Symptoms of pain and depression in related marrow donors: changes after transplant.

Related or unrelated histocompatible marrow donors make it possible to offer hematopoietic stem cell transplants, the second most frequent solid organ transplant performed in the United States. About 20%-30% of donors are related to the recipient. Despite their importance, relatively little is known about related donors.

Interleukin-1 blockade does not prevent acute graft-versus-host disease: results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist in allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.

Acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is thought to derive from direct T-cell injury of target tissues through perforin/granzyme, Fas/FasL interactions, and the effects of inflammatory cytokines. Animal models and some clinical trials support the notion that inhibition of inflammatory mediators such as interleukin-1 (IL-1), tumor necrosis factor alpha, and interferon gamma may ameliorate or prevent GVHD. We hypothesized that blockade of IL-1 during the period of initial T-cell activation would reduce the risk of severe GVHD.

Graft-versus-tumor induction with donor leukocyte infusions as primary therapy for patients with malignancies.

Purpose: Histocompatible allogeneic donor leukocyte infusions (DLIs) were administered as primary cancer therapy in a phase I trial to determine (1) whether mixed chimerism could be detected without a prior allogeneic transplantation, (2) the toxicity of primary DLI, and (3) whether a graft-versus-tumor (GVT) reaction could be observed.

Patients And Methods: Eighteen patients were studied. Patients received interferon alfa-2b for a minimum of 4 weeks, followed by DLI (level 1).

A comparison of related and unrelated marrow donors.

Objective: The purpose of this investigation is to test whether related bone marrow donors experience more distress from marrow donation than volunteer unrelated donors.

Method: Participants in the study were 77 related and unrelated marrow donors who agreed to complete 11 pre- and 8 postdonation self report questionnaires. Related and unrelated donors were recruited from the Bone Marrow Transplant Programs at the Brigham and Women's Hospital and the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, MA.

Antibody responses to tetanus toxoid and Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccines following autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT).

Accelerated granulocyte and platelet recovery following peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) are well documented. We hypothesize that functional immunity may also be enhanced in PBSCT and performed a phase II trial of immunizations in patients with lymphoma undergoing autologous transplantation with peripheral blood stem cells or bone marrow. Seventeen BMT and 10 PBSCT recipients were immunized at 3, 6, 12, and 24-months post-transplantation with Haemophilus influenzae type b (HIB)-conjugate and tetanus toxoid (TT) vaccines.