title: Efficacy of the interleukin-2 receptor antagonist basiliximab in steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease.
abstract: Acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) occurs in up to 80% of patients who undergo allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) and contributes significantly to transplant-related mortality (TRM). We conducted a prospective phase II trial to assess the efficacy and feasibility of treating steroid-refractory aGVHD with basiliximab, a chimaeric monoclonal antibody directed against the alpha chain of the interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptor. Basiliximab was administered intravenously at a dose of 20 mg on days 1 and 4. Twenty-three patients were enrolled between October 1999 and July 2004. We found a primary overall response rate of 82.5% with four patients (17.5%) showing a complete response and 15 patients (65%) a partial response. Six patients were again treated successfully with an IL-2 receptor antagonist because of recurrence of aGVHD. The rates of infections, chronic GVHD, malignancy recurrence and 1-year TRM following immunosuppression with basiliximab were comparable with those found with other treatment modalities for aGVHD. We conclude that basiliximab is efficient and feasible for steroid-refractory aGVHD and merits further evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik III (Hämatologie, Onkologie und Transfusionsmedizin), Charité- Campus Benjamin Franklin, Hindenburgdamm 30, Berlin, Germany. martin.schmidt-hieber@charite.de
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schmidt-Hieber
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fietz
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Knauf
authors.forename: Lutz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Uharek
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hopfenmüller
authors.forename: Eckhard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Thiel
authors.forename: Igor Wolfgang
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: Blau
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077552:Basiliximab; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013256:Steroids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019172:Transplantation Conditioning; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D013256:Steroids; D000077552:Basiliximab