Fatal immune-mediated pancytopenia and a TRALI-like syndrome associated with high titers of recipient-type antibodies against donor-derived peripheral blood cells after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation following dose reduced conditioning

Haematologica. 2004 May 1;89(5):ECR12. Print 2004 May.

Abstract

Pancytopenia occurring after bone marrow transplantation is a rare complication. A 47 year old patient with progression of multiple myeloma after standard therapy received an allogeneic marrow graft from a matched unrelated donor. The non-myeloablative conditioning regimen consisted of fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin and total body irradiation. GVHD prophylaxis consisted of cyclosporine. Neutrophil engraftment was as expected and the patient was discharged without signs of acute GvHD. On day +34 the patient presented with clinical and laboratory findings consistent with severe pancytopenia. Antibodies against red cells, platelets, lymphocytes and granulocytes were detected in extremely high titers. Immune-mediated pancytopenia was refractory on multiple immunosuppressive treatment strategies. Proliferation of polyclonal plasma cells of recipient-type that was documented postmortem, was most likely responsible for excessive antibody formation.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune / immunology*
  • Animals
  • Autoantibodies / blood*
  • Blood Cells / immunology*
  • Bone Marrow Transplantation / adverse effects*
  • Bone Marrow Transplantation / immunology
  • Fatal Outcome
  • HLA Antigens / immunology
  • Histocompatibility
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Multiple Myeloma / immunology
  • Multiple Myeloma / therapy
  • Pancytopenia / immunology*
  • Rabbits
  • Respiratory Distress Syndrome / immunology*
  • Transplantation Conditioning / methods
  • Transplantation, Homologous

Substances

  • Autoantibodies
  • HLA Antigens