Table 5 Comparison of characteristic responders vs. non-responders and influence of different characteristics on response rate and survival

Median age

72

74

n.s.

n.s.^a

Sex

78% male

80% male

n.s.

n.s.

Karyotype risk (IPSS)

44% high

53% high

n.s.

n.s.

Normal/abnormal KT

22% normal

33% normal

n.s.

n.s.

Chromosome 7 abnormality

44% Chr 7

27% Chr 7

n.s.

n.s.

IPSS score

50% high

83% high

n.s.

n.s.

MDS vs. AML

89% MDS

33% MDS

0.02

0.0052

Prim vs. sek.

13% sek

33% sek

n.s.

n.s.

Treatment vs. no pretreatment

11% yes

60% yes

0.03

n.s.

Mean marrow blast count

15

40

0.009

n.s.^b

WBC/μl

3,000

3,900

n.s.

n.s.^c

Transfusion dependency

56%

93%

0.047

0.014

Platelet count/μl

42

76

n.s.

n.s.^d

Median VPA level (mean)/μg/ml

77

62

0.004

0.03^e

Maximum VPA level (mean)/μg/ml

101

80

0.007

0.040^f

Time to level >70 μg/ml

3

7

0.02

n.s.^g

VPA level week 2/3

79

46

0.00005

0.0012^h

VPA dosage (mg)

1,800

2,066

n.s.

n.s.ⁱ

VPA dosage/kg

23

27

n.s.

n.s.^j