Predictor Of Non-relapse Mortality Research Articles

Amphiregulin, ST2, and REG3α biomarker risk algorithms as predictors of nonrelapse mortality in patients with acute GVHD

AbstractGraft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a major cause of nonrelapse mortality (NRM) after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. Algorithms containing either the gastrointestinal (GI) GVHD biomarker amphiregulin (AREG) or a combination of 2 GI GVHD biomarkers (suppressor of tumorigenicity-2 [ST2] + regenerating family member 3 alpha [REG3α]) when measured at GVHD diagnosis are validated predictors of NRM risk but have never been assessed in the same patients using identical statistical methods. We measured the serum concentrations of ST2, REG3α, and AREG by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at the time of GVHD diagnosis in 715 patients divided by the date of transplantation into training (2004-2015) and validation (2015-2017) cohorts. The training cohort (n = 341) was used to develop algorithms for predicting the probability of 12-month NRM that contained all possible combinations of 1 to 3 biomarkers and a threshold corresponding to the concordance probability was used to stratify patients for the risk of NRM. Algorithms were compared with each other based on several metrics, including the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve, proportion of patients correctly classified, sensitivity, and specificity using only the validation cohort (n = 374). All algorithms were strong discriminators of 12-month NRM, whether or not patients were systemically treated (n = 321). An algorithm containing only ST2 + REG3α had the highest area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (0.757), correctly classified the most patients (75%), and more accurately risk-stratified those who developed Minnesota standard-risk GVHD and for patients who received posttransplant cyclophosphamide-based prophylaxis. An algorithm containing only AREG more accurately risk-stratified patients with Minnesota high-risk GVHD. Combining ST2, REG3α, and AREG into a single algorithm did not improve performance.

Coronary Artery Calcium As a Predictor of Non-Relapse Mortality and Overall Survival in Patients Undergoing Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide As Gvhd Prophylaxis

Coronary Artery Calcium As a Predictor of Non-Relapse Mortality and Overall Survival in Patients Undergoing Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide As Gvhd Prophylaxis

Early Prognostic Biomarkers of Non-Relapse Mortality in Allogeneic Mismatched Unrelated Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation

Introduction A major challenge in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) has been advancing outcomes for individuals lacking a fully matched donor who require a mismatched unrelated donor (MMUD) HCT. Recently, the 15-MMUD study demonstrated encouraging results for post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PT-Cy)-based prophylaxis in MMUD recipients (Shaw, Jimenez, JCO 2021). Our retrospective analysis confirmed improvement in MMUD survival with PT-Cy compared to historical anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG)/calcineurin-based regimens (Jimenez, Blood Adv 2022). Elevations of plasma biomarkers such as Stimulation-2 (ST2) have demonstrated increased risk of non-relapse mortality (NRM) and GVHD, however these have not been validated in the MMUD setting. Here, we carried out a pilot study to determine if biomarker analysis of ST2, Chemokine ligand-9 (CXCL-9), and Regenerating islet-derived 3-α (REG3α) at Day 14 (D14) and 30 (D30) can identify patients at higher risk for NRM after MMUD HCT. Methods Patients with banked samples and underwent MMUD HCT with either ATG or PT-Cy as GVHD prophylaxis at the University of Miami between 2016 - 2020 were included. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for ST2, CXCL-9, and REG3α were performed in batches on cryopreserved plasma. Descriptive statistics of demographic variables were compared using chi-squared, Fisher's exact, or Wilcoxon rank sum tests. ST2 values were treated as continuous variables, and CXCL-9 was dichotomized due to frequent values below the lower limit of detection. Cumulative incidences of NRM were analyzed with relapse as a competing risk. Time-dependent receiver operating curves (ROC) were constructed and Area Under the ROC Curve (AUC) calculated. Youden's index was used to select optimum thresholds for each biomarker. Results We included 47 patients (ATG: 23; PT-Cy: 24). The PT-Cy group had more bone marrow graft representation (50% vs 22%, p = 0.04) and more donors mismatched at >1 HLA-locus (29% vs 0%, p<0.01). Median follow up was 746 days (range 44-1968). Point estimate of overall survival at 2 years was 35% (95% CI 20-61) for ATG and 71% (95% CI 55-92) for PT-Cy (p=0.02). Median overall survival was estimated at 413 days among ATG patients and could not be estimated for PT-Cy patients. The cumulative incidence of NRM at 2-years was 30% (95% CI 13-51%) for ATG and 17% (95% CI 5-35%) for PT-Cy (p=0.03). Among all patients, ST2 was prognostic for NRM using time-varying covariates including combined D14 and D30 (D14+30) with a HR of 2.14 (95% CI 1.04-4.39, p = 0.04). The D14+30 ROC to predict NRM at 1-year using ST2 showed an AUC of 0.83 (95% CI 0.66-1). D+14 thresholded ST2 value maximizing Youden's index of ≥79.89 ng/mL was discriminative for 1-year NRM (p=0.002) (Fig. 1). Additionally, combination of CXCL-9 to ST2 could optimize the prognostic value when compared to ST2 alone: HR at D14+D30: 3.82 (95% CI 1.01-14.47, p=0.048) with an improved AUC of 0.9 (95% CI 0.79-1) (Fig. 2). REG3α did not significantly add to the AUC. Although limited by sample size, we explored the association by GVHD prophylaxis (ATG or PT-Cy). First, in the ATG group, the D14 ST2 value that maximized thresholded Youden's index of 61.39 ng/mL was predictive of 1-year NRM (p=0.04). Similarly, the D+30 ST2 values of 148.06 ng/mL was predictive of NRM (p<0.001). The AUC for prediction of 1-year NRM for Second, in the PT-Cy group, elevations of D30 ST2 were prognostic of 1-year NRM with HR 15.05 (95% CI 1.77-27.83, p=0.01). Consequently, the AUC for prediction of 1-year NRM for D30 ST2 was 0.92 (95% CI 0.77-1) and for ST2 + CXCL-9 was 0.96 (95% CI 0.86-1). Conclusions This pilot study suggests that after MMUD HCT, D14 and D30 biomarkers are prognostic for NRM across GVHD prophylaxis platforms. Importantly, we find that ST2 maintains its prognostic capacity in the increasingly popular PT-Cy group. This supplements what we previously reported in the haploidentical and matched unrelated donor PT-Cy setting (Kanakry, Haematologica 2017). Biomarker combination ST2 + CXCL-9 showed improved AUC over ST2 alone, and the composite D14+30 timepoint may have additive utility over a single timepoint. While the optimal time for biomarker collection is unknown, our data suggests D14 had value for ATG-treated patients, whereas D30 may be more important in the PT-Cy-treated group. A validation cohort is being assembled for PT-Cy based MMUD HCT.

