Prognostic significance of β2-microglobulin decline index in multiple myeloma

Purpose To assess the prognostic significance of beta 2-microglobulin decline index (beta 2M DI) in multiple myeloma (MM). Methods 150 MM patients diagnosed with MM were enrolled in this study. Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyze the uni- and multivariate prognosis in training cohort (n=105). A new combined prognostic model containing beta 2M DI was built up based on the data in training cohort. The validation group was used to verify the model. Results beta 2M DI showed significant correlation with prognosis in both uni- and multivariate analyses and had a good correlation with complete response (CR) rate and deep remission rate. The ROC and calibration curves in validation cohort (n=45) indicated a good predictive performance of the new model. Based on the median risk score of the training group, we classified patients into high- and low- risk groups. In both training and validation groups, patients in the low-risk group had longer overall survival (OS) time than that in the high-risk group (p<0.05). Conclusion beta 2M DI is a good predictive index for predicting treatment response and survival time in MM patients. The prognostic model added with beta 2M DI showed a better correlation with OS.