A team of researchers from the Department of Internal Medicine at Kinshasa University Hospital conducted a retrospective cohort study to analyze the clinical and biological profiles, as well as the survival rates, of adult acute leukemia patients. The study, published in the Annales Africaines de Médecine, included 58 patients managed between April 2010 and August 2025. The researchers collected clinical, biological, and therapeutic data to better understand the disease and its outcomes in the region.
The study found that 60.3% of the patients had acute myeloid leukemia, while 39.7% had acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The mean age of the patients was 41 years, with a male predominance, represented by a sex ratio of 1.4. Notably, 48.3% of the patients had a poor performance status, classified as ECOG 3-4. Common symptoms included fever, observed in 75.9% of patients, and tumor syndrome, observed in 58.6%.
The researchers also found that anemia, thrombocytopenia, and leukocytosis were frequent among the patients. Specifically, 100% of patients had anemia, 81% had thrombocytopenia, and 34.5% had leukocytosis. Induction chemotherapy was administered to 46.6% of the patients, resulting in three complete remissions. The median overall survival was 3.9 weeks, highlighting the poor prognosis for adult acute leukemia patients in Kinshasa.
The study used the Kaplan-Meier method to analyze survival and Cox regression to assess factors associated with mortality. The results showed that poor performance status and the absence of chemotherapy were independent predictors of mortality. Specifically, patients with a poor performance status had a hazard ratio of 3.15, while those who did not receive chemotherapy had a hazard ratio of 2.89.
The researchers emphasized that improving early diagnosis and access to treatment is crucial to improving outcomes for adult acute leukemia patients in Kinshasa. The study's findings highlight the need for enhanced healthcare services and resources to manage this life-threatening disease effectively. The researchers also stressed that their study's results are consistent with previous studies, underscoring the urgency of addressing the challenges faced by adult acute leukemia patients in the region.
The study's authors, including Edgar Kiabantu Kioni, Gorby Mpoyi Ndaie, and Jean-François Konde Diasonama, contributed to the research and publication of the study. Their work provides valuable insights into the clinical and biological profiles of adult acute leukemia patients in Kinshasa, as well as the challenges they face in accessing effective treatment. The study's findings have implications for healthcare policy and practice in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Key points
- Poor performance status and absence of chemotherapy are independent predictors of mortality in adult acute leukemia patients in Kinshasa.
- The median overall survival for adult acute leukemia patients in Kinshasa is 3.9 weeks.
- Improving early diagnosis and access to treatment is crucial to improving outcomes for adult acute leukemia patients in Kinshasa.
