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BACKGROUND: Cryoballoon ablation (CBA) as a first-line rhythm control strategy is superior to antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) for preventing atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence; the impact of first-line CBA on quality of life (QoL) and symptoms has not been well characterized. METHODS: Patients aged 18 to 75 with symptomatic paroxysmal AF naïve to rhythm control therapy were randomized (1:1) to CBA (Arctic Front Advance, Medtronic) or AAD (Class I or III). Symptoms and QoL were assessed at baseline, 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months using the EHRA classification and Atrial Fibrillation Effect on QualiTy-of-Life (AFEQT) and SF-36v2 questionnaires. Symptomatic palpitations were evaluated via patient diary. RESULTS: Overall, 107 patients were randomized to CBA and 111 to AAD; crossovers occurred in 9%. Larger improvements in the AFEQT summary, subscale and treatment satisfaction scores were observed at 12 months with CBA vs AAD (all P

In our retrospective study, 16 patients affected by advanced cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL) underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Two patients (12.5%) were in complete remission (CR), nine (56.3%) in partial remission (PR), and five (31.2%) with active disease. The patients were transplanted from an HLA-identical (n = 7) from a mismatched (n = 1) or haploidentical (n = 1) sibling, from matched unrelated donor (n = 5), or from a single cord blood unit (n = 2). Conditioning regimen was standard myeloablative in 6 patients and at reduced intensity in 10. Seven patients died from non relapse mortality (NRM) and four patients relapsed or progressed, three of them achieved a second CR after donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) or chemotherapy plus DLI. To date, with a median follow-up of 76 months (range 6-130), nine patients are alive, eight in CR, and one with active disease. Overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) at 1 and 10 years are 61% (95% CI 40-91%) and 54% (95% CI 33-86%), 40% (95% CI 22-74%), and 34% (95% CI 16-68%), respectively. The time from diagnosis to transplant seems to influence negatively both OS (log-rank p

Hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) occurring after allogeneic transplantation significantly affects quality of life and, in some cases, becomes intractable, increasing the risk of death. To date, its therapy is not established. We used the hemostatic agent fibrin glue (FG) to treat 35 patients with refractory post-transplantation HC. Of 322 adult patients undergoing an allogeneic transplantation for hematological malignancy, 35 developed grade ≥ 2 HC refractory to conventional therapy and were treated with FG, diffusely sprayed on bleeding mucosa by an endoscopic applicator. The cumulative incidence of pain discontinuation and complete remission, defined as regression of all symptoms and absence of hematuria, was 100% at 7 days and 83% ± 7%, respectively, at 50 days from FG application. The 6-month probability of overall survival for all 35 patients and for the 29 in complete remission was 49% ± 8% and 59% ± 9%, respectively. In the matched-pair analysis, the 5-year probability of overall survival for the 35 patients with HC and treated with FG was not statistically different from that of the comparative cohort of 35 patients who did not develop HC (32% ± 9% versus 37% ± 11%, P = not significant). FG therapy is a feasible, effective, repeatable, and affordable procedure for treating grade ≥2 HC after allogeneic transplantation.

Conventional cytology (CC) of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fails to demonstrate malignant cells in up to 45 % of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia or lymphoblastic lymphoma (ALL/LL) in whom occult leptomeningeal disease is present. Flow cytometry (FCM) is considered more sensitive than CC, but clinical implications of CC negativity/CC positivity are not yet established. CSF samples from 38 adult patients with newly diagnosed ALL/LL were examined. Five (13 %) and nine (24 %) specimens were CC positive-FC positive (FCM(pos)/CC(pos)) and CC negative-FC positive (CC(neg)/FCM(pos)), respectively. The remaining 24 (63 %) samples were double negative (CC(neg)/FCM(neg)) (p = 0.001). CC(neg)/FCM(pos) patients showed a significantly shorter overall survival (OS) compared to CC(neg)/FCM(neg) ones. In multivariate analysis, the status of single FCM positivity was demonstrated to affect independently duration of OS (p = 0.005). In conclusion, FCM significantly improves detection of leptomeningeal occult localization in ALL/LL and appears to anticipate an adverse outcome. Further prospective studies on larger series are needed to confirm this preliminary observation.

