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Influence of invasive aspergillosis during acute leukaemia treatment on survival after allogeneic stem cell transplantation: a prospective study of the EBMT Infectious Diseases Working Party
Penack, O., Tridello, G., Salmenniemi, U., Martino, R., Khanna, N., Perruccio, K., Fagioli, F., Richert-Przygonska, M., Labussière-Wallet, H., Maertens, J., et al
EClinicalMedicine. 2024;67:102393
Abstract
BACKGROUND Infections are the main reason for mortality during acute leukaemia treatment and invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a major concern. Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT) is a standard therapy and often is the only live-saving procedure in leukaemia patients. The profound immunodeficiency occurring after alloSCT led to high IA-associated mortality in the past. Therefore, patients with IA were historically considered transplant-ineligible. Recently, there has been improvement of anti-fungal management including novel anti-fungal agents. As a result, more leukaemia patients with IA are undergoing alloSCT. Outcome has not been prospectively assessed. METHODS We performed a prospective study in acute leukaemia patients undergoing alloSCT to analyse the impact of a prior history of probable or proven IA (pre-SCT IA). The primary endpoint was 1-year non-relapse mortality (NRM). Relapse free survival and overall survival were analysed as secondary endpoints. FINDINGS 1439 patients were included between 2016 and 2021. The incidence of probable or proven pre-SCT IA was 6.0% (n = 87). The cumulative incidence of 1-year NRM was 17.3% (95% CI 10.2-26.0) and 11.2% (9.6-13.0) for patients with and without pre-SCT IA. In multivariate analyses the hazard ratio (HR) for 1-year NRM was 2.1 (1.2-3.6; p = 0.009) for patients with pre-SCT IA. One-year relapse-free survival was inferior in patients with pre-SCT IA (59.4% [48.3-68.9] vs. 70.4 [67.9-72.8]; multivariate HR 1.5 [1.1-2.1]; p = 0.02). Consequently, 1-year overall survival was lower in patients with pre-SCT IA (68.8% [57.8-77.4] vs. 79.0% [76.7-81.1]; multivariate HR 1.7 [1.1-2.5]; p = 0.01). INTERPRETATION Pre-SCT IA remains to be significantly associated with impaired alloSCT outcome. On the other hand, more than two thirds of patients with pre-SCT IA were alive at one year after alloSCT. IA is not anymore an absolute contraindication for alloSCT because the majority of patients with IA who undergo alloSCT benefit from this procedure. FUNDING There was no external funding source for this study.
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Serial quantitation of plasma microbial cell-free DNA before and after diagnosis of pulmonary invasive mold infections in hematopoietic cell transplant recipients
Heldman, M. R., Ahmed, A. A., Liu, W., Vo, A., Keane-Candib, J., Stevens-Ayers, T., Boeckh, M., Blauwkamp, T. A., Fisher, C. E., Hill, J. A.
The Journal of infectious diseases. 2023
Abstract
BACKGROUND Plasma microbial cell-free DNA sequencing (mcfDNA-Seq) is a non-invasive test for microbial diagnosis of invasive mold infection (IMI). The utility of mcfDNA-Seq for predicting IMI onset and the clinical implications of mcfDNA concentrations are unknown. METHODS We retrospectively tested plasma from hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients with pulmonary IMI and ≥1 mold identified by mcfDNA-Seq in plasma collected within 14 days of clinical diagnosis. Samples collected from up to four weeks before and four weeks after IMI diagnosis were evaluated using mcfDNA-Seq. RESULTS Thirty-five HCT recipients with 39 IMIs (16 Aspergillus and 23 non-Aspergillus infections) were included. Pathogenic molds were detected in 38%, 26%, 11%, and 0% of samples collected during the first, second, third, and fourth week before clinical diagnosis, respectively. In non-Aspergillus infections, median mcfDNA concentrations in samples collected within three days of clinical diagnosis were higher in infections with versus without extrapulmonary spread (4.3 vs. 3.3 log10 mpm, p=0.02), and all patients (8/8) with mcfDNA concentrations >4.0 log10 mpm died within 42 days after clinical diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS Plasma mcfDNA-Seq can identify pathogenic molds up to three weeks before clinical diagnosis of pulmonary IMI. Plasma mcfDNA concentrations may correlate with extrapulmonary spread and mortality in non-Aspergillus IMI.
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3.
