Engraftment Syndrome Is Common in Patients with POEMS Syndrome Undergoing PBSCT.

Background: POEMS syndrome is a devastating syndrome, characterized by peripheral neuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal plasma cells, skin changes, papilledema, volume overload, sclerotic bone lesions, thrombocytosis, & high VEGF. We noted an unexpectedly high transplant related morbidity, which we have since postulated to be ES.

Methods: 30 patients with POEMS were treated with PBSCT at Mayo Clinic Rochester. We retrospectively studied outcomes, with an emphasis on treatment related morbidity. Two definitions of ES were used: Spitzer (BMT 2001) and Maiolino (BMT 2003).

Results: Two-thirds were male. Median age was 48, range 20–70. Time from first symptoms and diagnosis was 26 and 4 months, respectively. To mobilize stem cells, CTX/G-CSF was used in 5 & G-CSF in the remainder. Conditioning was Mel200 (n=19), Mel140 (n=10), and BEAM (n=1). Post-transplant 15 had GM-CSF begun day+6. Only 10% remained outpatient, and median time to discharge from hospital was transplant day 17 (range 0–175). Factors predicting for later dismissal included age (p=0.04), abnormal CXR 7 to 17 days post transplant (p<0.0001), & bolus corticosteroids (CS) beyond day 12 post-transplant (p=0.006). Ninety-three percent had fever, although only 9 had bacteremia. Eight satisfied criteria for ES according to Spitzer and 14 according to Maiolino. Another 3 patients received steroid bolus days 8, 12, and 11 for presumed ES but did not meet criteria because of delayed ANC recovery (days 16, 18, and 20, respectively). Of the 5 patients requiring endotracheal intubation, 3 satisfied Maiolino’s criteria for ES. Although these 3 received bolus CS during their course, administration was delayed at 18, 14, and 18 days. The patient whose CS bolus antedated intubation only received prednisone 30 mg/day. In toto, fourteen patients received bolus CS (daily doses between 20 and 1200 mg prednisone equivalents) commencing day 8 to 59. Those 7 patients who received CS before day 13 did better than the 7 who received them day 13 or later (Table).

Conclusions: It is essential to recognize that nearly 50% of patients satisfied formal criteria for ES as defined by Maiolino. In these patients ES may run a self-limited course or lead to catastrophe.