HIDs, 36 partially-matched unrelated donors (PUDs), and 55 matched unrelated donors (MUDs) in patients with acute leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome using the same graft source of peripheral blood and a reduced intensity conditioning of busulfan, fludarabine, and ATG. Results The estimates of 3-yr disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were not significantly different among the MUD, HID, and PUD groups, at 46%, "41%, and 36%" for the DFS rate (P=0.844), and 55%, 45%, and 45% for the OS rate (P=0.802), respectively. Cumulative incidence of relapse and non-relapse mortality at 3 yr was similar among different donor types. Subsequent multivariable analyses showed that the sex of the patient (male) and a high/very high disease risk index were independently associated with poorer DFS and OS, while the donor type was not. Conclusion T-cell replete HCT from HIDs using an ATG-containing reduced intensity conditioning regimen may be a reasonable option in the absence of matched related donors in patients with acute leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome.

Immune-mediated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (iTTP) is a potentially life-threatening thrombotic microangiopathy caused by autoantibody-mediated severe ADAMTS13 deficiency. TTP should be suspected in patients with microangiopathic hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia without a definite cause. Early detection of iTTP and prompt treatment with plasma exchange and corticosteroids are essential. Rituximab administration should be considered for refractory or relapsed iTTP, and can be used as a first-line adjuvant or preemptive therapy. Treatment with caplacizumab, a novel anti-von Willebrand factor nanobody, resulted in a faster time to platelet count response, significant reduction in iTTP-related deaths, and reduced incidence of refractory iTTP. TTP survivors showed a higher rate of chronic morbidities, including cardiovascular disease and neurocognitive impairment, which can lead to a poor quality of life and higher mortality rate. Meticulous long-term follow-up of TTP survivors is crucial.

Although lenalidomide plus dexamethasone (RD) is a therapeutic option for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM), limited real-world clinical data exist. The purpose of this study was to estimate efficacy and safety of RD in RRMM patients of the clinical practice. Data from patients at 25 university hospitals in South Korea between October 2009 and December 2016 were collected retrospectively. We report the effectiveness and safety of RD in 546 RRMM patients in routine clinical practice in South Korea. Patients (median age, 65 years) typically received median 7 cycles of RD, and 184 (33.7%) patients were treated with 10 or more cycles of RD. Patients with renal impairment (CLCr

Introduction Acquired haemophilia A (AHA) treatment involves the haemostatic treatment for acute haemorrhage and immunosuppressive therapy (IST) to eradicate FVIII inhibitory antibodies. Aim We assessed the clinical features of AHA and analysed treatment outcomes in Korea. We further identified prognostic factors affecting treatment outcomes. Methods Medical records of 55 patients with AHA from 18 institutions were reviewed retrospectively. Logistic and Cox regression analyses were performed to elucidate clinical factors affecting the achievement of complete remission (CR). The primary endpoint was time to CR after IST, and secondary endpoints were time to haemostasis, the achievement of CR, and overall survival (OS). Results Among the 55 patients, 50 (91%) had bleeding symptoms. Bleeding was severe in 74% of patients. Thirty-six (72%) patients received haemostatic therapy. Of the 42 patients who received IST, 23 (52%) received steroid alone, with a 52% response rate, and 10 (25%) received a combination of steroid and cyclophosphamide, with an 83% response rate. Five (16%) patients relapsed after a median duration of 220 days. There were eight deaths. In the Cox regression analysis, the FVIII inhibitor titre ≥ 20 BU/mL was the only significant prognostic factor affecting time to CR and haemostasis. No significant difference was observed in OS based on the inhibitor titre. Conclusion The present study demonstrated the demographic data of AHA in Korea and showed that FVIII inhibitory antibody titre was a predictor of time to achieve CR after IST.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) may lead to diminished quality of life and ultimately worse prognosis in cancer patients, but there is limited data on the incidence, risk factors and mortality impact of VTE in Asian primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) patients.To report the incidence, risk factors and mortality impact of VTE in Asian PCNSL patients.From 7 academic centers in Korea, 235 newly diagnosed PCNSL patients undergoing chemotherapy were retrospectively identified during period of January 2004 to September 2018.All patients but 12 (6 T-cell, 6 other B-cell) had diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. During the median follow-up of 21 months, 33 patient (14.0%) developed VTE. Of the VTE events, 11 (33.3%) were deep vein thrombosis (DVT), 15 (45.5%) were pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE), and 7 (21.2%) were DVT with PTE. The median time to VTE was 2 months and the one-year actuarial incidence was 11.7%. On multivariate analysis, ECOG performance ≥2, age60 years, female sex, and Hb10 g/dL were independently associated with VTE. The patients with VTE were associated with shorter disease specific survival (P = 0.046) and overall survival (P = 0.022).Overall, the incidence of VTE in Asian PCNSL seems to be lower compared to Western population. As VTE development is associated with overall survival and indicative of relapse, careful close monitoring is warranted.

