Continuous infusion cyclosporine and nifedipine to day +100 with short methotrexate and steroids as GVHD prophylaxis in unrelated donor transplants

Bone Marrow Transplant. 1999 Sep;24(5):511-6. doi: 10.1038/sj.bmt.1701947.

Abstract

Unrelated donor marrow transplantation is associated with an increased incidence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) compared with sibling donor transplants. Forty-one patients undergoing unrelated donor transplants were treated with a GVHD prophylaxis regimen that consisted of continuous infusion cyclosporine from day -1 to 100 days post transplant along with nifedipine, glucocorticoids and short-course methotrexate. The regimen was well-tolerated in this cohort with mostly high risk disease. Fifty-one percent of patients developed acute GVHD, which was grade III-IV in 22% of patients. Six of 22 patients at risk for chronic GVHD developed extensive chronic GVHD, five of whom were adults. In patients <18 years of age, there was a >40% chance of 2 year disease-free survival. Use of continuous infusion cyclosporine with nifedipine as an immunosuppressant and protectant against cyclosporine-induced toxicities in unrelated donor transplants is well-tolerated, and results in acute GVHD incidence favorable to that reported with bolus cyclosporine.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Anemia, Aplastic / therapy
  • Bone Marrow Transplantation / adverse effects*
  • Bone Marrow Transplantation / mortality
  • Calcium Channel Blockers / administration & dosage*
  • Cause of Death
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cyclosporine / administration & dosage*
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Female
  • Graft vs Host Disease / etiology
  • Graft vs Host Disease / mortality
  • Graft vs Host Disease / prevention & control*
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / mortality
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / therapy
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Infant
  • Life Tables
  • Male
  • Methotrexate / administration & dosage*
  • Methylprednisolone / administration & dosage*
  • Middle Aged
  • Nifedipine / administration & dosage*
  • Survival Analysis
  • Transplantation, Homologous / adverse effects*
  • Transplantation, Homologous / mortality
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome / therapy

Substances

  • Calcium Channel Blockers
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Cyclosporine
  • Nifedipine
  • Methylprednisolone
  • Methotrexate