Clinical factors associated with autologous stem cell transplantation outcomes in multiple myeloma: upfront transplant with MEL200 remains the standard of care.

Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) remains the mainstay of the treatment in newly diagnosed transplant-eligible multiple myeloma (MM) patients. This retrospective study was performed to investigate the potential prognostic markers which may modify transplant course in a total of 256 ASCT recipients [median age: 58 (30-74) years; male/female: 138/118], including pretransplant (PET0) and day + 60 (PET2) PET/CT assessments and comparative analysis of melphalan (Mel) dose. Better responses with significantly higher complete response/very good partial response rates were achieved in patients who proceeded to transplant within 301 days from diagnosis (p < 0.001). Patients who had received < 1.5 lines of treatment prior to transplant had significantly higher probability of overall survival (OS) (p = 0.004) and progression-free survival (PFS) (p < 0.001). The probability of OS was significantly higher in patients with low Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance score (PS = 0-1) (p = 0.003) and HCT-Comorbidity Index (HCT-CI = 0) (p = 0.011). The number of involved areas (p = 0.028) and maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) (p = 0.021) in PET0 represented significant impact on OS. The probabilities of OS (p < 0.001) and PFS (p = 0.01) were significantly better with Mel200 mg/m2 conditioning compared to Mel140 mg/m2. Conditioning with Mel200 mg/m2, early and upfront ASCT and low pretransplant treatment burden were found to be significantly associated with ASCT outcome in MM patients. Despite its predictor impact on survival and prognosis, further studies are warranted to standardize PET/CT-based response assessments before being used as a guide for treatment decisions in clinical practice.

Prognostic value of hyperlactatemia and lactate clearance in septic patients with hematological malignancies.

BACKGROUND: The coexistence of sepsis and hematological malignancies increases patient vulnerability, revealing the need for precise prognostic markers. This study explores the prognostic significance of lactate levels and clearance in septic patients with hematological malignancies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study from January 2016 to December 2019 in a tertiary hematological intensive care unit (ICU) included 167 adults with hematological malignancies and sepsis. The relationship between lactate levels, hyperlactatemia, lactate clearance, and ICU outcomes was investigated. ICU survivors and non-survivors were compared to identify the factors affecting ICU mortality. RESULTS: Patients were primarily with lymphoma and acute leukemia (66%) and had frequent hyperlactatemia (64%) on ICU admission. ICU non-survivors demonstrated higher lactate levels and hyperlactatemia frequency at various time points (0, 6, and 12 h) than survivors. Lactate clearance and liver function tests did not differ significantly between the two groups. Invasive mechanical ventilation [OR (95% confidence interval-CI): 20.4 (2.4-79.8), p < 0.01], requirement of vasopressors [OR (95% CI): 5.6 (1.3-24.5), p < 0.01], lactate level at the 6th hour [OR (95% CI): 1.51 (1.1-2.07), p = 0.01], and APACHE II score (OR (95% CI): 1.16 (1.01-1.34), p = 0.05) were independent risk factors for ICU mortality. The Area Under the Curve for APACHE II score and lactate level at the 6th hour were 0.774 (95% CI: 0.682-0.866) and 0.703 (95% CI: 0.602-0.804), respectively. CONCLUSION: While elevated lactate levels correlate with mortality rate and lactate level at the 6th hour is an independent risk factor for mortality, the absence of a significant difference in lactate clearance challenges traditional assumptions. These results question the commonly accepted perspective regarding lactate dynamics in sepsis among individuals with hematological malignancies. ORAL PRESENTATION: Inci K, et al. "Hyperlactatemia, lactate clearance and outcome in critically ill patients with hematological malignancies," 22nd international intensive care symposium, 2019.

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation in patients with chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia in the era of third generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors: A retrospective study by the chronic malignancies working party of the EBMT.

