Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Cures Adenosine Deaminase 2 Deficiency: Report on 30 Patients.

PURPOSE: Deficiency of adenosine deaminase 2 (DADA2) is an inherited inborn error of immunity, characterized by autoinflammation (recurrent fever), vasculopathy (livedo racemosa, polyarteritis nodosa, lacunar ischemic strokes, and intracranial hemorrhages), immunodeficiency, lymphoproliferation, immune cytopenias, and bone marrow failure (BMF). Tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) blockade is the treatment of choice for the vasculopathy, but often fails to reverse refractory cytopenia. We aimed to study the outcome of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) in patients with DADA2. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study on the outcome of HCT in patients with DADA2. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Thirty DADA2 patients from 12 countries received a total of 38 HCTs. The indications for HCT were BMF, immune cytopenia, malignancy, or immunodeficiency. Median age at HCT was 9 years (range: 2-28 years). The conditioning regimens for the final transplants were myeloablative (n = 20), reduced intensity (n = 8), or non-myeloablative (n = 2). Donors were HLA-matched related (n = 4), HLA-matched unrelated (n = 16), HLA-haploidentical (n = 2), or HLA-mismatched unrelated (n = 8). After a median follow-up of 2 years (range: 0.5-16 years), 2-year OS was 97%, and 2-year GvHD-free relapse-free survival was 73%. The hematological and immunological phenotypes resolved, and there were no new vascular events. Plasma ADA2 enzyme activity normalized in 16/17 patients tested. Six patients required more than one HCT. CONCLUSION: HCT was an effective treatment for DADA2, successfully reversing the refractory cytopenia, as well as the vasculopathy and immunodeficiency. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: HCT is a definitive cure for DADA2 with > 95% survival.

Acute human parvovirus B19 infection triggers immune-mediated transient bone marrow failure syndrome, extreme direct hyperbilirubinaemia and acute hepatitis in patients with hereditary haemolytic anaemias: multicentre prospective pathophysiological study.

A total of 244 patients with hereditary haemolytic anaemias (HHA) were screened for acute symptomatic human parvovirus B19 infection (HPV-B19) in a prospective study. To assess the risks associated with HPV-B19 infection, patients were classified into Group I and Group II according to presence or absence (symptoms, signs and specific serology) of acute HPV-B19 infection respectively. In all, 131 (53·7%) patients had ß-thalassaemia, 75 (30·7%) hereditary spherocytosis (HS), 27 (11·1%) sickle cell anaemia (SCA) and 11 (4·5%) glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency. Of 33 (13·5%) patients who presented with symptomatic HPV-B19 infection, 19 (57·5%) had HS, nine (27·3%) had ß-thalassaemia and five (15·2%) had SCA. In Group I, there were significant differences in the mean white blood cell, red blood cell and platelet counts, haemoglobin concentration, total bilirubin (TB), alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and serum creatinine (all P < 0·001) compared to Group II. In all, 27 (81·8%) patients had arthropathy and bone marrow failure (BMF); 13 (39·4%) had acute kidney injury (AKI), more in SCA (80%); and 12 (36·4%) patients had hepatitis, more in HS (66·8%). Five (15·2%) patients with HS had BMF, AKI, nervous system involvement and extreme hyperbilirubinaemia (TB range 26·3-84·7 mg/dl). Five (15·2%) patients had haemophagocytic syndrome. Two patients with HS combined with Type-I autoimmune hepatitis presented with transient BMF. Complete recovery or stabilisation was noted at 12 months in every patient except for one patient with SCA who died during the infection. HPV-B19 must be suspected and screened in patients with HHA with typical and atypical presentations with careful follow-up.

Life-Prolonging Effects of Adipose Tissue-Derived Stem Cell Transplantation into Mice Exposed to a Lethal Dose of X-Rays.

In the event of a high-dose radiation exposure accident, adipose-derived stem cell (ADSC) transplantation might be used as an emergency medical treatment to compensate for bone marrow failure. To investigate the possible course of that treatment, we examined whether transplantation of ADSCs into whole-body X-ray irradiated mice would provide resistance to radiation damage. ADSCs were obtained from a primary culture of adipocytes from adipose tissue of syngeneic mice. The ADSCs were transplanted via an intravenous (i.v.) route after whole-body irradiation (6 Gy, X-rays) of the ICR mice. Fifty days after transplantation, the survival rate of the transplanted group was 40% higher than the control group, and the difference in survival rates was maintained in the following 200 days. After 400 days, however, the difference in survival rates became smaller and disappeared after 650 days. The results indicate that ADSC transplantation may reduce lethality from acute radiation bone marrow injury for several hundred days.

Improved outcomes using unmanipulated haploidentical hematopoietic stem cells combined with third-party umbilical cord blood transplantation for non-malignant diseases in children: The experience of a single center.

BACKGROUND: Unmanipulated haploid HSCT for SAA has resulted in improved outcomes over recent years. However, studies related to unmanipulated haploid HSCs combined with tp-UCB transplantation for other types of NMD are rare. Accordingly, we present the outcomes of 109 pediatric patients with life-threatening NMD undergoing unmanipulated haploid HSCs combined with tp-UCB transplantation. PROCEDURE: We retrospectively investigated 109 pediatric patients with life-threatening NMD treated with unmanipulated haploid HSCs combined with tp-UCB transplantation in a single center. RESULTS: The median days of neutrophil and platelet engraftment were +13 and +22 days, respectively. None of the cases experienced PGF. The incidence rates for grade I-II, III-IV aGVHD and cGVHD were 44.9%, 24.8%, and 9.3%, respectively. The incidence rates of CMV and EBV viremia were 46.7% and 39.4%, respectively. The median follow-up duration was 997 days. In total, 106 patients survived, including 104 cases with FFS and 2 cases with SGF. Three patients died. The 5-year TRM, OS, and FFS were 2.8%, 97.2%, and 96.2%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The results of unmanipulated haploid HSCs combined with tp-UCB in pediatric patients with life-threatening NMD were promising. However, further research is now needed to determine specific factors that might influence the engraftment of HSCs.

Desenlace de los pacientes pediátricos con falla medular tratados en un centro de alta complejidad / Outcomes in pediatrics patients diagnosed with bone marrow failure disorders treated in a tertiary care center

INTRODUCCIÓN: Los síndromes de falla medular (SFM) son trastornos infrecuentes, con una incidencia anual de 2-4 casos por millón. Las opciones de tratamiento incluyen terapia de inmunosupresión (TIS) y restaura ción de la hematopoyesis con trasplante de progenitores hematopoyéticas (TPH). OBJETIVO: Analizar los desenlaces de pacientes pediátricos diagnosticados con SFM tratados en una institución de alta complejidad. PACIENTES Y MÉTODO: Estudio retrospectivo de pacientes pediátricos con diagnóstico de SFM que consultaron a la Fundación Valle del Lili, Cali. Se realizo análisis estadístico descriptivo según SFM adquirida (SFMA) y SFM congénita (SFMC). Los desenlaces incluyeron: tratamiento, complicaciones, supervivencia global (SG) en los trasplantados, calculada con el método Kaplan Meier. RESULTADOS: Se incluyeron 24 pacientes con SFM, edad 6,5 ± 4 años, 50% mujeres. El 58% fue ron SFMC, 9 con anemia de Fanconi, 2 disqueratosis congénita, 2 trombocitopenia amegacariocítica congénita, uno anemia Diamond-Blackfan. Doce pacientes con TPH tuvieron SG a 5 años de 83%. SFMA correspondió al 42%, 6 recibieron TIS-TPH, 3 TIS y 1 TPH, la SG del grupo con TIS-TPH fue 86%. Seis pacientes fallecieron, 4/6 relacionadas con infección. CONCLUSIONES: En esta serie fue mayor el número de casos con SFMC. La SG de los pacientes llevados a TPH es comparable con la reportada en estudios recientes. La causa de muerte predominante fue infecciosa que también se ha reportado previamente. El tratamiento instaurado en los pacientes de esta serie mostró resultados favorables en un centro de alta complejidad en un país latinoamericano.

