Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) during aplasia: A bridge towards myopericarditis recovery after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant for systemic sclerosis and recent Coronarovirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare autoimmune disease (AD), characterised by early diffuse vasculopathy, activation of the immune response and progressive skin and internal organ fibrosis. In severe progressive diffuse SSc (dSSc), autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT) improves survival, despite its own risk of complications and transplant related mortality (TRM). We present herein the case of a dSSc patient undergoing aHSCT with low dose cyclophosphamide conditioning and sudden acute myopericarditis and cardiogenic shock, four weeks after a second mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (Pfizer) injection. Four days of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support during the aplasia period, allowed to observe full cardiac function recovery and progressive SSc rehabilitation with sustained disease response at 30 months follow-up. This report illustrates, for the first time to our knowledge, that ECMO can be indicated despite aplasia during aHSCT and successfully used as a bridge towards heart function recovery in highly selected and fragile AD patients. We review the factors that may contribute to endothelial and myocardial stunning and acute reversible cardiac failure in SSc and aggravate intrinsic endothelial injury during the aHSCT procedure. These classically include: cyclophosphamide drug toxicity, viral infections and autoimmune activation with disease flair per se. In the COVID-19 pandemic times, acute myocarditis due to recent viral infection or mRNA vaccine per se, must also be considered.

Clinical and Molecular Determinants of Clonal Evolution in Aplastic Anemia and Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria

PURPOSE

Secondary myeloid neoplasms (sMNs) remain the most serious long-term complications in patients with aplastic anemia (AA) and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). However, sMNs lack specific predictors, dedicated surveillance measures, and early therapeutic interventions.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We studied a multicenter, retrospective cohort of 1,008 patients (median follow-up 8.6 years) with AA and PNH to assess clinical and molecular determinants of clonal evolution.

RESULTS

Although none of the patients transplanted upfront (n = 117) developed clonal complications (either sMN or secondary PNH), the 10-year cumulative incidence of sMN in nontransplanted cases was 11.6%. In severe AA, older age at presentation and lack of response to immunosuppressive therapy were independently associated with increased risk of sMN, whereas untreated patients had the highest risk among nonsevere cases. The elapsed time from AA to sMN was 4.5 years. sMN developed in 94 patients. The 5-year overall survival reached 40% and was independently associated with bone marrow blasts at sMN onset. Myelodysplastic syndrome with high-risk phenotypes, del7/7q, and ASXL1, SETBP1, RUNX1, and RAS pathway gene mutations were the most frequent characteristics. Cross-sectional studies of clonal dynamics from baseline to evolution revealed that PIGA/human leukocyte antigen lesions decreased over time, being replaced by clones with myeloid hits. PIGA and BCOR/L1 mutation carriers had a lower risk of sMN progression, whereas myeloid driver lesions marked the group with a higher risk.

CONCLUSION

The risk of sMN in AA is associated with disease severity, lack of response to treatment, and patients' age. sMNs display high-risk morphological, karyotypic, and molecular features. The landscape of acquired somatic mutations is complex and incompletely understood and should be considered with caution in medical management.

Long-term outcomes and risk factor analysis of steroid-refractory graft versus host disease after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Steroid-refractory graft versus host disease (GVHD) represents a fearsome complication after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). We conducted a retrospective study on outcomes and risk factors associated with acute and chronic steroid-refractory GVHD in a large cohort of 1207 patients receiving HSCT in Saint Louis Hospital between 2007 and 2017. Among patients who developed an acute and/or a chronic GVHD, the cumulative incidences of acute and chronic steroid-refractory disease were 31% and 48%, respectively, at day +100 and 1-year post-HSCT. Through a multivariable analysis we selected several risk factors associated with the development of a steroid-refractory disease. For acute GVHD steroid refractoriness, we identified (1) a very high disease risk index, (2) an unrelated donor, (3) the absence of in vivo T-depletion as GVHD prophylaxis, and (4) a reduced intensity conditioning regimen. For chronic GVHD, (1) the use of peripheral blood stem cells, (2) unrelated donors, and (3) absence of in vivo T-depletion were more likely associated with a steroid-refractory disease. After the construction of a multistate dynamic model, we found that the probability of being alive without relapse after the resolution of all GVHD episodes was about 36% in the long term.

An outbreak of acute Schistosoma mansoni Schistosomiasis in a nonendemic area of Brazil: a report on 50 cases, including 5 with severe clinical manifestations

BACKGROUND

Acute schistosomiasis is a systemic hypersensitivity reaction against the migrating schistosomula and eggs. In this report, we describe an atypical outbreak of the disease with severe cases. Transmission occurred in a nonendemic area of Brazil, which became a new focus of transmission due to the in-migration of infected workers.

METHODS

From December 2009 to March 2010, the 50 patients with acute schistosomiasis (group 1) bathed in a swimming pool supplied by a brook on a country estate in the outskirts of São João del Rei, Brazil. Thirty other subjects (group 2) living in the same area, who denied having contact with the swimming pool, volunteered to participate in the study. All participants were submitted to clinical, laboratory, and ultrasound examinations.

RESULTS

Five of 50 (10%) patients were admitted to the hospital: 1 with myeloradiculopathy, 1 with diffuse pulmonary micronodules, and 3 with diarrhea and dehydration. All 5 had hypereosinophilia and prolonged fever. Group 1 patients more frequently had cercarial dermatitis (P = .01), blood in the stool (P = .04), and intra-abdominal lymph nodes (P = .001). All group 1 patients were treated with praziquantel; 1 patient with myeloradiculopathy also received oral prednisone (60 mg/day) for 6 months with complete recovery.

CONCLUSIONS

This report describes the first time that patients from an outbreak of acute schistosomiasis have been compared to controls. Five subjects (10%) had severe manifestations of schistosomiasis. Diagnosis of the disease and its severity was delayed because physicians did not consider that an epidemic of schistosomiasis might emerge in a nonendemic area.