Current indication for hematopoietic cell transplantation in adults

Impact of functional capacity before hematopoietic stem cell transplantation on the length of hospital stay

OBJECTIVE

To verify the association between pre-HSCT functional capacity and the variables of pulmonary function, fatigue, and length of hospital stay.

METHODS

This is a cohort study, involving patients admitted to the bone marrow transplantation. The individuals were submitted to an evaluation in the first 24 h of hospitalization. The length of stay variable was checked on the day of hospital discharge. Functional capacity was assessed through the six-minute walk test (6MWT), and the 30-second sit-to-stand test (SST30) was performed to assess the indirect strength of the lower limbs; moreover, the revised Piper Fatigue Scale was used for the evaluation of the pulmonary function.

RESULTS

The sample consisted of 35 individuals (19 male; 54%). Fourteen patients achieved a 6MWT ≥80% predicted. The mean age of the sample was 45.5 ± 15.2 years, and BMI 27.4 ± 5.4 kg/m2. Patients who completed a six-minute walking distance (6MWD) below the predicted value showed significantly lower pulmonary function values for the variables peak expiratory flow (PEF) (%) (p = 0.031), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) (%) (p = 0.033), and FEV1/forced vital capacity (FVC) (%) (p = 0.027) in relation to the group with better functional capacity. This group showed significantly higher values in the assessment of lower limb fatigue using the Borg scale pre- (p = 0.008) and post- (p = 0.004) 6MWT, longer hospitalization time (p = 0.0014), but with no significant difference in lower limb muscle strength between groups (p = 0.21). A moderate correlation was found between the 6MWD% and FEV1% (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Data indicate that starting HSCT treatment with lower-than-expected physical fitness is associated with lower lung function, greater fatigue in the lower limbs, and longer hospital stays.

Development and Clinical Validation of Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry for Measuring Ruxolitinib in Steroid-Refractory Graft-Versus-Host Disease: A First Step Towards Optimized Treatment

OBJECTIVE

This non-interventional, prospective, single-center study aimed to develop a technique to measure ruxolitinib (RUX) concentrations and provide preliminary data on the distribution of plasma drug levels in patients with steroid refractory (SR) GvHD.

METHODS

Between April 2023 and May 2024, we analyzed 48 blood samples from 29 patients with SR-GvHD.

RESULTS

Median individual plasma concentrations varied across different RUX doses and largely overlapped: 39.2 ng/mL at 10 mg b.i.d (range: 0-73), 13.1 ng/mL at 10-5 mg (range, 6.1-35.6), and 31.6 ng/mL at 5 mg b.i.d (range: 0.7-99.9). Samples taken under non-optimal temperature conditions showed a lower median concentration of 0.77 ng/mL (range: 0-7.4 ng/mL). The four patients who did not respond at days +28 and +180 after RUX initiation (3 with lower gastrointestinal aGvHD, and 1 with ocular, hepatic, and pulmonary cGvHD) showed a median concentration of only (7.4 ng/mL (range, 0-29) ng/mL) with full dosing.

CONCLUSIONS

The introduction and validation of a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for quantifying plasma RUX concentrations was feasible in our center. Administering predetermined and fixed doses of RUX in patients with SR-GvHD showed highly variable and overlapping plasma drug concentrations. This underscores the potential importance of RUX- pharmacokinetics (PK) monitoring.

Severity and organ distribution of graft-versus-host disease with post-transplant cyclophosphamide versus calcineurin inhibitor plus methotrexate/mycophenolate mofetil or sirolimus in allogenic HLA-matched or single-allele mismatched stem cell transplantation

OBJECTIVE

This retrospective single center study aims to describe changes in the severity and organ-specific distribution of GvHD, by comparing the outcomes of 3 distinct GvHD prophylaxis approaches.

METHODS

Between January 2012 and June 2022, 226 patients underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from HLA-matched or 1-allele mismatched related or unrelated donors. Fifty-eight (26%) received prophylaxis with calcineurin inhibitor in combination with mycophenolate mofetil or a short course of methotrexate (Cohort-1), 87 (38%) tacrolimus plus sirolimus (Cohort-2), and 81 (36%) post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy) plus tacrolimus (Cohort-3).

RESULTS

The incidence of grade II-IV aGvHD was 69% vs. 41.4% vs. 27.2%; p < .01. The most significant reduction with PTCy was observed in both stage 3-4 skin and lower gastrointestinal (GI) involvement (p < .01). The incidence of moderate-to-severe cGvHD at 12 months was 34.5% vs. 34.5% vs. 6.2%; p < .01. Moderate-to-severe skin and GI cGvHD was less common after PTCy (p < .01). The 1-year GvHD-free/relapse-free survival was higher with PTCy (p < .01).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study indicates that PTCy-based GvHD prophylaxis reduces the frequency and severity of both acute and chronic GvHD, with a notable decrease in severe GI and cutaneous manifestations. The higher GRFS may result in lower GvHD-related mortality, leading to an improved quality of life among survivors.

Feasibility of a new model of care for allogeneic stem cell transplantation recipients facilitated by eHealth: The MY-Medula pilot study

BACKGROUND

The use of allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) for the treatment of hematologic diseases is steadily increasing. However, allo-SCT has the downside of causing considerable treatment-related morbidity and mortality. Mobile technology applied to healthcare (mHealth) has proven to be a cost-effective strategy to improve care and offer new services to people with multimorbidity, but there are few data on its usefulness in allo-SCT recipients.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this report was to describe a new integrated healthcare model facilitated by an mHealth platform, named EMMASalud-MY-Medula, and to report the results of a le.

STUDY DESIGN

The MY-Medula platform development approach consisted of 4 phases. Firstly, patient and healthcare professional needs were identified and technological development and pre-testing tests were conducted (phases 1-3, January 2016-March 2021). Then, a non-randomized, prospective, observational, single-center pilot study was conducted (October 2021-January 2022) at the adult Stem Cell Transplant Unit of a tertiary university hospital.

RESULTS

Twenty-eight volunteer allo-SCT recipients were included in the pilot study. Fifty percent were outpatients in the first-year post-SCT and the remaining 50% were affected by steroid-dependent graft-versus-host disease (SR-GVHD). All patients used MY-Medula application during the two-month follow-up period with a median number of visits to the application of 143 (range 6-477). A total of 2067 self-monitoring records were made, and 205 text messages were received, most of them related to symptoms description (47%) and doubts about medication (21%). In 3.4% of the cases drug dose adjustments were performed by the pharmacist because of dosing errors or interactions. At the end of the study, a 6-question Likert-type questionnaire for patients and a 22-question test for healthcare professionals showed a high degree of satisfaction (95% and 100% respectively) with the new healthcare pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

Re-engineering allo-SCT recipients follow-up into an integrated, multidisciplinary model of care facilitated by mHealth tools is feasible and has been associated with a high usability and degree of satisfaction by patients and healthcare professionals. A randomized trial aiming to determine the cost-effectiveness of MY-Medula-based follow-up post-SCT is currently enrolling participants.

Determining the symptoms and coping methods of patients at home after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

AIM

This descriptive study was conducted to determine symptoms experienced at home in the early period by patients who received hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), identify coping behaviors used by the patients in the management of symptoms and assess the quality of life of these patients.

METHOD

The study included 200 patients who had received HSCT at a private hospital in Kocaeli in Turkey between October 2017 and November 2018 and been discharged. The data of the study were collected by using a patient information and interview form developed by the researcher, the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30.

RESULTS

The mean age of the patients was approximately 51, 39% (n = 78) of the patients were female, 61% (n = 122) were male, and the vast majority (82%) were married. The three most frequently experienced symptoms among the patients after being discharged were identified as pain (63%), weakness (48%), and loss of appetite (43%). It was found that the vast majority of the patients complied with coping behaviors reported in the literature, but these behaviors were partially effective. Clinical diagnosis, type of transplant, status of re-hospitalization of the being discharged, and number of problems experienced were identified as variables that were significantly effective on the treatment-related symptom experiences and many dimensions of the quality of life of the patients (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

It was determined that the patients who were included in this study experienced various symptoms on different levels and at different frequencies. Regarding the effectiveness of the approaches used by the patients in coping with the symptoms they experienced, it was determined that the approaches they used to cope with nausea-vomiting, fever and insomnia were effective, and those they used for weight loss and anxiety were ineffective.

