Journal List > Korean J Hematol > v.42(4) > 1032741

Kim, Lee, Min, Cho, Eom, Kim, Lee, Kim, Cho, Kim, Min, and Kim: Effect of Extracorporeal Photopheresis on Steroid Resistant Acute GVHD Refractory to High Dose Steroid Treatment

Abstract

Background:

The mortality of patients with steroid resistant acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is high due to multiple organ failure and infection. Recently, the use of extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP), which is believed to have a low risk of infection, has been applied for the treatment of GVHD.

Methods:

Of 23 patients who were steroid resistant acute GVHD that was resistant even to high dose steroid treatment as second-line treatment, 10 patients received ECP (ECP group) and 13 patients received a third-line treatment other than ECP (non-ECP group). The outcome including the response rate and survival for the ECP group and non-ECP group was analyzed.

Results:

The response rate of the ECP group including complete remission and partial remission, was 30%. The survival rate was 30% for the ECP group and 0% for the non-ECP group. The estimated mean survival time was 229.3±89.3 days for the ECP group and 41.8±14.6 days for the non-ECP group (P=0.028).

Conclusion:

ECP can be considered as a treatment option for the steroid resistant acute GVHD that is refractory to high dose steroid treatment.

REFERENCES

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Fig. 1
Response to third-line treatment according to the organ type. The numbers in the parentheses indicate the number of affected patients. Abbreviations: See Table 1.
kjh-42-325f1.tif
Fig. 2
Response to third-line treatment according to the acute GVHD grade. The numbers in the parentheses indicate the number of affected patients. Abbreviations: See Table 1.
kjh-42-325f2.tif
Fig. 3
Overall survival of patients with steroid resistant acute graft-versus-host disease as determined by the type of third-line treatment (A), the response to third-line treatment (B) and platelet count (C). P values were determined by the log-rank test.
kjh-42-325f3.tif
Table 1.
Characteristics of 23 patients with steroid resistant acute GVHD who were treated with either extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) or other treatment (non-ECP)
  Total ECP non-ECP P value (ECP vs. non-ECP)
Number Gender 23 10 13 1.000
  Male 16 (70%) 7 (70%) 9 (70%)  
  Female 7 (30%) 3 (30%) 4 (30%)  
Age, year (range) 29 (16∼62) 25 (16∼62) 37 (23∼49) 0.305
Diagnosis       0.672
  SAA 1 (4%) 1 (10%) 0 (0%)  
  AML 8 (35%) 4 (40%) 4 (31%)  
  ALL 8 (35%) 3 (30%) 5 (38%)  
  MDS 5 (22%) 2 (20%) 3 (23%)  
  CML 1 (4%) 0 (0%) 1 (8%)  
Donor type       0.222
  Sibling 13 (57%) 4 (40%) 9 (69%)  
  Unrelated 10 (43%) 6 (60%) 4 (31%)  
Stem cell source       0.424
  BM 13 (57%) 6 (60%) 7 (57%)  
  PB 8 (35%) 4 (40%) 4 (31%)  
  PB+BM 2 (8%) 0 (0%) 2 (12%)  
Conditioning        
  Standard 18 (78%) 7 (70%) 10 (77%) 1.000
  Reduced 5 (22%) 3 (30%) 3 (23%)  
  TBI containing 18 (78%) 8 (80%) 10 (77%) 0.616
  non-TBI 5 (22%) 2 (20%) 3 (23%)  
DLI 7 (30%) 2 (20%) 5 (38%) 0.405
Acute GVHD grade       0.979
  II 7 (30%) 3 (30%) 4 (31%)  
  III 11 (48%) 5 (50%) 6 (46%)  
  IV 5 (22%) 2 (20%) 3 (23%)  
DI at Tx 8 (35%) 3 (30%) 5 (38%) 1.000
CMV at Tx 11 (48%) 4 (40%) 7 (54%) 0.680
Platelet       1.000
  >50,000/mm3 6 (26%) 3 (30%) 3 (23%)  
  <50,000/mm3 17 (74%) 7 (70%) 10 (77%)  
LDH       0.405
  Normal 7 (30%) 2 (20%) 5 (38%)  
  High 16 (70%) 8 (80%) 8 (62%)  

Abbreviations: ECP, extracorporeal photopheresis; non-ECP, third-line treatment other than extracorporeal photopheresis; SAA, severe aplastic anemia; AML, acute myeloid leukemia; ALL, acute lymphoblastic leukemia; MDS, myelodysplastic syndrome; CML, chronic myeloid leukemia; BM, bone marrow; PB, peripheral blood; DLI, donor lymphocyte infusion; GVHD, graft-versus-host disease; DI, documented infection; Tx, treatment; CMV, cytomegalovirus; LDH, lactate dehydrogenase.

Table 2.
Response to third-line treatment and survival of the patients with steroid resistant acute GVHD who were refractory to high dose steroid as an 2nd line treatment
  Total (%) ECP (%) non-ECP (%) P value (ECP vs. non-ECP)
Number 23 10 13  
Response 0.978
  CR 2 (9) 1 (10) 1 (8)  
  PR 4 (17) 2 (20) 2 (15)  
  PR & re-aggravation 2 (9) 1 (10) 1 (8)  
  NR 15 (65) 6 (60) 9 (69)  
  CR or PR 6 (26) 3 (30) 3 (23) 1.000
Survival 0.068
  Alive 3 (13) 3 (30) 0 (0)  
  Dead 20 (87) 7 (70) 13 (100)  
Follow-up, days (range) 31 (4∼659) 63 (14∼629) 17 (4∼169) 0.026

Abbreviations: ECP, extracorporeal photopheresis; non-ECP, 3rd-line treatment other than extracorporeal photopheresis; CR, complete response; PR, partial response; NR, no response.

Table 3.
Infection after third-line treatment in patients with steroid resistant acute GVHD
  Total (%) ECP (%) Non-ECP (%) P value (ECP vs. non-ECP)
Bacterial or fungal infection after 3rd Tx 16 (70) 5 (50) 11 (85) 0.169
CMV infection after 3rd Tx 7 (30) 3 (30) 4 (31) 1.000
Bacterial or fungal infection in CR or PR after 3rd Tx∗ 3 (50) 0 (0) 3 (100) 0.02
CMV infection in CR or PR after 3rd Tx∗ 3 (50) 0 (0) 1 (33) 1.000

∗The comparison analysis was only performed in patients responding to third-line treatment.

Abbreviations: CR, complete response; PR, partial response; 3rd Tx, third-line treatment; ECP, extracorporeal photopheresis non-ECP, third-line treatment other than extracorporeal photopheresis; CMV, cytomegalovirus.

Table 4.
The indep survival of patients determined by mul pendent advers with steroid r tivariate analys se prognostic fa resistant acute sis actors for GVHD as
  Hazard ratio 95 % C.I. P value
Platelet <50,000/mm3 14.342 1.313∼21.641 0.001
Non-ECP 5.343 1.670∼17.102 0.005
Response <PR 5.331 1.313∼21.641 0.019

Abbreviations: Non-ECP, third-line treatment other than extracorporeal photopheresis; PR, partial response.

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