Outcome of Recipients of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplants Who Require Intensive Care Unit Support: A Single Institution Experience.

Admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) of a patient who has been grafted with hematopoietic stem cells is a serious event, but the role of the ICU in this setting remains controversial. Data were analyzed from patients who underwent autologous or allogeneic bone marrow transplantation at the Centro de Hematología y Medicina Interna de Puebla, México, between May 1993 and October 2014. In total, 339 patients were grafted: 150 autografts and 189 allografts; 68 of the grafted patients (20%) were admitted to the ICU after transplantation: 27% of the allografted and 11% of the autografted patients (p = 0.2). Two of 17 autografted patients (12%) and 5 of 51 allografted patients (10%) survived. All patients who required insertion of an endotracheal tube died, whereas 7 of 11 patients without invasive mechanical ventilation survived (p = 0.001). Only 10% of the grafted patients survived their stay in the ICU; this figure is lower than those reported from other centers and may reflect several facts, varying from the quality of the ICU support to ICU admission criteria to the initial management of all the grafts in an outpatient setting, which could somehow delay the arrival of patients to the hospital.

Freezing the graft is not necessary for autotransplants for plasma cell myeloma and lymphomas.

We studied rates of granulocyte and platelets recovery in 359 consecutive subjects receiving blood cell infusions in the context of autotransplants for plasma cell myeloma (N = 216) and lymphomas (N = 143). Blood cells were mobilised with filgrastim given for 4-5 days and collected after a median of 2 (range, 1-2) apheresis. Apheresis products were stored at 4° C for a median of 3 days (range, 2-6 days). Most subjects received carmustine, etoposide, cytarabine and melphalan (BEAM), cyclophosphamide, carmustine and etoposide (CBV) or high-dose melphalan. Filgrastim was given post transplant to 319 subjects. Median numbers of mononuclear cells collected was 31 × 10E + 6/kg (interquartile range (IQR) 37 × 10E + 6 cells/kg). Median numbers of CD34-positive cells collected was 3.6 × 10E + 6/kg (IQR 3.8 × 10E + 6/Kg). Median viability after collection was 90% (IQR 7%) after storage, 88% (IQR 12%). A total of 255 of 256 evaluable subjects recovered bone marrow function and there was no late bone marrow failure. Median interval to neutrophils >0.5 × E + 9/L was 13 days (range, 9-39 days) and to platelets >20 × 10E + 9/L, 16 days (range, 7-83 days). These rates and ranges seem comparable to those reported after autotransplants of frozen blood cells. There was no correlation between numbers of storage days at 4 °C and viability afte storage (r = -0.018, p = 0.14)) nor rates of recovery of neutrophils (r = -0.054, p = 0.52) or platelets (r = 0.116, p = 0.14). Blood cells collected for autotransplant can be stored at 4 °C for 6 d. This method is simple, inexpensive and widely applicable.

The mutation profile of JAK2, MPL and CALR in Mexican patients with Philadelphia chromosome-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms.

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: By using molecular markers, it is possible to gain information on both the classification and etiopathogenesis of chronic myeloproliferative neoplasias (MPN). METHODS: In a group of 27 Mexican mestizo patients with MPNs, we studied seven molecular markers: the BCR/ABL1 fusion gene, the JAK2 V617F mutation, the JAK2 exon 12 mutations, the MPL W515L mutation, the MPL W515K mutation, and the calreticulin (CALR) exon 9 deletion or insertion. Patients with the BCR/ABL1 fusion gene were excluded. We studied 14 patients with essential thrombocythemia (ET), eight with polycythemia vera (PV), four with primary myelofibrosis (MF), and one with undifferentiated MPN. RESULTS: We found twelve individuals with the JAK2 V617F mutation; five of them had been clinically classified as PV, five as ET, and one as MF. One patient with the MPL W515L was identified with a clinical picture of ET. Five patients with the CALR mutation were identified, four ET and one MF. No individuals with either the MPL W515K mutation or the JAK2 exon 12 mutations were identified. The most consistent relationship was that between PV and the JAK2 V617F mutation (p=.01). CONCLUSIONS: Despite its small size, the study shows much less prevalence of JAK2 mutation in PV, ET and MF, which does not match international data.

Reduced-intensity stem cell allografting for PNH patients in the eculizumab era: The Mexican experience.

Background Paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) presents as two major entities: the classical form, predominantly haemolytic and a secondary type with marrow failure and resultant aplastic anaemia (AA-PNH). Currently, the treatment of choice of the haemolytic variant is eculizumab; however, the most frequent form of PNH in México is AA-PNH. Patients and methods Six consecutive AA-PNH patients with HLA-identical siblings were allografted in two institutions in México, employing a reduced-intensity conditioning regimen for stem cell transplantation (RIST) conducted on an outpatient basis. Results Median age of the patients was 37 years (range 25-48). The patients were given a median of 5.4 × 10(6)/kg allogeneic CD34(+) cells, using 1-3 apheresis procedures. Median time to achieve above 0.5 × 10(9)/l granulocytes was 21 days, whereas median time to achieve above 20 × 10(9)/l platelets was 17 days. Five patients are alive for 330-3150 days (median 1437) after the allograft. The 3150-day overall survival is 83.3%, whereas median survival has not been reached, being above 3150 days. Conclusion We have shown that hypoplastic PNH patients can be allografted safely using RIST and that the long-term results are adequate, the cost-benefit ratio of this treatment being reasonable. Additional studies are needed to confirm the usefulness of RIST in the treatment of AA-PNH.