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Biomedical subjects

E Gluckman

Publications and source records attributed to E Gluckman.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation trends in children over the last three decades: a survey by the paediatric diseases working party of the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation.

This paper describes the trends in haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) activity for children in Europe over the last three decades. We analysed 31,713 consecutive paediatric HSCTs reported by the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) centres between 1970 and 2002. Data were taken from the EBMT registry and were compared according to period and centre category (paediatric or combined). Since 1996, there has been a significant increase in the number of HSCTs performed exclusively by paediatric centres, as well as in the number of alternative donor HSCTs, and in the use of peripheral blood stem cells (P<0.0001). The number of allogeneic HSCTs (allo-HSCTs) for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, acute myeloblastic leukaemia and chronic myeloid leukaemia remained stable, whereas it increased for myelodysplastic syndromes and lymphomas, and decreased significantly for non-malignant diseases (P<0.0001). Multivariate analysis showed that younger age, human leukocyte antigen genoidentical donors, HSCT performed after 1996 and transplant centres performing more than 10 allo-HSCT/year were all associated with decreased transplant-related mortality (TRM) (P<0.0001). The number of autologus HSCTs (auto-HSCTs) for acute leukaemia decreased significantly, whereas it increased for solid tumours (P<0.0001). Multivariate analysis showed that both auto-HSCT performed before 1996 and paediatric solid tumours (P<0.0001) had higher TRM. Indications for paediatric HSCT have changed considerably during the last seven years. These changes provide tools for decision making in health-care planning and counselling.

Blood Transfusion↗

Bone marrow transplants from mismatched related and unrelated donors for severe aplastic anemia.

For patients with acquired severe aplastic anemia without a matched sibling donor and not responding to immunosuppressive treatment, bone marrow transplantation from a suitable alternative donor is often attempted. We examined risks of graft failure, graft-versus-host disease and overall survival after 318 alternative donor transplants between 1988 and 1998. Sixty-six patients received allografts from 1-antigen and 20 from >1-antigen mismatched related donors; 181 from matched and 51 from mismatched unrelated donors. Most patients were young, had had multiple red blood cell transfusions and poor performance score at transplantation. We did not observe differences in risks of graft failure and overall mortality by donor type. The probabilities of graft failure at 100 days after 1-antigen mismatched related donor, >1-antigen mismatched related donor, matched unrelated donor and mismatched unrelated donor transplants were 21, 25, 15 and 18%, respectively. Corresponding probabilities of overall survival at 5 years were 49, 30, 39 and 36%, respectively. Although alternative donor transplantation results in long-term survival, mortality rates are high. Poor performance score and older age adversely affect outcomes after transplantation. Therefore, early referral for transplantation should be encouraged for patients who fail immunosuppressive therapy and have a suitable alternative donor.

Adolescent↗

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in severe congenital neutropenia: experience of the French SCN register.

Our objective was to study the outcome of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in patients with severe congenital neutropenia (SCN). Among 101 cases of SCN included in the French Severe Chronic Neutropenia Registry, nine patients received HSCT between 1993 and 2003, in seven institutions. The indications were nonresponse to G-CSF therapy in four cases, bone marrow failure in one case, and myelodysplastic syndrome or leukemia in four cases. The conditioning regimen consisted of total body irradiation in two cases and chemotherapy alone in the other seven cases. Seven patients received stem cells from unrelated donors and two from identical siblings. Engraftment occurred in all but one of the patients. Three patients died. The respective causes of death were graft-versus-host disease, infection, and EBV post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease. Six patients are alive and in complete remission, with a median follow-up of 3.1 years. These results indicate that HSCT is feasible for patients with SCN who do not respond to G-CSF, who have malignant transformation, or who are at a high risk of malignant transformation, even if an HLA-identical sibling donor is not available.

Adolescent↗

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor for poor graft function after allogeneic stem cell transplantation: 3 days of G-CSF identifies long-term responders.

