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Purpose: Primary objective is to evaluate safety of isavuconazonium sulfate (ISA) in pediatrics below 18 years old. Exploratory endpoint includes mortality due to probable and proven invasive fungal infection (IFI) and overall morality in this population. Patients and Methods: Retrospective review of patients below 18 years receiving ISA for ≥7 days for possible, probable, or proven IFI or prophylaxis between June 2015 and March 2018. Descriptive analysis performed to calculate median, frequency, and percentages. Results: Safety analysis included 18 patients and a subgroup of 11/18 patients were assessed for efficacy. Median age 12.5 years (4 to 17 y), median weight 50.25 kg (19 to 118 kg), 50% male, 77% acute leukemias, 94% hematopoietic cell transplant recipients, 50% matched unrelated donors and 78% in remission. Elevated alanine aminotransferase 3 times baseline within 30 days of ISA occurred in 22% (4/18). No patients had elevated bilirubin or increase in serum creatinine. All-cause mortality at 90 days was 22% (4/18) and 27% (3/11) in patients with probable or proven IFI. Clinical response rates: 14-day: 45% (5/11) partial, 27% (3/11) stable; 30-day: 45% (5/11) partial, 36% (4/11) stable; 90-day: 54% (6/11) had either partial (n=3) or complete (n=3) response to ISA. Conclusions: ISA is safe in pediatric patients for the treatment of IFI. Prospective, randomized controlled trials are warranted to determine efficacy and safety of ISA in pediatric patients with hematologic malignancies and hematopoietic cell transplant.
CMV is a double-stranded DNA beta herpes virus that establishes latency after primary infection. CMVi, defined as isolation of the virus or viral proteins or nucleic acid in any body fluid or tissue specimen, in the absence of end-organ disease, 1 is a major complication after allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplant (alloHCT) and associated with increased non-relapse mortality. 2 In the current era of letermovir prophylaxis, early CMVi (infection within first 100 days of HCT) incidence is expected to be low. 3 Late-onset CMVi (after day 100 of HCT) is still a concern upon discontinuation of letermovir, particularly among patients with graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) requiring high dose steroids and/or T cell-depleting therapies, recipients of cord blood or haploidentical HCT. These same risk factors predispose to recurrent and resistant CMVi. 4 AlloHCT patients with recurrent and resistant CMVi pose significant challenges in management. 4 The use of foscarnet for ganciclovir resistant CMVi requires intravenous therapy and is often complicated with nephrotoxicity and electrolyte abnormalities. Cidofovir, used for ganciclovir and foscarnet resistant CMVi, is well-known for its nephrotoxicity. Therapeutic options are limited for pan-resistant CMVi due to UL97 and UL54 mutations that render ganciclovir, foscarnet and cidofovir ineffective. Letermovir, approved for CMV prophylaxis in seropositive alloHCT recipients, has a low viral genetic barrier resistance, and off-label use for salvage therapy for refractory or resistant CMVi should be done with caution. 5 Agents such as leflunomide and artesunate along with CMV-specific T cells have been used with variable success. 4 Maribavir appears to be effective in clinical trial settings for resistant/refractory CMVi; however, resistance is an issue. 4,6 Combination therapy for CMVi
Background Acyclovir-resistant (ACVr) herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection management is a challenge in patients with hematologic malignancies (HM) and hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients. Methods Retrospective review of patients aged ≥ 18 years with underlying HM and/or HCT and culture-positive ACVr HSV between 1/1/2009 and December 1/2017 at a tertiary cancer center. Clinical, laboratory, microbiological, and treatment data collected. Results 33 patients identified; 25 (76%) acute leukemias, 3 (9%) chronic myeloid leukemia/chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CML/CLL), 3 (9%) lymphoma, 2 (6%) other HM, and 32 (97%) had HCT. Median age of patients was 59 years (25–73) and 64% of them are females. HCT type: 22 (67%) matched unrelated donor, 3 (9%) cord blood, and 7 (21%) matched related donor. All patients were on acyclovir prophylaxis prior to diagnosis. The median time to onset of ACVr HSV infection was 147 days after transplant. Infection site: 16 (49%) oral, 10 (30%), ano-genital, 5 (15%) oral and esophagus/lung, 2 (6%) esophagus/lung. Pertinent laboratory data on day of viral culture (median/range): white blood cell (WBC) 4.6 cells/µL (0.1–85.9), absolute neutrophil count (ANC) 2,316 cells/µL (0–17,000), absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) 574.5 cells/µL (0–84,182). Serum creatinine at start and end of treatment are 0.8 mg/dL (0.32–1.98) and 0.92 mg/dL (0.36–2.7), respectively. The median duration of treatment was 30 days (4–116). Treatment: 20 (61%) foscarnet, 2 (6%) cidofovir, 4 (12%) foscarnet and cidofovir, 1 (3%) valacyclovir, 5 (15%) high-dose acyclovir, 1 (3%) unknown. 8 (24%) received adjunctive topical therapy: 5 imiquimod, 3 cidofovir. 31 included in outcome analysis (data missing in 2). Infection resolved in 15/31 (48%) while 5/31 (16%) had persistent infection. Median ANC and ALC in those with resolved vs. persistent infection (respectively): 3,082 cells/µL and 642 cells/µL vs. 1,895 cells/µL and 380 cells/µL with a trend toward lower ANC and ALC in patients with persistent infection. Overall mortality was 35% (9/31) while ACVr HSV attributable mortality was 6.4% (2/31). Conclusion ACVr HSV is predominantly encountered in allogeneic HCT, particularly the unrelated donor recipients, and lower ANC/ALC may predispose to persistent infection. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.
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