Clinical characteristics of patients
| . | No cGVHD (n = 11) . | cGVHD (n = 11) . | P value . |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age (y), n (range) | 56 (26-65) | 42 (37-64) | .74 |
| Median days post-SCT, n (range) | 436 (349-1112) | 342 (100-2947) | .24 |
| Sex* | |||
| Male | 6 (55) | 9 (82) | .23 |
| Female | 5 (45) | 2 (18) | |
| Disease status at transplantation* | |||
| Standard risk | 7 (64) | 6 (55) | .29 |
| High risk | 4 (36) | 5 (45) | |
| Conditional regimen* | |||
| Myeloablative conditioning | 4 (36) | 5 (45) | .5 |
| Reduced intensity conditioning | 7 (64) | 6 (55) | |
| Stem cell donors* | |||
| Related | 2 (18) | 8 (73) | .7 |
| Unrelated | 9 (82) | 3 (27) | |
| Stem cell source* | |||
| Bone marrow | 3 (27) | 1 (9) | .6 |
| Peripheral blood stem cells | 8 (73) | 10 (91) | |
| Median CD34+ cells transplanted ×106/kg, n (range) | 5.8 (0.8-12.2) | 8.7 (2.8-12.77) | |
| Posttransplant immunosuppressive prophylaxis* | |||
| Cyclosporine-methotrexate | 4 (36) | 5 (46) | .26 |
| Cyclosporine-methotrexate- T-cell antibodies | 7 (64) | 4 (36) | |
| Other | 0 (0) | 2 (18) | |
| Acute GVHD* | |||
| Grade 0 | 7 (64) | 3 (27) | .37 |
| Grades I-II | 3 (27) | 5 (46) | |
| Grades III-IV | 1 (9) | 3 (27) | |
| Donor lymphocyte infusions* | |||
| Yes | 3 (27) | 8 (73) | .14 |
| No | 8 (73) | 3 (27) |
| . | No cGVHD (n = 11) . | cGVHD (n = 11) . | P value . |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age (y), n (range) | 56 (26-65) | 42 (37-64) | .74 |
| Median days post-SCT, n (range) | 436 (349-1112) | 342 (100-2947) | .24 |
| Sex* | |||
| Male | 6 (55) | 9 (82) | .23 |
| Female | 5 (45) | 2 (18) | |
| Disease status at transplantation* | |||
| Standard risk | 7 (64) | 6 (55) | .29 |
| High risk | 4 (36) | 5 (45) | |
| Conditional regimen* | |||
| Myeloablative conditioning | 4 (36) | 5 (45) | .5 |
| Reduced intensity conditioning | 7 (64) | 6 (55) | |
| Stem cell donors* | |||
| Related | 2 (18) | 8 (73) | .7 |
| Unrelated | 9 (82) | 3 (27) | |
| Stem cell source* | |||
| Bone marrow | 3 (27) | 1 (9) | .6 |
| Peripheral blood stem cells | 8 (73) | 10 (91) | |
| Median CD34+ cells transplanted ×106/kg, n (range) | 5.8 (0.8-12.2) | 8.7 (2.8-12.77) | |
| Posttransplant immunosuppressive prophylaxis* | |||
| Cyclosporine-methotrexate | 4 (36) | 5 (46) | .26 |
| Cyclosporine-methotrexate- T-cell antibodies | 7 (64) | 4 (36) | |
| Other | 0 (0) | 2 (18) | |
| Acute GVHD* | |||
| Grade 0 | 7 (64) | 3 (27) | .37 |
| Grades I-II | 3 (27) | 5 (46) | |
| Grades III-IV | 1 (9) | 3 (27) | |
| Donor lymphocyte infusions* | |||
| Yes | 3 (27) | 8 (73) | .14 |
| No | 8 (73) | 3 (27) |
The cohort includes patients who had received reduced intensity or myeloablative conditioning, followed by bone marrow or mobilized PB stem cell grafts. Those receiving high-dose steroids (>0.75 mg/kg prednisone) at the time of sampling or those who had received rituximab for any reason were excluded. cGVHD status at the time of sample collection was classified according to the National Institutes of Health cGVHD Consensus Criteria and modified Seattle Criteria for limited-vs-extensive disease. Eleven patients who were at a median of 14 months (range 11-37) posttransplant had active cGvHD (limited or extensive), whereas 11 patients who were 11 months (range 3-96) posttransplant lacked any history of cGVHD after HSCT. None of the no-cGVHD patients was on immunosuppressive therapy at the time of PB collection. All clinical characteristics, including age, sex, type of transplant, and underlying hematologic malignancy, were similar in patients with or without active cGVHD.
n (%).