Incidence of sinusoidal obstruction syndrome/veno-occlusive disease and treatment with defibrotide in allogeneic transplant: A multicentre Australasian registry study

BACKGROUND

Sinusoidal obstruction syndrome/veno-occlusive disease (SOS/VOD) is an established complication in patients undergoing allogeneic haemopoietic stem cell transplantation. Defibrotide is an effective and safe pharmacological option for treating diagnosed SOS/VOD.

OBJECTIVE

By exploring data provided to the Australasian Bone Marrow Transplant Recipient Registry (ABMTRR) by centres from Australia and New Zealand, this study aimed to describe the incidence of SOS/VOD and patterns of defibrotide use from 2016 to 2020.

STUDY DESIGN

Patients who underwent allogeneic HSCT between 2016 and 2020 were identified from the ABMTRR. Data was extracted for a total of 3346 patients, 2692 from adult centres and 654 from paediatric centres, with a median follow up of 21.5 months and 33.3 months respectively. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the patient population, including the incidence of SOS/VOD and defibrotide use. Comparisons were made between patients not experiencing SOS/VOD, and those with the diagnosis, divided into defibrotide and no-defibrotide cohorts. Associations with overall survival and day 100 survival with variables such as gender, age, disease at transplant, source of stem cells, conditioning agents, SOS/VOD diagnosis and use of defibrotide were determined.

RESULTS

The reported incidence of SOS/VOD was 4.1% in adult centres and 11.5% in paediatric centres. Defibrotide was administered to 74.8% of adult patients with SOS/VOD and 97.3% of paediatric patients. Significant variability of use, dose and duration of defibrotide was seen across the adult centres. Day 100 survival rate and median overall survival (OS) for patients managed with defibrotide was 51.8% and 103 days respectively for adult patients, and 90.4% and not reached for paediatric patients. In adults, older age at transplant, an HLA matched donor who was a non-sibling relative, and a diagnosis of SOS/VOD treated with defibrotide, were all associated with reduced OS. In paediatrics, the patient and transplant characteristics that were associated with a reduced OS were a diagnosis of SOS/VOD and donor relation as 2 or more HLA mismatched relative.

CONCLUSION

A collaborative approach across Australasia to diagnose and manage SOS/VOD, in particular with respect to consistent defibrotide use, is recommended.

Population pharmacokinetic model for once‐daily intravenous busulfan in pediatric subjects describing time‐associated clearance

This study aimed to characterize the population pharmacokinetics (PK) of busulfan focusing on how busulfan clearance (CL) changes over time during once‐daily administration and assess different methods for measuring busulfan exposure and the ability to achieve target cumulative exposure under different dosing adjustment scenarios in pediatric stem cell transplantation recipients. Daily serial blood sampling was performed and concentration‐time data were analyzed using a nonlinear mixed‐effects approach. The developed PK model was used to assess achievement of target exposure under six dose‐adjustment scenarios based on simulations performed in RStudio (RxODE package)®. A total of 2491 busulfan plasma concentration–time measurements were collected from 95 patients characterizing 379 dosing days. A two‐compartment model with time‐associated CL best described the data with a typical CL of 14.5 L/h for an adult male with 62 kg normal fat mass (NFM; equivalent to 70 kg total body weight), typical volume of distribution central compartment (V1) of 40.6 L/59 kg NFM (equivalent to 70 kg total body weight), and typical volume of distribution peripheral compartment of 3.57 L/62 kg NFM. Model interindividual variability in CL and V1 was 14.7% and 34.9%, respectively, and interoccasional variability in CL was 6.6%. Patient size described by NFM, a maturation component, and time since start of treatment significantly influenced CL. Simulations demonstrated that using model‐based exposure estimates with each dose, and either a proportional dose‐adjustment calculation or model‐based calculated individual CL estimates to support dose adjustments, increased proportion of subjects attaining cumulative exposure within 5% of target compared with using noncompartmental analysis (100% vs. 0%). A time‐associated reduction in CL during once‐daily busulfan treatment was described.