Following the introduction of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI), the number of patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) for chronic phase (CP) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) has dramatically decreased. Imatinib was the first TKI introduced to the clinical arena, predominantly utilized in the first line setting. In cases of insufficient response, resistance, or intolerance, CML patients can subsequently be treated with either a second or third generation TKI. Between 2006 and 2016, we analyzed the impact of the use of 1, 2, or 3 TKI prior to allo-HCT for CP CML in 904 patients. A total of 323-, 371-, and 210 patients had 1, 2, or 3 TKI prior to transplant, respectively; imatinib (n = 778), dasatinib (n = 508), nilotinib (n = 353), bosutinib (n = 12), and ponatinib (n = 44). The majority had imatinib as first TKI (n = 747, 96%). Transplants were performed in CP1, n = 549, CP2, n = 306, and CP3, n = 49. With a median follow-up of 52 months, 5-year OS for the entire population was 64.4% (95% CI 60.9-67.9%), PFS 50% (95% CI 46.3-53.7%), RI 28.7% (95% CI 25.4-32.0%), and NRM 21.3% (95% CI 18.3-24.2%). No difference in OS, PFS, RI, or NRM was evident related to the number of TKI prior to allo-HCT or to the type of TKI (p = ns). Significant factors influencing OS and PFS were > CP1 versus CP1 and Karnofsky performance (KPS) score > 80 versus ≤80, highlighting CP1 patients undergoing allo-HCT have improved survival compared to >CP1 and the importance of careful allo-HCT candidate selection.

[Comparison of the Results of Galactomannan and Beta Glucan Antigen Tests in the Suspicion of Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis]. / Invaziv Pulmoner Aspergilloz Süpheli Hastalarda Galaktomannan ve Beta Glukan Antijen Testlerinin Karsilastirilmasi.

Opportunistic fungal infections are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients. Invasive aspergillosis (IA) has an important place among these infections with ~ 250.000 cases annually. Reducing the mortality rate due to invasive aspergillosis is possible with early diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Because of the low sensitivity in microscopic examination, the time consuming of culture growth, and the difficulties in distinguishing colonization/infection, serological methods are frequently used in the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis. The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic performance of galactomannan and beta glucan tests for the diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA). Sixty patients, followed up with the suspicion of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in Gazi University Hospital were included in the study. The clinical classification of the patients was made according to the revised European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer and the Mycoses Study Group (EORTC/MSG) criteria. A total of 10 patients were classified as probable invasive aspergillosis and 20 patients were classified as possible invasive fungal disease. Demographic data of the patients and various risk factors were recorded. One hundred and thirty serum and nine bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid samples were studied with Plateliaᵀᴹ Aspergillus Ag (Bio-Rad, France), Dynamiker Aspergillus Galactomannan and Dynamiker Fungus (1-3)-beta-D-Glucan (Dynamiker, China) kits. Sensitivity and specificity values were calculated according to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Plateliaᵀᴹ Aspergillus Ag test. According to this study, the most important risk factors in the development of IPA were the use of steroids and immunomodulatory drugs. The sensitivity of the galactomannan test in the probable group was 77.8%, the specificity was 96.7%, the sensitivity of the beta glucan test was 61.1%, and the specificity was 92.6%. When these two tests were evaluated together, it was observed that the sensitivity in the probable group increased to 83.3% and the specificity decreased to 89.3%. The combined use of galactomannan and beta glucan tests increases the diagnostic sensitivity. Although the presence of prolonged neutropenia is an important risk factor for IA, the use of steroids and immunomodulatory drugs should be kept in mind in non-neutropenic patients.

Risk factors for ICU mortality in patients with hematological malignancies: a singlecenter, retrospective cohort study from Turkey.

BACKGROUND: Patients with hematological malignancies (HM) often require admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) due to organ failure, disease progression or treatment-related complications, and they generally have a poor prognosis. Therefore, understanding the factors affecting ICU mortality in HM patients is important. In this study, we aimed to identify the risk factors for ICU mortality in our critically ill HM patients. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of HM patients who were hospitalized in our medical ICU between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2018. We recorded some parameters of these patients and compared these parameters by statistically between survivors and nonsurvivors to determine the risk factors for ICU mortality. RESULTS: The study included 368 critically ill HM patients who were admitted to our medical ICU during a 9-year period. The median age was 58 (49-67) years and 63.3% of the patients were male. Most of the patients (43.2%) had acute leukemia. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) was performed in 153 (41.6%) patients. The ICU mortality rate was 51.4%. According to univariable analyses, a lot of parameters (e.g., admission APACHE II and SOFA scores, length of ICU stay, some laboratory parameters at the ICU admission, the reason for ICU admission, comorbidities, type of HM, type of HSCT, infections on ICU admission and during ICU stay, etc.) were significantly different between survivors and nonsurvivors. However, only high SOFA scores at ICU admission (OR:1.281, p = 0.004), presence of septic shock (OR:17.123, p = 0.0001), acute kidney injury (OR:48.284, p = 0.0001), and requirement of invasive mechanical ventilation support during ICU stay (OR:23.118, p = 0.0001) were independent risk factors for ICU mortality. DISCUSSION: In our cohort, critically ill HM patients had high ICU mortality. We found four independent predictors for ICU mortality. Yet, there is still a need for further research to better understand poor outcome predictors in critically ill HM patients.

Comparison of daily oral iron replacement therapy with every other day treatment in female reproductive age patients with iron-deficiency anemia.

Iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) is accepted as the most common cause of anemia in the world. The main goals of iron replacement therapy are to normalize the hemoglobin level and to replace iron stores. Current guidelines for treating iron deficiency recommend daily divided doses of iron to increase absorption. Hepcidin is a key regulator of systemic iron balance and acts in harmony with intracellular iron metabolism. Daily dosing and divided doses may increase serum hepcidin and decrease iron absorption. In this study, it was aimed to compare the effectiveness of daily and every other day oral iron replacement therapy in women of reproductive age with iron-deficiency anemia. We included premenopausal female patients aged between 18 and 50 years with iron-deficiency anemia. Forty patients were given oral iron therapy at a daily dose of 2*80 mg (iron sulfate). Forty-three patients were given iron treatment at a dose of 2*80 mg (iron sulfate) every other day. After 2 months of oral iron therapy, there was a significant improvement in hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, serum iron, total iron-binding capacity, and transferrin saturation in both groups. The values of hemoglobin, serum iron, transferrin saturation, and ferritin significantly increased at the end of the treatment for both groups. Although the median hepcidin level on the 15th-day measurement in the every other day treatment group was higher than that in the daily treatment group, there was no significant difference. As a result, the patients' compliance with the treatment can be increased by offering treatment every other day instead of daily, since it provides similar treatment effectiveness.

Is comprehensive geriatric testing guiding in the identification of multiple myeloma patients who are candidates for autologous stem cell transplantation? A prospective analysis.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematological malignancy of older adults. This study aimed to investigate the differences in performance, comorbidity scores, and comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) before and after induction therapy in newly diagnosed MM patients, as well as the factors that may be associated with improved performance status after induction therapy. Thirty-seven consecutive patients aged 50 years and older, who were newly diagnosed with MM, were included in the study. The patients underwent performance status evaluation and CGA when first diagnosed and after 4 cycles of induction chemotherapy. The performance status of 11 patients (40.7%) changed after induction therapy. Improvement in performance status was significantly lower in patients who were frail according to the Fried frailty criteria and IMWG scores (60% vs. 25%, p = 0.04), (30.0% vs. 6.2%, p = 0.02), taking more than 2 medications due to comorbidities (p = 0.01, confidence interval 0.06-0.09) and those with renal involvement (80.0% vs. 18.7%, p = 0.002). Those with bone involvement were more prevalent among the patients whose performance status improved (87.5% and 50.0%, p = 0.03). This study demonstrated that performance status might improve after induction therapy. Results suggest that CGA before induction therapy can predict performance status change. These results might have implications for predicting at the time of diagnosis, whether an MM patient can be a transplant candidate after induction therapy.

