[Tuberculosis in chronic myeloproliferative syndromes: its incidence and principle characteristics in a series of 562 patients].

BACKGROUND: Incidence analysis of tuberculosis in a series of 562 patients with chronic myeloproliferative syndrome (CMPS). 344 had chronic myelocytic leukemia, 91 polycythemia vera, 70 idiopathic myelofibrosis and 57 essential thrombocythemia. METHODS: The association between CMPS and tuberculosis was evaluated with the "patient-year" test, using as a control group for the incidence of tuberculosis the population of Catalonia in 1982 from data published by the Catalan government. The comparison with this group was made on the basis of observed/expected distribution. RESULTS: 9 cases of tuberculosis were found, representing a significantly higher frequency than in the general population (observed/expected relation 18.16; p less than 0.000001). In patients with idiopathic myelofibrosis the incidence was clearly higher than in the rest of CMPS. In all patients tuberculosis developed some time after the diagnosis of CMPS. In 4 patients the disease was miliary. In only one of the 5 cases where the microorganisms could be typified it was found to correspond to an atypical mycobacterium. In six patients tuberculosis had an unfavorable outcome despite therapy. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with CMPS the incidence of tuberculosis was higher than in the normal population, with a high frequency of miliary forms.