title: Prolonged administration of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (filgrastim) to patients with Fanconi anemia: a pilot study.
abstract: This report examines the effect of filgrastim (granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, [G-CSF] in 12 patients with neutropenia [absolute neutrophil count [ANC] < 1,000/mm3]) caused by Fanconi anemia (FA). Two of 14 patients who were evaluated for study entry were ineligible because of unsuspected cytogenetic abnormalities in their bone marrow (BM). G-CSF was started at 5 micrograms/kg/d. All patients had an increase in their ANC at week 8 (mean increase = 15,664/mm3). The median ANC during therapy was 5,030/mm3. Eight of 10 patients who completed 40 weeks on study maintained an ANC > 1,500/mm3 on G-CSF given every-otherday. Four patients had an increase in their platelet count by week 8 without transfusion (maximum increase = 23,000 to 45,000/mm3); however, platelet counts fell toward baseline levels as the G-CSF dose was reduced. BM CFU-MK were increased at week 8 in three of four evaluable patients. Four patients who did not receive red blood cell transfusions had an increase in their hemoglobin level of at least 2.0 g/dL. A fifth patient had a red blood cell transfusion in week 2 and then had a similar increase in hemoglobin level without subsequent transfusion. Eight of 10 patients who completed 40 weeks of treatment showed increases in the percentage of BM CD34+ cells measured by flow cytometry. The same proportion showed increases in peripheral blood CD34+ cells. Increased BM cellularity and myeloid hyperplasia were constant findings and were associated with increased expression of the proliferating cell nuclear antigen. Adverse experiences were mild fever (1 patient) and a new BM cytogenetic abnormality at week 40 (1 patient). This study shows that prolonged administration of G-CSF exerts a stimulatory effect on the BM of FA patients and may be used to maintain a clinically adequate ANC in these patients. G-CSF has beneficial effects on multiple hematopoietic lineages in some patients and may be a good candidate for use in combination cytokine protocols for FA patients with progressive aplastic anemia. G-CSF use results in an increase in circulating CD34+ cells, a finding with important implications for future gene transfer protocols.
authors.affiliation: James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children, Department of Pathology, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Rackoff
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Orazi
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Alter
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Freedman
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005199:Fanconi Anemia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D000069585:Filgrastim; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010976:Platelet Count / Q000187:drug effects; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; D000069585:Filgrastim