title: An early increase in serum levels of C-reactive protein is an independent risk factor for the occurrence of major complications and 100-day transplant-related mortality after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.
abstract: We monitored levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in 96 consecutive adult allogeneic BMT patients (age 15-50 years) transplanted in our unit. Major transplant-related complications (MTC) occurred in 32% of cases and included: hepatic veno-occlusive disease, pneumonitis, severe endothelial leakage syndrome and >II acute GVHD. Transplant-related mortality (TRM) before day 100 post-BMT was 13.5%. Variables included in a stepwise logistic regression model were: gender, age, disease category, donor type, T cell depletion, TBI, use of growth factors, bacteremia, mean CRP-levels >50 mg/l between days 0 and 5 (CRP day 0-5) and >100 mg/l between days 6 and 10 (CRP day 6-10) post-BMT. Only high CRP-levels (for MTC and TRM) (P < 0.001) and donor-type (for TRM) (P= 0.02) were independent risk factors. The estimated probability for MTC was 73% (CRP day 6-10 >100 mg/l) vs 17% (CRP day 6-10 <100 mg/l). Using the same cut-off levels, the probabilities for TRM were 36.5% vs 1% in the identical sibling donor situation and 88% vs 12.5% in other donor-type transplants. We conclude that the degree of systemic inflammation, as reflected by CRP-levels, during the first 5-10 days after BMT identifies patients at risk of MTC and TRM. Our data may be useful in selecting patients for clinical trials involving pre-emptive anti-inflammatory treatment.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000401:mortality*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007249:Inflammation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein