Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2017 Jul 4. pii: S1083-8791(17)30553-0. doi: 10.1016/j.bbmt.2017.06.022. [Epub ahead of print]

Umbilical Cord Blood Cytomegalovirus Serostatus Does Not Have an Impact on Outcomes of Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation for Acute Leukaemia.

Nikolajeva O¹, Rocha V², Danby R³, Ruggeri A⁴, Volt F⁵, Baudoux E⁶, G Gomez S⁷, Kögler G⁸, Larghero J⁹, Lecchi L¹⁰, Martinez MS⁷, Navarrete C¹¹, Pouthiers F¹², Querol S⁷, Kenzey C⁵, Szydlo R¹³, Gluckman E⁵, Madrigal A¹.

Abstract

Several studies have reported an impact of the adult haematopoietic stem cells donors cytomegalovirus (CMV) serostatus on allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) outcomes. Limited data, however, are available on the impact of cord blood unit (CBU) CMV serostatus on allogeneic umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT) outcomes. We analysed, retrospectively, the impact of CBU CMV serostatus on relapse incidence (RI) and 2-year non-relapse mortality (NRM) of single-unit CBU transplantation for acute leukaemia. Data from 1177 de novo acute leukaemia paediatric and adult patients transplanted within European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) centres between 2000 and 2012 were analysed. CBUs were provided by the European Cord Blood Banks. The median follow-up time for live patients was 59.9 months. The recipients of CMV seropositive and seronegative CBUs showed a comparable RI (33% versus 35% respectively, p=0.6) and 2-year cumulative incidence of NRM (31% versus 32% respectively, p=0.5). We conclude that CBU CMV serostatus did not influence RI and NRM in de novo acute leukaemia patients after allo-UCBT and should not be included as a criteria for cord blood choice.