Publications by authors named "P Merli"
Immunocompromised children are at risk of developing severe COVID-19 infection. We conducted a pilot prospective study to evaluate the impact of cancer treatment and stem cell transplantation on immunogenicity of two doses of BNT162b2 vaccine in pediatric patients. Humoral, B- and T-cell responses to the BNT162b2 vaccine were assessed before, after the first and the second dose in patients aged 5-12 years (n = 35) and in a group of healthy donors (HD, n = 12).
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- * Researchers analyzed data from 450 patients, finding that 310 were classified as ultra-low risk (ULR) based on their rapid clinical response and low MAP scores, leading to significantly better outcomes.
- * Patients in the ULR group had higher response rates at day 28 and lower non-relapse mortality at six months, suggesting that careful monitoring can guide safer, more effective GVHD treatment strategies.
Article Synopsis
- γδ T-cells play a crucial role in immune surveillance following HLA-Haploidentical Stem Cell Transplantation (haplo-HSCT), especially in pediatric patients.
- A study showed that a specific subset of Vδ2 T-cells is associated with better antiviral protection, as these cells were more prevalent in patients who did not experience viral reactivation.
- The research highlights how Vδ2 T-cells can inhibit CMV replication and enhance the immune response, suggesting their potential use in immunotherapy post-transplantation to combat both infections and tumors.
Article Synopsis
- Blinatumomab shows strong effectiveness in treating relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) in children and young adults, often leading to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).
- In a study with 78 patients, the 2-year disease-free survival (DFS) was 72.2% and overall survival (OS) was 89.2%, with low non-relapse mortality at 2.6%.
- Patients who were in first complete remission had better DFS compared to those in later remissions, and those receiving both inotuzumab and blinatumomab had lower relapse rates post-HSCT.