Sirolimus is associated with veno-occlusive disease of the liver after myeloablative allogeneic stem cell transplantation

Blood. 2008 Dec 1;112(12):4425-31. doi: 10.1182/blood-2008-07-169342. Epub 2008 Sep 5.

Abstract

Sirolimus is an effective agent used in graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis after allogeneic transplantation. It also has antiproliferative effects on vascular endothelium when used to coat coronary artery stents. We noted an excess of veno-occlusive disease (VOD) in a clinical trial, and retrospectively reviewed the records of 488 patients to determine the association between sirolimus and VOD. When used with cyclophosphamide/total body irradiation (Cy/TBI) conditioning, sirolimus is associated with an increased incidence of VOD (OR 2.35, P = .005). The concomitant use of methotrexate further increased this rate (OR 3.23, P < .001), while sirolimus without methotrexate was not associated with an increased risk of VOD (OR 1.55, P = .33). Mortality after VOD diagnosis was unaffected, and overall treatment-related mortality was lowest when sirolimus was used without methotrexate. Similar findings were noted in matched, related, and unrelated as well as mismatched donor subgroups. When used with busulfan-based conditioning, sirolimus use was associated with an even higher rate of VOD (OR 8.8, P = .008). Our findings suggest that sirolimus use is associated with VOD after TBI-based transplantation when used with methotrexate after transplantation. Sirolimus-based GVHD prophylaxis without methotrexate is associated with the greatest overall survival. Myeloablative doses of busulfan should not be used with sirolimus-based immunosuppression.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Drug Combinations
  • Female
  • Graft vs Host Disease / prevention & control*
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation* / methods
  • Hepatic Veno-Occlusive Disease / chemically induced*
  • Hepatic Veno-Occlusive Disease / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / adverse effects
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Incidence
  • Leukemia / therapy*
  • Lymphoma / therapy*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Sirolimus / administration & dosage
  • Sirolimus / adverse effects*
  • Sirolimus / therapeutic use*
  • Transplantation Conditioning / adverse effects
  • Transplantation, Homologous
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Drug Combinations
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Sirolimus