We aimed to compare the health-related quality of life and health behaviors of acute leukemia (AL) survivors with that of the general population from two cohorts. AL survivors (n = 149) completed a set of questionnaires to evaluate quality of life, mental status, and health behaviors. AL survivors had more physical and mental difficulties (problems with usual activities, 15% vs. 5%, p

Background Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) patients need parenteral nutrition because of nausea, vomiting, and mucositis caused by conditioning regimens. The demand for glutamine increases during the HSCT period. We evaluated the effects of glutamine-containing parenteral nutrition on the clinical outcomes of HSCT patients. Methods In this retrospective analysis, we reviewed HSCT patients from Seoul National University from August 2013 to July 2017. Depending on their glutamine supplementation status, 91 patients were divided into 2 groups: glutamine group (N=44) and non-glutamine group (N=47). We analyzed the rate of weight change, infection (clinically/microbiologically documented), complications (duration of mucositis and neutropenia, acute graft versus host disease), and 100-days mortality in each group. Results Regarding the clinical characteristics of the patients, there were no significant differences between the 2 groups except that there was a larger proportion of myeloablative conditioning regimen in the glutamine group (P=0.005). In the glutamine group, the average number of days of glutamine use, parenteral nutrition, and mucositis was 7.6±1.4, 14.6±9.9, and 13.3±9.5, respectively. Furthermore, multivariate analysis revealed odds ratios of 0.37 (95% CI, 0.14–0.96; P=0.042) and 0.08 (95% CI, 0.01–0.98; P=0.048) for clinically documented infection and 100-days mortality, respectively, in the glutamine group. Conclusion Results showed that the glutamine group had less clinically documented infection and 100-days mortality than the non-glutamine group, but the other outcomes did not show significant differences. The extended duration of glutamine supplementation according to the period of total parenteral nutrition and mucositis should be considered.

Background: Peripheral T cell lymphoma (PTCL) is a heterogeneous entity with poor survival. We evaluated the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), absolute lymphocyte count (ALC), and platelet count as new prognostic factors for PTCL. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 77 patients with PTCL initially treated with anthracycline-based chemotherapy. Survival curves were compared between groups with different initial NLR (iNLR), end-point NLR (eNLR), initial ALC, and platelet counts. Cox regression was used to analyze the risk factor for survival. Results: Patients with a higher eNLR (≥3), lymphopenia (< 1,000/μL), and thrombocytopenia (< 150 K/μL) had an inferior progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) compared to their counterparts, while a higher iNLR (≥3) was predictive of a shorter OS but not PFS. Among these, thrombocytopenia was an independent poor prognostic factor for both PFS and OS, with a hazard ratio of 2.42 (p = 0.012) for PFS and 4.21 (p = 0.006) for OS. The presence of thrombocytopenia further stratified patients with a worse prognosis within overlapping risk-groups by the prognostic index for PTCL. Conclusions: Our study showed that thrombocytopenia at diagnosis was an independent prognostic factor for survival in patients with PTCL.