Variable impact of graft CD3+ cell content on graft versus host disease in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients: Is the role of donor CD3+ cells overestimated?

Graft cellular composition is considered as a significant determinant of transplant outcome. Donor CD3+ cells were shown to have a significant association with the development of graft vs host disease (GvHD). The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of graft CD3+ cell content on transplant outcome, particularly in terms of GvHD and relapse. We retrospectively analysed the records of 515 allo-HCT recipients [median age: 37(15-71) years; male/female: 323/192]. The optimal threshold of infused CD3+ cell count for acute GvHD development was estimated to be 197.5 × 106/kg (AUC: 0.572; 95 % CI: 0.513-0.631; p = 0.018) and 198.5 × 106/kg (AUC: 0.6; 95 % CI: 0.520-0.679; p = 0.019) for the general population and reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) subgroup, respectively. Acute GvHD was more frequent in low-CD3+ group in the whole study population, particularly in RIC transplants. The incidence of cytomegalovirus reactivation was higher in low-CD3+ group and neutrophil engraftment occured earlier in the same group of patients. Overall survival and non-relapse mortality were comparable between high and low-CD3+ groups. Age, ECOG performance status, hypogammaglobulinemia, chronic GvHD and post-transplant relapse were found to predict prognosis in multivariate analysis. By focusing mainly on donor T cells, the potential role of host immune cells in the early post-transplant milieu may have been underestimated. Drawing a more detailed profile of graft and host immune cells in the joint microenvironment may elucidate our way to a better understanding of GvHD pathogenesis. By this way a comprehensive pre-transplant risk assessment could be improved to generate more personalized approaches.

Seasonal Human Coronavirus Respiratory Tract Infection in Recipients of Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about characteristics of seasonal human coronaviruses (HCoVs) (NL63, 229E, OC43, and HKU1) after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). METHODS: This was a collaborative Spanish and European bone marrow transplantation retrospective multicenter study, which included allo-HSCT recipients (adults and children) with upper respiratory tract disease (URTD) and/or lower respiratory tract disease (LRTD) caused by seasonal HCoV diagnosed through multiplex polymerase chain reaction assays from January 2012 to January 2019. RESULTS: We included 402 allo-HSCT recipients who developed 449 HCoV URTD/LRTD episodes. Median age of recipients was 46 years (range, 0.3-73.8 years). HCoV episodes were diagnosed at a median of 222 days after transplantation. The most common HCoV subtype was OC43 (n = 170 [38%]). LRTD involvement occurred in 121 episodes (27%). HCoV infection frequently required hospitalization (18%), oxygen administration (13%), and intensive care unit (ICU) admission (3%). Three-month overall mortality after HCoV detection was 7% in the whole cohort and 16% in those with LRTD. We identified 3 conditions associated with higher mortality in recipients with LRTD: absolute lymphocyte count <0.1 × 109/mL, corticosteroid use, and ICU admission (hazard ratios: 10.8, 4.68, and 8.22, respectively; P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: Seasonal HCoV after allo-HSCT may involve LRTD in many instances, leading to a significant morbidity.

Can treating critically-ill haematological malignancy patients in a separate intensive care unit decrease intensive care unit mortality?

