非亲缘异基因造血干细胞移植治疗白血病患者疗效观察

目的探讨非亲缘异基因造血干细胞移植(URD-HSCT)治疗白血病的效果。方法 10例白血病患者(急性髓细胞白血病第1次缓解期3例,急性淋巴细胞白血病第1次缓解期3例、第2次缓解期1例,慢性髓细胞白血病慢性期3例)接受URD-HSCT治疗。所有患者均采用经典的或改良的白消安联合环磷酰胺预处理方案。4例采用环孢素+短程甲氨蝶呤+吗替麦考酚酯预防移植物抗宿主病(GVHD),另6例患者加用抗胸腺细胞免疫球蛋白。输注供者有核细胞中位数为5.6×108/kg,CD34+细胞中位数为3.3×106/kg。结果除1例在移植后早期死亡不能评估外,其余9例均证实植活。发生急性GVHDⅠ度3例和Ⅱ度、Ⅲ度、Ⅳ度各1例,局限性慢性GVHD7例;发生真菌感染4例、CMV血症3例、出血性膀胱炎3例。10例患者目前无病存活7例,生存期为3个月～10年。结论 URD-HSCT安全而耐受性好,移植相关并发症仍是影响URD-HSCT效果的主要问题。     

亲缘异基因造血干细胞移植治疗慢性髓细胞白血病的护理

对30例慢性髓细胞白血病患者行亲缘异基因造血干细胞移植.27例患者预处理采用经典或改良BuCy2方案,3例患者用非清髓方案;预防移植物抗宿主病(GVHD)采用短程甲氨蝶呤联合环孢素A方案;在常规护理的基础上针对感染、GVHD及心理问题实施重点护理.结果 所有患者均获造血功能重建;移植后100 d内发生Ⅱ～Ⅳ度急性GVHD 7例(23.3%),经对症处理好转出院.随访3～88个月,移植相关死亡7例,疾病复发死亡1例,22例移植成功.提出移植相关并发症及移植后感染的护理是保证疗效的关键.     

异基因造血干细胞移植后共刺激分子LIGHT/HVEM的表达与GVHD的关系

目的 探讨异基因造血干细胞移植(allo-HSCT)后共刺激分子LIGHT和HVEM的表达与移植物抗宿主病(GVHD)发生的关系.方法 26例allo-HSCT患者中,预处理方案采用环磷酰胺+足叶乙甙+全身照射11例,采用氟达拉滨+阿糖胞苷+白消安12例,采用环磷酰胺3例.移植时,输注单个核细胞(5.89±3.36)×10~8/kg,CD34~+细胞(3.29±1.29)×10~6/kg.预防急性GVHD(aGVHD)的方案采用环孢素A+短程甲氨蝶呤+吗替麦考酚酯,HLA半相合及非血缘关系者加用抗胸腺细胞球蛋白.GVHD的诊断与分级采用西雅图标准.在预处理前、移植后15 d、发生aGVHD时及aGVHD经治疗好转后分别采集患者外周血2 ml,采用三色流式细胞术进行检测,同时以15名健康志愿者的血液标本作为正常对照.结果 所有患者均获得造血功能重建,移植物均完全植活.移植后共发生aGVHD9例,发生率为35%,其中Ⅲ～Ⅳ度者3例,8例经治疗后好转,1例治疗无效死亡;发生慢性GVHD(cGVHD)7例,发生率为26.9%.患者预处理前和移植后15 d及正常人外周血T淋巴细胞几乎不表达LIGHT,组成性表达HVEM;发生GVHD时,LIGHT表达显著上调,HVEM表达下调;GVHD好转后,LIGHT和HVEM的表达恢复正常.移植后15 d时,发生aGVHD者LIGHT的表达高于未发生aGVHD者,而HVEM的表达较低(P<0.05).Ⅲ～Ⅳ度aGVHD者LIGHT的表达明显高于Ⅰ～Ⅱ度者(P<0.05).结论 LIGHT/HVEM在allo-HSCT后GVHD的发生和发展过程中起重要作用,通过监测该共刺激分子的表达对aGVHD的发生有一定预示作用.     

