Acute renal failure after myeloablative hematopoietic cell transplant: incidence and risk factors

The kidney effects of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) patients are at risk for acute kidney disease and CKD, which confer excess morbidity and mortality in this patient population. A main cause of acute kidney injury (AKI) in stem cell recipients is prerenal azotemia, but acute tubular necrosis (ATN), obstruction, marrow transfusion toxicity, and hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome also contribute. AKI is an important risk factor for death and CKD among HSCT survivors. CKD is a growing complication of HSCT as more patients are transplanted and survival improves. For most patients, the exact etiology of CKD is never identified, but graft vs host disease and thrombotic microangiopathy are important diagnoses to consider. Stem cell transplant patient survival on dialysis is generally poor, but kidney transplantation is a safe and reasonable option for HSCT recipients who progress to ESRD.

Incidence and risk factors for early-onset hypertension after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in children

Background and Objectives

Survivors of pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) are at risk for developing hypertension. The objectives of this study are to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of early onset hypertension during the engraftment period after HSCT.

Subjects and Methods

This is a retrospective study of 157 consecutive patients (mean age at HSCT: 9.1±5.1 years) who underwent HSCT for acute myeloid leukemia (n=47), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (n=43), severe aplastic anemia (n=41), and other reasons (n=26). Blood pressure data were collected at five time points: 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days after HSCT. Hypertension was defined as having systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥95th percentile according to age, gender, and height. To analyze the risk factors related to hypertension, data, including patients' demographic and transplant characteristics, were reviewed.

Results

Hypertension developed in 59 patients (38%), among whom 12 (7.6%) required long term therapy. Thirty-two (54%) patients had systolic and diastolic, 8 (14%) had only systolic, and 19 (32%) had only diastolic hypertension. Younger age, acute graft-versus-host disease, sinusoidal obstruction syndrome, treatment with antifungal agent, and greater increase in serum creatinine (Cr) levels were associated with hypertension. Multivariate analysis showed that younger age at HSCT and greater increase in serum Cr level were independent risk factors for hypertension.

Conclusion

Prevalence of hypertension during immediate post-HSCT period is high, especially in younger children. A greater increase in Cr after HSCT was significantly associated with hypertension. Further study is needed to elucidate long-term cardiovascular complications in pediatric HSCT survivors.

Proton pump inhibitors and acute kidney injury: a nested case-control study

Background

Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) are a widely-used class of drugs for the treatment of gastro-esophageal reflux disease and other acid-related disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. As a class, PPIs have demonstrated a favorable safety profile. However, case reports have suggested that this class of drugs may be linked to acute kidney injury, which may in turn lead to chronic injury or failure. The objective of this study was to determine if an association between PPIs and kidney failure exists and to estimate an effect size for the relationship between PPI use and renal disease.

Methods

A nested case–control study was conducted in a privately insured population in a single Midwestern state including a total of 184,480 patients aged 18 years or older who were continuously enrolled with the insurer for at least 24 months between September 2002 and November 2005.

Of the patients eligible for the study, 854 cases were identified as having at least two claims for an acute renal disease diagnosis. Cases were randomly matched with up to four controls (n = 3,289) based on age, gender, county of residence, and date of entry into the cohort. Patient demographic data, PPI use, illnesses, and medications associated with renal disease and a proxy for health status using pre-existing patient comorbidities were collected from inpatient, professional, and prescription claims data. Conditional logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association between renal disease and PPI use.

Results

Renal disease was positively associated with PPI use (odds ratio [OR] 1.72, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.27, 2.32, p < 0.001) even after controlling for potential confounding conditions. After removing patients with potential confounding disease states from the study population, the number of cases (195 of the 854) and controls (607) was lower, but the relationship between renal disease and PPI use remained consistent (OR 2.25, CI 1.09-4.62, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Patients with a renal disease diagnosis were twice as likely to have used a previous prescription for a PPI. Therefore, it is necessary for physicians to increase recognition of patient complaints or clinical manifestations of this potentially harmful event in order to prevent further injury.

