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Because information on management and outcome of AML relapse after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) with reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) is scarce, a retrospective registry study was performed by the Acute Leukemia Working Party of EBMT. Among 2815 RIC transplants performed for AML in complete remission (CR) between 1999 and 2008, cumulative incidence of relapse was 32% ؎ 1%. Relapsed patients (263) were included into a detailed analysis of risk factors for overall survival (OS) and building of a prognostic score. CR was reinduced in 32%; remission duration after transplantation was the only prognostic factor for response (P ‫؍‬ .003).

Moderate dose escalation using BEACOPP(baseline) did not significantly improve outcome in early unfavorable HL. Four cycles of ABVD should be followed by 30 Gy of IFRT.

A phase 1 diagnostic study was performed to evaluate a novel technology for clinical proteom research based on capillary electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. Urine from 40 patients after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT; 35 allogeneic, 5 autologous) and 5 patients with sepsis was collected for a period of 100 days and analyzed. More than 1000 different polypeptides could be detected in individual samples. Polypeptide patterns excreted in the urine of patients were significantly different from those of healthy volunteers. No significant differences were detected comparing different conditioning regimens. The aim of this study was to identify polypeptide patterns functioning as early indicators of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Eighteen patients developed GVHD after allogeneic HSCT. Sixteen differentially excreted polypeptides formed a pattern of early GVHD markers, allowing discrimination of GVHD from patients without complications with 82% specificity and 100% sensitivity, cross-validated. Inclusion of 13 sepsis-specific polypeptides allowed us to distinguish sepsis from GVHD with a specificity of 97% and a sensitivity of 100%. Sequencing 2 prominent GVHD-indicative polypeptides led to the identification of a peptide from leukotriene A4 hydrolase and a peptide from serum albumin. The data reveal that capillary electrophoresis and mass spectrom-

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The reduction of BEACOPP to the 4 + 4 regimen did not substantially reduce severe toxicity but might decrease efficacy. Our results do not support the omission of consolidation RT for patients with residual disease. Alternative strategies for improving the risk-to-benefit ratio for patients with advanced HL are needed.

At present, little is known about the clearance of platelet-derived microparticles (PMP) in human blood, as due to ethical considerations infusion experiments with labeled microparticles are delicate. Therefore, we investigated the kinetics of PMP, which are abundantly present in apheresis platelet concentrates (PC), following platelet transfusion in severe thrombocytopenic patients (n=11). PMP were double-stained with annexin V and cell-specific antibodies (anti-CD61, anti-CD63 or anti-CD62P, respectively) and detected by flow cytometry before and after transfusion of a single PC at fixed time intervals. Upon transfusion, the plasma levels of MP binding annexin V (2.5-fold), PMP (CD61+; 2.9-fold), and PMP from activated platelets (CD63+; 1.9-fold) or P-selectin (2.5-fold) increased immediately. The plasma levels of MP decreased with a half life of 5.8 hours (annexin V; 95% CI: 1.8?18.3) and 5.3 hours (CD61; 95% CI: 2.0?14.2). This is the first report in which the half life time of transfused PMP has been investigated in humans.