Pretransplantation EASIX Score Predicts Nonrelapse and Overall Mortality of Adult Patients Undergoing Single-Unit Unrelated Cord Blood Transplantation

The Endothelial Activation and Stress Index (EASIX) is a laboratory-based score used to estimate endothelial damage occurring after hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). The EASIX score exhibits dynamic changes during the course of transplantation and has been identified as a predictor of nonrelapse mortality (NRM) and worse overall survival (OS) in studies focused mainly on patients who received matched related or unrelated donor allogeneic HCT. However, the role of EASIX score in the setting of cord blood transplantation (CBT) is unclear. This study examined the association between pretransplant EASIX score and post-transplantation outcomes in adult patients undergoing single-unit CBT. We retrospectively evaluated the impact of EASIX score at different time points on post-transplantation outcomes in adults following single-unit unrelated CBT between 1998 and 2022 at our institution. EASIX scores were calculated at the start of conditioning (EASIX-PRE), at day 30 post-CBT (EASIX-d30), at day 100 post-CBT (EASIX-d100), and at the onset of grade II-IV acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) (EASIX-GVHD II-IV). A total of 317 patients were included in this study. In the multivariate analysis, log2-EASIX-PRE (continuous variable) was significantly associated with lower risks of neutrophil engraftment (hazard ratio [HR], .87; 95% confidence interval [CI], .80 to .94; P < .001) and platelet engraftment (HR, .91; 95% CI, .83 to .99; P=.047), lower risk of grade II-IV acute GVHD (HR, .85; 95% CI, .76 to .94; P=.003), and higher risk of veno-occlusive disease/sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (VOD/SOS) (HR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.03 to 2.02; P=.032). Log2-EASIX-PRE also was significantly associated with higher NRM (HR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.08 to 1.86; P=.011) and worse OS (HR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.08 to 1.46; P=.003), but not with relapse (HR, 1.02; 95% CI, .88 to 1.18; P=.780). Similarly, log2-EASIX-d30 (HR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.26 to 2.05; P < .001), and log2-EASIX-d100 (HR, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.63 to 2.48; P < .001) were also significantly associated with higher NRM, but log2-EASIX-GVHD II-IV was not (HR, 1.15; 95% CI, .85 to 1.55; P=.360). Pretransplantation EASIX score is a powerful predictor of engraftment, VOS/SOS, NRM, and OS in adult patients undergoing single-unit unrelated CBT who mainly received intensified conditioning regimens. EASIX is an easily evaluable and dynamic prognostic score for accurately predicting post-transplantation outcomes in patients at any time during the course of allogeneic HCT, particularly for CBT.

Prediction of Nonrelapse Mortality in Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Receiving Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation With Posttransplantation Cyclophosphamide-based Graft Versus Host Disease Prophylaxis.

Graft versus host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis with posttransplantation cyclophosphamide (PTCY) has been established to reduce severe GVHD, and thereby potentially reducing nonrelapse mortality (NRM) after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT). We evaluated the predictive capacity of established NRM-risk scores in patients receiving PTCY-based GVHD prophylaxis, and subsequently developed and validated a novel PTCY-specific NRM-risk model. Adult patients (n = 1861) with AML or ALL in first complete remission who received alloSCT with PTCY-based GVHD prophylaxis were included. The PTCY-risk score was developed using multivariable Fine and Gray regression, selecting parameters from the hematopoietic cell transplantation-comorbidity index (HCT-CI) and European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) score with a subdistribution hazard ratio (SHR) of ≥1.2 for 2-year NRM in the training set (70% split), which was validated in the test set (30%). The performance of the EBMT score, HCT-CI, and integrated EBMT score was relatively poor for discriminating 2-year NRM (c-statistic 51.7%, 56.6%, and 59.2%, respectively). The PTCY-risk score included 10 variables which were collapsed in 3 risk groups estimating 2-year NRM of 11% ± 2%, 19% ± 2%, and 36% ± 3% (training set, c-statistic 64%), and 11% ± 2%, 18% ± 3%, and 31% ± 5% (test set, c-statistic 63%), which also translated into different overall survival. Collectively, we developed an NRM-risk score for acute leukemia patients receiving PTCY that better predicted 2-year NRM compared with existing models, which might be applicable to the specific toxicities of high-dose cyclophosphamide.

A retrospective single-center analysis of G-CSF-mobilized donor lymphocyte infusion in hematologic malignancies after unmanipulated allogenic PBSCT.

To explore the efficacy and safety of G-SCF-mobilized donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) for treatment of relapse of hematologic malignancies after allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation, we performed a retrospective analysis in a cohort of patients with morphologic (n = 36) or molecular (n = 22) relapse post transplantation. The 3-year post-DLI survival rates for therapeutic and preemptive DLI recipients were 16.7% and 33.3%, respectively. The occurrence of DLI-associated acute graft-versus-host disease predicted longer survival, whereas diagnosis of T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma or myelodysplastic syndromes or early relapse after transplant (< 6months) predicted shorter survival after therapeutic DLI. Cumulative incidence of progression to hematologic relapse and non-relapse mortality after preemptive DLI were 46.8% and 29.1%, respectively. Active disease prior to transplant and early molecular relapse after transplant (< 4months) were the strongest predictors of non-relapse mortality after preemptive DLI. In conclusion, although therapeutic DLI had limited efficacy against T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma or myelodysplastic syndromes or early post-transplant relapse, patients who developed DLI-associated acute graft-versus-host disease would benefit from this procedure in the setting of G-SCF-mobilized DLI. Furthermore, preemptive DLI could protect half of patients from hematologic relapse after transplantation with acceptable toxicity.

Legionellosis after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Limited data are available on legionellosis after hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). The aim of this study was to report the cases of legionellosis and to identify predictors of legionellosis, legionellosis-associated death, and non-relapse mortality (NRM). All cases of post-HSCT legionellosis from the EBMT registry were included and matched with controls in a 3:1 ratio for the analyses of risk factors. In the years 1995-2016, 80 cases from 52 centers in 14 countries were identified (mainly from France, Italy, and Spain). Median time from HSCT to legionellosis was 203 days (range, 0-4099); 19 (23.8%) patients developed early legionellosis (within-day +30 post-HSCT). Patients were mainly male (70%), after allogeneic HSCT (70%), with acute leukemia (27.5%), lymphoma (23.8%), or multiple myeloma (21.3%), and the median age of 46.6 (range, 7.2-68.2). Predictors of legionellosis were allogeneic HSCT (OR = 2.27, 95%CI:1.08-4.80, p = 0.03) and recent other infection (OR = 2.96, 95%CI:1.34-6.52, p = 0.007). Twenty-seven (33.8%) patients died due to legionellosis (44% after early legionellosis), NRM was 50%. Predictors of NRM were female sex (HR = 2.19, 95%CI:1.13-4.23, p = 0.02), early legionellosis (HR = 2.24, 95%CI:1.13-4.46, p = 0.02), and south-eastern geographical region (HR = 2.16, 95%CI:1.05-4.44, p = 0.036). In conclusion, legionellosis is a rare complication after HSCT, mainly allogeneic, occurring frequently within 30 days after HSCT and associated with high mortality.

Impact of renal impairment on light chain amyloidosis outcomes after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Light chain amyloidosis (AL) is a rare clonal plasma cell neoplasm characterized by the deposition of amyloid fibrils derived from the aggregation of misfolded immunoglobulin light chains in vital organs such as heart and kidneys resulting in irreversible organ damage (1). The severity of organ damage is the most important determinant of outcome. Both cardiac and renal staging systems have been proposed and validated as predictors of outcome. Cardiac staging system, initially developed and then revised by the Mayo Group, utilizes cardiac biomarkers (NT-proBNP, troponin T and I) and serum free light chain levels to stratify the patients (2,3). Renal staging system, developed by the Pavia Group, depends on the degree of proteinuria and glomerular filtration rates (GFRs) (4). Cardiac stage in general is a predictor of non-relapse mortality and overall survival, while renal stage is a predictor of renal recovery and dialysis dependence (2-4). Renal involvement is seen in approximately 70% of patients with AL (5). However, there are limited data on the impact of baseline renal dysfunction on the outcomes of AL after autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT).

Prediction of Non-Relapse Mortality with Dynamic Easix Scores after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation

Introduction Endothelial Activation and Stress Index (EASIX), a surrogate of endothelial dysfunction, is a powerful tool for predicting non-relapse mortality (NRM) when evaluated prior to allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) and at specific landmarks post-HCT. Objectives We sought to determine if changes in EASIX over time may also be an informative marker of NRM. Methods We evaluated 509 adults who underwent RIC/NMA unmodified or MAC ex-vivo CD34+-selected allo-HCT between 2008-2016. Unmodified allo-HCT patients (pts) received a GVHD prophylaxis of sirolimus/tacrolimus and low-dose methotrexate. CD34+-selected pts received no planned immunosuppression. EASIX scores (LDH x creatinine/platelet count) were calculated continuously until 1-year post-HCT. A log transformation using base 2 (log2) was applied to all EASIX variables to reduce skew. A 1-unit increase in log2 EASIX is associated with a doubling of EASIX on the original scale. Disease relapse or death were considered competing risks for NRM. Results 360 pts (71%) received a CD34+-selected and 149 (29%) an unmodified allo-HCT. HLA matched donors were used in 435 (86%) and mismatched in 74 (14%) pts. HCT-CI was 0 in 24% of pts, 1-2 in 32%, and ≥ 3 in 44%. Median age was 56 (range 19-78) and 59% were males. Most unmodified allo-HCTs were done for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (69%), and most CD34+-selected allo-HCTs were done for acute leukemia (61%). Among all patients, EASIX scores increased rapidly, peaked at day +8, then declined until day +40. Thereafter, scores decreased but remained above pre-HCT baseline for the first year (Figure 1a). In unmodified pts, EASIX scores appeared higher over time than in CD34+-selected pts, whose scores rapidly decreased by 2 months post-HCT (Figure 1b). EASIX's ability to discriminate NRM in the subsequent 180 days was similar when analyzed as a categorical variable at landmark timepoints and as change from pre-HCT. EASIX discrimination of NRM was highest between day +180 to +210 (concordance index=0.85) (Figure 2). At this landmark, pts with log EASIX >2 died of infection (14%), GVHD (29%), relapse (33%), and other causes (25%) in the subsequent 180 days. Mean EASIX scores at this landmark were higher in men (mean log2 +0.52) and in pts who developed grade 2-4 GVHD by day +180 (+0.81), lower in pts who received matched unrelated versus mismatched donors (-0.81, all P Conclusion EASIX scores are dynamic and variably concordant with NRM when analyzed longitudinally post-HCT, and patterns differ between allo-HCT platforms. Compared to pre-HCT evaluation, dynamic EASIX scores may better predict risk of NRM over time as pts acquire additional endothelial injury and toxicities along the allo-HCT journey.

