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O Ringdén

Publications and source records attributed to O Ringdén.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

No difference in graft-versus-host disease, relapse, and survival comparing peripheral stem cells to bone marrow using unrelated donors.

The clinical results in 107 patients receiving a peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) graft mobilized by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) from HLA-A, -B, and -DR-compatible unrelated donors were compared to 107 matched controls receiving unrelated bone marrow (BM) transplants. Engraftment was achieved in 94% of the patients in both groups. The PBSC graft contained significantly more nucleated cells, CD34(+), CD3(+), and CD56(+) cells (P <.001), and resulted in a significantly shorter time-to-neutrophil (15 versus 19 days) and platelet engraftment (20 versus 27 days), compared to the BM control group (P <.001). Probabilities of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) grades II to IV were 35% and 32% (not significant [NS]) and of chronic GVHD 61% and 76% (NS) in the PBSC and BM groups, respectively. There was no difference between the 2 groups in bacteremia, cytomegalovirus reactivation or disease, and fungal infection. The 3-year transplant-related mortality (TRM) rates were 42% in the PBSC group and 31% in the BM controls (P =.7) and the survival rates were 46% and 51%, respectively. The probability of relapse was 25% and 31% in both groups (NS), resulting in disease-free survival rates of 43% in the PBSC group and 46% in the BM controls (NS). In the multivariate analysis, early disease, acute GVHD grade 0 to I, and presence of chronic GVHD were independent factors associated with a better disease-free survival in this study. PBSC from HLA-compatible unrelated donors can be used safely as an alternative to BM for stem cell transplantation.

Adolescent↗

The significance of graft-versus-host disease and pretransplantation minimal residual disease status to outcome after allogeneic stem cell transplantation in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Relapse is the major cause of treatment failure after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Minimal residual disease (MRD) was analyzed before SCT in 30 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The aim was to determine whether the level of MRD before transplantation was correlated with outcome. Fifteen patients were found to have high-level MRD (10(-2) to 10(-3)), 10 had low-level MRD (< 10(-3)), and 5 were MRD(-). Among MRD(-) patients the probability of relapse was 0 in 5, which was less than in MRD(+) patients (13 of 25) (P =.05). No major difference was found between the high- and low-level MRD(+) groups. Among the MRD(+) patients, only 2 of 11 with acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease had a relapse, versus 11 of 14 without (P =.005). In conclusion, for patients entering transplantation while they have residual disease, a combination of acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease may be needed to decrease the risk of relapse after SCT.

Adolescent↗

No disadvantage in outcome of using matched unrelated donors as compared with matched sibling donors for bone marrow transplantation in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in second remission.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the outcome of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in second remission (2CR), comparing bone marrow transplantation (BMT) using either matched sibling donors or unrelated donors (URDs). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 65 patients, aged 2 months to 20 years at BMT, with ALL in 2CR underwent allogeneic BMT at seven Nordic centers during 1990 to 1997. Of the first relapses, 85% were in bone marrow; 46% occurred on therapy, and 54%, off therapy. The preparative regimens were cyclophosphamide plus total-body irradiation +/- antithymocyte/antilymphocyte globulin, busulfan plus cyclophosphamide +/- antithymocyte/antilymphocyte globulin, or cytarabine plus total-body irradiation. Of the allografts, 37 were from HLA-matched siblings and 28 were from URDs. RESULTS: In the sibling versus URD graft recipient groups, the posttransplantation 5-year event-free survival was 39% versus 54% (P =.4), the estimated posttransplantation relapse rate was 76% versus 40% (P = not significant [NS]), and the toxic death rate was 19% versus 11% (P = NS). The incidence of significant (grade 2 to 4) acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) was 38% versus 64% (P <.05) and was 14% versus 32% (P <.10) for severe (grade 3 to 4) acute GVHD; the incidence of chronic GVHD was 26% versus 57% (P <.05) and was 13% versus 22% (P = NS) for extensive chronic GVHD in the sibling and URD groups. CONCLUSION: BMT with matched URD allografts offers at least equal survival for children with ALL in 2CR, as compared with allografts from matched sibling donors. URD allografts were not associated with a higher toxic mortality rate, although both acute and chronic GVHD were more frequent with URD. Indications for using matched URD allografts in ALL 2CR can be considered the same as for using matched sibling donors.

