Validity of Clinical Prediction Rules for Isolating Inpatients with Suspected Tuberculosis: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE: Declining rates of tuberculosis (TB) in the United States has resulted in a low prevalence of the disease among patients placed on respiratory isolation. The purpose of this study is to systematically review decision rules to predict the patient's risk for active pulmonary TB at the time of admission to the hospital. DATA SOURCES: We searched MEDLINE (1975 to 2003) supplemented by reference tracking. We included studies that reported the sensitivity and specificity of clinical variables for predicting pulmonary TB, used Mycobacterium TB culture as the reference standard, and included at least 50 patients. REVIEW METHOD: Two reviewers independently assessed study quality and abstracted data regarding the sensitivity and specificity of the prediction rules. RESULTS: Nine studies met inclusion criteria. These studies included 2,194 participants. Most studies found that the presence of TB risk factors, chronic symptoms, positive tuberculin skin test (TST), fever, and upper lobe abnormalities on chest radiograph were associated with TB. Positive TST and a chest radiograph consistent with TB were the predictors showing the strongest association with TB (odds ratio: 5.7 to 13.2 and 2.9 to 31.7, respectively). The sensitivity of the prediction rules for identifying patients with active pulmonary TB varied from 81% to 100%; specificity ranged from 19% to 84%. CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis suggests that clinicians can use prediction rules to identify patients with very low risk of infection among those suspected for TB on admission to the hospital, and thus reduce isolation of patients without TB

Comparison of outcomes of HCT in blast phase of BCR-ABL1(-) MPN with de novo AML and with AML following MDS

Comparative outcomes of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) for BCR-ABL1- myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) in blast phase (MPN-BP) vs de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and AML with prior myelodysplastic syndromes (MDSs; post-MDS AML), are unknown. Using the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR) database, we compared HCT outcomes in 177 MPN-BP patients with 4749 patients with de novo AML, and 1104 patients with post-MDS AML, using multivariate regression analysis in 2 separate comparisons. In a multivariate Cox model, no difference in overall survival (OS) or relapse was observed in patients with MPN-BP vs de novo AML with active leukemia at HCT. Patients with MPN-BP in remission had inferior OS in comparison with de novo AML in remission (hazard ratio [HR], 1.40 [95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12-1.76]) due to higher relapse rate (HR, 2.18 [95% CI, 1.69-2.80]). MPN-BP patients had inferior OS (HR, 1.19 [95% CI, 1.00-1.43]) and increased relapse (HR, 1.60 [95% CI, 1.31-1.96]) compared with post-MDS AML. Poor-risk cytogenetics were associated with increased relapse in both comparisons. Peripheral blood grafts were associated with decreased relapse in MPN-BP and post-MDS AML (HR, 0.70 [95% CI, 0.57-0.86]). Nonrelapse mortality (NRM) was similar between MPN-BP vs de novo AML, and MPN-BP vs post-MDS AML. Total-body irradiation-based myeloablative conditioning was associated with higher NRM in both comparisons. Survival of MPN-BP after HCT is inferior to de novo AML in remission and post-MDS AML due to increased relapse. Relapse-prevention strategies are required to optimize HCT outcomes in MPN-BP

Refined graft-versus-host disease/relapse-free survival in transplant from HLA-identical related or unrelated donors in acute myeloid leukemia

Refined graft-versus-host disease (GVHD)/relapse-free survival (GRFS) considers main outcomes of allogeneic stem cell transplant (HSCT), estimating long-term survival without significant morbidity as a surrogate of HSCT success. We compared GRFS in 5059 adults with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), undergoing HSCT in first complete remission from 2000 to 2015 either from a matched sibling (MSD, n = 3731) or unrelated donor (MUD, n = 1328). Median age was 49 (range: 18-76) years. Median follow-up was 32 and 60 months in MSD and MUD, respectively (p < 0.01). Compared to MSD, at 4 years, MUD recipients had lower GRFS, with higher NRM, grade III-IV acute GVHD, and extensive chronic GVHD (HR: 1.42, p < 0.01). We also performed a risk factor analyses, showing unfavorable cytogenetics (HR: 1.42, p < 0.01) and peripheral blood as stem cell source (HR: 1.22, p < 0.01) associated to lower GRFS, while this was higher with in vivo T-cell depletion (TCD, HR: 0.73, p < 0.01) and shorter time from diagnosis to HSCT (HR 0.96, p < 0.01). Different factors, modifiable or not, such as donor type, stem cell source, disease biology, and in vivo TCD, impact on GRFS and this may guide in the future transplant choices to improve morbidity and long-term quality of life