Six-minute walking distance and desaturation-distance ratio in allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Most patients with haematological malignancies who undergo allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) receive chemotherapy before the transplant to control the disease. Certain chemotherapy drugs can cause lung toxicity. Conversely, in patients with chronic respiratory conditions, the 6-min walking test (6MWT) and the desaturation-distance ratio (DDR) have demonstrated prognostic significance. Our objective was to determine whether the 6MWD and DDR, assessed prior to HSCT, have a prognostic impact on survival at 24 months post-HSCT. METHODS: A prospective experimental study was conducted in consecutive patients referred for allogeneic HSCT at Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain. A complete functional respiratory study, including the 6MWT and DDR, was conducted prior to admission. The area under the curve (AUC) and cut-off points were calculated. Data on patients' characteristics, HSCT details, main events, with a focus on lung complications, and survival at 24 months were analysed. RESULTS: One hundred and seventy-five patients (39% women) with mean age of 48 ± 13 years old were included. Before HSCT, forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in the first second were 96% ± 13% predicted and 92% ± 14% predicted, respectively; corrected diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide 79% ± 15% predicted; 6MWD was 568 ± 83 m and DDR of .27 (.20-.41). The cut-off points for 6MWD and DDR were 566 m, [.58 95% CI (.51-.64)], p = .024 and .306, [.63 95% CI (.55-.70)], p = .0005, respectively. The survival rate at 24 months was 55%. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that individuals who exhibit a 6MWD shorter than 566 ms or a decline in DDR beyond .306 experienced reduced survival rates at 24 months after HSCT.

Recommendations for the treatment of invasive fungal infection caused by filamentous fungi in the hematological patient

El tratamiento antifúngico del paciente hematológico ha alcanzado una gran complejidad con la llegada de nuevos antifúngicos y pruebas diagnósticas que han dado lugar a diferentes estrategias terapéuticas. La utilización del tratamiento más adecuado en cada caso es fundamental en infecciones con tanta mortalidad. La disponibilidad de recomendaciones como éstas, realizadas con la mejor evidencia por un amplio panel de 48 expertos, en las que se intenta responder a cuándo está indicado tratar y con qué hacerlo considerando diferentes aspectos del paciente (riesgo de infección fúngica, manifestaciones clínicas, galactomanano, TC de tórax y profilaxis realizada), puede ayudar a los clínicos a mejorar los resultados(AU)

Antifungal treatment in the hematological patient has reached a high complexity with the advent of new antifungals and diagnostic tests, which have resulted in different therapeutic strategies. The use of the most appropriate treatment in each case is essential in infections with such a high mortality. The availability of recommendations as those here reported based on the best evidence and developed by a large panel of 48 specialists aimed to answer when is indicated to treat and which agents should be used, considering different aspects of the patient (risk of fungal infection, clinical manifestations, galactomanann test, chest CT scan and previous prophylaxis) may help clinicians to improve the results(AU)

[Aspergillus galactomannan detection in allogenic hematopoietic cell transplantation]. / Detección de antígeno galactomanano de Aspergillus en el trasplante alogénico de progenitores hematopoyéticos.

Invasive aspergillosis has become the leading cause of death after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. This is partially due to the lack of a prompt diagnosis. Recently the detection of Aspergillus galactomannan antigen by means an ELISA technique in serum has been described. The objective of this study was to validate its usefulness in the allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation setting.