Addition of Thiotepa to Total Body Irradiation and Cyclophosphamide Conditioning for Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Total body irradiation (TBI)/cyclophosphamide (CY) is a standard-of-care conditioning regimen in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) for pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). This study sought to identify whether the addition of thiotepa (TT) to TBI/CY improves HSCT outcomes for pediatric patients with ALL. A retrospective analysis was performed on 347 pediatric ALL patients who underwent HSCT between 1995 and 2015, with 242 receiving TBI/CY/TT and 105 patients receiving TBI/CY. There were no statistical differences in age, donor source, or complete remission status between the 2 groups. Comparison of the TBI/CY/TT versus TBI/CY groups demonstrated no difference in transplant-related mortality at 1 (11% versus 11%), 5 (13% versus 16%), or 10 years (16% versus 16%). There was lower relapse in the TBI/CY/TT group at 1 (14% versus 26%), 5 (24% versus 36%), 10 (26% versus 37%), and 15 years (26% versus 37%) (P= .02) but was not statistically significant on multivariate analysis. The TBI/CY/TT group showed a trend toward improved disease-free survival (DFS) at 5 (59% versus 47%), 10 (56% versus 46%), and 15 years (49% versus 40%) (P = .05) but was not statistically significant on multivariate analysis. Comparing overall survival at 5 (62% versus 53%), 10 (57% versus 50%), and 15 years (50% versus 44%) demonstrated no statistical difference between the 2 groups. The addition of thiotepa to TBI/CY demonstrated no increase in transplant-related mortality for pediatric ALL HSCT but was unable to demonstrate significant benefit in disease control. Minimal residual disease status remained the key risk factor impacting both relapse and DFS. More studies are warranted to better clarify the benefits of using thiotepa in conditioning for ALL HSCT.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for children with acute myeloid leukemia in second remission: A report from the Australasian Bone Marrow Transplant Recipient Registry and the Australian and New Zealand Children's Haematology Oncology Group

BACKGROUND

Approximately one-third of children with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) relapse, requiring re-treatment and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Although achieving second complete remission (CR2) prior to HSCT is desirable, once CR2 is attained, it is unclear if there is any benefit from further chemotherapy prior to HSCT. Moreover, although pre-HSCT minimal residual disease (MRD) has prognostic value in acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the benefit of MRD reduction after achieving CR prior to HSCT is less clear for AML.

PROCEDURE

To address these questions, we analyzed data from pediatric transplant centers in Australia and New Zealand concerning relapsed childhood AML cases occurring between 1998 and 2013. Given the retrospective nature of our analysis and assay data available, we analyzed patients on the basis of measurable residual disease (MeRD) by any methodology, rather than MRD in the conventional sense.

RESULTS

We observed improved overall survival (OS) in children receiving two chemotherapy cycles, compared to one cycle or three or more cycles pre-HSCT. Improved OS with two cycles remained significant for patients without MeRD after cycle 1.

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest that a second chemotherapy cycle pre-HSCT may improve survival by lowering disease burden. Prospective trials assessing strategies to reduce pre-HSCT MRD in relapsed childhood AML are warranted.

Childhood cancer registration in New Zealand: A registry collaboration to assess and improve data quality

AIM

To evaluate the completeness and accuracy of child cancer registration in New Zealand.

METHODS

Registrations for children aged 0-14 diagnosed between 1/1/2010 and 31/12/2014 were obtained from the New Zealand Cancer Registry (NZCR) and the New Zealand Children's Cancer Registry (NZCCR). Six key data fields were matched using National Health Index numbers in order to identify and resolve registration discrepancies. Capture-recapture methods were used to assess the completeness of cancer registration.

RESULTS

794 unique cases were reported; 718 from the NZCR, 721 from the NZCCR and 643 from both registries. 27 invalid cancer registrations were identified, including 19 residents of the Pacific Islands who had travelled to New Zealand for treatment. The NZCCR provided 55 non-malignant central nervous system tumour and 16 Langerhans cell histiocytosis cases which were not registered by the NZCR. The NZCR alerted the NZCCR to 18 cases missed due to human error and 23 cases that had not been referred to the specialist paediatric oncology centres. 762 cases were verified as true incident cases, an incidence rate of 166.8 per million. Registration accuracy for six key data fields was 98.6%. According to their respective inclusion criteria case completeness was 99.3% for the NZCR and 94.4% for the NZCCR. For childhood malignancies covered by both registries, capture-recapture methods estimated case ascertainment at greater than 99.9%.

CONCLUSION

With two national registries covering childhood cancers, New Zealand is uniquely positioned to undertake regular cooperative activities to ensure high quality data is available for research and patient care.

Patients' and clinicians' experiences of wound care in Canada: a descriptive qualitative study

OBJECTIVE

This study sought to explore patients' and clinicians' perceptions and experiences with the provision of standard care by a home care nurse alone or by a multidisciplinary wound care team.

METHOD

The interviews were conducted using an in-depth semi structured format; following a funnel idea of starting out broad and narrowing down, ensuring that all the necessary topics were covered by the end of the interview.

RESULTS

A purposive sample of 16 patients with different wound types were interviewed to ensure that the data would reflect the range and diversity of treatment and care experience. To reflect the diversity of experiences 12 clinicians from various clinical backgrounds were interviewed. Based on the analysis of the interviews, there are four overarching themes: wound care expertise is required across health-care sectors, psychosocial needs of patients with chronic wounds are key barriers to treatment concordance, structured training, and a well-coordinated multidisciplinary team approach.

CONCLUSION

Results of this qualitative study identified different barriers and facilitators that affect the experiences of community-based wound care.

Clinical validation of urine 3-methoxytyramine as a biomarker of neuroblastoma and comparison with other catecholamine-related biomarkers

Background

Urinary dopamine, homovanillic acid and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxymandelic acid are established tests for diagnosis and monitoring of neuroblastic disease. We compared the diagnostic performance of total urinary 3-methoxytyramine, the O-methylated product of dopamine, to these three established tumour markers.

Methods

Urinary 3-methoxytyramine, dopamine, homovanillic acid and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxymandelic acid were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection on consecutive urine samples from histologically proven neuroblastic patients and controls. Patients with neuroblastic disease were further classified as untreated, advancing, residual or absent disease based on clinical and radiological criteria. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to compare the diagnostic performance of the four tumour markers.

Results

Urinary 3-methoxytyramine was well correlated with established tumour markers and its concentration correlated with disease activity. It was the most commonly elevated tumour marker in neuroblastic disease and showed similar sensitivity to dopamine and homovanillic acid. The diagnostic utility of urinary 3-methoxytyramine as measured by area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was similar to dopamine and homovanillic acid.

Conclusion

Our results support the use of urinary 3-methoxytyramine as a tumour marker in the diagnosis and the monitoring of neuroblastoma disease.

Inhibition of glutamate regulated calcium entry into leukemic megakaryoblasts reduces cell proliferation and supports differentiation

Human megakaryocytes release glutamate and express glutamate-gated Ca(2+)-permeable N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) that support megakaryocytic maturation. While deregulated glutamate pathways impact oncogenicity in some cancers, the role of glutamate and NMDARs in megakaryocytic malignancies remains unknown. The aim of this study was to determine if NMDARs participate in Ca(2+) responses in leukemic megakaryoblasts and if so, whether modulating NMDAR activity could influence cell growth. Three human cell lines, Meg-01, Set-2 and K-562 were used as models of leukemic megakaryoblasts. NMDAR components were examined in leukemic cells and human bone marrow, including in megakaryocytic disease. Well-established NMDAR modulators (agonists and antagonists) were employed to determine NMDAR effects on Ca(2+) flux, cell viability, proliferation and differentiation. Leukemic megakaryoblasts contained combinations of NMDAR subunits that differed from normal bone marrow and the brain. NMDAR agonists facilitated Ca(2+) entry into Meg-01 cells, amplified Ca(2+) responses to adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and promoted growth of Meg-01, Set-2 and K-562 cells. Low concentrations of NMDAR inhibitors (riluzole, memantine, MK-801 and AP5; 5-100μM) were weakly cytotoxic but mainly reduced cell numbers by suppressing proliferation. The use-dependent NMDAR inhibitor, memantine (100μM), reduced numbers and proliferation of Meg-01 cells to less than 20% of controls (IC50 20μM and 36μM, respectively). In the presence of NMDAR inhibitors cells acquired morphologic and immunophenotypic features of megakaryocytic differentiation. In conclusion, NMDARs provide a novel pathway for Ca(2+) entry into leukemic megakaryoblasts that supports cell proliferation but not differentiation. NMDAR inhibitors counteract these effects, suggesting a novel opportunity to modulate growth of leukemic megakaryoblasts.

Imatinib mesylate-induced pseudoporphyria in two children

Imatinib mesylate was the first of several tyrosine kinase inhibitors approved for use in the treatment of a number of human cancers. Adverse cutaneous reactions to imatinib are common. Pseudoporphyria has been infrequently reported in adults undergoing imatinib therapy for chronic myeloid leukemia. We present two children with pseudoporphyria induced by imatinib therapy for hematologic malignancies. In view of the burgeoning use of imatinib in children, physicians should be aware that pseudoporphyria may develop as a consequence of imatinib therapy.

