Reduced risk for extensive chronic graft-versus-host disease in patients receiving transplants with human leukocyte antigen-identical sibling donors given polymerase chain reaction-based preemptive therapy against cytomegalovirus.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between cytomegalovirus (CMV) and extensive chronic graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) after allogeneic stem-cell transplantation (SCT).


METHODS
Two hundred sixty-two consecutive patients undergoing conventional SCT with human leukocyte antigen-identical sibling donors, given cyclosporine A and methotrexate as GvHD prophylaxis and surviving more than 3 months after SCT, were retrospectively analyzed. Most patients received transplants because of a hematologic malignancy (n=226), but 36 patients with nonmalignant disorders were included in the analysis. Ninety-nine patients were monitored for CMV infection with rapid virus isolation and 163 patients by either a pp65 antigenemia test (n=5) or a qualitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for CMV-DNA (n=158).


RESULTS
One hundred thirty (50%) of the patients developed chronic GvHD, of whom 17 (6.5%) developed extensive chronic GvHD. Risk factors for development of extensive chronic GvHD were determined by multivariate logistic regression. The strategy of PCR-based monitoring for CMV-DNA, giving preemptive antiviral therapy on demand, significantly decreased the risk for developing extensive chronic GvHD (odds ratio=0.32, P =0.03). No other factors tested, including recipient and donor age and sex, source of graft, cell dose, and acute GvHD, had any significant effect on the development of extensive chronic GvHD.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that the risk for extensive chronic GvHD in this homogenous group of patients was reduced by the use of PCR-based preemptive therapy.
Larsson
Kajsa
K
Division for Hematology, Department of Medicine, Huddinge University Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. kajsa.larsson@medhs.ki.se
Aschan
Johan
J
Remberger
Mats
M
Ringdén
Olle
O
Winiarski
Jacek
J
Ljungman
Per
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007223:Infant; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D011182:Postoperative Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D035781:Siblings; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000401:mortality
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine; D008727:Methotrexate