Despite increasing success rate in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) control of graft versus host disease (GVHD) remains a significative burden in mortality and morbidity. A lot of strategies could lower the incidence and gravity of the disease and immunosuppressive treatment as GVHD prophylaxis still represent the main method. Although immunosuppressive treatment showed a good effect on GVHD mortality a lot of studies also highlight an increase of relapse and infection related mortality that jeopardize the effect on overall survival of HSCT recipient. Using anti thymocyte globulin (ATG) as GVHD prophylaxis shares the same double-edge effect as other immunosuppressive treatment although is still unclear how manage dose and timing of the infusion to minimize promoting effect on infections and maximize protective effect on GVHD. Biological effect of ATG lead to a dose- related delay in all class of T-cell reconstitution but our data are mostly from adult studies with high doses between 30 and 60 mg/kg due to the more important burden of GVHD in HSCT adult population. As for other treatment in HSCT conditioning we would like to study a personalized approach for ATG treatment: some studies focus on tuning of ATG dose for kilos but previous evidence showed that the same dose could made too little or too much immunosuppressive effect for different patients, even though same age and same stem cell source.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
102
Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo"
Trieste, Italy
Development of GVHD according to lymphocyte/ATG ratio
Differences in the frequency of GVHD according to the two exposure's groups (lymphocyte/ATG ratio \<0.01 vs \>0.01). Adjustment for potentially associated variables (e.g., dose of drug actually received by patients, age of patients, type of conditioning, underlying disease, type of donor) will be carried out
Time frame: 24 months after transplant
Transplant related mortality according to lymphocyte/ATG ratio
Comparison of transplant related mortality 24 months after HSCT in the two exposure's groups (lymphocyte/ATG ratio \<0.01 vs \>0.01)
Time frame: 24 months after transplant
Incidence of Graft Failure according to lymphocyte/ATG ratio
Frequency of engraftment failure and hematological reconstitution time (defined as the first post-transplant day of at least three consecutive days with the presence of at least 500 neutrophils / mmc for myeloid engraftment and the first appearance of lymphoid cell subpopulations) in the two exposure's groups (lymphocyte/ATG ratio \<0.01 vs \>0.01)
Time frame: 24 months after transplant
Number of episodes of sepsis during the post-transplant period according to lymphocyte/ATG ratio
Number of episodes of sepsis after HSCT and correlated mortality and morbidity in the two exposure's groups (lymphocyte/ATG ratio \<0.01 vs \>0.01)
Time frame: 24 months after transplant
Number of episodes of fungal infections during the post transplant period according to lymphocyte/ATG ratio
Number of episodes of fungal infections after HSCT and correlated mortality and morbidity in the two exposure's groups (lymphocyte/ATG ratio \<0.01 vs \>0.01)
Time frame: 24 months after transplant
Number of episodes of viral reactivations during the post transplant period according to lymphocyte/ATG ratio
Number of episodes of viral reactivations after HSCT and correlated mortality and morbidity in the two exposure's groups (lymphocyte/ATG ratio \<0.01 vs \>0.01)
Time frame: 24 months after transplant
Entity of GVHD according to lymphocyte/ATG ratio
Severity and organ involvement of acute and chronic GVHD defined by the Glucksberg classification by degrees of severity in the two exposure's groups (lymphocyte/ATG ratio \<0.01 vs \>0.01)
Time frame: 24 months after transplant
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