Investigating racial disparities in quality-of-life years after pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplant.

BACKGROUND: While racial disparities in the clinical outcomes of hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) patients have been explored, racial disparities in quality of life (QoL) during the re-adjustment phase after transplant are yet to be investigated in pediatric patients. The objective of this study was to examine the role of patient race in QoL at least 2 years after pediatric HSCT. PROCEDURE: We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients under 21 years of age at diagnosis who received an allogeneic transplant at our institution between January 2007 and December 2017. Patient QoL was assessed using the Pediatric Quality-of-Life Inventory Generic Score Scales (PedsQL TM 4.0) at least 2 years post transplant. Patient demographic, treatment, and transplant outcome data were obtained for subsequent analysis, where patient race was categorized as either Black, White, Hispanic, or Native American. RESULTS: Data were collected on 86 pediatric patients who underwent HSCT. Forty patients (46.5%) were non-Hispanic White, 29 (33.7%) Hispanic, 10 (11.6%) Black, and seven (8.1%) Native American. Where preliminary analyses indicated a difference in QoL by patient race, there were no significant differences in physical, emotional, social, and school functioning by patient race after adjusting for transplant characteristics (age at transplant, sex, diagnosis, donor type, and conditioning regimen) and determinants of socioeconomic status (insurance type, estimated household income). CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric patients had comparable QoL, regardless of race, at a median of 3 years after HSCT in our study cohort.

Effects of an exercise program during pediatric stem cell transplantation: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: During pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT), there is significant reduction in physical activity, leading to loss of strength and function, along with decline in quality of life (QoL). This study evaluates the effects of a supervised exercise program on functional ability, mobility, strength, and QoL during and following pediatric HSCT. METHODS: Patients ages 4-21 years presenting for HSCT were randomized to either an intervention group, who underwent exercise routines three times weekly and once weekly on discharge for 6 weeks supervised by a physical therapist, or the control group, which was treated per standard of care. Forty subjects were recruited for the study, 20 in each arm. Physical therapy and QoL assessments were conducted at three time points: pre-HSCT (baseline), on the day of hospital discharge, and 6 weeks after discharge. RESULTS: Exercise capacity and endurance using Six-Minute Walk test (p = .023) and strength using manual muscle testing (p = .005) were improved in the exercise group, compared to the control group. There was evidence that some QoL outcomes (measured using the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System) were improved 6 weeks post discharge, with observed decreases in anxiety (p = .0009) and fatigue (p = .037). CONCLUSION: Supervised exercise program during pediatric HSCT has positive effects on endurance, functional mobility, and muscle strength, and may also result in improvements in some aspects of QoL. This trial was registered at www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov as NCT04663503.

Azacitidine and prophylactic donor lymphocyte infusions after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for pediatric high-risk acute myeloid leukemia.

Post-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) maintenance therapy using azacitidine and prophylactic donor lymphocyte infusions (DLI) was implemented for high-risk acute myeloid leukemia. Azacitidine was started on day +60 as a 5 day course every 28 days for 6 cycles. DLI was given every 6 weeks for 3 doses starting after day +120. Ten patients were treated on this protocol. With a 90% one-year disease free survival, we report this post-HSCT maintenance therapy is feasible, safe, and well tolerated.

Efficacy of Azacitidine and Prophylactic Donor Lymphocyte Infusion after HSCT in Pediatric Patients with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia: A Retrospective Pre-Post Study.

Pediatric patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who undergo allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) continue to have high rates of relapse. In 2018, Phoenix Children's Hospital started using post-HSCT maintenance therapy in patients with AML in attempt to decrease the number of relapses after HSCT. This therapy consisted of the hypomethylating agent azacitidine (AZA; 6 cycles starting on day +60) and prophylactic donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI; 3 escalating doses beginning after day +120). We aimed to compare 2-year leukemia-free survival (LFS) post-HSCT between patients with AML who received post-HSCT maintenance therapy with AZA and prophylactic DLI and historical control patients who did not receive post-HSCT therapy. This retrospective pre-post study was conducted at Phoenix Children's Hospital and included patients with AML who underwent HSCT between January 1, 2008, and May 31, 2022. We compared LFS, overall survival (OS), and immune reconstitution patterns post-HSCT between patients with AML who received post-HSCT maintenance therapy with AZA and prophylactic DLI (postintervention group) and historical control patients who did not receive this post-HSCT maintenance therapy (preintervention group). Sixty-three patients were evaluable. After excluding 7 patients who died or relapsed prior to day +60, 56 patients remained, including 39 in the preintervention group and 17 in the postintervention group. The median age at transplantation was 9.1 years in the preintervention group and 11 years in the postintervention group (P = .33). The 2-year LFS was 61.5% in the preintervention group, compared to 88.2% in the postintervention group (P = .06). The 2-year OS was 69.2% in the preintervention group and 88.2% in the postintervention group (P = .15). The rates of CD3+CD4+ T cell and CD19+ B cell recovery were faster in the preintervention group compared to the postintervention group (P = .004 and .0006, respectively). In this limited retrospective study, post-HSCT maintenance therapy using AZA and prophylactic DLI was well tolerated; however, its efficacy is yet to be fully determined.