Hypoglycemia: Comparison of Health Status Outcomes Between Patients After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation

BACKGROUND

Patients who have undergone hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) often face lengthy hospital stays. Hospitalized patients' compromised health status puts them at risk for complications to recovery when glucose is not controlled.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate differences in outcomes in patients who experienced hypoglycemia compared to patients who did not experience hypoglycemia post-allogeneic HCT.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review and secondary data analysis were conducted. The sample consisted of 198 adult patients hospitalized for their first allogeneic HCT at the University of Minnesota Medical Center between August 2015 and December 2017. Hypoglycemic patients were compared with nonhypoglycemic patients until discharge or 100 hospitalization days post-transplantation.

FINDINGS

A total of 20 patients (10%) experienced hypoglycemic events during the study time frame. There were significant differences between the two groups. Hypoglycemia may be a marker for higher acuity illness in this population. Nurses should increase vigilance in managing the blood glucose levels of patients undergoing HCT with known comorbidities and complications.

Functional capacity, lung function, and muscle strength in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: A prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a treatment for benign and malignant hematological diseases. These aggressive treatments cause reduced levels of physical activity, decreased lung function, and worse quality of life. Alterations in pulmonary function tests before HSCT are associated with the risk of respiratory failure and early mortality. The objective of this study was to evaluate functional capacity and lung function before and after HSCT and identify the predictors of mortality after 2 years.

METHODS

A prospective cohort study was carried out with individuals with oncohematological diseases. The evaluations were carried out in two moments during hospitalization and at hospital discharge. Follow-up was carried out after 48 months. Assessments were carried out on 34 adults, using spirometry, manovacuometry, 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), Handgrip Strength Test, and 30-Second Chair Stand Test (30-s CST).

RESULTS

There was a statistically significant reduction for the variables in forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume predicted in the 1st second, Tiffeneau index, handgrip strength, and distance covered (% predicted) on the 6MWT (p < .05). There was a significant difference in the 30-s CST when individuals were compared according to the type of transplant. We found that a 10% reduction in the values of maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP) can predict an increased risk for mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Individuals undergoing HSCT have reduced functional capacity, lung function, and muscle strength during the hospitalization phase. Reduction in the values of MIP increases the risk of nonrelapse mortality.

Suppressive Characteristics of Umbilical Cord Blood-derived Regulatory T Cells After Ex Vivo Expansion on Autologous and Allogeneic T Effectors and Various Lymphoblastic Cells

The third-party umbilical cord blood (UCB)-derived regulatory T cells (Treg) are an alternative to donor-derived Treg as cellular therapy of graft-versus-host disease following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. However, their suppressive characteristics against autologous and allogeneic T effector cells (Teff) have rarely been documented. The exact role of UCB-Treg in hematologic malignancies is also uncertain. Here, we investigated the direct effects of UCB-Treg on the proliferation of autologous Teff, as compared with allogeneic Teff, and also determined cellular fates of lymphoblasts after UCB-Treg co-culture. UCB-Treg were isolated from 8 UCB samples using 2-step immunomagnetic bead sorting. After 10-day ex vivo expansion, up to 60-fold increase in cell number with 76.7%±4.9% of CD4CD25CD127FoxP UCB-Treg was obtained. Further characterization showed that ex vivo-expanded UCB-Treg contained a higher proportion of CD95CD45RACCR4Treg-B subpopulation compared with the CD95CD45RACCR4Treg-A subpopulation (13.0%±4.8% vs. 0.8%±0.7%; P<0.05), along with the detecting of substantial amounts of secretory IL-10 (57.7±17.8 pg/mL) and TGF-β1 (196.5±29.7 pg/mL) in culture supernatants. After 4 days co-culture with UCB-Treg (at the ratio of 1:1), the proliferation of autologous and allogeneic Teff was decreased comparably (43.6%±17.5% vs. 37.6±17.7%; P=0.437). Suppression was independent of HLA-A, B, and DRB1 compatibility between UCB-Treg and Teff. UCB-Treg co-culture with various lymphoblasts showed proliferative suppression of Jurkat T lymphoblasts (45.4%±20.5% at the ratio of 1:1), but not Namalwa and Raji B lymphoblasts. All lymphoblasts had no significant cell apoptosis or death after co-culture. In conclusion, the ex vivo-expanded UCB-Treg had no difference in autologous and allogeneic Teff suppression. UCB-Treg therapy in patients with graft-versus-host disease who have a primary disease of T-cell leukemia may have additional benefits in the prevention of relapsed disease.

The haematopoietic stem cell transplant survivors' sense of coherence about their experiences: a qualitative study

PURPOSE

To explore the experiences of haematopoietic stem cell transplant survivors attending the long-term follow-up unit.

METHODS

A descriptive qualitative study of eight post-haematopoietic stem cell transplant survivors which were interviewed guided by the sense of coherence framework. Thematic analysis was used to extract meaningful explication of the survivors' experiences.

RESULTS

The post-haematopoietic stem cell transplant survivors interviewed were five females and three males with age ranging from 27 to 67 years and had the stem cell transplant between 4 and 20 years. Three main themes emerged from the data including (1) comprehending the experience, (2) acknowledging the meaningfulness of the experience and (3) managing threats to a new life after the transplant. The experiences of post-haematopoietic stem cell transplant survivors were initially difficult but they were able to make re-adjustments to their new life by reconciling with their new identity, refocusing on meaningful activities, strengthening their resilience and navigating the healthcare system.

CONCLUSION

In spite of the difficulties faced by the survivors, they were able to face the challenges and made adjustment in a positive light by focusing on the valuable aspects of their experiences. Health care practitioners need to continually support them throughout their survivorship journey no matter how long it takes. Any long-term follow-up unit is a step in the right direction to meet the complex needs of the survivors by integrating and adapting clinical guidelines into routine oncologic and transplant care so that survivors are not lost in transition following treatment.

Outcomes of hematopoietic cell transplant recipients requiring invasive mechanical ventilation: a two-centre retrospective cohort study

PURPOSE

Outcomes of critically ill, hematopoietic cell transplant patients who require prolonged mechanical ventilation are not well studied. We describe the baseline characteristics, critical care management, and outcomes of this population and explore potential predictors of mortality.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective cohort study in two critical care units in Ontario. We included adult intensive care unit patients who required invasive mechanical ventilation within 90 days of receiving a hematopoietic cell transplant. The primary outcome was mortality at 90 days. Using logistic regression, we explored predictors of mortality including type of transplant (allogeneic vs autologous), severity of illness (assessed using the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment [SOFA] score), and baseline characteristics (such as age and sex).

RESULTS

We included 70 patients from two study sites. Ninety-day mortality was 73% (n = 51) in the entire cohort, 58% (15/26) in patients post-autologous transplant, and 82% (36/44) in those post-allogeneic transplant. Ninety-one percent (10/11) of patients who required invasive mechanical ventilation for more than 21 days died. Independent predictors of all-cause mortality included allogeneic transplant, higher SOFA score, the presence of acute hypoxemic respiratory failure, and a longer interval between receiving the transplant and initiation of mechanical ventilation.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study shows high rates of mortality among hematopoietic cell transplant recipients that require invasive mechanical ventilation, particularly in those post-allogeneic transplant and in those who require prolonged ventilation for more than 21 days.

Pretransplant Cardiac Evaluation Using Novel Technology

Hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) is a complex procedure that has been increasingly successful in treating malignant and nonmalignant conditions. Despite its effectiveness, it can be associated with potentially life-threatening adverse effects. New onset heart failure, ischemic disease, and arrhythmias are among the most notable cardiovascular complications post-HSCT. As a result, appropriate cardiac risk stratification prior to transplant could result in decreased morbidity and mortality by identifying patients with a higher probability of tolerating possible toxicities associated with HSCT. In this review, we aim to discuss the utility of cardiac screening using novel modalities of imaging technology in the pre-HSCT phase.