An autopsy case that manifested no convincing histological changes of severe renal failure after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

A 48-year-old Japanese woman, who had been diagnosed with smoldering adult T-cell leukemia, was admitted to our hospital for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) because of an acute exacerbation of her disease. After myeloablative conditioning procedures, comprising cytarabine with cyclophosphamide and total body irradiation, the HLA-matched unrelated bone marrow stem cells were infused (day 0). Her serum creatinine concentration, having been 0.6 mg/dL at baseline, began to increase from day 1 and was 2.3 mg/L on day 7. Hemodialysis was required to treat fluid overload and worsening uremia on days 8 and 9. On day 10, she presented with refractory hypotension and died due to multi-organ failure on day 12. Renal pathology at autopsy showed no specific histological changes to which her clinically severe acute kidney injury (AKI) was attributable. This case suggests that post-HSCT AKI is not necessarily accompanied by apparent renal histologic damage, even if it is clinically serious.

Acute kidney injury after myeloablative cord blood transplantation in adults: the efficacy of strict monitoring of vancomycin serum trough concentrations

BACKGROUND

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common medical complication after myeloablative allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT). We have previously performed a retrospective analysis of AKI after cord blood transplantation (CBT) in adults, and found that the maximum of vancomycin (VCM) trough levels were significantly higher in patients with AKI. Following these results, we have monitored VCM serum trough concentrations more strictly, to not exceed 10.0 mg/L, since 2008.

METHODS

In this report, we performed an analysis of AKI in a new group of 38 adult patients with hematological malignancies treated with unrelated CBT after myeloablative conditioning between January 2008 and July 2011.

RESULTS

Cumulative incidence of AKI at day 100 after CBT was 34% (95% confidence interval 19-50). The median of the maximum value of VCM trough was 8.8 (4.5-12.2) mg/L. In multivariate analysis, no factor was associated with the incidence of AKI. No transplant-related mortality was observed. The probability of disease-free survival at 2 years was 83%.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that strict monitoring of VCM serum trough concentrations has a beneficial effect on outcomes of CBT.

Safety and utility of transjugular liver biopsy in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients

PURPOSE

Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients are at high risk in the setting of percutaneous liver biopsy as a result of comorbid coagulopathy and ascites, and are commonly referred to undergo transjugular liver biopsy. The present study was performed to assess the safety and utility of transjugular liver biopsy in HSCT recipients and to analyze the correlation between corrected hepatic sinusoidal pressure gradient (CHSPG) and pathologic diagnoses.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data from reports of transjugular liver biopsy procedures, pathology reports, and laboratory values of 141 consecutive HSCT recipients who underwent transjugular liver biopsy with pressure measurement between January 2005 and August 2011 in a single institution were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 166 biopsy procedures were performed in 141 patients. Technical success rate was 98.8%. Biopsy was diagnostic in 95.7% of patients. There were three major complications (1.8%), including one death. CHSPG in patients with venoocclusive disease (VOD) was significantly higher (P<.001) than in those without VOD (16.2 mm Hg±9.2 vs 5.6 mm Hg±3.7). A CHSPG of 10 mm Hg or higher was 90.8% specific and 77.3% sensitive for VOD.

CONCLUSIONS

The present data show that transjugular liver biopsy is a relatively safe procedure that provides important information for the clinical management of patients with HSCT. Measurement of CHSPG during the procedure can support the diagnosis of VOD.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for patients with mildly reduced renal function as defined based on creatinine clearance before transplantation

While renal comorbidity is generally defined by the serum creatinine level, the creatinine clearance rate (Ccr) is a more accurate indicator of renal function. Therefore, we retrospectively assessed how mildly reduced renal function as defined based on Ccr affects the outcome after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Patients who underwent allogeneic HSCT at the eight institutes of the Kanto Study Group for Cell Therapy were included in this study. Based on the corrected Ccr, patients were classified into group 0 (n = 440,  ≥ 90 mL/min/1.73 m(2)), group 1 (n = 56, 60-89 mL/min/1.73 m(2)), or group 2 (n = 11, 30-59 mL/min/1.73 m(2)). Therefore, 67 patients were considered to have mild renal impairment, whereas only 2 had a serum creatinine level higher than 1.2 mg/dL. Twenty-eight patients required hemodialysis after HSCT, with 5.5, 5.4, and 9.1 % in groups 0, 1, and 2, respectively (p = 0.65). The incidence of non-relapse mortality (NRM) was higher in group 2, although these differences were not statistically significant probably due to the small sample size (23.7, 28.2, and 47.2 % at 3 years, p = 0.20). In conclusion, NRM may be associated with mildly reduced renal function before allogeneic HSCT, which cannot be detected by measurement of the serum creatinine level alone.

