Haematologica (Sep 2015)

Predictive models for ocular chronic graft-versus-host disease diagnosis and disease activity in transplant clinical practice

  • Lauren M. Curtis,
  • Manuel B. Datiles,
  • Seth M. Steinberg,
  • Sandra A. Mitchell,
  • Rachel J. Bishop,
  • Edward W. Cowen,
  • Jacqueline Mays,
  • John M. McCarty,
  • Zoya Kuzmina,
  • Filip Pirsl,
  • Daniel H. Fowler,
  • Ronald E. Gress,
  • Steven Z. Pavletic

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3324/haematol.2015.124131
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 100, no. 9

Abstract

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Ocular chronic graft-versus-host disease is one of the most bothersome common complications following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The National Institutes of Health Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease Consensus Project provided expert recommendations for diagnosis and organ severity scoring. However, ocular chronic graft-versus-host disease can be diagnosed only after examination by an ophthalmologist. There are no currently accepted definitions of ocular chronic graft-versus-host disease activity. The goal of this study was to identify predictive models of diagnosis and activity for use in clinical transplant practice. A total of 210 patients with moderate or severe chronic graft-versus-host disease were enrolled in a prospective, cross-sectional, observational study (clinicaltrials.gov identifier: 00092235). Experienced ophthalmologists determined presence of ocular chronic graft-versus-host disease, diagnosis and activity. Measures gathered by the transplant clinician included Schirmer’s tear test and National Institutes of Health 0–3 Eye Score. Patient-reported outcome measures were the ocular subscale of the Lee Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease Symptom Scale and Chief Eye Symptom Intensity Score. Altogether, 157 (75%) patients were diagnosed with ocular chronic graft-versus-host disease; 133 of 157 patients (85%) had active disease. In a multivariable model, the National Institutes of Health Eye Score (P