title: Risk for cytomegalovirus infection following reduced intensity allogeneic stem cell transplantation.
abstract: Preliminary data suggest a faster immune recovery following non-myeloablative stem cell transplantation because of the persistence of recipient T cells, but the real impact on post-transplant infectious complications remains unknown. We retrospectively analysed the incidence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in twenty patients following reduced intensity conditioning with busulfan/fludarabine+/-thiotepa and post-transplant immunosuppression with cyclosporine A/mycophenolate mofetil. Results were compared with 20 patients receiving myeloablative transplants during the same time period and who were matched for CMV risk group and for donor origin. The cumulative incidence of CMV infection following reduced intensity vs. myeloablative transplants was 60.4% vs. 40.0%, respectively (p value 0.1, log rank test). The risk for CMV infection in both cohorts was increased after in vivo T cell depletion with antithymocyte globulin (75% and 60%, respectively). Acute GVHD preceded the diagnosis of CMV infection by a median of 25 (range, 9-61) days following reduced intensity transplants and a median of 14 (range, 10-34) days in myeloablative transplants. Recurrent CMV infections were observed only in patients receiving reduced intensity transplants. Using multivariate analysis only reduced intensity transplantation and in vivo T cell depletion had a significant impact on the risk of CMV infection. In our series the incidence for CMV infection following reduced intensity transplants seems to be increased as compared with risk-matched myeloablative transplants. When adding anti-T cell antibodies to the conditioning regimen, the risk for CMV infection increases by up to 75%. Thorough studies of the risk of post-transplant viral infection are necessary to optimize surveillance as well as pre-emptive and/or prophylactic treatment strategies in the non-myeloablative transplantation setting.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology & Oncology, BMT Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Innsbruck University Hospital, Anichstrasse 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria. david.nachbaur@uibk.ac.at
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nachbaur
authors.forename: Clara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Larcher
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kircher
authors.forename: Günther
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Eibl
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Nussbaumer
authors.forename: Eberhard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gunsilius
authors.forename: Margot
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haun
authors.forename: Kurt
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Grünewald
authors.forename: Günther
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gastl
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D012307:Risk Factors; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods*; D018183:Transplantation Chimera; D019172:Transplantation Conditioning / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents