British journal of haematology
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Multicenter Study
A phase 2 multicentre study of siltuximab, an anti-interleukin-6 monoclonal antibody, in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.
Interleukin-6 (IL6) plays a central role in multiple myeloma pathogenesis and confers resistance to corticosteroid-induced apoptosis. We therefore evaluated the efficacy and safety of siltuximab, an anti-IL6 monoclonal antibody, alone and in combination with dexamethasone, for patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who had ≥ 2 prior lines of therapy, one of which had to be bortezomib-based. Fourteen initial patients received siltuximab alone, 10 of whom had dexamethasone added for suboptimal response; 39 subsequent patients were treated with concurrent siltuximab and dexamethasone. ⋯ Haematological toxicity was common but manageable. Infections occurred in 57% of combination-treated patients, including ≥ grade 3 infections in 18%. Further study of siltuximab in modern corticosteroid-containing myeloma regimens is warranted, with special attention to infection-related toxicity.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Long-term treatment with romiplostim in patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenia: safety and efficacy.
Romiplostim was effective, safe, and well-tolerated over 6-12 months of continuous treatment in Phase 3 trials in patients with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). This report describes up to 5 years of weekly treatment with romiplostim in 292 adult ITP patients in a long-term, single-arm, open-label study. Outcome measures included adverse events (including bleeding, thrombosis, malignancy, and reticulin/fibrosis), platelet response (platelet count >50 × 10(9) per litre), and the proportion of patients requiring rescue treatments. ⋯ A platelet response was achieved at least once by 95% of patients, with a platelet response maintained by all patients on a median 92% of study visits. There was a low rate of bleeding and infrequent need for rescue treatments. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that romiplostim was safe and well-tolerated over 614 patient-years of exposure in ITP patients, and that efficacy was maintained with stable dosing for up to 5 years of continuous treatment.
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The use of allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (Allo-HSCT) is a standard treatment option for many patients with haematological malignancies. Historically, patients requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission for transplant-related toxicities have fared extremely poorly, with high ICU mortality rates. Little is known about the impact of reduced intensity Allo-HSCT conditioning regimens in older patients on the ICU and subsequent long-term outcomes. ⋯ In addition, we identified the need for ventilation (invasive or non-invasive) as an independently significant adverse factor affecting short-term ICU outcome. For patients surviving ICU admission, subsequent long-term overall survival was excellent; 61% and 51% at 1 and 5 years, respectively. Reduced intensity Allo-HSCT patients admitted to ICU with critical illness have improved survival compared to myeloablative Allo-HSCT recipients.