Detection of cytomegalovirus in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from immunocompromised patients with pneumonitis by viral culture and DNA quantification.

PURPOSE: To compare the detection of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid by viral culture and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and to establish a viral load threshold that can identify cases of HCMV replication indicative of pneumonitis. There is currently no universal viral load cut-off to differentiate between patients with and without pneumonitis, and the interpretation of qPCR results is challenging. METHODS: 176 consecutive BAL samples from immunosuppressed hosts with signs and/or symptoms of respiratory infection were prospectively studied by viral culture and qPCR. RESULTS: Concordant results were obtained in 81.25% of the BAL samples. The rest were discordant, as only 34% of the qPCR-positive BAL samples were positive by culture. The median HCMV load was significantly higher in culture-positive than in culture-negative BAL samples (5038 vs 178 IU/mL). Using a cut-off value of 1258 IU/mL of HCMV in BAL, pneumonia was diagnosed with a sensitivity of 76%, a specificity of 100%, a VPP of 100% and VPN of 98%, and HCMV was isolated in 100% of the BAL cultures. CONCLUSION: We found that a qPCR-negative was a quick and reliable way of ruling out HCMV pneumonitis, but a positive result did not always indicate clinically significant replication in the lung. However, an HCMV load in BAL fluid of ≥ 1258 IU/mL was always associated with disease, whereas < 200 IU/mL rarely so.

Incorporating posttransplant cyclophosphamide-based prophylaxis as standard-of-care outside the haploidentical setting: challenges and review of the literature.

Posttransplant high-dose cyclophosphamide (PTCy) effectively prevents GvHD after haploidentical SCT. However, its use in HLA-matched SCT has been less explored. Fifty-six consecutive patients who underwent allo-SCT for hematological malignancies have been included in this prospective single-center protocol. Donors have been HLA-identical siblings, fully-matched unrelated or 1-allele-mismatched unrelated donors in 30%, 32%, and 37% of cases, respectively. Nine patients have received a TBI-containing MAC regimen, while the remaining (84%) received RIC platforms based on Fludarabine plus Busulfan/Melphalan. Due to the high graft failure (GF) rate (21%) in a preliminary analysis in the allo-RIC cohort (n = 29), protocol amendments have been implemented, with no further cases of GF after the introduction of mini-thiotepa (0/18). The overall incidence of grade II-IV acute GvHD is 24% (95% CI: 17-31%) with four steroid-refractory cases. Severe chronic GvHD has occurred in only 1 of 43 evaluable cases. The 1-year NRM and relapse are 18% (95% CI: 12-26%) and 30% (18-42%) and the OS and DFS are 78% and 64%, respectively. These outcomes support the feasibility of using PTCy as a SOC outside the haplo-setting, albeit mini-thiotepa (3 mg/kg) was incorporated in the standard allo-RIC platforms to prevent GF. Despite the limitations of a single-center experience and the short follow-up, these protocols show promising results with particular benefit in reducing the occurrence of moderate-to-severe GvHD.

Patterns of infection and infection-related mortality in patients with steroid-refractory acute graft versus host disease.

This study aimed to characterize the incidence, etiology and outcome of infectious episodes in patients with steroid refractory acute GvHD (SR-GvHD). The cohort included 127 adults treated with inolimomab (77%) or etanercept (23%) owing to acute 2-4 SR-GvHD, with a response rate of 43% on day +30 and a 4-year survival of 15%. The 1-year cumulative incidences of bacterial, CMV and invasive fungal infection were 74%, 65% and 14%, respectively. A high rate (37%) of enterococcal infections was observed. Twenty patients (15.7%) developed BK virus-hemorrhagic cystitis and five percent had an EBV reactivation with only one case of PTLD. One-third of long-term survivors developed pneumonia by a community respiratory virus and/or encapsulated bacteria, mostly associated with chronic GvHD. Infections were an important cause of non-relapse mortality, with a 4-year incidence of 46%. In multivariate analysis, use of rituximab in the 6 months before SCT (hazard ratio; HR 4.2; 95% confidence interval; CI 1.1-16.3), severe infection before SR-GvHD onset (HR 5.8; 95% CI 1.3-26.3) and a baseline C-reactive protein >15 UI/mL (HR 2.9; 95% CI 1.1-8.5) were associated with infection-related mortality. High rates of opportunistic infections with remarkable mortality warrant further efforts to optimize long-term outcomes after SR-GvHD.

