title: High incidence of PTLD after non-T-cell-depleted allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation as a consequence of intensive immunosuppressive treatment.
abstract: The occurrence of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) in relation to immunosuppressive treatment was determined in 257 patients treated with non-T-cell-depleted allogeneic stem cell transplantation from an HLA-matched sibling (173 patients) or unrelated donor (84 patients). The conditioning consisted of total body irradiation and cyclophosphamide (myeloablative conditioning, 250 patients), or fludarabine combined with cyclophosphamide or a single 2 Gy dose of TBI (nonmyeloablative conditioning, seven patients). In transplantations from an unrelated donor, the patients also received antithymocyte globulin (ATG). The prophylaxis against graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) consisted of cyclosporine A, methotrexate, and methylprednisolone. The autopsy reports of deceased patients were systematically reviewed, and the autopsy materials of cases suggestive of PTLD were re-examined histologically for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Nineteen patients with EBV-positive PTLD were identified, of whom six had been transplanted from a sibling donor and 13 from an unrelated donor. All the patients who developed PTLD had been given ATG either for the treatment of steroid-resistant acute GVHD (all PTLD patients with a sibling donor and one with an unrelated donor), or as part of the conditioning (all patients with an unrelated donor). In conclusion, in transplantations from an HLA-identical donor with a non-T-cell-depleted graft, the risk of PTLD correlated strongly with the intensity of the immunosuppressive treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Juvonen
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Aalto
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tarkkanen
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Volin
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Mattila
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Knuutila
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ruutu
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hedman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001344:Autopsy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human; D006648:Histocompatibility; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015994:Incidence; D008232:Lymphoproliferative Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019172:Transplantation Conditioning / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents