What are the common complications of MDS that I should monitor for in my patients?

For patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), common complications that should be monitored primarily stem from bone marrow dysfunction and its consequences.

• Infections: Patients with MDS are at a heightened risk of infections, largely due to neutropenia and compromised immune function ((Girmenia et al., 2019), (Stempel et al., 2023)).
• Bleeding: Thrombocytopenia, a frequent characteristic of MDS, can lead to various bleeding complications ((Stempel et al., 2023)).
• Anemia and associated symptoms: Ineffective red blood cell production often results in significant anemia, causing symptoms such as fatigue, which may necessitate regular red blood cell transfusions ((Stempel et al., 2023)).
• Iron overload: As a consequence of frequent red blood cell transfusions, patients with MDS are at risk of developing iron overload, which requires careful monitoring ((Wells et al., 2008), (Stempel et al., 2023)).