Background/aim: The aim of the study was to investigate whether treating haematological malignancy (HM) patients in a separate intensive care unit (ICU) would reduce ICU mortality. Materials and methods: HM patients treated by the same ICU team in a general medical ICU (GM-ICU) and a separate haematology ICU (H-ICU) were included in this study. Patients' demographic characteristics and ICU data were recorded retrospectively. Differences in the ICU course and prognosis between these two groups were determined. Results: A total of 251 patients (102 from GM-ICU, 149 from H-ICU) were included in this study. The disease severity and organ failure scores at ICU admission and underlying HMs were not different between the two groups. Patients waited longer for admission to GM- ICU. Therapeutic procedures were performed significantly more frequently in GM-ICU. ICU complications were not different between the groups. ICU mortality rates were higher in GM-ICU (59.8% vs 37.6%, p = 0.006). Conclusion: A separate ICU allocated for haematology patients will allow timely and rapid admission of HM patients to ICU. Thus, mortality rates of HM patients needing ICU care will decline.

Retrospective analysis of the association of the expression and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the TLR4, PTX3 and Dectin-1 (CLEC/A) genes with development of invasive aspergillosis among haematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients with oncohaematological disorders.

OBJECTIVES: Several studies described single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on pattern recognition receptor (PRR) such as toll-like receptors (TLRs), dendritic cell-associated C-type lectin-1 (Dectin-1/CLEC7A) genes of patients with invasive fungal infections (IFIs) caused by Candida and Aspergillus. We screened TLR4, Dectin-1 and PTX3 polymorphisms in a Turkish population with invasive aspergillosis (IA) underlying haematological malignancies. METHODS: In this case-control study, a cohort of 59 patients with haematological malignancies were included. There were 26 IA patients assigned by the EORTC-MSG criteria and 33 patients with no evidence of fungal disease. DNA and RNA were isolated from frozen bone marrow and serum samples. RNA levels and polymorphisms of TLR4 (rs4986790, rs4986791), Dectin-1 (rs16910526, rs7309123) and PTX3 (rs2305619, rs3816527) were determined. The odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by unconditional logistic regression analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: TLR4, PTX3 and Dectin-1 genes were downregulated in aspergillosis cohort under similar haematological conditions. TLR4 expression was 0.0626 ± 0.032 in controls when compared to IA patients as 0.0077 ± 0.014, and the difference was significant (P = .026). There was a difference in also the PTX3 gene among IA (0.0043 ± 0.004) and control (0.5265 ± 0.0043) groups (P = .035). The Dectin-1 (CLEC/A) expression was downregulated in IA group (0.1887 ± 0.072 & 0.0655 ± 0.010) but not statistically significant (P > .05). Conditional logistic regression analyses indicated that the GT genotype of rs16910526 polymorphism in Dectin-1 gene was associated with lower risk of IA (odds ratio = 3.635, 95% confidence interval = 0.690-3.138, P = .04).

Recombinant Zoster Vaccine Significantly Reduces the Impact on Quality of Life Caused by Herpes Zoster in Adult Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial (ZOE-HSCT).

Herpes zoster (HZ) can have a substantial impact on quality of life (QoL). The vaccine efficacy (VE) of a recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) was 68.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 55.6% to 77.5%) in a phase 3 study in adult autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients (NCT01610414). Herein, we report the impact of RZV on patients' QoL. Autologous HSCT recipients were randomized 1:1 to receive 2 doses of RZV or placebo, given 1 to 2 months apart. QoL was measured by the Short Form Survey-36 and Euro-QoL-5 Dimension at baseline, 1 month, and 1 year postdose 2 and during suspected HZ episodes with the Zoster Brief Pain Inventory (ZBPI). The RZV impact on ZBPI burden of illness and burden of interference scores was estimated. The 2 scores were calculated from the area under the curve (days 0 to 182) of the ZBPI worst pain and ZBPI activities of daily living scores, respectively, assuming a score of 0 for patients not having a confirmed HZ episode. The ZBPI maximum worst pain score was significantly lower in the RZV than placebo group (mean: 5.8 versus 7.1, P = .011). Consequently, the VE estimates for HZ burden of illness (82.5%; 95% CI, 73.6 to 91.4) and burden of interference (82.8%; 95% CI, 73.3 to 92.3) were higher than the HZ VE estimate (ie, 68.2%). RZV showed significantly better QoL scores than placebo 1 week following rash onset among patients with confirmed HZ. In addition to reducing the risk of HZ and its complications, RZV significantly reduced the impact of HZ on patients' QoL in those who developed breakthrough disease.