Early Hyperbilirubinemia Is an Independent Predictor of Outcome after Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation and Correlates with Markers of Endothelial Cell Dysfunction

Background: Hyperbilirubinemia occurs frequently in the early phase after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT). In the present study we analysed whether high bilirubin levels until day +28 after alloSCT are associated with clinical outcome independent of liver toxicity and clinically defined diseases, such as sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS/VOD), transplantation-associated thrombotic microangiopathy (TAM) or steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease (refrGVHD). Methods: Serum bilirubin levels from 901 patients (training cohort) and from 399 patients transplanted in an independent institution (validation cohort), obtained over the first 4 weeks following alloSCT, were analyzed along with routine serum markers for liver cell and cholangiocyte damage (alanine transaminase, ALT, gamma-glutamyltransferase, gGT), and with markers of endothelial dysfunction, such as Angiopoietin-2 serum levels and the endothelial activation and stress index before conditioning therapy (EASIX-pre) and on the day of transplantation (EASIX-d0). Finally, we analysed the impact of prophylaxis with the endothelium-protective agents pravastatin and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDA) on early bilirubinaemia. Results: Maximum bilirubin levels (days 0-28) were associated with increased risk of overall mortality (OM) and non-relapse mortality (NRM) in patients without SOS/VOD. The optimal bilirubin cut-off for prediction of NRM was found at 3.6 mg/dl (61.6 mM), so that any event of bilirubin≧3.6 mg/dl between days 0 and 28 was defined as early hyperbilirubinemia (EABI). Independent of SOS/VOD, refrGVHD or TAM, EABI predicted OM and NRM in the training and the validation cohort. Although EABI occurred more frequently after anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) treatment and in patients with myelofibrosis, the effect of EABI on NRM remained stable irrespective of these conditions. EABI was not associated with markers of liver cell and cholangiocyte damage. In contrast, EABI was significantly correlated with pre-transplant serum levels of Angiopoietin-2 as well as increased EASIX-pre and EASIX-d0. Patients receiving prophylaxis with pravastatin and UDA had a reduced risk of death after EABI. Conclusion: EABI is a predictor of NRM and OM independent from SOS/VOD, refrGVHD and TAM. The association of EABI with EASIX, Angiopoietin-2 and statin/UDCA prophylaxis, but not with liver enzymes, suggests a mechanistic role of the endothelium for the pathophysiology of EABI. Table 1: Multivariable Cox-Regression with endpoint non-relapse mortality after d+28. VOD patients were excluded from this analysis. p-values of the training cohort were corrected by bootstrap 1000. Table 1 Disclosures Luft: Neovii: Research Funding; JAZZ: Research Funding. Bullinger:Bayer: Other: Financing of scientific research; Amgen: Honoraria; Astellas: Honoraria; Sanofi: Honoraria; Seattle Genetics: Honoraria; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria; Daiichi Sankyo: Honoraria; Gilead: Honoraria; Hexal: Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria; Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria; Menarini: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria; Pfizer: Honoraria; Abbvie: Honoraria. Dreger:Neovii, Riemser: Research Funding; MSD: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Sponsoring of Symposia; AbbVie, AstraZeneca, Gilead, Janssen, Novartis, Riemser, Roche: Consultancy; AbbVie, Gilead, Novartis, Riemser, Roche: Speakers Bureau.

Moderate or severe valvular heart disease and outcomes in allogeneic stem cell transplantation

BackgroundA Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation-Specific Comorbidity Index (HCT-CI) was previously developed showing that multiple comorbidities including moderate or greater valvular heart disease to be predictors of non-relapse mortality after allogeneic HCT. However, detailed description of the impact of valve disease on outcomes is lacking. MethodsAmong a large cohort of patients given allogeneic HCT between 2000 and 2017, we identified 21 patients with moderate or severe valvular disease. We also identified a cohort of 42 controls matched on age and HCT-CI score. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality, with censoring at two years of follow-up. Secondary outcomes included mortality without relapse, duration of index admission, number of readmissions, increase in creatinine and peak troponin. ResultsNon-myeloablative regimens were more common in the valve disease cohort compared to controls (86% vs 54% p = 0.012). Valvular disease was associated with increased all-cause mortality with adjusted hazard ratio of 2.17 (CI 1.08–4.34, p = 0.029) and for non-relapse mortality with adjusted hazard ratio of 2.53 (CI 1.16–5.52, p = 0.020). In the valve disease cohort, creatinine increased by 1.6 vs 0.9 mg/dL (p = 0.003) and peak troponin by 1.6 vs 0.3 ng/mL (p = 0.05) compared to controls. There was no difference in readmissions or length of stay when accounting for outpatient treatment. ConclusionsDespite having similar pre-procedure risk factors and undergoing less aggressive chemotherapy regimens, patients with moderate valvular disease or greater, most of whom did not meet current guideline recommendations for repair, had worse non-relapse related outcomes with higher mortality, renal and myocardial injury.

Impact of Sarcopenia on Adverse Outcomes After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation.

High intensity treatments such as hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) can be curative for patients with hematologic malignancies, but this needs to be balanced by the high risk of nonrelapse mortality (NRM) during the first 2 years after HCT. Sarcopenia (low muscle mass) is associated with physical disability and premature mortality in individuals with nonmalignant diseases and may be a predictor of NRM and poor overall survival in patients undergoing HCT. This was a retrospective cohort study of 859 patients with acute leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome who underwent a first HCT as adults (≥18 years) between 2007 and 2014. Sarcopenia was assessed from pre-HCT abdominal computed tomography scans. Two-year cumulative incidence of NRM was calculated, with relapse/progression considered as a competing risk event. Fine-Gray subdistribution hazard ratio estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were obtained and adjusted for relevant covariates. Kaplan-Meier method was used to examine overall survival. All statistical tests were two-sided. Median age at HCT was 51 years (range = 18-74 years); 52.5% had a high [≥3] HCT-comorbidity index; 33.7% had sarcopenia pre-HCT. Sarcopenia was an independent predictor of higher NRM risk (hazard ratio = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.16 to 2.16) compared with patients who were not. The 2-year incidence of NRM approached 30% in patients with sarcopenia and high (≥3) HCT-comorbidity index. Patients with sarcopenia had on average a longer hospitalization (37.2 days vs 31.5 days, P < .001) and inferior overall survival at 2 years (55.2%, 95% CI = 49.5% to 61.0% vs 66.9%, 95% CI = 63.0% to 70.8%, P < .001). Sarcopenia is an important and independent predictor of survival after HCT, with potential additional downstream impacts on health-economic outcomes. This information can be used to facilitate treatment decisions prior to HCT and guide interventions to decrease the risk of treatment-related complications after HCT.

The Prognostic Calculator Easix Predicts Acute Gvhd, Non-Relapse Mortality and Overall Survival in Adult Patients Undergoing Reduced Intensity Conditioning Allogeneic HCT

KeywordsAllogeneic transplantation; endothelial damage; biomarkers.BackgroundEndothelial damage is associated with severe complications and increased risk of death after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (AlloHCT). The recently developed Endothelial Activation and Stress Index (EASIX) is a prognostic tool that uses clinical lab values and has been shown to predict non-relapse mortality (NRM) and overall survival (OS) at onset of acute graft versus host disease (aGVHD) in reduced intensity (RIC) alloHCT (Luft, Lancet Haematol 2017). We hypothesized that EASIX may be valuable for more broadly predicting aGVHD, NRM and OS after AlloHCT, beyond time of onset of aGVHD.DesignWe evaluated 152 adult patients who received an unmodified RIC AlloHCT from a related or unrelated donor with uniform GVHD prophylaxis of sirolimus/tacrolimus and low-dose MTX for treatment of lymphoid malignancies, between April 2008 and May 2017. The EASIX formula (LDH*Creatinine/platelet counts) was calculated at multiple timepoints (pre-HCT, day 30, day 100, onset TMA and aGVHD). For all EASIX assessments post-HCT, a landmark analysis was conducted at the given timepoint A log transformation using base 2 (log2) was applied to all EASIX variables to reduce skew. A one-unit increase in log2 EASIX is associated with a doubling (one-fold increase) of EASIX on the original scale. Kaplan-Meier, cumulative incidence, and cox modeling (cause specific for NRM and aGVHD) were used to evaluate EASIX as it relates to outcomes of interest. Relapse and death or relapse were considered competing risks for NRM and aGVHD respectively.ResultsThe median age at transplant was 54 years (range 23-78), 70% were males, a majority had non-Hodgkin lymphoma (68%), and most had sensitive disease at time of HCT (CR=56%; PR=33%). All patients, except two, received peripheral blood stem cells. Sixty-three patients had an HLA-identical related donor, while the remaining 89 had an unrelated donor transplant (HLA-matched in 75 patients, and HLA-mismatched in 14 patients). HCT-CI was 0 in 49 patients, 1-2 in 41 and ≥ 3 in 62 patients. With a median follow-up in surviving patients of 5.4 years (range, 0.8-10), the 1 and 3 years OS rate was 84.2% (95% CI, 77.3-89.1) and 67.9% (95% CI, 59.6-74.8), respectively. The NRM rate at 1 and 3 years was 7.9% (95% CI, 4.3-12.9) and 16.4% (95% CI, 10.9-22.8), respectively. The 1-year cumulative incidences of grades 1-4, 2-4 and 3-4 aGVHD were 56.6% (95% CI, 48.3-64.1), 42.1% (95% CI, 34.2-49.8) and 7.9% (95% CI, 4.3-12.9), respectively. Post-HCT thrombotic microangiopathy was only observed in 13 patients, representing too few events for EASIX analysis. As expected, HCT-CI was significantly associated with both OS and NRM. Pre-HCT EASIX was significantly associated with increased NRM (HR=1.60 [95% CI, 1.15-2.23], p=0.005) and aGVHD grade 1-4 and 2-4 (HR=1.33 [95% CI, 1.08-1.64], p=0.006 and HR=1.39 [95% CI, 1.10-1.75], p=0.005; respectively), but not OS or grade 3-4 aGVHD (Table 1). EASIX at day 30 and day 100 was significantly associated with both OS and NRM (Figures 1-4). Furthermore, confirming the results of Luft, EASIX calculated at onset of any grade aGVHD was significantly associated with OS (HR=1.34 [1.10-1.63], p=0.004) and NRM (HR=1.47 1.11-1.94], p=0.007). Finally, there was no correlation between HCT-CI and EASIX score.ConclusionsWe conclude that the EASIX formula, calculated at various timepoints pre and post AlloHCT, is significantly associated with NRM and OS. Pre-HCT EASIX also predicts risk of aGVHD, confirming prior results, EASIX at onset of acute GVHD is a predictor of NRM and OS in adult recipients RIC AlloHCT. EASIX provides an independent and easily accessible tool to predict important AlloHCT outcomes that can be used in addition to HCT-CI to better risk stratify patients. [Display omitted] DisclosuresSauter:Juno Therapeutics: Consultancy, Research Funding; Sanofi-Genzyme: Consultancy, Research Funding; Spectrum Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy; Precision Biosciences: Consultancy; Kite: Consultancy. Perales:Incyte: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Personal fees and Clinical trial support; Merck: Other: Personal fees; Takeda: Other: Personal fees; Abbvie: Other: Personal fees; Novartis: Other: Personal fees.

EARLY Post-Transplant Events , Cost of Admission and Mortality, in Patients Undergoing Allogeneic Transplants from Identical Siblings, Unrelated Donors or Haploidentical Donors

Abstract Background. The outcome of allogeneic hemopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is measured in terms of graft versus host disease (GvHD), non-relapse mortality (NRM) and survival. Days of Hospital stay and number of re-admissions, are important surrogates of outcome, quality of life, and also of costs, but are usually not reported. Aim of the study . Assess the number of days alive and outside the Hospital (DAOH) , together with the frequency of a new re-admission, in the first 100 days after transplant. Patients. We analyzed 212 patients who received an allogeneic HSCT from matched sibling (SIB) (n=64), unrelated donors (UD) (n=74) and family haploidentical donors (HAPLO) (n=74). Median age was 49 years (19-71), disease phase was in remission in 53%; diagnoses was acute leukemia (66%) , MDS (14%) chronic disorders 20%. DAOH. The median DAOH for SIB, HAPLO and UD grafts was 78, 72 and 66 days (p=0.0001). The median DAOH for SIB patients was significantly longer than for UD patients (p=0.00002) and for HAPLO grafts (p=0.0008); the median DAOH for UD and HAPLO patients were comparable (p=0.4). Donor type was the strongest predictor of DAOH , followed by a Sorror score &gt;2 (p=0.04). Re-admission. Fifty four patients, of 185 discharged, required a re-admission for complications. the first cause for readmission was fever of unknown origin (54%), followed by GvHD (18,5% ) ,cystitis (8%) , relapse (7%) and respiratory problems (7%). The only factor predicting re-admission was advanced disease (p=0.01). Patients who were re-admitted to hospital within 100 days had a significantly higher risk of non relapse mortality (NRM) (25%) as compared to patient non re-admitted (5%) irrespective of the cause for re-admission (p=0.0001). In a multivariate analysis re-admission was the strongest predictor of NRM, with a risk ratio of 10.9 (p=0.0002). Days of admission and cost. The average number of days in hospital within 100 days from transplant, was 37,6 for UD, 35,0 for HAPLO and 25,0 for SIBS (p=0.0002). The average cost of admission within 100 days from HSCT, was €69522 for UD, €64715 for HAPLO and €46225 euros for SIBS. Conclusion. HAPLO transplants with PT-CY and UD transplants , have lower numbers of DAOH, as compared to SIB grafts, which implies longer stay in hospital and greater cost. Re-admission to Hospital within 100 days is predicted by disease phase and has a very strong impact on non relapse mortality. Figure. Figure. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Outcome after autologous transplantation in the terms of comorbidity for patients with lymphoproliferative diseases: Single center experience.

e19502 Background: Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) improves survival in patients with myeloma and lymphoma but is associated with morbidity and nonrelapse mortality (NRM). Hematopoietic cell transplant comorbidity index (HCT-CI) was shown to predict risk of NRM and survival after allogeneic transplantation. We tested the utility of HCT-CI as a predictor of NRM and overall survival (OS) in patients undergoing ASCT. Methods: We analyzed outcomes of 220 patients after high-dose melphalan and high –dose anti lymphoma chemotherapy during year 2000 to 2015. Individual comorbidities were prospectively collected at the time of ASCT. The impact of HCT-CI and other potential prognostic factors, including Karnofsky performance score (KPS), on NRM and survival were studied in multivariate Cox regression models. Results: HCT-CI score was 0, 1, 2, 3, and &gt;3 in 42%, 18%, 13%, 13%, and 14% of the study cohort, respectively. Subjects were stratified into 3 risk groups: HCT-CI score of 0 (42%) versus HCT-CI score of 1 to 2 (32%) versus HCT-CI score &gt; 2 (26%). Higher HCT-CI was associated with lower KPS &lt; 90 (33% of subject’s score of 0 versus 50% in HCT-CI score &gt; 2). HCT-CI score &gt; 2 was associated with melphalan dose reduction (22% versus 10% in score 0 cohorts). One-year NRM was low at 2% (95% confidence interval, 1% to 4%). On multivariate analysis, overall survival was inferior in groups with HCT-CI score of 1 to 2 (relative risk, 1.37, [95% confidence interval, 1.01 to 1.87], P = .04) and HCT-CI score &gt; 2 (relative risk, 1.5 [95% confidence interval, 1.09 to 2.08], P = .01). Factors that affect OS in the autologous recipients among lymphoma and myeloma patients were: HCT-CI, Karnofsky score, number of CD34+ cells/kg and time from diagnosis until transplant (p&lt;0.05). Factors that affect TRM/NRM were HCT-CI, ECOG, Karnofsky score and number of hospital days and body weight.(p&lt;0.05). Conclusions: ASCT for MM and lymphoma is associated with low NRM, and death is predominantly related to disease progression. Comorbidity evaluation during autologous transplantation for lymphoproliferative diseases can be a useful tool in predicting transplant outcome.