Incidence and impact of fungal infections in post-transplant Cyclophosphamide (PTCy)-based graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis and haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplantation: A CIBMTR analysis
Papanicolaou, G. A., Chen, M., He, N., Martens, M. J., Kim, S., Batista, M. V., Bhatt, N. S., Hematti, P., Hill, J. A., Liu, H., et al
Transplantation and cellular therapy. 2023
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fungal infections (FI) after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Neutropenia, HLA mismatch, graft versus host disease (GVHD), and viral infections are risk factors for FI. OBJECTIVES The objectives of this CIBMTR registry study were to compare the incidence and density of FI occurring within 180 days after HCT in matched sibling (Sib) transplants receiving either calcineurin inhibitor (CNI)-based or PTCy-based GVHD prophylaxis and related haploidentical transplants receiving PTCy, and to examine the impact of FI by day 180 on transplant outcomes. STUDY DESIGN Patients who received their first HCT between 2012 and 2017 for acute myeloid leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and myelodysplastic syndromes and received related haploidentical transplant with PTCy (HaploCy, N = 757) or Sib transplant with PTCy (SibCy, N = 403) or CNI (SibCNI, N = 1605) were analyzed. The incidence of FI by day 180 post-HCT was calculated as a cumulative incidence with death as the competing risk. The association of FI on overall survival (OS), non-relapse mortality (NRM), chronic GVHD, and relapse at 2 years post HCT were examined in Cox proportional hazards regression models. Factors significantly associated with the outcome variable at a 1% level were kept in the final model. RESULTS By Day 180 post HCT, 56 (7%) HaploCy, 24 (6%), SibCy, and 59 (4%) SibCNI developed ≥1 FI (<0.001). The cumulative incidence (99% confidence interval) of yeast FI was 5.2% (3.3-7.3), 2.2% (0.7-4.5), and 1.9% (1.1-2.9) (p=.001), and mold FI was 2.9% (1.5-4.7). 3.7% (91.7-6.6) and 1.7% (1.0-2.6) (p=0.040) for HaploCy, SibCy, and SibCNI, respectively. FI were associated with an increased risk of death with an adjusted hazard ratio [HR] (99% confidence interval) of 4.06 (2.2-7.6); 4.7(2.0-11.0) and 3.4 (1.8-6.4) for HaploCy; SibCy and SibCNI compared with SibCNI without FI, respectively (p<.0001; for all). Similar associations were noted for transplant-related mortality. FI did not impact relapse or chronic GVHD. CONCLUSIONS Rates of FI by Day 180 ranged between 1.9-5.2% for yeast and 1.7%-3.7% for molds across the 3 cohorts. Use of PTCy was associated with higher rates of yeast infections only in Haplo HCT and mold infections in Haplo and Sib HCT. Presence of FI by Day 180 was associated with increased risk for overall mortality and transplant-related mortality at 2 years regardless of donor or PTCy. While rates of FI were low with PTCy, FI were associated with increased risk of death, underscoring the need for improved management strategies.
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4.
Association Between Candidemia and Noninfectious Interstitial Pneumonia After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation: JSTCT Transplant Complications Working Group
Kimura, S. I., Akahoshi, Y., Shiratori, S., Okinaka, K., Harada, K., Uchida, N., Doki, N., Ikegame, K., Nakamae, H., Tanaka, M., et al
Open forum infectious diseases. 2023;10(4):ofad163
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Abstract
BACKGROUND α-mannan from Candida albicans reportedly induces Th17-mediated pulmonary graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in mouse models. This study aimed to evaluate the association between candidemia and noninfectious interstitial pneumonia (IP) in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) recipients. METHODS Using a Japanese transplant registry database, we analyzed 9143 pediatric and adult patients with hematological malignancies who underwent their first (n = 7531) or second (n = 1612) allogeneic HCT between 2009 and 2019. RESULTS Noninfectious IP was observed in 694 patients at a median (range) of 63 (0-1292) days after HCT. Candidemia occurred in 358 patients at a median (range) of 31 (0-903) days after HCT. Candidemia treated as a time-dependent covariate was significantly associated with an increased incidence of noninfectious IP (hazard ratio [HR], 2.51; 95% CI, 1.48-4.25), along with total body irradiation (>8 Gy; HR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.18-2.10) and malignant lymphoma (vs acute myeloid leukemia; HR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.004-1.69). On the other hand, prompt platelet recovery (HR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.45-0.75) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (vs acute myeloid leukemia; HR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.49-0.94) were associated with reduced incidence of noninfectious IP. The median survival after the development of noninfectious IP in patients with prior candidemia was significantly shorter than that in those without it (22 days vs 59 days; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS Candidemia was associated with an increased incidence of noninfectious IP. The prognosis of noninfectious IP after candidemia was extremely poor.
