A unified definition of clinical resistance/intolerance to hydroxyurea in essential thrombocythemia: Results of a consensus process by an international working group

A widely accepted definition of resistance or intolerance to hydroxyurea (HU) in patients with essential thrombocythemia (ET) is lacking. An international working group (WG) was convened to develop a consensus formulation of clinically significant criteria for defining resistance/ intolerance to HU in ET. To this aim, an analytic hierarchy process (AHP), a multiple-attribute decision-making technique, was used. The steps consisted of selecting the candidate criteria for defining resistance/intolerance; identifying the motivations that could influence the preference of the WG for any individual criterion; comparing the candidate criteria in a pair-wise manner; and grading them according their ability to fulfill the motivations. Every step in the model was derived by questionnaires or group discussion. The WG proposed that the definition of resistance/intolerance should require the fulfillment of at least one of the following criteria: platelet count greater than 600000/μl after 3 months of at least 2g/day of HU (2.5g/day in patients with a body weight over 80kg); platelet count greater than 400000/μl and WBC less than 2500/μl or Hb less than 10g/dl at any dose of HU; presence of leg ulcers or other unacceptable muco-cutaneous manifestations at any dose of HU; HU-related fever.