Hemopoietic stem cell transplantation in thalassemia: a report from the European Society for Blood and Bone Marrow Transplantation Hemoglobinopathy Registry, 2000-2010

Bone Marrow Transplant. 2016 Apr;51(4):536-41. doi: 10.1038/bmt.2015.293. Epub 2016 Jan 11.

Abstract

Allogeneic hemopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is the only method currently available to cure transfusion-dependent thalassemia major that has been widely used worldwide. To verify transplantation distribution, demography, activity, policies and outcomes inside the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT), we performed a retrospective non-interventional study, extracting data from the EBMT hemoglobinopathy prospective registry database. We included 1493 consecutive patients with thalassemia major transplanted between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2010. In total, 1359 (91%) transplants were performed on patients <18 years old, 1061 were from a human leukocyte Ag-identical sibling donor. After a median observation time of 2 years, the 2-year overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS; that is, thalassemia-free survival) were 88 ± 1% and 81 ± 1%, respectively. Transplantation from a human leukocyte Ag-identical sibling offered the best results, with OS and EFS of 91 ± 1% and 83 ± 1%, respectively. No significant differences in survival were reported between countries. The threshold age for optimal transplant outcomes was around 14 years, with an OS of 90-96% and an EFS of 83-93% when transplants were performed before this age. Allogeneic HSCT for thalassemia is a curative approach that is employed internationally and produces excellent results.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Europe
  • Female
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Registries*
  • Societies, Medical
  • Survival Rate
  • Thalassemia / mortality
  • Thalassemia / therapy*