Background: Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) is a severe complication after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), with the reported mortality rate in such cases usually reaching 90%.
Cases: We report on two pediatric cases of patients successfully treated by eculizumab for severe HSCT-TMA, occurring in two girls (8.4 and 3.6 years). The first patient developed TMA with hematologic abnormalities and renal/pulmonary lesions after allogeneic HSCT for Philadelphia-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia; she received eculizumab 7 months after HSCT, with a dramatic improvement of renal function. The second patient developed severe TMA (cardiac tamponade, renal failure requiring dialysis, gastritis) after autologous HSCT for metastatic neuroblastoma. She received eculizumab for 7 months, with a dramatic improvement of renal function. No side effects were observed.
Conclusion: The use of eculizumab as first-line therapy in pediatric patients with severe HSCT-TMA with multisystemic lesions appears promising. Larger international studies are required to confirm its benefit and safety for this specific indication.
Keywords: Eculizumab; Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation; Pediatrics; Secondary thrombotic microangiopathy.
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