Managing myelofibrosis (MF) that "blasts" through: advancements in the treatment of relapsed/refractory and blast-phase MF

Myelofibrosis (MF) is the most aggressive form of Philadelphia chromosome-negative myeloproliferative neoplasm, and it is complicated by severe symptom burden, thrombotic events, infections, cytopenias, and transformation to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Ruxolitinib, the first-line therapy for symptomatic or intermediate- and high-prognostic risk MF, has improved overall survival for this population. However, approximately one-half of MF patients will discontinue ruxolitinib by the first few years of therapy due to a spectrum of resistance, intolerance, relapse, or progression to blast phase disease. Danazol, erythropoietin-stimulating agents, and spleen-directed therapies can be useful in the ruxolitinib-resistant setting. In the ruxolitinib-refractory or -intolerant setting, commercial and novel therapies, either alone or in combination with ruxolitinib, have shown clinical utility. For blast-phase MF, the recent advancements in available AML therapies have increased the options with targeted and more tolerable therapies. In this article, we will discuss our paradigm for the management of relapsed/refractory and blast-phase MF in the context of therapeutic advancements in both AML and MF.

HLA typing and haematopoietic stem cell transplantation in the histocompatibility unit of the Ibn Sina University Hospital in Rabat (Morocco)

PURPOSE OF STUDY

This study focuses on the search for a suitable related HLA-matched donor of haematopoietic stem cells in the context of allogeneic transplantation in Morocco. The aim of this work is to establish whether the related donor can meet graft needs in Moroccan patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

429 families (429 recipients and 965 donors) benefited from HLA typing, using microlymphocytotoxicity, polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific primer and/or high-resolution polymerase chain reaction-specific sequence oligonucleotide.

RESULTS

The recipients and donors are mostly men over 18 years of age. In total, 86.8% of the recipients have between 1 and 3 donors who are 96% of the collaterals. Malignant haemopathies account for 54% of allograft indications. Benign haemopathies are more frequent than malignant in children, whereas the profile is reversed in adults. Fifty percent of recipients have an HLA identical donor in their siblings and 42% and HLA haplo identical donor. The HLA typing of the recipients and the donors reveals very large polymorphism of the population.

CONCLUSION

The related donor of haematopoietic stem cells represents an important source of grafts but will not be able to satisfy all the needs of Morocco. The creation of national unrelated voluntary donors will open up new possibilities for recipients who do not have a compatible donor within his relatives.

Efficacy and safety of autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation for Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia: A study protocol for a multicenter exploratory prospective study (Auto-Ph17 study)

INTRODUCTION

The prognosis of Philadelphia chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph + ALL) has been dramatically improved since the introduction of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Although allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) is a major treatment option, the role of autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (auto-PBSCT) has been reconsidered, especially in patients who achieved early molecular remission.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This is a multicenter exploratory study for Ph + ALL patients aged between 55 and 70 years who achieved complete molecular remission within 3 cycles of chemotherapy. The target sample size is 5, and the registration period is 2 years. The primary endpoint is Day100- mortality after transplantation, and the secondary endpoints are survival, relapse rate, nonrelapse mortality, and adverse events.This study is divided into 3 phases: peripheral blood stem cell harvest, transplantation, and maintenance. Chemomobilization is performed using a combination of cyclophosphamide (CPM), doxorubicin, vincristine (VCR), and prednisolone (PSL). As a preparative regimen, the LEED regimen is used, which consists of melphalan, CPM, etoposide, and dexamethasone. Twelve cycles of maintenance therapy using a combination of VCR, PSL, and dasatinib are performed.In association with relapse, the minimal residual disease (MRD) of BCR-ABL chimeric gene and T-cell subsets are analyzed both before and after auto-PBSCT.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The protocol was approved by the institutional review board of Nagoya University Hospital and all the participating hospitals. Written informed consent was obtained from all patients before registration, in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Results of the study will be disseminated via publications in peer-reviewed journals.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Trial registration number UMIN000026445.