Adolescent↗

Impact of donor type on outcome of bone marrow transplantation for Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome: collaborative study of the International Bone Marrow Transplant Registry and the National Marrow Donor Program.

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-identical sibling bone marrow transplantation is an effective treatment for Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome. However, most children with this disease lack such donors and many patients receive transplants from alternative donors. This study compared outcomes of HLA-identical sibling, other related donor, and unrelated donor transplantation for Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome. The outcome of 170 transplantations for Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome, from 1968 to 1996, reported to the International Bone Marrow Transplant Registry and/or National Marrow Donor Program were assessed. Fifty-five were from HLA-identical sibling donors, 48 from other relatives, and 67 from unrelated donors. Multivariate proportional hazards regression was used to compare outcome by donor type and identify other prognostic factors. Most transplant recipients were younger than 5 years (79%), had a pretransplantation performance score greater than or equal to 90% (63%), received pretransplantation preparative regimens without radiation (82%), and had non-T-cell-depleted grafts (77%). Eighty percent received their transplant after 1986. The 5-year probability of survival (95% confidence interval) for all subjects was 70% (63%-77%). Probabilities differed by donor type: 87% (74%-93%) with HLA-identical sibling donors, 52% (37%-65%) with other related donors, and 71% (58%-80%) with unrelated donors (P =.0006). Multivariate analysis indicated significantly lower survival using related donors other than HLA-identical siblings (P =.0004) or unrelated donors in boys older than 5 years (P =.0001), compared to HLA-identical sibling transplants. Boys receiving an unrelated donor transplant before age 5 had survivals similar to those receiving HLA-identical sibling transplants. The best transplantation outcomes in Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome are achieved with HLA-identical sibling donors. Equivalent survivals are possible with unrelated donors in young children.

Actuarial Analysis↗

T cell mixed chimerism is significantly correlated to a decreased risk of acute graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

BACKGROUND: It has been debated whether mixed chimerism (MC) is correlated to a decreased incidence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT). METHODS: Between September 1996 and April 1999 we analyzed 102 patients for MC in the T-cell fraction post allogeneic SCT, using PCR amplification of variable numbers of tandem repeat (VNTR) loci. All samples, taken regularly post SCT, were cell separated using anti-CD3 immunomagnetic beads. RESULTS: T-cell mixed chimerism was detected in 58 out of 102 patients (57%). Patient characteristics were comparable in the T-cell MC- and donor chimeric-group (DC). The median follow-up time for the MC group was 714 days (range 58 - 1248) as compared to 427 days (range 45 - 1042) for the DC group. Overall probability of acute GVHD grades II-IV was significantly higher in the DC group as compared to the MC group (52% vs. 5%, P<0.001). In multivariate analysis T-cell DC proved to be the most significant risk factor for acute GVHD grades II-IV. The cumulative incidence of relapse, among patients with malignant disease, did not show any statistical difference between the T-cell MC patients and the DC-group. There was a tendency for better overall survival in the T-cell MC group compared to the DC group (2 yrs; 73% vs. 54%, P=0.06). Among DC patients, 14/20 (70%) deaths were due to GVHD versus none in the MC-group(P<0.001). CONCLUSION: T-cell mixed chimerism was significantly correlated to a decreased risk of moderate to severe acute GVHD and death by GVHD.

Adolescent↗

Treatment of severe acute graft-versus-host disease with anti-thymocyte globulin.

Severe acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is one of the major complications after haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT). Treatment of severe GVHD is difficult and the condition is often fatal. One proposed method of improving the therapy is to include anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG). Here, we will report our results in 29 patients using ATG as part of treatment for severe steroid-resistant acute GVHD. Four patients suffered from grade II, 13 from grade III and 12 from grade IV GVHD. Median time to grade II GVHD was 24 d (range 7-91 d) and to grade III was 29 d (range 8-55 d) after HSCT. Five different ATG preparations were used, rabbit ATG (R-ATG), BMA 031, OKT3, ATG-Fresenius and Thymoglobuline. All patients had skin involvement, 26 also had gut involvement and 25 had liver involvement. The rate of response to treatment was best in skin involvement (72%), while liver and gut involvement showed lower response rates (38%). Eleven patients survived more than 90 d, 7 of them developed chronic GVHD, 1 developed mild GVHD, 1 developed moderate GVHD and 5 developed severe GVHD. Survival at 100 d was 37% and at 1 yr it was 12%. Most patients died of GVHD, with virus or fungal infections as contributing causes of death. To conclude, treatment of severe acute GVHD is difficult and ATG, in our hands, adds nothing to conventional pharmacological treatment.

Adult↗

Polyclonal anti-T-cell globulin as part of the preparative regimen for pediatric allogeneic stem-cell transplantation.

To prevent graft rejection and graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) after allogeneic stem-cell transplantation (ASCT), 56 children were given polyclonal anti-T-cell globulin (ATG) as part of the conditioning regimen. Of the 56 children in the cohort, 27 had a non-malignant disease and 29 had different hematological malignancies. Eight were in first remission of leukemia and the remainder in later stages. Donors were in 16 cases a human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-identical sibling and in 40 a matched unrelated donor (MUD). The control group comprised 16 patients with an HLA-identical donor; the children in this group were not treated with ATG. Side-effects related to the ATG treatment occurred in 63% of the patients and included fever, chills, headache, dyspnoea, nausea/vomiting, body pain, fall in blood pressure, and transient respiratory arrest. Engraftment occurred in 55 (98%) of the ATG-treated patients at a median of 17 (11-27) days after ASCT. One rejection occurred at 23 days post-SCT. The probabilities of acute graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) of grades II-IV were 6% for patients with an HLA-identical donor, 12% for controls, and 26% for the MUD group. Chronic GvHD occured in 20%, 50%, and 50% of patients in the three groups, respectively. Transplant-related mortality rates at 100 days were 6%, 6%, and 7%, respectively. The 5-yr survival rate was 94% and 81% using sibling donors, with and without ATG respectively, and 53% using unrelated donors (p = 0.002). Disregarding donor type, among the ATG-treated patients 5-yr survival rates were 46% in patients with a malignant disease and 77% in non-malignant disorders. Relapse and relapse-free survival rates were 42% and 46%, respectively. Five out of 12 patients who showed an early full donor chimerism in the T-cell lineage developed acute GvHD of grades II-IV, compared to none out of 13 patients being mixed chimeras (p = 0.01). Hence, the use of polyclonal ATG as part of conditioning prior to ASCT in children is safe and the survival rate encouraging.

Adolescent↗

An ethnic role for chronic, but not acute, graft-versus-host disease after HLA-identical sibling stem cell transplantation.

Among 424 HLA identical siblings undergoing stem cell transplantation, 364 were Scandinavians and 60 represented other ethnic groups. The cumulative probabilities of acute graft-versus-host disease grades II-IV were similar in both groups, 17% in Scandinavians and 12% in the others, p = 0.4. In a multivariate analysis, less effective immune suppression with cyclosporine or methotrexate alone (p = 0.001), recipient seropositive for three to four herpes viruses (p = 0.004), CMV-seropositive recipient (p = 0.05) and early engraftment (before day 15) (p = 0.05) were independent risk-factors for acute GVHD grades II-IV. The cumulative probabilities of chronic GVHD were 47% and 68% in the two ethnic populations, respectively (p = 0.004). In multivariate analysis, higher patient age (p < 0.001), non-Scandinavian population (p < 0.001) and immunised female donor to male recipient (p = 0.03) were independent risk factors for chronic GVHD. The higher incidence of chronic GVHD could not be explained by differences in HLA antigen frequencies. The cumulative probabilities of relapse were 37% in the both groups. This suggests that the Scandinavian population is more homogeneous with regard to minor histocompatibility antigens important for chronic, but not acute GVHD.