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Invasive Fungal Sinusitis Risk Factors Among Immunosuppressed Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients
Munyemana, M. A., Pande, A., Kallogjeri, D., Farrell, N. F., Schneider, J. S., Kendall, P., Roland, L. T.
International forum of allergy & rhinology. 2023
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Pharmacogenetic and clinical predictors of voriconazole concentration in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients receiving CYP2C19-guided dosing
Patel, J. N., Robinson, M., Morris, S. A., Jandrisevits, E., Lopes, K. E., Hamilton, A., Steuerwald, N., Druhan, L. J., Avalos, B., Copelan, E., et al
The pharmacogenomics journal. 2023
Abstract
CYP2C19-guided voriconazole dosing reduces pharmacokinetic variability, but many patients remain subtherapeutic. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of candidate genes and a novel CYP2C haplotype on voriconazole trough concentrations in patients receiving CYP2C19-guided dosing. This is a retrospective candidate gene study in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) patients receiving CYP2C19-guided voriconazole dosing. Patients were genotyped for ABCB1, ABCG2, CYP2C9, CYP3A4, CYP3A5, and the CYP2C haplotype. Of 185 patients, 36% were subtherapeutic (of which 79% were normal or intermediate metabolizers). In all patients, CYP2C19 (p < 0.001), age (p = 0.018), and letermovir use (p = 0.001) were associated with voriconazole concentrations. In the subset receiving 200 mg daily (non-RM/UMs), CYP2C19 (p = 0.004) and ABCG2 (p = 0.015) were associated with voriconazole concentrations; CYP2C19 (p = 0.028) and letermovir use (p = 0.001) were associated with subtherapeutic status. CYP2C19 phenotype and letermovir use were significantly associated with subtherapeutic voriconazole concentrations and may be used to improve voriconazole precision dosing, while further research is needed to clarify the role of ABCG2 in voriconazole dosing.
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Sequential low-dose CT thorax scans to determine invasive pulmonary fungal infection incidence after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation
Enger, K., Tonnar, X., Kotter, E., Bertz, H.
Annals of hematology. 2022
Abstract
Invasive fungal disease (IFD) during neutropenia goes along with a high mortality for patients after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT). Low-dose computed tomography (CT) thorax shows good sensitivity for the diagnosis of IFD with low radiation exposure. The aim of our study was to evaluate sequential CT thorax scans at two time points as a new reliable method to detect IFD during neutropenia after alloHCT. We performed a retrospective single-center observational study in 265/354 screened patients admitted for alloHCT from June 2015 to August 2019. All were examined by a low-dose CT thorax scan at admission (CT t(0)) and after stable neutrophil recovery (CT t(1)) to determine the incidences of IFD. Furthermore, antifungal prophylaxis medications were recorded and cohorts were analyzed for statistical differences in IFD incidence using the sequential CT scans. In addition, IFD cases were classified according to EORTC 2008. At CT t(0) in 9.6% of the patients, an IFD was detected and antifungal therapy initiated. The cumulative incidence of IFD in CT t(1) in our department was 14%. The use of Aspergillus-effective prophylaxis through voriconazole or posaconazole decreased CT thorax t(1) suggesting IFD is statistically significant compared to prophylaxis with fluconazole (5.6% asp-azol group vs 16.3% fluconazole group, p = 0.048). In 86%, CT t(1) was negative for IFD. Low-dose sequential CT thorax scans are a valuable tool to detect pulmonary IFDs and guide antifungal prophylaxis and therapies. Furthermore, a negative CT t(1) scan shows a benefit by allowing discontinuation of antifungal medication sparing patients from drug interactions and side effects.
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Recipient and donor PTX3 rs2305619 polymorphisms increase the susceptibility to invasive fungal disease following haploidentical stem cell transplantation: a prospective study
Zhao, C., Zhao, X. S., Xu, L. P., Zhang, X. H., Huang, X. J., Sun, Y. Q.
