Reassessing blood product irradiation in haploidentical transplantation: a single-center perspective.

Objectives: The main objective was to investigate the incidence of transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease (TA-GVHD) in patients who underwent haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplants (HCT) and received non-irradiated leukoreduced blood components. The secondary objective was to describe our leukodepletion results in blood products obtained by the filters employed at our center.

Study Design And Methods: Clinical records from 2018 to 2023 were retrospectively analyzed, along with a prospective evaluation of residual leukocytes in blood components from June to November 2023 in order to confirm effectivity of our leukodepletion method.

Outpatient ATG-free hematopoietic transplantation for aplastic anemia in limited-resource environments offers excellent results: Data from a single LATAM center.

Objective: To document the results of outpatient hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) from the peripheral blood (PB) of sibling donors without anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) in the conditioning regimen.

Material And Methods: Patients from a low-income population with severe AA who received a PB, unmanipulated sibling HLA-identical HSCT between 2000 and 2020 at a single institution were studied. Survival was the primary outcome.

Graft-versus-host disease after an outpatient peripheral blood hematopoietic cell transplant using reduced-intensity conditioning: a single-center LATAM experience.

Background: HLA compatibility predicts allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (allo-HCT) and graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) outcomes. There is insufficient information regarding GvHD outcomes for outpatient HLA-identical and haploidentical-HCT employing reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC).

Research Design And Methods: We compare GvHD outcomes between donor types and report risk factors associated with GvHD.

Long-Term Efficacy of High-Dose Imatinib in Hispanic Patients Without Access to Second-Generation Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors Treated in LATAM Centers.

Background: While second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) revolutionized treatment for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) who developed a suboptimal response to imatinib, many patients in developing countries are fixed to the latter due to socioeconomic barriers. Despite this scenario, scarce information is available to evaluate the clinical prognosis of these patients.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis to compare the overall mortality of patients with CML who developed a suboptimal response to a standard dose of imatinib and were treated with either high-dose imatinib or a second-generation TKI.

Performance of serum procalcitonin as a biochemical predictor of death in hematology patients with febrile neutropenia.

Introduction: Historically, the measurement of serum procalcitonin (PCT) levels in patients with leukopenia has been rejected without sufficient prospective evidence to justify this argument. On the other hand, the accumulated use of broad spectrum antibiotics in these patients and their consequences make the use of PCT attractive in an effort to reduce its use.

Patients And Methods: We conducted a prospective study between 2016 and 2018, recruiting newly diagnosed FN patients, evaluating them with PCT levels during the first 24 h.

Outpatient haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplant using post-transplant cyclophosphamide and incidence of hemorrhagic cystitis.

Introduction: Hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) is a common complication of haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haplo-HSCT), characterized by irritative symptoms of the urinary tract and a higher morbidity and mortality rate. The worldwide incidence is reported between 10% and 70%. The use of alkylating agents and BK viral infection are the most frequent etiologies.

Outpatient Haploidentical Stem Cell Transplantation Using Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide Is Safe and Feasible.

Background: Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) feasibility has increased in the last decades because of haplo-HSCT, changes in chemotherapy schedules, and the possibility of an outpatient-based HSCT. The main barriers remain in low-middle income countries. There is a lack of information regarding haplo-HSCT with a myeloablative (MAC) regimen on an outpatient basis.

Palliative Care for Patients With Hematologic Malignancies in a Low-Middle Income Country: Prevalence of Symptoms and the Need for Improving Quality of Attention at the End of Life.

Background: Palliative care (PC) for patients with malignant hematological diseases is scarcely documented, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to document PC provided to patients with hematologic malignancies.

Methods: Bidirectional study conducted from July 2016 to June 2019 at the hematology and palliative care departments at a reference center in Northeast Mexico for low-income open population uninsured patients.

Reduced-dose plerixafor as a mobilization strategy in autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation: a proof of concept study.

Background: Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is an effective treatment for patients with relapsing myeloma or lymphoma, diseases associated with unsuccessful peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) collection. Plerixafor is a potent mobilizing agent, allowing more CD34+ cells to be obtained; however, the main obstacle for its use is its high cost. Our aim was to demonstrate that of the use of reduced doses of plerixafor (RD-plerixafor) can be sufficient to collect at least 2 × 10 /Kg CD34+ PBSC in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) or lymphoma undergoing ASCT.

Cyclosporine A for the Prevention of Ocular Graft versus Host Disease in Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients Is Safe and Feasible.

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of ocular cyclosporine in the prevention of the development of ocular graft versus host disease (oGVHD) in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) in comparison with historic data.

Design: We developed a longitudinal, observational, prospective nonrandomized study. We evaluated the feasibility of prophylactic use of topical cyclosporine A (CsA) to prevent or decrease the incidence of oGVHD and compared this with historic data.

Danazol as First-Line Therapy for Myelodysplastic Syndrome.

Background: Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) represents the only option with a potential cure rate of 30% to 50% in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS); however, < 5% of patients are optimal candidates for this management. Therapeutic options are limited in patients unsuitable for ASCT. Evidence that androgens might be beneficial in MDS is controversial.

High frequency of primary refractory disease and low progression-free survival rate of Hodgkin's lymphoma: a decade of experience in a Latin American center.

Background: Reports dealing with clinical outcomes of classical Hodgkin's lymphoma in low- to middle-income countries are scarce and response to therapy is poorly documented. This report describes the characteristics and clinical outcomes of patients with classical Hodgkin's lymphoma from a single institution in Latin America.

Method: A retrospective study was conducted over ten years of patients with classical Hodgkin's lymphoma treated at a referral center.

The prognostic significance of serum XCL1 concentration in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a pilot study.

There is no information about XCL1 in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The objective of this study was to correlate the serum levels of XCL1 and survival in ALL patients. Only ALL patients older than 12 months were considered to participate.

Age Acts as an Adverse Independent Variable for Survival in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Data From a Cohort in Northeast Mexico.

Background: Survival for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) decreases with age. Patients across all age groups from a homogeneous ethnic and socioeconomic background were studied to document age effect.

Material And Methods: Patients diagnosed from 2005 to 2015 at a university hospital in Northeast Mexico were divided into 4 age groups: infants (< 1), children (≥ 1 to < 16), adolescents (≥ 16 to ≤ 20), and adults (> 20 years).

Comparative analysis of iron status and other hematological parameters in preeclampsia.

Objective: To compare serum ferritin (SF) concentrations and other hematological parameters between patients with preeclampsia (PE) and normal pregnant women of the same gestational period who received supplemental iron during pregnancy.

Methods: Prospective, comparative, observational pilot study that included 31 women with PE and 30 healthy pregnant women, at 20 weeks' of gestation. Ferritin, iron and complete blood cell count were compared between groups.

More about low-dose rituximab and plasma exchange as front-line therapy for patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.

Introduction: Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is characterized by a reduction in the von Willebrand cleavage protein ADAMTS-13, mainly as a consequence of autoimmunity. Plasma exchange (PEx) is standard, achieving complete remission (CR) in 77-83% of cases, but rates are variable depending on ADAMTS-13 activity and relapse is frequent in patients with <10%. Thus, an effective front-line immunosuppressive treatment is needed.

Combination of low-dose imatinib plus nilotinib for the treatment of chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukaemia after imatinib failure.

Objectives: This is a feasibility study to evaluate whether simultaneous administration of low doses of imatinib and nilotinib in chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukaemia (CP-CML) patients has the potential for transcript elimination after failure to imatinib.

Methods: Ten patients were enrolled; eight had cytogenetic relapse and two had confirmed loss of major molecular response (MMR). At baseline, BCR-ABL kinase domain mutation was detected in four patients.

Long-Term Insulin Independence in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Using a Simplified Autologous Stem Cell Transplant.

Context: Efforts to find a cure for type 1 diabetes have focused on the removal of the autoimmune pathophysiologic substrate, with the use of immunosuppressive regimens including autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT).

Objective: The main objective of determining long-term insulin independence as well as changes in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Secondary outcomes were procedure morbidity and the need for hospital management.

Impact of outpatient non-myeloablative haematopoietic stem cell transplantation in quality of life vs. conventional therapy.

The role of outpatient hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) as a therapeutic tool has been strengthened significantly because of the increasing number of patients undergoing this treatment. Due the very nature of this procedure, one of the aspects that should not be overlooked is the quality of life (QOL) of patients undergoing HSCT. Thus, one must consider not only health status after treatment, but also, the psychosocial implications for the patient.