Acute Disease↗

Pharmacokinetics of liposomal busulphan in man.

High doses of busulphan are used in conditioning regimens before stem cell transplantation. Great inter-patient variations in pharmacokinetics and a correlation between toxicity and high systemic exposure of busulphan have been shown in several studies. Some authors have suggested therapeutic drug monitoring and intravenous busulphan aiming to reduce the conditioning-related toxicity. Liposomal busulphan (LBu) might be an alternative to intravenous administration of high-dose busulphan in conditioning. In the present study, we investigated the pharmacokinetics of LBu in man. Seventeen consecutive patients were enrolled in the study. LBu as a single low dose (2 to 8 mg) was given to 12 patients (six adults and six children). Five patients received two high doses of LBu which replaced the first and the last doses of the conditioning regimen. The high dose of LBu was raised from 0.4 to 0.9 mg/kg. A significant linear correlation (r2 = 0.928) was found between the dose of LBu and the area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) (P < 0.001). AUC corrected for 1 mg/kg was 5491 +/- 912 ng.h/ml and 5955 +/- 627 ng.h/ml (low dose of LBu in children and adults, respectively) and 6167 +/- 1385 ng.h/ml and 6933 +/- 656 ng.h/ml (ie the first and the last high doses of LBu, respectively). No significant correlation was found between clearance and age or apparent volume of distribution and age (r2 = 0.146 and r2 = 0.046, respectively). No toxicity related to the liposomal formulation of busulphan was observed. We conclude that LBu is suitable for conditioning before stem cell transplantation.

Adolescent↗

Poor immune reconstitution after four or five major HLA antigens mismatched T cell-depleted allogeneic and autologous stem cell transplantation.

Two adults with primary liver cancer underwent liver transplantation from 5/6 and 4/6 major HLA-antigen mismatched unrelated donors. They were then conditioned with 4 x 2 Gy of total lymphoid irradiation, 120 mg/kg cyclophosphamide, 7.5 Gy total body irradiation and anti-T cell antibodies. Thereafter, the patients received T cell-depleted autologous: unrelated mismatched bone marrow in a proportion of 0.5:3.0 and 0.35:1.1 x 10(6) CD34+ cells/kg, respectively. After allogeneic stem cell transplantation (ASCT), both became mixed chimeras, as determined with polymerase chain reaction amplification of variable number tandem repeats from DNA obtained from CD3+, CD19+ and CD45+ magnetic bead-separated cells. Due to a reduction in donor T cells, the first patient was given 10(5) donor T cells/kg and became a complete donor chimera within 3 months. The second patient rejected all donor cells within 1 month after ASCT. Leucocytes normalized in both patients within 1 month. CD8+ cells normalized after 4 and 2 months in the two patients, respectively. However, CD4+, CD56+ and CD19+ cells remained low, except for a transient increase in patient 2. Lymphocyte responses to mitogens were negative in patient 1 from 1 to 5 months after ASCT. This patient also showed an oligoclonal pattern of the B cell repertoire, performed by CDR3 spectratyping. Epstein-Barr virus DNA in lymphocytes increased by 4-5 log in both patients. Prior to ASCT, recipients and donors were mutually reactive in mixed lymphocyte cultures (MLC). In the first patient, who became a complete donor chimera, the chimera cells showed no response to recipient or donor, but a positive response to third party. In the other patient, recipient cells reacted vigorously against donor lymphocytes at the time of rejection. Both patients suffered from overwhelming bacterial, fungal and viral infections, and died of pneumonia 5 and 3 months after ASCT, respectively. To conclude, with a major HLA-mismatch barrier, stable mixed chimerism seems difficult to achieve. The first patient became a full donor chimera and the second one rejected the graft. Both suffered from immune incompetence.

B-Lymphocytes↗

The role of disease stage in the response to donor lymphocyte infusions as treatment for leukemic relapse.

Between 1991 and 1999, 44 leukemic patients received donor lymphocyte infusions (DLIs) at our center (22 patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia [CML]; 10 with acute myelogenous leukemia; 11 with acute lymphatic leukemia; and 1 with myelodysplastic syndrome). Seventeen patients received graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis with methotrexate (MTX) at the time of DLI. In CML patients, 15 of 22 (68%) re-entered complete remission after DLI. At 3 years post-DLI, patients with cytogenetic (n = 10) or molecular (n = 3) relapse had a current leukemia-free survival (cLFS) rate of 85% compared with 0% for patients with hematologic relapse (P < .001). Among 15 CML patients who initially responded to DLI, 4 patients relapsed within the first 2 years. Four of 16 patients (25%) with acute leukemia had an initial response with complete remission after DLI. Two of them subsequently relapsed within 1 year. Patients with acute leukemia who relapsed within 1 year of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (n = 9) had 0% cLFS at 18 months; patients with later relapse had 29% cLFS (P = .015). The overall probability of cLFS at 3 years for CML patients was 46%. For other diseases, cLFS was 13% at 18 months after DLI. Patients who developed chronic GVHD secondary to DLI showed a 3-year cLFS of 51% compared with 18% for patients without chronic GVHD (P = .022). This study emphasizes the importance of early disease stage and presence of chronic GVHD for effective DLI.

Adolescent↗

Liposomal amphotericin B (AmBisome) for fungal infections in immunocompromised adults and children.

Invasive fungal infections are rare but life-threatening infections, most often occurring in immunocompromised patients. For a long time, Amphotericin B has been the best choice for treatment, because it is fungicidal with a broad antifungal spectrum and minimal risk of resistance development. The therapeutic use of amphotericin B has, however, been limited by its toxicity-both acute as well as chronic. To counter this, amphotericin B has been encapsulated in liposomes, which reduces its toxicity and allows higher doses to be given. Ambisome is a true, spherical, small unilamellar liposome with a median size of 80 nm. The pharmacokinetic profile was changed, and the maximum concentration and AUC of amphotericin B after AmBisome treatment were greater than those found with the conventional drug. The highest tissue concentrations of AmBisome were found in the liver and spleen, and less than 1% of the administered dose was recovered in other organs. At Huddinge University Hospital, we were the first to use and report on the experience of AmBisome. We now have more than 12 years' experience in transplant recipients, with a good safety profile, improved rate of curing mycological proven infections and reduced mortality in fungal infections. In two placebo-controlled prophylactic trials, we found that AmBisome was effective for preventing fungal colonization and invasive fungal infections, respectively, in allogeneic stem cell and liver transplantation. In uncontrolled and, more recently, in randomized controlled studies at other centers, AmBisome has revealed less toxicity and an efficacy equal or superior to that of the conventional drug in treating neutropenia-associated fever and proven invasive fungal infections in both adults as well as in children. Although investigators tend to increase the dose used, the optimal dose for probable or proven infection is still under debate. Based on our own experience in using AmBisome and the experience at other centers, we can conclude that AmBisome represents a major breakthrough in the treatment of invasive fungal infections, especially in immunocompromised patients.

Amphotericin B↗

MHC antigen expression in human first trimester spinal cord with implications for clinical transplantation procedures.

We report human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I expression in 5-17% and class II in 0-9% of first trimester human spinal cord cells. After 8 days in culture with gamma-interferon, >87% of the spinal cord cells expressed HLA class II. However, mixed cultures of adult human peripheral lymphocytes and immature human spinal cord cells, showed no induction of lymphocyte proliferation prior to or after gamma-interferon exposure in culture. In conclusion, we report non-immunogenic expression of HLA antigens in the human first trimester spinal cord.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Blood stem cells compared with bone marrow as a source of hematopoietic cells for allogeneic transplantation. IBMTR Histocompatibility and Stem Cell Sources Working Committee and the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT).