Single-agent GvHD prophylaxis with tacrolimus after post-transplant high-dose cyclophosphamide is a valid option for haploidentical transplantation in adults with hematological malignancies.

Eighty-one patients with high-risk hematological malignancies received unmanipulated haploidentical stem cell transplants (haploSCT) using the same protocol at four Spanish institutions. The conditioning regimen was thiotepa, busulfan and fludarabine; following bone marrow or peripheral blood infusion. GvHD prophylaxis with high-dose cyclophosphamide on days +3 and +4, and IV tacrolimus from day +5 was administered. 62% were in complete remission, 17% had received previous allogeneic SCT and 44% had a high-very high refined disease risk index. One patient had primary graft failure and three more died before +21. The median days to neutrophil and platelet recoveries were +18 and +23, respectively, and 93% achieved a full donor chimerism on day +30. At 1 year, cumulative incidences (CumInc) of non-relapse mortality and relapse were 27 and 19%. One-year overall survival and PFS were 61 and 51%. CumInc of grade II-IV and III-IV were 23 and 14%. At 30 months, CumInc of limited and extensive GvHD were 20 and 22%. In conclusion, patients with hematological malignancies who receive an unmanipulated haploSCT with post-transplant cyclophosphamide may benefit from less intense pharmacological prophylaxis for GvHD prophylaxis. Whether this approach potentiates the graft-versus-tumor effect and decreases relapses requires further investigation.

Impact of Epstein Barr virus-related complications after high-risk allo-SCT in the era of pre-emptive rituximab.

We monitored 133 high-risk allo-SCT recipients for 6 months after transplant for EBV reactivation by quantitative real-time PCR. Rituximab was given as pre-emptive therapy for viremia >1000 copies/mL. The 1-year cumulative incidence of EBV reactivation was 29.4% (95% confidence interval (CI): 18-40) in patients monitored due to initial high-risk characteristics (n=93) and 31.8% (95% CI: 19.7-44) in those followed because of the development of refractory GVHD (n=40). Overall response rate to Rituximab was 83%. Nine patients (9.6%) developed post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) at a median of +62 days after SCT. Eight of them showed a concomitant CMV reactivation. Second SCT was the only risk factor associated with EBV infection and PTLD in multivariate analysis (hazard ratio (HR) 2.6 (95% CI: 1.1-6.4; P=0.04) and HR 6.4 (95%CI: 1.3-32; P=0.02)). The development of EBV reactivation was not associated with non-relapse mortality or OS (P=0.97 and P=0.84, respectively).

Fungal and viral infections after allogeneic hematopoietic transplantation from unrelated donors in adults: improving outcomes over time.

Umbilical cord blood (CB) is increasingly used as an alternative source of stem cells in adult unrelated transplantation. Although registry studies report similar overall outcomes in comparison with BM/PB, comparative studies focusing on severe infections and infection-RM (IRM) with a long follow-up are scarce. A total of 434 consecutive unrelated transplants (1997-2009) were retrospectively analyzed to compare overall outcomes, incidence and risk factors of severe viral and invasive fungal infections in CB (n=65) vs BM/PB recipients (n=369). The 5-year OS was 38 vs 43%, respectively (P=0.2). CB transplantation (CBT) was associated with a higher risk of invasive aspergillosis (100-days-cumulative incidence 16 vs 6%, P=0.04) and CMV infection without differences in RM. No statistically significant differences were found regarding NRM (NRM of 38% in CB vs 37% in BM/PB at 1 year) nor IRM (30% in CB vs 27% in BM/PB at 1 year). In the overall population, NRM and IRM improved in more recent years. In adults who receive a single CBT, the risk of severe infections is increased when compared with unrelated BM/PB recipients, but mortality from infections is similar, leading to similar NRM and survival.