Chronic kidney diseases in long-term survivors after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: monitoring and management guidelines

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) occurs commonly (prevalence of approximately 20% in a large series) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). There are three distinct clinical entities that occur after HSCT: thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA), nephrotic syndrome (NS), and idiopathic or graft-versus-host disease (GVHD)-related CKD. Acute renal function decline occurs in the majority of patients in the first months after transplantation. This acute kidney injury can persist and is a risk factor for the later development of CKD. However, the potentially independent role of GVHD, chronic inflammation, and chronic exposure to calcineurin inhibitors in the development and progression of CKD warrants further investigation. Careful monitoring of blood pressure, renal function, and proteinuria is mandatory in patients undergoing HSCT, especially older patients with pre-existent renal impairment. Renal function should be evaluated before HSCT and monitoring should occur at least every 6 to 12 months in these patients. Renal biopsies are indicated in patients with proteinuria and persistent or progressive rises in serum creatinine to determine etiology and prevent progression to end-stage renal disease (ESRD).

Intensive strategy to prevent CMV disease in seropositive umbilical cord blood transplant recipients

Seropositive umbilical cord blood transplant (UCBT) recipients are at increased risk for CMV complications. To reduce CMV complications, we adopted an intensive strategy that consisted of ganciclovir administered before transplantation (5 mg/kg intravenously daily from day -8 to day -2), high-dose acyclovir (2 g, 3 times daily) after transplantation, and biweekly monitoring with a serum CMV PCR for preemptive therapy. Hazard rates and cumulative incidence of CMV complications along with days treated were compared in high-risk CMV-seropositive UCBT recipients who received the intensive strategy and a historical cohort who received a standard strategy. Of 72 seropositive patients, 29 (40%) received standard prophylaxis and 43 (60%) the new intensive approach. The hazard rate (HR) for CMV reactivation was lower for patients receiving the intensive strategy (HR 0.27, 95% confidence interval 0.15-0.48; P < .001) and led to fewer cases of CMV disease by 1 year (HR 0.11, 95% confidence interval 0.02-0.53; P = .006). In patients who reactivated, the intensive strategy also led to fewer days on CMV-specific antiviral therapy (median 42% [interquartile range 21-63] vs 70% [interquartile range 54-83], P < .001). Use of an intensive CMV prevention strategy in high-risk CMVseropositive UCBT recipients results in a significant decrease in CMV reactivation and disease.

Small vessels, big trouble in the kidneys and beyond: hematopoietic stem cell transplantation–associated thrombotic microangiopathy

Transplantation-associated thrombotic microangiopathy (TA-TMA) is a challenging diagnosis after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Although endothelial injury represents the final common pathway of disease, the exact pathophysiology of TA-TMA remains unclear. Potential causes include infections, chemotherapy, radiation, and calcineurin inhibitors. Recent literature addresses the roles of cytokines, graft-versus-host disease, the coagulation cascade, and complement in the pathogenesis of TA-TMA. Current diagnostic criteria are unsatisfactory, because patients who have received a transplant can have multiple other reasons for the laboratory abnormalities currently used to diagnose TA-TMA. Moreover, our lack of understanding of the exact mechanism of disease limits the development and evaluation of potential treatments. Short- and long-term renal complications contribute to TA-TMA's overall poor prognosis. In light of these challenges, future research must validate novel markers of disease to aid in early diagnosis, guide current and future treatments, prevent long-term morbidity, and improve outcomes. We focus on TA-TMA as a distinct complication of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, emphasizing the central role of the kidney in this disease.

