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K Atkinson

Publications and source records attributed to K Atkinson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Impact of cytogenetic abnormalities on outcome of bone marrow transplants in acute myelogenous leukemia in first remission.

This study analyzed the impact of cytogenetic abnormalities on outcome of 1516 HLA-identical sibling bone marrow transplants for acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) in first remission reported to the International Bone Marrow Transplant Registry by 188 centers. 708 patients (47%) had cytogenetic studies performed. Transplant outcome in these subjects was similar to the 808 in whom cytogenetic studies were not performed. One or more cytogenetic abnormalities were detected in 284 (40%) of subjects studied. Relapse rates were higher and leukemia-free survival lower in patients with poor prognosis abnormalities vs those with no abnormality or with good or intermediate prognosis abnormalities (relative risk of relapse 2.40, P < 0.01; relative risk of treatment failure 1.68, P < 0.03). We conclude that cytogenetic abnormalities correlated with increased relapse in patients treated with chemotherapy. HLA-identical sibling transplants are similar.

Adolescent

Characterization of a novel leucocyte surface membrane antigen recognized by the monoclonal antibody WM65.

WM65 is a murine mAb which recognizes a novel surface membrane antigen present on leukaemic and normal leucocytes. The present study further investigates the nature of this antigen, especially those features which relate to the possible therapeutic applications of the WM65 antibody. There are 1-3 x 10(4) molecules of this antigen present on normal leucocytes, and the same or greater numbers of antigen molecules are present on a variety of leukaemic cells. In vitro data showed that the WM65 antibody is internalized following interaction with its antigen on normal leucocytes. The affinity of this antibody was calculated using an ELISA method which required neither labelling of the antibody nor purification of the antigen and the affinity constant was found to be 3 x 10(7) +/- 2 x 10(7) (mol/L)-1. Further data are presented which suggest that this antigen is a differentiation antigen and an integral membrane protein. Despite the relatively low affinity of the WM65 antibody, a number of characteristics of the antigen suggest the antibody may possibly have therapeutic applications. These characteristics include its cellular distribution, the number of antigen molecules expressed on the cell surface and its ability to internalize in vitro.

Antibodies, Monoclonal

Cytokine activity after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. V. Analysis of IL-2 and IFN production by isolated CD4+ and CD8+ cells.

Previous studies from this laboratory have shown that PBMC from recipients of an HLA-identical sibling bone marrow transplant produce levels of IL-2 which are 10-100-fold lower than those produced by the same number of PBMC from healthy controls, whereas production of IFN-gamma is normal. The present study examined IL-2 and IFN production over a range of cell numbers for PBMC and for isolated CD4+ and CD8+ cells for controls and marrow transplant recipients. There was a 5-fold lower IL-2 production in marrow transplant recipient CD8+ cells compared with equivalent numbers of control cells, whereas no difference was found in IL-2 production by CD4+ cells. In contrast, IFN production by CD4+ cells from marrow transplant recipients was 4-fold higher than in controls, whereas CD8+ cells from both populations produced similar amounts of IFN. When the observed production of cytokine by PBMC was compared with the expected production based on the CD4+ and CD8+ content of the PBMC, control values were similar, but the expected values for both cytokines were approximately 2-fold higher than the observed values for marrow transplant recipients. The results suggest that the capacity of T cells from marrow transplant recipients to produce IL-2 and IFN is not impaired, but that the frequency of cytokine-producing cells may be reduced, and that a negative interaction present in recipient PBMC, eliminated by isolating T-cell subsets, is responsible for the observed low levels of cytokine production.

Adult

Effects of interleukin-4 on granulocyte-macrophage-colony formation from murine bone marrow cells and hematopoietic reconstitution following murine allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.

We investigated the effects of mouse recombinant IL-4 on hematopoiesis in vitro and in vivo. IL-4 alone was found to be incapable of stimulating colony formation, but it inhibited both IL-3 and GM-CSF-induced colony formation by murine hematopoietic progenitor cells. In contrast, colony formation induced by G-CSF was enhanced in the presence of IL-4. We also studied the influence of IL-4 on hematopoietic reconstitution after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in a murine model, and found that IL-4 had significant inhibitory effects on neutrophil recovery and that neutrophil recovery accelerated by IL-3 and G-CSF was significantly suppressed by IL-4. The combination of IL-4 and GM-CSF caused a significant decrease in the absolute number of neutrophils.

Animals

Bone marrow transplantation.

Over the last 20 years allogeneic bone marrow transplantation from an HLA-identical sibling donor has become the treatment of choice for a number of human haematological malignancies, severe aplastic anaemia, some congenital diseases of the immune and haemopoietic systems, and some inborn errors of metabolism. Recently, the successful introduction of HLA-matched unrelated donor transplants, convenient T cell depletion technology, combination immunosuppressive therapy to minimise graft-versus-host disease, blood products that are seronegative for cytomegalovirus, effective antiviral agents, and cloned haemopoietic and immune system growth factors have markedly increased the scope of bone marrow transplantation. Additionally, autologous transplantation appears to have promise especially in lymphoma and breast cancer.

