AUTHOR=Moia Riccardo , Cittone Micol Giulia , Boggione Paola , Manfredi Giulia Francesca , Favini Chiara , Awikeh Bassel , Pedrinelli Anita Rebecca , Mahmoud Abdurraouf Mokhtar , Nicolosi Maura , Bellan Mattia , Sainaghi Pier Paolo , Pirisi Mario , Gaidano Gianluca , Patriarca Andrea , Rigamonti Cristina 

TITLE=Stiffer Spleen Predicts Higher Bone Marrow Fibrosis and Higher JAK2 Allele Burden in Patients With Myeloproliferative Neoplasms

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Oncology

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2021.777730

DOI=10.3389/fonc.2021.777730

ISSN=2234-943X

ABSTRACT=<p>A total of 63 myeloproliferative neoplasms [MPN; 9 polycythemia vera (PV), 32 essential thrombocythemia (ET), and 22 myelofibrosis (MF)] underwent spleen stiffness (SS) measurement by vibration-controlled transient elastography equipped with a novel spleen-dedicated module. Higher SS values significantly correlated with grade 2-3 bone marrow (BM) fibrosis (<italic>p</italic>=0.035), with hemoglobin level &lt;10 g/dl (<italic>p</italic>=0.014) and with white blood cells ≥10,000/μl (<italic>p</italic>=0.008). Median SS was significantly higher in MF patients compared to ET and PV (<italic>p</italic>=0.015). SS also correlated with higher <italic>JAK2</italic> variant allele frequency (<italic>p</italic>=0.02). This study identifies SS as a potential noninvasive tool that reflects BM fibrosis and the mutational burden in MPN.</p>