Pediatric marrow transplantation for acute leukemia using unrelated donorsand T-replete or -depleted grafts: a case-matched analysis

A retrospective, case-matched analysis of the short-term toxicity, risk of GVHD and relapse as well as outcome in pediatric unrelated marrow transplan tation was conducted by comparing recipients of T-replete and -depleted gra fts in a two-center setting. Both groups contained 30 patients with acute l eukemia matched by age at transplant, gender, primary diagnosis and disease status. Acute (90% vs 53%) and chronic (48% vs 0%) GVHD were more common a mong recipients of T-replete grafts. No significant differences in graft re jection/failure or viral infections were encountered between the two groups . Relapses were more prevalent (37% vs 15%) among recipients of T-depleted grafts. Outcome (EFS) was similar in the two groups, Consequently, in the a nalysis of transplant outcome, the higher risk of procedure-related, toxic complications among pediatric recipients of T-replete marrow grafts appears to be balanced by an increased risk of relapse among the recipients of T-d epleted grafts.