title: Cyclosporine-A as GVHD prophylaxis in allogeneic BMT for childhood acute leukemia. AIEOP-BMT group.
abstract: We report the preliminary results of a prospective randomized study on the impact of two different dosages of Cyclosporine A (Cs-A) on probability of development of acute and chronic GVHD, transplant-related mortality (TRM), relapse rate (RR) and event-free survival (EFS). Fifty-nine pediatric patients given BMT from an HLA-identical sibling were centrally randomized to receive either Cs-A at a dosage of 1 mg/kg/die (CsA1) or at a dosage of 3 mg/kg/die (CsA3) intravenously for the first 21 days after BMT. Patients given Cs-A at a dosage of 1 mg/kg/die had a higher probability of developing acute GVHD, but a lower relapse rate, which translated into a better probability of EFS. These preliminary results to be confirmed with a longer follow-up suggest that the use of low doses of CsA is feasible even though associated with a higher incidence of GVHD, but without any increment in TRM. The reduction of immunosuppressive treatment after BMT favoured the development of a graft-versus-leukemia effect, which seems to play a relevant role in preventing leukemia recurrence and in improving the cure rate.
authors.affiliation: Clinica Pediatrica Università di Bologna, Policlinico S. Orsola Malpighi, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pession
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Locatelli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zecca
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rondelli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prete
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bonetti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paolucci
mesh_terms: D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000628:therapy*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine