Imatinib resistance in CML and its association with age & gender.

Objective: To evaluate the association of gender and age with the resistance shown to Imatinib in CML with evaluation of WBCC in different age groups. Study Design: Cross Sectional Analytical study. Setting: Islamic International Medical College, Riphah International University, Islamabad, Pakistan. Patients were enrolled from the CML clinic in Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi. Period: January 2019 to December 2021. Material & Methods: Sampling technique was non probability consecutive sampling. We included 75 newly diagnosed CML patients, who were taking Imatinib 400 mg. Blood samples of all these patients were analysed at the start of treatment and also after 3 months to determine the complete haematological response (CHR) and patients were labelled as resistant who failed to achieve complete haematological response at this stage according to the Leukemia Net guidelines. Results: Our study demonstrates that 54.7% of the patients were Imatinib responders while 45.3 % patients were Imatinib resistant. Patients who were labelled as responders have shown complete haematological remission at 3 months of treatment. (Platelet Count < 450 x 10 9/L - WBCC < 10 x 10 9/L - Differential without Immature Granulocytes (MC, PMC, MB) and With Less Than 5% Basophils - Non-Palpable Spleen) A chi square test of independence was performed to examine the relation between gender and response and between age groups and response. The relationship between age groups and response is significant with p value of 0.003. While the relationship when determined between gender and response, it was found to be non-significant with p value of 0.08. It was also found out that WBC count in responders is at lowest in second age group and also highest in second age group in case of resistant patients that is age between 31-40 years. Conclusion: Imatinib resistance is common while treating patients with chronic myeloid leukemia. There is significant association with the different age groups and non-significant association with the gender in terms of response to the treatment of Imatinib. It was also found that age also effects the WBC count with Imatinib though it was not significant.