title: Treatment of acute graft-versus-host disease with prednisolone: significant survival advantage for day +5 responders and no advantage for nonresponders receiving anti-thymocyte globulin.
abstract: Newly diagnosed patients with acute graft-versus-host disease (GvHD, grades I-IV; n = 211) were given 6-methylprednisolone (6MPred) 2 mg/kg per day for 5 consecutive days; 150 patients (71%) tapered 6MPred on day +5 and were considered responders; 61 patients (29%) could not taper their steroid dose and were considered nonresponders. The cumulative incidence of transplant-related mortality (TRM) for responders and nonresponders is, respectively, 27% and 49% (P = .009), and the 5-year survival is 53% and 35% (P = .007). Nonresponders on day +5 (n = 61) were randomized to receive 6MPred 5 mg/kg per day for 10 days alone (n = 34) or in combination with rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG, 6.25 mg/kg in 10 days; n = 27). The 2 groups were balanced for clinical and GvHD characteristics. One month after randomization, 26% had a complete response; 23%, a partial response; 33%, stable GvHD; 10%, worsened; and 8%, died. There was no significant difference in response, TRM, and survival between the non-ATG and ATG group. In conclusion, 5 days of prednisolone as first-line therapy of acute GvHD identifies patients with different risk of TRM, and second-line therapy with a combination of 6MPred + ATG does not improve patient outcome, compared with 6MPred alone.
authors.affiliation: Divisione Ematologia 2, Ospedale San Martino, 16132 Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Van Lint
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Milone
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leotta
authors.forename: Cornelio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Uderzo
authors.forename: Rosanna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Scimè
authors.forename: Sandro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dallorso
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Locasciulli
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guidi
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mordini
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sica
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cudillo
authors.forename: Franca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fagioli
authors.forename: Carmine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Selleri
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bruno
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Arcese
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bacigalupo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D008775:Methylprednisolone