Publications by authors named "Natalia Zubarovskaya"

Article Synopsis
  • * Antifungal prophylaxis has reduced IFD occurrences but has also changed the types of fungal pathogens seen, necessitating broader screening methods for early diagnosis and treatment.
  • * A study analyzed blood samples from high-risk patients using advanced PCR techniques, revealing that many detectable fungi were typically non-pathogenic, highlighting the need for repeated testing and accurate identification to guide effective treatment.
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Thyroid disorders are well-studied after allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) following total body irradiation (TBI)-based conditioning, occurring in 15-30% of paediatric survivors. The toxic effect of TBI is known but data on the role of immunological dysregulation (ID) and chronic graft-versus-host-disease (cGvHD) are scarce. We studied functional and structural thyroid disorders in 97 paediatric ALL patients after TBI-based HSCT, assessing their correlation with patient/transplant characteristics including cGvHD, prolonged immunosuppression and ID.

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Graft-vs. -host disease (GvHD) is a serious and complex immunological complication of haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and is associated with prolonged immunodeficiency and non-relapse mortality. Standard treatment of chronic GvHD comprises steroids in combination with other immunosuppressive agents.

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Significant advances in supportive care for patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia major (TDT) have improved patients' life expectancy. However, transfusion-associated iron overload remains a significant barrier to long-term survival with good quality of life. Today, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is the current curative standard of care.

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Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGvHD) following haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) shares many similarities with autoimmune disorders, being associated with the presence of autoantibodies. However, data on the implication of autoantibodies in paediatric HSCT recipients are scarce. In this single-centre study of paediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) surviving longer than 3 months, our objectives were to evaluate autoantibody expression and investigate the correlation with cGvHD and immune reconstitution using serially monitored parameters.

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The importance of viral infections as a leading cause of morbidity and mortality is well documented in severely immunosuppressed patients undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation. By contrast, viral infections generally receive less attention in patients with malignant disorders undergoing chemotherapy, where the onset of neutropenic fever is mostly associated with bacterial or fungal infections, and screening for viral infections is not routinely performed. To address the occurrence of invasive viral infections in a clinical setting commonly associated with less pronounced immunosuppression, we have prospectively screened 237 febrile neutropenic episodes in pediatric (n = 77) and adult (n = 69) patients undergoing intensive chemotherapy, primarily for treatment of acute leukemia.

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Background: A growing number of cancer and hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) survivors require long-term follow-up with optimal communication schemes, and patients' compliance is crucial. Adolescents have various unmet needs. Regarding self-report of symptoms and health status, users of mobile apps showed enhanced compliance.

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Background: The psychometric properties of an instrument, the Activity Scale for Kids-performance (ASKp), were assessed which was proposed to capture physical functioning after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Additionally, this multicenter observational prospective study investigated the influence of clinical correlates focusing on chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD).

Methods: Patient-reported ASKp, clinician-reported Karnofsky/Lansky status (KPS/PSS), patient characteristics and cGVHD details were assessed of 55 patients with a median age of 12 years at baseline after day +100 post-HSCT and every 3 months during the next 18 months.

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