Background: For acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients, the role of bridging consolidation chemotherapy after achieving first complete remission (CR1) in the transplant setting is a frequently debated issue. The lack of data from Asian patients led us to conduct this study. Methods: We retrospectively studied outcomes of 106 patients in CR1 undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT) with reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) based on their exposure to pre-transplant consolidation chemotherapy. There were 35 in the no consolidation group versus 71 in the consolidation group. Results: The median relapse free survival (RFS) was 9 months for the no consolidation group and 51 months for consolidation group ( p = 0.023). The median overall survival was 32 months for the no consolidation group and not reached for the consolidation group ( p = 0.034). Multivariate analysis recognized consolidation and poor cytogenetics as adverse prognostic factors for RFS. Moreover, RFS was better in patients with a shorter time lapse between last chemotherapy and alloSCT in both the no consolidation group and the consolidation group. Consolidation chemotherapy did not negatively affect neutrophil and platelet engraftment, infection rates, or acute graft- versus-host disease (GVHD) incidence. On the other hand, patients undergoing consolidation chemotherapy showed trends towards a more severe degree of chronic GVHD. Conclusion: The exposure to consolidation chemotherapy in CR1 prior to alloSCT with RIC conditioning did not negatively impact the outcomes in Korean AML patients, for whom a suitable donor is rarely immediately available. Therefore, post-remission consolidation chemotherapy is a reasonable option if required.

Background Although epidemiological studies report a lower risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) than in the Western world, VTE rates in Asia may be underestimated. Furthermore, it is uncertain whether VTE outcomes differ in Asia and the rest of the world (ROW). Methods GARFIELD-VTE is a global, prospective, non-interventional study of real-world treatment practices. In this study, we compared baseline characteristics, treatment patterns, and 12-month outcomes in Asia and ROW. Results Of the 10,684 enrolled patients, 1822 (17.1%) were Asian (China n = 420, Hong Kong n = 98, Japan n = 148, Malaysia n = 244, South Korea n = 343, Taiwan n = 232, Thailand n = 337). Compared with ROW patients, those from Asia were more often female (57.4% vs. 48.0%), non-smokers (74.0% vs. 58.9%) and had a lower BMI (24.8 kg/m2 vs. 29.1 kg/m2). Asian patients were more likely to be managed in the hospital (86.9% vs. 70.4%) and to have active cancer (19.8% vs. 8.1%) or a history of cancer (19.1% vs. 12.0%). Asian patients received no anticoagulation more frequently than ROW patients (6.5% vs. 2.1%). Over 12-months follow-up, the rate of all-cause mortality (per 100 person-years [95% confidence interval]) was higher in Asians (15.2 [13.4–17.3] vs. 5.9 [5.4–6.5]). Adjusted hazard ratios indicated a higher risk of all-cause mortality in Asian patients than the ROW (1.32 [1.08–1.62]). The frequencies of major bleeding and recurrent VTE were similar. Conclusion Asian patients have different risk profiles, treatment patterns and a higher risk of mortality compared with the ROW.

Purpose Splanchnic vein thrombosis (SpVT) in solid tumors has not been well investigated. Therefore, the treatment guidelines for SpVT are not well established. We aimed to conduct this prospective study to investigate the clinical characteristics and risk factors influencing survival in patients with gastrointestinal cancer with SpVT. Materials and methods Fifty-one patients with gastrointestinal cancer diagnosed with SpVT were prospectively enrolled. The clinical characteristics and courses of SpVT were analyzed. Results SpVT occurred in various clinical situations (at the time of initial cancer diagnosis or tumor recurrence after curative therapy, in the postoperative period, during chemotherapy, or in the period of end-of-life care). Among the total patients, 90.2% had no SpVT-related symptoms at initial SpVT diagnosis, and 82.4% did not receive any anticoagulation therapy. The clinical course of SpVT during the follow-up varied: (1) spontaneous resorption without any anticoagulation (47.1%), (2) resorption with anticoagulation (3.9%), (3) persistent thrombosis without progression (17.6%), and (4) SpVT extension (31.4%). Although the SpVT showed extension in some cases, most of them did not cause symptoms or had little impact on the patient’s cancer treatment course. During the follow-up period, 23 patients died, all of which were caused by tumor progression. In the multivariable analysis, performance status and clinical situation at the time of SpVT diagnosis were significant prognostic factors. Conclusions Clinicians could adopt a strategy of close observation for incidentally detected SpVT in patients with gastrointestinal cancer. Anticoagulation should be considered only for SpVT cases selected strictly, weighing the risks and benefits.