Colorectal adenocarcinoma cancer in New Zealand in those under 25 years of age (1997-2007)

INTRODUCTION

Colorectal cancer is common and primarily a disease of older people. Colorectal cancer in patients aged 25 years and under is infrequent and may represent a unique subgroup of patients. This study aimed to describe the population of young people in New Zealand diagnosed with colorectal cancer, their tumour characteristics, management and outcomes.

METHODS

A retrospective clinical study was conducted via review of medical records for all patients 25 years of age and under, diagnosed with colorectal adenocarcinoma in New Zealand between 1 January 1997 and 31 December 2007.

RESULTS

Fifty patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma were identified from the New Zealand Cancer Registry. Seven had a positive family history of colorectal cancer, while eight had predisposing factors (hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer, familial adenomatous polyposis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, regional enteritis). The most common presenting symptoms were abdominal pain and weight loss. Twenty-eight cases presented acutely. Eighteen presented with stage IV disease at diagnosis. Eighteen were referred to a genetics service. Five-year overall survival was 49%.

DISCUSSION

Those aged 25 years and under that develop colorectal cancer tend to present acutely and move through the secondary care pathway swiftly, being diagnosed at a more advanced stage, and have a poorer prognosis than their adult counterparts. Familial cancers form a more significant component of youth colorectal cancers compared to the older population and input from genetic service should be considered.

Outcomes of haematopoietic stem cell transplantation for inherited metabolic disorders: a report from the Australian and New Zealand Children's Haematology Oncology Group and the Australasian Bone Marrow Transplant Recipient Registry

We report a retrospective analysis of 53 haematopoietic stem cell transplants for inherited metabolic disorders performed at ANZCHOG transplant centres between 1992 and 2008. Indications for transplant included Hurler syndrome, ALD, and MLD. The majority of transplants utilized unrelated donor stem cells (66%) with 65% of those being unrelated cord blood. Conditioning therapy was largely myeloablative, with Bu plus another cytotoxic agent used in 89% of recipients. Primary graft failure was rare, occurring in three patients, all of whom remain long-term survivors following the second transplant. The CI of grade II-IV and grade III-IV acute GVHD at day +100 was 39% and 14%, respectively. Chronic GVHD occurred in 17% of recipients. TRM was 12% at day +100 and 19% at one yr post-transplant. OS at five yr was 78% for the cohort, 73% for patients with ALD and 83% for patients with Hurler syndrome. There was no statistically significant difference in overall survival between unrelated marrow and unrelated cord blood donor groups. The development of interstitial pneumonitis was an independent variable shown to significantly impact on TRM and OS. In summary, we report a large cohort of patients with inherited metabolic disorders with excellent survival post-allogeneic transplant.

Testing for heritable thrombophilia in children at Starship Children's Hospital: an audit of requests between 2004 and 2009

AIMS

The aim of this study was to review patterns of requests for heritable thrombophilia and to audit these findings against an international standard.

METHODS

Review of requests for antithrombin, protein C, protein S, activated protein C resistance, Factor V Leiden and prothrombin G20210A mutation analysis in children <16 years between 1/1/2004 and 31/12/2009. Data for patient characteristics, test results, origin of request, requesting department and indication were obtained. The 2010 British Committee for Standards in Haematology (BCSH) clinical guidelines for testing for heritable thrombophilia was used as the standard for the audit.

RESULTS

On 269 patients, 379 requests were made. Thirty-four per cent of tests were abnormal but only 36% of abnormal tests were repeated. Seven per cent of patients were confirmed with a heritable thrombophilia. Thirty-four tests were performed on patients on anticoagulation. The median age was 6.903 years. Fifty-three per cent of requests came from a ward, 28% from outpatients, 14% from an intensive care department and 5% from the emergency department. Departments most frequently requesting tests were neurology (20%), paediatric intensive care (15%) and cardiology (12%). Indications for testing were arterial thrombosis (5%), cerebral vein thrombosis (4%), deep vein thrombosis (12%), stroke (23%), asymptomatic relative (6%), intra-abdominal vein thrombosis (8%), start oestrogen containing medication (2%), purpura fulminans (0.2%), heparin resistance (8%) and other (35%).