INTRODUCTION: Bone marrow failure (BMF) syndromes are rare disorders with an annual incidence of 2-4 cases per million. Treatment options include immunosuppressive therapy (IST) and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). OBJECTIVE: To analyze the outcomes of pediatric patients diagnosed with BMF treated in a tertiary care center. PATIENTS AND METHODP: Retrospective study of pediatric patients diagnosed with BMF who consulted at Fundación Valle de Lili, Cali. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed according to Acquired BMF (ABMF) and Inherited BMF (IBMF). The outcomes include treatment, complications, overall survival (OS) in transplant patients, calculated using the Kaplan Meier method. RESULTS: We included 24 patients with BMF, average age 6.5 ± 4 years, and 50% were women. 58% presented IBMF, 9 with Fanconi anemia (FA), 2 dyskeratosis congenita, 2 congenital amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia, and 1 presented Diamond-Blackfan anemia. 12 patients treated with HSCT had a 5-year OS of 83%. ABMF represented 42%. 6 patients received IST-HSCT, 3 received IST, and 1 received HSCT. The OS of the IST-HSCT group was 86%. Six patients died, four of them related to infection. CONCLUSIONS: In this series, there was a higher number of cases with IBMF. The OS of patients treated with HSCT is similar to that reported in recent studies. The most frequent cause of death was of infectious origin which has also been previously reported. The treatment esta blished in the patients showed favorable results in a Latin American tertiary care center.

Race and socioeconomic status in pediatric allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation for nonmalignant conditions.

BACKGROUND: Survival disparities by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status (SES) are observed in a wide range of pediatric treatment settings including oncology and solid organ transplantation. To date, few studies have examined the effects of race and SES on outcomes in pediatric allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). We explored whether survival differed by race/ethnicity or SES in children receiving HCT for nonmalignant conditions at a single institution serving a diverse patient population. PROCEDURES: The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate overall survival (OS) with the log-rank test for between-group comparisons. Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify risk factors for OS, adjusting for treatment- and disease-related factors. RESULTS: Of 133 subjects, 0 to 21 years, 19% were non-Hispanic (NH) white, 34% were NH black, 40% were Hispanic, and 7% were Asian. Sixty-seven percent of the subjects had public insurance; 49% lived in neighborhoods with poverty rate ≥20%. Primary diagnoses included hemoglobinopathies (56%), bone marrow failure (22%), and other conditions (22%). Median follow-up was 5.8 years (range 0.1-14.5). Analysis revealed no difference in OS by race, insurance type, or neighborhood SES. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this single-institution study suggest that in pediatric patients undergoing HCT for nonmalignant conditions, treatment at a tertiary care center with a multidisciplinary approach may mitigate drivers of disparities observed in other settings. Additional studies are now needed to further elucidate the complex interrelationships among race, SES, and clinical outcomes for children undergoing HCT.

Outcomes in pediatrics patients diagnosed with bone marrow failure disorders treated in a tertiary care center. / Desenlace de los pacientes pediátricos con falla medular tratados en un centro de alta complejidad.

INTRODUCTION: Bone marrow failure (BMF) syndromes are rare disorders with an annual incidence of 2-4 cases per million. Treatment options include immunosuppressive therapy (IST) and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). OBJECTIVE: To analyze the outcomes of pediatric patients diagnosed with BMF treated in a tertiary care center. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Retrospective study of pediatric patients diagnosed with BMF who consulted at Fundación Valle de Lili, Cali. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed according to Acquired BMF (ABMF) and Inherited BMF (IBMF). The outcomes include treatment, complications, overall survival (OS) in transplant patients, calculated using the Kaplan Meier method. RESULTS: We included 24 patients with BMF, average age 6.5 ± 4 years, and 50% were women. 58% presented IBMF, 9 with Fanconi anemia (FA), 2 dyskeratosis congenita, 2 congenital amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia, and 1 presented Diamond-Blackfan anemia. 12 patients treated with HSCT had a 5-year OS of 83%. ABMF represented 42%. 6 patients received IST-HSCT, 3 received IST, and 1 received HSCT. The OS of the IST-HSCT group was 86%. Six patients died, four of them related to infection. CONCLUSIONS: In this series, there was a higher number of cases with IBMF. The OS of patients treated with HSCT is similar to that reported in recent studies. The most frequent cause of death was of infectious origin which has also been previously reported. The treatment esta blished in the patients showed favorable results in a Latin American tertiary care center.

