Roseane Gouveia

Pilot Study on the Efficacy of Combined Intraoral and Extraoral Low-Level Laser Therapy for Prevention of Oral Mucositis in Pediatric Patients Undergoing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

OBJECTIVE AND BACKGROUND DATA Studies suggest that intraoral low-level laser therapy (LLLT) can ameliorate oral mucositis in adult patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of a combined protocol of intraoral and extraoral LLLT in children undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). METHODS Twelve children undergoing HSCT were treated four times a week with a combined protocol of intraoral and extraoral LLLT, for a mean duration of 22 days. Clinical and functional mucositis scores were assessed using the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI-CTCAE). These scores were compared with a matched retrospective control group of 12 children who did not receive LLLT during HSCT. RESULTS Clinical mucositis scores were significantly lower in the LLLT group than in the control group (p = 0.004). Incidence of ulcerative oral mucositis was also significantly lower in the LLLT group (p = 0.027). Functional limitation associated with diet/swallowing was less severe in the LLLT group; however, this was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS This study indicates that a combined protocol of intraoral and extraoral application of LLLT can reduce the severity of oral mucositis in pediatric patients undergoing HSCT. Randomized double-blind clinical trials with a larger number of subjects are needed to further test such combined protocols.

Indicações de transplante de células-tronco hematopoéticas em pediatria: consenso apresentado no I Encontro de Diretrizes Brasileiras em Transplante de Células-Tronco Hematopoéticas - Sociedade Brasileira de Transplante de Medula Óssea, Rio de Janeiro, 2009

A Sociedade Brasileira de Transplante de Medula (SBTMO) promoveu o I Encontro de Diretrizes do Transplante de Medula Ossea em 2009. Para revisao das indicacoes de transplante em Pediatria baseadas em evidencias foi constituido grupo de trabalho com oncologistas e hematologistas com experiencia em pediatria. Os artigos cientificos foram cuidadosamente avaliados e, para cada doenca, foram definidas as evidencias para recomendacao dos transplantes (de A a C) e a qualidade destas evidencias (de 1 a 3). As recomendacoes incluem doencas hematologicas malignas e nao malignas, tumores solidos, imunodeficiencias e doencas de deposito tratadas com transplantes de celulas-tronco hematopoeticas, quer autologos, alogenicos de irmao HLA compativel ou nao aparentados (doadores adultos ou sangue de cordao umbilical). Como nao existem recomendacoes uniformemente aceitas em pediatria, nao foram incluidas recomendacoes para transplantes de intensidade reduzida, com manipulacao do enxerto e nem parcialmente compativeis. E importante ressaltar que todas as indicacoes sao baseadas no conhecimento atual e podem modificar-se com o tempo. Assim, esta revisao nao deve ser utilizada para aplicacao direta no cuidado do paciente sem levar em conta caracteristicas da doenca, do doador e fatores de risco do proprio paciente. Este trabalho nao deve ainda ser utilizado como documento que limite o acesso do paciente ao transplante adequadamente indicado. Ressaltamos ainda, nesta revisao, diferencas entre transplantes em criancas e em adultos, com algumas recomendacoes especificas para os transplantes em pediatria.

Adherence and immune response to revaccination following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation at a pediatric onco-hematology reference center

Revaccination after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is necessary to compensate for the loss of immunological memory. The aims of this study were to evaluate the adherence to revaccination schedule and the humoral immune response to different vaccine antigens in HSCT pediatric and young adult patients.

The influence of cell concentration at cryopreservation on neutrophil engraftment after autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation

Background Peripheral blood stem cell concentrations are traditionally adjusted to 20–40 × 106 leukocytes/mL prior to freezing. This low cell concentration at cryopreservation implies larger volumes with more dimethyl sulfoxide being used, and higher cost and toxicity at the time of transplant. Higher cell concentrations have been reported but this is not widely accepted. Moreover, the influence of cell concentration on engraftment has not been well documented. Therefore, this study retrospectively analyzed the influence of peripheral blood stem cell concentration at freezing on engraftment after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Method Leukapheresis products were plasma-depleted and cryopreserved with 5% dimethyl sulfoxide, 6% hydroxyethylamide solution and 4% albumin in a −80 °C freezer. Individual patient data from hospital records were reviewed. Results Fifty consecutive patients with oncological diseases underwent 88 leukaphereses. Median age was six years (range: 1–32 years) and median weight was 19 kg (range: 8–94 kg). Median leukocyte concentration was 109 × 106/mL at collection and 359 × 106 (range: 58–676 × 106) at freezing with 78% viability (range: 53–95%); leukocyte recovery after thawing was 95% (range: 70–100%). In multivariate analysis, cell concentration (p-value = 0.001) had a negative impact on engraftment. Patients infused with bags frozen with <200 × 106 leukocytes/mL engrafted after a median of nine days (range: 8–12 days), 200–400 × 106 leukocytes/mL after 11 days (range: 9–20 days); 400–600 × 106 leukocytes/mL after 12 days (range: 8–19 days) and with cell concentrations >600 × 106 leukocytes/mL, engraftment was after 14 days (range: 13–22 days). Conclusion In patients with adequate CD34 cell collections, total leukocyte concentrations of 282 × 106/mL, freezing with 5% dimethyl sulfoxide and 6% hydroxyethylamide solution without a controlled-rate freezer, and storing cells at −80 °C yielded excellent engraftment. Further increases in cell concentration may delay engraftment, without affecting safety.