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Salvage therapy of refractory hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis with alemtuzumab.

ABSTRACT: Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a life-threatening hyperinflammatory syndrome that remains difficult to treat. Even with current standard HLH therapy, only approximately half of patients will experience complete resolution of disease, and early mortality remains a significant problem. Salvage therapies have been described only in limited case reports, and there are no large studies of second-line therapies.We reviewed the charts of 22 pediatric and adult patients who received alemtuzumab for the treatment of refractory HLH at our center or in consultation with our group.Patients had received conventional therapies for a median of 8 weeks (range: 2-70) prior to alemtuzumab, and treatment immediately prior to alemtuzumab included dexamethasone (100%), etoposide (77%), cyclosporine (36%), intrathecal hydrocortisone ± methotrexate (23%), methylprednisolone (9%), and rituximab (14%). Patients received a median dose of 1 mg/kg alemtuzumab (range: 0.1-8.9 mg/kg) divided over a median of 4 days (range: 2-10). Fourteen patients experienced an overall partial response, defined as at least a 25% improvement in two or more quantifiable symptoms or laboratory markers of HLH 2 weeks following alemtuzumab (64%). Five additional patients had a 25% or greater improvement in a single quantifiable symptom or laboratory marker of HLH (23%). Seventy-seven percent of patients survived to undergo allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. Patients experienced an acceptable spectrum of complications, including CMV and adenovirus viremia.Alemtuzumab appears to be an effective salvage agent for refractory HLH, leading to improvement and survival to HCT in many patients. Prospective trials to define optimal dosing levels, schedules, and responses are needed.

SUBMITTER: Marsh RA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3410971 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Salvage therapy of refractory hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis with alemtuzumab.

Marsh Rebecca A RA Allen Carl E CE McClain Kenneth L KL Weinstein Joanna L JL Kanter Julie J Skiles Jodi J Lee Nadine D ND Khan Shakila P SP Lawrence Julia J Mo Jun Q JQ Bleesing Jack J JJ Filipovich Alexandra H AH Jordan Michael B MB

Pediatric blood & cancer 20120422 1

<h4>Background</h4>Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a life-threatening hyperinflammatory syndrome that remains difficult to treat. Even with current standard HLH therapy, only approximately half of patients will experience complete resolution of disease, and early mortality remains a significant problem. Salvage therapies have been described only in limited case reports, and there are no large studies of second-line therapies.<h4>Procedure</h4>We reviewed the charts of 22 pediatric an ...[more]

PMID: 22522603

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Project description:BackgroundEpstein-Barr virus-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (EBV-HLH) is the most frequent subtype of secondary HLH triggered by infections. Previous studies have shown that ~30 % or more of patients with EBV-HLH do not respond to standard therapy. This study investigated the efficacy and safety profile of a modified DEP regimen in combination with PEG-aspargase (L-DEP) as a salvage therapy for refractory EBV-HLH.MethodsIn this study from October 2014 to October 2015, 28 patients with refractory EBV-HLH received a L-DEP regimen at the Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University. Treatment efficacy and adverse events were evaluated at 2 and 4 weeks after L-DEP treatment.ResultsMedian EBV-DNA concentrations before and 2 weeks after receiving the L-DEP regimen were 9.6 × 10(5) (1.5 × 10(4) - 1 × 10(9)) copies/mL and 2.2 × 10(5) (3.8 × 10(2) - 1.2 × 10(7)) copies/mL, respectively; the post-treatment values were significantly lower than that of the pretreatment (P = 0.048). Nine of the 28 study patients achieved complete response (CR) and 15 partial response (PR), resulting in an overall response rate of 85.7 % (CR+PR). Four patients who did not achieve response died within 4 weeks of receiving L-DEP. Thirteen of the 24 patients who achieved partial or complete response received subsequent allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Ten of these 13 patients survived until 1 March 2016. The major adverse effects of the L-DEP regimen were high serum amylase concentrations, abnormal liver function, and coagulation disorders.ConclusionsThis study suggests that L-DEP is a safe and effective salvage therapy prior to allo-HSCT for refractory EBV-HLH and increases the possibility of such patients receiving allo-HSCT. A prospective multicenter large-scale clinical trial that aims to validate the L-DEP regimen for refractory EBV-HLH is currently underway (ClinicalTrails.gov Identifier: NCT02631109).

Dataset Information

Salvage therapy of refractory hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis with alemtuzumab.

Publications

Salvage therapy of refractory hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis with alemtuzumab.

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