Clinical significance of extra-pulmonary involvement of invasive aspergillosis: a retrospective autopsy-based study of 107 patients.

Disseminated aspergillus infection has a poor prognosis, but few reports have been published on extra-pulmonary involvement in aspergillosis. We reviewed 107 autopsy records of patients with invasive aspergillosis. Fifty-five patients had extra-pulmonary aspergillosis. Organs involved included heart, kidney, central nervous system, gastrointestinal tract, spleen, liver, thyroid gland and pancreas. Extra-pulmonary aspergillosis produces different manifestations according to involved organs. Risk factors associated with dissemination included cytotoxic chemotherapy within a month of death (P=0.0087). Lack of response to empiric or preemptive treatment of amphotericin B predicted IA dissemination (P=0.0328). To improve prognosis of IA, it is important to recognize clinical features of extra-pulmonary aspergillosis and to institute the aggressive anti-fungal treatment.

The value of the chest computed tomography halo sign in the diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. An autopsy-based retrospective study of 48 patients.

To evaluate the diagnostic value of a halo on computed tomography (CT) in the diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA), we retrospectively reviewed chest CT scans and autopsy reports for patients who had been admitted to our hospitals for the treatment of hematological malignancy. Pulmonary complications were suspected in all patients and chest CT scans were taken within a month of death. We examined the association between autopsy and CT findings in 48 patients who were diagnosed as IPA (n = 17), candidosis (n = 4), zygomycosis (n = 2), infiltration of hematological malignancy (n = 12), bacterial pneumonia (n = 6), cytomegalovirus pneumonia (n = 2), pulmonary hemorrhage (n = 2), or pulmonary congestion (n = 1). Patients with IPA showed a variety of CT findings, including halo (n = 13), nodules (n = 14), granular shadows (n = 3), masses (n = 6), consolidations (n = 9), wedge-shaped consolidations (n = 1), and cavitation (n = 2). In contrast, 0, 11 and two of the 31 patients without IPA showed halo, nodules and masses, respectively. These signs were more frequently observed in IPA patients than in non-IPA patients. The CT halo, especially, seemed to be specific for IPA in hospitalized neutropenic patients with hematological malignancies who developed antibiotic-resistant fever. For CT findings other than these three signs, there were no significant differences between IPA- and non-IPA patients.

Successful bone marrow transplantation for adult T-cell leukemia from a donor with oligoclonal proliferation of T-cells infected with human T-cell lymphotropic virus.

We describe a patient who underwent successful BMT from her sibling for the treatment of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma. Pre-transplant examination of the donor revealed oligoclonal integration of HTLV-I proviruses within the germ line, and our concern was that clinical sequelae of HLTV-I infection might become evident in the setting of post-transplant immunosuppression. However, the patient has been in complete remission for 14 months after transplantation, and no clonality of HTLV-I provirus was detected in the peripheral blood cells using southern blotting analysis. Our experience supports the possibility of transplantation from HTLV-I positive donors.

Use of real-time PCR on blood samples for diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis.

We developed a new quantitative system for diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) using real-time automated polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Intra-assay and interassay precision rates for in vitro examination were 2.53% and 2.20%, respectively, and the linearity of this assay was obtained when there were >20 copies/well. We examined 323 samples taken from 122 patients with hematological malignancies, including 33 patients with IPA and 89 control patients. Blood samples were subjected to PCR antigen detection methods, using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and determination of plasma (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan (BDG) concentration. The sensitivities of PCR, ELISA, and BDG measurement for diagnosis of IPA were 79%, 58%, and 67%, respectively; the specificities were 92%, 97%, and 84%. Positive findings on PCR preceded those of computed tomography by -0.3+/-6.6 days, those of BDG measurement by 6.5+/-4.9 days, and those of ELISA by 2.8+/-4.1 days. Real-time PCR was sensitive for IPA diagnosis, and quantitation was accurate.

Systemic fusariosis after a preparative regimen including thiotepa, VP-16 and busulfan used for blood stem cell transplantation in Hodgkin's disease.

Fusarium infection is rare but important infection after bone marrow transplantation (BMT). A 27-year-old man developed systemic fusarial infection following severe skin damage probably caused by high-dose thiotepa administration. Systemic fusariosis rapidly progressed to a variety of organs despite antifungal treatment, and he finally died of this infection on day 75. Considering that this organism usually invades via damaged skin and that the penile lesion was the first manifestation of systemic fusariosis in this patient, careful examination of the skin might be helpful for early diagnosis of fusarial infection. His clinical course provided us with an important clue for diagnosis of fusarial infection.

Acute adrenal failure associated with fluconazole after administration of high-dose cyclophosphamide.

A 63-year-old man received high-dose cyclophosphamide for peripheral blood stem-cell (PBSC) harvest. He received 200 mg fluconazole. On day 3, atrial fibrillation developed with blood pressure declining to 78 mmHg. The rapid adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) test showed blunted adrenal responses. He was suspected as having adrenal failure, and fluconazole was discontinued. The rapid ACTH test became normal on Day 14, and PBSCs were successfully harvested. To clarify the association between adrenal failure and fluconazole, we resumed 400 mg fluconazole on Day 16 and repeated the test on Day 21, which showed blunted adrenal responses. This case demonstrates that prophylactic use of fluconazole can cause adrenal insufficiency.

