title: Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in beta-thalassaemia--single centre study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate outcome of allogeneic BMT in beta-Thalassaemia at the Armed Forces Bone Marrow Transplant Centre, Rawalpindi, Pakistan from August 2001 to November 2003.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nineteen patients with beta-Thalassaemia underwent allogeneic BMT/PBSC transplantation from HLA identical sibling donors. Patients were classified in three groups according to Pesaro (Italy) risk classification. Class-I (n = 9) and Class-II (n = 7) patients received conditioning with busulphan/cyclophosphamide, whereas Class-III (n = 3) patient received conditioning with hydroxyurea, azathioprine, fludarabine, along with Bu14 / Cy 200. Cyclosporine, prednisolone and methotrexate were given for GvHD prophylaxis. Stem cells dose infused was >4.0 x 10(8)/kg body weight of the patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Engraftment was achieved in all Class-I patients, whereas in Class-II and Class-III , graft rejection was observed in one patient from each class. Median time to achieve absolute neutrophil recovery (> 0.5 x 10(9)/l) was 13 days, platelet count (> 20 x 10(9)/1) was 15 days and reticulocyte count (>0.5%) was 15 days. Acute GvHD was observed in 15 patients. One patient developed grade IV GvHD (liver and skin) and died within 30 days post BMT. Post transplant infectious complications were pseudomonas septicemia, disseminated fungal infection, CMV pneumonia and tuberculosis. Three patients died of these complications during post transplant period (31-90 days). Median stay in hospital was 25 days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Allogeneic BMT is the only curative therapy for beta-Thalassaemia patients, however the success rate can be increased if the patients are selected carefully and transplanted at an early age.
authors.affiliation: Armed Forces Bone Marrow Transplant Centre and Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi.
authors.forename: K U
authors.initials: KU
authors.lastname: Hashmi
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rasul
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hanif
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Naeem
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Iqbal
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Malik
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006772:Hospitals, Military; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010154:Pakistan; D018579:Patient Selection; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D035781:Siblings; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000009:adverse effects; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*