Evaluation of the Impact of Chemotherapy on Comorbidity in Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Abstract

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is the most common form of leukemia and is usually, diagnosed in older patients. Objective. To evaluate the impact of therapy on the overall comorbidity of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. To analyze the effectiveness of using the CCI and CIRS-G scales to assess comorbidity in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Materials and methods. The medical histories of 67 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia were analyzed, and the comorbid status was assessed both at the time of diagnosis and after specific therapy. Out of the total number of patients, 53 were men (79 %) and 14 were women (21 %), with a median age of 64 [54; 71] years. Two scales were used to objectively assess the level of comorbidity: the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) and the Comorbidity Index for the Elderly (CIRS-G). Results. During the study, a subgroup of 9 patients was identified who did not require specific therapy. As a result, of the therapy, 42 (72 %) patients experienced complications, while 16 (28 %) patients tolerated the therapy without complications. When calculating comorbidity using the CCI scale, there was an increase in the number of patients with high levels of comorbidity from 22 to 28, and using the CIRS-G scale, there was an increase from 43 to 45, highlighting the negative impact of the therapy on patient outcomes. Conclusion. The CCI and CIRS-G scales allow only an approximate assessment of the comorbidity of treated patients, as the CCI does not include conditions such as polyneuropathies, immunodeficiency conditions, thrombosis, arrhythmias, gastritis, and the CIRS-G scale does not include conditions such as thrombosis and immunodeficiency conditions. This indicates the need for a more comprehensive comorbidity assessment scale.