Clinical Applications and Utility of a Precision Medicine Approach for Patients With Unexplained Cytopenias.

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate experience and feasibility of a precision medicine approach for patients with unexplained cytopenias, defined as low blood counts in one or more cell lineages, persistent for 6 months or longer, in the absence of known nutritional, autoimmune, infectious, toxic, and neoplastic (secondary) causes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients were evaluated in our clinic between November 8, 2016, and January 12, 2018. After a thorough evaluation of known causes, family history, and appropriate clinical assays, genomic evaluation was performed in a stepwise manner, through Sanger, targeted, and/or whole-exome sequencing. Variants were analyzed and discussed in a genomics tumor board attended by clinicians, bioinformaticians, and molecular biologists. RESULTS: Sixty-eight patients were evaluated in our clinic. After genomic interrogation, they were classified into inherited bone marrow failure syndromes (IBMFS) (n=24, 35%), cytopenias without a known clinical syndrome which included idiopathic and clonal cytopenias of undetermined significance (CCUS) (n=30, 44%), and patients who did not fit into the above two categories ("others," n=14, 21%). A significant family history was found in only 17 (25%) patients (9 IBMFS, 2 CCUS, and 6 others), whereas gene variants were found in 43 (63%) patients (34 [79%] pathogenic including 12 IBMFS, 17 CCUS, and 5 others]. Genomic assessment resulted in a change in clinical management in 17 (25%) patients, as evidenced by changes in decisions with regards to therapeutic interventions (n=8, 47%), donor choice (n=6, 35%), and/or choice of conditioning regimen for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (n=8, 47%). CONCLUSION: We show clinical utility of a real-world algorithmic precision medicine approach for unexplained cytopenias.

Late Mortality after Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplantation in Childhood for Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes and Severe Aplastic Anemia.

Children with bone marrow failure syndromes and severe aplastic anemia (SAA) are treated with allogeneic blood or marrow transplantation (BMT). However, there is a paucity of studies examining late mortality risk after allogeneic BMT performed in childhood for bone marrow failure syndromes and SAA and evaluating how this risk differs between these diseases. We investigated cause-specific late mortality in 2-year survivors of allogeneic BMT for bone marrow failure syndromes and SAA performed before age 22years between 1974 and 2010 at 2 US transplantation centers. Vital status information was collected from medical records, the National Death Index, and Accurint databases. Overall survival was calculated using Kaplan-Meier techniques. The standardized mortality ratio (SMR) was calculated using age- sex-, and calendar-specific mortality rates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Among the 2-year survivors of bone marrow failure syndromes (n = 120) and SAA (n = 147), there were 15 and 19 deaths, respectively, yielding an overall survival of 86.4% for bone marrow failure syndromes and 93.1% for SAA at 15years post-BMT. Compared with the general population, patients with bone marrow failure syndromes were at a higher risk for premature death (SMR, 22.7; 95% CI, 13.1 to 36.2) compared with those with SAA (SMR, 4.5; 95% CI, 2.8 to 7.0) (P < .0001). The elevated relative risk persisted at ≥15years after BMT for both diseases. The hazard of all-cause late mortality was 2.9-fold (95% CI, 1.1 to 7.3) higher in patients with bone marrow failure syndromes compared with those with SAA. The high late mortality risk in recipients of allogeneic BMT in childhood for bone marrow failure syndromes calls for intensified life-long follow-up.