Renal thrombotic microangiopathy associated with chronic graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) is a major complication after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). In this study, we examined the clinical and pathologic features of 2 patients and 5 autopsy cases with HSCT-associated renal TMA to clarify the association between graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and renal TMA. The median interval between HSCT and renal biopsy or autopsy was 7 months (range 3-42 months). Clinically, acute and chronic GVHD occurred in 7 and 4 patients, respectively. Clinical evidence for TMA was detected in 2 patients, while chronic kidney disease developed in all patients. The main histopathological findings were diffuse endothelial injury in glomeruli, peritubular capillaries (PTCs), and small arteries. In addition, all cases showed glomerulitis, renal tubulitis, and peritubular capillaritis with infiltration of CD3+ T cells and TIA-1+ cytotoxic cells, suggesting that GVHD occurred during the development of TMA. Diffuse and patchy C4d deposition was noted in glomerular capillaries and PTCs, respectively, in 2 biopsy and 2 autopsy cases, suggesting the involvement of antibody-mediated renal endothelial injury in more than 50% of renal TMA cases. In conclusion, the kidney is a potential target of chronic GVHD that may induce the development of HSCT-associated TMA. Importantly, some cases are associated with chronic humoral GVHD.

Acute kidney injury in hematopoietic cell transplantation

Hematopoietic cell transplantation is becoming an increasingly common treatment modality for a variety of diseases. However, patient survival may be limited by substantial treatment-related toxicities, including acute kidney injury (AKI). AKI can develop in approximately 70% of patients posttransplant and is associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. The development of AKI varies depending on the type of conditioning regimen used and the donor cells infused at the time of transplant, and the etiology often is multifactorial. Epidemiology, risk factors for development, pathogenesis, and potential treatment options for AKI in the hematopoietic cell transplantation population are reviewed as well as newer data on early markers of renal injury. As the indications for and number of transplants performed each year increases, nephrologists and oncologists will have to work together to identify patients who are at risk for AKI to both prevent its development and initiate therapy early to improve outcomes.

Reduced mortality after allogeneic hematopoietic-cell transplantation

BACKGROUND

Over the past decade, advances have been made in the care of patients undergoing transplantation. We conducted a study to determine whether these advances have improved the outcomes of transplantation.

METHODS

We analyzed overall mortality, mortality not preceded by relapse, recurrent malignant conditions, and the frequency and severity of major complications of transplantation, including graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and hepatic, renal, pulmonary, and infectious complications, among 1418 patients who received their first allogeneic transplants at our center in Seattle in the period from 1993 through 1997 and among 1148 patients who received their first allogeneic transplants in the period from 2003 through 2007. Components of the Pretransplant Assessment of Mortality (PAM) score were used in regression models to adjust for the severity of illness at the time of transplantation.

RESULTS

In the 2003-2007 period, as compared with the 1993-1997 period, we observed significant decreases in mortality not preceded by relapse, both at day 200 (by 60%) and overall (by 52%), the rate of relapse or progression of a malignant condition (by 21%), and overall mortality (by 41%), after adjustment for components of the PAM score. The results were similar when the analyses were limited to patients who received myeloablative conditioning therapy. We also found significant decreases in the risk of severe GVHD; disease caused by viral, bacterial, and fungal infections; and damage to the liver, kidneys, and lungs.

CONCLUSIONS

We found a substantial reduction in the hazard of death related to allogeneic hematopoietic-cell transplantation, as well as increased long-term survival, over the past decade. Improved outcomes appear to be related to reductions in organ damage, infection, and severe acute GVHD. (Funded by the National Institutes of Health.).

Hepatobiliary complications of hematopoietic cell transplantation, 40 years on

Liver problems caused by infection, cholestasis and sinusoidal liver injury in the months following HCT have become less frequent because of preventive and pre-emptive strategies. When patients develop jaundice after transplant, the time to search for treatable causes is early in the course of jaundice, as the risk of mortality rises steeply with small increments of serum bilirubin above normal. Chronic hepatitis C, persistent GVHD, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma are significant liver problems in the longest-lived survivors of HCT.

Plasma brain natriuretic peptide is associated with hepatic veno-occlusive disease and early mortality after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Fluid retention is characteristic of veno-occlusive disease (VOD). We hypothesized that plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), a neurohormone secreted in response to volume expansion, may be associated with VOD after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). BNP was measured before and weekly after HSCT in 46 recipients. Sixteen patients developed VOD. BNP concentrations were similar before and on day 0 in patients with and without VOD, but were significantly higher on day 7 and later in those with VOD. Patients with VOD had significantly higher peak BNP concentrations before engraftment than those without VOD (median, 634.4 versus 80.9  pg  ml⁻¹; P=0.01). Multivariate analysis showed that VOD was independently associated with BNP elevation (odds ratio, 50.1; 95% CI: 5.2-478.4; P<0.01). Landmark analysis at day 7 showed that patients with peak BNP concentration of ≥ 180  pg  ml⁻¹ had significantly worse 100-day survival than patients with peak BNP <180  pg  ml⁻¹ (54 versus 91%; P<0.01). In multivariate analysis, BNP elevation before day 7 significantly predicted 100-day survival (hazard ratio 5.3; 95% CI: 1.1-24.3; P=0.03). These findings suggest that plasma BNP may serve as a diagnostic and prognostic marker of VOD.

Hypertension in long-term survivors of pediatric hematopoietic cell transplantation

A retrospective study was conducted to determine risk factors for the development of hypertension (HTN) and to describe the prevalence among long-term survivors of pediatric hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT). Records of 689 pediatric patients who survived 5 years or more after HCT, from 1969 to 2004, were reviewed for development of HTN. In children, HTN was defined as either a systolic or diastolic pressure > or =95th percentile according to age, sex, and height. In adults, HTN was defined as systolic pressures > or =140 mmHg and/or diastolic pressures > or =90 mmHg in nondiabetic adults and systolic pressures > or =130 and/or diastolic pressures > or =80 in diabetic adults. Multivariate Cox regression models were used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) of risk factors associated with HTN. All patients included were off immunosuppressive therapy. Patients had been treated with total body irradiation (TBI) (n = 482, 70%) or non-TBI regimens (n = 207, 30%) followed by autologous (n = 87), related (n = 484), or unrelated donor HCT (n = 118). Median follow-up was 16 (range: 5-36) years. HTN developed in 120 patients with a 30-year cumulative incidence of 36%. Risk factors associated with HTN were acute kidney injury (AKI; doubling of baseline creatinine by day 100 after HCT) (HR = 2.5; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.7-3.7, P < .0001), TBI in the preparative regimen (HR = 2.1; 95% CI 1.3-3.3, P = .001), donor type (autologous HR = 2.4; 95% CI 1.3-4.4 and unrelated donor HR = 1.8; 95% CI 1.0-3.2, P = .01), obesity (HR = 4.0; 95% CI 2.3-6.8, P < .0001), diabetes (HR = 6.7; 95% CI 3.9-11.0, P < 0.0001), and history of growth hormone therapy (HR = 1.6; 95% CI 1.0-2.5, P = .05). Patients with a positive history of hepatitis C infection were less likely to develop HTN (HR = 0.5; 95% CI 0.3-0.9, P = .009). Prevalence of HTN was 15% overall and among survivors 11-17 years and 18-39 years old, the prevalence was 10% and 14% or triple and double that of the general U.S. population, respectively. Pediatric HCT survivors are more likely to develop HTN than the general population and should be monitored for HTN throughout adulthood.

Personalized dosing of cyclophosphamide in the total body irradiation-cyclophosphamide conditioning regimen: a phase II trial in patients with hematologic malignancy

This study investigates the efficacy and safety of personalized cyclophosphamide (CY) dosing in 50 patients receiving CY along with total body irradiation (TBI). Participants received CY 45 mg/kg with subsequent therapeutic drug monitoring using Bayesian parameter estimation to personalize the second CY dose to a target area under the curve (AUC) for carboxyethylphosphoramide mustard (CEPM) (a reporter molecule for CY-derived toxins) and for hydroxycyclophosphamide (to ensure engraftment). The mean second CY dose was 66 mg/kg; the total dose ranged from 45 to 145 mg/kg. After completion of this phase II study, we compared participants' clinical outcomes with those of concurrent controls (n = 100) who received TBI along with standard CY doses of 120 mg/kg. Patients receiving personalized CY dosing had significantly lower postconditioning peak total serum bilirubin (P = 0.03); a 38% reduction in the hazard of acute kidney injury (AKI) (P = 0.03); and nonrelapse and overall survival rates similar to those in the controls (P = 0.70 and 0.63, respectively) despite the lower doses of CY administered to most of the patients in the personalized dosage group.

Acute renal problems in the critically ill cancer patient

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review addresses three major topics relevant for the management of renal problems in the critically ill cancer patient; the assessment of kidney function in patients with cancer, serious water and electrolyte metabolism disturbances and acute kidney injury secondary to hematological and nonhematological malignancies.