Background AL amyloidosis might increase the risk of thromboembolism and other plasma cell dyscrasias; however, only a few reports have described the clinical features of thromboembolism. The present study aimed to elucidate the clinical features of thromboembolic events and to identify the risk factors for these events. Materials and Methods The medical records were retrospectively reviewed to define the clinically significant thromboembolic events. Results A total of 106 patients with biopsy-proven AL amyloidosis were included. During a median follow-up of 18.1 months (range, 0.4-166.9 months), 13 thromboembolism events were identified in 13 patients. Of the 13 patients, 9 (8.5%) experienced acute cerebral infarction, 2 (1.9%) experienced pulmonary embolism, and 2 (1.9%) experienced deep vein thrombosis. Patients with a higher serum free light chain (FLC) difference (≥ 172.4 mg/L) or β 2 -microglobulin (β2MG) levels (≥ 2.78 mg/L) experienced significantly more thromboembolic events compared with those with a lower value according to multivariable analysis (for FLC difference: hazard ratio, 4.309; 95% confidence interval, 1.158-16.032; P = .029; for β2MG: hazard ratio, 9.739; 95% confidence interval, 1.127-84.174; P = .039). Most thromboembolic events (11 of 13; 84.6%) occurred within the first year after the AL amyloidosis diagnosis. Conclusion The incidence of thromboembolism was substantial in those with AL amyloidosis. A greater FLC difference and for β2MG levels were risk factors for thromboembolic events.

Introduction: Daratumumab is a human IgGκ monoclonal antibody targeting CD38 with a direct on-tumor and immunomodulatory mechanism of action. In the global phase 3 ALCYONE trial, the addition of daratumumab to bortezomib, melphalan, and prednisone (D-VMP) resulted in improved outcomes over bortezomib, melphalan, and prednisone (VMP) alone in transplant-ineligible patients (pts) with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM). At a median follow-up of 16.5 months, the median progression-free survival (PFS) was not reached (NR) for the D-VMP group versus 18.1 months for the VMP group (hazard ratio [HR], 0.50; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.38-0.65; P Methods: Eligible pts in OCTANS and ALCYONE were ≥18 years of age, had NDMM, and were not eligible for autologous stem cell transplant due to age (≥65 years) or comorbidities. All pts received up to 9 (42-day) cycles of bortezomib 1.3 mg/m 2 subcutaneously twice weekly on Weeks 1, 2, 4, and 5 of Cycle 1 and once weekly on Weeks 1, 2, 4, and 5 of Cycles 2-9; melphalan 9 mg/m 2 orally once daily on Days 1-4 of each cycle; and prednisone 60 mg/m 2 orally once daily on Days 1-4 of each cycle. For pts in the D-VMP group, daratumumab 16 mg/kg intravenously was administered once weekly in Cycle 1, once every 3 weeks in Cycles 2-9, and once every 4 weeks thereafter until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Cytogenetic risk was determined at baseline via local fluorescence in situ hybridization or karyotype analysis; pts with high cytogenetic risk had a del17p, t(4;14), or t(14;16) abnormality. Results: In total, 220 Asian pts were randomized (D-VMP, n=146; VMP, n=74) in the OCTANS study and 706 global pts were randomized (D-VMP, n=350; VMP, n=356) in the ALCYONE study. The median age was 69 (range, 57-84) years in OCTANS and 71 (range 40-93) years in ALCYONE. Among pts with available cytogenetic results, 48/219 (21.9%) pts in OCTANS and 98/616 (15.9%) pts in ALCYONE had high-risk cytogenetic abnormalities. At a median follow-up of 12.3 months in OCTANS and 16.5 months in ALCYONE, in the pooled intent-to-treat (ITT) population from OCTANS and ALCYONE, the estimated 12-month PFS rate was 86.2% in the D-VMP group (n=496) versus 74.6% in the VMP group (n=430), and the estimated 18-month PFS rate was 73.3% versus 50.3%, respectively; the median PFS was NR in the D-VMP group versus 18.1 months in the VMP group (HR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.38-0.61; P Conclusion: In a pooled analysis of Asian pts from OCTANS and global pts from ALCYONE, D-VMP demonstrated clinical benefit versus VMP in transplant-ineligible pts with NDMM. The benefit of D-VMP versus VMP was observed across clinically relevant subgroups. These results support the use of D-VMP in transplant-ineligible pts with NDMM. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Kim: BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Li: Suzhou Zelgen Biopharmaceuticals Co.,Ltd.: Honoraria. Chim: Janssen, Takeda & Amgen: Other: received sponsorship for overseas meetings. Rodriguez-Otero: Clínica Universidad de Navarra: Current Employment; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene-BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; GSK: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pfizer: Consultancy; Sanofi: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Kite: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Amgen: Honoraria; Regeneron: Honoraria. Dimopoulos: Takeda: Honoraria; BMS: Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria; Beigene: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria. Wroblewski: Janssen: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Carson: Janssen: Current Employment. Qi: Janssen: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Wang: Janssen: Current Employment. Song: Janssen: Current Employment. Jia: Janssen: Current Employment. Yang: Janssen: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Liu: Janssen: Ended employment in the past 24 months. Li: Janssen: Current Employment. Zhang: Janssen: Current Employment. Wang: AbbVie: Consultancy; Astellas Pharma, Inc.: Research Funding.