Bone Marrow Transplantation

Treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia with allogeneic bone marrow transplantation after preparation with BuCy2.

One hundred fifteen patients with chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML) were administered busulphan 4 mg/kg for 4 days and cyclophosphamide 60 mg/kg on each of 2 days (BuCy2) followed by allogeneic bone marrow transplantation from histocompatible sibling donors. For 62 patients in chronic phase, 26 in accelerated phase, and 27 in blast transformation, the actuarial survival at 3 years was 58%, 41%, and 25%, respectively. Actuarial probability of relapse was 3%, 12%, and 27%, respectively. Only two patients in chronic phase showed a transient cytogenetic relapse and one of these died from subsequent transplant-related complications, whereas the other remains cytogenetically normal 697 days posttransplant. Patients who were transplanted within 1 year of diagnosis in chronic phase had a survival of 70% compared with 40% when transplanted beyond 1 year from diagnosis. This significant difference in survival was due to transplant-related complications and was correlated with previous exposure to high doses of busulphan. This study indicates that BuCy2 is a useful conditioning regimen for marrow transplantation in patients with CML and results in similar survival statistics and transplant-related mortality as would be expected with conditioning regimens containing total body irradiation. It is possible that relapse after BuCy2 may be lower than expected with regimens containing total body irradiation, but larger analyses are required.

Adolescent

Bone marrow transplants may cure patients with acute leukemia never achieving remission with chemotherapy.

About 30% of adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and 20% to 40% of children and adults with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) never achieve remission, even with intensive chemotherapy. Most die of resistant leukemia, often within 6 months or less. In this study of 126 patients with resistant ALL or AML, allogeneic bone marrow transplants from HLA-identical siblings produced remissions in 113 of 115 (98%) evaluable patients. The 3-year probability of leukemia-free survival was 21% (95% confidence interval, 15% to 29%). Leukemia-free survival was similar in ALL (23%, 12% to 40%) and AML (21%, 14% to 31%). Only 3 of 27 patients at risk relapsed more than 2 years posttransplant.

Adolescent

Bone marrow transplantation for Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Philadelphia chromosome (Ph1)-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has a poor prognosis when treated with conventional chemotherapy. We analyzed the outcome of 67 HLA-identical sibling bone marrow transplants (BMTs) for Ph1-positive ALL reported to the International Bone Marrow Transplant Registry (IBMTR). Twenty-one of 67 (31%) transplant recipients survived in continuous complete remission more than 2 years after transplant. Two-year actuarial probabilities (95% confidence interval) of leukemia-free survival were 38% (23% to 55%) for 33 patients transplanted in first remission, 41% (23% to 61%) for 22 patients transplanted after relapse, and 25% (9% to 53%) for 12 patients failing to achieve remission with conventional chemotherapy. These data indicate that transplants are effective treatment for Ph1-positive ALL.

Adolescent

Lung dose rate and interstitial pneumonitis in total body irradiation for bone marrow transplantation.

The effect of dose rate to the lungs and development of interstitial pneumonitis (IP) was evaluated in 114 bone marrow transplant patients receiving fractionated total body irradiation (TBI) (1200 rads TD in 6 fractions twice daily over 3 days) as part of their pre-conditioning regimen. The tumour dose (TD) was calculated as the mean lung dose as previously described (1). A 6MV linear accelerator at a mid-line dose rate of 7.5 rads/minute was used between March 1981 and June 1985 and a Co-60 source at 5 rads/minute thereafter. This resulted in a range of dose rates to the lung of between 6.9 and 8.9 rads/minute and 2.9 and 6.5 rads/minute respectively. In the majority of patients the aetiology of IP was investigated by lung biopsy with histology and culture. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of IP over the two sets of dose rates. Our study suggest that the incidence of IP using fractionated TBI is not influenced by dose rates below 8.9 rads per minute.

Adolescent

Fungal Pseudoallescheria boydii lung infiltrates unresponsive to amphotericin B in leukaemic patients.

The management of patients with acute leukaemia is often complicated by serious fungal infections, especially of the lungs. The outcome of therapy has historically depended on the early use, efficacy and toxicity of amphotericin B. Pseudoallescheria boydii is an uncommon cause of such infections but as it is more often resistant to amphotericin B early identification may enable the prompt use of alternative and newer antifungal agents. Here we report our experience and review the literature in three cases of P. boydii infection in patients with leukemia, showing unique features such as childhood and central nervous system disease, positive blood cultures and response to itraconazole.