Comparison of conditioning regimen toxicities among autologous stem cell transplantation eligible multiple myeloma patients: High-dose melphalan versus high-dose melphalan and bortezomib.

Background Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) remains the standard of care for younger patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Currently, high-dose melphalan (HDM) is recommended as conditioning regimen before AHSCT. Preclinical data suggest that combining bortezomib and melphalan has synergistic effect against multiple myeloma cells. Bortezomib and HDM (Bor-HDM) combination as conditioning regimen has been investigated by many other investigators. Objective In this retrospective study, we aimed to compare transplant-related toxicities and hematologic recovery of HDM and Bor-HDM conditioning regimens. Method We retrospectively evaluated hematologic recovery and toxicity profile in patients with MM who received AHSCT with either HDM ( n = 114) or Bor-HDM ( n = 53) conditioning regimen. Results Nonhematologic toxicities were comparable between HDM and Bor-HDM conditioning regimen, except mucositis and diarrhea being more frequent in the Bor-HDM group. Neutrophil and platelet engraftment time and duration of hospital stay were significantly shorter for HDM regimen. Conclusions In this retrospective analysis, we observed engraftment kinetics and duration of hospitalization were significantly worse in Bor-HDM conditioning regimen with manageable toxicities. Randomized studies are needed to further compare Bor- HDM regimen to HDM in terms of response rates, toxicities, and transplant-related mortality.

Factors affecting hematopoietic stem cell mobilization and apheresis in allogeneic donors: The role of iron status.

Infused CD34 cell count has a significant impact on transplant outcome. In this retrospective study, we aimed to analyze the impact of donor iron parameters on peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) collection. A total of 303 related donors were included in the study. The mobilization regimen, recombinant G-CSF, was given for four consecutive days. A CD34+ cell count below 2×106/kg was defined as mobilization failure which was demonstrated in 23 donors (7.6%). Mobilization failure was more frequent in female donors than male donors (13.7% vs 3.4%). Body mass index, mean corpuscular volume, hemoglobin and ferritin levels were found to be lower in donors with mobilization failure. Body mass index was significantly correlated with PBSC count on the 4th day of G-CSF. Body mass index, male gender, mean corpuscular volume and ferritin levels had significant impact on PBSC count. Although PBSC count was found to be similar between female and male donors, female gender was shown to have an adverse impact on PBSC collection, which may be attributed to lower body weight and concurrent iron deficiency.

Cholesterol Levels in Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.

Low cholesterol levels may be accompanied by solid tumors or hematological malignancies such as multiple myeloma. Decreased cholesterol levels have been reported in some experimental studies about chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). It may be associated with tumoral cell metabolism. Herein, we examine blood lipid profiles of patients with newly diagnosed CLL (284 male, 276 female, mean age 64 ± 11 years) as defined by National Cancer Institute criteria. The control group consisted of 71 healthy subjects with mean age 55 ± 9 years (28 male, 43 females). 60% of patients with Binet A, while 25% were Binet C. Decreased levels of total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) were observed in patients with CLL than control group (p < 0,001). There was no statistical significance between CLL and control group for triglycerides (TG) and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), also between HDL-C, VLDL, TG and grades. Cholesterol may metabolized by abnormal lymphocytes in CLL patients.