Introduction: Daratumumab is a human IgGκ monoclonal antibody that targets CD38 with a direct on-tumor and immunomodulatory mechanism of action. In the primary analysis (median follow-up, 16.5 months) of the global phase 3 ALCYONE trial, daratumumab in combination with bortezomib, melphalan, and prednisone (D-VMP) significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) versus VMP alone in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) who were ineligible for transplant (median PFS, not reached vs 18.1 months; hazard ratio [HR], 0.50; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.38-0.65; P Methods: Eligible patients in OCTANS and ALCYONE were ≥18 years of age, were diagnosed with NDMM, and were not eligible for autologous stem cell transplant due to age (≥65 years) or comorbidities. All patients received up to 9 cycles (42-days) of bortezomib (1.3 mg/m 2; subcutaneous) twice weekly on Weeks 1, 2, 4, and 5 of Cycle 1 and once weekly on Weeks 1, 2, 4, and 5 of Cycles 2 to 9; melphalan (9 mg/m 2; oral) once daily on Days 1 to 4 of each cycle; prednisone (60 mg/m 2; oral) once daily on Days 1 to 4 of each cycle. For patients in the D-VMP group, daratumumab (16 mg/kg, intravenous) was administered once weekly in Cycle 1, once every 3 weeks in Cycles 2 to 9, and once every 4 weeks thereafter until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Response over time (at 6, 12, 18, 24, 54 weeks) and disease progression were assessed by a validated computer algorithm in accordance with the IMWG criteria. Minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity (10 -5) was assessed by multi-parameter flow cytometry in OCTANS and by next-generation sequencing in ALCYONE. Results: In the OCTANS study, 220 Asian patients were randomized (D-VMP, n=146; VMP, n=74); in the ALCYONE study, 706 global patients were randomized (D-VMP, n=350; VMP, n=356). Median age in OCTANS was 69 (range, 57-84) years and 71 (range 40-93) years in ALCYONE. Patients were pooled from both studies (D-VMP, n=496; VMP, n=430). D-VMP increased the rate of complete response or better (≥CR; 10.2% vs 5.6%) and the rate of very good partial response or better (≥VGPR; 58.5% vs 38.1%) versus VMP after 18 weeks of treatment (Figure A). Responses deepened over time among patients in both the D-VMP and VMP groups, as shown by the ≥CR rate (D-VMP, 38.8%; VMP, 21.6%) and the ≥VGPR rate (D-VMP, 74.0%; VMP, 50.7%) at 54 weeks. At a median follow-up of 12.3 months for OCTANS and 16.5 months for ALCYONE, among patients who achieved a VGPR (D-VMP: n=145 [29.2%]; VMP: n=109 [25.3%]), the median PFS was not reached in the D-VMP group versus 19.9 months in the VMP group (HR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.36-1.00; P=0.0499; Figure B). All patients who achieved ≥CR with or without MRD negativity (10 -5) demonstrated prolonged PFS, regardless of treatment (≥CR: HR, 1.54; 95% CI, 0.65-3.65; P=0.3210; ≥CR+MRD negativity: HR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.13-3.40; P=0.6225; Figure B); however, more patients treated with D-VMP achieved this level of response (≥CR: D-VMP , n=212 [42.7%]; VMP, n=100 [23.3%]; ≥CR+MRD negativity: D-VMP, n=116 [23.4%]; VMP, n=27 [6.3%]; Figure B). Conclusion: In a pooled analysis of OCTANS and ALCYONE, more patients with transplant-ineligible NDMM achieved deeper responses with D-VMP versus VMP. More patients treated with D-VMP achieved ≥CR with or without MRD negativity compared with those treated with VMP alone, leading to prolonged PFS regardless of treatment. These results support the use of daratumumab in addition to VMP in transplant-ineligible Asian patients with NDMM. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Wang: AbbVie: Consultancy; Astellas Pharma, Inc.: Research Funding. Kim: BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Li: Suzhou Zelgen Biopharmaceuticals Co.,Ltd.: Honoraria. Chim: Janssen, Takeda & Amgen: Other: received sponsorship for overseas meetings. Rodriguez-Otero: Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene-BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; GSK: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pfizer: Consultancy; Sanofi: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Kite: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Amgen: Honoraria; Regeneron: Honoraria; Clínica Universidad de Navarra: Current Employment. Liberati: abbvie, amgen, archigen, beigene, BMS, celgene, DR REDDY'S LABORATORIES SPA, fibrogen, glaxo, Janssen, Karyopharm, Morphosys, Novartis, Onconova, Oncopeptides ab, Roche, Sanophi, Secura Bio, Takeda, Verastem,: Research Funding. Takamatsu: Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria, Research Funding; SRL: Consultancy; Adaptive Biotechnologies, Eisai: Honoraria; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Dimopoulos: BMS: Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria; Beigene: Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria. Wroblewski: Janssen: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Carson: Janssen: Current Employment. Qi: Janssen: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Wang: Janssen: Current Employment. Song: Janssen: Current Employment. Jia: Janssen: Current Employment. Yang: Janssen: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Liu: Janssen: Ended employment in the past 24 months. Li: Janssen: Current Employment. Zhang: Janssen: Current Employment.

Introduction The epidemiology of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is not well characterized in an Asian population. Materials and methods From July 2010 to June 2014, ITP patients were identified using the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service database. Results The overall incidence rate of ITP was 5.3 per 100,000 person-years (95% CI: 5.1–5.5). The overall incidence rate ratios of children under 15 years old to adults and females to males were 3.8 (95% CI: 3.7–3.9) and 1.3 (95% CI: 1.2–1.4), respectively. Of the total 10,814 patients, 3388 patients (31%) needed treatment for ITP; of these, 54% continued treatment for more than three months. First-line therapy consisted of corticosteroids (CS) in 42%, immunoglobulin (IVIg) in 35%, CS with IVIg in 19%, and other immunosuppressive agents (ISA) in 4%. Among treated patients, 75% of adults and 33% of children continued treatment for more than three months. After three months, the most frequently used drug was CS alone in 63% of patients. Only 104 patients underwent splenectomy; of these, 51% received salvage treatment after a median of one month after surgery (range: 0–27). The proportion of patients who received platelet transfusions of 12 units or more per month for at least two consecutive months was significantly higher among patients treated for more than three months compared with patients who completed treatment within three months. Conclusions This population-based study is the first to describe the incidence of ITP and its treatment reality for patients in Korea.

BACKGROUND Dapsone has been recommended as a second-line immunosuppressive agent for patients with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). METHODS We retrospectively analyzed the efficacy and safety of dapsone therapy in patients with ITP. RESULTS Nine ITP patients were treated with dapsone at a dose of 50-100 mg/day between May 2013 and March 2016. All patients were refractory to multiple previous treatments, with a median of 7 agents (range, 4-8), and 3 patients had undergone a previous splenectomy. The median pre-treatment platelet count was 4×109/L (range, 3-27×109/L). Only 1 patient (11.1%) responded to dapsone therapy. No severe adverse events were observed, except for 1 case of dapsone hypersensitivity syndrome. CONCLUSION Although dapsone is still useful for some patients, it may be ineffective in heavily pretreated patients with profound thrombocytopenia.