造血干细胞移植后并发感染121例的临床分析

目的探讨造血干细胞移植(HSCT)后并发感染的临床病原学特点和相关危险因素。方法共有121例造血系统疾病患者接受HSCT,其中51例行异基因外周造血干细胞移植,40例行异基因骨髓移植,4例行异基因外周血造血干细胞和骨髓混合移植,5例行脐带血移植,16例行自体造血干细胞移植,5例行自体CD34~+细胞移植。患者均采用化疗进行预处理。采用短程甲氨蝶呤联合环孢素A预防移植物抗宿主病(GVHD),部分病例加用达利珠单抗或抗淋巴细胞球蛋白。结果121例患者中,116例患者获得造血重建,3例移植失败,2例在移植物植活前因严重感染死亡。移植后60d内,83例(68．6%)共发生感染97次,64例(77．1%)发生感染时中性粒细胞＜0．5×10~9/L,患者均有不同程度的发热。口咽黏膜和呼吸道(上、下呼吸道)是最常见的感染部位,占64．9%。21例患者的23次感染中,共分离出20株细菌和7株真菌,65%为革兰氏阴性杆菌。10例患者并发巨细胞病毒感染。因感染死亡的患者共8例,均为异基因造血干细胞移植患者。发生Ⅱ～Ⅳ度急性GVHD患者的感染发生率(88．9%,24/27)高于0～Ⅰ度急性GVHD患者(60．3%,44/73,P＜0．01)。结论造血干细胞移植后60d内的感染多发生于粒细胞缺乏期；口咽黏膜炎和呼吸道是常见感染部位,下呼吸道感染者的死亡率高,侵袭性真菌感染者的预后不佳；发生Ⅱ～Ⅳ度急性GVHD者有较高的感染发生率。     

异基因外周血干细胞移植后GVHD与白血病复发率的相关关系

目的　评价异基因外周血干细胞移植 (allo PBSCT)后 ,移植物抗宿主病 (GVHD)与白血病复发率的相关关系。方法　 1997年 6月至 1999年 12月 ,37例成人白血病患者接受了allo PB SCT。预处理方案用马利兰和环磷酰胺。输入的CD34+ 、CD3+ 、CD4 + 和CD8+ 细胞中位数分别为7.3× 10 6/kg、36 4× 10 6/kg ,、2 10× 10 6/kg和 137× 10 6/kg。移植后用环孢素A (CsA) +甲氨碟呤(MTX)预防GVHD。结果　受者中性粒细胞和血小板的平均植活时间分别为 13d和 12d。 37例中 ,18例发生急性GVHD(48.8% ) ,其中 9例发生II～IV度急性GVHD(2 4 .3% )。在可评价的 32例中 ,2 2例发生慢性GVHD(6 8.8% )。随访 6 0 0～ 15 0 0d(平均 95 0d) ,2 8例无病生存。主要死亡原因为 :急性GVHD 2例 ,巨细胞病毒肺炎 (CMV CP) 4例 ,慢性GVHD 2例 ,白血病复发 1例。 3年无病生存率为 75 .7%。结论　allo PBSCT后 ,慢性GVHD的高发生率增强了移植物抗白血病效应 ,从而降低了移植后白血病的复发率。     

非血缘关系造血干细胞移植61例分析

目的 探讨非血缘关系造血干细胞移植(URD-HSCT)的临床疗效,移植相关并发症及影响预后的危险因素.方法 回顾性分析61例接受URD-HSCT患者的临床资料.所有患者根据原发病分别给予非清髓性及清髓性预处理;供、受者HLA配型6/6抗原位点全相合21例,5/6相合5例,1个基因亚型不合24例,2个基因亚型不合11例;供、受者间ABO血型相合18例,不合43例;受者接受供者的有核细胞中位数为4.5×108/kg,CD34+细胞中位数为4.3×106/kg.术后移植物抗宿主病(GVHD)的预防采用以短程甲氨蝶呤+环孢素A+霉酚酸酯为基础的方案,49例加用抗CD25单克隆抗体,9例加用抗淋巴细胞或抗胸腺细胞免疫球蛋白;并常规采用促进造血功能恢复、抗感染等治疗.术后观察受者的造血功能重建、并发症以及预后情况.结果 61例患者中,59例术后经血型、染色体及DNA多态性检测证实供者细胞植活.术后23例受者发生Ⅱ～Ⅳ度急性GVHD,25例发生慢性GVHD;术后100 d内,48例受者发生细菌和(或)真菌感染,36例发生巨细胞病毒感染,以下呼吸道感染较多.术后有18例受者死亡,受者总的2年无病存活率为(68.0±6.4)%,其中12例因移植相关并发症死亡,移植相关死亡率19.7%;6例原发病复发的受者均死亡,复发率9.8%.其余受者经治疗后好转.结论 URD-HSCT是治疗造血系统恶性疾病的有效方法.急性GVHD和感染是严重影响移植疗效和预后的危险因素,需早期预防.     

