SummaryBackgroundWhile CMV viral load (CMV-VL) is commonly used to guide preemptive therapy in the post-transplant setting, there is little data correlating viremia with clinical endpoints. We therefore investigated the association of CMV-VL with mortality in the first year after hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT).MethodsThis cohort study included patients who received an allogeneic HCT between 01 January 2007 and 28 February 2013, were CMV seropositive or had a seropositive donor, and underwent weekly plasma CMV monitoring by PCR through day 100 post-transplant. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the association of CMV-VL at different thresholds with overall by 1 year post-transplant, adjusting for the use of preemptive therapy and other factors such as neutropenia, and graft-versus-host disease. Secondary endpoints were non-relapse mortality and CMV end organ disease by 1 year post-transplant.FindingsAmong 926 patients, the cumulative overall mortality was 30·0% (95% CI 26·9–33·0) by 1 year. CMV-VL of ≥250 IU/ml was associated with increased risk of early (day 0–60 post-transplant) death (adjusted HR 18·1, 95% CI 8·8–37·4). The risk was attenuated after day 60 (adjusted HR 1·8, 95% CI 1·4–2·4). Similar associations were observed for higher CMV-VL thresholds. CMV-VL was also associated with increased risk of non-relapse mortality and demonstrated a dose-response relationship. The adjusted HR (95% CI) for CMV-VL of any positive CMV-VL below 500, 501–1000, and >1000 IU/ml were 1·4 (0·9–2·1), 2·6 (1·3–4·9), and 5·0 (3·1–8·1), respectively.InterpretationCMV viremia is associated with increased risk of overall and non-relapse mortality in the first year after HCT, independent of the use of preemptive therapy and with evidence of a postitive dose-response relationship. These data establish the suitability of viral load as a surrogate clinical endpoint for clinical trials for CMV vaccines, biologics, and drugs.FundingMerck & Co., Inc., National Institute of Health (K23-AI097234, K24HL093294, HL088021, CA78902, CA18029, HL122173)

Efforts to decrease no-show rates should target older patients and well child visits.

The epidemiology of herpes zoster (HZ) in contemporary autologous hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients, and the impact of acyclovir/valacyclovir (ACV/VACV) prophylaxis, is not well described. In this observational study from 2002–2010, we retrospectively identified 1,000 varicella zoster virus (VZV) seropositive autologous HCT recipients with up to five years of follow up. The incidence of HZ and use of ACV/VACV prophylaxis were determined through review of medical records and mailed questionnaires. Risk factors for HZ were determined by multivariable Cox regression. Over a period of five years post-autologous HCT, 194 patients developed at least one HZ episode with a cumulative incidence of 21%; 159/194 (82%) were not on prophylaxis at the time of HZ. A second episode of HZ occurred in 31/194 (16%) patients. Patients taking ACV/VACV had reduced risk for HZ (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.59; 95% CI, 0.37–0.91), whereas those older than the median age (≥55.5 years) had increased risk (aHR 1.42, 95% CI 1.05–1.9). Disseminated VZV was reported in 8% and post-herpetic neuralgia in 13% of patients. We demonstrate a high burden of HZ late after autologous HCT, despite long-term antiviral prophylaxis. Improved prevention strategies are needed to provide sustained protection against HZ after autologous HCT.

Confirmation of RSV infection in the lower respiratory tract provides prognostic information that may help prioritize therapies. Supplemental oxygen-free days as a clinical endpoint may allow smaller sample sizes for trials evaluating RSV antivirals.