Poor graft function (PGF) is a frequent cause of morbidity after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). To study the value of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) in PGF, we retrospectively analyzed 81 episodes of PGF in 66 patients transplanted from 01/94 to 01/99 from an HLA-identical sibling (n = 45) or an unrelated (n = 21) donor. Median age was 29 years, 55 patients had malignancies. A total of 11 patients received a CD34+ selected graft. Viral infections (25%), myelotoxic drug (33%), fungal/bacterial infections (14%), and GVHD (31%) were present before PGF diagnosis. Median time from allo-HSCT to PGF was 75 (25-474) days. All patients were treated with G-CSF. In 77/81 episodes, there was a response that was sustained in 57. A total of 27 patients presented an increase of white cell count (WBC) >0.1 x 10(9)/l after 3 days of G-CSF. The 5-year survival was 37% and was significantly better in patients with increased WBC > 0.1 x 10(9)/l after 3 days of G-CSF (65 vs 18%, P < 0.0001). In multivariate analysis, increased WBC > 0.1 x 10(9)/l after 3 days of G-CSF (P = 0.002) was associated with better survival, while BuCy-based conditioning (P = 0.02) and GVHD (P = 0.005) were associated with higher risk of death. In conclusion, hematological response after 3 days with G-CSF predicted a better survival for patients with PGF after allo-SCT.

Adolescent↗

Treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus in allogeneic bone marrow transplant recipients.

We recently reported an increased incidence of cirrhosis in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected stem cell transplant (SCT) recipients. Here, we describe our experience in the treatment of these patients, which has been, to date, poorly reported in the literature. Among 99 HCV-infected HCT recipients, 36 had HCV-related liver lesions on biopsy requiring therapy. Owing to HCV treatment contraindications, only 61% of patients (22/36) could be treated. In all, 12 patients received more than one course of anti-HCV treatment if they had HCV RNA still detectable after the first course of treatment and no treatment contraindications. Combined therapy (pegylated interferon (IFN): n=9, or standard IFN: n=9, in combination with ribavirin) led to sustained virological response in 4/18 (20%) patients as compared to 2/20 (10%) in patients who received IFN alone. Hematological toxicity was more frequent with combined therapy. While anemia responded to erythropoietin and/or dose modification, thrombocytopenia usually led to treatment interruption (n=3). This study thus highlights the efficacy of combined therapy and emphasizes the fact that the undue safety concerns are not a problem when treating this particular population.

Adolescent↗

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for Shwachman-Diamond syndrome: experience of the French neutropenia registry.

Our objective was to study the outcome of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome (SDS). Among 71 SDS patients included in the French Severe Chronic Neutropenia Registry, 10 received HSCT between 1987 and 2004 in five institutions. The indications were bone marrow failure in five cases, and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) or leukemia in five cases. The median follow-up of patients who survived without relapse is 6.9 years (3.1-16.8 years). The conditioning regimen consisted of a busulfan-cyclophosphamide combination (n=6) or total body irradiation plus chemotherapy (n=4). Six patients received stem cells from unrelated donors and four from identical siblings. Engraftment was complete in eight patients and unassessable in two patients. These latter two patients died of infections 32 and 36 days after HSCT, with grade IV graft-versus-host disease and multiorgan dysfunction. A third patient died from an acute respiratory distress syndrome 17 months after HSCT with progressive granulocytic sarcoma. One patient had an MDS relapse 4 months after HSCT and died 10 months later. The overall 5-year event-free survival rate is 60+/-15%. We conclude that HSCT is feasible for patients with SDS who develop bone marrow failure or malignant transformation.

Adolescent↗

Occurrence of Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia after allogeneic stem cell transplantation: a 6-year retrospective study.

Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (PCP) has become a rare opportunistic infection due to the efficacy of prophylactic regimens. We conducted a 6-year retrospective study at our institution. A total of 13 cases of PCP were diagnosed among 519 patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) (2.5%). In three patients, PCP occurred within the first 5 months following HSCT. These severely immunocompromised patients were receiving prophylaxis and had concomitant aspergillosis that caused rapid death in two of them. In 10 other patients, PCP occurred a median of 14.5 months after HSCT. In all these patients, PCP prophylaxis had been discontinued, mainly because of the suspected bone-marrow toxicity of the prophylactic regimen. Median CD4+ T cell count was 131/microl at diagnosis. Seven of these 10 patients were receiving immunosuppressive therapy for chronic graft versus host disease and three had a relapse of their hematological malignancy. One patient died from PCP despite high doses of cotrimoxazole. We conclude that PCP is still occurring after allogeneic HSCT, mainly as a late complication in patients in whom PCP prophylaxis had been prematurely discontinued. Long-term PCP prophylaxis should be maintained in patients receiving immunosuppressive drugs, and in those with low CD4+ T cell counts or a relapse of their hematological malignancy.

CD4 Lymphocyte Count↗

High-resolution HLA typing by sequencing for HLA-A, -B, -C, -DR, -DQ in 122 unrelated cord blood/patient pair transplants hardly improves long-term clinical outcome.

To determine the impact of high-resolution (HR) HLA typing with outcomes after UCBT, DNAs of 122 pairs were analysed for HLA class I and class II mismatches (MM) based on HR typing. For HLA-A, -B on low-resolution typing and -DRB1 on HR typing, the following MM situation resulted: no MM (13%), one MM (40%), two MM (36%), three MM (8%), four MM (3%). For A, B, C, DR and DQ based on HR typing the following MM occurred: No MM (4%), one MM (10%), two MM (15%), three MM (22%), four MM (25%), five MM (12%), six MM (6%), seven MM (3%), eight MM (2%). There was no significant association between number of MM (HR) for both HLA-A, -B and -DRB1 and HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1 and DQB1 and aGvHD grade II-IV. There was a trend that MM in class I HR were associated with neutrophil recovery; HLA-A locus typing analysed in HvG direction was associated with reduced cumulative incidence of engraftment (P=0.04), the same for C-KIR in HvG direction (P=0.01). No significant correlation was found between numbers of HLA-MM on the HR level with 2-year survival. The analysis shows that the degree of mismatching in UCBT is even higher than expected.

ABO Blood-Group System↗

A 10-year median follow-up study after allogeneic stem cell transplantation for chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase from HLA-identical sibling donors.

We report long-term outcome in 102 patients with cCML transplanted from an HLA-identical sibling donor from 1982 to 1998. The conditioning regimen was based on cyclophosphamide associated with either total body irradiation (TBI) (37 patients) or with busulfan (63 patients). Graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) prophylaxis consisted of cyclosporin and methotrexate in the majority of the patients. Fifteen year overall survival was estimated at 53% (95% confidence interval (CI), 44-65) with a plateau after 2.5 years. Long-term survival was adversely affected by: longer time from chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) diagnosis to transplantation, older age at time of transplantation and GvHD (acute grade III-IV or chronic extensive). The main cause of death was infection, related to GvHD in 69% of patients. Splenectomy also significantly increased the risk of bacterial infection. 15-year relapse was estimated at 8% (95% CI, 0.1-14). Late malignancies occurred in seven patients, four of whom had an invasive cancer. Other frequent late complications included cataracts, psychological depression, osteonecrosis and hypothyroidism. These complications were more frequent following splenectomy, TBI and in patients with chronic extensive GvHD. We conclude that allogeneic transplantation with a related donor can cure more than half of CML patients in chronic phase, although physicians should be alert to long-term complications.

Follow-Up Studies↗

History of the clinical use of umbilical cord blood hematopoietic cells.