DISCUSSION

The large majority of requests did not satisfy the BCSH criteria. Requesting behaviours are haphazard. Better appreciation of the difficulties of interpreting results in children of different ages and in different clinical settings amongst paediatricians is required.

Clinical significance of minimal residual disease at day 15 and at the end of therapy in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

Detection of minimal residual disease (MRD) after induction and consolidation therapy is highly predictive of outcome for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) and is used to identify patients at high risk of relapse in several current clinical trials. To evaluate the prognostic significance of MRD at other treatment phases, MRD was measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction on a selected group of 108 patients enrolled on the Australian and New Zealand Children's Cancer Study Group Study VII including 36 patients with a bone marrow or central nervous system relapse and 72 matched patients in first remission. MRD was prognostic of outcome at all five treatment phases tested: at day 15 (MRD > or = 5 x 10(-2), log rank P < 0.0001), day 35 (> or =1 x 10(-2), P = 0.0001), 4 months (> or =5 x 10(-4), P < 0.0001), 12 months (MRD > or = 1 x 10(-4), P = 0.006) and 24 months (MRD > or = 1 x 10(-4), P < 0.0001). Day 15 was the best early MRD time-point to differentiate between patients with high, intermediate and low risk of relapse. MRD testing at 12 and particularly at 24 months, detected molecular relapses in some patients up to 6 months before clinical relapse. This raised the question of whether a strategy of late monitoring and salvage therapy will improve outcome.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation for leukocyte adhesion deficiency

OBJECTIVES

Leukocyte adhesion deficiency is a rare primary immune disorder caused by defects of the CD18 beta-integrin molecule on immune cells. The condition usually presents in early infancy and is characterized by deep tissue infections, leukocytosis with impaired formation of pus, and delayed wound healing. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation offers the possibility of curative therapy, and with patient numbers at any individual center being limited, we surveyed the transplant experience at 14 centers worldwide.

METHODS

The course of 36 children with a confirmed diagnosis of leukocyte adhesion deficiency who underwent hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation between 1993 and 2007 was retrospectively analyzed. Data were collected by the registries of the European Society for Immunodeficiencies/European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, and the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research.

RESULTS

At a median follow-up of 62 months (extending to 14 years), the overall survival rate was 75%. Myeloablative conditioning regimens were used in 28 patients, and reduced-intensity conditioning in 8 patients, with no deaths in this subgroup. Survival rates after matched family donor and unrelated donor transplants were similar, with 11 of 14 matched family donor and 12 of 14 unrelated donor recipients alive; mortality was greatest after haploidentical transplants, after which 4 of 8 children did not survive. Twenty-seven transplant recipients were alive, with full donor engraftment in 17 cases, mixed multilineage chimerism in 7 patients, and mononuclear cell-restricted chimerism in an additional 3 cases.

CONCLUSIONS

Hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation offers long-term benefit in leukocyte adhesion deficiency and should be considered as an early therapeutic option if a suitable HLA-matched stem-cell donation is available. Reduced-intensity conditioning was particularly safe, and mixed-donor chimerism seems sufficient to prevent significant symptoms, although careful long-term monitoring will be required for these patients.

The outcome of clinical parameters in adults with severe Type I Gaucher disease using very low dose enzyme replacement therapy

Enzyme replacement therapy is now well established as the treatment of choice in Type I Gaucher disease. Historically higher dosage regimens have been used in preference to lower doses despite the little clinical evidence in the way of large controlled clinical trials to support this. Moreover, the extraordinary cost of therapy means that not all eligible patients are able to be treated at the higher dose. Twelve type I adult patients with relatively severe disease were commenced on a very low dose of 7.5U of alglucerase/imiglucerase per kg every two weeks (initially given thrice weekly and later weekly). Follow-up 5 year data reveal a good visceral and haematological response with outcomes consistent with recently published treatment guidelines. Satisfactory clinical and radiological skeletal improvement was also demonstrated in most patients. Three patients had an inadequate overall skeletal response to therapy. Biomarkers also steadily improved although perhaps not quite at the same rate as that seen in higher doses. Very low dose enzyme replacement therapy may be appropriate for adult type I Gaucher patients with mild-moderate skeletal disease.

Vincristine for the treatment of Kasabach-Merritt syndrome: recent New Zealand case experience

AIMS

To present a case series showing efficacious use of vincristine in treating Kasabach-Merritt syndrome (KMS).

METHODS

The case notes of four children treated for KMS by the authors with corticosteroids and vincristine were reviewed. Specific attention was paid to the efficacy and adverse effects of each therapeutic agent.