Peripheral blood cells are increasingly used in place of bone marrow as a source of hematopoietic stem cells for allogeneic transplantation. The relative efficacy of these 2 approaches is unknown. This retrospective multivariate analysis compared results of 288 HLA-identical sibling blood stem cell transplantations with results of 536 HLA-identical sibling bone marrow transplantations. No transplants were T-cell depleted. Median follow-up was 12 months, and analyses focused on 1-year outcomes. Recipients of blood stem cell transplants had more rapid recovery of neutrophils to at least 0.5 x 10(9)/L (median time to recovery, 14 days, compared with 19 days for marrow transplants; P <.001) and of platelets to at least 20 x 10(9)/L (median time, 18 days, compared with 25 days for marrow transplants; P <.001). There was no significant difference in the incidence of grades II to IV acute graft versus host disease (GVHD). The incidence of chronic GVHD was significantly higher after blood stem cell transplantation (1-year probability [95% confidence interval], 65% [56%-72%] compared with 53% [47%-59%]; P =.02) Relapse incidence in the 2 transplant groups did not differ significantly. Treatment-related mortality rates were lower and leukemia-free survival rates were higher with blood stem cell transplants in patients with advanced leukemia (acute leukemia in second remission or chronic myelogenous leukemia in accelerated phase) but not in early leukemia (acute leukemia in first remission or chronic myelogenous leukemia in chronic phase). The median time from transplantation to hospital discharge was 23 days after blood stem cell transplantation and 28 days after bone marrow transplantation (P =.003). Further study with longer follow-up is necessary to definitively establish the role of blood stem cells for allogeneic transplantation, especially in patients with good-risk disease. (Blood. 2000;95:3702-3709)

Acute Disease↗

T-cell depletion of bone marrow transplants for leukemia from donors other than HLA-identical siblings: advantage of T-cell antibodies with narrow specificities.

T-cell depletion of donor marrow decreases graft-versus-host disease resulting from transplants from unrelated and human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-mismatched related donors. However, there are diverse strategies for T-cell-depleted transplantation, and it is uncertain whether any improve leukemia-free survival (LFS). To compare strategies for T-cell-depleted alternative donor transplants and to compare T-cell depleted with non-T-cell-depleted transplants, we studied 870 patients with leukemia who received T-cell-depleted transplants from unrelated or HLA-mismatched related donors from 1982 to 1994. Outcomes were compared with those of 998 non-T-cell-depleted transplants. We compared LFS using different strategies for T-cell-depleted transplantation considering T-cell depletion technique, intensity of pretransplant conditioning, and posttransplant immune suppression using proportional hazards regression to adjust for other prognostic variables. Five categories of T-cell depletion techniques were considered: narrow-specificity antibodies, broad-specificity antibodies, Campath antibodies, elutriation, and lectins. Strategies resulting in similar LFS were pooled to compare T-cell-depleted with non-T-cell-depleted transplants. Recipients of transplants T-cell depleted by narrow-specificity antibodies had lower treatment failure risk (higher LFS) than recipients of transplants T-cell depleted by other techniques. Compared with non-T-cell-depleted transplants (5-year probability +/- 95% confidence interval [CI] of LFS, 31% +/- 4%), 5-year LFS was 29% +/- 5% (P = NS) after transplants T-cell depleted by narrow-specificity antibodies and 16% +/- 4% (P <.0001) after transplants T-cell depleted by other techniques. After alternative donor transplantation, T-cell depletion of donor marrow by narrow-specificity antibodies resulted in LFS rates that were higher than those for transplants T-cell depleted using other techniques but similar to those for non-T-cell-depleted transplants. (Blood. 2000;95:3996-4003)

Adolescent↗

Effect of nucleated marrow cell dose on relapse and survival in identical twin bone marrow transplants for leukemia.