BMC infectious diseases. 2022;22(1):292
Abstract
BACKGROUND Invasive fungal disease (IFD) is a severe complication after haploidentical stem cell transplantation (haplo-HSCT) and has a poor prognosis. It has been shown that genetic polymorphism may be one possible reason for the increased risk of IFD. This study aimed to assess the role of genetic polymorphism in the level of susceptibility to IFD after haplo-HSCT. METHODS In this study, we prospectively enrolled 251 patients who received haplo-HSCT at the Peking University Institute of Hematology from 2016 to 2018. Forty-three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the genomic DNA were genotyped in blood samples from both recipient and donor. RESULTS Twenty-two patients (8.8%) were diagnosed with proven or probable IFD. The independent risk factors for IFD were grades 3-4 acute graft-versus-host disease, cytomegalovirus reactivation, and recipient and donor rs2305619 (PTX3) (P < 0.05) in multivariate analysis. Meanwhile, we combined the variables to develop the IFD risk scoring system and stratified patients into low- (0-2) and high-risk (3-4) groups. The 30-day and 100-day cumulative incidence of IFD in the low- and high-risk groups were 2.1% and 10.2%, 4.2% and 20.3%, respectively (P = 0.015). CONCLUSIONS PTX3 rs2305619 polymorphism increase the susceptibility of IFD after haplo-HSCT in the Chinese Han population, and the IFD scoring system could be useful in risk stratification for IFD after HSCT.
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Molecular Profiling Reveals Characteristic and Decisive Signatures in Patients after Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation Suffering from Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis
Zoran, T., Seelbinder, B., White, P. L., Price, J. S., Kraus, S., Kurzai, O., Linde, J., Häder, A., Loeffler, C., Grigoleit, G. U., et al
Journal of fungi (Basel, Switzerland). 2022;8(2)
Abstract
Despite available diagnostic tests and recent advances, diagnosis of pulmonary invasive aspergillosis (IPA) remains challenging. We performed a longitudinal case-control pilot study to identify host-specific, novel, and immune-relevant molecular candidates indicating IPA in patients post allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT). Supported by differential gene expression analysis of six relevant in vitro studies, we conducted RNA sequencing of three alloSCT patients categorized as probable IPA cases and their matched controls without Aspergillus infection (66 samples in total). We additionally performed immunoassay analysis for all patient samples to gain a multi-omics perspective. Profiling analysis suggested LGALS2, MMP1, IL-8, and caspase-3 as potential host molecular candidates indicating IPA in investigated alloSCT patients. MMP1, IL-8, and caspase-3 were evaluated further in alloSCT patients for their potential to differentiate possible IPA cases and patients suffering from COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) and appropriate control patients. Possible IPA cases showed differences in IL-8 and caspase-3 serum levels compared with matched controls. Furthermore, we observed significant differences in IL-8 and caspase-3 levels among CAPA patients compared with control patients. With our conceptual work, we demonstrate the potential value of considering the human immune response during Aspergillus infection to identify immune-relevant molecular candidates indicating IPA in alloSCT patients. These human host candidates together with already established fungal biomarkers might improve the accuracy of IPA diagnostic tools.
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Predictive Value of C-Reactive Protein and Albumin for Temporal Within-Individual Pharmacokinetic Variability of Voriconazole in Pediatric Patients Undergoing Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation
Takahashi, T., Jaber, M. M., Smith, A. R., Jacobson, P. A., Fisher, J., Kirstein, M. N.
Journal of clinical pharmacology. 2022;62(7):855-862
Abstract
Voriconazole is a widely used antifungal agent in immunocompromised patients, but its utility is limited by its variable exposure and narrow therapeutic index. Population pharmacokinetic (PK) models have been used to characterize voriconazole PK and derive individualized dosing regimens. However, determinants of temporal within-patient variability of voriconazole PK were not well established. We aimed to characterize temporal variability of voriconazole PK within individuals and identify predictive clinical factors. This study was conducted as a part of a single-institution, phase I study of intravenous voriconazole in children undergoing hematopoietic cell transplantation (NCT02227797). We analyzed voriconazole PK study data collected at week 1 and again at week 2 after the start of voriconazole therapy in 59 pediatric patients undergoing HCT (age <21 years). Population PK analysis using nonlinear mixed effect modeling was performed to analyze temporal within-individual variability of voriconazole PK by incorporating a between-occasion variability term in the model. A 2-compartment linear elimination model incorporating body weight and cytochrome P450 2C19 phenotype described the data. The ratio of individual voriconazole clearance between weeks 1 and 2 ranged from 0.11 to 3.3 (-9.1 to +3.3-fold change). Incorporation of covariate effects by serum C-reactive protein and albumin levels decreased between-occasion variability of clearance as compared to the model without them (coefficient of variation, 41.2% and 59.5%, respectively) and improved the model fit (P < .05). As significant covariates on voriconazole PK, C-reactive protein and albumin concentrations may potentially serve as useful biomarkers as part of therapeutic drug monitoring.