Introduction: Outcome in allogeneic HSCT varies widely depending on disease type, stage, stem cell source, HLA-matched status and conditioning regimen. IFI is a possible complication of HSCT and a prior IFI increases the patient's risk for transplant related mortality due to the possibility of reactivation of the fungal infection. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a previous IFI history on transplant outcome Methods: We retrospectively collected the clinical data of patients considered eligible for allogeneic HSCT during 2014 at the Rome Transplant Network (RTN), a JACIE accredited metropolitan transplant program established in Rome since 2006. The observation of patients was continued until 31 December 2015. The diagnosis of IFI were defined as possible, probable and proven as established by European Organization for Research and treatment of Cancer. Results: Twenty-one (37%) out of 57 eligible patients had an IFI episode before transplant: 6 of the episodes were proven, 4 probable and 11 possible. Overall, 10 (47%) pneumonia, 4 (19%) gastroenteritis, 3 sinusitis, 2 candida sepsis, 1 meningitis and 1 cutaneous abscess were registered. Five out of 21 patients (23%) died before HSCT versus 2 of 36 patients (5%) without previous documented IFI, [OR 5.31 95% CI 0.93- 30.40 , p value 0.06 Fisher Test], . A larger percentage of patients with past IFI waited HSCT over 6 months from the date of eligibility in comparison with those without previous IFI [43% vs 30% ; OR 1.87 95% CI 0.54-6.40 , p value 0.5 Yates test]; Sixteen (57%) out of 28 dead patients in the pre-transplant period have had a previous IFI episode vs 5(17%) out of patients alive [OR 6.4, 95% CI 1.89-21.68, p value: 0.004 Yates Test]. In the post-transplant period, only 6% of patients with a past IFI, experienced an engraftment in a time of < 15 days, vs 30% of patients without past IFI [OR 4.86 CI 95% 0,5-43,2, p value 0,2 Yates test]. In the post-transplant period, a IFI was diagnosed in 13 (26%) patients; ten (76%) out of 13 patients had a past IFI versus 9 (24%) of the patients without IFI.. [OR 7.87, CI 95% 1,8-34,2, p value 0,005 Yates test].Among the dead HSCT patients, those who had a previous IFI had a lower median survival [160 days (range 22- 480)] compared to patients without a previous IFI who died [196.5 days period (range 20-820)]. Conclusions: A previous IFI episode in the pre transplant period slow the accessibility to the transplant, adversely affects the engraftment, and is significantly associated with increased post-transplant mortality Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Introduction Central venous catheters (CVC) related thrombosis (CRT) represents a well known complication in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) receiving intensive chemotherapy but the efficacy of antithrombotic prophylaxis still remains controversial. Patients and Methods We analyzed 71 consecutive AML patients whose CVC was inserted before each chemotherapy cycle for an overall number of 106 CVC placements. In 47/106 insertions, a prophylaxis with 100 IU/kg/day low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) was administered for 7 days after CVC insertion and additional 7 after CVC removal. This unconventional dose of LMWH, although higher than usual, appeared adequate for a short-course approach. LMWH was delivered regardless of the platelet (PLT) count once provided that it should have been maintained above 20x109/L by transfusions. Results Of 106 insertions, we observed 19 (18%) episodes of CRT, 58 (54%) of sepsis and 50 (47%) infections of CVC-exit site with no difference between LMWH and no-LMWH group. Occurrence of CRT was significantly associated with CVC-exit site infections (14/19, p = 0.01) and sepsis (16/19, p = 0.005) with no difference between LMWH and no-LMWH group. In multivariate analysis, both CVC-exit site infections and sepsis were confirmed to be independent risk factors for CRT development. Conclusion Our retrospective study, although based on a small sample size, suggests that the occurrence of CVC-exit site infections and neutropenic sepsis following chemotherapy significantly increases the risk of CRT in AML, independently from the use of LMWH prophylaxis.