Prevalence of monoclonal B lymphocytosis in first-degree relatives of chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients in Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: Monoclonal B lymphocytosis (MBL) is considered to be a precursor state for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). This study was planned to evaluate the MBL prevalence in first-degree relatives of CLL patients in Turkey, which is considered to be an ethnic and geographic bridge between the Eastern and Western worlds. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 136 volunteers [median age: 40 (17-77) years; male/female: 60/76] from 61 families were included. Flow cytometry analysis by 4-colour staining was used for MBL diagnosis. RESULTS: MBL was demonstrated in 17 cases (12.5%). A total of 14 cases (10.3%) were classified as CLL-like MBL, while 3 (2.2%) exhibited a non-CLL-like phenotype. The prevalence of MBL was 12.72% in subjects aged less than 40 years, 12.28% in subjects between 40 and 60 years, and 40% in subjects over 60 years, without statistical significance (p>0.05). A total of 115 cases were evaluated for intermarriage, which was observed in 19 cases (16.5%). The prevalence of MBL did not differ based on intermarriage status (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: The current report is the first MBL prevalence study in a Eurasian population that demonstrates a similar distribution pattern of MBL in Anatolian CLL kindreds. Further efforts should be made to refine our understanding of the natural history and clinical outcomes of MBL.

Ototoxicity associated with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation; what are the risk factors?

BACKGROUND: Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a critical treatment for various hematologic malignancies but can lead to complications, including ototoxicity. AIM/OBJECTIVES: This study aims to explore the relationship between patient-specific factors and ototoxicity in adult HSCT patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 129 adult patients who underwent HSCT between 2003 and 2020. Age, gender, transplant indications, conditioning regimens, and pre- and post-transplant audiometry thresholds data were collected from patient files. A hearing loss of 10 decibels or more at two consecutive frequencies or a hearing loss of 20 decibels or more at a single frequency was considered as significant hearing loss (SHL). Statistical analyses were performed to describe factors associated with SHL. RESULTS: SHL occurred in 16.3% of patients. Older age was significantly associated with an increased risk of SHL (p = .035). Poorer pretransplant hearing thresholds at 4000 Hz and 6000 Hz were also significant predictors of SHL (p = .039 and p = .014, respectively). There was no significant relationship between the donor type of HSCT (autologous vs. allogeneic) and ototoxicity (p = .45), and between conditioning regimens and ototoxicity (p = .860). CONCLUSIONS: Age and pre-existing hearing levels are significant predictors of ototoxicity post-HSCT. Careful management and monitoring are essential to prevent and address hearing loss in HSCT patients to improve hearing-related quality of life.

Hypomagnesemia May Predict Better Survival and Reduced Nonrelapse Mortality in Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Recipients.

BACKGROUND: Magnesium (Mg) is an essential element that is required as a cofactor for many cellular reactions, including immunologic pathways. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential impact of serum Mg levels on allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT) outcomes. METHODS: Medical records of 340 alloHSCT recipients (median age: 45 [18-71] years; M/F: 210/130) were reviewed for this retrospective study. Serum Mg levels on days -28, -7, 0, +7, +14, +21, +30, +60, and +90 were included in the analysis. RESULTS: Serum Mg+14 levels predicted nonrelapse mortality (NRM) (P = .025) and had a significant impact on the development of mucositis (P = .027), fungal infection (P = .006), engraftment syndrome (P < .001), sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS) (P = .001), cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation (P = .039), and acute graft vs host disease (GvHD) (P < .001). Based on the optimal threshold of serum Mg+14 level (1.33 mg/dL; area under the curve: 0.581 [0.515-0.648]; P = .018), the study group was divided into 2 subgroups as low- and high-Mg+14. The incidence of acute GvHD (P = .002), SOS (P = .013), engraftment syndrome (P = .013), CMV reactivation (P = .001), and Epstein Barr virus reactivation (P = .005) was significantly lower in low-Mg+14 group. The probability of overall survival (OS) was significantly better (P = .002), whereas NRM was lower in the low-Mg+14 group (P = .001). CONCLUSION: Hypomagnesemia seems to provide a considerable advantage for the post-transplant outcome, which may confirm its potential role in the immunologic microenvironment and adaptive immunity.