Adolescent

Radiation-free preparation for allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

PURPOSE: The study was undertaken to investigate the effectiveness of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation from HLA-identical siblings after preparation with busulfan and cyclophosphamide in adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-nine patients aged 15 to 42 years underwent transplantation at three different centers from November 1984 through November 1990. All patients received 16 mg/kg busulfan and 120 mg/kg cyclophosphamide as preparative therapy. Cyclosporine plus methotrexate or cyclosporine plus corticosteroids with or without methotrexate were given for prevention of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). RESULTS: Twelve patients died of treatment-related complications, 12 patients relapsed, and 15 patients are leukemia-free survivors. For 27 patients in group 1 (first remission, second remission, first relapse), the estimated leukemia-free survival (LFS) rate is 42.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 22.9% to 71.7%) at 3 years. For 12 patients with more advanced disease (group 2), the 1-year LFS rate is 13.5% (95% CI, 0% to 37.1%). Chronic GVHD occurred at an estimated incidence of 63.3% and developed significantly more frequently among patients who received corticosteroids for prevention of acute GVHD. Chronic GVHD was associated with a significantly lower incidence of relapse and with improved LFS rates. CONCLUSION: LFS rate in this study is comparable to that obtained with radiation-containing regimens; however, the effectiveness of this preparative regimen in ALL requires further study.

Actuarial Analysis

Cytokine activity after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. IV. Production of mRNA for IL-3 and GM-CSF by mitogen-stimulated circulating mononuclear cells.

The ability of circulating mononuclear cells from recipients of HLA identical sibling marrow transplants to generate messenger (m) RNA for the haemopoietic growth factors interleukin-3 (IL-3) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) upon mitogen stimulation was investigated. The amount of IL-3 mRNA per ml of blood and IL-3 mRNA per 10(7) mononuclear cells as well as the amount of GM-CSF mRNA per ml of blood was significantly lower in transplant recipients than in normal volunteers. Lower values for mRNA expression for both IL-3 and GM-CSF were associated with the use of immunosuppressive therapy post transplant. No correlation was found between the expression of message for either cytokine, or the presence or absence of acute graft-versus-host disease at the time of testing. While there was no correlation between the quantity of GM-CSF message produced and time elapsed post transplant, IL-3 message expression increased slightly with increasing time post transplant. These defects of haemopoietic regulators constitute another parameter of impaired cellular immunity occurring after allogeneic marrow transplantation.

Bone Marrow Transplantation

Who should get a second marrow transplant?

Second transplants need to be considered in two clinical situations after marrow transplantation. Firstly, failure of sustained engraftment; secondly, recurrence of the underlying malignancy. In patients with failure of sustained engraftment a trial of recombinant human GM-CSF is indicated first with a chance of improving blood counts in a significant proportion of patients. If this is unsuccessful a second transplant utilizing a preparative regime aimed primarily at further minimizing host immune competence such as a combination of antithymocyte globulin (ATG) and cyclophosphamide or ATG alone followed by a T-replete marrow infusion should be employed. A second marrow transplant can also be utilized for recurrence of the underlying haematological malignancy after first transplant. However, several large multi-institutional studies have now shown a striking difference in the long-term leukemia-free survival rate between those relapsing early (for example, less than six months) after the first transplant compared to those relapsing later after the first transplant. Leukemia-free survival post second transplant for those relapsing within six months of first transplant is less than 10%, whereas for those relapsing greater than six months from first transplant it is approximately 30%. Transplant-related mortality, particularly from complications influenced by chemotherapy, such as interstitial pneumonitis and hepatic veno-occlusive disease, are more common after second than after first transplant.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Anemia, Aplastic

Second HLA-identical sibling transplants for leukemia recurrence.

We analysed data from 114 recipients of HLA-identical sibling transplants who relapsed and received a second transplant between 1978 and 1989. Twenty-nine patients had acute lymphoblastic leukemia, 46 acute myeloid leukemia and 39 chronic myelogenous leukemia. Median (range) interval between first and second transplants was 15 (1-80) months. Following the second transplant, graft failure occurred in 2%, acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in 27% and chronic GVHD in 21% of patients at risk. Risks of interstitial pneumonia and hepatic veno-occlusive disease were higher after the second than the first transplant. Two-year probabilities (95% confidence interval) of treatment-related mortality, relapse and leukemia-free survival were 41% (30-53%), 65% (53-75%) and 21% (14-30%), respectively. Leukemia-free survival was 7% (2-19%) among patients relapsing less than 6 months after their first transplant, with high rates of both relapse, 77% (49-92%), and treatment-related mortality 69% (46-85%). In contrast, leukemia-free survival was 28% (19-41%) in those relapsing more than 6 months after the first transplant; in this group the probability of relapse was 59% (45-72%) and treatment-related mortality 30% (20-43%). Factors correlated with better outcome included a diagnosis of chronic myelogenous leukemia, relapse more than 6 months after the first transplant, acute leukemia in remission prior to the second transplant and good performance status.

Adolescent

Treatment for acute myelocytic leukemia with allogeneic bone marrow transplantation following preparation with BuCy2.

One hundred twenty-seven patients with acute myelocytic leukemia (AML) were given busulfan 4 mg/kg on each of 4 days and cyclophosphamide 60 mg/kg on each of 2 days (BuCy2) followed by allogeneic bone marrow transplantation from an HLA-identical or one antigen disparate sibling. For 71 patients in first complete remission, 23 in second complete remission or initial relapse, and 33 patients with primary refractory disease, second or subsequent relapse, or a preceding hematologic disorder, the 3-year leukemia-free survival (LFS) is 63.1%, 32.6%, and 24.2% respectively. The actuarial probability of relapse for each group is 14.1%, 40.6%, and 61.0%. In multivariate analyses, relapse and decreased LFS were associated with advanced disease phase and with M4/M5 French-American-British classification. The LFS of first remission patients was adversely associated with a short time interval from diagnosis to transplantation. This study indicates that BuCy2 is an attractive preparative regimen for marrow transplantation in patients with AML and that prognostic factors for relapse and LFS are similar those described for regimens containing total body irradiation.

Adult

Chemotherapy compared with bone marrow transplantation for adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in first remission.

OBJECTIVE: To compare efficacy of intensive postremission chemotherapy with allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in first remission. DESIGN: Retrospective comparison of two cohorts of patients. SETTING: Chemotherapy recipients were treated in 44 hospitals in West Germany in two cooperative group trials; transplants were done in 98 hospitals worldwide. PATIENTS: Patients (484) receiving intensive postremission chemotherapy and 251 recipients of HLA-identical sibling bone marrow transplants for ALL in first remission. Patients ranged from 15 to 45 years of age and were treated between 1980 and 1987. MAIN RESULTS: Similar prognostic factors predicted treatment failure (non-T-cell phenotype, high leukocyte count at diagnosis, and 8 or more weeks to achieve first remission) of both therapies. After statistical adjustments were made for differences in disease characteristics and time-to-treatment, survival was similar in the chemotherapy and transplant cohorts: Five-year leukemia-free survival probability was 38% (95% CI, 33% to 43%) with chemotherapy and 44% (CI, 37% to 52%) with transplant. No specific prognostic group had a significantly better outcome with one treatment compared with the other (6% for the difference; CI, -3% to 15%). Causes of treatment failure differed: With chemotherapy, 268 (96%) failures were from relapse and 11 (4%) were treatment-related; with transplants, 43 (32%) failures were from relapse and 92 (68%) were treatment-related. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that bone marrow transplants currently offer no special advantage over chemotherapy for adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in first remission.

Adolescent

In vivo administration of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), granulocyte-macrophage CSF, interleukin-1 (IL-1), and IL-4, alone and in combination, after allogeneic murine hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

BALB/c mice (H-2d) given 10 Gy total body irradiation (TBI) followed by 10(7) bone marrow (BM) and 10(6) spleen cells from C57BL/6 (H-2b) donor mice received recombinant cytokines intraperitoneally (IP) twice daily. The effect on neutrophil recovery rate, graft-v-host disease (GVHD), and survival was assessed. Four reagents were used: granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), granulocyte-macrophage CSF (GM-CSF), interleukin-1 (IL-1) and IL-4, both alone and in combination. The most effective combination for increasing the circulating absolute neutrophil account (ANC) above the control value at day 7 posttransplant was the combination of G-CSF and IL-1 (mean ANC 2.4 +/- 1.6 x 10(9)/L as compared with control value of 0.07 +/- 0.05, P less than .02), followed by G-CSF alone (mean ANC 1.1 +/- 0.2, P less than .0001), the combination of GM-CSF plus IL-1 (mean ANC 0.8 +/- 0.3, P less than .002), and the combination of G-CSF plus GM-CSF (mean ANC 0.8 +/- 0.3, p less than .005). At day 10 posttransplant, the most effective combination in raising the ANC was the combination of G-CSF plus GM-CSF (mean ANC 7.5 +/- 2.3 as compared with control value of 3.5 +/- 1.1, P less than .01), followed by G-CSF alone (mean ANC 6.9 +/- 2.1, P less than .02). At the doses used, neither G-CSF nor GM-CSF had a deleterious effect on the incidence or severity of GVHD; indeed, GM-CSF was associated with improved survival. In contrast, IL-1 at doses greater than or equal to 100 ng twice daily caused marked early mortality, and there was a suggestion that IL-4 at doses of 500 ng twice daily resulted in increased late mortality, possibly owing to exacerbation of GVHD. This model appears to be of value for exploring the use of hematopoietic growth factors before they are used clinically in marrow allograft recipients.

Animals