Background. Similar probabilities of survival have been reported for patients transplanted from Matched Unrelated Donor (MUD), Umbilical Cord Blood (UCB) or Haploidentical (Haplo) donors as alternative hematopoietic stem cell sources. However, few studies have compared these results with those obtained in patients transplanted from HLA Id-siblings (Id-sib). Moreover, all reported studies are retrospective and the criteria of donor selection were not predefined. We report the intention to treat (ITT) analysis results on 238 patients with high-risk acute myeloid leukemia (AML) prospectively transplanted according to the policy of the Rome Transplant Network (RTN), a metropolitan transplant program established in Rome in 2006. Patients and Methods. For AML patients eligible to an allogeneic transplant, the RTN policy consists of an algorithm of donor choice based on a hierarchy according to the following criteria: 1) HLA identical sibling; 2) MUD ≥8/10 HLA 3) UCB as single unit selected on the base of cell dose and number of HLA disparities (0-1/6 HLA: TNC ≥2.5x107/kg and CD34 ≥1x105/kg; 2/6 HLA: TNC ≥3.5x107/kg and CD34 ≥2x105/kg); 4) G-CSF primed, unmanipulated bone marrow Haplo donor. Myeloablative (MAC) or reduced intensity (RIC) TBF (Tiothepa, Busulfan, Fludarabine) conditioning regimen was identical for all patients, GVHD prophylaxis was uniform for each categories. of transplant Results. From January 2006 to December 2014, 238(89%) out of 303 adult patients candidates to an allogeneic transplant for high-risk AML were considered eligible. Overall, a donor was available for 205 (86%) of 238 eligible patients. At time of the analysis, 17 of these 205 patients (8%) had lost the transplant eligibility and 4 (2%) were still scheduled for transplant, therefore 184/205 (90%) patients with an available donor were finally transplanted from Id-sib (n=76), MUD (n=38), UCB (n=17) or Haplo (n=53) donors. The 8-yrs overall survival (OS) of the 238 eligible patients from time of HLA typing and of the 184 transplanted patients from time of the graft was 40±4%and 43±4%, respectively. By excluding the low number of UCB recipients (n=17), the OS was particularly dismal for the 34 patients transplanted in advanced disease phase (7±4% at 4 yrs), whereas for the 132 patients transplanted in early (CR1+ CR2) phase the 8-yr OS was 56±5%: 58±7% for 61 HLA Id-sib, 50±8% for 40 Haplo and 63±10% for 27 MUD recipients (P=NS). The OS of patients transplanted in early phase was 63±5% for 97 patients receiving MAC and 33±9% for RIC recipients. For these 97 patients, the survival by type of donor was 62±10% either for 47 Id-sib or 28 Haplo and 70±10% for 22 MUD recipients (P=NS). The results were analyzed by various donor/recipient (D/R) combinations such as age, sex and CMV status. The median donor age was 39 years (range, 18-70) and the median patient age was 43 years (range, 16-59): the 8-yr OS of patients (n=30) with younger D/R combination (D Conclusions. RTN policy allowed donor identification in 86% of all eligible AML patients and allowed an allogeneic transplant to be carried out in 90% of them with no substantial differences in terms of long-term survival between initially eligible (ITT analysis) and definitively transplanted patients. Only the definition of a specific transplant policy and the ITT analysis allow to evaluate the real impact of a transplant program. As the probability of survival is not substantially different comparing different donor stem cell sources, the final conclusion which can be drawn from our study is that for patients with AML undergoing an allogeneic transplant, the HLA matching is unlikely to remain the first criterion for donor identification. Other factors such as D/R age, sex and CMV status should drive the search for the best donor. Figure 1. Figure 1. Figure 2. Figure 2. Figure 3. Figure 3. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.