Haematologica (May 2012)

Long-term follow up after allogeneic stem cell transplantation in patients with severe aplastic anemia after cyclophosphamide plus antithymocyte globulin conditioning

  • Johanna Konopacki,
  • Raphaël Porcher,
  • Marie Robin,
  • Sabine Bieri,
  • Jean-Michel Cayuela,
  • Jérôme Larghero,
  • Aliénor Xhaard,
  • Anna Lisa Andreoli,
  • Nathalie Dhedin,
  • Anna Petropoulou,
  • Paula Rodriguez-Otero,
  • Patricia Ribaud,
  • Hélène Moins-Teisserenc,
  • Maryvonnick Carmagnat,
  • Antoine Toubert,
  • Yves Chalandon,
  • Gérard Socie,
  • Régis Peffault de Latour

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3324/haematol.2011.050096
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 97, no. 5

Abstract

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Background Due to increased rates of secondary solid organ cancer in patients with severe aplastic anemia who received an irradiation-based conditioning regimen, we decided some years ago to use the combination of cyclophosphamide and antithymocyte globulin. We report the long-term follow up of patients who underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from an HLA-matched sibling donor after this conditioning regimen.Design and Methods We analyzed 61 consecutive patients transplanted from June 1991 to February 2010, following conditioning with cyclophosphamide (200 mg/kg) and antithymocyte globulin (2.5 mg/kg/day × 5 days).Results Median age was 21 years (range 4–43); 41 of the 61 patients were adults. Median duration of the disease before hematopoietic stem cell transplantation was 93 days. All but 2 patients received bone marrow as the source of stem cells and all but 2 engrafted. Cumulative incidence of acute grade II–IV graft-versus-host disease was 23% (95%CI 13–34) and 18 developed chronic graft-versus-host disease (cumulative incidence 32% at 72 months, 95% CI 20–46). In multivariate analysis, a higher number of infused CD3 cells was associated with an increased risk of developing chronic graft-versus-host disease (P=0.017). With a median follow up of 73 months (range 8–233), the estimated 6-year overall survival was 87% (95% CI 78–97). At 72 months, the cumulative incidence of avascular necrosis was 21% and 12 patients presented with endocrine dysfunction (cumulative incidence of 19%). Only one patient developed a secondary malignancy (Hodgkin’s lymphoma) during follow up.Conclusions Cyclophosphamide and antithymocyte globulin is an effective conditioning regimen for patients with severe aplastic anemia and is associated with low treatment-related mortality. Long-term complications include avascular necrosis and endocrine dysfunction.