RECENT FINDINGS

In all cancer patients, renal function (urinalysis for proteinuria or albuminuria and serum creatinine to estimate glomerular filtration rate) should be tested when they first present, at initiation and change of cancer therapy as well as during follow-up. However, the different proposed formulae for estimation of the glomerular filtration rate should be used with caution. Electrolyte abnormalities associated with the refeeding syndrome are common, yet underappreciated, and occur typically in acutely ill, malnourished hospitalized patients who are administered intravenous or enteral nutrition. Currently available data on acute kidney injury and its consequences suggest that acute kidney injury has the potential to substantially alter the outcome of patients with cancer and jeopardize their chances of receiving optimal cancer treatment and a potential cure.

SUMMARY

The complex management of the numerous renal complications of the critically ill cancer patient needs a multidisciplinary approach in which the nephrologist, intensivist and oncologist all play a pivotal role.

Nephrotoxicity as a cause of acute kidney injury in children

Many different drugs and agents may cause nephrotoxic acute kidney injury (AKI) in children. Predisposing factors such as age, pharmacogenetics, underlying disease, the dosage of the toxin, and concomitant medication determine and influence the severity of nephrotoxic insult. In childhood AKI, incidence, prevalence, and etiology are not well defined. Pediatric retrospective studies have reported incidences of AKI in pediatric intensive care units (PICU) of between 8% and 30%. It is widely recognized that neonates have higher rates of AKI, especially following cardiac surgery, severe asphyxia, or premature birth. The only two prospective studies in children found incidence rates of 4.5% and 2.5% of AKI in children admitted to PICU, respectively. Nephrotoxic drugs account for about 16% of all AKIs most commonly associated with AKI in older children and adolescents. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), antibiotics, amphotericin B, antiviral agents, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, calcineurin inhibitors, radiocontrast media, and cytostatics are the most important drugs to indicate AKI as significant risk factor in children. Direct pathophysiological mechanisms of nephrotoxicity include constriction of intrarenal vessels, acute tubular necrosis, acute interstitial nephritis, and-more infrequently-tubular obstruction. Furthermore, AKI may also be caused indirectly by rhabdomyolysis. Frequent therapeutic measures consist of avoiding dehydration and concomitant nephrotoxic medication, especially in children with preexisting impaired renal function.

Chronic kidney disease after hematopoietic cell transplantation: a systematic review

Advances in hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) have broadened its indications for use and resulted in more long-term HCT survivors. Some survivors develop chronic kidney disease (CKD); however, the incidence and risk factors are unclear. We performed a systematic review of studies identified from databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Science Citation Index), conference abstracts and reference lists from selected manuscripts. From 927 manuscripts, 28 patient cohorts were identified in which 9317 adults and children underwent HCT and 7317 (79%) survived to at least 100 days, permitting inclusion of 5337 (73% of survivors) in quantitative analyses. Although definitions and measurements varied widely, approximately 16.6% of HCT patients developed CKD and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR in mL/min/1.73 m(2)) decreased by 24.5 after 24 months. This decrease was greater amongst patients undergoing allogeneic HCT (DeltaeGFR = -40.0 versus -18.6 for autologous transplants). Several commonly reported risk factors for CKD were investigated, including acute renal failure, total body irradiation, graft versus host disease and long-term cyclosporine use. In conclusion, CKD following HCT is likely to be common; however, prospective studies with uniform definitions of CKD and risk factors are needed to confirm these findings and better define the underlying mechanisms to promote therapies that prevent this complication.

Pharmacogenomic associations in ABCB1 and CYP3A5 with acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease after myeloablative hematopoietic cell transplantation

Renal disease is a major complication in patients following myeloablative allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Post-HCT patients receive immunosuppressive regimens containing calcineurin inhibitor (CNIs), cyclosporine or tacrolimus, for graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis. In this retrospective trial, we investigated pharmacogenomic associations in the multidrug resistance (ABCB1) and cytochrome P450 3A5 (CYP3A5) genes and acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in a cohort of 121 patients. ABCB1 and CYP3A5 are responsible for the renal disposition of CNIs, which are known to be nephrotoxic. AKI was defined as doubling of baseline serum creatinine during the first 100 days post-HCT, and CKD as at least one glomerular filtration rate <60 ml/min/m2 between 6 and 18 months post-HCT. Patients were genotyped for CYP3A5*1>*3 and ABCB1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (1199G>A, 1236C>T, 2677G>T/A and 3435C>T). Odds ratios were calculated using logistic regression. Haplotype estimation and univariate association analyses were performed because of strong ABCB1 linkage disequilibrium (LD). AKI occurred in 48 of 121 patients (39.7%) and CKD in 16 of 66 patients (24.2%). No pharmacogenomic associations were found between ABCB1 and CYP3A5 SNPs and the incidences of AKI or CKD. The degree of LD(r2) between ABCB1 SNPs was estimated as follows: 2677G>T/3435C>T (0.44), 1236C>T/3435C>T (0.42) and 1236C>T/2677G>T (0.72). ABCB1 1199G>A showed no LD to other SNPs (<0.05). No associations were found between the most common ABCB1 haplotypes and AKI or CKD. Since no significant pharmacogenomic associations were observed, tailoring CNIs dosing based on these genotypes is unlikely to lower significantly the risk of renal injury following myeloablative HCT.

Early renal injury after nonmyeloablative allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation in patients with chronic myelocytic leukemia

BACKGROUND

Renal insufficiency is a common complication early after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Over the past several years, significant advancement has been achieved in HSCT, especially in nonmyeloablative stem cell transplantation. Compared with traditional HSCT, nonmyeloablative HSCT employs significantly lower doses of chemoradiotherapy and lower toxicity. The current study evaluated renal insufficiency during the first 100 days in patients with chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML) who underwent nonmyeloablative allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (allo-PBSCT) in a single center.

METHODS

A total of 26 consecutive patients with CML received nonmyeloablative allo-PBSCT from 2002 to 2005 in Zhong Da Hospital. The average age of the patients was 40.2 +/- 8.2 years. Renal function was measured by serum creatinine concentration and estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) during the first 100 days after nonmyeloablative allo-PBSCT. Renal dysfunction was classified as follows: grade 0 (<25% decline in GFR), grade 1 (> or =25% decrease in GFR but <twofold rising in serum creatinine), grade 2 (> or =twofold increase in serum creatinine but no need for dialysis) and grade 3 (> or =twofold increase in serum creatinine and need for dialysis). Acute renal failure (ARF) was defined as a doubling of baseline serum creatinine, grade 2 and grade 3.

RESULTS

All the patients were successfully engrafted. Of the 26 patients, 10 (38%) patients had some degree of renal dysfunction (grade 1, 5 patients; grade 2, 4 patients; grade 3, 1 patient). They developed ARF at an average of 32.8 +/- 4.0 days after transplantation. No significant difference was observed in terms of age, baseline serum creatinine, albumin and hemoglobin between the patients with ARF and without ARF. Renal dysfunction was associated with significantly higher frequencies of sepsis and hepatic veno-occlusive disease (VOD, p < 0.01, respectively). The overall mortality rate at the end of 100 days was 19% (5/26). The mortality rate for patients with ARF was significantly higher than those without ARF (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

During the first 100 days following nonmyeloablative allo-PBSCT in patients with CML, a 38% incidence of renal dysfunction and a 19% of ARF were found, which were much less than previous studies. Sepsis and VOD were significantly correlated with the development of renal dysfunction. Severe nephrotoxicity was associated with the increase in mortality.

Acute renal failure after allogeneic myeloablative stem cell transplantation: retrospective analysis of incidence, risk factors and survival

Acute renal failure (ARF) is an important complication after stem cell transplantation (SCT). We retrospectively analysed ARF in 363 recipients of allogeneic myeloablative SCT to identify incidence, risk factors, associated post-transplantation complications and mortality of ARF. ARF was graded as grade 0 (no ARF) to grade 3 (need for dialysis) according to creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate and need for dialysis. The incidence of severe renal failure (grades 2 and 3 combined) was 49.6% (180 of 363 patients). Hypertension present at SCT was identified as a risk factor for ARF (P=0.003). Despite this, survival of these patients was not different compared to patients without hypertension. Admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) was a post-transplantation complication significantly associated with ARF (P<0.001). Survival rate was highest in patients with ARF grade 0-1 and lowest in patients with grade 3 (P<0.001). However, after correction for complications associated with high mortality (admission to the ICU, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, sinusoidal occlusion syndrome (SOS) and acute graft-versus-host disease) the significant difference in survival disappeared, showing that ARF without co-morbid conditions has a good prognosis, and ARF with co-morbid conditions has a poor prognosis. This poor prognosis is due to the presence of co-morbid conditions rather than development of ARF itself.

