Key Points CMML is a heterogeneous disorder with a highly variable prognosis that clearly requires a specific and widely accepted prognostic scoring system. CPSS is a powerful prognostic score that defines 4 risk groups for survival and AML evolution, developed and validated in the largest CMML series to date.

Mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalopathy (MNGIE), usually an autosomal-recessive inherited condition, causes gastrointestinal dysmotility, ophthalmoplegia, ptosis, leukoencephalopathy and neuropathy. The chromosome 22 disorder, due to mutations in the nuclear gene TYMP encoding thymidine phosphorylase (TP), leads to the accumulation of thymidine and deoxyuridine, with mitochondrial dysfunction. This report describes a patient with an MNGIE-like syndrome with a heterozygous TYMP mutation who showed marked, but transient improvement postallogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The patient, showing ptosis and ophthalmoplegia, was initially managed for myasthenia gravis. She developed gastrointestinal symptoms, dysarthria, dysphagia and weakness, and MNGIE was considered due to its low TP levels and improvement after platelet transfusions. She underwent HSCT, with dramatic improvement, but regressed 18 months later despite normal TP levels, platelet counts and full chimerism. MNGIE may encompass a spectrum of disorders. TP deficiency alone is unlikely to explain all clinical signs, and other factors, including the possible development of anti-TP antibodies, which may play a role in the pathophysiology.

Allogeneic hematopoietic SCT (HSCT) has been proposed as a treatment for patients with mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalomyopathy (MNGIE). HSCT has been performed in nine patients using different protocols with varying success. Based on this preliminary experience, participants of the first consensus conference propose a common approach to allogeneic HSCT in MNGIE. Standardization of the transplant protocol and the clinical and biochemical assessments will allow evaluation of the safety and efficacy of HSCT as well as optimization of therapy for patients with MNGIE.

MSC expansion procedure, cell characterization and obtaining platelet lysate were performed according to standard procedures and are shown in the Online Supplementary Appendix. Patients' characteristics and MSC infusionOverall, 18 patients diagnosed with either acute (n=10) or chronic (n=8) GVHD refractory to prior treatment were included in the study once written informed consent had been obtained. Refractory GVHD was defined as progression or absence of response to last treatment. Patients' characteristics are summarized in Table 2. Eleven patients had received reduced intensity conditioning and 6 received myeloablative conditioning. Fourteen patients had received hematopoietic stem cells from an unrelated donor and 7 received them from an HLA-mismatched donor. Eight patients had received GVHD prophylaxis based on a calcineurin inhibitor plus methotrexate.Inclusion criteria were: patients who had undergone an allogeneic stem cell transplant and developed GVHD refractory to conventional treatment; adequate cardiac and pulmonary functions; aged between 18 and 65 years; signed informed consent from patient and donor. Exclusion criteria were: patients who did not fulfill all of the inclusion criteria; progression of the hematologic disease; active infection; women who were either pregnant or at risk of pregnancy. The study was conducted between February 2007 and December 2009.Patients received 1-2x10 6 MSCs/kg intravenously in a single dose. Eventually, when a partial response was obtained or in the case of relapse after achieving complete remission, patients could receive a second dose of MSCs at least two weeks after the first infusion. Patients who were receiving 6-methylprednisolone were kept on the same doses for at least seven days after MSC infusion and a taper of 10% every five days was planned later when there was a response. Other immunosuppressive drugs were managed according to the criteria of the attending physician. Response to therapy was measured according to previously reported criteria. [9][10][11] Patients were taken off the study if fewer than 1x10 6 MSCs/kg were obtained after eight weeks of expansion. All patients receiving at least one dose of MSCs were included in the safety and efficacy analysis.The treatment protocol was reviewed and approved by the local authorities and ethical committee of all participanting centers.Mesenchymal cells for graft vs. host disease treatment haematologica | 2011; 96 (7) 1073 Statistical analysisVariables of the expansion procedure were analyzed from the day of inclusion in the trial, i.e. the day when informed consent was signed. Mean and median values and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and ranges were calculated for each continuous variable. Student's two-sample t test and Pearson's X 2 test were used to compare continuous and qualitative variables. In those comparisons where the number of cases precluded the use of parametric tests, the Mann-Whitney test and Fisher's exact test were used. To analyze patient outcome after infusi...

PurposeIncreasing the number of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells within an umbilical cord blood (UCB) graft shortens the time to hematopoietic recovery after UCB transplantation. In this study, we assessed the safety and efficacy of a UCB graft that was expanded ex vivo in the presence of nicotinamide and transplanted after myeloablative conditioning as a stand-alone hematopoietic stem-cell graft.MethodsThirty-six patients with hematologic malignancies underwent transplantation at 11 sites.ResultsThe cumulative incidence of neutrophil engraftment at day 42 was 94%. Two patients experienced secondary graft failure attributable to viral infections. Hematopoietic recovery was compared with that observed in recipients of standard UCB transplantation as reported to the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (n = 146). The median time to neutrophil recovery was 11.5 days (95% CI, 9 to 14 days) for recipients of nicotinamide-expanded UCB and 21 days (95% CI, 20 to 23 days) for the comparator (P < .001). The median time to platelet recovery was 34 days (95% CI, 32 to 42 days) and 46 days (95% CI, 42 to 50 days) for the expanded and the comparator cohorts, respectively (P < .001). The cumulative incidence of grade 2 to 4 acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) at day 100 was 44%, and grade 3 and 4 acute GVHD at day 100 was 11%. The cumulative incidence at 2 years of all chronic GVHD was 40%, and moderate/severe chronic GVHD was 10%. The 2-year cumulative incidences of nonrelapse mortality and relapse were 24% and 33%, respectively. The 2-year probabilities of overall and disease-free survival were 51% and 43%, respectively.ConclusionUCB expanded ex vivo with nicotinamide shortens median neutrophil recovery by 9.5 days (95% CI, 7 to 12 days) and median platelet recovery by 12 days (95% CI, 3 to 16.5 days). This trial establishes feasibility, safety, and efficacy of an ex vivo expanded UCB unit as a stand-alone graft.