Infectious complications in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma: A complication from the past?

Abstract

Infectious complications are an important risk factor for early mortality in patients with multiple myeloma. However, data about the impact and severity of infections in these patients in the era of new therapies have not been properly analyzed. This review has reviewed the incidence and severity of infections complications and infection-related mortality during induction treatment in patients with newly diagnosed myeloma receiving regimens with new drugs within randomized trials. The results show that infections are still a major cause of morbidity, especially among elderly patients receiving immunomodulatory drugs seen in up to 28% of patients in some trials vs less than 10% among transplant-eligible patients. Overall infection-related mortality ranged from 0-7% in transplant-ineligible patients, with no infection-related deaths in the majority of the trials including younger patients. Strategies directed to further reduce these complications and a better knowledge of their impact in patients treated outside clinical trials are needed.