Influence of invasive aspergillosis during acute leukaemia treatment on survival after allogeneic stem cell transplantation: a prospective study of the EBMT Infectious Diseases Working Party.

Background: Infections are the main reason for mortality during acute leukaemia treatment and invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a major concern. Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT) is a standard therapy and often is the only live-saving procedure in leukaemia patients. The profound immunodeficiency occurring after alloSCT led to high IA-associated mortality in the past. Therefore, patients with IA were historically considered transplant-ineligible. Recently, there has been improvement of anti-fungal management including novel anti-fungal agents. As a result, more leukaemia patients with IA are undergoing alloSCT. Outcome has not been prospectively assessed. Methods: We performed a prospective study in acute leukaemia patients undergoing alloSCT to analyse the impact of a prior history of probable or proven IA (pre-SCT IA). The primary endpoint was 1-year non-relapse mortality (NRM). Relapse free survival and overall survival were analysed as secondary endpoints. Findings: 1439 patients were included between 2016 and 2021. The incidence of probable or proven pre-SCT IA was 6.0% (n = 87). The cumulative incidence of 1-year NRM was 17.3% (95% CI 10.2-26.0) and 11.2% (9.6-13.0) for patients with and without pre-SCT IA. In multivariate analyses the hazard ratio (HR) for 1-year NRM was 2.1 (1.2-3.6; p = 0.009) for patients with pre-SCT IA. One-year relapse-free survival was inferior in patients with pre-SCT IA (59.4% [48.3-68.9] vs. 70.4 [67.9-72.8]; multivariate HR 1.5 [1.1-2.1]; p = 0.02). Consequently, 1-year overall survival was lower in patients with pre-SCT IA: (68.8% [57.8-77.4] vs. 79.0% [76.7-81.1]; multivariate HR 1.7 [1.1-2.5]; p = 0.01). Interpretation: Pre-SCT IA remains to be significantly associated with impaired alloSCT outcome. On the other hand, more than two thirds of patients with pre-SCT IA were alive at one year after alloSCT. IA is not anymore an absolute contraindication for alloSCT because the majority of patients with IA who undergo alloSCT benefit from this procedure. Funding: There was no external funding source for this study.

Adverse impact of hyperferritinemia and transfusion dependency on treatment success in myelodysplastic syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is characterized by peripheral cytopenias and dysplasia in one or more cell lines in the bone marrow. A significant proportion of patients require blood product support due to symptomatic anemia and/or thrombocytopenia during the course of their disease. This retrospective study was planned to evaluate the transfusion requirement of MDS patients and the role of ferritin in predicting transfusion requirement and response to treatment. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 35 MDS patients [median age: 66 (22-84); male/female: 21/14]. The World Health Organization (WHO) criteria was used for disease classification and International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) for risk stratification. RESULTS: A total of 22 patients (62.8%) required transfusions during follow-up. While all the 22 patients received packed red blood cells (PRBCs), only 8 patients (22.9%) required platelet transfusion(s). Although no significant relationship was demonstrated between transfusion dependency and disease progression, patients who responded to disease-specific treatment were exposed to less PRBC transfusions compared to non-responders (p=0.04). Treatment response was found to be better in patients who had lower serum ferritin levels at diagnosis (p=0.004). A total of 11 patients were followed for a minimum of 24months. Transfusion load was not different among these patients with respect to disease subtype, IPSS risk score and treatment protocol in the first and second 12-month interval. Median overall survival of the cohort was 26.3 (0.4-160.3) months and median progression free survival was 24.9 (0.4-160.3) months. CONCLUSION: The present report underlines the association of baseline hyperferritinemia and transfusion dependency with treatment success in MDS. Even in patients treated with new generation agents, the vicious impact of transfusion load seems to be the tender spot of the MDS puzzle. The prognostic impact of baseline hyperferritinemia should be validated with further studies.