Overcoming graft rejection in heavily transfused and allo-immunised patients with bone marrow failure syndromes using fludarabine-based haematopoietic cell transplantation

Br J Haematol. 2006 May;133(3):305-14. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2141.2006.06019.x.

Abstract

Allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) can cure a variety of non-malignant haematological disorders. Although transplant outcomes for selected patients with severe aplastic anaemia (SAA) and paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) have improved, older age, allo-immunisation from transfusions, prior immunosuppressive therapy and a prolonged time from diagnosis to transplantation are associated with worse outcome. Because of its potent immunosuppressive effects, we investigated a fludarabine-based non-myeloablative conditioning regimen in patients with transfusion-dependent non-malignant haematological disorders at increased risk for graft rejection with conventional transplant conditioning. Twenty-six patients with transfusion dependent/anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG)-refractory SAA, PNH or pure red cell aplasia underwent HCT from a human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-compatible relative. Transplant conditioning consisted of cyclophosphamide (120 mg/kg) and fludarabine (125 mg/m2) with or without ATG. Ciclosporine, alone or combined with mycophenolate mofetil or methotrexate, was used as graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis. All patients achieved durable engraftment and transfusion-independence. Twenty-four of 26 patients are alive at a median of 21 months following transplantation. Although a high cumulative incidence of acute (65% grades II-IV, 54% grades III-IV) and chronic GVHD (56%) was observed, only one patient died from transplant-related causes (cumulative incidence 7%). These data show that HCT following fludarabine-based non-myeloablative conditioning results in durable engraftment and excellent survival in SAA and PNH patients at high risk for graft rejection.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Anemia, Aplastic / therapy
  • Bone Marrow Diseases / therapy*
  • Child
  • Female
  • Graft Rejection / prevention & control*
  • Graft vs Host Disease / prevention & control
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / methods*
  • Hemoglobinuria, Paroxysmal / therapy
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Survival Analysis
  • Transplantation Conditioning / adverse effects
  • Transplantation Conditioning / methods*
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Vidarabine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Vidarabine / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Vidarabine
  • fludarabine