title: Early treatment of acute graft-versus-host disease with high- or low-dose 6-methylprednisolone: a multicenter randomized trial from the Italian Group for Bone Marrow Transplantation.
abstract: Ninety-five patients undergoing an allogeneic bone marrow transplant (BMT) and developing acute graft-versus-host disease (aGvHD) were randomized to receive low-dose intravenous 6-methylprednisolone (6MPred; 2 mg/kg /d; n = 47) or high-dose 6MPred (10 mg/kg/d; n = 48) for 5 days, with subsequent tapering doses. On day 5 patients not responding or progressing on low-dose 6MPred could be switched to high-dose 6MPred. All patients, aged 1 to 55 years, were recipients of unmanipulated BMT from HLA identical sibling donors. Patients were stratified at randomization for age (</>/= 20 years), disease (acute leukemia, chronic myeloid leukemia [CML], nonneoplastic disease), disease status (early/advanced), and GvHD prophylaxis (cyclosporin/cyclosporin + methotrexate). Primary endpoints were response to treatment and evolution of aGvHD to grade III-IV. Secondary endpoints were cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections, transplant-related mortality (TRM), and relapse. The median interval between BMT and treatment was 12 days (6 to 43). Results in the two groups (2 v 10 mg/kg) were as follows: response of aGvHD 68% versus 71% (P = .9), evolution to aGvHD grade III-IV 17% versus 20% (P = . 6), CMV infections 55% versus 60% (P = .7), 3-year actuarial TRM 28% versus 32% (P = .7), relapse 17% versus 7% (P = .1). The actuarial survival at 3 years was 63% versus 62% (P = .9) with a median follow up of 580 and 778 days. On day 5 of therapy, 26 patients assigned to low-dose (2 mg/kg) 6MPred were switched to a higher dose of 6MPred because of no response or progression. Their actuarial TRM was 46%, which is significantly higher than TRM of patients who responded on 2 mg/kg and continued with tapering doses (TRM = 16%, P = .007). In conclusion, early treatment of acute GvHD with 6MPred 10 mg/kg/d does not improve the response rate as compared with 2 mg/kg/d, nor does it prevent evolution to aGvHD grade III-IV. CMV infections, TRM, and survival were also comparable. A group of patients at high risk of TRM can be identified after 5 days of treatment with 6MPred 2 mg/kg and could be eligible for alternative forms of therapy.
authors.affiliation: Divisione Ematologial, Ospedale San Martino, Genova; Clinica Pediatrica, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Van Lint
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Uderzo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Locasciulli
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Majolino
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Scimé
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Locatelli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giorgiani
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Arcese
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Iori
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Falda
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bosi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Miniero
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alessandrino
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dini
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rotoli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bacigalupo
mesh_terms: D000206:Actuarial Analysis; D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000401:mortality; D002423:Cause of Death; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000209:etiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D006648:Histocompatibility; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000139:chemically induced; D006973:Hypertension / Q000139:chemically induced; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007223:Infant; D007239:Infections / Q000209:etiology; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D009679:Nuclear Family; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014019:Tissue Donors; D019172:Transplantation Conditioning; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000401:mortality; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D008775:Methylprednisolone