Factors associated with allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) outcomes in patients (pts) with relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (R/R ALL) treated with inotuzumab ozogamicin (InO) versus (v) conventional chemotherapy (C).

7007 Background: InO therapy in R/R ALL resulted in superior complete remission (CR)/CR with incomplete hematologic recovery (CRi) rates v C in the Phase 3 INO-VATE trial (NCT01564784; Kantarjian NEJM 2016). More InO v C pts proceeded to HSCT (41% [45/109] v 11% [12/109]; P&lt;0.001). Factors associated with outcomes after HSCT are described. Methods: Full details have been published. Multivariate analyses (MVA) using Cox regression modeling were conducted to determine predictors of non-relapse mortality (NRM) and overall survival (OS). Results: As of 3/8/16, 108/326 pts underwent allogeneic HSCT (InO n=77; C n=31). Baseline characteristics were generally similar, except baseline platelet values were lower in InO v C pts. More InO v C pts achieved minimal residual disease negativity (MRDneg [best status]; 71% v 26%; P&lt;0.0001). Less InO v C pts received additional therapy before HSCT (14% v 55%, P&lt;0.0001). NRM rates were higher in InO v C pts at 1 year (yr; 36% [95% CI 26–47] v 20% [8–36]) and 2 yrs (39% [27–51] v 31% [13–51]), but relapse rates were lower (1 yr, 23% [15–33] v 29% [13–48]; 2 yrs, 33% [22–44] v 46% [24–65]). No significant difference in post-HSCT survival was detected in InO v C pts; however, visual inspection of the curve suggested the survival probability varied before and after 15 months post-HSCT (1 yr, 44% [95% CI 33–55] v 65% [44–79]; 2 yr, 39% [28–50] v 34% [15–54]). Fatal veno-occlusive disease (VOD) was observed in 5 InO pts (all during the first 100 days from the date of HSCT) and no C pts. MVA showed that conditioning regimens without dual alkylators and thiotepa were associated (2-sided; P&lt;0.05) with lower risk of NRM and post-HSCT survival, respectively. Conclusions: Compared with C, InO permitted more pts with R/R ALL to proceed to HSCT in CR/CRi with MRDneg (best status). Despite increased NRM and fatal VOD, long-term survival was attainable in InO pts. In pts previously treated with InO, interventions to reduce NRM and improve OS after HSCT include avoiding dual alkylator conditioning regimens, especially those containing thiotepa. Funding: Pfizer Clinical trial information: NCT01564784.

BKV Disease during the First 100 Days after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation - Results of a Screening Program and Retrospective Analysis

BK virus (BKV) is a human polyomavirus often acquired in childhood which can reactivate after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). BKV reactivation may present indifferent ways from asymptomatic viruria to hemorrhagic cystitis or nephritis.MethodsWe evaluated 377 patients (159 male, 218 female, median age 52 years) who were transplanted at the University of Cologne between 2008 and 2013 to assess incidence and risk factors for BKV disease after allogeneic HSCT. All 377 patients were screened routinely for BKV in urine and serum. We defined BKV disease as hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) with BK virus >100.000/ml in urine, hematuria (2+ until 4+ in dipstick test) and negative urine microbiology. To find risk factors for BKV disease, the impact of conditioning, CMV status, graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), underlying disease, donor mismatch and stem cell source was analyzed.ResultsAccording to our definition, BKV cystitis occurred in 37 of 377 patients (9,8%) in the first 100 days after HSCT. In 14 of these 37 patients (37,8%) BKV was also detected in serum. BKV was detected in the urine of 194 patients (51,4%) at any time during the screening program, but only 19,1% developed hemorrhagic cystitis. Sixty-two percent of patients suffering from BKV disease were female, 37,8% male. BKV disease was diagnosed in 13,3% of patients not in complete remission as opposed to 5,4 % of patients in complete remission prior to conditioning (p = 0,010). BKV disease was less common in matched related or unrelated (7,7%) as compared to mismatched or haplo-identical donors (16,7%; p=0,012). Acute GvHD grade II to IV was described in 122 of 377 patients (32,36%). Of them, 13,9% suffered from BKV cystitis in comparison to 7,84% with no or grade I acute GvHD, which did not reach statistical significance. We could not detect any correlation between BKV disease and administration of cyclophosphamide, total body irradiation or anti-thymocyte globuline. There was no association with the graft source. BKV disease was no predictor for non-relapse mortality, overall and relapse-free survival.ConclusionBKV disease is a common complication after allogeneic HSCT. The virus can be found in the urine of about half of our transplanted patients, but only a small proportion developed an HC. State of remission before conditioning and donor mismatch are associated with the development of BKV disease, which had no impact on survival in our cohort. DisclosuresScheid:Novartis: Other: funding outside this work; Celgene: Other: funding outside this work; Janssen: Other: funding outside this work.

Allogeneic Hematopoietic Transplantation in Patients with CLL: Results of a Large Disease-Specific Risk Factor Analysis

