Evaluation of the relationship between myeloperoxidase expression and febrile neutropenia in acute myeloid leukemia patients

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a hematological malignancy characterized by the abnormal proliferation of myeloid-derived blast cells in the bone marrow and peripheral blood, associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. Intensive chemotherapy protocols administered in the treatment of AML frequently lead to immunosuppression, thereby predisposing patients to serious complications such as febrile neutropenia (FN). FN is a life- threatening clinical condition defined by a marked reduction in neutrophil count accompanied by fever. In this context, there is a growing need for novel biomarkers to predict infection development and disease prognosis. This thesis aimed to investigate the relationship between myeloperoxidase (MPO) expression levels and the development of FN in individuals diagnosed with AML. In this retrospective study, the clinical data of AML patients were reviewed, and potential correlations between MPO levels and FN development were evaluated using statistical analyses. The results of this study demonstrated that differences observed in MPO levels were not statistically significantly associated with the development of febrile neutropenia. Furthermore, MPO levels did not show a significant effect on disease stage, response to therapy, or prognosis. These findings suggest that MPO may not be a reliable biomarker on its own for predicting the risk of FN in AML patients. In conclusion, based on the data obtained, it was determined that MPO levels do not play a decisive clinical role in predicting FN in patients with AML. The results highlight the necessity for further, large-scale studies to clarify the potential utility of MPO in infection risk management and the development of individualized treatment strategies in AML.