环孢素A联合霉酚酸酯预防移植物抗宿主病的临床研究

长期以来 ,国内外均采用环孢素A(CsA)联合甲氨喋呤(MTX)方案预防移植物抗宿主病 (GVHD) ,效果较好 ,但仍有 30 %～ 5 0 %的病例发生GVHD。霉酚酸酯 (MMF)是近年来用于临床的新型免疫抑制剂 ,我们观察了 19例非清髓性异基因造血干细胞移植 (NAST)患者应用CsA联合MMF方案对预防GVHD的临床结果 ,报告如下。一、病例和方法1.病例 :1998年 2月至 2 0 0 1年 10月 ,共对 19例血液病患者进行了NAST。男性 11例 ,女性 8例 ,年龄 18～ 5 9岁。其中北京 30 7医院 13例 ,沈阳 2 0 1医院 6例。 19例中 ,急性白血病 13例 [第 1次完全缓解期 …     

慢性移植物抗宿主病相关性肌炎一例

目的总结1例异基因造血干细胞移植后并发与慢性移植物抗宿主病(cGVHD)相关的多发性肌炎的诊治体会。方法1例急性淋巴细胞白血病患者在处于完全缓解状态下接受同胞间供髓异基因造血干细胞移植,移植后采用环孢素A和甲氨蝶呤预防移植物抗宿主病(GVHD)。结果移植后11 d,WBC＞0．5×10~9/L,移植后13 d,血小板＞20×10~9/L；27 d时,骨髓细胞染色体分析显示99%为供者型。移植后17 d,发生Ⅰ度急性皮肤型GVHD,经静脉注射地塞米松及甲氨蝶呤后,GVHD被完全控制。移植后8个月,患者发生轻度肝脏cGVHD,经他克莫司及硫唑嘌呤治疗,效果不佳,血清肝酶升高,后改为他克莫司和西罗莫司治疗,血清肝酶逐渐下降,但肌酸激酶从9 U/L上升至272 U/L,随后患者出现全身乏力,并逐渐加重,上下肢近端处活动出现障碍,肌酸激酶升至3010 U/L,股四头肌、肱二头肌的肌电图表现为肌源性损害,双侧大腿磁共振成像符合多发性肌炎表现,给予甲泼尼龙、血浆置换治疗,但无显著效果,患者突发阵发性呼吸困难,经抢救无效,患者死亡,死亡时肌酸激酶为21 010 U/L。结论多发性肌炎为cGVHD的一种较少见形式,累及重要肌组织者预后较差。     

亲缘异基因造血干细胞移植治疗慢性髓细胞白血病的护理

对30例慢性髓细胞白血病患者行亲缘异基因造血干细胞移植。27例患者预处理采用经典或改良BuCy2方案，3例患者用非清髓方案；预防移植物抗宿主病（GVHD）采用短程甲氨堞呤联合环孢素A方案；在常规护理的基础上针对感染、GVHD及心理问题实施重点护理。结果所有患者均获造血功能重建；移植后100d内发生Ⅱ～Ⅳ度急性GVHD7例（23、3％），经对症处理好转出院。随访3～88个月，移植相关死亡7例，疾病复发死亡1例，22例移植成功。提出移植相关并发症及移植后感染的护理是保证疗效的关键。     

依那西普(Etanercept)联合甲强龙治疗急性移植物抗宿主病的临床研究

移植物抗宿主病(GVHD)是异基因造血干细胞移植术后死亡的重要原因.GVHD标准治疗方案为大剂量糖皮质激素,35%的患者可获得完全缓解.TNF-α被认为是GVHD发生过程中一种重要的炎症因子,应用TNF-α抑制剂,克隆如英夫利昔单抗体(Infliximab)或是依那西普(Etanercept),治疗激素难治的GVHD的完全缓解率可达18%～62%.本研究总结了2001年9月至2006年9月61例应用依那西普联合甲强龙治疗初发的急性GVHD的前瞻性临床研究,并以同期99例仅使用激素治疗急性GVHD的患者为对照组.     

