Active disease (ActDis), poor-risk cytogenetics, and older age have historically been considered the most important adverse risk factors for survival after BMT for AML. We performed a multivariable analysis of these and other potential risk factors for overall and progression-free survival. From August 1992 to July 2005, we treated 87 patients with AML, who also had informative cytogenetic studies, with high-dose busulfan-containing preparative regimens and an HLA-matched sibling BMT. The median age was 43 years (range 19 to 62). The median LDH level at the time of BMT was 204 U/L (range 93–1555 U/L; normal 100–220 U/L). Forty-one patients were in either first (n= 30) or second complete remission (n=11; CR). 46 patients with ActDis were treated. The 87 patients were then classified according to the SWOG/ECOG (

Blood 96:4075, 2000
), MRC (
Blood 92:2322, 1998
), and CALGB (
Blood 100:4325, 2002
) cytogenetic classification systems. With a median follow-up of 56.0 months (range 4.5–107.8 months), the median relapse-free survival is 13.5 months for patients in CR1 and 4.1 months for patients in CR2. The relapse-free survival of patients with ActDis was 5.5 months. A Cox proportional hazards analysis that included gender, age, LDH, disease status, cytogenetic risk group, preparative regimen, source of stem cells, and CMV status was performed for overall and relapse-free survival. Significant risk factors for shorter survival in univariate analysis included male gender, LDH >330 U/L (but not LDH >220 U/L or per 100 U/L increase), and peripheral stem cells as a source of hematopoietic reconstitution (n = 7). Surprisingly, a male donor to a male recipient was also an adverse risk factor (p<0.001). However, in multivariable analysis, only LDH >330 U/L (p=0.002), source of stem cells (p=0.019), and male donor to male recipient (p<0.001) remained as significant adverse risk factors. In fact, patients with ActDis and an LDH ≤ 330 U/L had similar survival to patients treated in remission, while patients with ActDis and LDH > 330 U/L had significantly worse survival as shown below. We conclude that high LDH (>1.5X upper limit of normal) is a significant adverse risk factor for survival after BMT for AML and predicts outcome better than more traditional risk factors such as age, disease status, and cytogenetic risk profile.

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Topics:
bone marrow transplantation, human leukocyte antigens, lactate dehydrogenase, leukemia, myelocytic, acute, relationship - sibling, busulfan, complete remission, disease remission, electrocorticogram, follow-up

Disclosure: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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2006, The American Society of Hematology
2006
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