// Da Jung Kim 1 , Ho Sup Lee 1 , Joon-Ho Moon 2 , Sang Kyun Sohn 2 , Hyeoung Joon Kim 3 , June-Won Cheong 4 , Deog-Yeon Jo 5 , Hawk Kim 6 , Hyewon Lee 7 , Soo-Mee Bang 8 , Won Sik Lee 9 , Yong Park 10 , Mark Hong Lee 11 , Jae Hoon Lee 12 , Sung Hwa Bae 13 , Min Kyoung Kim 14 and The Korean Society of Hematology AML/MDS Working Party 1 Department of Internal Medicine, Kosin University College of Medicine, Kosin University Gospel Hospital, Busan, South Korea 2 Department of Hematology/Oncology, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu, South Korea 3 Department of Hematology-Oncology, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Jeollanamdo, South Korea 4 Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea 5 Department of Internal Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea 6 Division of Hematology and Cellular Therapy, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, South Korea 7 Department of Hematology-Oncology, Center for Hematologic Malignancy, National Cancer Center, Goyang, South Korea 8 Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul, South Korea 9 Department of Internal Medicine, Busan Paik Hospital, Busan, South Korea 10 Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea 11 Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Konkuk University Medical Center, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea 12 Department of Internal Medicine, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, South Korea 13 Department of Internal Medicine, Daegu Catholic University Medical Center, Daegu, South Korea 14 Department of Hematology-Oncology, Yeungnam University Medical Center, Yeungnam University School of Medicine, Daegu, South Korea Correspondence to: Ho Sup Lee, email: hs52silver@gmail.com Keywords: myelodysplastic syndrome, discontinuation, survival, decitabine, azacitidine Received: March 17, 2017 Accepted: April 28, 2017 Published: May 29, 2017 ABSTRACT It is often difficult to continue treatment with hypomethylating agent(HMA) in clinical practice because of problems such as toxicities, poor economics, etc. We compared clinical outcomes of those patients who continued HMA and those who discontinued HMA because of other causes, and evaluated factors associated with survival in those patients who discontinued HMA. Patients were divided into two groups: treatment failure, those who stopped treatment due to disease progression; and discontinuation, those who discontinued treatment because of other causes. The median progression free survival(PFS) was 9.2 months (range 7.7 – 10.7 months) vs 28.9 months (range 22.6 – 35.2) in the treatment failure and discontinuation groups, respectively ( P < 0.001). In a multivariate analysis, a lower risk by WPSS was an independent predictive factor for a longer PFS, and a lower risk by WPSS and median number of HMA cycles greater than seven were independent predictive factors for longer overall survival(OS) only in the discontinuation group. Patients who discontinued HMA without disease progression showed a prolonged survival than those who failed HMA treatment. Especially, a lower risk by WPSS and longer duration of HMA treatment may be predictive factors for a longer PFS and OS in patients who discontinued HMA.

We analyzed adverse events (AEs) in 201 chronic phase CML patients treated with nilotinib (n = 120) or dasatinib (n = 81) as first- or second-line therapy. The dasatinib group had significantly higher grade 3–4 AEs compared to the nilotinib group (22 vs. 54%, p

Essentials Data on venous thromboembolism (VTE) after L-asparaginase (L-asp) in Asian lymphoma are scarce. This is a population-based study in Asian patients with lymphoid disease and L-asp-related VTE. The overall incidence of L-asp-associated VTE was similar to reports on Caucasians. This first and largest study in Asians shows that mainly adult patients are at risk of thrombosis. SummaryBackground L-asparaginase (L-asp)-associated venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a serious adverse complication associated with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and lymphoma treatment. The incidence rate of L-asp-related VTE in Asian cancer patients is not well known. Methods We performed a population-based study between 2009 and 2013 using claim databases, including both diagnostic and medication codes, such as anti-cancer treatment with L-asp and VTE diagnoses from the starting date until 3 months after cessation of L-asp. Results A total of 3286 patients were prescribed L-asp treatment for any type of lymphoid malignancy including ALL and lymphoma; 116 patients (3.5%) experienced VTE. The most common site of thrombosis was the upper extremities (34.5%). Cerebral vein thrombosis (1.7%) occurred in two pediatric patients; 2.4% (43/1795) of pediatric patients and 4.9% (72/1486) of adult patients suffered from VTE, respectively; 2.7% (56/2064) of ALL and 4.9% (59/1217) of lymphoma patients were diagnosed with VTE after L-asp exposure. After univariate analysis, both the diagnosis of lymphoma (vs. ALL) and being an adult patient (vs. pediatric patient) were risk factors for VTE occurrence. However, after multivariate analysis, only age > 18 remained a risk factor for VTE (odds ratio, 1.79; 95% confidence interval, 1.14–2.81). Conclusions This is the first and largest population-based study in Asian patients with lymphoid malignancies treated with L-asp demonstrating that adult patients are at elevated risk of thrombosis after L-asp exposure. The overall incidence of L-asp-related VTE amongst these patients was similar to that in Caucasian populations.