Feasibility of second hematopoietic stem cell transplantation using reduced-intensity conditioning with fludarabine and melphalan after a failed autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

This study was performed to determine the feasibility of second hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) using reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) with fludarabine and melphalan in patients with relapsed hematologic malignancies after a prior autologous HSCT. Twelve patients (multiple myeloma [n = 7], non-Hodgkin lymphoma [n = 3], and acute myeloid leukemia [n = 2] received allogeneic HSCT using RIC with fludarabine (25 mg/m² for 5 days) and melphalan (140 mg/m² for 1 day) after a failed autologous HSCT. The graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis consisted of cyclosporine plus a minidose of methotrexate. All patients achieved a neutrophil and platelet engraftment in a median 13.5 days and 17.5 days, respectively. The transplant-related mortality was 2 patients (16.7%). Grade II-IV acute GVHD and chronic extensive GVHD were noted in 4 (33.3%) and 1 patient (11.1%), respectively. Over a median follow-up duration of 376 days, 5 patients were alive without evidence of disease. The estimated nonrelapse mortality at 1 year was 28.4%. The estimated overall survival rate at 1 year was 58.3%, and the estimated event- free survival rate at 1 year was 41.7%. Allogeneic HSCT using RIC with fludarabine and melphalan appears to be feasible for a second HSCT in patients with relapsed hematologic malignancies after a failed autologous HSCT.     

Pneumatosis intestinalis after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: When not doing anything is good enough

Background/PurposePneumatosis intestinalis (PI) has been reported in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients (HSCT) since 1980s and at present there is no uniform consensus of the significance and management of this condition.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed medical records of 990 consecutive pediatric HSCT recipients and examined data for clinical PI presentation, management and outcomesResultsPI was identified in 53 patients (5.4%), mainly allogeneic HSCT recipients receiving systemic steroids. Abdominal X-ray was the main diagnostic modality. Forty-seven patients (89%) were evaluated because of clinical concerns and others were identified as incidental findings. Pneumoperitoneum was reported in 15 patients (28%). None of these patients had signs of acute abdomen. The majority of patients (43/53, 81%) had no targeted clinical intervention for PI and resolved PI in a median of 15 days (IQR 3–61). Surgery consult was only requested for 7/53 (13%) patients, three of whom had evidence of pneumoperitoneum. None of these patients required any surgical interventions.ConclusionsPneumatosis intestinalis commonly occurs in HSCT recipient receiving steroids, but unlike with NEC, PI rarely poses clinical risk after transplant. The majority of HSCT recipients with PI require only close monitoring without interventions. Surgical evaluation should be based on clinical symptoms and not PI presence alone.     

Recent epidemiology of Clostridium difficile infection during hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Given the limited information on Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) during hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), we examined the recent epidemiology of CDI in HSCT recipients at our institution. During the two-yr retrospective study period (2005-2006), 361 transplants were performed: 60% allogeneic and 40% autologous. Among all hospitalized patients in a non-outbreak setting, CDI rates in HSCT recipients were ninefold higher than those in general patients and 1.4-fold higher than those in patients with cancer (24.0 vs. 2.6 vs. 16.8/10,000 patient-days respectively). Sixty-two episodes of CDI occurred in 51 (14%) HSCT recipients: 39 (18%) allogeneic vs. 12 (8%) autologous (p = 0.01). Almost half of CDI episodes occurred within 30 d post-HSCT and 22% before HSCT. Clostridium difficile toxin assay was initially positive in 28% of the first, 31% of the second and 27% of the third stool samples tested. All but one patient responded to therapy with metronidazole or vancomycin. Severe CDI occurred in one patient and recurrent CDI in two patients. CDI is common during HSCT especially in allogeneic transplants during the peri-HSCT period. Prospective studies to better define the epidemiology and identify unique risk factors for CDI and more accurate tests to confirm the diagnosis in this population are needed.     

Molecular impact and inducible factors associated with adenovirus infection in hematopoietic stem [corrected] cell transplant patients

Background and Purpose of Study

Latent and active adenovirus infections are detected in 5% to 20% of hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) patients. In addition to the significant role of adenoviral infection in the pathogenesis of late-onset hemorrhagic cystitis in HSCT patients, adenovirus infections may have possible roles in undefined posttransplant clinical complications. Therefore, pre- and posttransplantation we studied the prevalence and role of adenoviral infections among HSCT clinical syndromes using molecular methods.

Materials and Methods

In this cross-sectional study between 2005 and 2008. We collected 470 EDTA-treated blood samples from 125 HSCT recipients, including 70 (56%) men and 55 (44%) women. The 52 (41.6%) HSCT patients underwent autologous grafts and the other 73 (58.4%), from related donors. One EDTA-treated blood sample was collected from all recipients pretransplantation. Also once per week for 3 months we were collected blood samples from HSCT patients to evaluate the prevalence of adenovirus DNA infection by a qualitative in house polymerase chain reaction method.

Results

The adenovirus genome was diagnosed in 2/75 (2.7%) HSCT patient samples pretransplantation. There were 28/395 (7.1%) plasma samples of transplant patients infected with adenovirus DNA. Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) clinical complications were observed in six adenovirus-infected transplant recipients; there was a significant correlation between these viral infections and GVHD clinical presentation.

Conclusion

The high prevalence of adenovirus infection in HSCT recipients pre- and posttransplantation, was significantly related to GVHD symptoms, enforcing the important pathogenic role of these viral infections in clinical complications post-HSCT.     

Risk factors for cytomegalovirus reactivation after CD6+ T-cell-depleted allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

BACKGROUND: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Recipients of T-cell-depleted (TCD) transplants may be more susceptible to CMV infection as a result of the reduction in transferred T cell immunity. We sought to determine the effect of prior donor and patient CMV exposure on the incidence of CMV infection after TCD allogeneic HSCT. METHODS: We retrospectively examined CMV antigen testing results in all patients who had undergone CD6+ TCD related and unrelated donor allogeneic HSCT at our institution from 1996 to 1999. All 124 patients who had documented donor and recipient CMV serologies pretransplant and had undergone CMV antigen testing before day +100 posttransplant were included in the analysis. RESULTS: Forty-one percent of seropositive recipients and 1% of seronegative recipients developed evidence of CMV reactivation (odds ratio 54.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] 6.9-424.1, P<0.001). Prior donor CMV exposure did not place seronegative recipients at increased risk of CMV conversion. Multivariable analysis indicated that prior donor CMV exposure significantly reduced the risk of CMV reactivation in seropositive recipients by 81% (odds ratio 0.19, 95% CI 0.04-0.91, P=0.04). Grades II to IV acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) was associated with CMV conversion (P=0.04) when seropositive recipients underwent HSCT from CMV-negative donors, but not when the donor was CMV-seropositive (P=0.54). CONCLUSIONS: The CMV serology status of the recipient, rather than the donor, was the primary determinant of risk for CMV conversion after TCD allogeneic HSCT. Despite CD6+ T-cell depletion, immunity against CMV seemed to be transferred with the donor graft and protected seropositive HSCT recipients from CMV reactivation.     

Characterization of cytotoxic function of CMV-pp65-specific CD8+ T-lymphocytes identified by HLA tetramers in recipients and donors of stem-cell transplants

BACKGROUND: Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a ubiquitous herpesvirus that is an important complication of bone marrow and allogeneic stem-cell transplant (HSCT). CD8 T-lymphocytes have an important role in immunity against CMV, but correlation between antigen-specific subpopulations of these cells and protection are still unclear. METHODS: Flow analysis with fluorescently-conjugated human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I tetramers (Tet) was used to investigate levels of CMV-specific CD8 T-lymphocytes in peripheral blood monocyte cells (PBMC) samples from HSCT donors and recipients and their ability to produce interferon (IFN)-gamma on stimulation with either CMV antigenic peptide or nonspecific mitogenic stimulation. Chromium release assays were used to evaluate ex vivo CMV-specific cytotoxicity associated with the PBMC samples. RESULTS: Use of Tet in conjunction with fluorescently conjugated anti-T-cell receptor (TCR) beta-chain variable (Vbeta) monoclonal antibodies indicated that the Vbeta repertoires associated with Tet cells seen in two HSCT recipients were similar to the Vbeta repertoires of the Tet cells in their HSCT donors. Significant ex vivo cytotoxicity against peptide-loaded targets was measured from several recipient samples after transplant. However, PBMC from the HSCT donors, even when containing populations of CMV-specific Tet cells capable of secreting IFN-gamma in response to peptide stimulation, possessed no ex vivo CMV-specific cytotoxicity. CONCLUSIONS: We hypothesize that in the setting of the reconstituting immune system of HSCT recipients, CMV reactivation may stimulate a functional change in CMV-specific CD8 T-lymphocytes, rendering them able to directly lyse target cells presenting CMV antigens without in vitro stimulation. These findings have important implications for development of vaccines designed to induce protective cellular immunity to CMV in transplant recipients.     

Impact of Human Cytomegalovirus Infection UL55-Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction Method in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Donors and Recipients

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is one of the most important and critical viral causes of graft rejection among hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients. Monitoring of this viral infection has a critical role in the management of HSCT clinical complications. In this retrospective cohort, blood (plasma and buffy coat) and urine samples were collected from 110 HSCT patients and 95 donors pretransplantation and weekly for 100 days posttransplantation. An HCMV-optimized UL55-nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was used to detect HCMV infection. Genotyping of the HCMV UL55 gene was performed for all UL55-nested, PCR-positive samples. HSCT donor and recipient laboratory and clinical data were statistically analyzed using SPSS version 15 software. UL55-nested, PCR-positive results were obtained in 3540/4950 (71.5%), 3634/4950 (73.4%), and 3292/4950 (66.5%) of these plasma, buffy coat, and urine samples, respectively. Twenty-five percent of transplant donors were infected with HCMV. An increase in HCMV infection was observed from pre- to post-HSCT conditions. Detection of the gB2 UL55 genotype in most transplant patient samples suggested the need to examine the possible impact of HCMV UL55 genotypes and HCMV infections among stem cell transplant recipients.     

Effectiveness of Prophylactic Anti-HBV Therapy in Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation with HBsAg Positive Donors

Use of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive donors for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) causes serious hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related liver morbidity and mortality in the recipient. We compared the effectiveness of anti-HBV therapy in 29 recipients who underwent HSCT using HBsAg positive marrow (group I) against a historical control group of 25 patients who received HBsAg positive marrow without pre-HSCT prophylaxis (group II). Anti-HBV therapy consisted of lamivudine for HBsAg-positive donors and all recipients (n = 29) as well as HBV vaccination to all HBsAg-negative recipients (n = 10) before HSCT. After transplantation, HBV-related hepatitis was significantly higher in group II than group I recipients [12 of 25 recipients (48%) vs. 2 of 29 recipients (6.9%), p = 0.002] and in recipients whose donors had detectable serum HBV DNA by Digene Hybrid Capture II assay [8 of 14 recipients (57.1%) vs. 6 of 40 recipients (15.0%), p = 0.02]. Six recipients in group II and none in group I died of HBV-related hepatic failure (24.0% vs. 0%, p = 0.01). By multivariate Cox analysis, anti-HBV therapy effectively reduces post-HSCT HBV-related hepatitis (p = 0.01, adjusted hazards ratio 7.27, 95%CI 1.62-32.58). Our data support the use of prophylactic therapy in preventing HBV-related hepatitis after allogeneic HSCT from HBsAg-positive donor.     

Significance of a positive Clostridium difficile toxin test after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Patients with hematological malignancies show a high prevalence of asymptomatic colonization with Clostridium difficile (CD colonization). Therefore, it is difficult to distinguish CD colonization with diarrhea induced by a conditioning regimen from true Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) recipients. We retrospectively analyzed 308 consecutive patients who underwent a CD toxin A/B enzyme immunoassay test for diarrhea within 100 d after HSCT from November 2007 to May 2014. Thirty patients (9.7%) had positive CD toxin results, and 11 of these had positive results in subsequent tests after an initial negative result. Allogeneic HSCT, total body irradiation, stem cell source, acute leukemia, and the duration of neutropenia were significantly correlated with positive CD toxin results. In a logistic regression model, allogeneic HSCT was identified as a significant risk factor (odds ratio 18.6, p < 0.01). In an analysis limited to within 30 d after the conditioning regimen, the duration of neutropenia was the sole risk factor (odds ratio 10.4, p < 0.01). There were no distinctive clinical features for CDI, including the onset or duration of diarrhea. In conclusion, although CDI may be overdiagnosed in HSCT recipients, it is difficult to clinically distinguish between CDI and CD colonization.     

Survival following mechanical ventilation of recipients of bone marrow transplants and peripheral blood stem cell transplants

Survival of bone marrow transplant recipients requiring mechanical ventilation is poor but improving. This study reports a retrospective audit of all haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients requiring mechanical ventilation at an Australian institution over a period spanning 11 years from 1988 to 1998. Recipients of autologous transplants are significantly less likely to require mechanical ventilation than recipients of allogeneic transplants. Of 50 patients requiring mechanical ventilation, 28% survived to discharge from the intensive care unit, 20% to 30 days post-ventilation, 18% to discharge from hospital and 12% to six months post-ventilation. Risk factors for mortality in the HSCT recipient requiring mechanical ventilation include renal, hepatic and cardiovascular insufficiency and greater severity of illness. Mechanical ventilation of HSCT recipients should not be regarded as futile therapy.