Objective:

2

To compare the clinical effect of arsenic-containing Qinghuang Powder (QHP) and low-intensity chemotherapy (LIC) in treatment of elderly acute myeloid leukemia (eAML) patients.

Methods:

2

Clinical data of 80 eAML patients treated at Xiyuan Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences from January 2015 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The treatment scheme was designed by real world study according to patients' preference

and patients were divided into a QHP group (35 cases) and a LIC group (45 cases). The median overall survival (mOS)

1-

2-

and 3-year OS rates

and incidence of adverse events were compared between the two groups.

Results:

2

The mOS of 80 patients was 11 months

and the 1-

2-

and 3-year OS rates were 45.51%

17.96%

and 11.05%

respectively. The QHP and LIC groups demonstrated no significant difference in mOS (12 months

vs

. 10 months)

1- (48.57%

vs

. 39.65%)

2- (11.43%

vs

. 20.04%)

and 3-year OS rates (5.71%

vs

. 13.27%

all

P

>

0.05). Moreover

the related factors of mOS demonstrated no significant difference in patients with age

>

75 years (11 months

vs

. 8 months)

secondary AML (11 months

vs

. 8 months)

poor genetic prognosis (9 months

vs

. 7 months)

Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status score 3 (10 months

vs

. 7 months) and hematopoietic stem cell transplant comorbidity index 4 (11 months

vs

. 7 months) between the QHP and LIC groups (all

P

>

0.05). However

the incidence of myelosuppression was significantly lower in the QHP group than that in the LIC group (28.57%

vs

. 73.33%

P

<

0.01).

Conclusions:

2

QHP and LIC had similar survival rates in eAML patients

but QHP had a lower myelosuppression incidence. Hence

QHP can be an alternative for eAML patients who do not tolerate LIC.