title: Daclizumab therapy for children with corticosteroid-resistant acute graft-vs.-host disease.
abstract: MAbs such as daclizumab have shown promising results in the treatment of corticosteroid-resistant aGVHD. Data describing the efficacy of MAbs in children are limited. We describe the efficacy of daclizumab in children with corticosteroid-resistant aGVHD. Seventeen children (0.4-16.2 yr) received daclizumab for aGVHD. Safety was evaluated in all 17. Response was evaluated in the 15 children who received a full course of daclizumab. A PR was defined as improvement of aGVHD symptoms in at least one organ without worsening in other organs. We observed an overall response rate (CR plus PR) of 40% (6/15). Four children had a CR and two had a PR. aGVHD involving the gut had the highest response rate (five of 10; 50%). Adverse effects attributed to daclizumab were limited to an episode of reactive arthritis. Mortality was high (47%; eight of 17) though five of the six responders to daclizumab survived. The mean length of follow-up in the surviving nine patients was 32 months (range seven to 48). We conclude that daclizumab is effective in the treatment of children with corticosteroid-resistant aGVHD, especially in patients with gut involvement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Tal
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schechter
authors.forename: Samina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Afzal
authors.forename: Yaron
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Finkelstein
authors.forename: Gideon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Koren
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Doyle
authors.forename: L Lee
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Dupuis
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000077561:Daclizumab; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D000077561:Daclizumab