These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: The real-time polymerase chain reaction-guided modulation of immunosuppression enables the pre-emptive management of Epstein-Barr virus reactivation after allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
    Author: Cesaro S, Murrone A, Mengoli C, Pillon M, Biasolo MA, Calore E, Tridello G, Varotto S, Alaggio R, Zanesco L, Palù G, Messina C.
    Journal: Br J Haematol; 2005 Jan; 128(2):224-33. PubMed ID: 15638858.
    Abstract:
    To assess a real-time polymerase chain reaction-based modulation of immunosuppression in patients with an increasing Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) viral load, we studied 79 paediatric allogeneic stem cell transplantations (allo-SCT) performed between January 1998 and December 2003. EBV reactivation was observed in 42 of 79 patients (53%) after a median time of 45 d from allo-SCT: 37 (88%) and five (12%) patients had received the graft from an unrelated and a related donor respectively (P = 0.001). Twenty-eight patients (67%) had a viral load > or =300 genomic copies x10(5) peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and antithymocyte globulin was the only factor significantly associated with EBV reactivation (P = 0.001, RR 7.1). Among these 28 patients, immunosuppression was suspended and reduced in 17 and 11 patients respectively. Overall, post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease was diagnosed in one of 79 patients (1%). The pre-emptive modulation of immunosuppression in patients with EBV reactivation and a viral load > or =300 genomic copies x10(5) PBMC did not negatively influence transplant-related mortality, overall survival or event-free survival. In conclusion, EBV reactivation is frequent even in 'low risk' patients and the pre-emptive modulation of immunosuppression enables it to be managed safely, with no significant flare in graft-versus-host disease status.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]