title: [Pretreatment doses of antithymocyte globubin-fresenius for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for beta-thalassemia major].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of different doses of antithymocyte globubin-fresenius (ATG-F) for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) in patients with beta-thalassemia Major.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-four children with beta-thalassemia major undergoing allo-HSCT were divided into two equal groups to receive ATG-F pretreatments at high (30 mg/kg) or low (15 mg/kg) doses as part of the conditioning regimen including mainly cyclophosphamide, busulfan, fludarabine, and thiotepa. The outcomes of the patients were compared between the two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No obvious difference were noted in the time to leukocyte and platelet engraftment between the two groups. The incidence of grade II-IV acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) appeared to be higher in the low-dose group than in the high-dose group (12.5% vs 9.4%). The incidence of grade III-IV aGVHD was also higher in the low dose group (12.5% vs 6.3%), but the difference was not statistically significant. Application of high-dose ATG-F was associated with a higher rate of probable and possible fungal infection (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The two doses of ATG-F is feasible as a part of the conditioning regimen for allo-HSCT in children with beta-thalassemia major.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. chunfugzcn@126.com
authors.forename: Chunfu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yanhua
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xuedong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Fuyu
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pei
authors.forename: Yuelin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Xiaoqin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Huaying
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D019172:Transplantation Conditioning / Q000379:methods*; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery*
chemical_list: D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum