• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제58권7호
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• pp.267-269
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• 2015

Antithymocyte globulin (ATG) is used as an immunosuppressive treatment (IST) to deplete clonal suppressor T cells in patients with severe aplastic anemia (SAA). The depletion of suppressor T cells by ATG may affect the activation of B cells, which results in an increased risk for autoimmune conditions. A 12-year-old boy was diagnosed with idiopathic SAA. As he did not have an human leukocyte antigen-matched sibling, he was treated with rabbit ATG (3.5 mg/kg/day for 5 days) and cyclosporine. Five months later, he became transfusion independent. However, 23 months after IST, he complained of mild hand tremors, sweating, weight loss, palpitations, and goiter. Results of thyroid function tests revealed hyperthyroidism (free thyroxine, 3.42 ng/dL; thyroid stimulating hormone [TSH], <0.01 nIU/mL; triiodothyronine, 3.99 ng/mL). Results of tests for autoantibodies were positive for the antimicrosome antibody and TSH-binding inhibitory immunoglobulin, but negative for the antithyroglobulin antibody and antinuclear antibody. He was treated with methimazole, and his symptoms improved. The patient has been disease free for 39 months after IST and 9 months after methimazole treatment. This case report suggests that although rare, rabbit ATG may have implications in the pathogenesis of autoimmune hyperthyroidism. Our findings suggest that thyroid function tests should be incorporated in the routine follow-up of SAA patients treated with ATG.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제50권6호
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• pp.519-523
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• 2007

Aplastic anemia is a rare disease, which is characterized by pancytopenia and hypocellular bone marrow without infiltration of abnormal cells or fibrosis. The incidence in Asia is higher than in the West and new cases are diagnosed at a rate of 5.1 per million pediatric populations per year in Korea. The pathophysiology is understood roughly by defective hematopoiesis, impaired bone marrow micro-environment and immune mechanism. Treatments are performed on basis of pathogenesis and selected depending on the severity. Immunosuppressive therapy with antilymphocyte or antithymocyte globulin and cyclosporine is effective in the majority of patients but has some problems including relapse or clonal evolution. Recently, there have been clinical trials of immunosuppression with hematopoietic growth factors or other drugs. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is curative in children with severe aplastic anemia. The overall survival in HSCT from HLA-identical sibling is higher than alternative donor, including HLA matched unrelated donor or cord blood. We have to consider quality of life after HSCT because of high survival rate. However, chronic graft versus host disease and graft failure are important factors that affect the quality of life and overall survival. We need further investigation to make new regimens aimed at overcoming these risk factors and perform clinical trials.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• 제30권4호
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• pp.165-172
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• 2012

Purpose: To retrospectively evaluate the outcome and toxicity of total lymphoid irradiation (TLI) based conditioning regimen for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in severe aplastic anemia (SAA) patients who experienced an engraftment failure from prior HSCT or were heavily transfused. Materials and Methods: Between 1995 and 2006, 20 SAA patients received TLI for conditioning of HSCT. All patients were multi-transfused or had long duration of disease. Fifteen (75%) patients had graft failure from prior HSCT. In 18 (90%) patients, the donors were human leukocyte antigen identical siblings. The stem cell source was the peripheral blood stem cell in 15 (75%) patients. The conditioning regimen was composed of antithymocyte globulin plus TLI with a median dose of 750 cGy in 1 fraction. The graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis used cyclosporine with methotrexate. Results: With a median follow-up of 10.8 years, graft failures developed in 6 patients. Among them, 3 patients received their third HSCT to be engrafted finally. The Kaplan-Meier overall survival rate was 85.0% and 83.1% at 5 and 10 years, respectively. The incidence of acute and chronic GVHD was 20% and 20%, respectively. None of the patients have developed a malignancy after HSCT. Conclusion: In our study, TLI based conditioning in allogeneic HSCT was feasible with acceptable rates of GVHD in SAA patients who experienced graft failure from prior HSCT or was at a high risk of graft rejection. We achieved relatively better results of engraftment and survival with a long term follow-up.

• 대한이식학회지
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• 제32권4호
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• pp.92-103
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• 2018

Background: Currently, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole is used for Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) prophylaxis, but it is associated with frequent adverse effects. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of the current protocol and proposes an individualized risk-based prophylaxis protocol. Methods: The PJP incidence and risk factors during the first 6 months (early PJP) and afterwards (late PJP) was assessed in renal transplant recipients with (prophylaxis group) and without (no-prophylaxis group) 6-month PJP prophylaxis. Results: In 578 patients, there were 39 cases of PJP during a median follow-up of 51 months. Renal adverse events were encountered frequently during trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole prophylaxis, leading to premature discontinuation. Patients without the prophylaxis had a significantly higher incidence of early PJP (n=27, 6.6%) compared to patients with the prophylaxis (n=0). The incidence of late PJP was 2.2%, without between-group differences. The factors associated with early PJP were preoperative desensitization and acute rejection within 1 month, whereas late PJP was associated with age, deceased donor transplant, and acute rejection requiring antithymocyte globulin treatment. Conclusions: Based on the simulation results of several risk-based scenarios, the authors recommend universal prophylaxis up to 6 months post-transplant and extended selective prophylaxis in patients aged ${\geq}57$ years and those with a transplant from deceased donors.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제59권sup1호
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• pp.57-59
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• 2016

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a primary immunodeficiency disease caused by impaired phagocytic function. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a definitive cure for CGD; however, the use of HSCT is limited because of associated problems, including transplantation-related mortality and engraftment failure. We report a case of a patient with CGD who underwent successful HSCT following a targeted busulfan and fludarabine reduced-toxicity myeloablative conditioning. Intravenous busulfan was administered once daily for 4 consecutive days (days -8 to -5), and the target area under the curve was $75,000{\mu}g{\cdot}hr/L$. Fludarabine ($40mg/m^2$) was administered once daily for 6 consecutive days from days -8 to -3. Antithymocyte globulin (2.5 mg/kg/day) was administered from days -4 to -2. The patient underwent successful engraftment and did not have any severe toxicity related to the transplantation. Conditioning with a targeted busulfan and fludarabine regimen could provide a better outcome for HSCT in CGD, with close regulation of the busulfan dose.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제49권12호
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• pp.1329-1339
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• 2006

목 적 : 조혈모세포이식은 혈액암뿐만 아니라, 유전 질환, 면역질환에서 완치의 방법으로 널리 사용되고 있다. 그러나 생착 실패나 재발로 인해 조혈모세포이식이 실패하는 경우가 종종 있고, 이때는 장기 생존이 거의 불가능한 것으로 알려져 있으며, 치료방법도 정립되지 않았다. 이에 본 저자들은 1차 이식이 실패한 경우 치료법으로써 2차 이식의 의의에 대해 알아보고자 하였다. 방 법 : 1991년 5월부터 2004년 12월까지 전남대학교병원 소아과에서 조혈모세포이식을 시행한 115례 중에서 생착 실패나 재발로 2차 이식을 시행한 비혈액암 8례(재생불량성빈혈 7례, 부신백질이영양증 1례)와 혈액암 7례(급성골수성백혈병 3례, 급성림프구성백혈병 2례, 만성골수성백혈병 1례, 골수이형성증후군 1례), 총 15례의 의무기록지를 바탕으로 치료 방법, 합병증, 치료성과 등에 대해 분석 하였다. 결 과 : 비혈액암의 경우 2례는 일차성 생착 실패, 5례는 후기 이식편 거부, 1례는 Fanconi 빈혈로 1차 이식 후 급성골수성백혈병으로 전환되어 2차 이식을 시행하였다. 1차 이식 후 이식편기능 부전까지 기간은 중앙값 130.5일(범위, 59-279일)이었고, 1차와 2차 이식 사이의 간격은 중앙값 348일(범위, 86-1,875일)이었다. 전처치는 7례에서 cyclophosphamide를 기본으로 하였고, fludarabine을 3례에서, 방사선 조사를 2례에서 사용하였다. 이식원은 6례에서 조직형 일치 형제간 말초조혈모세포를, 1례에서 조직형 일치 형제간 골수를, 1례에서 제대혈을 사용하였고, 제대혈을 사용한 1례를 제외한 7례는 2차 이식의 공여자가 1차 이식 시와 동일하였다. 급성 이식대숙주병은 1례에서 Grade IV로 발생하였다. 총 8례 중 2례가 사망하였고, 1례는 생착 실패하였으나 생존하여, 5년 Kaplan-Meier(K-M)전체생존율은 75.0%, 무병생존율은 62.5%이었다. 혈액암의 경우 모두 재발로 인해 2차 이식을 시행하였다. 1차 이식 후 재발까지 기간은 중앙값 174일(범위, 90-1,474일)이었고, 1차 이식과 2차 이식 사이의 간격은 중앙값 319일(범위, 178-1,715일)이었다. 전처치는 5례에서 fludarabine, busulfan, antithymocyte globulin 병합요법을, 1례는 busulfan, ara-C, idarubicine 병합요법을, 나머지 1례는 melphalan, busulfan 병합요법을 사용하였다. 이식원은 5례는 1차 이식과 동일한 공여자의 말초조혈모세포였고, 나머지 2례는 제대혈을 사용하였다. grade II 이상의 급성 이식대숙주병은 2례에서 발생하였다. 사망한 5례 중 4례는 재발로, 나머지 1례는 이식관련 합병증으로 사망하였다. 2년 K-M 전체생존율과 무병생존율은 각각 28.6%이었다. 결 론 : 조혈모세포이식을 시행하고 이식편 거부나 재발이 된 경우 2차 이식은 일부 환자에서 장기 생존을 가능하게 하는 방법이 될 수 있다. 비혈액암 질환, 특히 재생불량성빈혈에서 생착 실패를 보이는 경우 2차 이식을 시행하는 것을 추천할 수 있지만, 적절한 전처치와 이식원에 관한 연구가 더 필요하겠고, 혈액암 질환에서 재발한 경우에는 소수에서만 장기 생존이 가능하므로 더욱 효과적인 항백혈병 치료가 필요할 것으로 사료되었다.