Replacement of calcineurin inhibitors with daclizumab in patients with transplantation-associated microangiopathy or renal insufficiency associated with graft-versus-host disease

Transplantation-associated microangiopathy (TAM) or renal insufficiency (RI) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is associated with a high mortality. As calcineurin inhibitors (CI) may contribute to TAM or RI, we evaluated the efficacy of replacing CI by daclizumab in patients with graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Thirteen patients with GVHD-associated TAM and five patients with RI were treated with daclizumab 1 mg/kg intravenous (i.v.)/week, discontinuation of the CI and continuation of the remaining GVHD treatment. All patients had acute GVHD (steroid-sensitive (n=4), steroid-refractory (n=10)) or chronic GVHD (n=4) and were treated with CI before the start of daclizumab. Nine of 13 patients with TAM treated with daclizumab and discontinuation of CI achieved complete remission of TAM, two had stable disease, and one patient did not respond. Patients receiving daclizumab for RI without TAM showed stabilization (2/5) or improvement (3/5) of renal function. Four of 14 patients with acute GVHD achieved CR, two partial remission, eight patients did not respond and 11/14 died at a median of 39 days after start of the daclizumab. Our data demonstrate that replacement of CI by daclizumab can improve TAM and RI. However, mortality remains high in patients with acute GVHD.

Critical care considerations of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

OBJECTIVE

To review the available clinical data on the critical care complications of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).

DATA SOURCE

The MEDLINE database and references from the identified articles related to the critical care in HSCT.

CONCLUSION

HSCT is an important treatment for a variety of malignant and nonmalignant conditions. The procedure is, however, limited by significant complications that may involve every organ of the body. Up to 40% of HSCT recipients are admitted to the intensive care unit as a result of severe complications related to the transplantation. The outcome of those critically ill patients has been traditionally poor. However, recent advances in the transplantation procedure, diagnostic studies, antimicrobial prophylaxis and therapy, and intensive care unit care have improved the outcome of these patients. The increasing number of HSCTs performed annually, the unique complications that develop in these patients, and the improvement in the intensive care unit outcome make knowledge about the critical care aspect of HSCT an essential part of the current practice of critical care medicine.

Acute renal failure in hematopoietic cell transplantation

Hematopoietic cell transplantation is a common procedure for the treatment of malignancies and some non-malignant hematologic disorders. In addition to other transplant-related organ toxicities, acute renal failure is a common complication following transplantation. This review discusses the incidence, timing, etiologies, risk factors, and prognosis of renal failure associated with three commonly used transplantation procedures - myeloablative autologous, myeloablative allogeneic, and non-myeloablative allogeneic transplantation. It is important to note that the epidemiology and prognosis of renal failure are distinct with these three transplantation procedures. However, the common theme is that mortality increases with worsening renal failure with all three procedures. Moreover, mortality is >80% for patients with renal failure requiring dialysis. It also appears that surviving patients have an increased risk of chronic kidney disease after renal failure. The reduction of acute renal failure will have several advantages, including reducing mortality and the burden of chronic kidney disease following transplantation.

Chronic kidney disease in long-term survivors of hematopoietic cell transplantation: epidemiology, pathogenesis, and treatment

High-dose myeloablative hematopoietic cell transplantation is becoming an increasingly common treatment modality for a variety of diseases. Patient survival may be limited by substantial treatment-related toxicities, including chronic kidney disease (CKD). Although the majority of CKD after transplantation is idiopathic, thrombotic microangiopathic syndromes and nephrotic syndrome have been described. Epidemiology, pathogenesis, and potential treatment options for the various clinical syndromes that are associated with CKD in hematopoietic cell transplantation patients is reviewed. As the indications for and the numbers of transplants that are performed worldwide increases, so will the burden of CKD. The nephrologists and oncologists will have to work together to identify patients who are at risk for CKD early to prevent its development and progression to end-stage kidney disease.