OBJECTIVES: Presumed or proven invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is an important cause of infectious morbidity in patients with acute leukaemia. Although prior IPA is not a contraindication for subsequent allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), its management during granulocytopenia and immunosuppression remains challenging. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In the absence of an evidence-based approach, 11 adolescents (11-18 years) with acute leukaemia and a history of antecedent possible (4) or probable (7) IPA received liposomal amphotericin B (LAMB; 1 mg/kg once a day) from the start of the conditioning regimen until engraftment and ability to take oral medication, followed by oral voriconazole (200 mg twice a day) until the end of the at-risk period. Nine patients had a good partial response (>50% reduction in pulmonary infiltrates) and two had a complete response prior to HSCT. RESULTS: The median duration of intravenous treatment with LAMB was 30 days (range, 19-36), followed by a median of 152 days (range, 19-210) of oral voriconazole. LAMB was discontinued early in one patient and voriconazole was transiently or permanently discontinued due to adverse events/new contraindications in two and two patients, respectively. At +180 days post-transplant, eight patients were alive, six with complete, and one each with near complete and ongoing resolution of pulmonary infiltrates; all but one were in continuing haematological remission. Three patients had succumbed either to recurrent leukaemia (two) or refractory graft failure (one); whereas one of these patients had maintained a complete response, two died with secondary possible (one) or probable (one) IPA. Both patients had discontinued voriconazole early and developed IPA in lung areas involved during the primary episode. CONCLUSIONS: This prospective paediatric series supports the notion that secondary antifungal prophylaxis for possible or probable IPA can be safely achieved in allogeneic HSCT. In the absence of chronic graft-versus-host disease, breakthrough infection appeared to be associated with recurrent leukaemia/graft failure and shorter duration of post-engraftment prophylaxis.
OBJECTIVES: Presumed or proven invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is an important cause of infectious morbidity in patients with acute leukaemia. Although prior IPA is not a contraindication for subsequent allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), its management during granulocytopenia and immunosuppression remains challenging. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In the absence of an evidence-based approach, 11 adolescents (11-18 years) with acute leukaemia and a history of antecedent possible (4) or probable (7) IPA received liposomal amphotericin B (LAMB; 1 mg/kg once a day) from the start of the conditioning regimen until engraftment and ability to take oral medication, followed by oral voriconazole (200 mg twice a day) until the end of the at-risk period. Nine patients had a good partial response (>50% reduction in pulmonary infiltrates) and two had a complete response prior to HSCT. RESULTS: The median duration of intravenous treatment with LAMB was 30 days (range, 19-36), followed by a median of 152 days (range, 19-210) of oral voriconazole. LAMB was discontinued early in one patient and voriconazole was transiently or permanently discontinued due to adverse events/new contraindications in two and two patients, respectively. At +180 days post-transplant, eight patients were alive, six with complete, and one each with near complete and ongoing resolution of pulmonary infiltrates; all but one were in continuing haematological remission. Three patients had succumbed either to recurrent leukaemia (two) or refractory graft failure (one); whereas one of these patients had maintained a complete response, two died with secondary possible (one) or probable (one) IPA. Both patients had discontinued voriconazole early and developed IPA in lung areas involved during the primary episode. CONCLUSIONS: This prospective paediatric series supports the notion that secondary antifungal prophylaxis for possible or probable IPA can be safely achieved in allogeneic HSCT. In the absence of chronic graft-versus-host disease, breakthrough infection appeared to be associated with recurrent leukaemia/graft failure and shorter duration of post-engraftment prophylaxis.
Authors: Catherine Cordonnier; Montserrat Rovira; Johan Maertens; Eduardo Olavarria; Catherine Faucher; Karin Bilger; Arnaud Pigneux; Oliver A Cornely; Andrew J Ullmann; Rodrigo Martino Bofarull; Rafael de la Cámara; Maja Weisser; Effie Liakopoulou; Manuel Abecasis; Claus Peter Heussel; Marc Pineau; Per Ljungman; Hermann Einsele Journal: Haematologica Date: 2010-07-15 Impact factor: 9.941
Authors: O Penack; G Tridello; J Hoek; G Socié; D Blaise; J Passweg; P Chevallier; C Craddock; N Milpied; H Veelken; J Maertens; P Ljungman; J Cornelissen; A Thiebaut-Bertrand; B Lioure; M Michallet; S Iacobelli; A Nagler; M Mohty; S Cesaro Journal: Bone Marrow Transplant Date: 2015-10-26 Impact factor: 5.483