Validation of the Revised Pretransplant Assessment of Mortality Score in Patients with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Undergoing Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Despite recent advances, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) continues to be accompanied by a high rate of morbidity and mortality. Several scores have been developed to predict outcome after allo-HSCT. The recently revised Pretransplant Assessment of Mortality (PAM) score is based on patient age, donor type, disease risk, cytomegalovirus (CMV) serostatus of patient and donor, and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1). The aim of this study was to analyze the predictive power of the PAM score in an independent large cohort of patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). We selected adult patients with AML who underwent a first allo-HSCT at the University Hospital of Dresden, a tertiary care hospital with a large transplantation program. All adult patients treated between January 1, 2003, and July 1, 2015, were included. The PAM score was calculated as described previously. Overall survival (OS), cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR), and nonrelapse mortality (NRM) after allo-HSCT were analyzed. Age, AML type, sex match, CMV match, donor type, European Leukemia Net risk classification, type of conditioning, disease stage, and PAM score as a continuous variable were selected a priori for multivariate Cox regression analyses. A total of 544 patients met the inclusion criteria. The median patient age was 57 years. With a median follow-up of 47 months (range, 1 to 161 months), the estimated OS for the whole cohort at 4 years was 43%, with a CIR of 30% and an NRM of 31%. The probability of OS at 4 years was 65% for patients with a PAM score of 0, 52% in those with a PAM score of 1, 33% in those with a PAM score of 2, and 22% in those with a PAM score of 3 (P < .001, log-rank test). Both the CIR and NRM increased with higher PAM scores (P = .005 and P < .001, respectively, Gray test). In multivariate analysis, age (hazard ratio [HR], 1.02 per year; P = .004), disease stage (primary induction failure versus first complete remission (CR1); HR, 1.5; P = .03), and the PAM score (HR 1.04; P = .03) had a significant impact on OS. This is the first independent validation of the revised PAM score allowing for simple and valid estimation of transplantation outcomes. It can serve as an important tool in counseling patients with AML, as well as in designing future trials.

Longitudinal analyses of leukemia-associated antigen-specific CD8+ T cells in patients after allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a curative treatment approach for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Graft versus leukemia (GVL) effects, which are exerted by donor T cells directed against leukemic-associated antigens (LAAs), are considered to play a crucial role in disease eradication. Although the expansion of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) specific for cytomegalovirus (CMV) in response to an infection has been shown in multiple studies, data on CTLs mediating GVL effects are limited. To evaluate a potential increase or decrease of T lymphocytes specific for LAAs in the setting of allogeneic HSCT, we monitored leukemia-specific CD8+ T cells throughout the first year after HSCT in 18 patients using streptamer technology. A broad panel of promising LAAs was selected: Wilms tumor protein, proteinase 3, receptor for hyaluronan acid-mediated motility, apoptosis regulator Bcl-2, survivin, nucleophosmin, and fibromodulin. T cells specifically directed against AML- or CLL-associated antigens were found at very low frequencies in peripheral blood. Substantial frequencies of LAA-specific T cells could not be measured at any time point by flow cytometry. In contrast, abundant CMV-pp65-specific T cells were detected in CMV-seropositive patient-recipient pairs and an increase prompted by CMV infection could be demonstrated. In conclusion, T lymphocytes with specificities for the aforementioned LAAs can only be detected in minimal quantities in the early phase after allogeneic HSCT.

Association of Oesophageal Varices and Splanchnic Vein Thromboses in Patients with JAK2-Positive Myeloproliferative Neoplasms: Presentation of Two Cases and Data from a Retrospective Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Oesophageal varices and gastrointestinal bleeding are common complications of liver cirrhosis. More rarely, oesophageal varices occur in patients with non-cirrhotic portal hypertension that results from thromboses of portal or splanchnic veins. CASE REPORT: We describe 2 young men who initially presented with varices as a result of portal vein thromboses. In the clinical follow-up, both were tested positive for a JAK2 mutation and consequently diagnosed with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). In an attempt to characterise the frequency of gastrointestinal complications in patients with JAK2-positive MPNs, we retrospectively analysed all known affected patients from our clinic for the diagnosis of portal vein thromboses and oesophageal varices. Strikingly, 48% of those who had received an oesophagogastroduodenoscopy had detectable oesophageal or gastric varices, and 82% of those suffered from portal or splanchnic vein thromboses. CONCLUSION: While the association between JAK2, myeloproliferative disease and thrombotic events is well established, patients with idiopathic oesophageal varices are not regularly tested for JAK2 mutations. However, the occurrence of oesophageal varices may be the first presenting symptom of a MPN with a JAK2 mutation, and affected patients may profit from a close haematological monitoring to assure the early detection of developing MPN.