The first cord blood (CB) transplant was performed in 1988 in a patient with Fanconi anemia. The donor was his HLA-identical sister who was known by pre-natal diagnosis to be HLA identical and not affected by the Fanconi mutation. The CB was collected and cryopreserved at birth. The transplant was successful without GvHD and the patient is currently alive and free of disease more than 15 years after transplant, with full hematologic and immunologic donor reconstitution. At the time of the first transplant, little was known about the biologic properties of CB cells and it was thanks to the pioneering work of H. E. Broxmeyer and E. A. Boyse, who studied the progenitor cell content of CB, and of A. D. Auerbach, who realized the pre-natal diagnosis of Fanconi anemia, that this transplant was possible. Since this first transplant, many questions have been answered but others are still open for further research. For example: would a single CB unit contain enough stem cells to permanently engraft children and adults? Would maternal cell contamination in fetal blood engraft and give severe GvHD? What are the immunologic properties of CB cells? How does it interfere with GvHD, GvL and immune reconstitution? Is the immune immaturity of CB lymphocytes able to overcome the HLA barrier and authorize HLA-mismatched transplants? Is it possible to establish CB banks for unrelated and related transplants? What would be the criteria for collection, quality control and cryopreservation?

Child↗

Imaging of diffuse metastatic and dystrophic pulmonary calcification in children after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

The authors describe three cases of diffuse pulmonary calcification; two metastatic in children with acute transitory renal failure and the other dystrophic in a child with leukaemia. All three patients underwent haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Chest radiographs disclosed diffuse calcification within the lungs. The distribution of this calcification was bilateral but asymmetric. Diagnosis was made in two cases by high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and in one case by HRCT and bone scan. Radiological characteristics, scintigraphic features, pathological mechanism and clinical outcome of such pulmonary calcification are discussed.

Acute Disease↗

Autologous stem cell transplantation in the treatment of systemic sclerosis: report from the EBMT/EULAR Registry.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the durability of the responses after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for severe systemic sclerosis (SSc) and determine whether the high transplant related mortality (TRM) improved with experience. This EBMT/EULAR report describes the longer outcome of patients originally described in addition to newly recruited cases. METHODS: Only patients with SSc, treated by HSCT in European phase I-II studies from 1996 up to 2002, with more than 6 months of follow up were included. Transplant regimens were according to the international consensus statements. Repeated evaluations analysed complete, partial, or non-response and the probability of disease progression and survival after HSCT (Kaplan-Meier). RESULTS: Given as median (range). Among 57 patients aged 40 (9.1-68.7) years the skin scores improved at 6 (n = 37 patients), 12 (n = 30), 24 (n = 19), and 36 (n = 10) months after HSCT (p<0.005). After 22.9 (4.5-81.1) months, partial (n = 32) or complete response (n = 14) was seen in 92% and non-response in 8% (n = 4) of 50 observed cases. 35% of the patients with initial partial (n = 13/32) or complete response (n = 3/14) relapsed within 10 (2.2-48.7) months after HSCT. The TRM was 8.7% (n = 5/57). Deaths related to progression accounted for 14% (n = 8/57) of the 23% (n = 13/57) total mortality rate. At 5 years, progression probability was 48% (95% CI 28 to 68) and the projected survival was 72% (95% CI 59 to 75). CONCLUSION: This EBMT/EULAR report showed that response in two thirds of the patients after HSCT was durable with an acceptable TRM. Based on these results prospective, randomised trials are proceeding.

Adolescent↗

An EBMT registry matched study of allogeneic stem cell transplants for lymphoma: allogeneic transplantation is associated with a lower relapse rate but a higher procedure-related mortality rate than autologous transplantation.

The role of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in lymphoma remains uncertain. We have analyzed 1185 allogeneic transplants for lymphoma reported to the EBMT registry between 1982 and 1998 and compared the results with those of 14687 autologous procedures performed over the same period. Patients receiving allogeneic transplants were subdivided according to histology: low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) 231 patients; intermediate-grade NHL 147 patients; high-grade NHL 255 patients; lymphoblastic NHL 314 patients; Burkitt's lymphoma 71 patients; and Hodgkin's disease 167 patients. These patients received allogeneic transplants as their first transplant procedure. Actuarial overall survival (OS) at 4 years from transplantation was: low-grade NHL 51.1%; intermediate-grade NHL 38.3%; high-grade NHL 41.2%; lymphoblastic lymphoma 42.0% years; Burkitt's lymphoma 37.1%; and Hodgkin's disease 24.7% years. These outcomes are relatively poor because of the high procedure-related mortality associated with these procedures, particularly in patients with Hodgkin's disease (51.7% actuarial procedure-related mortality at 4 years). Multivariate analysis showed that for all lymphomas apart from Hodgkin's disease, status at transplantation significantly affected outcome. A matched analysis was performed: for all categories of lymphoma, OS was better for autologous than for allogeneic transplantation. Relapse rate was better in the allogeneic group for low-, intermediate- and high-grade, and lymphoblastic NHL. It was equivalent for Burkitt's lymphoma and worse in the allogeneic group for Hodgkin's disease. Allogeneic transplantation appears to be superior to autologous procedures in terms of producing a lower relapse rate. The toxicity of allogeneic procedures must however be reduced before this translates into an improvement in OS.

Adolescent↗

Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for acute myeloblastic leukaemia in remission: risk factors for long-term morbidity and mortality.

In this single-centre retrospective study, we analysed risk factors for nonrelapse long-term morbidity and mortality in patients with acute myeloblastic leukaemia (AML) who had undergone allogeneic transplantation. A total of 112 patients with de novo AML in first complete remission (CR1), n=90 or second complete remission (CR2, n=22) who received un-manipulated bone marrow grafts from human leukocyte antigen identical siblings between January 1985 and August 2000 were included. Of these, 97 patients alive and disease-free for at least 100 days after transplant were selected for the purpose of this long-term analysis. The use of an intensified conditioning regimen, Gram-negative bacteriaemia before transplantation, year of transplantation and number of pretransplant chemotherapy courses for patients in CR1 significantly affected the 7-year event-free survival which was 57%. 7-year transplant-related mortality TRM was 22%. Significant predictors for TRM were: bacterial infections before transplantation, major ABO blood group incompatibility, late severe bacterial infections, and chronic (graft-versus-host disease) GvHD. Predictive factors for late severe bacterial infections were infections before transplant, total body irradiation and GvHD. Incidence and risk factors for other late events including, chronic GvHD, late infections, osteonecrosis, cataract, endocrine- cardiac- and lung-complications, cancer and performance status at last follow-up were also studied. The analysis strongly suggests that the combination of pretransplant factors such as chemotherapy and conditioning, and posttransplant factors such as chronic GvHD had a major impact on late nonrelapse morbidity and mortality.

Adolescent↗

Differences between graft product and donor side effects following bone marrow or stem cell donation.

We report graft product stem cell yields and donor safety results of a randomized multicenter study comparing allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) PBSC transplantation with BM transplantation. Matched HLA-identical sibling donors (n=329) were randomized to filgrastim-mobilized PBSC or bone marrow (BM) donation groups. Median yields per kg recipient weight of CD34(+) cells, T cells, and natural killer (NK) cells, respectively, were approximately two-fold, eight-fold, and greater than eight-fold in the PBSC group than in the BM group (CD34(+) cells, 5.8 x 10(6)/kg vs 2.7 x 10(6)/kg; T cells, 300.1 x 10(6)/kg vs 35.7 x 10(6)/kg; NK cells, 28.2 x 10(6)/kg vs 3.6 x 10(6)/kg; P<0.001 for each). In connection with the cell collection procedures, PBSC donors spent a shorter median time in hospital than BM donors (0 vs 2 days; median difference -2 days, 95% CI -2 to 2) and had fewer median days of restricted activity (2 vs 6 days; median difference -3 days, 95% CI -4 to 2). Overall, 65% of PBSC donors and 57% of BM donors reported at least one adverse event (AE), most of which were transient, mild-moderate in severity, and without clinical sequelae. PBSC donors experienced predominantly filgrastim-related AEs, while BM donors experienced predominantly harvest-related AEs.

Adolescent↗