Thyroid function after bone marrow transplantation: possible association between immune-mediated thyrotoxicosis and hypothyroidism.

BACKGROUND: Thyroid dysfunction after bone marrow transplantation (BMT) has been investigated in many studies, and most posttransplant thyroid disorders are now recognized as a late complication of transplantation. However, these studies mainly focused on late thyroid function after BMT, and we have little information on early changes of thyroid function after BMT. METHODS: We prospectively investigated thyroid function in 57 patients receiving BMT. Serum thyroid-stimulating hormone, free triiodothyronine, and free thyroxine levels were determined at least monthly in the first 3 months, once between 3 and 12 months and once in the second year after BMT. RESULTS: During the first 6 months after BMT, 24 and 7 patients were diagnosed as having euthyroid sick syndrome (ETS) and thyrotoxicosis, respectively. Of the 52 patients alive 1 year after transplantation, 9 patients were still diagnosed as having ETS, and 8 patients developed hypothyroidism. Patients with thyrotoxicosis showed similar characteristics, and the high incidence of thyrotoxicosis after BMT is a novel finding. The median for the onset of thyrotoxicosis was day 111 after transplantation. Thyrotoxicosis was transient in all of the patients, but in seven patients hypothyroidism followed, the median onset at 12 months after BMT. Serum thyroglobulin levels were elevated in five patients, and antibodies autoreactive to the thyroid gland were detected in seven patients. CONCLUSIONS: Thyrotoxicosis may be a distinct clinical entity of thyroid dysfunction after BMT and may serve to predict the development of hypothyroidism. Immune-mediated thyroid injury may contribute to the development of posttransplant hypothyroidism.

Refractory facial cellulitis following cosmetic rhinoplasty after cord-blood stem cell transplantation.

We report a case of a 38-year-old female patient who developed facial cellulitis after cord-blood stem cell transplantation (CBT). The cellulitis was refractory to treatment with antibiotics and antifungal agents. Because facial cellulitis is rare after transplantation, its mechanism could not be determined exactly. On day 40 after CBT, a nurse with expertise in cosmetic surgery attended our rounds and correctly assumed that the patient had received cosmetic rhinoplasty. Although conventional x-rays of the head were normal, a computed tomographic (CT) scan of the brain disclosed the presence of a foreign body over the nasal dorsum. As a result, the patient's symptoms were diagnosed as facial cellulitis associated with foreign material that had been implanted at the time of cosmetic surgery. At a pretransplantation interview, the patient did not mention her history of rhinoplasty. Even after she was shown the head CT scans that revealed the presence of nasal implants, she denied that she had received rhinoplasty before CBT. Unless we realize that patients may have received cosmetic surgery before transplantation, it is difficult to make a diagnosis of infection associated with foreign implants. To our knowledge this is the first report after transplantation of infection associated with cosmetic surgery. Such infections should be included on the list of complications after bone marrow transplantation.

Serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor after bone marrow transplantation: a true marker of acute graft-versus-host disease.

To examine whether serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) may be a good marker of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD), they were determined weekly in 56 patients receiving bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Because of wide variation in the pre-transplant sIL-2R levels (from 135 to 1918 IU/ml), we used a sIL-2R index in this study by comparing the peak levels with the pre-transplant levels. In agreement with previous reports, there was a significant correlation between the grade of aGVHD and the maximal sIL-2R index. The maximal sIL-2R index was 4.66 in patients with grade I to IV aGVHD, whereas it was 2.68 in patients without GVHD. This marker may be useful for monitoring the status of aGVHD. However, it was interesting that sIL-2R levels were elevated from the time of transplantation until the third week even in patients without GVHD or those who received autologous transplantation. Until the third week, no significant differences were observed in sIL-2R index between these patients and those who developed aGVHD during their clinical courses. After the fourth week, a higher sIL-2R index was observed in patients with aGVHD than in the other patients. Some factors other than GVHD contribute to the elevation of serum sIL-2R levels, and we should recognize the limitations of the measurement of this cytokine.

Progress reports on immune gene therapy for stage IV renal cell cancer using lethally irradiated granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor-transduced autologous renal cancer cells.

There is no effective treatment for patients with stage IV renal cell cancer (RCC), although the introduction of new therapy is imminent. Cancer gene therapy is currently considered to be one of the most promising therapeutic modalities in the field of cancer treatment. Based on the results of animal studies, vaccination using autologous granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor-transduced renal cancer cells appears promising. Before initiating a clinical study using an ex vivo gene-transduced autologous cell vaccine-based immunogene therapy for RCC in Japan, in 1992 we initially planned a Japanese version of a clinical protocol in collaboration with a US group. In 1993, the original protocol was refined. We performed five preclinical qualification studies using RCC nephrectomy specimens from patients in 1997, and the results showed that preparation of RCC cells for autologous vaccines at the Clinical Cell Technology Facility, Research Hospital of the Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, was feasible. Subsequently in August 1998, the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport approved our clinical protocol. We have recruited two patients with stage IV RCC to our study so far. Here we report the background to the initiation of cancer gene therapy in Japan.

Real-time automated PCR for early diagnosis and monitoring of cytomegalovirus infection after bone marrow transplantation.

The purpose of this study was to assess the usefulness of real-time automated PCR as a quantitative, highly reproducible, and sensitive method to detect cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA in blood specimens. Intra- and interassay precision rates were 0.89% (small number of copies [L]), 1.43% (middle number of copies [M]), and 1.12% (high number of copies [H]), and 4.46% (L), 1.51% (M), and 2.28% (H), respectively. The linearity of this assay was obtained between 10 and 10(7) copies/well, with a minimum detection limit of 20 copies/well. Specimens from 55 of 70 healthy subjects were found to be positive for CMV antibody, but CMV DNA was not detected in any of them. In the qualitative assessment of each specimen, the results of the CMV antigenemia assay and those of the real-time PCR assay agreed in 80% (plasma specimens), 79% (all nucleated cells), and 86% (blood) of the cases examined. For eight patients diagnosed as having CMV infection or disease, no sample was positive in the antigenemia assay earlier than in the real-time PCR assay. Furthermore, the results of this assay could be obtained within 8 h. We concluded that the real-time PCR assay is useful for rapid diagnosis of CMV infection and monitoring of clinical courses.

Computed tomographic scan of the chest, latex agglutination test and plasma (1AE3)-beta-D-glucan assay in early diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis: a prospective study of 215 patients.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Blood and radiologic tests are frequently used for diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, but it remains unknown which is more useful for its early diagnosis. Aim of the study was to compare usefulness of computed tomographic (CT) scan of chest, latex agglutination (LA) test and determination of plasma (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan (BDG) levels for early diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA). DESIGN AND METHODS: We treated 215 consecutive patients who underwent cytotoxic chemotherapy. From initiation of chemotherapy until death or discharge, blood samples were taken weekly and subjected to LA and BDG tests. We performed chest CT scans when patients had any signs of pulmonary infection or an antibiotic-resistant fever. RESULTS: Of the 215 patients, 30 (14. 0%) were diagnosed as having IPA. In sixteen cases the diagnosis was definite and in 14 it was suspected. In patient-based analysis, sensitivities of LA and BDG were 44% and 63%, respectively. Sensitivity tended to be lower in patients with IPA localized to the lung than those with disseminated invasive aspergillosis. Specificities were 93% and 74%, respectively. Either a halo or an air-crescent was observed in 7 of the 16 patients with IPA, and all of the IPA patients showed some abnormal signs on chest CT scans. On average, CT scan signs preceded a positive LA test by 7.1 days and a positive BDG assay by 11.5 days. In 6 of the 11 patients who became positive for either LA or BDG assay, CT scan signs preceded the positive results by more than seven days. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS: Chest CT scan is more beneficial than the blood tests and X-ray for early diagnosis of IPA.

The effect of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor administration in healthy donors before bone marrow harvesting.

To investigate whether granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) administration to donors before harvest may lighten the burden imposed on them and accelerate the bone marrow (BM) recovery, we administered 2 microgram/kg/d of G-CSF for five consecutive days before the marrow harvest. All of the donors tolerated the G-CSF administration well without severe adverse events. After 5 d of G-CSF treatment, CD34+ cells and granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming units (GM-CFU) in the donors' BM exceeded baseline values by 4.2-fold (range 0.71-316) and 1.6-fold (0.28-118) respectively. The concentration of total nucleated cells (x 107/ml) in the graft increased from 1.61 (0.95-3.23) to 2.44 (1.27-4.01). Although we collected 1020 ml of BM and obtained 1.50 x 1010 nucleated cells from unprimed donors, 940 ml of BM were sufficient to obtain 2.14 x 1010 nucleated cells from primed donors. However, G-CSF-primed BM did not shorten the time to tri-lineage engraftment and the duration of hospitalization compared with unprimed BM, although primed BM contained more CD34+ cells than baseline values. We consider that the advantages of BM priming are not the acceleration of BM recovery but rather the reduction of blood loss during BM harvesting.

[Essential thrombocythemia in transformation from myelodysplastic syndrome to acute myeloid leukemia with inv(3) after treatment for gastric cancer].

In March 1990, a 61-year-old man was given a diagnosis of essential thrombocythemia with a normal karyotype and subsequently treated with hydroxyurea. In November 1995, he underwent surgery for gastric cancer with thereafter received tegafur/uracil for 2 years. Refractory anemia with excess of blasts in transformation and chromosomal abnormalities including -5, -7, 20q-developed in August 1998. Combined chemotherapy with daunorubicin, cytarabine, mercaptopurine, and prednisolone, had only limited effectiveness. Acute myeloid leukemia was finally diagnosed in October 1998, and chromosomal analysis disclosed inv(3) in addition to -5 and -7. The appearance of inv(3) might be related to leukemic transformation of hematopoietic stem cell disease with an increase in the number of megakaryocytes and platelets.