A prospective trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of pravastatin for the treatment of refractory chronic graft-versus-host disease.
This prospective study evaluates the safety and efficacy of pravastatin for the treatment of chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). We included 18 patients with refractory chronic GVHD. Oral pravastatin was started at 10 mg/day, and the dose was increased up to 40 mg/day in 4 weeks. This maximum dose was administered over 8 weeks. There were no severe adverse events caused by pravastatin. A clinical response was observed in the skin score in two patients, mouth score in five patients, eye score in two patients, liver score in three patients, platelet count score in one patient, and weight loss in two patients. The overall response rate was 28%. Immunophenotypic analyses showed that T-helper (Th)1 cells were dominant in all but one patient before treatment and that the Th1/Th2 ratio tended to be lower in the responders than in the nonresponders. A randomized controlled trial is warranted to evaluate the efficacy of pravastatin against chronic GVHD.
Hori
Akiko
A
Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Unit, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
Kanda
Yoshinobu
Y
Goyama
Susumu
S
Onishi
Yasushi
Y
Komeno
Yukiko
Y
Mitani
Kinuko
K
Kishi
Yukiko
Y
Ogawa
Seishi
S
Imataki
Osamu
O
Chiba
Shigeru
S
Kojima
Rie
R
Hamaki
Tamae
T
Sakiyama
Michiyo
M
Kami
Masahiro
M
Makimoto
Atsushi
A
Tanosaki
Ryuji
R
Takaue
Yoichi
Y
Hirai
Hisamaru
H
D002908:Chronic Disease; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017035:Pravastatin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D017035:Pravastatin