Impact of cumulative anthracycline dose, preparative regimen and chronic graft-versus-host disease on pulmonary and cardiac function in children 5 years after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: a prospective evaluation on behalf of the EBMT Pediatric Diseases and Late Effects Working Parties

Bone Marrow Transplant. 2007 Jun;39(11):667-75. doi: 10.1038/sj.bmt.1705652. Epub 2007 Apr 2.

Abstract

This prospective study focused on risk factors and clinical outcome of pulmonary and cardiac late effects after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). We prospectively evaluated 162 children by pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and cardiac shortening fraction (SF) before allo-HSCT and yearly up to the 5th year of follow-up. The 5-year cumulative incidence of lung and cardiac impairment was 35 (hazard rate=0.03) and 26% (hazard rate=0.06), respectively. Patients presenting abnormal PFTs and SF at last follow-up were 19 and 13%, respectively, with a median Lansky performance status of 90% (70-100). Chronic graft-versus-host disease (c-GVHD) was the major risk factor for reduced lung function in univariate (P=0.02) and multivariate analysis (P=0.02). Total body irradiation (TBI) alone and TBI together with pre-transplant anthracycline administration were significant risk factors for reduced cardiac function in univariate analysis, only (P=0.04 and 0.004, respectively). In conclusion, our prospective study demonstrates an asymptomatic post-allo-HSCT deterioration of pulmonary and cardiac function in some long-term survivors, who had been transplanted in childhood, and thus emphasizes the need for lifelong cardiopulmonary monitoring and the development of new strategies both to reduce pre-transplant cardiotoxic regimens and to treat more efficiently c-GVHD.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Anthracyclines / administration & dosage*
  • Anthracyclines / adverse effects
  • Cardiac Output
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Echocardiography
  • Female
  • Graft vs Host Disease / physiopathology
  • Graft vs Host Disease / prevention & control*
  • Heart Diseases / etiology*
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / adverse effects*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Lung Diseases / etiology*
  • Male
  • Prospective Studies
  • Respiratory Function Tests
  • Transplantation Conditioning / adverse effects*
  • Transplantation, Homologous / adverse effects
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Anthracyclines