The influence of palifermin (Kepivance) on oral mucositis and acute graft versus host disease in patients with hematological diseases undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplant.

In this multicenter study, we assessed the use of palifermin (recombinant human-keratinocyte growth factor 1) in the prevention of oral mucositis (OM) and acute GvHD (aGvHD) induced by a hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). Fifty-three patients with hematological diseases received three doses of palifermin (60 mug/kg once daily i.v.) pre- and post-conditioning regimens (total six doses). A retrospective control group of 53 transplant patients received no palifermin. There was a significant reduction in the incidence of OM of WHO (World Health Organization) grades 1-4 (58 vs 94%, P<0.001), 3-4 (13 vs 43%, P<0.001) and the median duration of OM (4 vs 9 days, P<0.001) in the palifermin group compared to the control group. The incidence of analgesics (32 vs 75.5%, P<0.001), opioid analgesics (24 vs 64%, P<0.001) and total parenteral nutrition (11 vs 45%, P<0.001) was also significantly reduced. The analysis of distribution of affected organs revealed that aGvHD was less prevalent in the palifermin group (P=0.036). There was no significant difference in the onset of any OM after HSCT, time to engraftment and length of hospitalization between groups. The drug was generally well tolerated and safe. Our results suggest that the use of palifermin reduces OM and probably aGvHD after HSCT, but a randomized trial is needed.

Steroid-sparing effect of extracorporeal photopheresis in the therapy of graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

INTRODUCTION: Steroid-refractory graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) remains a challenging therapeutic problem after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical effect of extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP), and its impact on intensivity of immunosuppresive therapy in allogeneic HSCT patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this study 443 Therakos ECP procedures were performed in 21 patients after allogeneic HSCT with acute (aGVHD, 8 patients) or chronic (cGVHD, 13 patients) therapy-refractory GVHD. The median age at ECP onset was 20.5 years (range, 10-55). Venous access was provided by a nontunelized central venous catheter (12 patients) or 9.6-French portacath (9 patients). RESULTS: In the cGVHD group 9/13 patients were improved with a 4-year overall survival rate of 67.7%. ECP led to steroid discontinuation in 6 and substantial dose reduction in 5 patients. The prednisone dose equivalent per kilogram body weight decreased from 0.32 mg to 0.07 mg after therapy. Therapy of aGVHD led to complete or partial symptom remission in 3/9 subjects. The change in steroid dose in the aGVHD group was not significant, there were no long-term survivors. Portacath access was well tolerated and provided adequate blood flow rates. CONCLUSIONS: The ECP therapy significantly reduced the rates of remissions with steroid discontinuation among cGVHD but not aGVHD patients. Rare ECP-related complications were either catheter related or anticoagulation induced during ECP procedures. Photopheresis was a safe, effective method to treat steroid-resistant cGVHD.

Acute glomerulonephritis in a donor as a side effect of allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell mobilization with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor.

Following on from the recently published articles reported side effects occurring due to donation of stem cells, we describe a case of a donor with transient, biopsy-proved acute focal segmental proliferative glomerulonephritis (GN) due to peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) mobilization with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). A 44-year-old woman with no relevant past medical history suffering from obesity and hypertension well controlled with metoprolol without hypertensive retinopathy was admitted to our hospital as a donor of PBSC. She received G-CSF subcutaneously-filgrastim (Amgen)-at a dose of 5 microg/kg twice a day for 6 days. The macroscopic hematuria and proteinuria occurred on 5th day of G-CSF administration. Due to mobilization and collection of stem cells, proteinuria was becoming more intense and reached the nephrotic range. The immunological, infectious, urological and gynecological causes of such complication were excluded. The final histological recognition was early stage of focal segmental proliferative GN. To our knowledge this a first report of GN in a donor due to mobilization of PBSC confirmed with renal biopsy. These findings suggest that filgrastim may induce transient urinary excretion of protein and hematuria in PBSC donors as the symptoms of acute GN without adversely affecting renal function.