Intention-to-treat outcomes utilising a stringent event definition in children and young people treated with tisagenlecleucel for r/r ALL through a national access scheme.

CAR T-cell therapy has transformed relapsed/refractory (r/r) B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (B-ALL) management and outcomes, but following CAR T infusion, interventions are often needed. In a UK multicentre study, we retrospectively evaluated tisagenlecleucel outcomes in all eligible patients, analysing overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) with standard and stringent definitions, the latter including measurable residual disease (MRD) emergence and further anti-leukaemic therapy. Both intention-to-treat and infused cohorts were considered. We collected data on feasibility of delivery, manufacture, toxicity, cause of therapy failure and followed patients until death from any cause. Of 142 eligible patients, 125 received tisagenlecleucel, 115/125 (92%) achieved complete remission (CR/CRi). Severe cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicity occurred in 16/123 (13%) and 10/123 (8.1%), procedural mortality was 3/126 (2.4%). The 2-year intent to treat OS and EFS were 65.2% (95%CI 57.2-74.2%) and 46.5% (95%CI 37.6-57.6%), 2-year intent to treat stringent EFS was 35.6% (95%CI 28.1-44.9%). Median OS was not reached. Sixty-two responding patients experienced CAR T failure by the stringent event definition. Post failure, 1-year OS and standard EFS were 61.2% (95%CI 49.3-75.8) and 55.3% (95%CI 43.6-70.2). Investigation of CAR T-cell therapy for B-ALL delivered on a country-wide basis, including following patients beyond therapy failure, provides clinicians with robust outcome measures. Previously, outcomes post CAR T-cell therapy failure were under-reported. Our data show that patients can be successfully salvaged in this context with good short-term survival.

Annual incidence and severity of acute episodes in hereditary thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.

Hereditary thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (hTTP) is a rare thrombotic microangiopathy characterized by severe congenital ADAMTS13 deficiency and recurring acute episodes causing morbidity and premature death. Information on the annual incidence and severity of acute episodes in patients with hTTP is largely lacking. This study reports prospective data on 87 patients from the Hereditary TTP Registry (clinicaltrials.gov #NCT01257269) for survival, frequency, and severity of acute episodes from enrollment until December 2019. The 87 patients, followed up for a median of 4.2 years (range, 0.01-15 years), had a median age at overt disease onset and at clinical diagnosis of 4.6 years and 18 years (range, 0.0-70 years for both), respectively. Forty-three patients received regular plasma prophylaxis, whereas 22 did not, and treatment changed over time or was unknown in the remaining 22. Forty-three patients experienced 131 acute episodes, of which 91 (69%) occurred in patients receiving regular prophylaxis. This resulted in an annual incidence of acute episodes of 0.36 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.29-0.44) with regular plasma treatment and of 0.41 (95% CI, 0.30-0.56) without regular plasma treatment. More than one-third of acute episodes (n = 51) were documented in children <10 years of age at enrollment and were often triggered by infections. Their annual incidence of acute episodes was significantly higher than in patients aged >40 years (1.18 [95% CI, 0.88-1.55] vs 0.14 [95% CI, 0.08-0.23]). The prophylactic plasma infusion regimens used were insufficient to prevent acute episodes in many patients. Such regimens are burdensome, and caregivers, patients, and their guardians are reluctant to start regular plasma infusions, from which children particularly would benefit.

Acquired hemophilia A and plasma cell neoplasms: a case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Acquired hemophilia A is a rare autoimmune disease with clinically often significant bleeding diathesis resulting from circulating autoantibodies inhibiting coagulation factor VIII. Half of acquired hemophilia A cases are associated with an underlying disorder, such as autoimmune diseases, cancer, or use of certain drugs, or occur during pregnancy and in the postpartum period. In the other half, no underlying cause is identified. An association of acquired hemophilia A with plasma cell neoplasm seems to be extremely rare. CASE PRESENTATION: We describe a case of a 77-year-old Swiss Caucasian man who was diagnosed with acquired hemophilia A and smoldering multiple myeloma as an underlying cause. Acquired hemophilia A was treated with prednisolone, cyclophosphamide, and immunoadsorption. Extensive workup revealed a plasma cell neoplasm as the only disorder associated with or underlying the acquired hemophilia A. For long-term control of acquired hemophilia A, we considered treatment of the plasma cell neoplasm necessary, and a VRD (bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone) regimen was initiated. Due to multiple complications, VRD was reduced to VRD-lite after two cycles. After nine cycles of induction therapy and five cycles of consolidation therapy, the patient is in complete remission of his acquired hemophilia A and very good partial remission of the plasma cell neoplasm. We conducted a literature review to identify additional cases of this rare association and identified 15 other cases. Case descriptions, including the sequence of occurrence of acquired hemophilia A and plasma cell neoplasm , treatment, evolution, and outcome are presented. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Our case, together with 15 other cases described in the literature, underscore the possibility of plasma cell neoplasm as an underlying cause of acquired hemophilia A. Physicians should consider including protein electrophoresis, immunofixation, and analysis of free light chains in laboratory diagnostics when treating a patient with acquired hemophilia A. The occurrence of excessive and unexplained bleeding in patients diagnosed with plasma cell neoplasm should raise suspicion of secondary acquired hemophilia A and trigger the request for coagulation tests, particularly in patients treated with immunomodulatory drugs such as thalidomide or lenalidomide. Additionally, early intervention with immunoadsorption can be lifesaving in cases with high-titer factor VIII inhibitors, especially when surgical interventions are necessary.