1.
Tocilizumab for Cytokine Release Syndrome Management after Haploidentical Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation with Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide-Based Graft-Versus-Host Disease Prophylaxis
Yao, J. M., Otoukesh, S., Kim, H., Yang, D., Mokhtari, S., Samara, Y., Blackmon, A., Arslan, S., Agrawal, V., Pourhassan, H., et al
Transplantation and cellular therapy. 2023
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) is a common complication after haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplant (HaploHCT). Severe CRS after haploHCT leads to higher risk of non-relapse mortality (NRM) and worse overall survival (OS). Tocilizumab (TOCI) is an interleukin-6 receptor inhibitor and is commonly used as first-line for CRS management after chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy, but the impact of TOCI administration for CRS management on Haplo HCT outcomes is not known. OBJECTIVES In this single center retrospective analysis, we compared HCT outcomes in patients treated with or without TOCI for CRS management after HaploHCT with post-transplant cyclophosphamide- (PTCy-) based graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis. STUDY DESIGN Of the 115 patients eligible patients who underwent HaploHCT at City of Hope between 2019 to 2021 and developed CRS, we identified 11 patients who received tocilizumab for CRS management (TOCI). These patients were matched with 21 patients who developed CRS but did not receive tocilizumab (NO-TOCI) based on age at the time of HCT (≤64 years or >65 years or older), conditioning intensity (MAC vs RIC/NMA), and CRS grading (1, 2 vs 3-4). Instead of 22 controls, we chose 21 patients because there was only one control matched with one TOCI treatment patient in one stratum. With only 11 patients in receiving tocilizumab for CRS treatment, matching with 21 patients who developed CRS but did not receive tocilizumab, we had 80% power to detect big differences (HR=3.4 or higher) in transplant outcomes using a two-sided 0.05 test. The power would be reduced to about 20-30% if the difference was moderate (HR=2.0) using the same test. RESULTS No CRS-related deaths were recorded in either group. Median time to neutrophil engraftment was 21 days (range: 16-43) in TOCI and 18 days (range 14-23) in NO-TOCI group (HR=0.55; 95% CI: 0.28-1.06, P=0.08). Median time to platelet engraftment was 34 days (range: 20-81) in TOCI and 28 days (range: 12-94) in NO-TOCI group (HR=0.56; 95% CI: 0.25-1.22, P= 0.19). Cumulative incidences of day +100 acute GVHD grades II-IV (P=0.97) and grades III-IV (P=0.47) were similar between the two groups. However, cumulative incidence of chronic GvHD at 1 year was significantly higher in patients receiving TOCI (64% vs 24%; P=0.05). Rates of NRM (P=0.66), relapse (P=0.83), disease-free survival (P=0.86), and overall survival (P=0.73) were similar at 1-year post-HCT between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS Tocilizumab administration for CRS management after HaploHCT appears to be safe with no short-term adverse effect and no effect on relapse rate. However, the significantly higher cumulative incidence of chronic GvHD, negates the high efficacy of PTCy on GvHD prophylaxis in this patient population. Therefore, using tocilizumab for CRS management in the HaploHCT population with PTCy maybe kept only for patients with severe CRS. The impact on such approach on long term outcome in HaploHCT with PTCy will need to be evaluated in a larger retrospective study or a prospective manner.
2.
Use of high-dose mesna and hyperhydration leads to lower incidence of hemorrhagic cystitis after posttransplant cyclophosphamide-based allogeneic transplantation
Mac, S., Ngo, D., Yang, D., Chen, J., Ali, H., Arslan, S., Dadwal, S., Salhotra, A., Cao, T., Karras, N., et al
Bone marrow transplantation. 2021
Abstract
Currently, there is no consensus on best practices to prevent hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) in patients receiving posttransplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy). We retrospectively reviewed 194 patients undergoing their first hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) who received PTCy from 2014 to 2018 to describe the incidence and severity of HC, identify potential risk factors, and impact of HC on HCT outcomes. Standard HC prophylaxis was hyperhydration with forced diuresis and mesna at 320% the daily dose of PTCy. Incidence of HC was 31.4% at day +100 of HCT. Median onset of HC was 12 days with 11.5% grade 3 HC and no Grade 4 HC. Patients with chemical HC experienced earlier onset (7 days vs. 34 days, p?0.001) with a shorter median resolution time (5 days vs. 14 days, p?=?0.001) when compared to BK-associated HC. In multivariate analysis, age above 60 years (HR 4.16, p?=?0.006) and myeloablative conditioning (HR 2.44, p?=?0.054) were associated with higher risk for HC, but overall, HC did not affect nonrelapse mortality or overall survival. In conclusion, hyperhydration with forced diuresis combined with aggressive mesna dosing is an effective strategy in preventing severe PTCy-associated HC, subsequently preventing any negative impact on transplant outcome.