The impact of cell dose (number of nucleated donor cells per kilogram recipient weight) on transplantation outcome is controversial and may differ for allogeneic and identical twin (syngeneic) bone marrow transplants. We studied the association between cell dose and outcome in 100 unmanipulated identical twin bone marrow transplantations for leukemia, reported to the International Bone Marrow Transplant Registry between 1985 and 1994, using Cox proportional hazards regression for multivariate analyses. Cell doses ranged from 0.3 to 7.4 x 10(8) nucleated cells/kg (median, 3.0 x 10(8)cells/kg). Median follow-up was 75 months. Five-year cumulative incidences of transplant-related mortality with high (more than 3 x 10(8) cells/kg) versus low (less than or equal to 3 x 10(8) cells/kg) cell doses were 2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0% to 8%) versus 10% (95% CI, 4% to 20%), respectively. Five-year probabilities of leukemia-free survival were 53% (95% CI, 39% to 67%) and 37% (95% CI, 23% to 52%), respectively. In multivariate analysis, among patients surviving in remission at least 9 months after transplantation, those receiving high cell doses were at significantly lower risk for treatment failure (relapse or death) than those receiving low cell doses (RR, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.12 to 0.6; P =.001). Lower treatment failure resulted from fewer relapses in the high cell dose group (RR for relapse, 0.28; 95% CI, 1.2 to 0.66; P =.003). These findings suggest that outcomes after syngeneic bone marrow transplantation could be improved by transplanting more than 3 x 10(8) nucleated cells per kilogram. The benefit of high cell dose on relapse may represent a delayed graft-versus-leukemia effect.

Adolescent↗

Transplantation of autologous and allogeneic bone marrow with liver from a cadaveric donor for primary liver cancer.

BACKGROUND: In histocompatibility mismatched experimental animals, a combination of T-cell-depleted autologous and allogeneic marrow may induce mixed chimerism and tolerance. Patients with large primary liver tumors have a poor outcome. We investigated whether it were possible to induce mixed chimerism and obtain an antitumor effect in a patient with a large primary liver cancer after combined liver and bone marrow transplantation (BMT). METHODS: A 46-year-old female with a primary non resectable liver cancer received a liver transplant from a cadaveric donor. Subsequently, she was conditioned with 4x2 Gy of total lymphoid irradiation, 120 mg/kg cyclophosphamide, and 7.5 Gy total body irradiation. Twelve days after liver transplantation, she received T-cell-depleted autologous:cadaveric 5/6 antigen HLA-mismatched marrow in a proportion of CD34+ cells of 0.5:3.0x10(6)/kg. Chimerism status was determined with polymerase chain reaction amplification of variable number tandem repeats from DNA obtained from CD3+, CD19+, and CD45+ magnetic-bead-separated cells. RESULTS: The early posttransplant period was uneventful; liver function was normal and the hematopoietic engraftment of donor and recipient origin was prompt. Alpha-fetoprotein levels dropped from 440 to 35 microg/l. One month after marrow transplantation, donor T-cells decreased markedly. Monoclonal antibody OKT-3 and 10(5)/kg donor T-cells were given. One month later, the patient developed diarrhea and abdominal pain. A colonoscopy showed moderate gastrointestinal acute graft-versus-host disease and a Cryptosporidium infection. Three months after BMT, she became a complete donor chimera. Chimera cells showed little, if any, reactivity in mixed lymphocyte cultures to recipient and donor cells, but reacted to third party. Five months after BMT, she developed progressive Aspergillus fumigatus pneumonia and died. No tumor was found at the autopsy. CONCLUSION: We obtained mixed donor-recipient hematopoietic chimerism without severe acute graft-versus-host-disease, after combined T-cell depleted autologous and allogeneic BMT and a transplantation of a liver from an HLA-mismatched cadaveric donor. Additional donor T-cells enhanced donor bone marrow engraftment, but rejected the autograft. On the basis of this first attempt, further clinical studies are warranted.

Bone Marrow Transplantation↗