RESULTS

The age of presentation ranged from birth to 11 months. Initial treatment with high dose corticosteroids was uniformly ineffective, and in 2 cases, prolonged use caused significant side-effects. Subsequent or concurrent treatment with vincristine was effective and well-tolerated, with no discernable side effects. The only complications were line-related.

CONCLUSIONS

Kasabach-Merritt syndrome is rare, but it is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. No definitive treatment regime has been established, but the authors suggest that vincristine should be considered a first-line agent, and that the use of systemic corticosteroids should not be routine.

The challenge arising from the cost of haemophilia care: an audit of haemophilia treatment at Auckland Hospital

AIMS

To compare treatment patterns in adults and children with haemophilia and to estimate the financial impact of the changing practice of haemophilia care.

METHODS

A retrospective audit of replacement coagulation factor usage in all patients with haemophilia treated at the Auckland Haemophilia Centre during 2001.

RESULTS

A total of 69 males with haemophilia were included in the audit. Twelve children under 16 years old (nine on recombinant products) and six adults (all on plasma products) received prophylactic treatment. The remaining patients used treatment on demand. The cohort included eight patients with factor VIII inhibitors. The estimated cost of replacement products used was around 3 million dollars for the 23 children and 2.2 dollars million for the 46 adults.

CONCLUSIONS

Children with severe haemophilia are predominantly treated with recombinant products on regular prophylaxis, whereas adults are largely treated on demand with plasma-derived products. This is in line with international practice as regular prophylaxis has been shown to improve the quality of life for people with haemophilia and in the long term is cost effective. The problem in the short term is that prophylaxis is significantly more expensive than on-demand treatment. We estimate that the cost of replacement product will increase by at least 5% per annum as the children with haemophilia grow.

Results of consecutive trials for children newly diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia from the Australian and New Zealand Children's Cancer Study Group

Despite improvements in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), approximately 50% of children die of the disease. Clinical trials in adult patients with AML indicate that idarubicin may have superior efficacy when compared to daunorubicin in the remission-induction phases of chemotherapy. We conducted consecutive clinical trials in children with newly diagnosed AML in which daunorubicin (group 1, n = 102) or idarubicin (group 2, n = 160) was used during the remission-induction (RI) and the early consolidation phases of chemotherapy. Idarubicin was given at a dose of either 10 mg/m(2) (group 2A, n = 106) or 12 mg/m(2) (group 2B, n = 53). A high rate of RI was achieved for all groups (95% group 1, 90% group 2A, 94% group 2B). There were no significant differences in 5-year event-free survival (EFS) or in overall survival (OS) when the 3 groups were compared (group 1: EFS 50%, OS 56%; group 2A: EFS 50%, OS 60%; group 2B: EFS 34%, OS 50%). RI deaths resulting from treatment toxicity were low-2% for group 1 and 5% for group 2. More gastrointestinal, pulmonary, and renal toxicity but fewer infections were observed in patients receiving idarubicin (P <.001, P =.04, P =.03, respectively). Following RI chemotherapy, all patients received 3 to 4 more courses of identical chemotherapy and then underwent either autologous (n = 156) or an allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) (n = 35). OS was higher in allogeneic BMT patients than in autologous BMT patients (79% vs 63%; P =.23). We conclude that daunorubicin is as effective as idarubicin for remission-induction therapy for childhood AML and has reduced toxicity.

Experience with recombinant factor VIIa in Australia and New Zealand

Recombinant factor VIIa (rFVIIa; NovoSeventrademark) was availablefor compassionate use in Australia and New Zealand from 1991 to 1994. Over this period there were 18 treatment episodes in 9 patients, age 8-66 years, with haemophilia A and high titre inhibitors cross-reacting with porcine factor VIII. There were no significant adverse effects. Treatment with rFVIIa resulted in a successful outcome in 8 potentially life-threatening (retroperitoneal, subdural, gastro-intestinal) bleeds. Elective cystoscopy, repair of a cranial flap, yttrium synovectomy and inguinal herniotomy were performed successfully, as was surgical decompression of a flexor pollicis longus bleed. Treatment of a patient with an infected haematoma had limited success, attributed to intermittent suboptimal doses. In 2 patients, satisfactory haemostasis was achieved for multiple dental extractions; subsequent oozing was attributed to suboptimal rFVIIa and/or antifibrinolytic therapy.