1.
A prospective, randomized, double-blind study, comparing unirradiated to irradiated white blood cell transfusions in acute leukemia patients
Freireich EJ, Lichtiger B, Mattiuzzi G, Martinez F, Reddy V, Kyle Wathen J
Leukemia. 2013;27((4):):861-5.
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Abstract
A prospective, randomized double-blind study comparing the effects of irradiated and unirradiated white blood cells was conducted in 108 acute leukemia patients with life-threatening infections, refractory to antibiotics. The study demonstrated no significant improvement in 30-day survival or overall survival. Transfusion of unirradiated white cells did not compromise the patient's opportunity to undergo allogeneic stem cell transplant, nor the success rate or overall survival after allogeneic transplant. The important positive finding in this study was that the unirradiated white cells produced a significantly higher increment in circulating granulocytes and in a higher proportion of patients granulocyte count exceeded 1000 per microliter, approaching normal concentrations. The increase in the number and the improved survival of the unirradiated granulocytes suggest that this procedure might potentially be a method to improve the utility of granulocyte transfusions and merits further investigation. The study demonstrated non-inferiority for unirradiated white cells. There were no harmful effects such as graft-versus-host disease, indicating that such studies would be safe to conduct in the future.
2.
Correction of postkidney transplant anemia reduces progression of allograft nephropathy
Choukroun G, Kamar N, Dussol B, Etienne I, Cassuto-Viguier E, Toupance O, Glowacki F, Moulin B, Lebranchu Y, Touchard G, et al
Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. 2012;23((2):):360-8.
Abstract
Retrospective studies suggest that chronic allograft nephropathy might progress more rapidly in patients with post-transplant anemia, but whether correction of anemia improves renal outcomes is unknown. An open-label, multicenter, randomized controlled trial investigated the effect of epoetin-beta to normalize hemoglobin values (13.0-15.0 g/dl, n=63) compared with partial correction of anemia (10.5-11.5 g/dl, n=62) on progression of nephropathy in transplant recipients with hemoglobin <11.5 g/dl and an estimated creatinine clearance (eCrCl) <50 ml/min per 1.73 m (2). After 2 years, the mean hemoglobin was 12.9 and 11.3 g/dl in the normalization and partial correction groups, respectively (P<0.001). From baseline to year 2, the eCrCl decreased by a mean 2.4 ml/min per 1.73 m (2) in the normalization group compared with 5.9 ml/min per 1.73 m (2) in the partial correction group (P=0.03). Furthermore, fewer patients in the normalization group progressed to ESRD (3 versus 13, P<0.01). Cumulative death-censored graft survival was 95% and 80% in the normalization and partial correction groups, respectively (P<0.01). Complete correction was associated with a significant improvement in quality of life at 6 and 12 months. The number of cardiovascular events was low and similar between groups. In conclusion, this prospective study suggests that targeting hemoglobin values ≥13 g/dl reduces progression of chronic allograft nephropathy in kidney transplant recipients.
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High dose epoetin beta in the first weeks following renal transplantation and delayed graft function: Results of the Neo-PDGF Study
Martinez F, Kamar N, Pallet N, Lang P, Durrbach A, Lebranchu Y, Adem A, Barbier S, Cassuto-Viguier E, Glowaki F, et al
American Journal of Transplantation. 2010;10((7):):1695-700.
Abstract
Erythropoietin promotes nephroprotection in animal models of ischemia-reperfusion injury. Neorecormon and Prevention of Delayed Graft Function (Neo-PDGF) is a French open-label multicenter randomized study to evaluate the effect of high doses of epoetin beta (EPO-beta) during the first 2 weeks of renal transplantation on renal function in patients at risk for delayed graft function (DGF). One hundred and four patients were included in the study. Patients randomized in treatment group (A) received four injections of EPO-beta (30. 000 UI each), given before surgery and at 12 h, 7 days and 14 days posttransplantation. Patients randomized in control group (B) did not receive EPO-beta. Immunosuppression included induction with basiliximab and maintenance therapy with steroids, mycophenolate mofetil and tacrolimus. At 1 month posttransplant, the estimated glomerular filtration rate (MDRD formula) was 42. 5 +/- 19. 0 mL/min in the EPO-beta group and 44. 0 +/- 16. 3 mL/min in the control group (p = ns). The frequency of DGF was similar in both groups (32% vs. 38. 8%; p = ns). No difference in the incidence of serious adverse events was observed. (ClinicalTrials. gov number, NCT00815867. ).