Objectives: For medically-fit young patients with high-risk chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) BTK-/PI3K-inhibitors or allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloHCT) are considered. We hypothesized that given the choice between these drugs and transplantation in future only patients with a low risk of treatment failure will be selected for alloHCT. Therefore, we searched for risk factors for 2-year non-relapse mortality (NRM) and 5-year event-free survival (EFS) after alloHCT, the latter as a surrogate for long-term disease-control.Methods: Data from patients with CLL who had received a first alloHCT from a HLA-identical sibling (SIB) or unrelated donor between 2000 and 2011 were updated in an EBMT data quality initiative. Multivariable Cox regression models were fitted to assess the impact of baseline risk factors for NRM and EFS.Results: Data on 694 patients were included into the analysis. The median age of the cohort of patients was 55 years (19 years to 74 years). Seventy-nine percent of patients had a Karnofsky performance status of 90% or higher. A disease history of less than two years was reported in 20% of patients and 44% of patients had a disease history of more than 5 years. The median number of pretreatments was 3 (range, 0-15). Eleven percent of patients had received a previous autologous HCT. Only 9% of patients had never received purine-analogs (PA) during their treatment history. Sixty-three percent of patients had either PA-refractory disease or relapse within 24 months from the last PA-containing chemotherapy at the time of HCT. A deletion 17p had been diagnosed in 28% of patients in this cohort. Information on PA-sensitivity, early relapse after autologous transplantation or PA-combination therapy and del(17p)/TP53 is used to select patients for allogeneic HCT according to the EBMT 2007 consensus. EBMT consensus criteria were met in 76% of evaluable patients. Overall, the majority of patients analyzed in this subset of all registered patients had high-risk CLL.For the whole cohort 2-year NRM was 28% (95%-CI, 24% to 32%). The baseline risk factors age, Karnofsky performance status, donor type, and donor-recipient sex mismatch had a significant impact on 2-year-NRM. With the help of these risk factors the outcome of good risk and poor risk reference patients was predicted whose linear predictors were close to the 10th and the 90th percentile of all patients in the dataset. The good risk male reference patient has an age of 45 years, a Karnofsky performance index of 100%, is in partial remission at HCT and has a matched related male donor. The poor risk male reference patient has 55 years of age a Karnofsky performance index of 80%, SD/PD at HCT, and a matched unrelated female donor. The female reference patients had the same characteristics, apart from the donor sex. Two-year-NRM was predicted to be 11% (12%) for male (female) patients with a favorable risk compared to 40% (32%) with a poor risk profile (see Figure). The same approach was used to analyze risk factors for long-term disease control. Five-year-EFS was 37% (95%-CI, 33% to 41%) for all patients. Age, Karnofsky performance status, history of an autologous HCT, remission status, and donor-recipient sex mismatch had a significant impact. The model-based prediction of 5-year EFS was 54% (64%) for a male (female) patient with a favorable risk profile compared to 15% (30%) with a poor risk profile. Current knowledge suggests that allogeneic HCT can overcome the negative prognostic impact of high risk cytogenetic abnormalities, especially of a deletion(17p) or TP53 -mutation. Even in this large cohort we observed only a trend for a lower incidence of relapse/progression in patients without deletion(17p) CLL within the first two years after HCT with translated into a trend for better EFS at that time. The impact on long-term disease-control and mortality was even smaller.Conclusion: Information on predicted 2-year-NRM and 5-year-EFS for good and poor risk reference patients derived from a large CLL dataset may be instrumental to select patients for future alloHCT.Model-based prediction of non-relapse mortality and relapse/progression. [Display omitted] [Display omitted] DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Prognostic Importance of Pretransplant Functional Capacity After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the prognostic importance of functional capacity in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) for hematological malignancies. Using a retrospective design, 407 patients completed a 6-minute walk distance (6 MWD) test to assess functional capacity before HCT; 193 (47%) completed a 6 MWD test after hospital discharge. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate the risk of nonrelapse mortality (NRM) and overall survival (OS) according to the 6 MWD category (<400 m vs. ≥ 400 m) and the change in 6 MWD (before HCT to discharge) with or without adjustment for Karnofsky performance status (KPS), age, and other prognostic markers. Compared with <400 m, the unadjusted hazard ratio for NRM was 0.65 (95% confidence interval, 0.44-0.96) for a 6 MWD ≥ 400 m. A 6 MWD of ≥ 400 m provided incremental information on the prediction of NRM with adjustment for age (p = .032) but not KPS alone (p = .062) or adjustment for other prognostic markers (p = .099). A significant association was found between the 6 MWD and OS (p = .027). A 6 MWD of ≥ 400 m provided incremental information on the prediction of OS with adjustment for age (p = .032) but not for other prognostic markers (p > .05 for all). Patients presenting with a pre-HCT 6 MWD of <400 m and experiencing a decline in 6 MWD had the highest risk of NRM. The 6 MWD is a significant univariate predictor of clinical outcomes but did not provide prognostic information beyond that of traditional prognostic markers in HCT. The pretransplant 6-minute walk test is a significant univariate predictor of clinical outcomes in hematological patients beyond age but not beyond that of performance status. On this basis, 6-minute walk distance testing should not be considered part of the standard battery of assessments for risk stratification before hematopoietic cell transplantation.

Prediction of non-relapse mortality in recipients of reduced intensity conditioning allogeneic stem cell transplantation with AML in first complete remission.

Non-relapse mortality (NRM) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT) can be predicted by the hematopoietic cell transplantation comorbidity index (HCT-CI) and the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) score, which are composed of different parameters. We set out to integrate the parameters of both scores in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in first complete remission (CR1) receiving reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) alloHSCT. All parameters from the HCT-CI and the EBMT-score with the addition of patient and donor cytomegalovirus serology were evaluated in 812 patients by multivariable analysis with end-point NRM at 2 years. Subsequently, 16 parameters were selected based on hazard ratio >1.2, and were incorporated into a novel score, which was further internally validated by bootstrapping. Both the HCT-CI and the EBMT-score showed relatively weak predictive value, whereas the integrated score allowed to identify three clearly distinct risk groups with 2-year NRM estimates of 8±2% (low-risk), 17±2% (intermediate-risk) and 38±4% (high-risk), which also translated in prediction of overall survival. Collectively, integration of the most dominant parameters from the HCT-CI and the EBMT-score allowed to develop a simple and robust, integrated score with improved prediction of NRM for AML patients proceeding to RIC alloHSCT in CR1.