Bendamustine-induced immune hemolytic anemia in a chronic lymphocytic leukemia patient: A case report and review of the literature

Bendamustine is an alkylating agent approved for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. There are scant reports on bendamustine-induced immune hemolytic anemia occurring mainly in CLL patients. We report a case of immune hemolytic anemia that developed after exposure to bendamustine in a 70-year-old female with CLL who was previously exposed to fludarabine. Previous exposure to fludarabine is a common finding in the majority of reported cases of bendamustine drug-induced immune hemolytic anemia (DIIHA), including our case. Bendamustine should be suspected as the cause of any hemolytic anemia that develops while on this drug, especially in CLL patients treated previously with fludarabine

Acute myeloid leukemia developing in a granulocyte colony-stimulating factor-mobilized stem cell donor: A case report and review of the literature

We describe the first case of a FLT-3 mutated AML in a healthy donor, 3 years after recombinant human granulocyte colony stimulating factor (rhG-CSF)-mobilized peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) harvest. The patient had a myeloablative (MA) matched unrelated donor (MUD) stem cell transplant (SCT) for refractory AML. However, he experienced a secondary graft failure. He had a second non myeloablative (NMA) on day +75 from a second MUD. He achieved a complete neutrophil and platelet engraftment. After 4 years of follow up, he is alive in complete remission with full second donor chimerism. Keywords: Filgrastim, Peripheral blood stem cell, Recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, Stem cell dono

Alternative Donor Transplantation for Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) is a potentially curative therapy for adult patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), but its use for consolidation therapy after first remission with induction chemotherapy used to be limited to younger patients and those with suitable donors. The median age of AML diagnosis is in the late 60s. With the introduction of reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC), many older adults are now eligible to receive allo-HCT, including those who are medically less fit to receive myeloablative conditioning. Furthermore, AML patients commonly have no human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-identical or medically suitable sibling donor available to proceed with allo-HCT. Technical advances in donor matching, suppression of alloreactivity, and supportive care have made it possible to use alternative donors, such as unrelated umbilical cord blood (UCB) and partially HLA-matched related (haploidentical) donors. Outcomes after alternative donor allo-HCT are now approaching the outcomes observed for conventional allo-HCT with matched related and unrelated donors. Thus, with both UCB and haploidentical donors available, lack of donor should rarely be a limiting factor in offering an allo-HCT to adults with AML

Eosinophilic fasciitis as a paraneoplastic syndrome, a case report and review of the literature

Eosinophilic fasciitis (EF) is a rare disease with characteristic clinical and histological features, previously reported to be associated with various hematological and solid malignancies. We report a typical case of eosinophilic fasciitis in a 67-year-old man in association with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)/acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and subsequently bladder cancer. On the two occasions, the eosinophilic fasciitis completely resolved upon successful treatment of the concomitant malignancy. The diagnosis of EF should trigger further evaluation for any associated hematological disorder, which, if adequately treated, can result in the resolution of EF. Keywords: Eosinophilic fasciitis, MDS, AML, Paraneoplastic, Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant, Cord transplan

Defining Incidence, Risk Factors, and Impact on Survival of Central Line-Associated Blood Stream Infections Following Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation in Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Myelodysplastic Syndrome

AbstractCentral line-associated blood stream infections (CLABSI) commonly complicate the care of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (HCT). We developed a modified CLABSI (MCLABSI) definition that attempts to exclude pathogens usually acquired because of disruption of mucosal barriers during the vulnerable neutropenic period following HCT that are generally included under the original definition (OCLABSI). We conducted a retrospective study of all AML and MDS patients undergoing HCT between August 2009 and December 2011 at the Cleveland Clinic (N = 73), identifying both OCLABSI and MCLABSI incidence. The median age at transplantation was 52 years (range, 16 to 70); 34 had a high (≥3) HCT comorbidity index (HCT-CI); 34 received bone marrow (BM), 24 received peripheral stem cells (PSC), and 15 received umbilical cord blood cells (UCB). Among these 73 patients, 23 (31.5%) developed OCLABSI, of whom 16 (69.6%) died, and 8 (11%) developed MCLABSI, of whom 7 (87.5%) died. OCLABSI was diagnosed a median of 9 days from HCT: 5 days (range, 2 to 12) for UCB and 78 days (range, 7 to 211) for BM/PSC (P < .001). MCLABSI occurred a median of 12 days from HCT, with similar earlier UCB and later BM/PSC diagnosis (P = .030). Risk factors for OCLABSI in univariate analysis included CBC (P < .001), human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-mismatch (P = .005), low CD34+ count (P = .007), low total nucleated cell dose (P = .016), and non-Caucasian race (P = .017). Risk factors for OCLABSI in multivariable analysis were UCB (P < .001) and high HCT-CI (P = .002). There was a significant increase in mortality for both OCLABSI (hazard ratio, 7.14; CI, 3.31 to 15.37; P < .001) and MCLABSI (hazard ratio, 6.44; CI, 2.28 to 18.18; P < .001). CLABSI is common and associated with high mortality in AML and MDS patients undergoing HCT, especially in UCB recipients and those with high HCT-CI. We propose the MCLABSI definition to replace the OCLABSI definition, given its greater precision for identifying preventable infection in HCT patients

Central Line-Associated Blood Stream Infections Following Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation in Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Myelodysplastic Syndrome: Incidence, Risk Factors, and Impact On Survival

Abstract Abstract 4481 Patients undergoing hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) require central venous access during treatment, predisposing this inherently susceptible population to infection. Central line-associated blood stream infection (CLABSI) is defined by the National Healthcare Safety Network as a primary bloodstream infection (BSI) in a patient with a central line within the 48-hour period before the development of the BSI. CLABSI surveillance is being increasingly used as an objective measure of quality of care delivered at individual hospitals. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have developed guidelines for the insertion, surveillance, and timely removal of these lines to prevent CLABSI, of which approximately 10% are fatal, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid will adjust reimbursement for CLABSI. The incidence, risk factors, and impact on survival of CLABSI in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) patients undergoing HCT has not been reported. AML or MDS patients undergoing HCT between August 2009 and December 2011 were identified from the Cleveland Clinic Unified Transplant Database, and occurrence of CLABSI was determined from the infection control database. Variables analyzed included occurrence of CLABSI, as well as patient demographics, disease type, prior treatment, HCT comorbidity index, transplant type/HLA-match, CD34+ count, and time to neutrophil recovery (absolute neutrophil count >500). CLABSI incidence was estimated using Kaplan-Meier method, and univariable and multivariable risk factors were identified by Cox proportional hazards analyses. Of the 73 patients identified, 48 were male; 68 were Caucasian; 44 had AML, and 29 MDS. The median age at transplant was 52 (range 16–70), and 39 had a low to intermediate HCT comorbidity index (0–2), while 34 had a high index (≥3). Patients received a median of 2 prior chemotherapy regimens (range 0–6), 3 had prior radiation, and 6 had prior transplant. Preparative regimen was myeloablative (n=54) or reduced-intensity (n=19); 34 received bone marrow (BM), 24 peripheral stem cells (PSC), and 15 cord blood cells (CBC). The median CD34+ count was 2.42 × 106/kg and median time to neutrophil recovery was 14 days (range 6–24) with BM/PSC compared to 28 days with CBC (range 19–77). Among these 73 patients, 23 (31.5%) developed CLABSI, of whom 16 (69.6%) died. The majority (16/23) of CLABSI occurred within 14 days (median 9 days, range 2–211 days) from HCT (Figure 1), but timing of CLABSI was highly associated with cell source: median of 5 days (range 2–12 days) for CBC and 78 days (range 7–211 days) for BM/PSC (p<.001). Etiologies of CLABSI included 11 enteric Gram-negative bacilli, 7 Streptococcus viridans group, 6 enterococcus (3 vancomycin resistant), 5 Staphylococcus (3 methicillin resistant), 2 fungal species, 2 Gram-positive bacilli, 1 Pseudomonas, 1 other Streptococcus species, and 1 Stenotrophomonas. 4 patients had polymicrobial infections, and 5 (all of whom died) had more than one separately documented CLABSI. Univariable risk factors for CLABSI included cord blood transplant (p<.001), HLA-mismatch (p=.005), low CD34+ count (p=.007), and non-Caucasian race (p=.017). Risk factors for CLABSI in multivariable analysis were CBC (p<.001) and high comorbidity index (p=.002); 4 distinct populations of patients were created based on this data, ranging from a high comorbidity index/cord blood cohort to a low to intermediate co-morbidity index/marrow cohort (Figure 2). When CLABSI was analyzed as a time-varying covariate in univariable analyses, it was associated with an increased risk of mortality (HR 3.17, 95% CI 1.61–6.22, p<.001). Multivariable risk factors for mortality included CLABSI (HR 7.14, CI 3.31 – 15.37, p<.001), MDS diagnosis (HR 5.21, CI 2.40–11.33, p<.001), and age (HR 1.81, CI 1.21–2.71, p=.004). CLABSI is a common complication in AML and MDS patients undergoing HCT, and is associated with remarkably decreased survival. Cord blood, perhaps related to the extent and duration of severe immune deficiency, and high HCT comorbidity index place patients at higher risk of CLABSI. Efforts to identify patients at high risk of CLABSI, careful adherence to preventative infectious control measures, and design of methods to enhance immune reconstitution post-transplant in the high risk population could improve outcome in a substantial portion of patients. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare